Fall in Love with God's Word: Practical Strategies for Busy Women by Brittany Ann

I received an advanced review copy of Fall in Love With God’s Word by Brittany Ann just as I started a small women’s group – perfect timing. The book is divided into three parts, each one a practical guide to studying and learning from the Bible. I particularly enjoyed the first part, which gives a clear, concise explanation of the different ways in which we might approach the Bible. None of these on their own is perfect and we need to understand the genre and context of the various books and writings if we are to read and interpret Scripture correctly. Brittany Ann also talks about the different ‘lenses’ with which we view verses, which helps to gain a correct interpretation and application to our lives.

The second part of the book explores how we can root out sin and recognise and replace incorrect teaching and unhelpful/sinful thoughts. Brittany shows that “We don’t read the Bible to learn about God. We read the Bible to meet with  God.” and gives practical tips and strategies for doing so.

Lastly, Brittany looks at the obstacles we put or permit to stand in our way of growing closer to God. Busyness, tiredness, lack of motivation, distractions, forgetfulness, lack of biblical knowledge, lack of intimacy with God are identified and helpful tips for overcoming these are given. I am passionate about forming spiritually deep relationships with others and so I found the last chapter, Cultivate Spiritual Community, particularly encouraging and affirming.

This is a wonderfully practical manual which does what it says. I’ve just started a new small group of women who want to share ‘more than small talk’ and create community together: this couldn’t have come at a better time. A great book for all Christian women, wherever they might be in their journey with God.

Brittany Ann writes in an easy-to-understand style and this is a wonderful manual for exploring widely while diving deeper into Bible study. One to revisit.

Every Bitter Thing is Sweet...a book review

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 Book review: Every Bitter Thing is Sweet
A foreword by Katie Davis, an amazing young American who moved to Uganda to become mother to fourteen orphaned children and caregiver for hundreds more, was enough of a recommendation for me. And, of course, since my free copy came via BooklookBloggers, who invariably choose good reads for its reviewers.

Katie's introduction says, among other things: "This is a book for those hearts who long to see Him in the mess. It is Sara's personal story, written with eloquence and grace, about a God who rescued her from barrenness and carried her to a land of abundance, dripping with ...all things His goodness. She teaches me again what I have already known; she teaches me to hope anew."

The book takes its title from Proverbs 27:7 "A satisfied soul loathes the honeycomb, But to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet."

I want to be a hungry soul. I want to know and experience God in my every day not just on my Sundays (and even then, often, it doesn't happen).

This book seemed, as I read through carefully, to focus on a woman's longing for a child. It is not a longing that I identify with: even though I have two wonderful, now-grown-up children, I never experienced this sense of desperation that many women have. So I found Sara's frequent references to her inability to conceive difficult, irrelevant. Yet, already in the first chapter, I was able to look beyond this particular source of frustration, because we all have those circumstances which make us question God. Circumstances which make us ask, as Sara does: "My question was not, Is God good? But instead, is He good to ME? I was overlooked, forgotten. Not important enough to bless, and easy enough to dismiss. Cursed."

And this is the core. To know, really know, who I am in God.
And to do this by knowing Jesus, how he lived and how he died, and WHY he died.

You'll Get Through This: Hope and Help for Your Turbulent Times by Max Lucado

I am reviewing this for Booksneeze, which generously gave me a free copy for my Kindle. I'm in the middle of turbulent times as it is, but this is a book I have already reread and will do so again.

In his typical fashion, Max Lucado writes with grace and truth, combining words and phrases with such elegance that wisdom seeps out through them almost unnoticed. His message is simple: you’ll get through this. It won’t be painless. It won’t be quick. But God will use this mess for good...With God’s help you will get through this.

The book is based on Joseph’s life – with encouragement from other Bible stories thrown in for good measure. Max Lucado reminds us of eternal truths: that, whatever else is taken from us: health, wealth, relationships...we cannot lose our destiny as loved children of an almighty God.

Neither should we try to escape from God, recognising that God can use our difficulties to test our faith and train us, like children. Patience can be learned through waiting; an attitude of gratitude gets us through the hard stuff. We CAN rely on God.

Lucado tackles those difficult questions: is God good, even when life isn't? How can I find healing? Where can I find forgiveness in me?Can I ever forgive...? How can I deal with the death of a loved one?

Each chapter in itself could have been a book. There are, as we discover near the end of this book, no easy answers. Max Lucado offers a little encouragement along the way: not to give up hope. The book is an effortless read because the style is so easy, but it is not undemanding. Some phrases, some chapters will annoy you. Stop there, and consider why. Use the discussion questions at the back. Pray. Pause. Reflect. Let God speak truth into your life through these little challenges: stay with Him, and find help and healing along the way.

Christmas Stories - heartwarming tales of angels, a manger and the birth of hope: by Max Lucado

I was thrilled to receive this collection of Max Lucado's writings through Booksneeze - for free, but Max lucado's books are ALWAYS worth purchasing. This one is no exception. It makes for charming Christmas reading - at any time of the year. Because `Christmas commemorates God's most uncommon decision to come commonly'. (Think about it.)

Max Lucado unpacks the extraordinary events which happened to ordinary people. A peasant girl. A carpenter. Shepherds. And to the slightly far out - the astrologers. A fresh look, a new retelling - this book helps us see a familiar, a `common' story, through opened eyes.

There is the story of the candlemaker visited by an angel with an uncommon gift.  The man who believed that one of his neighbours was the Messiah - and started treating them as if they were. The account of a baby, borrowed from a manger scene, which brought restoration and hope to a family. The wayward daughter, the faithful father who brought his daughter home with love. The carpenter who wanted to give a gift to God - so he did. An angel's reflections on an incredible mission. Poetic retellings of a timeless story: allegories and reflections on the marvellous gift of Jesus.  Snippets and snatches from Max Lucado's wonderful books which made me smile and cry and gaze thoughtfully into a space inhabited by angels and people and God's love.

Max Lucado does not disappoint - except that many of the excerpts which make up this collection are tantalising tastes of a feast to be found in many of his other books.

Don't pack this book away with the ornaments. Keep it by your bed. Let it call to you whenever your soul needs a little extra feeding.

Catching up on reading - 'Secretly Smitten' (what a name for a book title lol!)

Do keep reading - this book is better than it sounds!  Honestly!

Secretly Smitten by Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Denise Hunter and Diann Hunt is the sequel to Smitten, a town in Vermont which has been reinvented as a romantic destination. I was given it to review through Booksneeze but enjoyed it so much that I intend to buy 'Smitten' and - I hope - any further sequels.

It is, in fact, four books in one, skilfully written by four different authors to read as an entire novel.
The first, Love Between the Lines, is a murder mystery romance; Make Me a Match explores the tribulations of setting up a matchmaking club. Knit one, Love Two is a charming tale of the love and encouragement found among a group of dedicated knitters - and romance in middle age. Love Blooms is set in and around a plant nursery. The novel as a whole is simply a series of gentle romances, with a good mixture of suspense, intrigue and mystery mixed in and an understated Christian angle.

I enjoyed meeting the characters from one 'chapter' in others, seeing them from different viewpoints. I enjoyed guessing the endings long before the authors worked them out - though the twists in the telling kept my interest going. But above all I enjoyed the cosy, 'feel good' atmosphere, the sense of security in a close-knit community and the love - in all aspects of the word - that seeped through the pages.
Such fun!

Catching up on reading - 'Missionary' by Christopher Marco

Still exploring free books on my recently acquired Kindle. I'm a library aficionado - a book recycler, not a book purchaser any more.  I used to be...but that's another story. So I came across a couple of great little books recently.
The first was a genuine free book. 'Missionary' by Christopher Marco.  Sounded boring, I thought, but I flicked inside (thanks, Amazon previews). I was hooked.
Not by the subject matter - been there, done that, got the T-shirt - at least, I used to have the T-shirt which proudly said 'Group 33 Tanzania' but it went the way of all T-shirts many years ago. Nor was I hooked by the geographical setting, although it was Asia, not Africa, and so Technically Different.
No, it was Christopher Marco's writing itself.  It was just so  QUIRKY. He talks about becoming a missionary - someone who 'is socially awkward, wearing clothes that look a little funny, who talks about things normal people con't care about...' And his aim in writing the book is to show human frailty and God's sovereignty.
The book is written on a month by month basis, each with a cryptic title. Leaking through every page is disarming honesty and a lack of pretentiousness, a sharing of cultural joys and mistakes and an excitement about what Jesus does when people are willing to let him mess around with their lives. I loved his eccentric descriptions and turns of phrase.
The best thing? That the story doesn't end with the end of the book. I had a real sense of excitement about what Jesus is doing through Marco's life. A God-sized adventure.
The book isn't just called 'Missionary'. Its sub-title is: Following God's Call to the Other Side of the World.
Christopher Marco - and his family - are still there.
The second book: see my next post here...

The Scarlet Cord book review

I often have trouble reading well-known Bible stories which are presented as fiction. As an avid reader of mystery novels, I have difficulty reading a story when I know how it all turns out in the end. Yet This Scarlet Cord, the story of Rahab and the fall of Jericho, is different.
Joan Wolf draws the reader in through the eyes of Sala, a young descendant of Esau. Meeting a very young Rahab in Gaza, he meets her again when he journeys to Jericho. The story unfolds in beautifully told detail, imaginatively recreating the events leading up to the city's destruction. Without 'spoiling the plot', suffice it to say that Wolf creates credible characters who fill in and colour a familiar tale, leading to a beautifully satisfying conclusion.
Reading this book, I really felt drawn into the lives of those living in ancient Jericho, almost feeling that I was living there alongside them. The author evidently has a good grasp of ancient history and Biblical interpretation, although I found the presentation of two of the characters as Hebrew speaking 'Jews', whose families had not migrated to Egypt with Jacob's family, rather hard to understand as I had always understood that 'Israelites' were descendants of Jacob. It has spurred me on to find out more about Biblical genealogy!
I was glad I received this book through Booksneeze  (I recently acquired a Kindle and so an e- version was a great option). This was not just because it was free, but also because I have also read too many poor quality free books recently so This Scarlet Cord was a lovely treat!

A wedding dress tells her story...

When I was married, I wore my mother's wedding dress. I wonder, sometimes, if my daughter will wear it; or how many other brides wore THEIR mother's dresses. I wonder where the dresses which hang in charity shops have come from and what their stories are. I wonder whether the promise - and promises - of the day were fulfilled in the marriage; I wonder if any of those dresses were never worn;  I wonder who will buy them and what will happen to them then. I wonder.
So I was intrigued to see a book entitled The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck. When the central character, Charlotte, finds a wedding dress a hundred years old in a trunk she buys at auction, she doesn’t know that her life is about to change. Owner of a bridal boutique, she herself is engaged to be married after a whirlwind courtship. Discovering the dress makes her resolve to search for the bride – or brides – who had worn the dress, while also wondering who would be the next wearer.

The story weaves skilfully between Charlotte’s life and that of the previous owners’.  Rachel Hauck draws the reader into discovering Charlotte’s character and background while introducing us into very different lives.  The story is gently romantic, yet the heroines are real women struggling with issues which many today would identify with. Joy and sadness, life and death, are depicted in the way they impact on the characters’ lives and personalities.

Switching between the different eras was no problem, but towards the end of the book I found myself becoming slightly confused by the number of characters – I almost needed a family tree – before all the threads were drawn together by the end, where everything was explained neatly.

The Wedding Dress is a light-hearted read with a satisfying ending; a romance with an element of mystery.  It is most definitely a Christian book, yet manages to avoid becoming sanctimonious or ‘picture perfect’.  The author treats faith with a light, yet sensible touch: we see how Charlotte’s  faith affects her without feeling ‘preached’ at. I got this book through Booksneeze to review: having read quite a few Christian romances, this is by far the best-written and I look forward to reading more by this author. A good find.

Time for another book review...A Conversation with God

Ever wondered how to answer the questions friends throw at you about your faith? Questions about why you can believe in a good God when there is so much pain and suffering in the world, just for a start...
This book attempts to help us out with our questions.

Subtitled ‘If you could ask God any question, what would it be?’, the book does what it says: gives questions and corresponding answers , taken from the Bible. The ‘answers’ are contributed through the voice of over twenty different people as well as God, including Jesus, Abraham, David, James, John the Baptist... Easy to dip into, rather than necessarily read through from beginning to end, the contents are easily accessible so that they can be read in any order. 55 chapters are divided into different areas of concern: questions about the Bible, pain and suffering, heaven and hell, Christian living, the world, each topic answering several questions.

I asked for this book in the hope that it would be a ‘manual’ I could use with friends who ask me difficult questions about my faith. And yes, it does answer many of the obvious questions. However, I found myself asking more questions as I read through, realising that I needed to study in more depth in order to find answers. So that is a good thing!

I found the language slightly strange at times – everyone speaks in the first person and I found that took a little getting used to. That aside, as a starter it’s a great tool. I would lend it to a friend, which is what I had hoped for. And I’ll certainly be dipping back into it myself from time to time...maybe even today...

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.