Book
Reviews: Non-fiction
Can you tell
I’m passionate about good books? I’ve found the following books to be
trustworthy—true to God’s words and meaningful to my spiritual
journey. Some of them were literally life changing. As I read new books I
want to include I’ll place them at the top of the list so check back in
periodically for the newest reviews!
Blue Like Jazz, Donald Miller, Thomas Nelson
Publishers - This isn’t your typical Christian book. In fact, it was a
very stretching read. It made me step out of my religiosity and examine my
life in the face of what following Jesus, not my traditions,
really
looks like. It is written memoir style and is a refreshingly honest look
at the struggle of faith, the desire to live in an authentic relationship
with Christ, and the fight against self as we seek to be like Him. Don’t
read this if you want to stay safe, surrounded by thoughts you’ve heard
before. Only read it if you are ready to think—to question both the
author and yourself—and to take your questions before a Holy God. (And
please don’t write to request I remove this recommendation from my web
page. I’m not saying I agree hook, line, and sinker with everything
Miller says. I’m saying He made me think and that’s a good thing. I
trust Soul Scents readers to read with God’s discerning Spirit and to
glean whatever the Holy Spirit might have for them without rejecting the
whole book if parts of Miller’s ideology doesn’t exactly fit their
own.)
The Ragamuffin Gospel, Brennan Manning,
Multnomah - This book, written under the assumption that most of the
Christian world accepts grace in theory, but denies it in practices, has
both revolutionized and scandalized the Christian community. I
found it a refreshing reminder of how deep the gospel of grace really
goes. Here’s a quote: He (God) is not moody or capricious; He knows no
seasons of change. He has a single relentless stance toward us: He loves
us. He is the only God man has ever heard of who loves sinners.” And
another: “Jesus says the Kingdom of His Father is not a subdivision for
the self-righteous nor for those who feel they possess the state secret of
their salvation. The Kingdom is not an exclusive, well-trimmed suburb with
snobbish rules about who can live there. No, it is for a larger, homelier,
less self-conscious cast of people who understand they are sinners because
they have experienced the yaw and pitch of moral struggle . . . Morton
Kelsey wrote: ‘The church is not a museum for saints but a hospital for
sinners.’” Manning’s book suggests we come to God in simple honesty
and access His amazing grace. He suggests we come as we are, “dirty,
bedraggled, and beat-up” and “sit at His feet” receiving His smile
and “furious love.”
Building the Christian Family You Never Had: A
Practical Guide for Pioneer Parents - Mary DeMuth, Waterbrook In
typical DeMuth fashion, this book is a realistic, vulnerable, and honest
look at the struggles of parenting. Not a typical
“how-to”
book that leaves you feeling inadequate, but a genuine sign-post helping
the reader understand not only how to build a home on the foundation of
Jesus, but how to overcome the roadblocks along the way. It deals with
such issues as: shielding your child from the influence of those who
undermine your values, coping with criticism about your faith-based
parenting decisions, honoring and forgiving your parents without endorsing
their behaviors, and finding positive mentors. Well-written, meaningful,
and helpful for those who come from a Christian background and those who
do not. For more information about this book, see my interview with Mary
on GraceReign. (You may also appreciate Mary’s fictions works reviewed on the fiction
page of Soul Scents.)
The Woman Behind the Mask, Jan Coleman, Kregel
Publications - If you are tired of the roles you play
and the effort it takes to keep up appearances, this book is for you.
Coleman uses the analogy of a leading
lady in life’s drama to illustrate the ways women play the role
instead of discovering who they are and what God desires of and for them.
At one point Coleman writes, “Why did I swallow the myth that I could be
everything to everybody? I played too many roles not intended for me. I
fooled myself with my own masquerade.” Coleman’s prayer for herself
and her reader is, “Lord, help me find the woman behind the mask.”
The Slumber of Christianity, Ted Dekker,
Nelson Books - It seems like I’ve read several books lately which
remind
me of the prize—an eternity of perfection, lived out in the unfathomable
love of God. Dekkers vulnerable and honest book looks at the Christian
struggle with disillusionment and points us to the hope that will always
be ours. He writes, “Worldly Christianity is simply heavenless
Christianity. In so many teachings and books designed to prod us into
successful Christian living, there’s a preoccupation with life on earth.
In many ways we have become our own greatest enemy.” Dekker asserts that
we have fallen asleep to one of the most glorious basic truths the
Christian can cling to—our hope for heaven.
90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death and
Life, Don Piper, Cecil Murphey, Revell - The 
true story
of the accident that took Don Piper’s life, the ninety minutes he was
allowed in heaven, and the long
recovery process after God sent him back to this world. While it
is difficult to read of the pain Don and his family has endured, the hope
of heaven rings loud and clear in this book, taking the readers eyes off
of the now and helping focus them on the hope God promises. The glimpses
of heaven I was given will long be cherished in my heart.
Naked Fruit, Elisa Morgan, Revell - When I
first started this
little book, I was concerned that it was so
simple
it wouldn’t have much to offer me, but this refreshing look at the fruit
of the Spirit by MOPS International President, Elisa Morgan, is full of
little nuggets of truth—including the over-arching theme, the fruit of
the Spirit is not about being nice. It’s about being like Jesus.
Keeping a Princess Heart in a Not So Fairy Tale
World, Nicole Johnson, W Publishing 
Group -
Chosen as the Women of Faith book of the year, this book explores how
fairytales expose some of women’s
deepest longest, and can also set us up for our deepest hurts.
Johnson helps women see the pitfalls of their dreams, but also the beauty
in the longings and how we can maintain a princess heart in the truest
sense.
Dinner
with a Perfect Stranger,
David Gregory, Waterbrook Press -This little book is
like
fiction,
but is really about what it would be like to sit across the table from
Jesus and let Him into all the secret places of your life. It opens when
the main character receives a mysterious invitation to dinner with Jesus
of Nazareth. When they meet their conversations touch on such big themes
as, God, meaning, pain, faith, and doubt. Worth the read.
Captivating
by John and Stasi Eldredge (Thomas Nelson) does for women what Wild
at Heart did for men. The subtitle is:
Unveiling the Mystery of a
Woman's Soul and the book lives up to its promise. The book probes a
woman's desires, wounds, value, and calling, but in a way no other book in
the Christian market (at least that I've read) has done. It touches those
deep places, those yearnings so precious that we are afraid to even admit
them and it calls us to awaken to fullness of what it means to be a
woman, created in the image of God.
But John and Stasi say it better than I do. Here's an excerpt: You are
a woman. An image bearer of God. The Crown of Creation. You were chosen
before time and space, and you are wholly and dearly loved. You are sought
after, pursued, romanced, the passionate desire of your Fiancé, Jesus.
You are dangerous in your beauty and life-giving power. And you are
needed. As a woman who has been ransomed and redeemed, you can be strong
and tender. You speak to the world of God's mercy, mystery, beauty, and
his desire for intimate relationship.
This is another book that is a natural fit for small group study. I’m
going through it with my daughter and some teens in a Bible study I teach.
I wouldn’t recommend it for younger teens or for families who are
choosing to protect their daughters from the harsher realities of the
world, but for the girls I teach, it has been fodder for some wonderful
discussion.
When God
Speaks to My Heart by
Rosalie Willis, White Stone Books – I’ve only begun reading through
these beautiful, gentle devotionals, but very often the thought for the
day has
addressed something specific that God is addressing in my life.
This morning the words directly addressed and paralleled my prayers last
night. The back cover copy says it this way: “Today you embark on the
most significant journey of your life—a path toward a more intimate and
meaningful relationship with God . . . (the book) is a daily opportunity
to experience the embrace of a compassionate Heavenly Father, to hear His
voice, and discover the very personal side of His love for you.” Bless
Rosalie Willis for pouring such grace and truth into these daily thoughts.
Voices of
the Faithful by Beth
Moore, Integrity – This is
another devotional book I haven’t yet
finished, but had to mention. Each day’s devotional writing comes from
someone serving on the mission field and tells gripping stories of faith,
humanity, and courage. This is one I’m reading out loud with my
children. Moving. Faithbuilding. And a catalyst to the services of prayer
and compassion.
Fields of
the Fatherless by C.
Thomas Davis, Global Publishing Services – Tom Davis does a masterful
job of
reminding us that much of the road to fulfillment is found in
serving those who seemingly can’t repay us. In many ways, I found this
book to be a journey into the compassionate heart of God and a catalyst
for deeper thinking and growth in my personal journey toward living out of
that heart. Read it and discover with Tom the “joy of compassionate
living.”
Foolish
No More: Seizing a Life Beyond Belief by
Ted Haggard, Waterbrook Press – Based on the New Testament
book of
Galatians, this book explores the ideals the apostle Paul wrote over 2,000
years ago and shows how they are applicable today. It is a down-to-earth
plain-speaking read sprinkled with humor. Haggard does a good job making
wonderful Bible truths easy to understand as he encourages readers to put
off the old ways and walk in the new way of the Spirit. In my opinion, it
is worth the read simply for the last chapter, though I liked most of the
rest of it as well.
Strong
Women, Soft Hearts
by Paula Rinehart (W Publishing Group) is one of the best non-fiction
books I’ve read lately. With honesty, kindness, and real life examples,
Rinehart
helped me see that I must be willing to risk living with the
passion God has placed within me. Her writing, which she says were
influenced by another of my favorite authors, the late Brent Curtis
(co-author of The Sacred Romance), challenged me to enter the inner places
of the heart and confront the issues that squeeze the life out of
me—from the need to control, to facing my fears. She challenged me to
live my deepest desires without fear of failure or promise of success,
knowing I am always securely wrapped in God’s unfailing love and
therefore I am safe. I went through this book with a group of Christian
women and it made a wonderful springboard for discussing real-life issues
in the context of spirituality.
I can’t believe I only recently read Philip Yancey’s What’s
So Amazing About Grace! (Zondervan) Dr. Robert Seiple,
President of
World vision calls it " . . . beyond a doubt the very best book I
have read from a Christian author in my life. . . Philip draws us back to
the gift of grace." I’ve read some deeply impacting books in recent
years and I’d have to put this one on the list of my top few. I love God’s
grace. It’s the most beautiful thing I know. Yancey challenged me beyond
how I’d know to be challenged to think deeply and respond strongly to
the grace God offers. If you want to let God probe your safe boundaries,
this is for you.
Revolution
Within (and study guide,
Experiencing Christ Within) by Dwight Edwards (Waterbrook Press) – This
book was absolutely life changing for me. I read it, then worked my way
through the study guide, and then read it again. Edwards carefully
documented his thoughts with scripture and as I took time to read the
scriptures and meditate on all God was
showing me, my thinking was
transformed. This book helped me glimpse how really wonderful God is and
heightened my desire to really know Him. It helped set me free to walk in
God’s grace and opened my eyes to who I really am in Christ. It’s all
about Him and not about me! He has transformed my heart and because He
dwells within me there is provision for everything I need in this life.
Edwards convinced me that I don’t want to be just “spiritually
whole” but also “spiritually provocative.” The back of the book
says, “As you tap into this vibrant eternal reality, you’ll experience
fresh intimacy with God, new liberty, a deepened sense of community with
other believers, and a new capacity for ministry. And through it all
you’ll grow in your passion for what God Himself is most passionate
about: His glory.” This is one time the book lived up to its back cover
promises!
Pleasures
Evermore by Sam Storms (Navpress)
– After you’ve soaked a while in Revolution Within you just might be
ready for this book. It claims to explore The Life Changing power of
enjoying God and for me that’s just what it did. I will be forever
impacted by how Storms helped me see that the immense pleasure of knowing
God is what calls me to holiness. I don’t have to beat myself up to
follow all the rules. I don’t have to put my heart in chains to be holy.
Holiness comes from being with the Father and that alone is so beautiful I
crave it. Storms convinced me that the only meaningful victory over sin is
to live for the greater pleasure of knowing Christ. Striving to follow the
rules and act holy kills my heart and makes me lust after worldly
pleasure. Throwing myself into the pursuit of knowing Christ brings
“Pleasures Evermore” and sets my heart free to “be Holy” as He is
holy. Join Storms in this journey toward the freedom and joy that comes
from knowing God and living for His glory.
The
Pressure’s Off by Larry
Crabb (Waterbrook Press) Workbook also available – If you are
struggling to make life work and weary of the process, this book is for
you. Crabb writes with clarity about our tendency to try to life an A plus
B equals C kind of life. We may think we’ve embraced the
gospel and been
set free to live in God’s grace, but too often we still walk with a
legalistic mindset. “If I obey, then God will bless.”; “If I’m
a good enough parent my children will turn out okay.” We put
tremendous pressure on ourselves to perform and live disillusioned, as
life doesn’t turn out the way we expected. Crabb invites us to step
“off the treadmill” and brings to life Romans 7:6: “We have been
released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, an
not in the old way of the written code.” (NIV) Crabb says that once you
discover the New Way, “you have hope. Your soul may be weary, your
interior world my be filled with struggles, but you have hope . . . You
can taste the freedom. And the taste brings joy.” This book was
instrumental in taking me along that pathway of New Hope, living daily in
the grace of the cross.
The Sacred
Romance by John Eldredge
and Brent Curtis (Thomas Nelson) Workbook also available –
Eldredge and Curtis very gently and beautifully took me to places I’d
been afraid
to visit within myself. They convinced me that it was time to
live in the bigger picture of eternity and to do it with an alive heart.
This is another one that I read first and then re-read and worked through
with the workbook. The second time I joined a woman’s Bible study group
that helped me process the information. For those of you pragmatic types,
this book might be a stretch, but for me it was eye-opening. God used
Eldredge and Curtis to help me see that I was hardening my heart because
of unmet desires and as I opened my heart to its yearnings, I discovered
that underneath each longing was a craving to know Christ. As the back of
the book says, “The Sacred Romance is the story of our lives; it is
God’s story. It is His invitation to experience His unfathomable love
for us.”
Shattered
Dreams by Larry Crabb (Waterbrook
Press) – I began this book as I finished The Sacred Romance. What
God stirred up in me as I read Eldredge and Curtis, He exploded within me
as I read Crabb. I joke that The Sacred Romance very gently lulled
me into new truth and then Shattered Dreams
picked up a gun and
shot me between the eyes with it in a deeper way. I fought, kicked, cried,
and screamed my way through this one and in the end I found Christ like
I’d never found Him before. Crabb says, “God wants to bless us.
That’s the first idea. Because He can’t resist giving us the highest
good, He’s determined to give us an encounter with Himself . . . The
greatest blessing is no longer the blessing of a good life. It never was.
It is now the blessing of an encounter with God. It always has been. But
now, in the new way, the greatest dream is available.” God used this
book, along with some pretty trying circumstances in my life, to topple
idols of my heart and take His throne. Never have I felt such wonder and
joy, never have I worship so deeply, as the night I laid aside this book
and heard God whisper, “If I never give you all these things you’re
asking me for, do you still want me?” I paused only briefly to count the
cost. “Yes, Lord. I want you more than anything.” And then I stood in
worship and companionship unlike any I’d ever known. Let God shatter
your dreams so you can find His best—Himself.
The Journey
of Desire by John Eldredge
(Thomas Nelson) – Okay, let me say it here and now. If it has the name
Eldredge on it, I read it. Eldredge has been instrumental in helping me
learn to maintain the alive, free heart Christ won for me at the cross. I
love the way he writes, it is easy to read and full of passion and beauty.
That said, for me the Journey of Desire was another trip down the
same road The Sacred Romance took me on. It was a road worth
traveling again, but the same road. In my opinion, The Journey of
Desire is the male counterpart to Sacred Romance. Eldredge is
saying a lot of the same stuff in a different way, one more palpable to
men. A female friend of mine, though, read Journey of Desire before
reading Sacred Romance and is more passionate about Journey of
Desire. My personal opinion is that you should pick up The Sacred
Romance for yourself and the Journey of Desire for your
husband. (Assuming I am writing to a primarily female audience here.) Some
of my male acquaintances couldn’t relate at all to The Sacred Romance,
but ate up The Journey of Desire.
Wild at Heart
by John Eldredge (Thomas Nelson) – I’m passionate about this book. The
back cover says that Eldredge “invites men to recover their masculine
heart, defined in the
image of a passionate God. And he invites women to
discover the secret of a man’s soul and to delight in the strength and
wildness men were created to offer.” Eldredge claims that most Christian
men are bored—trying to be the “good man” the church asks them to be
without connecting with the heart and soul of all God has called them to.
Every man should read this book. Every married woman or woman who hopes to
marry should read this book. Every mother should read this book, more than
once. It helped me to see my boys in a new, fresh light and to release
them to be the men God called them to be . . . and as I read, I discovered
that I’m just a bit “Wild at Heart” myself.
Bringing Up
Boys by James Dobson (Tyndale
House) – I read this at the same time I read Wild at Heart.
Dobson’s carefully
researched book supports much of what Eldredge is
saying, only Eldredge says it with passion and story and Dobson says it
with research, statistics, antidotes, and a concerned heart. I’d
recommend you read them both—each offers something the other doesn’t.
Dobson takes you deeper into the cause and effect of different situations
on a boy’s life and offers the more clinical advice that comes from his
deep experience and research. I’d say it is a more practical book. Both
books set me free to embrace my boys and all the passion and energy that
comes with them.
Waking the
Dead by John Eldredge
(Tommy Nelson) – I recently finished this book and it will be a re-read
for me, maybe starting tomorrow! J
Eldredge has convinced me that I am most dangerous to the enemy when I am
living from an
alive, passionate heart. This book opened my eyes to the
subtle ways I was losing touch with my heart and warned me that the enemy
would attack as I learned to live in the joy of a new covenant heart that
is alive to Christ . . . and boy was Eldredge right! This book helped me
return to the beautiful truths God had given me before about what it means
to truly live alive and jubilant in Him. It reminded me that there’s a
battle for my heart and I must seek the Lord in prayer and focus
intentionally on those things God has put in me that helps me to keep my
heart alive.
Letters to
the Thirsty by Ed Miller (Waterbrook
Press) – This book is another of those life-changing reads for my
husband
and I and many we’ve shared it with. The front cover says, “If
you thirst to know more about God—and to know Him more intimately—sit
down with a trusted mentor who can help you plumb the depths of real
relationship with God. Letters to the Thirsty is like having
personal devotions with a wise a proven friend.” We found this to be
true. It is arranged in short, easy to read chapters, or letters, that are
almost devotional in nature. We found much rest for our weary souls and
new insight into the loving heart of God. This is one we buy whenever we
see it and pass it on at every chance. It truly ministered to our hearts.
The Bondage
Breaker by Neil Anderson
(Harvest House) – Years ago I heard Neil Anderson speak and he invited
us to the front for prayer and gave us a copy of this book. At the time I
had my eyes opened to new truth, but I wasn’t ready for the full impact
of what He was saying. Since that time
Anderson’s ministry developed a
Steps to Freedom in Christ guide that confronts much of what Anderson
wrote about in the Bondage Breaker. (He also wrote Victory Over
the Darkness.) Several years ago I prayed through these steps in a
corporate setting. A few years later, I chose to meet with some trusted
friends who guided me through these steps and prayed with me. Through this
experience God healed me from some deep hurts and revealed to me areas in
my life where I was restrained from following Him by the deception of the
enemy allowed by my own sins of pride, fear, perfectionism, and unforgiveness.
I’d recommend reading Bondage Breaker and Victory Over the
Darkness, and then seeking out a group of people trained to walk you
through these steps to freedom. It is easy for me to see how God has woven
Neil Anderson’s prayer and writings throughout my life—gradually
taking me into one of the most profound experiences of my life, my
“freedom session.” Through Anderson’s writing and the scriptures he
pointed me to, I’ve come to experience a deepened identity of who I am
in Christ. I truly believe God used this ministry to set my heart free so
that I can walk in jubilant relationship with Him. Research this
ministry.
Breaking Free
by Beth Moore (Broadman & Holman) – God put this book into my life
after my “freedom session” (see above review). It encouraged me to
“learn to make freedom in Christ a daily reality through the truth of
God’s Word—truth
that will set us free.” (back cover) This book
solidified the truths God showed me through Anderson’s ministry and gave
me practical teaching on replacing satan’s lies with scripture. As I was
overcoming the strongholds of fear and unforgiveness in my life I learned
to constantly take charge of the negative thoughts that assaulted me by
replacing them with the truth of God’s word. I found hope in Beth’s
words, “No matter how long we struggle, God is not giving up on us. Even
if we’ve exhausted all the human resources around us dry, He is our
inexhaustible well of living water. He may allow the life of a captive to
grow more and more difficult, so she will be more desperate to do what
freedom in Christ requires—but He will never divorce her.” Friends
tell me there is a wonderful teaching video you can watch as you go
through this book and that it’s a wonderful small group study.
Praying
God’s Word by Beth Moore
(Broadman & Holman) – I read this at the same time I went through Breaking
Free (see
above review). Each chapter describes a typical stronghold
of satan—a way he tries to chain your heart and keep you from living in
the freedom Christ has given you. Things like guilt, depression, idolatry,
and unforgivenss can keep us in bondage and close our eyes to the freedom
Christ offers. After a brief explanation of satan’s trick and words of
encouragement, Moore writes out a list of scripture prayers that relate to
the stronghold. Here’s one of my favorite that uses the truth of God’s
word to combat the feeling of being unloved: “I will be glad and rejoice
in Your love, O God, for You saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my
soul. You have not handed me over to the enemy but have set me feet in a
spacious place. (Psa. 31:7-8 NIV) Hallelujah!”
The
Attributes of God by A.W.
Tozer (Christian Publications) – This classic took me into a deeper
understanding of the heart
of God. Tozer discussed ten attributes of God
including God’s immensity, mercy, holiness and grace. I was, perhaps,
most impacted by the chapter on God’s mercy. In the past I’ve found it
easy to revert to feelings of guilt and failure at the drop of a hat. To
think deeply about God’s mercy and to learn to receive it was a turning
point in my life.
Transforming
Grace by Jerry Bridges (Navpress)
– According to Jerry White, General Director of The Navigators, “No
truth is so needed and so misunderstood. Jerry Bridges opens our minds to
the truth of grace. It is practical, Biblical, and
powerful—a refreshing
release from guilt and legalism.” I quoted White because I couldn’t
say it any better. This book was deeply impacting and well founded in
scripture. Bridges challenges early in the book, “If you are trusting to
any degree in your own morality or religious attainments, or if you
believe God will somehow recognize any of your good works as merit toward
your salvation, you need to seriously consider if you are a Christian. I
realize that I risk offending some with that statement, but we must be
absolutely clear about the truth of the gospel of salvation.” He then
unveils our tendency to accept His grace at the point of salvation and
then rely on our own performance to live out the Christian life. Bridges
says we “forgo the abundant freedoms that come from not having to
measure up,” when we live this way. I highly recommend this book for
your personal study time or small group Bible study.
The God Who
Pursues and The
Relentless God by Cecil Murphy (Bethany House) – According to
Murphy, “God
passionately seeks after human hearts, guiding us through
spiritual hunger and invading our lives for the purpose of making us
holy.” In these books Murphy encourages us to “discover the God who
persistently chases (and catches) human souls.” I appreciated the way
Murphy used Biblical examples and stories from his own life to bring home
spiritual truth and his books swelled the longing inside of me to know
God. In the second book Murphy opens his heart and shares part of his
writing journey. His vulnerability gave me courage I needed that day to be
vulnerable myself and to follow God’s calling upon me to write. He ends
the book with this prayer: “Take away my resistance. Every day, enable
me to reach toward you instead of run from you. Because I know you won’t
ever give up, each time the lasso tightens around
my neck I’m learning
to stop. Fighting or running no longer works. Although I can’t explain
how, I’m learning to yield. And when I start to complain, I’m reminded
that you love me so deeply you won’t let me get away with anything that
displeases you. For this I am grateful.”
My Utmost for
His Highest by Oswald
Chambers-This classic devotional has been reproduced time and again. I
have a
keepsake copy of the book, but my favorite rendition is on my
computer! Early most days I slip away to my computer, check my e-mail, and
read the devotional for the day from Chambers. I’ve been at this over a
year now. Truths that touched me last year are being expanded and given
new depth when I read them this year. It isn’t easy reading and often
what Chambers has to say isn’t easy to swallow, but my computer is
surrounded by quotes from this impacting collection. Here are a couple of
my favorites—the first is my quote for this year—a difficult year with
trials hitting from many directions. “Faith is unutterable trust in
God, trust which never dreams that He will not stand by us.”
(August 29) The most recent quote I hung by my computer says, “Beware
of refusing to go to the funeral of your own independence.”
(December 9) Oh Father! That I may let go of self and embrace You!
You Gotta
Keep Dancin’ (Repackaged
as Choosing Joy) by Tim Hansel (Cook Publishing) – “The choice for
all of us is not if we will accept pain, but how.” (Hansel)
There was a time near the end of my college days when I seriously
contemplated
suicide. During this time the Lord led me to a Bible study on
hope and I learned that hope is the mark of a mature Christian. During my
journey toward choosing to live with hope I was given this book. Reading
it was the turning point for me. Hansel, by sharing his pain,
vulnerability, and will to live, convinced me that I must go on. I chose
to join in the dance of life. Years later I had the privilege of meeting
Tim Hansel and he signed my book. I thanked him for letting God use his
story to save my life. It was a precious moment for both of us. Not too
long ago I had a young friend who struggled to get out of bed every
morning and face the day. I felt led to send him this book. The last time
I talked to him he enthusiastically shared with me his hopes and dreams
for the future and the joy of discovering a God who answers prayer. As
Hansel says, “Procrastinating over the joy of being alive is one of the
greatest burglars of life I know . . . Now is as good as any time to jump
in.”
The Art of
Abundance by Candy Paull
(Honor Books) – This little gift book lived up to it’s claim as “a
simple guide to discovering life’s treasures.” Reading it made my
heart dance
and my soul sing in gratitude for God's abundant blessings. I
began penning my own little list of abundances and bought the book for a
friend who did the same. Another friend of mine kept it on her nightstand
for several months, reading a few pages every day or so to remind her to
live an abundant life. Paull says, “Letting go of expectations is a big
part of the art of abundance. Expectations dictate the way we think
God’s goodness should come to us—what kind of box life is supposed to
come in. But that limits what God can do in our lives, because He is a God
of surprise and diversity and wonder. The only boxes God likes are
surprise packages! Our box of expectations labeled “what should be”
become a trap. True abundance welcomes the surprises of life . . . The art
of abundance is opening my eyes to see what God has lavished on me every
single day that I am still breathing.” Paull reminds us that abundance
is . . . “bare feet on a
summer day; a screen door that keeps the bugs out,” and “girls
giggling at a slumber party.”
A few more
books related to home schooling are reviewed on the Home Schooling Hints
page.
