A Bounty of Books

In the Land of Blue Burqas by Kate McCord (which is a protective pseudonym) is a description of McCord's five years spent living in and ministering to the women of Afghanistan. Mainly through sharing anecdotes of her time there, the author shares many simple yet profound truths she learned about Jesus, being a follower of Christ, Islam, and the Afghanistan culture.

The author's humble and teachable spirit struck me in the first few pages and is one of the most prominent aspects of this book. The cultural adaptations she made in order to fit into her community and not offend those she was working with are impressive, as were the lengths she went to in order to understand both the religious and cultural lenses through which the people of her community saw life. McCord's accounts of different conversations she had with both the men and women in her area of Afghanistan were informative on two levels. The most obvious is that it provides a small window of insight into both the cultural and religious aspects of a country with which America is heavily involved in, though most of us have little to no understanding of its history or its people.

The less obvious is how the things McCord did and they way she approached things allowed her to have open and honest conversations with her neighbors about important topics which had the potential to be divisive, yet were simply instructive.  Her account was an encouragement and challenge to me about how I interact with those around me, especially those with whom I may have very little in common. The hope of Jesus Christ transcends every barrier humanity has created; McCord is a great example of how His followers can help knock those barriers down in constructive and healing ways.

I recommend this book to anyone interested in Afghan culture, living in a different culture, or learning how to better connect with others.

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, Part 255

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!