A Review: "Nothing to Prove" by Jennie Allen

Jennie Allen's newest book, "Nothing to Prove", offers encouragement to the reader who struggles with trying so hard, with wondering if they are truly enough for their families, their churches, and their communities. The book is divided into two sections. The first one identifies the problem of our striving. The second section discusses the solution--trusting in what Jesus has already done for us. She covers topics such as fear, loneliness, risk, and shame. At the end of each chapter in the second section, there is an "Experience Guide" with questions for reflection and practical application.

While there wasn't a whole lot of new information for me in this book, I did appreciate the reminders of God's enoughness throughout the book. I really enjoyed her thoughts and reflections contained in the chapter about fear. This would be a great book to go through in a small group.

(I’ve received this complimentary book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for a review. A positive review was not required and the views expressed in my review are strictly my own.)

A Review: "Love, Henri: Letters on the Spiritual Life" by Henri J.M. Nouwen

Upon his death in 1996, Henri Nouwen left behind a vast collection of personal letters. Archivist Gabrielle Earnshaw spent many years identifying, sorting, and cataloguing these letters and eventually collected thousands of letters from the original recipients. She compiled these letters into this first volume released in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of his death. Spanning 23 years and covering a wide range of topics, these letters are introduced with a brief description to put them into context. The book is divided into three sections, each covering a certain period of time. It is an intensely personal look into the life of Henri Nouwen and an absolute treasure to have a collection such as this.

I do not typically write in my books, but I made an exception for this one. There were so many beautiful thoughts and passages that I want to remember and be able to come back to over and over again. While I don't agree with everything that he shares, his wisdom is profound and his love and concern for each person he writes to is obvious. This is not a book meant to be read through quickly; rather, it's one that is meant to be savored and pondered over slowly. It's an absolutely beautiful book that I will certainly re-read.

(I’ve received this complimentary book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for a review. A positive review was not required and the views expressed in my review are strictly my own.)

A Review: "A Godward Heart" by John Piper

"A Godward Heart" by John Piper is a collection of 50 brief meditations, each designed to take the reader deeper in their relationship with God. The book is meant to be savored slowly, pondered, wrestled with. You may not agree with everything that Piper presents in this book, but allow yourself to be challenged. Think deeply about what you believe and why.

The meditations include reflections on particular Scripture passages, marriage and parenting, certain doctrinal positions, and thoughts about current culture. There isn't a particular pattern or order the meditations follow, which gives it a slight feel of disjointedness. But, taken one bite at a time, there will be plenty to mull over!

Some of my favorite meditations include "The Morning I Heard the Voice of God", "What's the Place of Confrontation in Marriage?", "What Love Does and Does Not Do", and "Why Require Unregenerate Children to Act Like They're Good?".

Piper generally puts out wonderful devotional material and this one is no exception. I definitely recommend this book for anyone who desires to think critically and be challenged in their spiritual growth as a Christian.

(I’ve received this complimentary book from Waterbrook-Multnomah through the Blogging for Books program in exchange for a review. A positive review was not required and the views expressed in my review are strictly my own.)

A Review: "What Once Was Lost" by Kim Vogel Sawyer

"What Once Was Lost" by Kim Vogel Sawyer shares the story of Christina Willems. After her father passes away, she assumes the directorship of a poor farm in Brambleville, Kansas. Fire strikes the poor farm one night, displacing the residents whom Christina has come to view as her family. While most residents are easy to find new placements for, the most challenging is Tommy, a young blind boy. He eventually is taken in by the mill owner, Levi Jonnson. The rest of the book details the challenges that ensue with rebuilding the poor farm, as well as the mystery surrounding why the farm house caught fire in the first place.

Overall, this was just an okay book. The characters felt a little two-dimensional; they didn't really come to life. The dialogue and interaction between the characters felt a bit stilted at times. The story was somewhat enjoyable, but definitely predictable. While there will be many who truly enjoy this book, I was not one of them. This won't be a repeat read for me.

(I’ve received this complimentary book from Waterbrook-Multnomah through the Blogging for Books program in exchange for a review. A positive review was not required and the views expressed in my review are strictly my own.)

A Review: "Humble Orthodoxy" by Joshua Harris

The final chapter of Joshua Harris's last book, "Dug Down Deep", was entitled "Humble Orthodoxy". People loved that particular chapter so much that they expressed their desire that he write an entire book about the concept. Thus, the book "Humble Orthodoxy" was born. Taking the main points from the chapter of the same name and expanding on them, this short book (only 61 pages plus a study guide) is full of necessary and relevant truths that deserve to be discussed and wrestled with.

Since the word "orthodoxy" tends to be misunderstood, Harris starts off with a definition:  "The word orthodoxy refers to right thinking about God. It's about teaching and belief based on the established, proven, cherished truths of the faith. These are the truths that don't budge. They are the plumb line that shows us how to think straight in a crooked world" (p. 1-2). He then goes on to define humble orthodoxy as "we must care deeply about truth, and we must also defend and share this truth with compassion and humility" (p. 5). With those two definitions in mind, the reader is then ready to tackle the rest of the book.

Harris points out over and over that truth matters. Doctrine matters. But we need to allow the truth of God's word to shape and influence our lives first and foremost. We need to allow the gospel of grace to impact us so that we can go out and impact others. "...while we shouldn't be mean and spiteful in representing biblical truth, neither should we apologize for believing that God has been clear in his Word. The humility we need in our theology is first and foremost a humility before God" (p. 28-29).

This little book is so relevant for our time. Every believer should read this book, wrestle with the content of it, and allow the Holy Spirit to do a work. The study guide at the back of the book makes this book perfect to go through with a Bible study, book club, or even as an individual. The questions will really help take the material to the next level. Highly recommend this book!

(I’ve received this complimentary book from Waterbrook-Multnomah through the Blogging for Books program in exchange for a review. A positive review was not required and the views expressed in my review are strictly my own.)

A Review: "The Radical Question & A Radical Idea" by David Platt

"The Radical Question & A Radical Idea" by David Platt is a two-in-one book combination. The first book, "The Radical Question" appears to be a summary of some key concepts from his original book "Radical". The second book, "A Radical Idea", appears to follow the same vein and sum up key points from the book "Radical Together".

"The Radical Question" asks readers to consider what Jesus is worth to us. He challenges us to live differently, to pursue a true Christianity instead of simply a Christian spin on the American dream. As he talks about how underground house churches often risk everything, including their very lives, for the chance to gather together and worship Christ, he ponders "I could not help but think that somewhere along the way we in America have lost touch with what is essential, radical--even dangerous--about our faith and replaced it with what is comfortable" (p. 8). Having read the original book, "Radical" about a year and a half ago, I found this section to be a great reminder and summary of the challenges and questions from the original.

"A Radical Idea" addresses the question of "How can we in the church best unleash the people of God in the Spirit of God with the Word of God for the Glory of God in the world?" (p. 63). Platt looks at how the church can stand together, united to live for a radical purpose of living out a more biblical gospel. He questions our American desire to build big buildings and have top-notch programs instead of prioritizing getting the gospel to people who desperately need it and channeling greater amounts of funding toward things with a more far-reaching, eternal impact. He discusses the need to invest more in the people of the church, thereby creating disciples, instead of investing more in programs.

Overall, the message of both books is a great one. He has a great message that the American church desperately needs to hear and ultimately begin to live out on a much greater scale. This little book would be a great one for someone who hasn't yet read either "Radical" or "Radical Together". But it does seem a bit overkill to put out two short little summaries instead of encouraging people to read the longer volumes that are packed with far more substance. Content-wise, the book is fantastic. But for me personally, I'm going to stick with the original books and skip these little summaries.

(I’ve received this complimentary book from Waterbrook-Multnomah through the Blogging for Books program in exchange for a review. A positive review was not required and the views expressed in my review are strictly my own.)

A Review: "Beloved Enemy" by Al Lacy

"Beloved Enemy" by Al Lacy is the third book in the "Battles of Destiny" series. This book features a fictional account of the events that surrounded the first Battle of Bull Run. The story dives into the web of intrigue surrounding Confederate spy missions during the Civil War. Jenny Jordan, a southerner who is employed by the Federal government, falls in love with Buck Brownell, a northern officer. Jenny's father sets up an elaborate spy ring to bring Union secrets to the Confederate army. She is aware of his actions and covers for him. Her involvement with the spy ring nearly drives her apart from Buck.

I have never read an Al Lacy book before, but I was drawn to it by the historical aspect of the novel. The book was mildly interesting and I appreciated learning more about the Civil War era. The factual events happening in the book appeared to be well researched. However, I was completely turned off by the character dialogue in this novel. It was at times cheesy and hokey at best. Much of the dialogue also seemed to be much more modern sounding than for the era he was writing about. I wish that aspect would have been better researched.

I normally love historical fiction, but this book just didn't do it for me. The concept was good, but the execution of it didn't quite come across as well as it could have.

(I’ve received this complimentary book from Waterbrook-Multnomah through the Blogging for Books program in exchange for a review. A positive review was not required and the views expressed in my review are strictly my own.)