Tag: book review

Review: Intimacy Ignited

On By pastorjonathanIn booksLeave a comment

I got this book thinking it would be a great aid to studying the Song of Solomon.  I now understand the intent of the book was more designed to examine sexual issues between husbands and wives using the Song of Solomon as a launching pad for discussion.  My understanding of the Song of Solomon has shifted over the years and I have come to a different historical perspective on the Song of Solomon which makes my view of the book come in conflict with some of the authors’ interpretation and main points.  None-the-less I still see how this book has some value for couples who may be looking for some insight into how God designed sex for marriage.

The authors do a great job of illustrating their perspective of the text and relating it to issues faced by husbands and wives today.  Much of the insight and perspective shared on sex inside the book are not new.  The book does a great job of illustrating the perspective of husbands and wives and how to navigate some of the more difficult issues.  Over all Intimacy Ignited: Conversations Couple to Couple: Fire Up Your Sex Life with the Song of Solomon is a good book filled with great perspective and counsel for couples on sexual issues.  However I would offer one word of caution… If you are not married, don’t read the book…. It really is written for married couples.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of Intimacy Ignited, the retail price is $21.99 (Hardcover).  It is also available at places like Amazon.com for $14.95.  I gave it three stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Nav Press Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Review: The Heart Mender by Andy Andrews

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I was blown away when I read The Heart Mender: A Story of Second Chances.  Author Andy Andrews claims this is his best book to date, I can say it is indeed one of the best books that I have ever read. When I started reading the book, I couldn’t put it down and ended up reading it from cover to cover in one sitting.

The Heart Mender: A Story of Second Chances is a historical “fiction” book about war and forgiveness, love and espionage, the gulf coast and German U-Boats.  I’ve lived on the Gulf Coast for 13 years and was immediately drawn into the imagery and story painted by the author.  Even though this book is “fictional” in nature, Andy does a great job of drawing out several facets of forgiveness in this book.  The people who will benefit most from this book are those who are dealing with anger and struggling to forgive.

The story line is set on the gulf coast during world war II and involves lots of action, romance, and mystery.  I really don’t want to give away the plot, but I do want you to read the book so I included a video from the author below.  You can also go the the official website by clicking here.  There you can find all kinds of information about the book including a free PDF of the first few chapters!  (But I warn you once you start reading, you won’t want to stop.)

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of The Heart Mender, the retail price is $18.99 (Hardcover), and is worth every penny.  It is also available at places like Amazon.com for $12.91.  I gave it five stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Book Review Blogger program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Review: Plan B by Pete Wilson

On By pastorjonathanIn books2 Comments

I am praying for Pete Wilson and his church today as they face the clean up efforts around their city of Nashville.  Pete commented on his blog (www.withoutwax.tv) that it was quite ironic that his book, Plan B: What Do You Do When God Doesn’t Show Up the Way You Thought He Would? would come out the day after one of the worst natural disasters his city has ever seen. I see it as providential timing.

True to its title the book is about moving on and trusting God when we are caught off guard by the circumstances of life.  Pete has a personal and engaging style in writing.  He draws the reader in with his personal stories of setbacks, heartache, and seeming failure. Then in the midst of the story he applies the healing balm of God’s word most often by examining the life of a Bible character.

I really liked the book and appreciated the author’s engaging and transparent writing style.  I had minor disagreements with a few statements on a theological level, but the statements weren’t made as theological observations as much as running commentary on life events and were easily dismissed.  I think the book is a great read and a timely for what many people are facing in Nashville and other places today.

We are continuing to keep Nashville in our prayers.  If you are interested in purchasing a copy of Plan B, the retail price is $14.99 (Paperback), and is available at places like Amazon.com for $10.19.  I gave it four stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Book Review Blogger program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

How Should a Christian Live (Review)

On By pastorjonathanIn books, Devotional, discipleshipLeave a comment

The Word of Promise Next Generation New Testament Devotional: How Should a Christian Live? (The Word of Promise: Next Generation Devotional & Journal) is an awesome resource.  I was blown away at the thought that went into developing this book.  I’m a student pastor and always looking to review teen oriented Bibles, Bible studies, devotionals etc.  To be honest most of the stuff that comes across my desk is lame.

Here is what I really liked…

(1) The scripture in MP3 format that goes along with this devotional. I love the idea of having audio files of the Bible on my students ipods and in their ears.  By the way this is one of not those boring audio Bibles where some dude with a British accent reads to you (my apologies if you are British).  The readers are mostly teenagers and read with passion ensuring that each file has a chance of being listened to.  I’m a 30ish year old dude and I still didn’t mind having a teenager passionately read the scriptures to me on my ipod.

(2.) The message of salvation is front and center in the book.

(3.) It has games like cross word puzzles and jumbles to help get the message across. Though I’m not a big fan these kind of games personally, I do see the value in how it engages the mind and kind of makes it fun.

(4.) Teens are encouraged to listen to four or five chapters of scripture at a time.

The only draw back I saw was that each section may be a little long for a daily devotional.  This resources is probably better suited for a weekly Bible study (there are only 12 sessions).

I would recommend it to middle school and  high school freshman & sophomores who are willing to make a serious effort to get into God’s Word.  The retail price is $15.99 (Paperback), and is available at places like Amazon.com for $11.51.  I gave it four stars.

Disclaimer: As a blogger I received a complimentary review copy from the Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Blogger program  (http://booksneez.com/ ).  There was no requirement to give it a positive review, just for the reviewer to call it like they see it.

Other teen related Reviews:

For Teen Parents:

“This Little Prayer of Mine” (Children’s Book Review)

On By pastorjonathanIn booksLeave a comment

This Little Prayer of Mine is a great book to read your small children before bedtime.  It is short. It has great illustrations that allow for childlike speculation on what is happening in the story.  It rhymes. It contains simple childlike thoughts that kids might really have given a situation.  My daughter enjoys having me read it to her.

We have already been teaching our children to pray and have been practicing bedtime prayers, meal prayers, as well as various prayers of thanks or concern throughout our day.  This book has been good to supplement the idea that it is okay to take matters to God in prayer, but hasn’t been particularly instructional in our case.

Over all it is a good book and I would recommend it for parents with young children. This Little Prayer of Mine is a great resource. The retail price is $12.99 (Hardcover), and is available at places like Amazon.com for $9.35. I gave it four stars.

Disclaimer:  This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.  There was no requirement to give the book a good review.  Just to review it and tell you what I really think.

Other Resources for Children

Sammy and His Shepherd

The Lightlings

The Prince’s Poison Cup

What’s In the Bible? with Buck Denver

The Children’s Storybook Bible

Rick and Bubba’s Big Honkin’ Book of Grub (A Review)

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Rick and Bubba’s Big Honkin’ Book of Grub is a hilarious book about all things food.  From diets and restaurants to mixed meats and less than contextual quotes from the Bible, Rick and Bubba share their insights, pet peeves, and self-declared days of food celebration.  They certainly had me laughing all along the way.

This is a great book full of southern redneck humor.  Rick and Bubba’s Big Honkin Book of Grub contains insights like why you should eat bacon, rules for church pot-luck, real tips on  etiquette (like use only one fork and what foods you should eat with your hands) and the correct spelling of giblet (or is it jiblet?).   They are not afraid to cover difficult issues and ask hard questions like, “Why isn’t spam on  restaurant menus?” and the great dressing versus stuffing debate.

In a world full of diet books and exercise programs it’s good to sit back and laugh about food every now and then.  I normally don’t read books like this, but was looking for something out of the ordinary.  I’m glad I picked this one up. I needed a good laugh.

Is a great book for good laughs, but it doesn’t really stand out.  I would recommend it to anyone who appreciates good southern Redneck humor.  The retail price is $16.99 (Paperback), and is available at places like Amazon.com for $11.55.  I gave it three stars.

Disclaimer: As a blogger I received a complimentary review copy from the Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Blogger program  (http://booksneez.com/ ).  There was no requirement to give it a positive review, just for the reviewer to call it like they see it.

“Everyone Communicates, Few Connect” By John C. Maxwell

On By pastorjonathanIn books3 Comments

I was excited when I first got this book in the mail.  I have been reading up on making connections with people and have How to Win Friends and Influence People back in my reading rotation.  I was hoping that Everyone Communicates, Few Connect: What the Most Effective People Do Differently would be similar in nature.  I wasn’t let down, but I wasn’t overly impressed either.  The concepts you will find in Everyone Communicates, Few Connect are basic and can be found in just about any good communication book including How to Win Friends and Influence People.

It helps that this book was written by John Maxwell and he has tried to include input from his blog readers. However, in the opinion of this reader the book does contain excessive use of the pronoun, “I,” even when belaboring the point that to connect you must focus on others.  I appreciate John Maxwell and certainly would agree that he knows a whole lot about what he is talking about, I just don’t think he communicated it in the same way he challenges his readers to communicate.  Over all I really liked the book.  Again the concepts are practiced and true.  The credibility of Maxwell’s personal experiences definitely add value to the book.

Everyone Communicates, Few Connect is a reasonably good book on the basics of communication.  The retail price is $25.99 (Hardcover), and is available at places like Amazon.com for $17.15.  I gave it four stars.

Disclaimer: As a blogger I received a complimentary review copy from the Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Blogger program  (http://booksneez.com/ ).  There was no requirement to give it a positive review, just for the reviewer to call it like they see it.

Start Here: Doing Hard Things Right Where You Are (Book Review)

On By pastorjonathanIn books, student ministryLeave a comment

Start Here: Doing Hard Things Right Where You Are is a great book geared especially for teenagers.  Alex and Brett Harris Have done it again!  There first book Do Hard Things was an amazing book that challenged teenagers to get out of their comfort-zones and begin rebelling against low expectations that people have of teenagers and really begin to do hard things.  I read it in one sitting and was thrilled when I heard that they had another book coming out.

This book like the first challenges teenagers to step out and rebel against low expectations.  Start Here however is smaller, more concise and shares a lot of practical insight and perspective from the lives of teenagers who are “Doing Hard Things”.  It is choc full of knowledge on how to go about doing the difficult but good things.  Alex and Brett share from their own experiences as well as from many of the teenagers who have logged on to their blog and shared their insights.

Start here is a great follow up book for anyone who has read Do Hard Things.  It is also a great stand alone book for teenagers who are tired of the status quo and wanting to get out of their comfort-zones and attempt great things.  I found it highly motivational and inspirational.  My job now it to put it into as many teenager’s hands as will read it.  Thanks Alex and Brett for rebelling against low expectations and challenging our teens!

I really liked this book and highly recommend it to teenagers or anyone with teenagers in their life, including parents, teachers, and student pastors.   Start Here is an excellent resource. The retail price is $12.99 (Paperback), and is available at places like Amazon.com for $8.76. I gave it five stars.

Disclaimer:  This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.  There was no requirement to give the book a good review.  Just to review it and tell you what I really think.

Girls Life Application Study Bible (NLT)

On By pastorjonathanIn books, student ministryLeave a comment

The Girls Life Application Study Bible is a great Bible for pre-teen and teenage girls.  The cover has a leathery feel and is a purple with the imprint of a pink butterfly and flowers.  It is quiet feminine in its appeal.  My wife and daughter (4 years old) were both very interested in flipping through the Bible once it arrived in the mail. The editors and artists who worked on this Bible have certainly done a great job of getting the reader from the cover into the pages of Scripture.

The Bible is full of great insights and articles that catch readers on a surface level and draw them into the text of scripture for an answer.  (Can I just say that it is refreshing to finally see a publisher put out a Bible that challenges teen and preteen girls to see what the Scripture says!).  Included all throughout the text are girl-specific applications.  The New Living Translation is a decent translation to read (especially for girls who are in the preteen age range).

I would highly recommend this Bible to teen and preteen girls who are wanting to grow in their relationship with God.  This is also a great Bible to hand to a girl who is a new believer or someone who is otherwise unfamiliar with the scriptures.  It is apparent that the Bible was designed not only to have a feminine appeal, but to be very user friendly as well.

The retail price is $29.97 (Imitation Leather) and is worth every penny. It is also available at places like Amazon.com for $19.78. I give it 5 Stars and would give it more.  It truly is a great Bible for teen and Pre-teen girls.

One Note: Amazon has it listed as Girls Life Application Study Bible NLT (Kid’s Life Application Bible: Nltse), it is not really a kids Bible, the publishers recommend it for girls age 11 and up (and I would heartily agree with that recommendation).

Disclaimer: As a blogger I received a complimentary review copy from Tyndale House Publishers through the Tyndale Blog Network program.  There was no requirement to give it a positive review, just for the reviewer to call it like they see it.

John Bunyan (Christian Encounter Series) – Book Review

On By pastorjonathanIn books1 Comment

John Bunyan (Christian Encounters Series) is a great introduction to the life and times of John Bunyan the famous author of Pilgrims Progress.  The book is quite brief, but serves as a great background study on a man who lived through an incredible time in history.  As an avid Bunyan fan I am always looking for more material to put into the hands of others to help them understand the literary genius of this ‘simple’ man who wrote one of the most widely read classics in English literature.

The book is not heavy with details, but rather takes a simple, yet scholarly approach to the life of Bunyan.  It would be a great biography for energetic middle school students to read.  I can see it as a handy companion to read along side of Pilgrim’s Progress which is Bunyan’s most famous work.

If you are looking for a complete biography of John Bunyan, this isn’t it.  But if you are looking for an introduction to the life of Bunyan, that isn’t daunting or too challenging, this is it.  I see this as being a handy reference book on the life of Bunyan.  Speaking as one who has read a few Bunyan biographies and host to a Christian Heritage Conference that centered on the life of Bunyan I wasn’t disappointed to read this book, I was excited that a biography was written on this level to introduce more young minds to the life of a great man.

John Bunyan (Christian Encounters Series) is a great introduction to the life and times of John Bunyan, I highly recommend it.  The retail price is $12.00 (paperback), and is available at places like Amazon.com for $8.65.  I gave it four stars.

Disclaimer: As a blogger I received a complimentary review copy from the Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Blogger program  (http://brb.thomasnelson.com/ ).  There was no requirement to give it a positive review, just for the reviewer to call it like they see it.

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