Ragamuffin Gospel

So many of my friends have read this book and reread this book. It has taken me till now to read it. It was well worth the wait. I have read many, many, many, Christian "self-help" books, and many i have questions and went "huh?" or "what did i just read?" or "seems i've heard all this before..." But this book was a challenge. It was hard to dig deep inside of myself and admit certain things to myself. But I did it. In order to have a better relationship with God, there are some things that I am going to have to understand that are difficult. But with God's grace and mercy, I can get through them, and this book helped me see that. No matter how broken and torn we are, God's grace and mercy is ALWAYS enough for us.

Cloak of the Light

I normally don't read books like this often. I don't read "sciency-y" or "supernatural" kind of stuff often. I seem to gravitate towards the "romance" novels or ancient egyptian-esque stuff. I know. call me weird. honestly, i was more drawn to the cover of the book than the title and the description, but i decided to give it a chance.  i was a little apprehensive at first, because, like i said, i normally don't read these kinds of things, but once it got into it, i actually enjoyed it. the story took a little bit for me to 'get' in to, but once it got going, the story started to take on a different dimension in a good way.

Veggie Tales: Pirates, Mess Detectives, and a Superhero

ARGH!!!!

So, if you are a kid, or a big kid like me, you might have heard of a crazy group of veggies that love to sing, dance, and tell amazing stories of life and the Bible.

This book is no exception to the rule. I LOVE Veggie tales. This is a Beginner's Reading #1 in the Zonderkidz I Can Read Series. There are 5 levels: My first, and 1-4. This book is a one.

The font is very big and easy to read for the newest of readers. The pictures are vibrant and add a great aid to the reading. The stories are fun and have the timeless Veggie Tale themes. It was great to see all the same smiling faces that I grew up on when Veggie Tales firs came out many ions ago!



 Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers  book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255  : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Daniel Plan

Without God’s power in your life, you are just running on your own energy. God never meant for you to do that. It’s like having a laptop that’s unplugged; the battery will eventually drain and shut down the computer. Why would you live like that when God created you for so much more?

This is an excerpt from the book "The Daniel Plan" by RickWarren, Daniel Amen, and Mark Hyman. I have read "The Purpose Driven Life" and "40 Days in the Word" by Rick, so I was looking forward to reading this.

For the most part, it's very similar to other healthy "plan" books. The exercises and diet regulations and advice are all very similar to so many other books out there. But it adds another element: God. God created us, God created food we eat. He did not create all the trash that most American's put in their bodies. So having this parallel with a lifestyle plan helps. I liked some the recipes that were in the book and I'm looking forward to trying it. The plan seems overall pretty easy to follow.

Andi Unexpected

This was a cute book. Very short read for me. I was able to read this in one night.

I know I'm an adult, and this is a children's novel, but sometimes, you just have to let the brain rest. And this was just what I needed.

Andi and her sister Bethany move in with their aunt. Andi (or Andora as we find out) is named after someone in her family. While living with her aunt, her new friend, Collin, and her spend time together cleaning out her aunt's attic to make room for Andi's new room up there. They end up going on an adventure after finding an old box. What's in it? Why is her name on it?

I would recommend this to anyone looking for a new book for their child to read. It's a wonderful little tale. One that I could even see being made into a movie.

Lovology

What does love really mean?

"Love is a noun and a verb."
"'Love' is a junk drawer we dump all sorts of ideas into, just because we don't have anywhere else to put them. Example, I 'love' God, I 'love' fish tacos. See the problem?"

John Mark Comer has a way to reach the human heart and mind. Some might find some of the things he says as crass (example would be when talking about the desire for porn he says "jacking off"), but honestly, he is using lingo that many people use in every day talk.

He helps us see what love is. From God coming to Earth as a human, to gay relationships. And everything else in between during a relationship about a man and his wife. They are your friend, partner, and lover.

I love when "Christian" authors aren't afraid to talk about sex and marriage and how they are so important and entwined. GOD MADE IT. It's NOT a taboo. After all, Song of Songs is a love poem dedicated to a man and a woman and their romance and desire for each other. I grew up in a home where sex was NOT talked about and was told how 'bad' it really is. I have a very open relationship with a man that has become my best friend and we have a long distance relationship. While we may not have the physical implication between us, we do have very intimate talks about sex. He is the only one that I have felt safe talking about things like that. I don't feel embarrassed. I think that is what God wants for us when we find our mate.

Also, I love how John Mark talks about singleness as being a gift. I remember for the longest time wanting to get married and have children. I still do, but at the same time, that intense waiting was the WORST! But, the waiting brought a very special man in my life as well a stronger relationship with God.

This book is for everyone: single, engaged, married, gay/straight. We are all in need of love. And this book reminds us what it is to love and be loved.

On the down note, the only thing that I had a hard time with was the pink pages with white writing. once my eyes adjusted to it, it was a shock to switch from the pink to a plain page! But over all, this was a very quick read and suggest it to everyone.

Burning Sky

Based during the 1700's, Willa Obenchain was a fourteen year old girl abducted by Mohawks and taken as a captive and was given the name Burning Sky. She married a warrior, has children. When her husband and children die, she decides to return to her family. But will they remember her?

Burning sky is a stunning story about heartache, struggle, and love. It is a story of real hurts and pains and you relate well with the characters. The visualization of the land and the people draw you in and create a story around you. There is beauty in knowing that from the ashes we can rise again.