Eye of the Storm

This is a difficult review to write. The author's heart is definitely poured out through Eye of the Storm in an effort to encourage brothers and sisters in the faith. Unfortunately, I have to review this book and appoint "stars" based upon all the other books out there that I review. As another reviewer mentioned, the market is saturated with books on this topic and unless you bring powerful new insight, it's not likely to stand out from the rest.

Although there is encouragement throughout the book, the writing style seemed choppy and the subject matter seemed unorganized at times. The train of thought seemed to jump around too much and at times I forgot what the author was referring to previously in the book. I was surprised by many grammar errors and the subtitles weren't well highlighted so that they stood out. (I am reviewing the Kindle version) I know this author paid good money to WestBow Press to be published, and I'm disappointed for him that he didn't get a better finished product. Again, I am basing it upon the hundreds of books I review each year.

I believe readers will find some encouragement from the book. I believe this could be republished and targeted toward teens since there is a dire need for powerful non fiction in that segment of readers. The author seems to have a special ability to speak in a simple way that would be beneficial to new believers and young teens. Probably why he was a youth pastor. The Kindle price is good, which makes this book appeasing. Everyone needs encouragement through the storms of life. :)

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."

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Unexpectedly, we find that our faith has had a collision 

between high hopes and harsh realities—
ife isn’t turning out like we expected. 

We find ourselves questioning whether or not God is 

really in control . . . because life sure isn’t. 

Though He claims to be “all we need,” 

we’re just not exactly sure we believe that. 

In our fight of faith, we’re convinced 

that His thoughts are higher than our thoughts—
as hard as we try,

 we can’t figure God out. 

And although His ways may be higher,

 they certainly don’t seem better—
we made plans for our lives, 

but God is directing our steps and taking us 

places we never wanted to go. 

It becomes clear that God has brought us to a place in life 

where faith is no longer an option or a luxury, it’s a necessity— 
He’s brought us to our knees,

 so that we have nowhere to look, but up. In our hopelessness, 

we find God teaching us to trust Him, 
when there is no evidence that we should. 

The Ways of God takes your faith to the next level. 

You’ll come to understand that although you don’t know 
where your life is headed, God does. 

You’ll grasp that when you can’t know
 every detail of His will, you can trust it.

Great Day Every Day!

I'll be honest, I was reading this book on my Kindle and wasn't keeping track as to what chapter or page I was on. I literally read the last page, realized I was finished with the book and felt like just starting at the beginning again and reading it over. "Great Day Every Day," is the anecdote for your worst days. Each word written is powerful and uplifting, but not only that, the message within is life transforming and faith strengthening. Max Lucado has a way of helping you hear God's heart to the point you can almost audibly hear Him. In this book, you'll hear loud and clear, that EVERY DAY is a GREAT DAY when you're looking through eyes of faith. You won't want to miss out on this fantastic read. Like me, you'll wish the book just didn't end and it's a book you'll want to read ANY DAY, so that you can have a GREAT DAY EVERY 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."

Do the Math

I'm not good with numbers. (Okay, that's a major understatement.) But, I do know that 1 + 1= 2 . . . and things in my life just don't seem to be adding up. 1+1 isn't equaling 2. So, I've been in prayer over it . . . constantly. I know God is into numbers. Remember, He threw out that "seventy times seven" thing. (Boy I hate that Peter asked that question.) Then you've got Jesus "multiplying bread and fish." God calls us to tithe 10%, and He says that seeds sown in the "good soil" return a crop "thirty, sixty, or even one hundred times" what was sown. (Mark 4:20) And Romans 6:23 says that Sin = Death, but Christ = Eternal life. So, I asked God why the math isn't working out in my life . . . and in a dream, I woke up to three words, "Do the Math." 

So, with that, the next day I pondered, all day, what He meant by speaking that into my heart. I went a few days pondering it all, and then while reading a book, I ran across those three little words again, "Do the Math." Now I knew God was speaking to me. It seems I'm calculating wrong. I'm calculating life by what I "see." There's absolutes in how God works, and we can't be fooled by the variables that seem to throw us off. In the equation of life, we get caught up in trying to "solve" the for the variables . . . and with God, there are no variables. God is very clear in Galatians 6:7, "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, a man reaps what he sows." That's it. It's that simple. 1 + 1 ALWAYS equals 2. We can't be deceived. God works with clear formulas, and the answers are always the same. We take inventory on our mistreatments and life's problems, but we fail to calculate the faithfulness of God.

We tend to calculate our problems without calculating in Christ. Our math is fuzzy when we're looking at the equation without considering God's love, mercy, justice, and faithfulness. We tend to analyze, evaluate, and calculate life without Jesus, and life doesn't seem to add up. But with God, the math is clear. It's as easy as 1+1. 

So, God, once again, has spoken something deeply within my heart. He doesn't want me getting overwhelmed by the test . . . He wants me confident that I've studied and that since He is with me always, there is nothing to fear. He wants me walking confidently forward in faith while He works out the "problems." He's the Teacher, I'm the student, so I think I'll watch as He shows me on the blackboard of my life . . . how He works. He's got a formula, the outcomes are always the same. The formula He uses that always trumps all else is as easy as 1+1 . . . TRUST = BLESSED. And, as with all Math, practice makes perfect . . . I guess God is asking me to trust Him . . . I need to "Do the Math."

1000 Days: The Ministry of Christ

The time you spend reading "1,000 Days" may very well be the most well spent time of your life. This is not a book, it's a journey; Jesus isn't just a Savior, He is Lord. Jonathan Falwell presents the days of Christ's ministry in a down to earth, powerful way that will draw your spirit and transform your soul.

The author doesn't present every move of Jesus, but the most vital aspects of His ministry and teachings. The author tackles the tough issues regarding the decision to follow Him, or not. He holds nothing back, and neither did Jesus, when addressing the hypocrites. The question in this entire book, is "Where do YOU fit in?" to Jesus' ministry. Have you walked away like the rich man . . . followed Him, only to later deny Him like Peter, or are you wholly devoted to Him, enduring until the end?

At times, I felt the stories were a little too familiar for the Christian that is further along in their faith walk, but as soon as I would think that, Falwell blind sided me with powerful insight and caused me to dig deeper in my faith than I ever have. I suddenly found myself highlighting throughout the book . . . questions that I will study and ponder which had a powerful impact upon the moment that I read them. You can't study the ministry of Christ and not self examine your faith. Well, you can, but you'd be in the "hypocrite" crowd. I found this book to be most powerful in understanding the importance of Jesus' teachings. I found that the content answered the "whys" of why Jesus said and did the things He did. I found myself examining my faith and realizing that although I've come so far, I still have eternity to go. The author's warm and powerfully inviting writing style draws you in, just like Jesus.

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 Fire

In our daily lives, we tend to forget that God defines Himself as "a consuming fire." (Hebrews 12:29) God uses the fire for many purposes. We're most familiar with how fire destroys. Deuteronomy 9:3 and Psalm 97:3 says that God uses fire to devour the enemy. Hebrews 10:27 says that a raging fire will consume the enemies of God after their judgement. When we think of Hell, we think of fire. (Matthew 25:41,46; Revelation 19:20;20:10) God has used fire to show His wrath, but He also uses it for good.

If you're walking through the fire, if you've stepped out in faith, trusting in God (like Radshack, Meshack,and Abednego), then know that He walks with you through it. The fire refines when God is in it. He uses the fire to purify and bring to the surface those things which need to be removed. He refines us a silver and purifies us like gold. (Zephaniah 13:9) Allow God to do His work in you. Understand the fire for what it is. When you're trusting in God, He goes to great lengths and extraordinary measures to perfect your faith. And more often than not, it takes the fire.

Let us not forget God's truth. When we're crying out to the heavens through our suffering, let us remember Truth and allow God to do His work within us.

"For you have been given not only 
the privilege of trusting in Christ,
but also the privilege of suffering for Him."
Philippians 1:29

As the Chinese Christians say, "True faith does not fear the fire."

Simple Secrets to a Happy Life

Everyone wants to be happy, but few find true happiness. With all the wisdom Luci Swindoll has acquired throughout her life experiences, she has written a book that sums up the simple, yet successful ways that SHE has found happiness. I am always leery of books that are "formula" based-"do this and you get that." Rarely does the formula work  on EVERYONE. The content of this book, the "simple secrets," are ways of living that has brought the AUTHOR happiness. Though you may be able to take bits and pieces and apply them to your life, in NO WAY are these ideas guaranteed to bring you happiness. For example, the author suggests,

Be on Time for Everything
Let People Know You Care
Organize Your Stuff
Make Something with Your Hands
Treat People with Kindness
Read Your Bible Every Day
Stay Proactive About Your Health
Value the Things You Have
Write Down Important Things
Communicate Often with Loved Ones
Know For Sure You're Insured (Have Insurance)
Set the Table for Company
Forgive Over and Over

The "secrets" above are just some of the 50 secrets. Of course, they are not really "secrets." They might be better called "reminders." Many of the "secrets" could have been combined. Such as, "Let People Know You Care" and "Treat Other People with Kindness."

The entire content is PERSONAL NARRATIVES by the author. Some of the narratives drag on too long. There is Scripture used throughout, but I only wrote down a few. After reading the book, it all felt shallow. For those who are in desperate need of happiness, these "secrets" won't do it. Too many people today are trying to find happiness by way of the "outside" in. True happiness is acquired from the "inside out." TRUE happiness can only come from an intimate relationship with God that transforms the mind and soul from the inside out. Doing "all these things," will NOT bring about long lasting happiness. They have ADDED to the author's happiness because she is connected with Christ. These "secrets" are the overflow of the Holy Spirit at work within her. AND MANY of the "secrets" will NOT make people happy because they were created ENTIRELY different. God has created each of us with specific desires that will enable us to walk in His will for our lives in a very personal way.

So, I wouldn't pass this book along to anyone. I think it's misleading. The formula will not necessarily work for everyone. The message within the book is ALL ABOUT the author's life and what has made HER happy. Honestly, you could probably make a checklist, check off all she's suggested, but without a daily intimate relationship with Christ, you wouldn't find true happiness over the long haul. This is the powerful element that is missing. That is the "secret." : )

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."

Shut Up to Faith

You need to know something as you face the struggles of each day—God has not abandoned you. You may feel like He’s shut you out, but what He’s really done is “shut you up.” In your moments of utter helplessness, it’s the hard places in life that threaten to destroy your faith which are used by God to strengthen it. You want a way out . . . He’s making a way through. You crave comfort and He brings you to the Cross. You know the place:

There is sickness, but no healing.

You’re faithful, but others betray you.

You hope, but all hope seems gone.

You give to God and others, but you lose everything.

You love, but find hatred greeting you at every corner.

You’re afflicted in every way, but there’s no deliverance.

You call out to God, but there is no answer.

Though we’re tempted to believe that God has abandoned us, nothing could be further from the Truth. We’ve declared that He’s destroyed our faith, but what He’s really done is “shut us up” to our faith, He’s brought us to the Cross . . . where all hope seems gone, but Redemption is sure. It’s the place where God’s greatest works are done. Though our faith seems crucified, God’s merely working out His plan. He’s working within us, dissolving our doubts and whittling down our worry. He’s “shutting us up,” until all we can do is “look up.”

“But before faith came,

we were kept in custody . . . ,

 being “shut up” to the faith

which was later to be revealed.”

Galatians 3:23 (NASB)

It’s through our efforts to prove God that He works to prove us. Through our struggles, He’s taking us through successive levels of faith, where He is more confident in our faith than we are . . . He leaves us “shut up to faith,” with nothing to give us hope, but His Word.

Like a child learning to walk, He’s removed all the props holding us up. There’s no evidence that He’s there, there’s no proof that He cares, there’s no rewards and no intervention when we start to fall. He has prepared us to walk on, to continue to trust—through our fears. Though your faith seems to be failing, it is really growing. God is strengthening your faith by asking you to walk upon it. It’s in your darkest moments that God is “proving you.” (And you thought you were proving Him. LOL)

“ . . . and there He proved them.” 

Exodus 15:25 (ASV)

God is proving you by shutting you up in the testing room of faith. It’s hard there. You’re not sure you’ll pass . . . you wish you had studied more. Anxiety overcomes you as you realize that you simply weren’t prepared for the test—there are too many multiple choice questions, and your enemy is out to trick you. And there’s no help. You’re on your own. Or are you? When you’re “shut up to faith” . . . stuck with hard decisions, not sure which way to turn, and all hope seems gone, remember one thing and one thing only . . . God is with you.

“I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 

Hebrews 13:5 (ESV)

Never means never. Don’t be deceived about your faith. God is taking your faith places you never knew it could go. He’s proving you, so that you are strengthened for the rest of the journey. You used to look for feelings or tokens for your faith . . . things other than the Word of God, but He’s developing a faith in you that isn’t dependent upon what you see. He’s transforming your faith and perfecting it (see Hebrews 12:2). When the storms of life come crashing in, when you’re stuck in a desolate desert, when you’re weak and weary and have no strength to carry on, know that God may have “shut you up to faith,” but He’s shut you in with Himself. He’s with you. He wants to help you work through your faith, so that it might be complete . . . ready for anything.

“These trials will show that your faith is genuine.” 

1 Peter 1:7 (NLT)

“Endure until your testing is over. 

Then you will be mature and complete,

 and you won’t need anything.” 

James 1:4 (God’s Word Translation)

The trials of your life are the testing grounds. Allow God to do His work in you. When you’re “shut up to faith,” know that you’ve been brought to the Cross. Deliverance is at hand. You won’t be able to go through it alone—you’ll have to do it in Christ’s strength, not your own. It’s the very reason God has shut you up to faith—He’s showing you that when you’re in need . . . He is all you need.

God Loves Broken People

This book (I am reviewing the Kindle version) had all the makings of a powerful read: A GREAT Title, catchy subtitle, and a much needed message in a world that is hurting. The problem is that the content failed to deliver. I was hoping for a message that would inspire, encourage, and lift up my heart. The introduction and following chapters failed to even come close to doing any of those things.

If you are able to make it through the introduction, Chapter 6 is written well and the whole book's message could probably be summed up in that Chapter. I was surprised at the typo in paragraph two. (I've found enormous editing errors in Sheila Walsh's books . . . not sure why) The book opens oddly with a disturbing nightmare that Ms. Walsh has had all her life about being led to an execution chamber and being put to death for a crime she didn't commit. Somehow, she relates brokenness in life to "getting" over nightmares for an intro.(?)

Immediately I felt a disconnect from the author who begins Chapter 1 by speaking about brokenness and opening with a personal narrative about her arriving home, her husband calling her to let her know that he will be picking up their son at his best friend's house, and then her going into an all out panic and exploding in anger when her husband and son return home a few hours later after they did not respond to a text and phone call. The author relates this story to clinging to Christ who offers peace in the "fiercest storm."(?) She declares, "I'm not waving; I'm drowning." If this is the author's idea of a broken life . . . or broken situations . . . there is a clear disconnect from those going through TRUE brokenness. 

I became further disturbed through a personal narrative where the author describes being in her car during a tornado . . . a man tries to get her out of her car to safety, but instead she writes,

"I sat there with tears streaming down my face. I couldn't stop repeating, "I'm sorry. I am so sorry!" As crazy as it sounds, I believed deep in my heart that this storm was my fault, that all of heaven had united in a rage against me." 

I was GREATLY OFFENDED by the Chapter titled, "FIERCE LOVE AND HALLOWEEN GRACE." This was a completely INAPPROPRIATE comparison made between God's grace and Halloween!?! The author states,

"I call this kind of grace 'Halloween grace,' because it wears an unanticipated costume. (Halloween Costumes) don't "necessarily give any clue to the sort of kid on the inside. Grace can be like that too.

"But in each case His grace wears a slightly different costume." 

I found this comparison appalling. I could go on, but I think I've described enough of the issues of this book. The personal narratives should be completely left out. They add no value and absolutely take from it. Overall, the book was unorganized and the same point was repeated throughout the entire book. There was no resolve and no true connect with the reader. It all felt "broken."

***** I will note to the author AND the publisher that there is a reference to a TRADEMARKED item that is INCORRECT and should be corrected. The author mentions Lance Armstrong's yellow bracelet band that states, "Just Do it!" The band has never said this, the bands are engraved ONLY with, "LIVESTRONG." (trademarked)

I would HIGHLY recommend Sheila Walsh's book: "The Shelter of God's Promises"

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."

Taken Aside By Jesus

At times, I find myself "taken aside by Jesus," so that He can answer my prayer . . . I've asked Him to "Search my heart and know me and show me the things in me that offend Him." (Psalm 139:23-24) Sometimes, He "takes me aside" to show me things through His eyes. He wants me to grasp His will and His purposes fully. Often times, Jesus "takes me aside" to just sit with me in silence. But, mostly, He "takes me aside" to embrace me with His love and encourage me in my faith. I've learned that being "taken aside by Jesus" is a gift of God's great love. Though He leads me into the desert, in the place where doubt dominates and all hope seems gone, I am filled with peace . . . because it is there, where I am utterly alone, that I realize . . . Jesus, Himself, has "taken me aside." 

"Taken aside by Jesus,
To feel the touch of His hand;
To rest for a while in the shadow
Of the Rock in a weary land.

Taken aside by Jesus,
In the loneliness dark and drear,
Where no other comfort may reach me,
Than His voice to my heart so dear.

Taken aside by Jesus,
To be quite alone with Him,
To hear His wonderful tones of love
'Mid the silence and shadows dim.

Taken aside by Jesus,
Shall I shrink from the desert place;
When I hear as I never heard before,
And see Him 'face to face'?" 

- L.B. Cowan, Streams in the Desert