Same Life, New Story

Same Life, New Story by Jan Silvious

In this book, Jan uses powerful character studies of ten women from the Bible, as well as modern-day stories from her work as a professional life coach. Bible teacher Jan Silvious helps women choose new stories instead of dumping, or wallowing in, their old lives.

The ten women that Jan uses from the Bible are: Naomi, Leah, Rahab, Deborah, Hannah, Anna, Jehosheba, Abigail, Naaman's servant girl, and Elizabeth round out the cast of characters who, with their own stories, help readers find new perspectives with amazing results.

Chapters include:

* Realize it's time
* Don't be held hostage by the past
* Ask yourself good questions
* Change your "I can't" to "I can"
* Delete the drama of the day
* Forget the "What might have beens"
* Discover the power of wisdom and courage
* Get past the resistance of fear
* Choose to bounce back
* The last chapter has not been written yet

This is a wonderful book for any woman in any stage of life. I really liked reading about Naomi and hearing the stories from Jan's work.

I received this book for free, for this review, from: www.booksneeze.com

Soul Print

Soul Print- By Mark Batterson

I had the opportunity to meet Mark Batterson in his theater church in the D.C area last year when he had started a series on his book called Primal. I have a copy of that book and in Soul Print there is a chapter from Primal inside of it. I love how Mark writes. He is a very passionate writer as well as a passionate speaker. Soul Print was all about introducing yourself to who you really are and who God created you to be. With the world sending you mixed messages about how to view yourself, Mark realizes that what people really need to know right now are some Biblical truths. This book is labeled as a self-discovery book that puts God at the center rather than self.
This book is a very easy read and would be good for young readers as well as adults, I definitely recommend it.

I received this book from www.waterbrookmultnomah.com/bloggingforbooks for this review.

The Shelter of God's Promises

The Shelter of God's Promises- By Sheila Walsh

This book includes an in-depth Bible Study plan and would be perfect for a small group (or a large group) of women.
In this book, Sheila searches Scripture for things God has promised us and goes into great detail about what those promises mean. This book contains ten solid promises from God on: Something to hold on to, Provision, Peace, Confidence, Love, Grace, Hope, Strength, Knowing there's something better, and Home. Sheila uses all sorts of tools in order to help us understand and make connections in her book. She uses a lot of personal stories and you can tell that she is very passionate to get these truths out to other women.
This book can be used as a Bible Study or a devotional or just something to read when you need to hear about one of God's truths. Definitely a good thing to read when you're having a bad or rough day.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers 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.”

Precious Moments

Precious Moments Storybook Bible

I received this book for free from Booksneeze. When I was little I always wanted a Precious Moments Bible. My family collected precious moments stuff but I never had the Bible before. I always told myself that whenever I have a child, that I would get them one. So when I saw that booksneeze had one to review, I jumped at that opportunity. The Precious Moments storybook Bible is very simple, as it ought to be for Children. It highlights some of the main stories from the Bible with big bold print and classic Precious Moments pictures. The stories are captivating enough for young children to be read to and the words are big enough and simple enough for young beginning readers to understand and read through. Overall, this is a very nice children Bible and I highly recommend it for any young child.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers 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.”

The Goodness of God

The Goodness of God- By Randy Alcorn

Randy Alcorn offers something solid to hold onto in the midst of trial and tribulation. When the world brings you down or when you're suffering or sad or in pain He speaks truth into your life via his book The Goodness of God which is a condensed and more focused version of his other book, If God is Good. Randy offers many bold statements in his books and these are just a few:

"any faith that leaves us unprepared for suffering is a false faith that deserves to be abandoned." (pg.5)

"Worry is momentary atheism, crying out for correction by trust in a good and sovereign God." (pg.110)

Randy doesn't provide superficial words of hope and his book definitely isn't one of those feel good books. It is meant to get you out of the mind set of suffering and to realize God's truths and God's love and to provide you with that knowledge base so that the next time you are down or suffering you can easily hold onto God's promises.

This book is definitely a great one for all Christians to read and even those who want to explore and learn more about God.

I received this book for free for review from Waterbrook Multnomah.

I'm not sure what to title this...

I used to think that I was a great actress. That by being in some various amounts of plays and musicals made me great, and that I could easily take on any role that ever came to me. And if I ever had to do something challenging or something that I personally didn't know if I could do, or maybe even something that I didn't want to do or seemed "out of character" for me, that I could just develop a brand new character and take on her role. I decided a long time ago that living as someone else was easier and more exciting. I decided to buy into many lies about myself and realized that I was too boring and too plain and not a valuable character in this story of life. I decided to create a new me with the different characteristics that I thought people might like. I was able to blend in with many different groups of people. Old people loved me, children adored me, and all that mattered was that I was well-liked. Well, I am a terrible actress. Looking back, all I know is how different emotions feel. Ergo, i'm a pretty emotional person.

I used to think that I was a great singer. When I was really young I would sing a lot of Disney songs. I used to pretend that I was Belle from Beauty and the Beast and I would re-create the scene where Belle and the Beast were dancing in the ballroom. One time my uncle found me singing and wanted to put me into voice lessons. He thought I could have been this great singer, but unfortunately (or maybe fortunately?) there was nothing for me in Pine City at the time. I have sung in a choir since I was in first grade. I would sing along to karaoke machines in bars and a bunch of drunk people would cheer me on. And somehow all of that and years of people telling me that I was good gave me a big ego. But, I am really not a great singer either. (I realized this when I had a hard time singing Silent Night at a Christmas Eve service at church.)

I used to think that I was a great person. I would go to church every sunday and be involved with as many things as I can. When I lived at home I would work part time, go to school full time, take care of my brothers and cook and clean and do my homework and still have time for some sort of a social life. I got involved with youth groups, bible studies, women's nights. I was a camp counselor, Jr. High youth leader. Now I'm on leadership with Campus Crusade for Christ and attend a college-women's bible study.

I came home from college a few days ago. And since then, a bunch of people from my church in Pine City have told me how proud they are of me and how great I am and all sorts of stuff. But, i'm really not that great of a person either. I lie A LOT and I curse like a sailor. I am not a very good friend. I don't read my Bible. I only pray when I need something. I contemplate giving up my faith altogether. I sometimes want to throw my life away. I want to give into many different temptations, but don't ever go through with it for fear of what people would think.

A friend asked me a few days ago a very simple question. "What makes you happy?"

I wish I had a "favorite things" song to just list off all these things that makes me happy. But I don't. Nor could I have at that point made some crap up that makes me happy. My list was pretty short. I'm pretty sure I just told her that being with friends and singing and reading and listening to music makes me happy. And while all of that is true, I feel like there should be more. That I should have this joy all the bloody time. But I don't. The truth is, it takes a lot to make me happy right now.

The truth is. I'm incredibly messed up. Maybe it's because of the years of pretending I was someone that I was not that messed me up. Because now, I don't even know who I am or how to even act like me. I don't know how to adapt myself into the place that i've created for me when my old character fails. I don't know how I got to where I am today, and I don't know what to do.

To my very good friend who let me cry that night and who has lived with me and endured me this past semester no matter how crazy I was/am. Who tells me i'm beautiful and loved every day, even though I never believe her: I'm working on my "happy" list, and on myself.

Radical

Radical- By David Platt Taking back your faith from the American Dream.

You and I can choose to continue with business as usual in the Christian life and in the church as a whole, enjoying success based on the standards defined by the culture around us. Or we can take an honest look at the Jesus of the Bible and dare to ask what the consequences might be if we really believed him and really obeyed him.

If Jesus is who he said he is, and if his promises are as rewarding as the Bible claims they are, then we may discover that satisfaction in our lives and success in the church are not found in what our culture deems most important, but in radical abandonment to Jesus.

-David Platt in his book called Radical.

This book challenges you to think about your life in a deeper way. So many people who call themselves Christians are not walking the way Jesus has called them to walk. (Myself included.) This book takes a look at the heart of the people who live their life radically for God. People who live below their means, sell everything they have to follow God, give and devote their entire lives to glorify His name. Jesus said to his followers to pick up their cross and to follow Him, but how many of us actually do that? This book will challenge you in how you think and may change your life.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.