Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Tithing: Test Me In This by Douglas Leblanc

Tithing: Test Me In This by Douglas Leblanc is part of the Ancient Practices Series from Thomas Nelson Publishing. Instead of a traditional overview of tithing and it's ties to the Bible, Leblanc and Tickle instead chose to interview eleven different individuals and couples who make tithing a part of their life. Each chapter describes how tithing has affected the interviewees.

This book is a good introduction to tithing and presents reasons why people make it part of their lives. It is presented in a format that is very easy to read and understand. The book contains a study guide at the end so it could be used for small group discussions on tithing. The notes sections contains many outside references to other writings and scriptural support for the subject as well.

I would recommend this book to anyone that is struggling with tithing as part of their Christian walk. It presents the subject objectively without pressuring the reader into tithing. A good introduction to the subject presented in an enjoyable way. Four stars!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their [...] 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."

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Then Sings My Soul: Special Edition by Robert Morgan

Then Sings My Soul: Special Edition written by Robert Morgan is a wonderful book that presents the stories behind 150 classic hymns. It is bound and presented beautifully with a tough cover and Deckle Edging on the pages. Each story is presented in a devotional style, with each story of the hymn an easy, one-page read. Each story also presents a related Bible verse. This is a very interesting book, as well as being a great devotional.

I found the information presented to be very educational and also a great testimony to the writers of these hymns. The story of each hymn is succinctly told and always from a Biblical perspective.

This book would be a great gift for anyone that is interested in Christian history or music history. I would highly recommend it for anyone wanting to learn more about how the hymns we take for granted came to be!

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.”

Thursday, November 18, 2010

I review for BookSneeze

Jungle Warfare: A Basic Field Manual for Christians in Sales By Christopher Cunningham

Jungle Warfare: A Basic Field Manual for Christians in Sales is a very unique sales book. I have been in sales for over ten years and have had the opportunity to read many different sales manuals. The approach here is a fresh perspective on the world of sales done from a Christian perspective.

The book is divided into a 22 day manual. Each day features an excerpt from the author's grandfather's Jungle Warfare field manual. There is a Bible verse for each day as well. Following those there is a Battle Plan for each day that shows you how to apply the Jungle Warfare principles to sales. There is a prayer for each day and then space to record your thoughts and prayer requests for that day. Following the initial 22 day format there is an additional section entitled Jungle Warfare Field Support with chapters on such subjects as depression, burn-out, exhaustion, worry, and a number or other topics. All of the topics are covered in relation to God and from a Christian perspective.

I would recommend this book for anyone that is involved in sales. It is fresh and unique in its approach to the sales process.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson as part of the BookSneeze 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."

Saturday, November 6, 2010

The American Patriot's Almanac by William J. Bennett and John T.E. Cribb

The American Patriot’s Almanac is a very interesting book and wonderful concept. It presents daily readings for this day in American history. In addition to the daily reading that offers a brief synopsis of the event described for that day there are a number of single sentence items for that day in history.

I found the format of the book very convenient and well organized. Each item has a date so you can start at anytime and read a page a day to make it through the entire year. The items presented for each day are interesting and, while some are well known, others are more obscure. Each is presented in a quick and easy to read format. The book is divided into chapters for each month and after each month there are also interesting sections on useful and historical information such as “The History of the Stars and Stripes” and “Flag Etiquette: Guidelines for Displaying and Handling the U.S. Flag.”

Anyone interested in learning more about U.S. History in an easy and fun way will enjoy this book. I would recommend it to both novice and studied history buffs!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson as part of the BookSneeze 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."

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

I Lift Up My Soul: Devotions to Start Your Day with God by Dr. Charles Stanley

This is a great 365-day devotional by the renowned Dr. Charles Stanley. Each devotional contains a scripture passage to be studied and a verse to be memorized. There is also one-page writing by Dr. Stanley for each devotional. Each devotional is labeled by subject as well.

I found the devotionals interesting and enlightening. They give you great ideas to contemplate each day. They are short enough to be easily read and absorbed quickly each day, a nice feature in today's busy world. The devotions also cause one to think and can inspire you to reflect on God's word. They are presented in an "easy-to-digest" format. I found that they were very sound Biblically, and the material is presented in a very appealing manner as well.

I would have no problem recommending this title to anyone who wants to have a quick moment each day to study God's word in an easy to understand manner.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson as part of the BookSneeze 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."

Monday, October 18, 2010

Really Wooly Bible Stories

This is a great childrens' Bible story book.  Written by Bonnie Rickner Jensen and illustrated by Julie Sawyer Phillips, I would say it is appropriate for children up to five years of age.  It includes sixteen different Bible stories and an introduction and closing prayer all written in simple rhyming format that speaks to the target audience. 

This book presents major characters and stories of the Bible in a way that is easy for children to understand.  The use of rhyme and simple language makes it easy to introduce these stories to the youngest in your household.  The illustrations are bright and colorful and well-drawn.  They help keep the attention span of the young audience involved in the stories and can be used to help discuss each story as well.  
The stories are very faithful to their Bible counterparts and present a strong foundation for small children.  I would highly recommend this book for those who wish to teach their youngest children stories from the Bible. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com <http://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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Welcome

This blog will be devoted to reviewing recent books that I have read.  Welcome, and I hope you enjoy your visit!