A Review: "Deperate" by Sarah Mae and Sally Clarkson

"Desperate:  Hope for the Mom Who Needs to Breathe" by Sarah Mae and Sally Clarkson addresses the often overwhelming nature of motherhood. Mae is a mother of three young children who is in the trenches and barely on the other side of that common desperate feeling of moms with small children. Clarkson is an experienced mom with four grown children. Mae writes out of her current experience; Clarkson writes from the years of experience she has garnered.

There are 14 chapters, each one addressing a different aspect of motherhood. Topics include sin, selfishness, housework, purpose, and needing a mentor. Each chapter is introduced by a brief correspondence between the two authors. Then each of them write a portion of each chapter. There are discussion questions and an activity to do on your own at the end of each chapter to further allow the message of the chapter to sink in. There are also brief videos that correspond to each chapter for further depth.

Overall, this book was absolutely fantastic. As a mom of two young (and very active!) boys, I can really relate to the feeling of desperation. It is a wonderful book to go through on your own, or for a group to go through, or even for a couple of women to read through. There is much to discuss and process and all of it is good, solid material. "Desperate" is a must-read for every mom!

"You are exactly the mom your children need. He created you for these good works from before the foundation of the world, and as you walk this great call of motherhood with Him holding your hand, you will be amazed at how He weaves the beautiful thread of redemption through the pattern of your life. He brings light to the dark places through you, something you could only have accomplished by embracing His wonderful call and embracing these very precious children who were inextricably created as part of the design for your life."  ~Sally Clarkson, p. 187

  

(I’ve received this complimentary book through the BookLook 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 Fantasy Fallacy" by Shannon Ethridge

"The Fantasy Fallacy:  Exposing the Deeper Meaning Behind Sexual Thoughts" by Shannon Ethridge was written primarily as a response to the "Fifty Shades of Grey" trilogy. However, it goes far beyond being a simple response. Ethridge digs deeply into the uncomfortable world of sexual fantasy. A topic that is generally seen as a taboo subject among Christians is covered in great detail and depth in this book. The book includes nine chapters, covering topics such as why do we even need to talk about sexual fantasies and then delving into what some common fantasies are, and five appendices with great resources for individuals or churches.

I appreciated that Ethridge was so very real in this book. She talked about her own issues with fantasies. She really took the time to explain common fantasies and helped the reader to explore the deeper meanings behind them. She helps the reader to address their fantasies and channel them in the appropriate, healthy context of marriage.

This is a book that is long overdue for our sex-absorbed culture. Christians are not immune to the temptations and the pull of fantasies. It's time for the Church to start confronting some of these elephants in the room, and this book is a great starting place for the discussion.

"At times, we may need to look to the God-given gift of mental fantasy to fuel our sexual passions and imaginations in marriage. Other times, we may need to reel in our thoughts to stay out of dangerous territory. Either way, whether we are intentionally opening our minds or trying to guard them, there are great benefits to peeling back the layers of our sexual thoughts to under their deeper meaning. And once we've done so, we're better equipped to help others do the same." (p. xxvi)

(I’ve received this complimentary book through the BookLook 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: "All Things New" by Lynn Austin

"All Things New" by Lynn Austin is set in post-Civil War-era Virginia and focuses on the months immediately following the end of the war. The Confederacy has just lost the war, the citizens are facing poverty and attempting to pick up the pieces of shattered lives, and deep prejudices continue to come to light.

Josephine Weatherly lost her father and one older brother in the war. Her family may lose their plantation as well with limited resources and no real ability to bring in a cotton crop. Josephine begins to see that life needs to revolve around basic survival, not trying to keep up a facade of life as it was before the war. Her mother, Eugenia, is appalled at the idea of her daughter expressing interesting in tending a garden, sewing, and learning to cook, and she tries to forbid Josephine from having anything to do with "manual labor".

Lizzie is a freed slave who continues to live at White Oak plantation with her family after the war, primarily due to the promise of her children receiving an education thanks to the newly established Freedman's Bureau, run by a former Yankee soldier named Alexander Chandler. Lizzie and her family embrace their newfound freedom, but begin to experience a taste of the extreme difficulties that the freed slaves will face in this new phase of life.

This was a wonderful book that takes a look at different aspects of life during Reconstruction from three different perspectives. I loved how Austin showed the effects of war, bitterness, and hatred, and how the remedy is found in God's healing love and forgiveness. The characters were well-developed and there was just enough suspense to keep the reader engaged to the end. Overall, a good fictional read that focuses on an important and challenging part of American history.

(I’ve received this complimentary book from Bethany House Publishers through the Book Blogger 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: "Heaven Changes Everything" by Todd and Sonja Burpo

"Heaven Changes Everything:  Living Every Day with Eternity in Mind" by Todd and Sonja Burpo is a devotional based on their best-selling book, "Heaven is For Real". This book features 42 entries, beginning with an excerpt from "Heaven is For Real", followed by a brief devotional thought written by one or both of the Burpos, and concludes with a reflective question and Scripture verse. Each reading is designed to help the reader turn their thoughts toward heaven. Some of the topics covered include miscarriage, children's ministry, and forgiveness.

Overall, this is a nice companion book. I appreciated the format of the book, as well as reading reflections from both authors. I never gave much more than a passing thought to heaven until my own miscarriage. Their original book brought so much comfort to us in a great time of need and helped turn our thoughts toward heaven. In a world that tends to be pretty self-absorbed (even in Christian circles!), a book that encourages the reader to begin to turn our thoughts toward eternity is a great tool.

This book works well as a devotional and is perfect for someone looking for an easy daily read. Because it draws heavily on the first book, you don't have to have read the first book to enjoy and appreciate this one. It's such a great reminder to not forget that this world isn't all there is and that, as believers, we have far greater things to look forward to. As C.S. Lewis wrote:  "there are far, far greater things ahead than any we leave behind."

(I’ve received this complimentary book through the BookLook 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: "Taming the Wind" by Tracie Peterson

"Taming the Wind" by Tracie Peterson in the concluding book in the "Land of the Lone Star" trilogy. This book follows the story of Carissa Lowe, a young widow with a small daughter named Gloria. After her terrible, abusive first marriage, she is afraid to trust her heart with anyone. Relying heavily on her sister, Carissa seeks to be as independent as possible. Tyler Atherton was the man who saved Carissa's life when her husband attempted to end her life. A former Confederate soldier, he's lost his family's ranch due to his loyalties in the war. He attempts to get back his ranch with the help of his friend, Will Barnett.

The story was captivating and the characters were well developed. I loved how this story drew in characters from the other two books in the trilogy and neatly wrapped up the series. There was a bit of predictability in the story, but there was enough action to help offset that aspect.

Overall, the story was well done and I felt it was a great conclusion to this series. As a long-time fan of Peterson's work, I felt that a couple of her most recent series weren't quite up to par, but I really enjoyed this series and felt it was a bit more up to her usual standard.

(I’ve received this complimentary book from Bethany House Publishers through the Book Blogger 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: "Red Letter Revolution" by Shane Claiborne and Tony Campolo

"Red Letter Revolution:  What If Jesus Really Meant What He Said?" by Shane Claiborne and Tony Campolo is written as a dialogue between the two authors. They introduce it as a "new movement" of believers who attempt to take seriously the words of Christ and commit to living them out in daily life. Overall, they tackle twenty-six different topics, including hell, Islam, family, racism, homosexuality, immigration, politics, war, national debt, and missions, divided into three separate sections.

There are some good points in the book. Both authors call the church out on handling finances--do we have a balance between what we use for ourselves and what we give away to take care of those in need (both within and without our church)? Both authors call us back to being good stewards of creation, a hearkening back to God's call to Adam in Genesis 1. 

But overall, the book had far more troubling aspects than good ones. I found it to be pretty reductionist and incomplete. For example, evangelism has been reduced to "recruiting agents for God's work in this world" (p. 51). Missions is reduced to simply helping the poor. There is no sense for the real true Gospel in this book. By placing so much emphasis on helping the poor, with that being the end goal of evangelism and missions, you have developed a works-based theology with no discussion of grace. The only aspect of God's character that is ever talked about is love; anger is covered, but really only in regard to the religious people (a barely covered jab at evangelicals).

To me, this book is a piece of liberal propaganda that panders to those who want a Christianity that conforms to the secular culture. It is a call to activism--but an activism that emphasizes works instead of grace, meeting practical needs instead of the true message of the Gospel. Many things in the book may sound good upon first reading them, but as you begin to ponder it, you begin to see the holes in their arguments, especially in light of what the entire Bible says. Could we all stand to take more seriously the words of Christ? Yes. But we enter dangerous territory when we pick and choose only portions of Scripture to take seriously, as these authors are apt to encourage.

This is not a book I can in good conscience recommend to anyone. It's light on theology and heavy on social justice with a few carefully chosen Scriptures thrown in for good measure. I think I'll stick with my Bible--the entire Bible--and a few more doctrinally sound authors.

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