A Bounty of Books

Defiant Joy: Taking Hold of Hope, Beauty, and Life in a Hurting World
by Stasi Eldredge is a call to fulfill the biblical command of living a life of joy. Using primarily personal anecdotes, Eldredge illustrates how Christians can, and should, live a life full of joy not just in spite of hardship and adversity, but in the face of it. Though her message applies to both men and women, Eldredge writes for a primarily female audience.

Anyone familiar with the primary message of Ransomed Heart ministries or John or Stasi Eldredge will find familiar material in this book. That is my primary problem with Defiant Joy. It has good content and a great message, but it feels a bit too familiar. Having read almost everything the Eldredges have written, I expected a familiar message, but I did not expect one that was the exact same, which is what I felt Defiant Joy was.

Putting aside the above complaint, Defiant Joy is a great resource for those who are either completely unfamiliar with the concept of living a joyful life in Christ, or those for whom that is a particular struggle. As in her other works, Eldredge invites the reader into parts of her own story, which helps to better communicate and cement her message.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookLook 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

Woke Church: An Urgent Call for Christians in America to Confront Racism and Injustice by Dr. Eric Mason serves as a clarion call to the American Church about race relations. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. noted over fifty years ago, the 11 o'clock hour is still the most segregated in the nation. Dr. Mason calls this out and in bold language describes both the pain and history of the truth behind this statement as well as ways to make progress in this area.

Woke Church is broken into four parts: Be Aware, Be Willing to Acknowledge, Be Accountable, and Be Active. Each part addresses a specific component of the problem of a lack of racial unity in the American church. While this is a short book, the length should not be mistaken for a lack of depth. Dr. Mason doesn't tiptoe around the issues. He boldly points them out and calls for action.

I found several convicting as well as hopeful statements in Woke Church. As someone who is aware of the problem, but not really sure what to do to address it, I found several helpful suggestions for both me personally and for my community. Woke Church should be required reading for everyone in ministry in America. It is an excellent primer on a subject that could define our generation of leaders.

I received this book free from Moody Publishers as part of their Moody Publishers Blogger Review 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, See Part 255

Indivisible: A Novelization by Travis Thrasher tells part of the story of the marriage of Darren and Heather Turner. Whereas many books are turned into movies, this is actually the opposite. This is a movie that has been turned into a book. Indivisible is based on the movie written by David G. Evans and starring a cast led by Sarah Drew and Justin Bruening.

Darren Turner felt called to ministry, specifically in the military. With his wife Heather on board, he enlisted in the army and was commissioned as a chaplain just as the surge in the war in Iraq was taking place. With very little time in the military under their belts, Darren was attached to an infantry unit and deployed for fifteen months. This was obviously a life changing experience for both Darren and Heather who was left at home alone caring for and homeschooling their three young children. Indivisible covers the period of time of Darren's deployment and his first few months home. The main conflict in this book is the strain his deployment puts on their marriage.

This was an easy and good read. It flows really well. The combination of narrative and passages of Darren's journal from his time in Iraq is very effective. I recommend this book to anyone interested in the effects of deployment on members of the armed forces and their families, how the Christian faith can affect marriage, or really anyone who enjoys a good story about the daily ins and outs of other people's lives.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookLook 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

The Forgotten Church: Why Rural Ministry Matters for Every Church in America by Glenn Daman discusses the importance of rural ministry to the American church as a whole. Daman states that rural churches are the forgotten churches of America and provides evidence as to why this needs to change, as well as ways this change can be made.

Daman has spent his entire life in a rural ministry setting, both growing up and as a minister himself. Rural ministry is obviously very close to his heart and important to him. He provides many examples and statistics about how rural churches in America are "forgotten" and not given the emphasis urban churches are. He provides a brief history of this rural church in America, myths about the rural church (as well as their corresponding truths), and how both rural areas in general and rural churches in particular can contribute to the American church and the overall social fabric of America.

There is some insightful information in The Forgotten Church, especially for those who many not be familiar with rural areas at all. Daman also makes some good points about how the rural church has been neglected and how that can change in the future. Overall however, this book is kind of hard to get through. It lacks flow to a certain degree, and about midway through the book, the information begins to feel redundant. By the end I felt as though I'd been hammered by the fact that rural ministry matters. Though there is some good information, I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone who isn't serious about rural ministry.

I received this book free from Moody Publishers as part of their Moody Publishers Blogger Review 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, See Part 255

Auschwitz Lullaby by Mario Escobar is a fictionalized version of the real life story of Helene Hannemann, a German mother who chose to go to a concentration camp, and ultimately death, with her Romani family.

When she was young, Helene, a young German woman, married a man of Romani heritage and had five children with him. Though she hoped to escape the notice of the Nazis, in 1943 they came to take her husband and children to Auschwitz because of their Romani heritage. Since she was purely German, she was allowed to stay free. However, she would not allow her husband and children to go without her, so she voluntarily went to Auschwitz with them.

Helene was able to receive slightly better treatment in the camp because of her background as a nurse as well as her German heritage. Dr. Josef Mengele asked her to run a daycare for the Romani children in the camp. Helene uses every ounce of courage and "favored" status she can to create a bit of light for the children in such a dark time. Despite this strange relationship with Dr. Mengele, in the end, her whole family is put to death not long before the Allies liberate the camp.

Escobar does an amazing job of telling the story of Helene Hannemann in a easy to related to fashion. Auschwitz Lullaby flows extremely well and is so compelling it is hard to put down. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the daily life of concentration camp prisoners, as well as anyone who enjoys stories of human courage and perseverance.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookLook 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

Formula of Deception by Carrie Stuart Parks introduces a new character into the world of forensic art. Taking a break from Gwen Marcey, Parks introduces readers to Murphy Anderson, an artist with a mysterious past and a need for cash. This leads to a few lies that land Anderson a job as a forensic artist. The first job leads to a second as things spiral out of control and bodies start piling up around her.

Throughout this book, the reader goes on two journeys with Anderson. The first is discovering what in Anderson's past is driving her current actions. The second is how the case she's involved in relates to a mystery in the area's past. As people start dying, both Anderson and the reader are unsure to which mystery the deaths are linked. Parks leaves that mystery until the very end, wrapping everything up in the last few chapters.

Overall, Formula of Deception is an enjoyable read. I wish there had been a been more detail given at the end when everything is wrapped up. The ending felt a bit rushed and not completely wrapped up. However, that doesn't take away from the excitement of the rest of the book.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookLook 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

One Blood: Parting Words to the Church on Race and Love by John M. Perkins contains the hard earned life long wisdom of a man who has spent his entire life working to repair and strengthen relationships between blacks and whites in America. The main institution through which he has worked is the church. If members of the church of Jesus Christ can't get along, how can we expect people outside to?