A Bounty of Books

Miraculous Movements by Jerry Trousdale is a collection of stores about Muslims around the world giving their lives to Jesus. Trousdale is the Director of International Ministries for CityTeam International. It is through this position that he has access to amazing stories of entire mosques and sometimes entire communities surrendering their lives to Christ. Using a simple model of discipleship based on Jesus and taken straight from the Bible, the events Trousdale's teams have witnessed everywhere from the African bush to cities in some of the most hostile countries truly are miraculous.

The format of the book is very appealing. Trousdale mixes first hand accounts of Muslims who have given their lives to Christ with the simple principles and strategies behind how his teams operate. Almost every principle has a story that goes along with it. While the principles and strategies are important, it is the stories that grabbed my attention and blew me away. The things that Christ does when we get out of the way are often beyond description. I appreciate that Trousdale does not lessen the power of each story with a lot of commentary; each story has power and impact on its own, and he lets them stand that way.

This book was interesting and and one of the most encouraging I've read in a long time, and I have no specific interest in foreign missions. Anyone who is interested in hearing about Christ moving among thousands of people will find Miraculous Movements an enjoyable read, as will anyone interested in living as Jesus did. Its in the simplicity of His life that change occurred; we don't need complicated programs and events to show Christ to people. The main thing I took away from this book is that the best discipleship happens as we go, and community is a key aspect of that. My favorite quote comes from page 183 and says, "Many of us are not conditioned to trust that the Word and the Spirit are really 'enough' without trained professional Christians in every new community of faith. Trust that God's Word and the Holy Spirit are enough for people seeking to know and obey God." Like a lot of this book, this statement was both convicting and encouraging. I would recommend Miraculous Movements by Jerry Trousdale to any follower of Christ.

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

Previously released as Choosing to Cheat, Andy Stanley's When Work & Family Collide: Keeping Your Job from Cheating Your Family is a great little resource for every person to keep handy. Stanley clearly lays out the problems of balancing work and family, establishes clear principles that should determine how one handles these struggles, and offers clear steps to help one give one's best where it belongs - to one's family.

Stanley's books are like his sermons - clear, concise, and engaging. When Work & Family Collide is no exception. One of the great things about this particular book is that it is a quick and easy read; this aspect should be particularly appealing to those who already feel overwhelmed, and are seeking guidance about balancing responsibilities in one's life. Stanley's examples from his own life as well as those he has counseled, helped me connect with the principles he lays out. While Stanley never compromises on the importance of the principles presented, neither does he pretend that taking the steps to implement them in one's life are simple. His acknowledgment of the struggles gives him credibility; the fact that he has personally gone through them as well as watched many others in his life do so gives the reader hope and encouragement that he/she can do the same.

Overall, it is worth the time of anyone who struggles to any degree with balancing one's work and family responsibilities to read When Work & Family Collide. Andy Stanley is one of the most effective communicators in the church today, in part because his own obedience in the areas he addresses allows him to connect with people in what seems like a personal way. Though not always easy to follow or implement, his advice is biblical, clear, and simple.

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

Magic has always been somewhat fascinating to me. As a child I went through a phase where I was going to be a magician. I got a little magic kit, a marked deck of cards, and a book that was going to explain it all. Reality quickly set in, and I realized that, like many things, I was more interested in the results than in the hard work it took to get them. It was the wonder of the illusion I was seeking, not the arduous process of creating said illusion. Thankfully, reading Illusion by Frank Peretti was not an arduous task, but a delightful one. The bonus was that it was full of moments that caused wonder, just as watching a magician at work does.

Illusion is about magician couple Dane and Mandy Collins. Mandy is killed in a terrible car accident, leaving Dane to face retirement without her. He moves to the ranch they planned to buy and discovers something startling in his new little town - there is a 19 year old new magician who looks just like Mandy did forty years ago. At the same time, Mandy finds her 19 year old self transported from 1970 to 2010; not only that, but she can move herself and other objects through time and space. Illusion tells the story of Dane and Mandy as they both try to find their places in new worlds, how they're lives intersect, and what is behind all the chaos.

As usual, Peretti has written a novel that pulls the reader into a grand adventure. In every Peretti novel, there is just enough of everyday life to make you think you have some kind of handle on the situation, while at the same time having just enough super natural to ensure you really don't. The use of change of perspective, sometimes quite rapidly, adds to the suspense, especially as the story unfolds and picks up speed. I found myself having to purposely slow down and actually read what was on each page; I wanted to find out what happened next so badly I found myself rushing and missing the richness of the narrative.

Overall, Illusion is an engaging journey whether one is interested in magic or not. Peretti never fails to weave a tale full of adventure, danger, mystery, hope, and reconciliation. It is nice to have Peretti back doing what he does best – telling a story that entertains, informs, and encourages.

I received this book free from Handlebar Marketing. 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

I have some exciting news for you, my few, yet faithful readers.

I am pleased to offer my very first book giveaway! The kind folks who handle publicity for Frank Peretti sent me not one, but two copies of his newest book, The Illusion. One was for me to read and review, and one was to give away to one of you.


It's been years since Peretti has released anything new, and trust me, it was worth the wait. I just finished it, and you can read my review here in the next day or so.

Until then, leave a comment about your favorite Frank Peretti book. I will pick one lucky reader to receive a copy.

Happy Reading!

Drinking a fine, aged wine. Hearing one of Chopin's sonatas played by a world class pianist. Seeing the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in person. Smelling your favorite home cooked meal cooking on mom's stove after a long time away. These experiences can leave us with a sense of well-being, satisfaction, accomplishment, and sometimes as if we've experienced a small slice of something not quite of this world. Reading Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas left me with this kind of feeling.

Putting aside the content for a minute, Metaxas' use of the English language in this book is masterful. As someone who enjoys words and the power of language, I was consistently impressed, inspired, and honestly sometimes in awe of the elegance and power of Metaxas' prose. For example, while giving background information on Germany and the German church that shaped Bonhoeffer, Metaxas writes:

"Luther's influence cannot be overestimated. His translation of the Bible into German was cataclysmic. Like a medieval Paul Bunyan, Luther in a single blow shattered the edifice of European Catholicism and in the bargain created the modern German language, which in turn effectively created the German people. Christendom was cleft in twain, and out of the earth beside it sprang the Deutsche Volk" (p. 20).

Writing like this inspires me. It is a pleasure to read something of significance in both subject and style.

From a biographical standpoint, Bonhoeffer is on par with greats such as John Adams by David McCullough or The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom. Everyone is shaped by his/her environment to varying degrees, therefore any good biography will include information not just about the subject, but about the people and events that helped shape him/her as well. There is a fine line between giving too much information and too little; it is also sometimes difficult to filter through the vast amounts of information and present only those people/events of importance. Metaxas walks this line perfectly throughout most of Bonhoeffer. The early family history is a little heavy, but every other area is given just enough attention to better appreciate Bonhoeffer's life.

Bonhoeffer was shaped by his family and world events more than the average person; without being raised in such an extraordinary family and intellectually rich and diverse environment, Bonhoeffer would never have been able to walk the tight rope he walked so effectively in many areas. His incredibly nuanced thinking allowed him to maintain positions many found untenable. This was not due to clever mental gymnastics in order to justify whatever it was he wanted; instead, it was an ability to understand and consider ever conceivable side of an issue in such an effective way that his reasoning was always intellectually sound. In truth, though he was quite capable of such mental exercises, his view of the life and duty of a Christian would never allow him to go such a route. In a letter to a brother-in-law he once wrote,

"If it is I who determine where God is to be found, then I shall always find a God who corresponds to me in some way, who is obliging, who is connected with my own nature. But if God determines where he is to be found, then it will be in a place which is not immediately pleasing to my nature and which is not at all congenial to me. This place is the Cross of Christ. And whoever would find him must go to the foot of the Cross, as the Sermon on the Mount commands" (p. 137).

Metaxas helps the reader understand how such nuanced, yet at the same time disciplined, thinking was possible for Bonhoeffer, with his thorough description of the environment that shaped Bonhoeffer growing up. The description of his environment, and the environment itself, is so rich that after reading the first few chapters, the reader almost feels as though he/she has visited the house in Berlin's Grunewald district that was always full of music, people, culture, and intellectually stimulating discussion.

There is enough written in Bonhoeffer about the German people, their history, and psyche that those who are interested in Germany or the German people as a whole from WWI to WWII will also find Bonhoeffer an enjoyable read. History goes to the victor; because of this, many Americans have at least a slightly negative view of all Germans from this era, as if they all knew of and supported everything Hitler was doing. The truth is, many Germans were opposed to and actively fought against Hitler from the beginning; many millions more joined as the atrocities grew and the truth became known. Even the majority of the regular German soldiers fought in support of, and out of loyalty to, the German fatherland, not Adolf Hitler and the Nazis. The Nazi party and the German people are not indistinguishable, and Metaxas makes this very clear in Bonhoeffer.

Bonhoeffer will also be of interest to those interested in Christian theology, specifically that of the 20th century. Almost on accident, Bonhoeffer became of the most influential Christian theologians of the 20th century. His writings, some of which were published after his death, are considered classics in the theological cannon, especially Discipleship and Life Together. Life Together, Bonhoeffer's thoughts on Christian community, continues to be one of the definitive works on the subject.

Metaxas shows that one reason Bonhoeffer's theological thought is so influential, is because it was grounded in the practice of daily life. Though Bonhoeffer was brilliant and seemed almost destined to a life of academia, he purposely chose to become a pastor instead. Not only did Bonhoeffer view living in Christian community as an integral part of Christian life, but as Metaxas says,

"He had theologically redefined the Christian life as something active, not reactive. It had nothing to do with avoiding sin or with merely talking or teaching or believing theological notions or principles or rules or tenets. It had everything to do with living one's whole life in obedience to God's call through action" (p. 446).

All of this action was based on a very conservative theological outlook. In a letter to one of his brothers-in-law, Bonhoeffer wrote,

"I believe that the Bible alone is the answer to all our questions, and that we need only to ask repeatedly and a little humbly, in order to receive this answer. One cannot simply read the bible, like other books. One must be prepared really to enquire of it. Only thus will it reveal itself " (p. 136).

Of learning to read the Bible this way, he goes on to say, "I know that without this I could not live properly any longer" (p. 137).

This devotion to and grounding in God's Word is one of the things that made him a committed pastor even to the very end of his life. Hugh Falconer, a fellow prisoner of war during the last few months of Bonhoeffer's life, wrote a letter to one of Bonhoeffer's brothers-in-law in October 1945 and stated that, "[Bonhoeffer] was very happy during the whole time I knew him, and did a great deal to keep some of the weaker brethren from depression and anxiety." Bonhoeffer never missed an opportunity to encourage those around him. He was a true shepherd to whatever flock he happened to have around him at the time. His friendship was devoted, sincere, and life long. He wrote thousands of letters to friends and family throughout his life, most of which included something encouraging and often spiritually uplifting.

Much has been made of Bonhoeffer's death and the fact he was hanged for his part in the plot to assassinate Hitler mere days before his final location was liberated by Allied troops. Bonhoeffer himself was not disturbed by the thought of death. For him, death was the beginning of life. His view on the death of a Christian was made known in a letter he wrote to several of his former seminary students, early in the war. After mentioning the death of one of their fellow students on the front lines, Bonhoeffer wrote,

"Only in the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ has death been drawn into God's power, and it must now serve God's own aims. It is not some fatalistic surrender but rather a living faith in Jesus Christ, who died and rose for us, that is able to cope profoundly with death" (p. 384).

It was this confidence in the face of death that bolstered him as his participated in activities that he knew could lead to his death at any moment.

Overall, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy is easily in my top five books ever read. It holds appeal for those interested in biography, history, theology, WWII, or anyone who simply enjoys a great read. At times, Bonhoeffer was hard to read because of the weight of both the content and how it was presented. Bonhoeffer was a brilliant man with a multi-faceted personality and nuanced thought life. His contributions to his world and his effort to better the world that came after him are substantial; reading his words and about his life should be done with a measure of seriousness and respect. Bonhoeffer is not a book to be skimmed and quickly put away, but instead one that deserves a careful reading and thoughtful response. Not only Bonhoeffer's life, but the treatment Eric Metaxas gives it has earned at least that much.