A Bounty of Books

Crash the Chatterbox: Hearing God's Voice Above All Others by Steve Furtick is a fantastic look at strategies Christians can use to drown out the voice of the enemy and listen solely to God, the Voice of Truth. Using scripture and many personal examples, Furtick explores four main areas Christians most face the incessant nagging of the enemy: insecurity, fear, condemnation, and discouragement.

I found many gems scattered throughout Crash the Chatterbox. It may be that I appreciated it more at this point in my life than I would have in others, because the topic is something I've been actively dealing with over the last year. However, there are plenty of helpful truths and strategies for anyone in this book, because we all face one of the big four in various areas of our lives. Furtick's writing is extremely accessible and relatable, as he is quite honest about his own struggles and victories in this arena. This is one of the best books I've read on the topic of controlling the thoughts we allow to influence our life. The truths are simple, yet profoundly life changing if applied.

Furtick includes a section by section discussion guide at the end that the reader can use to dig deeper into the subject in his/her own life, or that can be used in a group setting. The overall appearance of the book is aesthetically pleasing. Also, it is broken into very manageable sections which helps if one only has a few minutes at a time to read. The key thought of each chapter is displayed at the end in a giant, eye grabbing chat bubble. I'd recommend this book to every Christian, and even non-Christians who are interested in seeing the difference the power of Christ in one's life can make.

I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishers as part of their Blogging for Books 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 Searchers by Joseph Loconte is an examination of faith and doubt using the story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus as the unifying thread of the book. Using examples from history, film, and his own life, Loconte discusses the role of doubt in faith and how the truth and power of the resurrection is the defining event of Christian faith, both then and now.

The Searchers is a good read with some well made points, but I am disappointed with it for two reasons. One is that I feel the description provided on the back cover is slightly misleading. I expected this to be more about the story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus - more of an in-depth historical examination of that time, place, and circumstances. Instead, the story of the road to Emmaus serves more as a common thread that ties each chapter together, in a sometimes tenuous way.

The other disappointing aspect is that the book was somewhat redundant. The first half of each chapter was good and had good information, but the last half dragged and repeated itself. Overall, I don't know that I would recommend The Searchers, but neither would I advise someone not to read it. Perhaps having a better understanding of what it is actually about would improve the reading experience.

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

Empty Promises: The Truth About You, Your Desires, and the Lies You're Believing by Pete Wilson is an exceptional look at the idols that often fill Christian's lives. Wilson defines idols as "look[ing] to something that does not have God’s power to give me what only God has the power and authority to give" (page 5). He establishes the importance of examining these idols by pointing out that, "Idolatry isn’t simply a sin. It’s what is fundamentally wrong with the human heart”(page 9).