When Anything Goes: Being a Christian in a Post-Christian World by: Leslie Williams

When Anything Goes: Being Christian in a Post-Christian World by Leslie Williams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Rating 3.5 stars

A English Professor’s point of view, it seems we have produced a generation of young people who no longer understand Biblical references in literature-and who don’t know what they are missing.

This book took me surprise because it wasn’t what I expected and if you happen to decide to read as well, I think you will agree. Usually I like a strong theological/doctrine stand on the word of God but this is more of an experience with a appreciation of the word. She does not bark but draws you in to the loving relationship of God that you may be missing. It is intellectual but also does not ignore the senses and the emotions. She draws from suffering that God redeems that we may know him as God. That we are created for meaning and by understanding, we may know the will of God. It is our relationship with the Lord that creates order out of chaos.

Some of the quotes I found inspiring.

We all know this truth, but it bears reminding: it’s dangerous to judge ourselves from the inside, but others from the outside. Some people like trees overloaded with perfect fruit. How easy life is for them! Not necessarily so. Creating a meaningful inside reality is the goal, and depends largely on grafting (applying others’ advise), fertilizing (using the manure of live in a productive way, timing (waiting for the right moment) and learning to weather the storms.

Enough as it turns out is as good as a feast. Enough money leads to happiness. Enough foods leads to health. Enough self-love leads to confidence. Enough accomplishment leads to a good reputation. Enough control leads to a good balance in life The trouble begins when we love too much.

Looking for love in all the wrong places could be a theme song for our culture eight up there with the national anthem. We are a people convinced that love can be gotten, earned, bought, and sold.

When anything goes invites the reader to look in the inside of a broken life and how the order of God can bring peace. It does not deal with our need of a savior and that sin is against a holy God. However, it does shed light in our broken world. It is a beautiful written account of our broken heart.

A Special Thank You Abingdon Press and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

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Brush of Wings (Angels Walking #3) by Karen Kingsbury

A Brush of Wings by Karen Kingsbury
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Do not forget to entertain strangers, for in doing so some of you have entertained angels without knowing it. Hebrews 13:2

This prose is based on the scripture of Angels interceding and doing the will of God. For his kingdom come and his will be done on earth as it is in heaven. All throughout the bible, God gives us glimpses of the spiritual warfare that the Angles and demons battle for the hearts and souls of people.

Mary Katherine has suffered from a heart defect all of her life so she knows how fragile life is. Working at a teen center to keep young people off the streets and out of gangs she has experienced the pull of destruction in the people she serves. When her doctor reveals that her heart is needing a transplant sooner than later, she makes the decision to do her life dream of serving in a orphanage in Africa. She makes this decision without telling her family, friends, and Marcus the man whose heart is taken by Mary Katherine. However, Mary sees no future with him and discourages any pursuit. Amongst all this activity, there are angels that working for a greater purpose than Mary Katherine or Marcus will know as they seek what God has planned and experience his will in their lives.

In Christian fiction such as this, there is many lessons learned, one being that God pursues and is in battle for the heart of his people. Just as Marcus pursues Mary, the Lord pursues us. Just as we isolate our selves like Mary, God brings people that don’t give up. There are many ways to give up on life and only one way to live life – for the glory of God. That is what makes this a special read.

A Special Thank You to Howard Books and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

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Welcome Back by: Lin Stepp

Welcome Back by Lin Stepp
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Cowardice can never step free of the past, only bravery can.

With her daughter’s plea to come back home, Lydia is comes back with no expectations to the daughter and husband she left behind. Because of the manipulation and emotional abuse of her mother-in-law, Lydia took her two sons and moved from the clutches of her mother-in-law. Her daughter is now grown up with twin boys of her own and her husband is continuing the family business of farming. Her son’s do not support the ideal of Lydia coming back to the husband that did not stop the abuse of his mother to their family.

A story of pain when living under oppression and picking up the pieces and years later redeeming the time of pain and misunderstanding. Lydia’s husband John must prove himself to his family for not leading and protecting the family that fell under the manipulation of his mother. The relationship between Lydia and her husband had to be rebuilt but I felt that more could have been done to the relationship between mother and daughter. The daughter had chosen to stay with her father and not leave with her mother. There was more to that disconnect that could have upped the narration a bit. It was a good read on the vulnerability of relationships and what needs to be done to repair what has been damaged.

A Special Thank You to Kensington Books and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

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The Blessing of Humility: Walk Within Your Calling by: Jerry Bridges

The Blessing of Humility: Walk Within Your Calling by Jerry Bridges
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I would say that it is impossible to truly walk in humility without to some degree appropriating the truth of the gospel every day.

Jerry Bridges leaves a legacy of good solid bible teaching. I have been blessed with his teaching and I would strongly recommend all of his books for those that desire to study the word of God. With his recent passing, I was excited to see this book offered on Netgalley and I hope many will desire the blessing of humility that is found in the beatitudes. This is a teaching of the beatitudes and how the beatitudes reflect the humility of the gospel. The beatitudes is how we respond to who God is and how each of the beatitudes build on the other. It is not only how we respond to God and his work, but also to each other. You cannot mourn unless you are poor in spirit and you cannot be meek without morning and so on. Each of the beatitudes are beautifully exalted in this study.

A balanced study of the gospel that shows the good news of the Gospel.

A Special Thank you to Tyndale House Publishers and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

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Unashamed by: Lecrae Moore

Unashamed by Lecrae Moore
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become salves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6…It was like a blindfold fell off my eyes. I’d been celebrating the things I should have been ashamed of, and I had been ashamed of what I should have been celebrating. I had been set free, but I was still living like a slave to my old life and old habits and old ways. I had been liberated from slavery, but slavery had not been liberated from me. I saw Jesus as my Savior, but not my Lord. I thought because God had given me grace, I could do whatever I wanted. But doing whatever I pleased was only going to bring death. Surrendering to God was the key to receiving life.

I have been a big fan of Lecrae for several years. I have gone to several of his concerts that are high energy. What I enjoy about his concerts that families come together, they dance, and they hear the word of God. I would go further to say that his music can be a whole sermon. That his theology is sound. He is working out his salvation by surrendering to who God is and who he (Lecrae) is not. This is his story. How he grew up in fatherless home, a mom that never gave up on him, and how he came to know the truth. How he fights temptation and pride. His struggle with acceptance and how the Gospel truly saved him. How is music as revolved to not being relevant to us but how we are relevant to the Gospel.

Listen to his music and be encouraged by his story and be unashamed by the Gospel. It is only by being unashamed of the gospel can we live freely. By engaging the culture for God’s glory, we make the gospel available. That is the journey that the Lord has given to Lecrae

A Special Thank You to B&H Books and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review

God Bless This Starry Night by: Rebecca Elliott

God Bless this Starry Night by Rebecca Elliott
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a great book to end the day with your child. Speaking on the gratitude of all that God has given us. Seeing his creation and the blessing we have received from it. A prayer book that colorful and engaging.

A Special Thank You to Lion Hudson Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

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Not so Silent Night! by: Rebecca Elliott

Not so Silent Night! by Rebecca Elliott
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh I love this book! This is a great book to enjoy with the children in your life. It is colorful, it is playful, and with it you can share Jesus. It is not only a great book, it is an opportunity to make memories! I can not recommend enough!

A Special Thank you to Lion Hudson Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

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The Power of the Cross: Putting it to Work in Your Life by: Tony Evans

The Power of the Cross: Putting it to Work in Your Life by Tony Evans
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sinners don’t understand the cross because if they did, they would run to it. Many saints don’t appreciate it because if they did, they would live differently in light of it. They often fail to fully apply and appreciate its practical relevancy.

Tony Evans is a great communicator and passionate about sharing the Good news of the Gospel. How does understanding the implications of the cross make a difference in our walk and coming to know Christ? These and more are answered in this study of the cross.

The book is set up in 3 parts. The Person of the Cross, The Purpose of the Cross and the Power of the Cross. Each part is a progression of understanding the implication of the cross and keeps our eye on the Christ and not on our selves. Tony Evans takes a story and shows us Christ. One such story of a football team failing and the coach reminding his team about what matters. This is a football. Tony Evans takes the cross as the fundamental of the Christian faith. He reminds us that there is so much to miss when we do not consider the cross.

Some of my favorite quotes are the following:

Unity is oneness of purpose. The purpose of the unity achieved at the cross was so that the world may know that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.

God didn’t give the Ten Commandments so that you can keep them. He gave the Ten Commandments to reveal to each of us how often we break them.

When Communion is treated with the reverence, intensity, and intimacy that the significance of its covenant entails, the practice of it will uniquely connect us to accomplishments’ of Christ’s covenantal death and resurrection.

What then is legalism? Legalism is that system of rules and regulations that govern and define your identity and spiritual living entirely on your performance. It makes keeping the rules the basis of your spiritual victory. It says, “You are what you do”.

For whenever the awareness of our sinfulness is diminished, the cross gets lost. Its brilliance gets lost and therefore, its effectiveness and power get lost. It also loses its power in our daily lives. Through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we are made pure.

Not wearing the cross as jewelry but embracing the cross where we have been redeemed by Christ is where transformation takes place. Where we are faced of the tremendous cost and love that God has for us. Where love and mercy meet.

A Special Thank you to Moody Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

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All Authority by: Joey Shaw

All Authority by Joey Shaw
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The doctrine of the authority of Christ is at the heart of of the answers to what motivates the church to send out their best people, resources and making sacrifices. The more people cherish the doctrine of Christ’s authority, the more they are willing to risk the and endure along the way.

This study really challenges of what you believe and live about the doctrine of the authority of Christ. How we respond to the authority of Christ indicates if we are living for Christ. What does authority suggest? Who is God and what does that mean for me. The study both addresses how the church responds to the authority of Christ and how we individually respond. Does the church recognize the authority of Christ? These are questions that we as Christians must ask ourselves and align ourselves with.

Some of the quotes I found encouraging.

Surrender, then is the important connection between abiding in Christ and cherishing his authority. Without surrender, there is no relationship. Where there is a relationship, one will cherish surrender more and more as the fruits of surrender become more apparent over time.

I found this study complete and highly recommend.
A Special Thank you to B & H Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

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The Forgotten Recipe (Amish Heirloom #1) by Amy Clipston

The Forgotten Recipe by Amy Clipston
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Recipes found in a hope chest tucked away in the attic would be the recipe for happiness to a broken heart that has forgotten how to love.

Veronica has lost her fiancé Seth to a terrible accident. Seth was her best friend and everything she hoped for in a future husband and friend. Jason has also lost his good friend and co-worker. Seth has shared with Jason how much he cares and loves Veronica. Even though Jason has never met Veronica, he feels a connection with her because of Seth. To overcome his grief and a desire for healing, he is determined to meet Veronica. However, when he meets her, he is overcome with something more that he is unable to share with her his own grief of the loss of Seth. It is then he develops a friendship that he hopes that will turn to more.

Veronica cleaning the attic to forget her pain, finds some old recipes from her grandmother. It is these recipes that she begins to form an ideal about baking and setting up a bake stand. It is the bake stand that Jason finds her and they begin their friendship. She is in turmoil to remain faithful to the memory of Seth and giving her heart away.

What I found that made this read so compelling was the tension. The tension of restraint. The tension of fear. The tension of forgiveness. The restraint of attraction between Jason and Veronica made a sweet love story. Restraint makes love bloom and grow. The tension of fear in rejection. We can omit truth to avoid confrontation. The tension of forgiveness when we feel betrayed when the truth is uncovered.

I am looking forward to continue on in this series.

A Special Thank You to Zondervan Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

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