The God-First Life by Stovall Weems

The emphasis of this book putting God first by exercising the basic disciplines of the Christian life, such as praying, reading the Bible, church involvement, and being part of an active community. As someone who has read a lot of books on the basics of learning to walk with Christ, I would say that this book is about average in its approach, scope and depth. It is a good book to help someone get started with God. The book's doctrine is biblical and sound. Every once in a while there is a new nugget in this book, such as when the author talks about worship being a "space maker", by which he means that when we worship, we "make a space of praise for God to inhabit." The author gives the example of God fighting a battle for Jehoshaphat: "They did what they could do--they worshiped him and praised him. And then he did what only he could do--he defeated the enemy when they did not have any hope. The place of battle became a valley of blessing, and the outcome hinged on the worship of the people." Of particular value are the chapter notes at the end of the book, in which are listed many supporting Scriptures. The book is well researched and supported by appropriate Bible passages. I received this book free in exchange for a review on booksneeze.com

God is Just Not Fair by Jennifer Rothschild

This book is truly exceptional for a couple of reasons. One is that the author has earned credibility on the subject by losing her sight at age 15 and having that situation increase in difficulty as the decades have passed. The other is that, plain and simple, she is an excellent writer who has thoroughly considered the subject about which she is writing: is God fair? The author approaches this difficult subject from many angles, asking if God cares, errs, is aware, and hear prayers. She uses both Scripture and people's experiences to demonstrate God's character, which is to be trusted. The depth of the author's personality is reflected in this book. At one point, she talks about feeling guilty for being blind. She knows this is not logical but also realizes that perhaps the reason she chooses to feel this way is to avoid the alternative: to blame God. It is easy to find yourself reflected in her thoughts and feelings, all of which point you to the answer that God is good. I would recommend this book to anyone. It well written and well reasoned, a "keeper". I received this book from Thomas Nelson in exchange for my agreement to read and review it.

The Storm Inside by Sheila Walsh

In a nutshell, this book is about overcoming feelings with faith. Sheila Walsh addresses challenging emotions including heartbreak, disappointment, unforgiveness, shame, regret, fear, insecurity, insignificance, despair, and rage, matching each with its spiritual counterweight. This is one of the author’s best works. She shares most personal stories and insights than she usually does, giving the reader a deep sense that Sheila Walsh knows what she’s talking about. She uses Scripture extremely effectively, ending chapter with contemplative questions and a prayer. For the reader looking for guidance when dealing with difficult emotions, I would highly recommend this work. Sheila Walsh demonstrates a spiritual maturity and depth which are refreshing to see. I received this book for free in exchange for my unbiased review through the Thomas Nelson BookSneeze Program.

Forgiving Our Fathers and Mothers by Leslie Leyland Fields and Dr. Jill Hubbard

This book is co-written by a writer and a psychologist, with the writer narrating her own journey and that of a number of others and the psychologist adding each chapter’s afterword and study questions. This book covered its topics thoroughly, with a large fraction involving personal narrative, both biblical and personal, and I thought it could have used a lot more insight by the psychologist, as the individual stories were too long and the portion aimed at personal application too short. The book’s perspective left me dissatisfied, as it felt one-size-fits-all. Because the author linked forgiveness with an unending pursuit of relationship with a parent by the child, the few adult children who were said to let their parental relationship lapse were viewed as unforgiving. In my opinion, forgiveness and reconciliation were bound too closely together in this presentation of the topic of forgiveness, and not enough room was left for the Lord’s leading and working in an adult child. There are rare parents who not only offer nothing beneficial, and have no intention of doing so, but who, for the sake of their own egos, consume their children. Forgiving them and letting them go can be a healthy option. The book pushed hard on adult children to attend to their parents’ deathbeds, dedicating a couple of chapters to the topic, on the premise that such is an indication of honoring your parent. You can honor a parent without having to seek emotional or geographical closeness. To force an infirm parent by pressing for such a thing can actually be dishonoring. Sometimes God leads people to lay down the hope for a loving parent, which was never presented as an option in this book. The approach to forgiveness presented would be good for a person whose parent did not intentionally continue to hurt them, either by abuse or neglect. If there is goodwill on both sides, this brand of forgiveness is likely to work, but if abuse or neglect continue to be a strong component in a parent-child relationship, I would not recommend this book. I received this book for free in exchange for my unbiased review through the Thomas Nelson BookSneeze Program.

Open Your Eyes by Jake Olson

Jake is only 16 years old but has learned more than a lifetime’s worth of lessons already. Born with a form of eye cancer, he had one eye removed when he was 10 months old and the other when he was 12. Despite these major losses, Jake and his family have lived a victorious life because of their faith in Jesus. In this book, Jake and his family share some of the lessons learned. Unfortunately for us, Jake co-wrote this book with a trainer, who, I would guess, is probably a motivational speaker, because he speaks as one might talk. So rather than getting Jake’s story and lessons in one voice, we read it in two. While Jake’s is straightforward and from the heart, the other voice is a subpar self-help work, full of platitudes and often jarring illustrations that barely fit the topic, written in a cadence that gets tiresome, as it truly sounds like listening to cheerleading. It makes for an uneven read, going back and forth from Jake’s real and honest voice to the cheerleader, whose words often read like this: “. . . Yet he would not. He was afraid. When we know what God expects, we act with certainty. We aren’t afraid. We don’t care what others think. We take appropriate risks. We step out of our comfort zones. . . . So find the winner within. Procrastinate less. Act more. Look for your defining moment.” If you like short, choppy sentences about the obvious, then this is the book for you. If you don’t, it may give you a headache. This book is really two in one, and I’d recommend reading it as such. First, read the accounts of Jake and his family; this isn’t hard to do, because these parts are written in a distinct font. It makes for a fabulous narrative, and you really gain insight into the tremendous challenges they faced and continue to face. Then read the trainer’s lessons, which are marginally worth reading. The faith of Jake and his family which has been fed by their trial is inspiring and is what will linger in the reader’s mind about this book. I received this book for free in exchange for my unbiased review through the Thomas Nelson BookSneeze Program.

How to Be Rich by Andy Stanley

This small book teaches that all Americans are rich, as we live in the richest country in the world in the richest time in history. No matter how little we have, if we have enough money to buy a book, we are ahead of the vast majority of the world’s peoples. Once we understand that, we can consider the question of how to handle our wealth. Stanley addresses wealth from a biblical perspective, instructing us not to put our trust and confidence in wealth; those things should rest in God. To inoculate ourselves from the fear of losing wealth, we should practice generosity. The author says we should make this a priority, start by giving a percentage, and continue throughout our lives to progressively increase. The bottom line is to honor God with the resources He entrusts to us. Andy Stanley supplies some very practical pointers in avoiding the traps of, for example, affluenza, such as intentionally limiting our awareness of new products, as marketing is designed to create an appetite in us. Once you step on the treadmill with something new, it is difficult not to want to continually upgrade as new and better models are released. This book is well supported by biblical references. It is thought provoking and countercultural, even counterintuitive, but it is spot on. I recommend it. I received this book for free in exchange for my unbiased review through the Thomas Nelson BookSneeze Program.

The Reason for My Hope

Billy Graham makes a clear and compelling case for salvation through Jesus Christ alone. This can be no surprise, as it has been his life’s calling and work. What is rather surprising is the many angles from which he approaches the subject and how well he incorporates personal and cultural examples. This book presents this most gifted of evangelists to a new generation in a way that is both simple and relevant. In Graham’s hands, the message of the gospel feels personal and fresh. This work is extremely well reasoned and well written. Billy Graham acknowledges that he had someone help him with research “of contemporary illustrations,” and this wise decision serves the book admirably. One sees why Billy Graham has been an effective communicator of the gospel for more than 70 years. His grace and humility leap off the page, as if he is talking to you alone. Obvious are his skills in both handling the Bible accurately as well as relating to people as individuals. Not to be overlooked is the fact that Graham is now 95 years old, and to have retained the ability to be this impactful over all these decades deserves great respect. This book is a masterful work, and I would recommend it to anyone. I received this book for free in exchange for my unbiased review through the Thomas Nelson BookSneeze Program.