A Bounty of Books

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?

Friend of Sinners: Why Jesus Cares More About Relationship Than Perfection by Rich Wilkerson, Jr. uses the Bible to highlight the fact that while on earth Jesus was more interested in relationships with people than rules and regulations. He is the same today as He was then.

How the Nations Rage: Rethinking Faith and Politics in A Divided Age by Jonathan Leeman examines how Christians should engage in the public square in today's extremely divisive political culture.

Leeman uses various groups in today's society such as the local church, Bible, and government to talk about how Christians should handle politics in America. Each chapter focuses on one of those aspects and defines both what that particular group or thing is and is not responsible for. The church has a different God ordained function than the government does. In the same way, a pastor has a specific focus when it comes to leading his/her church than he/she does in his/her personal life. There are things that all Christians should fight for or against and others that we should be willing to peacefully disagree with other believers about.

How the Nations Rage is helpful in that doesn't tell the reader exactly how to think about any particular political issue. Instead, it provides a framework of realms of responsibility both corporately and individually that serves as a helpful guide. Anyone interested in how Christians can thoughtfully engage in American politics today would benefit from this 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 255R

All Together Different: Upholding the Church's Unity While Honoring Our Individual Identities by J. Brian Tucker and John Koessler is a treatise on how numerous people with sometimes conflicting identities can come together as one body in the local church. This book identifies and examines personal and group identities using spiritual, social, and psychological parameters.

This book is somewhat of a tough read. There is a lot of good information, but it is densely packed which prevents an easy sort of flow from developing. It probably would be easier to read in chunks rather than several chapters all together. However, once one knows this, there is a lot of helpful information in here for church leaders in various contexts.

The main point of this book is that the overarching and most important identity of an individual in a church is that of a follower of Christ. All other identities are important and some must be addressed, but only that of a follower of Christ should be considered ultimate. This is how so many differing identities can become one - by uniting in that of a Christian.

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

Jesus Calling Adult Coloring Book: Creative Coloring & Hand Lettering by Sarah Young is a beautiful collection of coloring pages centered around scriptures and quotes from Sarah Young's popular devotional, Jesus Calling.

Most of the designs include pictures of nature. Insects, plants, and birds are the most common elements. There is an even balance between the number of pages centered around Bible verses and those centered around quotes from Jesus Calling.

Scattered throughout the book are hand lettering pages that have quotes on which one can practice doing different kinds of lettering. There is also a practice page in the very back with the entire alphabet of one particular design of letters. It would be easy to make copies of this in order to practice until one felt comfortable enough to design quotes on one's own.

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

A Contrarian's Guide to Knowing God: Spirituality for the Rest of Us by Larry Osborne is the book every American Christian should read though few would think to look for. Osborne goes against conventional wisdom with this book that helps those who may feel they don't fit in the American church find a home.

Most Christian living books advocate for some kind of program to follow, or steps to take to strengthen one's faith. Osborne takes the opposite approach. He points out that since people are so different in wiring, strengths, and likes, it would be silly for God to expect everyone to relate to Him in the exact same way. A Contrarian's Guide to Knowing God gives the reader permission to pursue God in ways that are most effective for the individual.

This book was previously published under the title Spirituality for the Rest of Us. This is an updated version with a few new chapters. It is easy to read and accessible for any reader. A Contrarian's Guide to Knowing God is full of practical advice that should benefit anyone who chooses to engage the content.

Blogging for Books provided this book to me for free in exchange for an honest review. 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

Wounds Are Where Light Enters: Stories of God's Intrusive Grace by Walter Wangerin Jr. is a collection of short stories that illustrate the various facets of grace and how it is expressed in human beings. From the mundane to the extraordinary, the youngest child to the oldest man, the miracle of birth and the sorrow of death and everything in between, when one is looking, one can see grace anywhere.

A Force So Swift: Mao, Truman, and the Birth of Modern China, 1949 by Kevin Peraino is an in-depth look at how American foreign policy in 1949 allowed Mao and the communists to defeat Chiang Kai Shek and the nationalists in the Chinese civil war that followed the end of WWII. Using many first person interviews and recently declassified American government documents, Peraino takes a look at both the personalities and the policies that shaped the world during this time.

It is astonishing how small the world was after WWII and how one nation's support or lack thereof can shape the destiny of another nation. The steep toll paid by China during WWII created a kind of vacuum that Mao was able to exploit. America's support for the nationalists, which had been strong during Truman's first term, was quickly withdrawn during his second under the direction of Secretary of State Dean Acheson. While there were many other factors that played into Mao's victory, this was a significant one. The subsequent policy of containing communism in the rest of Asia led to American involvement in two more significant conflicts.

Peraino does a good job of delving into these policies and the people behind them without getting bogged down in minutiae. A Force So Swift is easy to read and flows well. The balance between policy and personality is such that one doesn't get trapped in either. It is informative and somewhat entertaining.

Blogging for Books provided this book to me for free in exchange for an honest review. 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 Gospel for Muslims: An Encouragement to Share Christ with Confidence by Thabiti Anyabwile is a primer from an ex-Muslim on tips for effectively sharing the gospel with Muslims. The book is broken into two sections, one about the gospel and one called "As You Witness." Each of the eleven chapters are short and comprised mainly of practical tips, though there are some personal stories from Anyabwile.

While there are good practical tips, there is nothing new or super unique about this book, except for Anyabwile's personal experiences. The main components of sharing the gospel with anyone regardless of religious background, is knowing the truth and sharing it and depending on Holy Spirit to do the actual work in a person's heart. Almost all of the advice given in this book could be applied to sharing the gospel with anyone.

Overall, The Gospel for Muslims is a good resource, but not a great one. It is short and easy to read if one is pressed for time, or needs a quick boost of confidence.

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

Imperfect Justice by Cara Putman tells the story of what happens to the people left behind when those in the middle of domestic violence pay the ultimate price. The main characters are the victim's brother and the lawyer who was helping the victim get ready to flee.

Unbeknownst to me when I agreed to review it, Imperfect Justice is the second book in the Hidden Justice series. However, while I probably would have appreciated the characters more if I had read the first one, I wasn't confused or lost while reading Imperfect Justice, so it does work on its own.

Imperfect Justice has fast pacing and flows well. The characters are engaging and very relatable. Anybody who enjoys legal thrillers or just good contemporary fiction should enjoy this book. However, I would caution that Imperfect Justice does contain realistic depictions of domestic violence that may act as triggers for some.

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

Braving Sorrow Together: The Transformative Power of Faith and Community When Life is Hard by Ashleigh Slater is an introduction to the power of community during times of sorrow. Slater uses both personal anecdotes and stories from friends and acquaintances to discuss the various ways community can provide a lifeline during various kinds of suffering.

Slater discusses how faith, community, and specifically a faithful and consistent community of faith can be life giving during moments of suffering in big areas of life such as health, family, and work. She gives practical ideas of what was helpful to her during a particular season of suffering. If Slater or her family had not experienced a certain trial, she had a friend who has speak to that issue.

There is nothing new or earth shattering in Braving Sorrow Together. Everyone knows that having friends and family or some other kind of support makes the tough times easier to bear. However, there are some good practical suggestions for those looking for a place to start. Those who lead some kind of group or oversee groups for a church may find this book especially helpful.

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