Journey through the TBR Pile

Phases of Reading

2012-01-15T20:30:00.000-05:00

I don't seem to be reading as much these days. When I do go to read, I seem to fall asleep while trying to read. So far, I've only finished 2 books this year. And I haven't been able to get into fiction lately either. Which isn't a huge problem as I have a ton of non-fiction to read.

I have started on some of my chunksters and am already thinking of dropping a couple of them. Church History in Plain Language is not as interesting as The Story of Christianity that I recently read. So I am having a hard time getting into it. I may set it aside and try to pick it up later. I also started reading The Light & the Glory regarding American history and am not sure that I really want to read it after all. I will give it a little longer before I decide whether to give up on it or not.

Also begun are Basic Theology and Recovering Biblical Manhood & Womanhood. And I'm currently starting to read The Gospel-Driven Life by Michael Horton. So I am reading, just not a lot.

Think Christianly by Jonathan Morrow

2012-01-03T20:07:00.001-05:00

Think Christianly by Jonathan Morrow
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

One of my concerns with the world we live in is the number of Christians that do not seem to have a biblical worldview, a way of viewing the world through what the Bible teaches. Rather we have been influenced by secularism and postmodern thinking and as such are not able to actively engage our culture with Christian thinking. Or we have given up on the world and have enveloped ourselves in a Christian bubble, not actively reaching out to those around us who are caught up in this postmodern mindset. This book, Think Christianly, addresses these issues and challenges the Christian to be intentional about developing a biblical worldview and also learning about the culture we live in and how they think so we are better able to counter the secularistic views that we come into contact with regularly. The church is not actively teaching these things on Sunday mornings, teaching Christians what the Bible says and how to reasonably and logically understand and defend our faith. Think Christianly is a goldmine of hitting straight on the issues that we regularly encounter in our current American culture. Issues such as whether science and faith can co-exist, abortion, homosexuality and same-sex marriage, politics and how involved should Christians be in the political process. Other topics dealt with include discipleship and what it means to follow Jesus, being able to rely on the Bible in spite of the world's attacks against and understanding where the Bible came from and how we got our current Bible. This is a MUST-READ for pastors, church leaders, youth workers and other Christians who want to more intelligently understand and defend what we believe. We need to train the next generation to develop a Biblical worldview, to understand what they believe and why, to understand the cultural issues that they and their friends face on a regular basis, to reasonably defend the Christian worldview against the postmodern, relativistic society that we live in. Excellent book, highly recommended. It doesn't dodge the hard issues but tackles them with grace, compassion and a Biblical view.

*I received this ebook for free from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for my review.

Translations Tracking

2012-01-02T10:17:00.005-05:00

Translations Tracking for Operation Deepen Faith 2012

	NIV	NASB	NLT	ESV	NKJV	New Century	NET Bible
Proverbs							X
2 Corinthians
Galatians	X
Ephesians	X
Colossians

2011 Reads

2011-12-31T19:17:00.000-05:00

With my total reads for the year reaching 112 total, I have surpassed my goal of 100 books and also topped my personal best of 101 books read in a year. I had a very good reading year, not just in quantity of books but in the quality and depth of the books that I read. I would definitely rate my top 2 books of the year as Radical by David Platt and Not a Fan by Kyle Idleman. A close 3rd would be Jesus + Nothing = Everything by Tullian Tchividjian. Top fiction was definitely The Queen by Steven James.
I discovered the author Barbara Delinsky and read my first read by Michael Horton, both authors I will definitely continue to read. Getting the Kindle this year was also a factor in my reading as I was able to get books for review through Netgalley as a result of having the Kindle. I also enjoyed taking advantage of my library's inter-library loan system. This coming year will most likely be a smaller year in quantity read as I plan to tackle several chunksters I've been eyeing for a while.
Here is the final list of 2011 reads:

1. What Good Is God? by Philip Yancey
2. A Heartbeat Away by Michael Palmer
3. The Dead and the Gone by Susan Pfeffer
4. The 10 Dumbest Things Christians Do by Mark Atteberry
5. More Than Friends by Barbara Delinsky
6. Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
7. This World We Live In by Susan Pfeffer
8. The Sister Wife by Diane Noble
9. The Me I Want to Be by John Ortberg
10. Idols of the Heart by Elyse Fitzpatrick
11. The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard
12. The Personifid Project by R.E. Bartlett
13. What's Right with the Church? by Elmer Towns
14. Pathway to Purpose for Women by Katie Brazelton
15. Delayed Diagnosis by Gwen Hunter
16. Thrive, Don't Simply Survive by Karol Ladd
17. Michal by Jill Eileen Smith
18. Not My Daughter by Barbara Delinsky
19. Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges (re-read)
20. Overcoming Emotions That Destroy by Chip Ingram
21. Marriage of Inconvenience by Debbie Macomber
22. Stand-In Wife by Debbie Macomber
23. Getting Off the Emotional Roller Coaster by Bob Philips
24. Introverts in the Church by Adam McHugh
25. How to Handle Your Emotions by June Hunt
26. Under the Cajun Moon by Mindy Starns Clark
27. Lying on Sunday by Sharon Souza
28. A Good Friend by Les Parrott
29. True North by Gary Inrig
30. Recursion by James Cavell
31. Hope for Your Heart by June Hunt
32. The Bright Side of Disaster by Katherine Center
33. Christless Christianity by Michael Horton
34. The Christian Atheist by Craig Groeschel
35. Spring Broke by Melody Carlson
36. Crave by Chris Tomlinson
37. Family Tree by Barbara Delinsky
38. Tuesday Night at the Blue Moon by Debbie Fuller Thomas
39. Christianish by Mark Steele
40. Faithful by Kim Cash Tate
41. Toxic Faith by Stephen Arterburn
42. Radical by David Platt
43. Hardball by Sara Paretsky
44. The New Media Frontier by Various
45. Blackout by Jason Elam/Steve Yohn
46. Grown-Up Girlfriends by Erin Smalley/Carrie Oliver
47. The Irresistible Church by Wayne Cordeiro
48. Menu for Romance by Kaye Dacus
49. Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow
50. Hooked on the Net by Andrew Careaga
51. The Book of Jane by Anne Dayton
52. The White Plague by Frank Herbert
53. Total Truth by Nancy Pearcey
54. Stuff Christians Like by Jon Acuff
55. Fool's Gold by John MacArthur
56. The Inconvenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck by Kathleen Y'Barbo
57. Why You Do the Things You Do by Tim Clinton/Gary Sibcy
58. Vanish by Tom Pawlik
59. Radical Womanhood by Carolyn McCulley
60. Three Weddings and a Bar Mitzvah by Melody Carlson
61. The Power of Emotional Decision Making by David Hawkins
62. Every Last One by Anna Quindlen
63. Darkness Is My Only Companion by Kathryn Greene-McCreight
64. Sabbath Keeping by Lynne Baab
65. The Last Christian by David Gregory
66. Black Widow and the Sandman by L.L. Reaper
67. Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda
68. Outlive Your Life by Max Lucado
69. White Sleeper by David Fett/Stephen Langford
70. Body Work by Sara Paretsky
71. Dug Down Deep by Joshua Harris
72. The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer
73. Domesticated Jesus by Harry Lee Kraus
74. Knowing Me, Knowing God by Malcolm Goldsmith
75. The Enclave by Karen Hancock
76. Why Church Matters by Joshua Harris
77. Muscular Faith by Ben Patterson
78. Bake Until Golden by Eva Marie Everson/Linda Shepherd
79. Medical Error by Richard Mabry
80. The Reason for Sports by Ted Kluck
81. The Ever-Loving Truth by Voddie Baucham
82. The Marketing of Evil by David Kupelian
83. Overcoming Negative Emotions by Annie Chapman
84. Bloodline by Malcolm Rose
85. Why One Way? by John MacArthur
86. Gotta Have It! by Gregory Jantz
87. Vigilante by Robin Parrish
88. Titan by Ben Bova
89. Plutonium Murders by Robert Charles Davis
90. Knowing & Loving the Bible by Catherine Martin
91. The Amish Midwife by Leslie Gould/Mindy Starns Clark
92. The Queen by Steven James
93. The Secret Between Us by Barbara Delinsky
94. Not a Fan by Kyle Idleman
95. Vanished by Alton Gansky
96. How To Be a Best Friend Forever by John Townsend
97. Lit! by Tony Reinke
98. The Next Story by Tim Challies
99. The Gospel Commission by Michael Horton
100. Nick of Time by Tim Downs
101. The Sky Is Not Falling by Charles Colson
102. How Evil Works by David Kupelian
103. Disciple by Bill Clem
104. What Is the Mission of the Church? by Kevin DeYoung/Greg Gilbert
105. The Truth War by John MacArthur
106. The Story of Christianity, Vol. 1 by Justo Gonzalez
107. Back to the Bible by Woodrow Kroll
108. The Story of Christianity, Vol. 2 by Justo Gonzalez
109. Twilight's Last Gleaming by Robert Jeffress
110. Deep Church by Jim Belcher
111. Jesus + Nothing = Everything by Tullian Tchividjian
112. Reading the Bible with Heart & Mind by Tremper Longman III

Chunkster Challenge 2012

2011-12-28T19:13:00.000-05:00

This goes right along with my 12 in 2012 so by completing my 12 in 2012, I will also complete the Chunkster Challenge.

I could either do level 3 or level 4.
Level 3 - SIX Chunksters from the following categories: 2 books which are between 450 - 550 pages in length; 2 books which are 551 - 750 pages in length; 2 books which are GREATER than 750 pages in length
Between 450-550 pages:
-Church History in Plain Language by Bruce Shelley
-Basic Theology by Charles Ryrie
(also Sound Forth the Trumpet by Marshall/Manuel, vol. 3 on American history)

Between 551-750 pages:
-Philosophical Foundations for a Christian Worldview by J.P. Moreland
-The Portable Seminary by David Horton

More than 750 pages:
-Perspectives on the World Christian Movement
-Understanding the Times by David Noebel

For Level 4: EIGHT or more Chunksters of which three tomes MUST be 750 pages or more.

The additional more than 750 pages (to bring total to 8):
-Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem
-Calvin's Institutes of Religion

Jesus + Nothing = Everything

2011-12-27T19:19:00.001-05:00

Jesus + Nothing = Everything by Tullian Tchividjian
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a fantastic, uplifting and gem of a book! Based mostly on the book of Colossians, the author takes us through how Jesus is all we have and all that we need for living the Christian life. Once we are saved, we often attempt to live out the Christian life in our own strength and ability, failing miserably. We need to continue to preach the gospel to ourselves, not only that we are saved by Christ's death on our behalf, but that we have been made righteous already in God's eyes through Christ's righteousness. Nothing we do or don't do changes our standing with God. By His lavishing grace, we grow, not by trying harder, but by resting in Christ's finished work in our behalf. We are to focus on Jesus's finished work, not on our own efforts.

Everything we need for godly living is already ours in Christ. This book affirms over and over the gospel and the grace that God has bestowed to those who are His. An encouraging and refreshing reminder that it is all about Christ, not about us. By turning our focus to Christ instead of ourselves, we can grow in the Christian walk as God intended.

*This ebook was provided to me by the publisher for free in exchange for my review.

Operation Deepen Faith 2012

2011-12-26T10:31:00.002-05:00

Though I am trying to not officially join any challenges for 2012 as I don't seem to do very well on them, 2 challenges call to me. I'm technically already doing the Chunkster Challenge with my 12 in 2012 (will post in separate post). And deepening my reading of the Bible is always a good goal to aim for, even if I don't complete it, so attempting to be part of Operation Deepen Faith is a good challenge for me to always be part of.

From 2012 Operation Deepen Faith
I. Deep and Wide; Goal: read multiple books of the bible in multiple translations.
For example that might mean reading four to six books of the Bible (OT or NT, whatever you prefer) in four to six different translations. The books wouldn't have to be long books. You might choose Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians, etc. Or you might choose John, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Revelation. Or Luke, Acts, Romans, Hebrews. You can choose a group of books that makes sense to you. Books that you want to explore further. You choose the books, you choose the translations. You choose the pace.

For me this is my hope: To Read 5 books of the Bible in multiple translations:
-Proverbs
-Galatians
-2 Corinthians
-Colossians
-Ephesians

Possible translations - NIV, NASB, NLT, NKJV, ESV, New Century, ~~The Message~~ (updated to change this one to the NET Bible version instead)

II. Going Deep;
Goal: STUDY one book of the Bible throughout the year. Read it in at least four translations. Read the notes in a study Bible. Read a commentary book about it. Read or listen to sermons on it. Read it as often as possible--whether that is once a week or once a month or even once a day. Get to know that one book well. Let God speak to you through it. You might even choose to take notes or journal as you read. Whatever you want to do.

-Philippians (memorized in college) - would like to re-memorize, so in-depth study would help

Part III kinda goes along with my hope to re-memorize Philippians. I have also been trying to memorize 2 Corinthians 4 for a while now.

Part IV is reading of Christian Non-Fiction which I will already be doing with the 12 in 2012.

Twilight's Last Gleaming by Robert Jeffress

2011-12-17T09:10:00.000-05:00

Twilight's Last Gleaming by Robert Jeffress
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This statement was what drew me to this book and made me interested in reading it – “Although we cannot prevent America’s eventual demise, we can delay it”. I am discouraged as I look around me at the moral decay in America. This book addresses the issues we face in current society and encourages believers to take a stand. America will eventually fall, but we can help delay that by standing up for what is right to make a difference in our society.

The book starts out talking about our responsibility as Christians to be lights and salt in our communities. We are not to just put our heads in the sand and ignore what is going on in our culture. We are to make a difference not to blend in.

Another chapter is spent going over 3 key turning points in American history that have led us to our current state. One is taking prayer out of schools, another is legalizing abortion, and the final a lesser known case of overturning a ruling regarding anti-sodomy in Texas. The direction our country is headed is a losing of our religious freedoms as Christians, while other religions are considered fine and free to be practiced. A killing of our children that are unwanted or inconvenient has been the result of legalizing abortion. And we are fast approaching the legalization of gay marriage, which will undermine the importance of marriage between a man and a woman and continue to destabilize the American family unit.

This was a well-written book showing where we are currently at in American culture and the need for American Christians to take a stand for what the Bible teaches. The end of the book has discussion questions based on each chapter, making it an excellent resource for small groups and book clubs to read together. This book is being released on January 3, 2012.

Some quotes:
“…one reason Christians are so discouraged and frightened about the condition of our country is that, unlike the apostle Paul, their lives are focused on personal peace, prosperity, and the avoidance of pain.”

“Listen carefully to the messages from many pulpits across our country, and you will assume that God’s primary desire for your life is that you build a successful career, experience a fulfilling marriage, or enjoy a long and healthy life. None of those objectives is God’s primary purpose for your life. God’s one desire for you is that you mirror the attitudes, actions, and affections of His Son, Jesus Christ.”

“A life that is focused on pleasure and leisure is one that is destined for spiritual atrophy and destruction.”

*I received this e-book free from the publisher (through netgalley) in exchange for my review.

Reading Challenges

2011-12-09T19:58:00.000-05:00

I love reading challenges! Or maybe it's that I love signing up for reading challenges and then putting my lists together for them. I love making lists. But actually following the list and reading the books for the reading challenges becomes a, well, challenge :-). After failing yet again this year I have decided that for the most part, I will not be participating in reading challenges next year, at least not officially. I do have a list of books that I want to read in 2012, but am not going to kick myself if I don't complete the list.
That being said, here is a list of challenges for next year that if I were participating in challenges, then I would probably sign up for these ones.

The Just for Fun Challenge - I have lots of books that have been sitting on my TBR for a long time

The Unread Book Challenge - kinda the same thing; tackling the unread in the TBR that have been there a while

Off the Shelf Challenge - reading the books that have been on the shelf for a while

2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge - another 'read those books in your TBR pile' challenge

Why Buy the Cow Reading Challenge - reading those ebooks that you got for free but have just been sitting on your e-reader, unread

Tea & Books Reading Challenge - reading books more than 700 pages (a lot of the books on my list for 2012 fit this category already)

What about you? Are you joining any challenges for 2012?

The Story of Christianity by Justo Gonzalez (Vol. 1)

2011-11-21T18:48:00.000-05:00

The Story of Christianity: Volume 1: The Early Church to the Reformation by Justo L. Gonzalez
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've become more interested in church history lately, though generally I'm not that interested in reading history type books. So I thought I would give this one a try.

I was pleasantly surprised to find it easy and interesting reading. In spite of the size of the book, the story kept me turning pages and moving along in the history of Christianity from the time of Christ.

It did get confusing with pope rivalries happening during the Middle Ages and more than 1 pope being in power at one time and various kings vying for power. But overall, it was an interesting story.

This volume goes up to the Reformation. I've requested the 2nd volume which will continue from the Reformation to modern times.

*I got this book through inter-library loan.

12 in 2012

2011-11-19T19:26:00.000-05:00

There are several books that I want to read but they are quite large or intimidating in subject matter. Due to my goal of reading 100 books in 2011, I didn't want to try to read them now as it would affect my reading total and slow me down. I have already reached my goal of 100 for this year, but I have decided that my goal in 2012 is to tackle these books. On the other hand, I very well may attempt to read these and find that I just can't get into them and decide to give up on them after all. I am allowing myself the freedom to give up on these books if I just can't get into them. Too many books calling for my attention to spend on ones I don't enjoy. Reading for me is to be pleasurable as well as learning. I may end up skimming some of them rather than reading in their entirety. When it becomes a chore, it's time to move on.

The ambitious chunkster/large books list - 12 to read in 2012

-Church History in Plain Language by Bruce Shelley
-The Light and the Glory by Marshall/Manuel; From Sea to Shining Sea; Sound Forth the Trumpet (3 vols.)
-The Mosaic of Christian Belief by Roger Olson
-Philosophical Foundations for a Christian Worldview by J.P. Moreland
-The Portable Seminary by David Horton
-Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood by Various
-Basic Theology by Charles Ryrie
-Calvin's Institutes of Religion (2 vols.)
-Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem
-Perspectives on the World Christian Movement by Ralph Winter
-Know the Truth by Bruce Milne
-Understanding the Times by David Noebel

Other options/alternates:
Building Unity in the Church of the New Millenium
The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Boenhoeffer
Ethics by Dietrich Boenhoeffer
Think Biblically by John MacArthur (may read this year still)
Bible Doctrine by Wayne Grudem
The Christian Faith: a Systematic Theology for Pilgrims on the Way by Michael Horton (not owned as of 11/11)

What Is the Mission of the Church by Kevin DeYoung & Greg Gilbert

2011-11-09T19:35:00.023-05:00

What Is the Mission of the Church? by Kevin DeYoung
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I thought this was an excellent look at what the mission of the church is supposed to be. The current hot topic seems to be all about social justice and tackling the injustices of society such as human trafficking, the poor and downtrodden. The authors take us back to the Bible to see what Jesus said the mission of the church is supposed to be. They look at Scripture's take on social justice and the commands that Jesus gave His disciples before returning to Heaven.

Their bottom line is the mission of the church is the Great Commission, making disciples. Not that social justice issues are wrong, but they are secondary in light of our mission to make disciples. One of the quotes went something like this "If everything is mission, then nothing is mission." We need to focus or we will be spread too thin. We can't "fix" everything.

An excellent read and a good look at a hot topic for today's Christians.

*This ebook was given to me free by the publisher in exchange for my review (through netgalley).

Quotes -
"At its most basic, the term mission implies two things to most people: (1) being sent and (2) being given a task."
"We want the crystal-clear and utterly unique task of the church - making disciples of Jesus Christ to the glory of God the Father - put front and center, not lost in a flurry of commendable concerns."

"The mission of the church is to go into the world and make disciples by declaring the gospel of Jesus Christ in the power of the Spirit and gathering these disciples into churches, that they might worship the Lord and obey his commands now and in eternity to the glory of God the Father."

"Time and time again, both Jesus and the apostles make clear that forgiveness of sins, redemption, and inclusion in God's kingdom are predicated on a person coming in repentance and faith to Jesus as the only one who has both right and power to qualify anyone to share in the inheritance of the saints."

"Justice means there should be one standard, one law, for anyone and everyone, not different rules for different kinds of people."

"...the Great Commission is the mission of the church."

Disciple by Bill Clem

2011-11-03T09:22:00.000-04:00

Disciple: Getting Your Identity from Jesus by Bill Clem
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The book starts out telling us about God’s story. We are not on this earth to do our own story. We are part of God’s story. We are image-bearers and our purpose is to image God to others. After the overview of God’s story, identity is explored as well as the distortions that we as humans give to identity. Discipleship is done in community, not alone. We are here to image God together not by ourselves.

Overall, a good read and a fresh look at discipleship and what it means to image God. Being part of His story, not our own, helps our perspective during the ups and downs of life. Knowing that ultimately God’s story is being played out, we can trust Him to fulfill His purposes because it is His story. I really enjoyed this book and recommend it for those seeking to grow in their relationship with God and desiring to learn what it means to be a disciple of Jesus.

*I received this ebook free from the publisher (through Netgalley) in exchange for my review.

“[An idol] is anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give.”

“It is our relationships that truly bear the image of God.”

“…if someone is oriented toward imaging God, then the disciple-making process will be more transformational than an informational set of verses and lessons.”

“…just as we saw Jesus being spoken to as being loved before he had performed a miracle or uttered a parable, so you, too, are loved apart from what you do.”

“If our identity is so fragile as to depend upon the approval of others, then we will live lives of insecurity, anger, and serial failures.”

“…still seeking to control the course of his own life. He takes God’s Word and will under advisement, but ultimately his decisions are based on what he wants to do.”

“When we live in fear of loss and are compelled to hoard blessings, we reveal our too small view of God.”

“When we consider how sin still lingers on the earth and in our lives, we realize what a miracle it is that God is seen at all in the lives and community of his people.”

“Jesus is not saying that our acts of mercy are what saves us, but he is saying that if we do not image him, we have little cause to believe we are saved.”

“To accept Jesus does not call one to live as a disciple; it merely calls one to make a decision. Following calls for a series of decisions being made by the minute, keeping Jesus the focal point, refusing to look to the right or the left, increasing in likeness to his character and in closeness to his person. To go into the world and call others to make decisions is to take on the challenge of selling a product called ‘Christianity.’ To go into the world and make disciples is to take on the challenge of partnering with God as agents of grace, introducing people to a life-long journey of following the life, truth, and way to reconciliation with God.”

“Being a disciple is all about you and Jesus.”

State of the Reading

2011-11-02T18:38:00.000-04:00

Well, I seem to have temporarily lost interest in reading fiction. I have been very drawn to non-fiction books lately, particularly popular culture/theology/discipleship. I recently finished How Evil Works by David Kupelian, a look at how American society has gone downhill and how evil plays out in our culture. It was somewhat of a continuation of his book The Marketing of Evil that I read recently also.
So I've given in to my desire for non-fiction and have set aside any fiction books that I was reading and am concentrating on reading non-fiction for now. I'm sure my desire for fiction will return but am using this opportunity to try to get through some of my To-Be-Read non-fiction books.
In other news, I have officially broken my record for most books read in a year, previously 101 from the year 2005. I have now finished 102 books for this year and that was by the end of October.

The Sky Is Not Falling by Charles Colson

2011-10-25T19:06:00.000-04:00

The Sky is Not Falling: Living Fearlessly in These Turbulent Times by Charles Colson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Issues dealt with in this book include the decay of American society and how we as Christians can confront this to bring about change. Looking at what postmodernism is and how to confront it, often we are no longer able to use Scripture to present our worldview. Rather, this book provides avenues for confronting our culture and showing the logical conclusions to postmodernism, even without using Scripture to combat it. The church needs to be involved in our culture and society, not hiding away in our own little Christian bubble. Being involved in politics, getting involved in our neighborhoods, helping to bring about change in our own sphere of influence.

We have to confront the worldview of society around us and show that its logical conclusion is chaos. Rather, the Christian worldview provides a framework for society to regain some moral ground and confront the problems we face. Christians are not just about the issues of abortion and homosexuality. We want to see other issues addressed, justice for the oppressed, freedom for the human trafficked, basic human rights provided. We can work together with our neighbors and communities to address these issues and bring about change.

This book was a realistic look at where we are in America, yet provides hope that there is still the possibility for America to turn around and reverse the cultural decay we see around us. But in order for this to happen, the church has to take a stand and get involved.

*This ebook was provided to me free by the publisher (through netgalley) in exchange for my review.

Quotes:

“…the two sides of today’s civil war – the two worldviews competing for our allegiance – a postmodernism rooted in the will to power contrasted with a biblical faith rooted in the will of God. Which will America choose?”

“…to show people that their assumptions, if lived out consistently, would lead to destructive and inhumane consequences. Today people are beginning to recognize the soul-destroying consequences of postmodernism, and now is the time to press them to see the wisdom of biblical truth.”

“It’s the perfect postmodern answer to lying: It’s perfectly acceptable to reinvent ourselves, because what we say and do matter less than how people perceive us.”

“Worldviews do matter. The dominant attitude of recent decades says there are no moral truths – that we should simply live for the moment and get whatever we can out of life. This worldview has led to the crisis in truth we are experiencing.”

“But if all thoughts are the result of atoms knocking about in our brains, there is no reason to regard them as trustworthy or true – including the thoughts of the naturalist. Thus naturalism leads to the conclusion that the philosophy itself is not true.”

“Judgment always begins with God’s people. So the first message of the church must point to our own need for repentance. And if we are honest, we have much to repent for; our idols look little different from the culture’s.”

Nick of Time by Tim Downs

2011-10-24T19:39:00.000-04:00

Nick of Time by Tim Downs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Tim Downs has done it again. The latest Bug Man novel is another funny and suspenseful tale. This time Nick is days away from getting married when a case catches his attention and steals him away from the wedding preparations, much to the chagrin of his fiance. Nick and his bugs and Alena and her dogs - what's not to like? The twists in the story - did not see those coming. Easy to read, this page-turning novel doesn't end exactly like you would think it would. But it ended very typically for a Bug Man novel. I can't say too much about it without giving things away. Nick's conversations are hilarious, his quick wit not very charming to those he is conversing with, but funny to the reader.

*This ebook was given to me free from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for my review

This was also the 100th book that I completed for 2011. I made my goal!

Remainder of Year Goals

2011-10-22T09:26:00.001-04:00

I've completed 99 books so far this year with my goal being to read 100. I think my chances are pretty good of reaching that goal. :-) Here is the list of books that I want to finish reading by the end of the year. 11 total, so if I finish these then I will have completed 110 books. The most books I've ever finished in a year (since I started keeping track), is 101.

-The Sky Is Not Falling by Charles Colson (Netgalley review book; currently reading)
-Nick of Time by Tim Downs (Netgalley review book; currently reading)
-Disciple by Bill Clem (Netgalley review book; currently reading)
-Always the Baker, Never the Bride by Sandra Bricker (currently reading)
-Nobody's Child by Austin Boyd (Booksfree book; currently reading)

-Abigail by Jill Eileen Smith (currently reading; haven't picked up in a while)
-Becoming a True Spiritual Community by Larry Crabb (currently reading; haven't picked up in a while)

-Seaside Letters by Denise Hunter (Booksfree book)
-A Place to Belong by Lisa Troyer (Netgalley review book)
-What Is the Mission of the Church? by Kevin DeYoung & Greg Gilbert (Netgalley review book)
-How Evil Works by David Kupelian (requested through library; not available yet)

I'm trying to finish these 11 before I request any more Netgalley review books or any inter-library loan books.

Book 99: The Gospel Commission by Michael Horton

2011-10-21T17:09:00.000-04:00

"...concerned that American Christians are consumers rather than transformed followers of Christ..."

"...responding to a genuine crisis: namely, the reduction of the gospel to 'fire insurance' and 'sin management,' with the inner life of believers left to the distractions of a culture that prizes busyness in the world more highly than being alone with God in prayer and meditating on his word. Some believers have been taught that Jesus can be one's Savior without being one's Lord. However, this is a serious error. Discipleship is not an optional extra. Disciples often misunderstand and disobey their Lord, but they follow him. If we are not followers of Christ, we are not his disciples. That is to say, we are not merely 'carnal Christians' - second-class believers who are saved but will lose their rewards. Rather, we are not Christians."

"In Matthew 10:24-42, Jesus teaches us what it means to be a disciple in his kingdom, emphasizing that is is a matter of literally following the Master by learning and living. The Great Commission itself ties discipleship closely to the public ministry: proclaiming the gospel to every person and 'baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you' (Matthew 28:18-20). Being Christ's disciples means bringing people into the sphere of the church's ministry of preaching and sacrament. It involves being instructed not just in the basics of biblical teaching, but in everything Jesus commanded for our doctrine and life."

Ephesians 4:12-16 "From this ministry of preaching, teaching, and sacrament - that builds us up into Christ - every member expresses his or her discipleship as new creatures through their daily interaction with believers and their non-Christian neighbors."
"Jesus does call us to discipleship, not just to 'making a decision.'"
"Being disciple involves a whole formation of life, with new choices, habits, and virtues that exhibit new character."
"Disciple formation can only occur in community..."

"Christian discipleship is a lot like craftmanship. It can't be produced with formulas, principles, and steps. Disciples don't come off an assembly line. There is no get-spiritual-quick scheme. It takes time, energy, effort, patience, and skill. Certain shared features identify superbly crafted cuckoo clocks, yet each piece is hand crafted, with its own markings."

"The transformation does not occur through one-size-fits-all formulas but occurs through belonging to a community that immerses us in the drama, doctrine, doxology, and discipleship of 'the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints' (Jude 3)."

"...growing up into Christ cannot be reduced to intellectualism or activism. There is no doctrinal proposition or spiritual program that will conform us to the image of Christ. The gospel must transform us over a lifetime of quite ordinary and sometimes even plodding habits that we cannot always even articulate."

"The really difficult thing to be in this age of sin and death is a pilgrim. Bu definition, a pilgrim lives in the tension of the 'already' and the 'not yet.' Pilgrims are impelled by the promise of a city that they have heard about but have never seen. Focusing on a solid destination, they cannot meander. They cannot interrupt their pilgrimage to wander down whatever interesting highway catches their eye."

"Pilgrimage - the long, often difficult and tedious, and self-denying path to Zion - is about the most un-American idea one can imagine."

Lit! by Tony Reinke

2011-10-15T19:40:00.000-04:00

Lit!: A Christian Guide to Reading Books by Tony Reinke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I cannot rave enough about this book. While the target audience is those who don’t read much, or perhaps those who would like to read more but don’t, there is still much to be gained from this book by an avid reader. It reaffirms much of what the avid reader already knows – the benefits of reading, finding time for reading, reading for edification.

First, the book emphasizes the importance of Scripture and reading the Bible should be our top priority. Then the argument is given for how reading both Christian and secular books can be beneficial. Several benefits are given for reading not just Christian books. The author takes us through the importance of first having a Biblical worldview that we use while reading to be discerning of truth and error.

Other portions of the book go through steps for how to prioritize what to read. The author shares his own list of the type of books that he has on his reading list. He also gives tips and tricks for better reading non-fiction and getting the most out of it. There is also a chapter on the benefits of reading fiction and what can be gained from literature.

Excuses for being to busy to read are examined in another chapter. There are ways to squeeze time out for reading. Ultimately though, the author says that we make time for what is important to us, and we must make reading a priority in our lives.

Reading this on my Kindle, I ended up clipping multiple quotes from this book as it really resonated with me as a reader. Highly recommended, particularly for those who want to read more, but struggle with what to read and how to find the time.

*A Review copy of this e-book was provided to me by the publisher through netgalley in exchange for my review.

Quotes:

“Books can help us live more wisely, they may even help us grow spiritually, but only the God-inspired word is eternal.”

“Man-made literature may be empowered by the Holy Spirit to embody biblical truth, but it’s not breathed out by God. Man-made literature may contain truth, goodness, and beauty, but it is also fallible, imperfect, and of temporary value.”

“Many authors are average (grass). Other authors are incredibly talented, fruitful, and colorful (flowers). But all authors (grass or flowers) are fragile.”

“no matter how ‘lit’ it is with truth, goodness, and beauty, no other book is infallible. All man-made books are hindered to some degree by errors, inconsistencies, and insufficiencies.”

“we must be determined to read the imperfect in light of the perfect, the deficient in light of the sufficient, the temporary in light of the eternal, the groveling in light of the transcendent.”

“If we fail to make this distinction, if we fail to prioritize the eternal Word over temporary books, our reading will never be distinctly Christian.”

“For every one book that you choose to read, you must ignore ten thousand other books simply because you don’t have the time (or money!).” - Ah, how true it is!

“Having a clear purpose for why you read will ensure that the few books you choose will be the books most likely to benefit your life.”

“no book is more important than the Bible. It is the divine and inspired word of God, true and reliable in everything it affirms. In it we learn the touchstone truths that shape our worldview. If we neglect Scripture in order to read only other books, we not only cut ourselves from the divine umbilical cord that feeds our souls, we also cut ourselves from the truth that makes it possible for us to benefit from the truth, goodness, and beauty in the books that we read.”

“The bottom line is that no single book should receive more attention in our lives than Scripture.”

“Christians should neither undervalue nor overvalue literature. It is not the ultimate source of truth. But it clarifies the human situation to which the Christian faith speaks. It does not replace the need for the facts that science and economics and history give us. But it gives us an experiential knowledge of life that we need just as much as those facts. Literature does not always lead us to the City of God. But it makes our sojourn on earth much more a thing of beauty and joy and insight and humanity.”

“Or do you love to read? That desire is a gift from God that can be used to benefit those around you. If you love to read, find someone who doesn’t, grab two copies of a book, go sit in a coffee shop, and grow in grace together. This is one way God’s gifts in the life of an introverted Christian can bless those in the local church.”

“Our goal is not to finish a book, or merely to talk about a book; our goal is to use our books in order to further display Christlike character.”

“I love that God designed books and reading for the purpose of our mutual edification.”

“But life is more than books. With all the new books being published – and all the old books still available – we must be careful to not over study. For many of you, this will not be a problem. The risk is for those who want to read every book that looks interesting. If this is you, you will run the risk of book fatigue. You will exhaust yourself, Solomon says. For one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his library.” - good reminder for such as myself who has a hard time resisting a good-looking book!

“As Christians we cannot make literature our religion. We do not value literature for itself. We do not worship classics. We treasure values and priorities that far exceed the sum worth of the greatest library. Our end is not literature, no matter how true, good, and beautiful it is. Our end is God, the One from whom all truth, goodness, and beauty originates and finds its perfection.”

“Books enhance our learning and pleasure, but they cannot sustain our souls. Only the gospel of Jesus Christ can offer us eternal wisdom and pleasure.”

2012 Challenges

2011-10-13T19:24:00.001-04:00

I am a bit "challenged" out so I have decided not to host my usual challenges in 2012. This includes the following challenges:

Medical Mystery Madness

Chick Lit Challenge

Christian Non-Fiction Challenge

If anyone is interested in hosting these in 2012 (or beyond), please feel free to do so.

How to Be a Best Friend Forever by John Townsend

2011-10-08T22:30:00.000-04:00

How to Be A Best Friend Forever by John Townsend
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The formatting of the book was messed up; perhaps not set up to be downloaded to Kindle. However, moving past the formatting, this was a great, quick read on friendships and the importance of having a best friend (BF). Defining what a best friend is, the book then talks about the qualities that are needed for having a best friendship. The importance of honesty stood out to me. Too many times people are afraid of speaking the truth to those closest to them.

Also mentioned in this book is the importance of having close friends outside of our family. Being close to our family is a good thing, but to have balance in our lives, we should also cultivate friendships with those we are not related to.

Some quotes that I found meaningful:

"nothing is more empty than a BF finding out several weeks after the fact that his friend has had a loss or major life change, and didn't tell him." This definitely hits home for me. I feel like if I find out about something major concerning my friend from another source, then they are not really that close of a friend. For me when something major happens, I'm on the phone with a friend almost immediately.

"if you cannot mutually share the deepest part of yourself with another, the part that is the spiritual core of yourself, that imposes some sort of a built-in limit in the level of the intimacy." This quote relates to whether a Christian can be best friends with a non-Christian. The author says that yes, they can be, but the core element will be missing in the friendship.

"you are deeply connected to Christians who are safe and who want to grow with you."

"do everything you can to lovingly show her that she is safe, but that her choices are taking her down a destructive path, and you want to help her make the right moves."

"But if comfort is the only value in a friendship, we may as well make friends with a leather recliner and be done with people. Best friends push each other to grow."

"BF's vent to each other as well. That is, there are situations that we can't change, or have a game plan for, but we simply need someone to blow off steam about it. It feels better to complain about something that frustrates you, even if nothing will really happen as a result of the conversation." "It has nothing to do with fixing, changing, or giving advice."

-I was provided a free copy of this ebook from the publisher in exchange for my review.

Not a Fan by Kyle Idleman

2011-10-03T19:05:00.001-04:00

Not a Fan: Completely. Committed. Follower by Kyle Idleman

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is definitely a MUST READ book for Christians. It is a wake up call that it's not just about saying a prayer when you were 7 or responding to an altar call after an emotional sermon. Are you really a follower of Christ or just an admirer? Do you really know Him? I fear that too many Christians in America think they are true believers but really are not and one day, it will be too late. "Not everyone who says to me 'Lord, Lord' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven...I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me..." Matthew 7:21, 23

Part of the book deals with the verse Luke 9:23 - "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." The author breaks down the different components of this verse, dealing with the issues of denying ourselves and what that means in practicality, as well as taking up our cross and that that is to be done daily.

Following Jesus is not something to be taken lightly. It requires giving up our own dreams and desires. "What is it that is competing for your allegiance to Christ? You may have both hands on the plow, but what is it you keep looking back at? Until you really have surrendered anything and everything over to Jesus and truly put him above all else in your life, you will not know the joy and satisfaction that finally comes when you go all-in."

"Please understand: Jesus loves you so much. He died to have a relationship with you. He will not share your heart with anyone. He will settle for nothing less than your complete devotion and heart-felt affection. He made no compromises when he came and gave his life up for you, and he takes no compromises now as he asks you to do the same.
"The reason Jesus is so adamant about followers surrendering everything is because the reality is this: the one thing we are most reluctant to give up is the one thing that has the most potential to become a substitute for him. Really what we're talking about here is idolatry. When we are to be following Jesus, who is ahead of us, but find ourselves looking behind us, we are revealing that we are substituting something or someone for him."

One thing I want to be cautious about in recommending this book - salvation is not by works. The things we do for Christ are not what saves us. God gives us the faith to trust Him for our salvation, a gift of grace. But faith without works is dead (see James 2:14-18). When we choose to put our trust in God for our eternal salvation, we are also turning away (repenting) from our old way of living and our committing our lives to God, to do with as He sees fit. This is what it means to be a follower. A fan remains in the stands, admiring from afar. A follower is down in the action, doing what is needed to bring glory to God.

*I own this book.

The Queen by Steven James

2011-10-01T16:12:00.000-04:00

The Queen: A Patrick Bowers Thriller by Steven James

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another homerun! This series is some of the best suspense I've ever read and this latest installment is no exception. Read most of this in one day. Be prepared to have time available when you pick this one up cuz you're not going to want to put it down!
Though this book can stand alone, it helps to know the characters if you start with the first one and read the series in order.

1. The Pawn (my review)

2. The Rook (my review)

3. The Knight (my review)

4. The Bishop

5. The Queen (my review)

I actually have kept these as potential future re-reads, something I rarely do with fiction. The writing is great, the suspense really draws you in, and the characters are human. They don't always do the right thing or what you want them to do. Fabulous read!

The Secret Between Us by Barbara Delinsky

2011-09-27T07:48:00.002-04:00

The Secret Between Us by Barbara Delinsky
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have enjoyed the Delinsky books that I've read previously and this was no exception. I actually read it very quickly, very easy to read and hard to put down. It's not a suspense novel, but the drama of the story pulls you in and keeps you intrigued. The characters are real, with real reactions to problems and you can relate to their struggles. An excellent read and recommended, particularly good selection for a book club discussion.

Knowing and Loving the Bible by Catherine Martin

2011-09-18T18:08:00.000-04:00

Knowing and Loving the Bible: Face-to-Face with God in His Word by Catherine Martin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Reminder about the importance of being in God's Word - reading it, studying it. Too many Christians do not avail themselves of this weapon at their disposal.

"What you believe determines who you are. Who you are determines how you live. And how you live determines the direction of your life."

"A conviction is a strong belief that results in a corresponding action."

"People who are committed to the truth will impact a culture."

"God expects me to have such a confident expectation in His promises that it produces a change in me and results in a glorification of Him in everything I do."

Encouraging book and gave instructions for doing different types of Bible study such as observation, word studies, character studies and gave lists of Bible study tools to help as we study God's Word.

*I got this book through Booksfree, a book rental service.

Vigilante by Robin Parrish

2011-09-09T22:04:00.000-04:00

Vigilante by Robin Parrish
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

woo! a bit of a ride this one! Nolan Gray, former special military trained, fakes his death to mount a war on crime, turning into a vigilante out to stop criminals in New York City. In his attempt to show people "a better way" (a motto he uses), he finds himself up against a powerful crime boss who makes his personal vendetta to punish Nolan for perceived wrongs done against him.

Fast-paced and suspenseful, the book also deals with justice and ethics - what is morally right and wrong to do? Nolan has to face inner demons that plague him in his fight to make the world safer for the people of New York City. And the ending... oh my!

*I was given this book from the publisher for free in exchange for my review.

I've also read Offworld by Robin Parrish, another excellent read that is recommended.

Gotta Have It! by Gregory Jantz

2011-09-08T18:54:00.000-04:00

Gotta Have It! by Gregory Jantz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"Change can be an unsettling process, often involving emotional, physical, and spiritual heavy lifting. It is hard and slow, so patience is required. God expects us to change. He wants us to change. He wants us to move from where we are now to where He wants us to be."

Book goes through a lot of the reasons why we reach out excessively in different areas. For some people, the excess could be food, for others it's work. Whatever it is that we turn to in excess, the reason behind it needs to be examined in order to eliminate the excessity from our lives. Do we go shopping when we're lonely? Looking at why we do what we do and addressing those issues, learning to ask for help and reaching out to God to fill the voids in our lives, these tools will help us to move away from the "gotta have it" right now tendency.

*I own this book

Challenges Update

2011-09-04T14:34:00.000-04:00

I am pretty much giving up on challenges at this point. I am actually doing pretty well overall, but I don't like feeling pressured to read certain books and have decided that I'm not going to worry about finishing these challenges. If I happen to read books that qualify, great, but I'm not going to force myself to.

TBR Challenge - read 7 of 12

Christian Non-Fiction - read 6 of 10 (or 12 for my personal challenge) However, I have definitely read more than 12 Christian Non-Fiction; they just weren't on the list originally

Chick Lit - read 6 of 8 (and I'm sure I'll read at least 2 more before the end of the year)

Medical Mystery Madness - completed 6 of 6

Mystery & Suspense Reading Challenge - completed 12 of 12

What's In a Name 4 Challenge - read 4 of 6

Futuristic/Sci-Fi - read 2 of 4

Operation Deepen Faith - completed 2 theological books (Total Truth by Nancy Pearcey, Why Church Matters by Joshua Harris)

Operation Deepen Faith - read 2 of 3 translations of Ephesians (The Message and New Living Translation), plan to read in NIV before end of year

The Marketing of Evil by David Kupelian

2011-08-29T18:44:00.002-04:00

The Marketing of Evil: How Radicals, Elitists, and Pseudo-Experts Sell Us Corruption Disguised As Freedom by David Kupelian

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a disturbing look at how our society has slowly been changing due to the marketing tactics of a few choice groups trying to implement their agenda on American culture. Some of the issues addressed were gay rights, change in education, a sex-crazed culture and abortion rights. The book was quite explicit in the strategies used. The chapter on abortion was very straight-forward on what exactly happens during an abortion. Made me want to immediately go out and do whatever I can to stop the hideousness that is abortion. I realize this is a touchy issue and for many people it has to do with the issue of a woman's rights to her own body. It's hard for me to accept that it has anything to do with her body when it's a baby inside being torn limb from limb or being burned alive. Ultimately it comes down to not believing that it is a human inside her womb. I am of the belief that is a human that is inside the womb and this human is being murdered during abortion. This book shares this view.

The media is often slanted toward whatever view they believe is right, regardless of what is actual fact. Our American society is becoming more and more corrupt and we need to wake up and see the lies that are being fed to us.

"We all know, deep down, right from wrong. We're self-contained truth machines if only we'd pay attention. It's only our pride, our willfulness to have our own way, to be the god of our own lives, to rationalize our compulsions and sins - and the inevitable denial of truth that follows - that disconnects us from it."

"But in far too many pulpits across America...Christianity is presented in such a shallow way that it doesn't require a love of truth - which is tantamount to a love of Him. This dumbed-down version of Christianity doesn't require honest introspection or courage or self-denial or patience. The only ingredient it needs is a guilty person who's sick of feeling guilty, wants relief, wants to feel better about himself, or desires an insurance policy to keep him out of hell."

"The compartmentalization and trivialization of Christianity into a mantra of belief - but separated from works, from obedience to God's laws, and even more fundamentally, separated from basic honesty, integrity, love of truth, and true repentance - has ushered in a generation of shallow, ineffectual, and invisible Christians."

*I got this book through inter-library loan

Muscular Faith by Ben Patterson

2011-08-20T14:29:00.002-04:00

Muscular Faith: How to Strengthen Your Heart, Soul, and Mind for the Only Challenge That Matters by Ben Patterson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Fighting the good fight, finishing well, these are themes of this book. The author discusses having a faith that is strong, the agon or fight that we are in, the good hard that is this life.

I had a hard time getting into it, but then the chapters started flowing much better. Having joy through suffering, a wow! feeling when beholding God, these are some of the chapters the author takes us through.

"The great gospel mystery is not that bad things sometimes happen to good people but that such a good and gracious thing has happened to bad people, guilty and broken people, who have discovered God's amazing love to be just that - amazing."

He counters nominal Christianity, just living life without really growing in our faith, without really understanding what salvation is.

Recommended reading for Christians looking to bolster their faith, a shot in the arm so to speak for continuing on in the fight.

*I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my review.

Why Church Matters by Joshua Harris

2011-08-18T20:09:00.000-04:00

Why Church Matters: Discovering Your Place in the Family of God by Joshua Harris
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Short and sweet, this book cuts through to the heart of the matter - why being a part of a local church (not just the Universal church) is important in the life of the Christian. The author points out several reasons why being part of a local church is important, including because of the importance that God placed on the church and our need for other believers in living out the Christian life. We are not meant to live this life as Christ-followers on our own but as part of a greater community.

How God views the church, as seen in Ephesians, is how we are to view the church. He views the church as His bride and His body.

The author also takes us through key things to look for when looking for a local church to commit to. Obviously, no church is perfect, but there are important things to consider before joining, most highly their view of God's Word. He then also takes us through ways that we can make Sundays more meaningful and not just another day of the week.

"...the church was actually God's idea - not some plan or program invented by humans. In fact, the church is the only institution God promised to sustain forever."

"...the local church is the key to spiritual health and growth for a Christian."

"...a wholehearted relationship with a local church is God's loving plan for me and for every other follower of Christ."

"The church is the vehicle that Jesus chose to take the message of the gospel to every generation and people."

"Through the local church we take part in His eternal plan to rescue men and women from their sin and totally transform their lives. This is the mission of the church. It's our duty, our calling, and our privilege."

"The church community is where we learn to love God and others; where we are strengthened and transformed by truth from the Word; where we're taught to pray, to worship, and to serve; where we can be most certain that we're investing our time and abilities for eternity; where we can grow in our roles as friends, sons and daughters, husbands and wives, fathers and mothers. The church is earth's single best place - God's specially designed place - to start over, to grow and to change for the glory of God."

"The greatest motivation we could ever find for being passionately committed to the Church is that Jesus is passionately committed to the Church."

"Our assurance of salvation must include a changed life. Confidence that we've truly been saved shouldn't rest on an emotional experience or a prayer we prayed during an altar call years ago. 'I don't care how much you cry during singing or preaching,' Mark Dever states. 'If you do not live a life marked by love toward others, the Bible has no encouragement for you to think that you're a Christian. None.'"

"The local church is the place where our new life in Christ is lived out and proven. 'Joining a church won't save you,' Dever states emphatically. 'It's only the death of Christ that saves you. He alone is our righteousness. But if He really is our righteousness, if we really love He who we have not seen, it will show itself by us loving those that we do see.'"

Thought-provoking and cutting right to the heart and core, this was an excellent book on the importance of the local church in the life of the believer.

*This book was provided to me by the publisher as part of the LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program.

*Previously published as Stop Dating the Church!

The Enclave by Karen Hancock

2011-08-16T18:59:00.000-04:00

The Enclave by Karen Hancock

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Awesome! One of my favorite books is Arena by Karen Hancock. I haven't read her other books as I have lost interest in fantasy books overall. But this book is not in the genre of fantasy but more of a medical thriller/sci-fi mix. A genetics research base is the setting and the main characters discover all is not necessarily above-board at this research company. The ensuing discovery unfolds fantastically. Sci-fi in the sense that some of the book is not likely feasible or realistic but mostly a great suspense book.

*I owned this book

Black Widow and the Sandman Blog Tour

2011-08-12T07:54:00.005-04:00

Black Widow and the Sandman by L.L. Reaper
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was interested in reading this book because my favorite genre is medical thrillers dealing with plagues and toxins. So the premise intrigued me. The toxin/plague ended up being more a background in the book rather than the main storyline. I was turned off by a lot of swearing and sexual language in the book, but the story was interesting enough for me to keep reading. Two mercenaries are thrown together reluctantly to try to find who is behind this plague killing children in Cuba and to find a cure. It was interesting getting a look into the characters and their thoughts and feelings in spite of them being criminals. Seeing them as human and not just killers, finding out their soft spots.

It started picking up in suspense towards the end and I finished the book quickly at that point. I think the swearing and sexual language could have been much less. It was a bit much and didn't really add to the story but detracted from it. Overall, it was a good mystery novel and I thought the characters were developed pretty well.

*I received this book free from the author for a blog tour through Pump Up Your Book promotions

Domesticated Jesus by Harry Lee Kraus

2011-08-11T19:16:00.000-04:00

Domesticated Jesus by Harry L. Kraus Jr.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An excellent book and timely reminder of how often we make Jesus small in our lives instead of viewing Him as He truly is. When we worry we are making Jesus small, not trusting that He can handle the issue. When we wallow in guilt, we make Him not big enough to forgive us of our sins. Our anger at not having our expectations met is domesticating Jesus and trying to control our own lives instead of letting Him have the control.
Another aspect of this book that rang true for me was the reminder that salvation is not just about saying a prayer or going forward during an altar call. Truly trusting in Christ to save us results in a changed life.
The author is a medical doctor and as such related the ABC's of resuscitation into the ABC's of growth in the Christian life. A is for acknowledge our need - we cannot do this on our own. B is for believe - trust that God is in control and believe His Word and C for communion. Communing with God, growing in our knowledge of Him.
quotes from the book:
"It is a problem compounded by promoting a gospel of a domesticated Savior, a Jesus who exists only to wash my sins away and not take his rightful place as Lord and King."
"I'm sure we all know 'Christians' like Bob. They may or may not go to church on Sunday, but they live the way they want to live the rest of the week. They've taken the offer of salvation, believing that if they've prayed a simple prayer, they're 'in'. Nothing dethrones the idea that they are now 'saved'. Jesus exists for them simply to forgive their sins and to facilitate whatever life they want to live, free of eternal damnation. Imagine a Jesus domesticated, wearing an apron, following us around with a magic mop to wipe away any sin.
"Jesus isn't invited to participate beyond offering a fire escape."
"How can we treat with contempt that which was paid at extreme cost?"
"We're back to the realization that our salvation is only by grace, and it is only in relying on Christ's strength, not ours, in the realization of our weakness and the provision of his grace that we can live a life in victory over sin that threatens to enslave us."

"We domesticate Christ anytime we resist the transformation of our hearts that he desires. We're thankful for the ticket out of hell, but we're not 'all in' when it comes to following Christ in acts of sacrifice and love. In effect we're saying, 'off limits' to the promptings of his Spirit.
"Do I welcome Christ into my life for the benefit of salvation but wince when he nudges me toward personal sacrifice or service? Am I satisfied with forgiveness but hesitant to share the good news with others so as not to offend? Is this not akin to fencing in the Creator of Heaven and Earth?"

*I owned this book

DNF: Desiring God by John Piper

2011-08-10T19:02:00.002-04:00

Desiring God, Revised Edition: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist by John Piper

I just could not get through this book! It was provided to me free from the publisher for review, so I really tried to get through it. This was my first time reading something by John Piper and I really thought it would be interesting. But I found it dry and boring. The footnotes were distracting and I just wasn't getting where he was going with the material. I found myself not wanting to pick it up to read it but feeling obligated to since it was given to me for review. Finally I just decided life is too short and there are too many other books out there for me to read to waste my time with one that just wasn't grabbing my attention. I am putting it back on the shelf to maybe give it a try at a future date. There is just no desire to read it right now (pardon the pun :-).

*I received this book free from the publisher.

White Sleeper by David Fett/Stephen Langford PUYB Blog Tour

2011-08-08T07:06:00.002-04:00

White Sleeper by David R. Fett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was quite the page-turner. A disgraced doctor with the CDC and an FBI agent are on the trail of a white supremacist who has teamed up with a terrorist cell. They have to find him before he completes his mission. Some families in Arkansas become ill from several different diseases after they are part of a church group's trip to New York. Realizing that these were test runs to see what was most effective, Dr. Richards and Paula Mushari try to find the sleeper cell before he can spread the disease nationwide.
The book details what led Ben to become a white supremacist and his desire for revenge on the US government. As well as the downfall of Dr. Richards's career due to his alcoholism and this being his last chance to salvage what is left of his career in the medical field.
Medical thrillers are my favorite genre and this book was a quick, easy and suspenseful read. The ending left it with the possibility of there being future novels involving these characters. I enjoyed this book. The premise was great and chillingly realistic!! This could actually happen. Will be interested to see if these authors put out more novels.

*I received this book free from the author as part of the Pump Up Your Book blog tour.

Dug Down Deep by Joshua Harris

2011-07-30T09:26:00.000-04:00

Dug Down Deep: Unearthing What I Believe and Why It Matters by Joshua Harris
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was an excellent book of back to the basics of doctrine. Written in an easy-to-read style, the doctrines of God, salvation, church and others are covered. It wasn't just a list of dry facts, but truths that are important to the Christian life. The ending chapter wrapped it all up with how to make these truths a part of our lives and have them affect how we live.

quotes that impacted me

"...theology matters...what we know about God shapes the way we think and live. what you believe about God's nature - what he is like, what he wants from you, and whether or not you will answer to him - affects every part of your life."

"Theology matters because if we get it wrong, then our whole life will be wrong."

"...often this culture, with its own rituals and music and moral values, comes to represent Christianity far more than specific beliefs about God do."

"...what are we actually choosing when we choose to be Christians"

"Being a Christian means being a person who labors to establish his beliefs, his dreams, his choices, his very view of the world on the truth of who Jesus is and what he has accomplished - a Christian who cares about truth, who cares about sound doctrine."

"Doctrine and theology are always meant to be applied to our lives - to shape and reshape not only a statement of faith but also the practical decisions of how we think and act."

"Will we obey when we don't like what the Bible has to say?"

"The Bible insistently denies that we have the spiritual power to save ourselves or even contribute to the process."

"Salvation is accomplished not by our striving but by God's power."

"...if there isn't some degree of holiness in our lives, there's a real question of whether we've truly experienced God's saving work. If we don't love what Jesus loves, if we don't want to be like him, then maybe we've never really met him."

"...the way we live proves the reality of our salvation."

"What if the church is the means by which God has chosen to accomplish his purpose for us and for the world? And what if it is irreplaceable?
"...we'd realize that rejecting the church is rejecting God himself."

"The journey of the Christian faith was supposed to be made with other believers."

"Am I building my life on who Jesus is and what he has done? Is my life built on the rock of a true knowledge of God?"

"The only thing that enables us to stand firm is Jesus and his words. The only thing that enables us to know and dwell with God is the solid rock of the Savior."

*I received this book from the publisher through LibraryThing EarlyReviewers.

My New Toy

2011-07-25T19:08:00.000-04:00

Lookie what I got!!

I now have a Kindle!

I have had a lot of fun trying to find free books on Kindle. I have not yet purchased any books for my Kindle. But here is the list of books that I have downloaded for free so far.

Invisible by Lorena McCourtney
Stuck in the Middle by Virginia Smith
Fools Rush In by Janice Thompson
The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
Back on Murder by J. Mark Bertrand
Bible ESV
Concerning Christian Liberty by Martin Luther
On Prayer and the Contemplative Life by St. Thomas Aquinas
Fox's Book of Martyrs
The Story Girl by L.M. Montgomery
Kilmeny of the Orchard by L.M. Montgomery
The Golden Road by L.M. Montgomery
What's Wrong with the World by G.K. Chesterton
The Bobbsey Twins on a Houseboat by Laura Lee Hope
Hide in Plain Sight by Marta Perry
Through the Fire by Shawn Grady
Orthodoxy by Chesterton
Cloudburst by Ryne Douglas Pearson
Twelve Types by Chesterton
What I Saw in America by G.K. Chesterton
The Wreck of the Hesperus
Love Me If You Must by Nicole Young
In His Steps by Charles Sheldon
After the Fire by Kathryn Shay
Of Mice and Murderers by John Stockmyer
Origins (space trilogy) by Randolph Lalonde
Cash Burn by Michael Berrier
Delivery by Diana Prusik
Reinventing Leona by Lynne Gentry
Maggie Come Lately by Michelle Buckman
When I Lay My Isaac Down by Carol Kent
Homefires by Emily Sue Harvey

L.M. Montgomery Short Stories 1907 to 1908
L.M. Montgomery Short Stories 1909 to 1922
L.M. Montgomery Short Stories 1896 to 1901
L.M. Montgomery Short Stories 1902 to 1903
L.M. Montgomery Short Stories 1904
L.M. Montgomery Short Stories 1905 to 1906

Chronicles of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery
Further Chronicles of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery

Anne of Avonlea
Anne of the Island
Anne's House of Dreams
Rainbow Valley
Rilla of Ingleside

My pile of regular books is still huge so I am trying not to buy any books for my Kindle until I have weeded out more of my already-owned books. We'll see how long I can withstand the temptation! :-) But I am allowing myself to take advantage of the free ones, even though it means my TBR list is growing as well.

Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda

2011-07-21T22:03:00.000-04:00

Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book addresses the reality of past and current India and the desire for baby boys over baby girls. I read this article several weeks ago and found the truth of it encompassed in this fictional story.
A poor Indian woman gives her daughter to an orphanage to keep her husband from killing her like he did their first baby who was a girl. An infertile couple in California looks into adopting from India, where the husband is from. The story follows both families through the years. In India, the desire is for boys more than girls. Often if it is discovered that the woman is expecting a girl, the baby is aborted. This reality hits home for an adopted Indian girl who visits India as a young adult and is curious about where she came from.
This was a great book and a well-written story. The insight into Indian culture really brought the story alive. Having lived in Bangladesh for several years, the story was meaningful for me as there are similarities between Indian and Bengali culture.

*I got this book through my local library.

More Shelves

2011-07-17T19:23:00.000-04:00

Some friends of ours are moving to Japan as missionaries and were getting rid of a bunch of their furniture. We were able to have their dining room table, a couple bookshelves and an entertainment center.

Our first real dining room table (after almost 14 years of marriage!)

Entertainment center has doors to close

We are getting rid of a bunch of our dvds, so our remaining dvds all fit in the new entertainment center. So we are using the old dvd shelves as bookshelves now.

The cats had a great time exploring and checking out this new stuff. Mocha flattened her body and went under the entertainment center. Here she is crawling back out.

One of the shelves went at the top of the stairs.

Another set of shelves is in the living room.

Mocha figured out a way from the dvd shelves up into the hole with the stair railing. There's now stuff on top of the dvd (now book) shelves which may or may not stop her from doing this again. :-)

I love our home!

The Last Christian by David Gregory

2011-07-13T19:54:00.002-04:00

The Last Christian: A Novel by David Gregory
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Very interesting book. A missionary kid who has been raised in the jungle of Papua New Guinea and never been away from her village goes for help when her village is sick. She ends up going back to America to find that Christianity has died out. Her grandparents leave her a message telling her they think God wants to use her to bring Christianity back to America. She faces a completely different world than the one she is used to. This is set in the future - 2088, so technology has advanced considerably.

Neuroscience has advanced to the point that they have discovered a way to create a silicon brain, upload software of the human and then transplant the silicon brain into the human in place of the biological brain. Most diseases have been cured so people are living a long time, but eventually the brain wears out. By transplanting to the silicon brain, basically living forever is offered as an option. This is the society that Abby faces to try and convince to turn back to God and Christianity.

The book started getting suspenseful towards the end as Abby's life became in danger and I ended up staying up late to find out what happens. A great read, futuristic yet suspenseful, with a little romance thrown in.

*I received this book from a blog giveaway.

Mental Illness and the Church

2011-07-10T19:45:00.000-04:00

Darkness Is My Only Companion: A Christian Response to Mental Illness by Kathryn Greene-McCreight
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

One woman's journey through depression and bipolar disorder. Mental illness seems to be a taboo subject in the Christian community; those who struggle with it don't tend to share their experiences as it seems to hold a stigma. Then there are the platitudes "you just need to pray more" or "trust God to heal you". There are medical reasons behind mental illness just as there are behind physical illness. The church needs to be aware of the issue of mental illness and how to support those who struggle with this. This book shares this woman's story - the medications, the hospitalizations, the therapy. There is nothing to be ashamed of with a mental illness. It is an illness just like any physical infirmity. We need to no longer be silent on this issue.

*Got this book through my local library

I myself have a mental illness - Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). I am on medication to keep it under control. It took me a while to be willing to even try medication, partly due to the stigma among Christian circles. Yet being on medication for my OCD has changed my life and allowed me to live normally. This is an issue close to my heart because of how it affects me personally.

No Buy til 25 Challenge

2011-07-06T20:08:00.004-04:00

I'm finding that my owned TBR seem to be growing rather than dwindling. Part of this is because of my getting books out of the library rather than reading my own books. But the other problem is that I continue to buy books that then just sit on the shelves rather than reading what I have before buying more. So I have issued a challenge to myself to try to make a dent in my TBR (owned) books. I must finish 25 of my own books before I can buy another one. Books that I receive for review do not count. Library books do not count. Books received through paperbackswap are allowed.

Let the countdown begin!

1. The Last Christian by David Gregory
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
*Update: 8/14/11 - Gave up on; goal for doing this wasn't working.

Halfway Through - Challenge Progress

2011-07-04T09:44:00.002-04:00

TBR Challenge - finished 7 of 12

Medical Mystery Madness - finished 4 of 4 - COMPLETED

Mystery & Suspense Reading Challenge - finished 8 of 12

Chick Lit Challenge - finished 6 of 8

Christian Non-Fiction Challenge - finished 6 of 10 (my personal goal is 12, so 6 of 12)

What's in a Name 4 - finished 4 of 6

Futuristic/Sci-Fi - finished 1 of 4

Operation Deepen Faith - Level 1 - 2 of 3 translations for Ephesians (The Message, New Living Translation); Level 2 - 2 of 2 theological books (Total Truth by Nancy Pearcey, Radical by David Platt) (edited 9/4/11 to add: also read Why Church Matters by Joshua Harris and The Ever-Loving Truth by Voddie Baucham to qualify)

Vanish by Tom Pawlik

2011-07-02T09:59:00.002-04:00

Vanish by Tom Pawlik
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is not an easy book to review as I don't want to give anything away. A few people see a weird storm cloud and then lose consciousness. When they wake up they discover that everyone has vanished. As they begin looking for other people, they encounter strange creatures watching them. In their attempt to escape these creatures, they find each other and begin traveling to find answers to what has happened.

I had a theory early on as to what was going on and it turned out my theory was close. This book grabbed me from the beginning and kept me turning pages to find out what was going on. Very suspenseful and intriguing plot.

*I got this book through inter-library loan

The Lure of the Inter-Library Loan

2011-06-23T19:07:00.000-04:00

As mentioned before, I find myself torn between wanting to read my own books and wanting to get books out of the library (either my local one or requesting through inter-library loan). The vast amount of books that are available this way just calls to me. But so do the books currently languishing on my own bookshelves.
After finishing 5 of my own books recently, I decided to indulge myself and request some more inter-library books.
On their way to me are the following:
Three Weddings and a Bar Mitzvah by Melody Carlson
Vanish by Tom Pawlik
Radical Womanhood by Carolyn McCulley
Being Well When We're Ill by Marva Dawn

If I can keep a balance between reading my own and borrowing from the library, maybe I'll eventually make some progress on my TBR list (yeah, right and someday pigs will fly! LOL!).

The Inconvenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck by Kathleen Y'Barbo

2011-06-22T21:34:00.000-04:00

The Inconvenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck: A Novel by Kathleen Y'Barbo

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Though I don't tend to read very many books set in historical times, the premise of this book jumped out at me. An arranged marriage that doesn't quite go as planned. Charlotte Beck is a modern woman. That is, she is intent on getting her way. She doesn't want to just settle for being a wife and mother. She has good sense and wants to use it to go to college and then be involved in the family business. Her father, however, thinks she doesn't quite know what is good for her and manages to bribe her to do what HE wants by giving her what she wants.

Viscount Alex Hambly has financial troubles. A way out of these troubles is presented to him by a fellow businessman, Daniel Beck. However, the strings attached to this rescue might be a little steep for him. Agreeing to marry Daniel's very stubborn, very challenging daughter may cost more than he had anticipated.

This book went back and forth between Charlotte and Alex's perspectives. Showing their outlook and feelings as time progressed and they matured helped their characters to develop throughout the course of the book. I really enjoyed this book. A very easy read, the pages flew by and the story made it hard to put down. With this kind of book, I always long for a happy ending and was pleased with the way the book's outcome played out.

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my review.

Total Truth by Nancy Pearcey

2011-06-18T11:26:00.000-04:00

Total Truth: Liberating Christianity from Its Cultural Captivity by Nancy Pearcey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Recommended read for every Christian. It is a wake-up call for Christians at the ease with which our culture and its secular worldview is now taking over our schools and even our own way of looking at things. We have relegated the spiritual to a compartment of our lives instead of allowing it to integrate all facets of how we live.

Part of the book takes us through the historical aspects of how the church came to be what it is today. As well as how men and women's roles have changed through the years. Developing a worldview that is Biblical is essential in being able to interact with the world we live in. Otherwise we fall prey to the worldviews of those around us and become sucked into the naturalistic, materialistic way of living that is our American culture today.

The importance of teaching our youth is also emphasized so they have tools to challenge the views of those who are anti-biblical. Seeing how the secular humanistic worldview breaks down illogically helps them to cement the truths of Scripture in their own lives.

*I own this book

The White Plague by Frank Herbert

2011-06-17T19:36:00.003-04:00

The White Plague by Frank Herbert
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A man invents a plague that kills only women. The plague is released in certain parts of the world. And then spreads. The whole world is changed as men scramble to find a cure, find the man who did this and protect the women that are left from contracting the plague.

The book could probably have been a bit shorter, part of the story was drawn out probably more than it needed to be. But overall, a good book, with some suspense in it, wondering if any women would survive for there to be a world in the future.

*I owned this book

Menu for Romance by Kaye Dacus

2011-06-13T18:21:00.001-04:00

Menu for Romance by Kaye Dacus
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another great book in the Brides of Bonneterre series. The first one is Stand-In Groom and it's better to read that before this one as otherwise spoilers from that book are part of this one. In this novel, the main character is Meredith, daughter of the Guidry's and the main event planner for their company. She has had feelings for her co-worker for many years but finally decides that it is going nowhere and she's not getting any younger so she starts dating others. Meanwhile, the man she's in love with has a secret that he is afraid to tell her, afraid that it will ruin any chance of a relationship that they may have.
One of those books where you want to yell at the character to just "tell her already!". It ends well which is something I like in my fiction.

*I received this book through inter-library loan.

Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow

2011-06-12T13:16:00.003-04:00

Calm My Anxious Heart : A Woman's Guide to Contentment by Linda Dillow
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Excellent book - such good reminders to trust God and not let worry run your life. Learning to be content in the circumstances you're in instead of thinking about the what ifs or the if onlys. When we worry, we are not trusting that God is in control and has our good in mind. Examples were given of believers living in very difficult circumstances in other parts of the world and yet their outlook is one of praise to God.

*I got this book through my local library

The Irresistible Church by Wayne Cordeiro

2011-06-08T20:25:00.000-04:00

Irresistible Church, The by Wayne Cordeiro

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Short, easy-to-read, this book takes us through 12 traits of a church that is irresistible. And the point the author tries to make is not just being irresistible to people, but being irresistible to heaven.

The traits that make a church irresistible include the following:
-Hungering for the presence of God
-Remembering who she is
-Living heart first
-Connecting everything to a soul - love the quote: "in the end what matters most is souls that have been redeemed". That really is the bottom line.
-Practicing gratefulness
-Always learning
-Promoting healthy relationships
-Promoting spiritual self-feeding - liked the correlation between physical and spiritual feeding. As an adult, if we are hungry, we feed ourselves. We don't expect others to do it for us. The same goes spiritually. Just because we don't feel we are getting fed at a church is not reason to leave. We need to be able to feed ourselves spiritually.
-Choosing to love
-Taking risks
-Humbling itself
-Having a plan - this is good; not just doing the same things over and over again just because we've always done it this way. Having a reason/plan for what you do.

*I received this book from the publisher to review as part of Librarything.com's Early Reviewers program

Grown-Up Girlfriends by Erin Smalley & Carrie Oliver

2011-06-05T14:05:00.000-04:00

Grown-Up Girlfriends: Finding and Keeping Real Friends in the Real World by Erin Smalley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Friendships - they aren't much easier in adulthood than they were in growing up. This book tackles the subject of being mature in our friendships - particularly for women's friendships. It addresses various issues such as forgiveness, conflict resolution, communication skills, and grieving the loss of a friendship.

In growing in our relationship with Christ, this helps us to grow in our friendships with other women. Learning that ultimately He is our primary friend, He also uses others in our lives to support and encourage us through the trials of life.

*Got this book through inter-library loan

Blackout by Jason Elam/Steve Yohn

2011-06-04T14:06:00.001-04:00

Blackout by Jason Elam

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Overall a good book - I liked the premise of an EMP (Electro-Magnetic Pulse bomb) going off and totally disabling a city. Not that that is a good thing, but it makes for a suspenseful and interesting plot in a book. The thing is, it's not that far off of a possibility from actually happening. Totally frying the electronics - not just the lights going out, but cell phones, computers, cars no longer working. Planes falling from the sky.
Unfortunately, I was almost finished with the book and discovered a page was missing. Someone had torn it out of the book. I went ahead and kept reading. From what I can tell, I didn't miss anything essential on the torn out page. It just messes with my mind, making me wonder what I missed on that page. And it's a library book!
I then discovered that this is actually book 3 in the series! It can stand alone without reading the first 2. But I thought it was the first book. Oh, well!

*I got this through inter-library loan

The New Media Frontier

2011-06-02T18:15:00.001-04:00

The New Media Frontier: Blogging, Vlogging, and Podcasting for Christ by Roger Overton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Good book from a variety of authors discussing ways that Christians can use the new media (Facebook, MySpace, blogging, etc.) to engage the world. It addresses some of the pitfalls of the new media but shares ways to utilize it as a tool to reach others for Christ.

Some of the areas addressed are how to get started in blogging, using a blog as a pastoral tool, being a part of Facebook or MySpace as part of youth ministry, theologically blogging, and how to podcast or do a vlog (video log). Some great tips and websites are given.

*I got this book through inter-library loan

Hardball by Sara Paretsky

2011-05-31T08:01:00.003-04:00

V.I. Warshawski is a female detective in Chicago. Somehow in the course of her investigations, she seems to get herself almost killed in a bunch of different ways. Yet in spite of the obstacles she faces, she is able to figure out the 'whodunit' and triumph over those who would see her fail. Hardball finds her performing a missing persons search for someone who disappeared roughly 40 years ago. In the process of trying to find this person, an old murder trial comes to her attention where she begins to suspect the wrong person was convicted for the murder.

I have enjoyed every V.I. Warshawski book I have read. The writing draws me into the story, her character is flawed and real, and the suspense keeps the pages turning. I actually picked up one of the books in the middle of the series first - Hard Time - before realizing it was part of a series. I then went back and read the series from the beginning (skipping Hard Time when I got to it since I'd already read it). I'm actually thinking I might want to go back and re-read this series again as they are quite enjoyable mysteries. It's also interesting to watch V.I. Warshawski's character develop over the years. While you don't have to read the books in order (each book can stand alone), it's more fun to read the series in order so you get the character progression as well as the advance of technology as time goes on.

The series in order (per Stop You're Killing Me site):
Indemnity Only
Deadlock
Killing Orders
Bitter Medicine
Blood Shot
Burn Marks
Guardian Angel
Tunnel Vision
Windy City Blues (short story collection)
Hard Time
Total Recall
Blacklist
Fire Sale
Hardball
Body Work - I haven't read this one yet

Radical by David Platt

2011-05-29T08:38:00.001-04:00

Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream by David Platt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow! Just wow! This is a challenging and convicting book. It really makes you think about how much we have Americanized our Christianity. We have become comfortable in our lives, living the American dream, while millions of people have still never heard of the gospel of Jesus. Our lives don't reflect what Jesus taught - "take up your cross, deny yourself". The book talks about much of what Jesus taught and how our lives in American Christianity do not reflect what He taught. The challenge is to wake up and see the world around us. To see what we can do to make a difference. At the end, the author calls for a 1 year Radical Experiment designed to change our perspective and thinking.

*I own this book

Toxic Faith by Stephen Arterburn & Jack Felton

2011-05-28T09:12:00.000-04:00

Toxic Faith by Stephen Arterburn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Overview of what an addiction is. Detailed information on how religious addiction starts. Signs of a toxic faith. How recovery from religious addiction can happen.

Here are some of the toxic beliefs that can indicate being part of a toxic faith/religious addiction:
-God's love and favor depend on my behavior.
-When tragedy strikes, true believers should have a real peace about it.
-If I have real faith, God will heal me or someone I am praying for.
-Problems in my life result from some particular sin.
-I must not stop meeting others' needs.
-God uses only spiritual giants.
-A strong faith will protect me from problems and pain.
-More than anything else, God wants me to be happy.

The following list was taken from a book by Peter Benson & Carolyn Eklin and is quoted in this book:
"The Nature of Mature Faith
A study researching faith came up with eight core dimensions that indicate the maturity of one's faith. A mature believer:
1. Trusts in God's saving grace and believes firmly in the humanity and divinity of Jesus.
2. Experiences a sense of personal well-being, security, and peace
3. Integrates faith and life, seeing work, family, social relationships, and political choices as part of one's religious life
4. Seeks spiritual growth through study, reflection, prayer, and discussion with others
5. Seeks to be part of a community of believers in which people give witness to their faith and support and nourish one another
6. Holds life-affirming values, including commitment to racial and gender equality, affirmation of cultural and religious diversity, and a personal sense of responsibility for the welfare of others
7. Advocates social and global change to bring about greater social justice
8. Serves humanity consistently and passionately through acts of love and justice"

Overall, good book on this topic of religious addiction and spiritual abuse.

*I own this book

Challenge Progress

2011-05-26T20:01:00.000-04:00

I think this will be my last year of doing challenges, at least for a while as I am too much of a mood reader and want to read what I want when I want, rather than feeling obligated to read a book because it's on a challenge list.

TBR Challenge - finished 6 of 12

Medical Mystery Madness - finished 3 of 4

Mystery & Suspense Reading Challenge - finished 4 of 12

Chick Lit Challenge - finished 3 of 8

Christian Non-Fiction Challenge - finished 5 of 10 (my personal goal is 12, so 5 of 12)

What's in a Name 4 - finished 3 of 6

Futuristic/Sci-Fi - finished 1 of 4

Operation Deepen Faith - Level 1 - 0 of 3 translations for Ephesians; Level 2 - 0 of 2 theological books (need to get a move on with this 1!)

Looks like I should be able to finish the Medical Mystery Madness challenge no problem, though I'm behind on the Mystery & Suspense Reading Challenge. But overall, I guess I'm not doing too bad on the challenges so far.

Library vs. Owned

2011-05-23T19:16:00.000-04:00

I believe I struggle with the same dilemma that many avid readers do in that I am torn between the books I already own that I want to read and the lure of the books that the library has that I also want to read. Now that I have discovered the beauty of the inter-library loan and the vast amount of books that have now been made available at the tip of my fingers, the problem has become even more pronounced. :-)

How do you solve the dilemma between reading your own books and getting books out of the library? Or do you just ignore it and read what you want when you want? Do you feel guilty for getting books out of the library instead of reading your own?

Faithful by Kim Cash Tate

2011-05-21T08:16:00.000-04:00

Faithful by Kim Cash Tate

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was an excellent novel dealing with real issues in a realistic way. It features 3 women and the struggles they face in their walk with God. One woman discovers her husband is having an affair and must deal with the fallout. Another struggles with wanting her husband to become a believer so they can have a deeper spiritual connection. The 3rd woman is single and 40, not what she had thought her life would be like. Will she remain faithful to God when temptation comes her way?

I liked that not every difficulty was resolved by the end of the book, making it more real. The situations were true to life which made it easy to relate to the characters.

*I own this book, obtained through paperbackswap

Christianish by Mark Steele

2011-05-15T07:25:00.001-04:00

Christianish: What If We're Not Really Following Jesus at All? by Mark Steele

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book - a fun and quick read, it is also convicting to look at my life and see how much I have been absorbed into the American Christianity subculture around me. Too often we live according to our own perception of Christianity rather than what the Bible teaches about following Jesus. Such as not being overly bothered with sins we consider minor such as gossip and thinking we're fine since we don't commit the "big" ones (adultery, murder, etc.). Acting superior to others who we think "have it wrong", considering ourselves to be the only ones who really know the truth.

Recommended - challenging book about living your faith in today's culture.

Inter-Library Loans

2011-05-13T18:51:00.002-04:00

So I have discovered a wonderful thing - requesting books through the inter-library system. One of the perks of living in a metro area is the vast amount of libraries that are networked together. I have found a whole list of books that I want to read that I can request through other libraries. So even if my library doesn't have them, I can request them to be sent to my library for pick-up.

I currently have out

as well as

through the inter-library loan system. A book lover's dream!

Facebook

2011-05-09T19:23:00.003-04:00

Do you have a Facebook page for your blog? After my cousin started a page for her blog, I started checking some of the blogs that I follow in Google Reader and discovered several had fan pages on Facebook. So I thought it might be a neat idea to do one as well. The link to the page is in my sidebar. Feel free to "like" me if you feel so inclined. :-)

Let me know if you have a fan page on Facebook also so I can check it out.

Crave by Chris Tomlinson

2011-05-07T09:01:00.002-04:00

Crave: Wanting So Much More of God by Chris Tomlinson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book wasn't on my reading list but in browsing at the local library I saw it and it intrigued me. When flipping through it, I saw the line at the beginning of one of the chapters that said "I don't like people all that much." Since I struggle with this same tendency, it immediately grabbed my interest and I checked it out. I'm really glad I did.

This was an excellent book on wanting to know God more and wanting to crave more of Him. It takes us through some of the distractions that keep us from craving more of God. The things that we allow into our lives that take our energy and focus away from God. Being comfortable where we are, instead of reaching out to others who need Jesus in their lives. Being more concerned about staying comfortable instead of listening to God's voice telling us to step out of our comfort zone to follow Him.
"You've settled for comfort rather than Christ, but your cravings for God are slowly thawing your cold heart."
"So Jesus is speaking to all of us comfortable Christians, asking us to get off our couches and follow Him, to lay ourselves on the altar of life for His sake."
"I am far more likely to act in my own self-interest, to meet my own needs without fully considering the needs of others. I think this is how I became so comfortable in the first place, thinking primarily about myself and making decisions that maximize my own security."
The book goes on to remind us that we are living in God's story, not our own. We are not the star of the story, God is. We are just an extra. It's not about us.
Will we value God more than anything else? Will our joy be in Him rather than the things of this world?

Good stuff!
*Got this book through my local library

Counterfeit Gospels contest

2011-05-04T18:51:00.003-04:00

Moody Books is having a contest to give away an ipad. You can go here to see how to enter. I haven't read this book yet but recently got it and am looking forward to reading it as it seems to be so prevalent today that so many things claim to be the truth but really aren't. And they lead us down wrong pathways.

One of the ways to enter is posting a photo of yourself with the book. So in spite of the not so great picture (self-taken with cell phone), I'm including it as part of my entry. :-)

The Christian Atheist by Craig Groeschel

2011-05-02T19:01:00.001-04:00

The Christian Atheist by Craig Groeschel

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Started off a little light but then took off with some quite convicting truths to consider. This was a great reminder that just believing in God is not enough. We need to live out what we believe. Some of the chapters dealt with issues such as believing in God, but not trusting Him and continuing to worry; believing in God but not being part of His church; believing in God but trusting more in money than Him; believing in God but pursuing a life of happiness at any cost.

I took almost 3 pages worth of notes in my quotes notebook. :-)

"With God, all things are possible - even the thing that you think isn't."
"We change by his power, not by ours."
"Change won't just take all the strength you have; it will take more. You need God's power."
"You can't change in your own power. If you feel overwhelmed by something bigger than you, let the one who is bigger than all things be the power you need in your weakness."

"Worry is the result of trying to carry a burden that never belonged on our shoulders."
"...we're admitting we don't actually trust God. In our minds, our God is too small, and we must come to our own rescue."
"Can your worry change anything? No. Can God change anything? Absolutely he can."

"...we venture into extremely dangerous territory when we start to believe that God's ultimate plan for us is our happiness."
"...here-and-now happiness doesn't fit God's desire for our lives."
"When we believe our pursuit of happiness gives us license to sin, we become Christian Atheists. God never condones sin, no matter how happy it makes us, or seems to make us."
"God also doesn't want us to be happy when our happiness is based on the things in this world."
"Our actions confirm that a disturbing number of us truly believe this equation: better possessions + peaceful circumstances + thrilling experiences + the right relationships + the perfect appearance = happiness."
"Our culture has conditioned us to believe that the things we don't have are the things that will make us happy..."
"When we believe the things of this world will provide happiness, we're settling for a counterfeit."
"God hates it when we pass up on the real life and settle for the false promises of this world."
"The happiness of this world is based on fickle happenings, but the blessings of God transcend the things this world offers."
"It's only when we manage to quiet the Christian Atheist in us and seek God and his kingdom over the empty and hollow things of this world that we can experience true and lasting blessing."
"We are not happy with the things of this world because we're not made for this world!"
"We will never discover lasting happiness in the temporary things of this world because we weren't made to live a temporary life. That's why we should lower our expectations of this place. Earth is not heaven. It was never meant to be. That's why no amount of money, new house... or new anything will ever satisfy us, because we were not made for the things of this world."
"Real happiness is found only in the Lord, and when we find it we'll understand, perhaps for the first time, how blessed we really are."

"We want God's benefits without changing how we live. We want his best, without our sacrifices."
"We still love this world. We'll pursue happiness at any cost."
"...get what we can from God without giving much, if anything, back."
"Instead of truly living as followers of Christ, many lull themselves into a sense of false comfort. What if they're really 'cultural Christians,' false believers?"
"What would it take to make my life nothing to me, existing only to do what Christ wants me to?"
"Every day, we'll choose to live out our belief in God instead of believing in the world or ourselves."

Christless Christianity by Michael Horton

2011-04-30T09:28:00.001-04:00

Christless Christianity: The Alternative Gospel of the American Church by Michael Horton

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a good book though I felt like the writing was a little philosophical and a bit over my head. So I may not have gotten as much out of the book as I didn't completely understand it. Here are some good quotes though.

"...whether we will offer Jesus Christ as the key to fulfilling our narcissistic preoccupation or as the Redeemer who liberates us from its guilt and power. Does Christ come to boost our ego or to crucify our ego and raise us up as new creatures with our identity in him?"

"While God wants to give us everlasting life, we settle for trivial satisfaction of superficial needs that are to a large extent created within us by the culture of marketing."

"...Scripture never refers to the gospel as having a personal relationship with Jesus nor defines faith as a decision to ask Jesus to come into our heart..."

" 'How can I be right with God?' is no longer a question when my happiness rather than God's holiness is the main issue."

"...the best efforts of the best Christians, on the best days, in the best frame of heart and mind, with the best motives fall short of that true righteousness and holiness that God requires."

"Salvation, from start to finish, is his work for us, not a matter of saving ourselves or even of cooperating with him. It is a divine rescue operation."

The Bright Side of Disaster by Katherine Center

2011-04-28T19:54:00.003-04:00

Imagine being 9 months pregnant and your live-in fiance walks out one night and doesn't return, leaving just a note of apology. Can you imagine the emotional turmoil and abandonment? Then you go into labor and have the baby. No job, no partner, just you and your baby.

Told in the first person, this book chronicles this scenario and the resulting chaos that ensues. I discovered things about labor and breast-feeding that I could have gone the rest of my life not knowing and been perfectly happy (LOL!).

The main character Jenny has to grow up quickly and learn to deal with a whole new world on her own, with some help from her mom. She makes some choices later on that made me want to shout at her to wise up! But sometimes in life we just go with the easy choice rather than taking a stand. It did end well, though, which I like in my books. This was a quick, easy read.

*I got this book through my local library.

27 out of 100

2011-04-10T20:22:00.004-04:00

It's been a rough few weeks for me lately with things going on in my personal life. I had a bit of time where I couldn't concentrate on reading due to the circumstances of what had happened and my need to think and process. Yet life does go on even if we want it to stop for a while.

I have been able to complete some more books, bringing my total for the year so far at 27 books. According to Goodreads, I'm on track for my goal of finishing 100 books this year.

Recently finished:

Introverts in the Church

2011-03-26T21:53:00.000-04:00

Introverts in the Church: Finding Our Place in an Extroverted Culture by Adam S. McHugh

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This particular section of the book really helps describe me:

"The journey of introverts into a community, however, is better conceptualized as a spiral. They take steps into a community, but then spiral out of it in order to regain energy, to reflect on their experiences and to determine if they are comfortable in that community. They move between entry, retreat and reentry, gradually moving deeper into the community on each loop.

"The introverted path into community, much to the confusion of many extroverts, never reaches a point in which the spiraling form is shed. The spiraling shape persists even for introverts who are thoroughly committed to a community. Sometimes introverts feel the need to step outside of a community for a period of time, even after years of faithful participation. Other times introverts may continue to attend events but distance themselves emotionally and socially from all but their closest friends. These outward movements are often not an indication of spiritual atrophy or waning enthusiasm, but they are simply part of normal introverted patterns. In community, introverts follow a rhythm of engage, then retreat. Too much time in social interaction, no matter how satisfying, is disruptive and disorienting for introverts, and they need to step back to rediscover a sense of identity. They can lose themselves in community and need to retreat into solitude in order to be restored into shape and to find the power to give themselves fully to others when they reengage."

As an introvert, the above paragraphs really describe me and my journey in building relationships. I have thought part of my backing off in relationships was due to my past of moving around so much and constantly having to make friends just to lose them next time we moved. However, it appears that part of this pattern is part of my being an introvert and needing to re-charge my batteries as it were.

This book was good overall, but I thought it was directed more to those who are in leadership positions than the average layperson.

Overcoming Emotions that Destroy

2011-03-13T16:28:00.001-04:00

Overcoming Emotions That Destroy: Practical Help for Those Angry Feelings That Ruin Relationships by Chip Ingram

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sometimes a book is timely for me. Though most of this book was things that I already knew, it was a reminder of things that I forget sometimes. Such as anger being a secondary emotion. When I'm angry, it is usually caused by other things - were my feelings hurt, were my expectations let down, was I misunderstood? I need to evaluate the root behind the anger so that I can respond appropriately. I have learned many strategies over the years to deal with my frustrations and anger. But sometimes when my guard is down I don't remember or utilize these strategies. This book was timely in reminding me of these strategies and to remember what is truly important in life. It's not about getting what I want or having things under control. This life is about giving God the glory He deserves and letting my life be an example of what He has done for me.

I got this book through my local library.

Booksigning & Library Book Sale

2011-03-06T16:47:00.001-05:00

Saturday was a bookish-filled day, which makes for a nice weekend. A friend and I got together and tried out a new restaurant - The Original Pancake House - yummy! Their pancakes are delicious and I also had an omelette, which was baked and was huge. Then we headed to the Family Christian Stores for an author booksigning.

Jill Eileen Smith is the author of the wives of King David series. I knew she would be coming for a booksigning, so I got the first book Michal from my local library to read at least part of before meeting her. With being sick earlier in the week, I actually finished the book in just a few days - great take on the life of Michal from the Bible. So I was looking forward to meeting her and picking up the next 2 books in the series, Abigail and Bathsheba (which was just released). After browsing for a bit, I picked up a few books along with Abigail and Bathsheba and got Bathsheba signed. The other books I got were:

Read the Bible for Life by George Guthrie

A Woman of Confidence by Pam Farrel

You Are My Hiding Place, Lord by Emilie Barnes

A Woman's Heart that Dances by Catherine Martin

Then my friend and I headed to my local library that was having a Friends of the Library book sale. I walked out of there with 11 books for only $7.25. All in all, a good day.

Michal by Jill Eileen Smith

2011-03-02T19:06:00.000-05:00

Michal by Jill Eileen Smith

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

These type of books tend to be hit or miss with me, depending on my frame of mind and the subject matter and writing style. I have the opportunity to go to a book-signing by this author this weekend and wanted to at least read some of what she wrote before meeting her. I ended up finishing the whole book! I was really drawn into the story of Michal and it had me going back to my Bible to check out various events that happened.

I'm looking forward to reading the next books in the series.

The Never-Ending Growth of the TBR Pile

2011-02-19T20:43:00.002-05:00

As I steadily complete books and lower the number of books in my TBR mountain, more books come out that intrigue me and capture my interest. It seems that the To-Be-Read list is ever growing. I think I need to accept that I'm just not going to be able to read all the books that I want to read in my lifetime. If no more books got published, I could probably complete my current list. But there will always be more books coming out. There are some subjects that particularly grab my interest, so it is hard to resist books coming out about those particular topics. Such as friendships/relationships, the church and what it's for, social media and how to use it for good.

In reading a lot of other book blogs, I know that I am not alone in my lengthy list of books I want to read. :-) It seems that others share this same dilemma. I think that this will be my last year of participating in challenges, as much as I enjoy making the lists. I want to concentrate on reading the books that really pique my interest. That doesn't really narrow the list much :-) but I like the freedom of reading what I want when I want.

Birthday Books

2011-02-12T20:47:00.003-05:00

One of the nice things about birthdays is that my husband and I try to get things for each other off our wish lists. So inevitably I get a few books. :-)

This year, my gifts were spread out a bit. A few weeks ago, I was given the first one:

One of my favorite authors!

Then, in time for our annual Monopoly night event, I received the Star Trek Continuum Monopoly version.

Last night, I got a wireless mouse for my laptop! YAY! Tired of dealing with extra wire looping around.

Today was my final gifts:

Love me some books! An enjoyable birthday - we went out to eat at Champps, where I got my favorite dessert - cookie espress - chocolate chip cookie with ice cream and whipped cream on top. It is out of this world delicious!

January Reading

2011-01-29T10:57:00.002-05:00

My husband and I both got the flu at around the same time and were sick for a week. During part of it, I was able to finish 3 books:

This World We Live In by Susan Pfeffer

The Sister Wife by Diane Noble

The Me I Want to Be by John Ortberg

Towards the end of the flu, I lost interest in reading. So I didn't get much reading done.

As we are now almost done with January, I'm actually quite pleased with my reading for the month. I was able to finish 9 books. Off to a good start for the year!

Blog Tour: Saying Goodbye - an Anthology

2011-01-14T07:57:00.002-05:00

It seems fitting that this was the last book I finished in 2010 - a kind of saying goodbye to the year. An anthology, a collection of essays of saying goodbye - to people, places, even things that have special meaning. As someone who has said goodbye many times throughout my life, I thought this would be a meaningful book that I would easily relate to. The essays are short and easy to read, often sad yet touching too. One of the stories that stood out to me was of a child who had grown old enough that it was time to say goodbye to their pacifier. They had a funeral for the pacifier. Though it may seem silly, sometimes the things that we cling to so tightly are the things we need to take the time to say a thorough goodbye to when it is time to move on. Saying goodbye to loved ones, even the last times that we have doing some of our favorite things together. Pets is another subject that can be difficult to say goodbye. They become so much a part of our lives. One of the stories dealt with the saying goodbye to a pet that had only been with them a short while. Yet still she was a part of the family and the loss was felt.

I would recommend this book for anyone - everyone has had to say goodbye in one way or another in their life. These stories can be a way to grieve, laugh and know that we are not alone in this world, in spite of the goodbyes that we have to go through.

*This book was sent to me for free by the author to review for this blog tour.

2011 Christian NonFiction Challenge Book Reviews

2011-01-13T19:21:00.001-05:00

Please use this post to leave links to your book review posts for the 2011 Christian NonFiction Challenge.

2011 Medical Mystery Madness Book Reviews

2011-01-13T19:18:00.002-05:00

Please use this post to leave links to your book review posts for the Medical Mystery Madness challenge.

The 10 Dumbest Things Christians Do

2011-01-12T07:34:00.000-05:00

The 10 Dumbest Things Christians Do by Mark Atteberry

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Without meaning to, or without realizing what we're doing, many times Christians will do things that put a smudge on the name of Christ. Things that ruin our testimony or cause people to turn away from God. This book outlines some of the things that we as Christians do that besmirch our Savior.

Fighting with each other or bad-mouthing the church
Bringing people into our particular church rather than introducing them to Jesus
Hopping from church to church without really committing to one

A good reminder to be aware of what we are doing and remember that we are a representation of Christ to others in our lives.

Read for the What's In a Name Challenge and the Christian Non-Fiction Challenge.

*I owned this book.

2011 Chick Lit Challenge Book Reviews

2011-01-11T18:25:00.001-05:00

Please use this post to comment with links to your reviews for the 2011 Chick Lit Challenge

A Heartbeat Away by Michael Palmer

2011-01-07T18:00:00.001-05:00

A Heartbeat Away by Michael Palmer

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Four words, people:
I
Love
This
Book!

Buckle your seatbelts for another fast-paced medical thriller by Michael Palmer. This book showed me again why he is one of my favorite authors. A terrorist group has made some attacks and the White House is on high alert for the State of the Union address shortly after the President has been re-elected. During the address, a virus is released in the chamber, causing the President to seal off the room and call for extreme measures to keep a pandemic from spreading. He turns to a man he has put into prison for help in finding a cure before it's too late.
I read this book in just a few days - well-written, suspenseful, this was another great page-turner! Highly recommended for mystery and suspense lovers!

*This book was sent to me for free by the author to review. It is being released on Feb. 15.

Blog Tour: Dear Sparkle by Sparkle the Cat

2011-01-05T07:49:00.003-05:00

I loved this book!

Dear Sparkle is written for cats by a cat. When cats have issues they need help addressing, or they just can't figure out their humans' behavior, where can they turn? Advice columnists are human and can't truly understand a cat's needs. But Sparkle the Cat is a renowned advice columnist who is able to relate to the cat's perspective because she is a cat. The book is filled with various letters written to Sparkle and the answers to those questions and concerns. Filled with pictures and snippets of advice, the book is timely and wonderful advice for a variety of cat concerns and needs.

My favorite quote: "Sparkle Says: The fact that dogs are so trainable does not make them smarter than us cats. Since when has being easily manipulated become a sign of intelligence?"

As an avid cat-lover and a cat-mom to 2 adorable felines, this book was right up my alley. It was so right-on regarding cat behavior and mannerisms. Loved it! Quite a fun read.

To find out more about the book or about Sparkle the Cat - you can visit her website at Sparkle the Designer Cat.

*I received this book from the author for review and this blog tour.

What Good Is God? by Philip Yancey

2011-01-02T20:06:00.000-05:00

What Good Is God?: In Search of a Faith That Matters by Philip Yancey

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Yancey tells the story of several different encounters/meetings that he has in situations where life seems to be bleak and hopeless. Yet even in these dire circumstance, hope still shines through - a beacon of light that God is still good in spite of the horror in the world we live in. Examples are of the forgiveness and reconciliation taking place in South Africa, the church rising up to offer help after the Virginia Tech shootings, Alcoholics Anonymous providing the community and support needed for those addicted and at the bottom of their ropes.

It amazes me to hear of the horrors and troubles that others around the world face - we in America have not had to deal with nearly the difficulties and crises that others in the world do. Yet we complain when we are caught in traffic or have to deal with a rude customer. Others face loss of their livelihood, their homes, their families or even their lives. We need to wake up to the realities of the world and see what we as believers can do to offer hope to those experiencing these troubles. The example of Christians in other parts of the world is humbling.

*I received this book for free from LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program.

Goals/Resolutions for 2011

2010-12-30T17:21:00.001-05:00

Not all of these are book/reading related, but I thought it would be easier to have them all in one place. Some of these are carry-overs from this year that I didn't complete, though I did make progress.

(Carried over from 2010) - Finish reading The Message (progress made - up to Romans) - COMPLETED June
(Carried over from 2010) - Memorize 2 Corinthians 4 (progress made - memorized through verse 9, though may need to refresh on those verses)
Re-read at least 3 of my re-read books
Read Meet the Bible by Philip Yancey (expect this to go into 2012)
Lose 10 pounds
Walk at least 2x a week
Floss at least 3x a week
Read 100 books
Donate blood - Attempted but was denied
Try contacts - COMPLETED JANUARY
Read Ephesians in at least 3 different translations (part of Operation Deepen Faith)
Go to a Chris Tomlin concert - COMPLETED MARCH
Complete at least 2 of my Bible studies that I own

Do you have any goals or resolutions for 2011?

My Reading List for 2011

2010-12-27T20:45:00.020-05:00

With the reading challenges I'm hoping to do for 2011, here is the list of books I'll need to read:

~~The 10 Dumbest Things Christians Do by Mark Atteberry~~

~~Fool’s Gold by John MacArthur~~

~~The Sister Wife by Diane Noble~~

If Mama Goes South, We’re All Going with Her by Lindsey O’Connor

Small Changes, Big Results by Jerry Foster

Say Goodbye to Stubborn Sin by Clark Gerhart

~~The Personifid Project by R.E. Bartlett~~

The End by Stephen Kaltenbach

~~Titan by Ben Bova~~

The Idecis by Robin Hardy

~~Blackout by Jason Elam~~

The Bride Collector by Ted Dekker

~~The White Plague by Frank Herbert~~

~~The Enclave by Karen Hancock~~

~~Delayed Diagnosis by Gwen Hunter~~

Code Blue by Nancy Fisher

Formula for Danger by Camy Tang

~~Hardball by Sara Paretsky~~

Shaiton's Fire by Jake Thoene

~~Under the Cajun Moon by Mindy Starns Clark~~

~~Vanish by Tom Pawlik~~

~~Menu for Romance by Kay Dacus~~

Seaside Letters by Denise Hunter

Searching for Spice by Megan Dimaria - gave up on; DNF

Mommy Tracked by Whitney Gaskell

The Secret Life of Becky Miller by Sharon Hinck - gave up on; DNF

~~Spring Broke by Melody Carlson~~

~~The Book of Jane by Ann Dayton~~

Nowhere, Carolina by Tamara Leigh

~~Pathway to Purpose for Women by Katie Brazelton~~

~~Christless Christianity by Michael Horton~~

~~The Christian Atheist by Craig Groeschel~~

The Rest of God by Mark Buchanan

The Fruitful Life by Jerry Bridges

~~What’s Right with the Church by Elmer Towns~~

God Is Closer than You Think by John Ortberg

~~Why You Do the Things You Do by Tim Clinton~~

Matched by Ally Condie

2010-12-26T19:53:00.002-05:00

Matched by Ally Condie

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Very interesting premise of a society where everything is decided for you including who you are matched with for best possible outcomes of a happy life and creating a healthy gene pool. The scary thing is seeing how this could be our future.

Well-written, beautiful prose, flowed like poetry - excellent book. Discovering emotions and what happens when you want something that is not yours to have. Dealing with not having choices to make, when your whole life is decided for you. Kinda hoping for a sequel.

Got this book through the local library.

2011 TBR Challenge

2010-12-23T20:34:00.013-05:00

For more info about this challenge, go here .

My list:

Searching for Spice by Megan Dimaria - gave up on; DNF

~~The Personifid Project by Bartlett~~

~~Titan by Ben Bova~~

If Mama Goes South, We’re All Going with Her by Lindsey O’Connor

~~Pathway to Purpose for Women by Katie Brazelton~~

~~Under the Cajun Moon by Mindy Starns Clark~~

~~Christless Christianity by Michael Horton~~

~~The Christian Atheist by Craig Groeschel~~

The Rest of God by Mark Buchanan

The Fruitful Life by Jerry Bridges

~~What’s Right with the Church by Elmer Towns~~

God Is Closer than You Think by John Ortberg

Alternates:

Outriders by Kathryn Mackel

Inside Out by Larry Crabb

Being Christian by Stephen Arterburn

Naked Fruit by Elisa Morgan

The Road to Mars by Eric Idle

~~The Book of Jane by Ann Dayton~~

Shaiton’s Fire by Jake Thoene

Loving People by John Townsend

Happiness Is a Lifestyle by Frank Minirth

2011 Christian NonFiction - my potential list

2010-12-20T07:31:00.006-05:00

In listing out the books that I have for the various 2011 challenges that I want to participate in, my reading list for 2011 already has 39 books on it (including the books for this challenge). As someone who likes to read more spontaneously, that's a lot of books to already have on a list. But in spite of my desire for spontaneity in reading, I also love to make lists and the books on these challenges' lists are all books on my TBR master list, so they are books I want to read at some point.

Here is the potential list for the Christian Non-Fiction challenge:

~~Pathway to Purpose for Women~~ ~~by Katie Brazelton~~

If Mama Goes South, We're All Going with Her by Lindsey O'Connor

~~Christless Christianity~~ ~~by Michael Horton~~

~~The Christian Atheist~~ ~~by Craig Groeschel~~

The Rest of God by Mark Buchanan

The Fruitful Life by Jerry Bridges

~~What's Right with the Church~~ ~~by Elmer Towns~~

God Is Closer than You Think by John Ortberg

Why You Do the Things You Do by Tim Clinton

~~The 10 Dumbest Things Christians Do~~ ~~by Mark Atteberry~~

The Influenza Bomb by Paul McCusker & Walt Larimore

2010-12-17T21:16:00.001-05:00

The Influenza Bomb: A Novel by Paul McCusker

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another great suspense novel, the 2nd in the Time Scene Investigators series. When a violent flu starts spreading in Siberia, the team discovers it is a much worse version of the 1918 Spanish flu. They begin to suspect that the flu was started deliberately by a radical terrorist group. The story unfolds with flashbacks to earlier dates and a plot by the Nazis during World War II to start a pandemic of the flu.

This was another great read! Looking forward to the next one!

I got this book through the Booksfree service.

Saturn by Ben Bova

2010-12-15T22:33:00.000-05:00

Saturn: A Novel of the Ringed Planet by Ben Bova

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Pretty good - took me a long time to read it because I kept setting it aside for other books. I don't read as much sci-fi as I used to. While this was a sci-fi book, it also turned suspenseful as it got towards the end. Interesting concept on the planet of Saturn and its rings.

2011 Chick Lit Challenge - my potential list

2010-12-11T17:22:00.008-05:00

Subject to change but here's my potential list of chick lit books for this next year's challenge:

4. ~~Menu for Romance by Kay Dacus~~ - Completed June

Seaside Letters by Denise Hunter

Searching for Spice by Megan Dimaria - gave up on; DNF

Mommy Tracked by Whitney Gaskell

The Secret Life of Becky Miller by Sharon Hinck - gave up on, DNF

3. ~~Spring Broke by Melody Carlson~~ - Completed April

5. ~~The Book of Jane by Ann Dayton~~ - Completed June

Nowhere, Carolina by Tamara Leigh

1. ~~Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella~~ - Completed Jan.

2. ~~The Bright Side of Disaster by Katherine Center~~ - Completed April
6. ~~Three Weddings and a Bar Mitzvah by Melody Carlson~~ - Completed July

2011 Christian NonFiction Challenge - Sign Up Post

2010-12-08T07:53:00.002-05:00

This challenge runs from January 1 to December 31, 2011. The challenge is to read at least 10 Christian non-fiction books. I am challenging myself to 12 - 1 for each month. You can make your list ahead of time or list them as you go along. Books can be used for multiple challenges. To join, leave a comment on this post.

2011 Chick Lit Challenge - sign up post

2010-12-07T07:55:00.000-05:00

Read at least 8 books of the chick lit variety. What qualifies for chick lit? Books like Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic series, Red Ink Press books, authors like Jane Green or Whitney Lyles, etc. These are the mostly fluff, fun-to-read, brain candy type of books. This challenge runs from January 1 thru December 31, 2011. You can make your list ahead of time of the books you want to read or just list them as you go along. To sign up, leave a comment on this post.

The Woman Next Door by Barbara Delinsky

2010-12-06T07:50:00.000-05:00

The Woman Next Door by Barbara Delinsky

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was my first book by Barbara Delinsky and it will not be my last. I found the writing easy to read and the characters believable and real. The subject matter dealt with difficult issues, such as infertility, adultery, friendships and teen struggles. I'm not sure what genre this is considered, perhaps women's fiction. I have several more books by Delinsky on my tbr list.

*I got this book from my local library

2011 Mystery & Suspense Reading Challenge/Medical Mystery Madness List

2010-12-05T15:10:00.012-05:00

Since I typically read a lot of mysteries/suspense anyway, the Mystery & Suspense Reading Challenge seemed a logical challenge for me to join. Sign-ups can be found here - http://www.bookchickcity.com/2010/11/sign-up-mystery-suspense-reading.html. All of my medical thrillers I'll be reading for the Medical Mystery Madness will also count for this challenge.

My potential list*:

~~Blackout by Jason Elam~~ - finished June (#6)

The Bride Collector by Ted Dekker

~~The White Plague by Frank Herbert~~ (also MMM) - finished June (#7)

~~The Enclave by Karen Hancock~~ (also MMM) - finished August (#12)

~~Delayed Diagnosis by Gwen Hunter~~ (also MMM) - finished Feb. (#2)

The End by Stephen Kaltenbach

Code Blue by Nancy Fisher (also MMM)

Formula for Danger by Camy Tang

~~Hardball by Sara Paretsky~~ - finished May (#5)

Shaiton's Fire by Jake Thoene

~~Under the Cajun Moon by Mindy Starns Clark~~ - finished April (#3)

~~Vanish by Tom Pawlik~~ - finished July (#8)

*Subject to change

1. ~~A Heartbeat Away by Michael Palmer~~ (also MMM) - completed Jan.

4. ~~Recursion by James Cavell~~ (also MMM) - completed April
9. ~~Black Widow and the Sandman by L.L. Reaper~~ - completed July
10. ~~White Sleeper by David Fett & Stephen Langford~~ (also MMM) - completed July
11. ~~Body Work by Sara Paretsky~~ - completed July

COMPLETED AUGUST 2011

2011 Medical Mystery Madness - Sign Up Post

2010-12-04T10:07:00.000-05:00

The goal of this challenge is to read medical mysteries/suspense/thrillers - starting January 1 thru December 31, 2011.

There will be 2 levels this time.
Level 1 - "Dip your foot into medical thrillers" - read 4-6 medical mysteries/suspense/thrillers

Level 2 - "Old hat, I read this all the time" - read 8-10 medical mysteries/suspense/thrillers

You can make a list ahead of time of the books you plan to read or list the books as you go along. Books can be used for other challenges as well. If you want to participate, please comment on this post.

Friends of Library Sale

2010-12-03T07:55:00.003-05:00

So I'm quite enamored with the library in my new town. One of the things I discovered is that they have used books for sale in the Friends Book Cellar, open on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday during the winter. I stopped off after work and came away with 14 books for $8!

Here's what I got:

Plutonium Murders by Robert Davis

Mommy by Mistake by Rowan Coleman

Veiled Threats by Deborah Donnelly

The Other Twin by Katherine Stone

Above All Things by Deborah Raney

Blessings by Anna Quindlen

Mother of the Bride by Lynn Michaels

Lethal Dose by Jeff Buick

Mom Over Miami by Annie Jones

A Time to Mend by Sally John & Gary Smalley

A Bride Most Begrudging by Deeanne Gist

The Accidental Bride by Janice Harayda

Not a Sparrow Falls by Linda Nichols

Code Blue by Nancy Fisher

Life As We Knew It by Susan Pfeffer

2010-12-02T19:27:00.001-05:00

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The world is coming to an end type of book. Written from the perspective of a 16-year-old girl who is journaling her experiences. An asteroid hits the moon and knocks it closer to earth. This causes a lot of catastrophe as it affects the tides, which end up flooding a lot of areas. As the days go on, more and more things are affected by the moon's proximity to Earth and life becomes increasingly more difficult.

I wasn't sure how the author was going to end this one and was a bit concerned that it was going to end as a big downer. But the ending turned out to be pretty good after all, so it wasn't a depressing read, though sad at times. I ended up staying up late to finish it - great book!