A Bounty of Books

Sandcastle Kings: Meeting Jesus in a Spiritually Bankrupt World by Rich Wilkerson Jr. discusses the futility of building one's life on anything but Jesus Christ. Using four characters found in Luke 7, Wilkerson discusses the problems with building one's life on the things of this world such as relationships, money, power, fame, or even religion.

Before reading this book, I knew enough about Wilkerson to be interested, but not enough to know for sure if he and his message were something I could get behind. Sandcastle Kings removed any doubt that Wilkerson is a man whose faith is relatable while not compromising any element of the Gospel. This book is filled with scripture and everything points back to Christ. While not a deep theological treatise, Sandcastle Kings is full of solid theology applied in a way that is both encouraging for the long time believer, and easily accessible for those just checking things out.

I like this understated design of this book. It's easy to read and fits with the message that the point is Jesus, not anything else. I'd recommend Sandcastle Kings to anyone interested in the message of Christianity on any level. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to more from Wilkerson.

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

(Un)Qualified: How God Uses Broken People to Do Big Things by Steven Furtick is a book about exactly what it sounds like - how God uses the broken parts of His people to accomplish His goals. As God's people, we should embrace our broken parts, not because we aren't seeking wholeness, but because it's through the brokenness that God brings about wholeness.

Those who have read Crash the Chatterbox by Furtick (which I review here) will find familiar themes in (Un)Qualified. Using personal stories, as well as examples from people found in scripture, Furtick highlights the importance of what he calls "the third word." This is the word that we use to describe ourselves when we say "I am ___." I am brave. I am stupid. I am....whatever third word we use has the power to shape how we see ourselves and how we interact with the world. Furtick challenges his readers to examine their third words in light of what God's third words about them.

Those who struggle with seeing past their faults will benefit from this book, especially those who are believers. Accepting God's third words about us is vital to our identity as believers. Furtick's style is conversational and easy to read. (Un)Qualified is slightly redundant; however, for those in the midst of this particular struggle, I think repetition of the truth is key to victory, so in this case, redundancy isn't necessarily a bad thing.

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

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

When Lions Roar: The Churchills and the Kennedys by Thomas Maier is an examination of the relationship between two dynastic families of the twentieth century: the Churchills and the Kennedys. When two families as powerful as these two have as many connections and relationships as the Churchills and Kennedys did, it is bound to not just provide interesting fodder for gossip columns, but to be historically significant as well.

The relationship between the Churchills and the Kennedys spanned three generations, two continents, and one world war. While the families briefly met socially in the late 1930s, their relationship really started when Joseph P. Kennedy was appointed the U.S. ambassador to the Court of St. James. When Lions Roar gives some background information on the patriarch of each family, but the majority of the book centers on the official roles that brought these two families together, and how those roles and relationships affected the relationship of the U.S. and Britain. It chronicles both the public and private ups and downs of the relationships mainly among Joe Kennedy Sr., Winston Churchill, Randolph Churchill, and John F. Kennedy, though other family members and their interactions are also mentioned.

When Lions Roar is a fascinating read. It is very well written and though it is full of detail and quotes from both spoken and written texts, the pace never gets bogged down. Maier focuses on two main relationships throughout this book. The main focus of course is on the relationship between the two families. However, there is a secondary focus on the relationship within each family, particularly that of father and son. How the two fathers interacted with their children was quite different. Towards the end of the book, Maier briefly explores how these different types of interactions produced very different kinds of sons.

Anyone interested in either family will find When Lions Roar a satisfying read. So will those interested in the relationship between the U.S. and Britain, especially leading up to and during WWII.

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 Case for Hope: Looking Ahead With Confidence and Courage by Lee Strobel is an attempt to prove that true hope is real, if it is grounded in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Lee Strobel is known for tackling subjects thoroughly and with an eye for truth and clarity that only a former journalist could have. Those who have read any of Strobel's previous works will find familiar content in this latest addition to his body of work.

Because the hope Strobel discusses is based on the person and work of Christ, he does spend some time discussing proof for the veracity of Christ's claims, though in a very condensed fashion. He spends the rest of the book discussing the relationship between hope and doubt, as well as telling stories of how this hope has changed people's lives, including his own.

While I normally don't comment on the aesthetics of a book, I feel compelled to this time. The overall feel of the cushy hard cover, and the blue color scheme somehow adds to the overall feel of hope that reading this book gave me. It almost has a gift book feel to it. It's rare for me to feel that way, but in this case, it was something I noticed from the very beginning.

Anyone who is a fan of Strobel will enjoy this book. I'd also recommend The Case for Hope to anyone who is investigating Christ and the claims of Christianity. This is a good primer on the basic facts. Christians who may be struggling to have hope or remember the reason for it will also benefit from reading 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 255

Accidental Saints: Finding God In All the Wrong People by Nadia Bolz-Weber is a collection of stories of grace made evident through an unlikely group of people. Bolz-Weber is a Lutheran pastor who founded House for All Sinners and Saints in Denver, Colorado. Most of these stories come from her interactions with people in that community.

Bolz-Weber's style is honest and raw, sometimes uncomfortably so. There is no element of the "safety" of anonymity in these stories. She shares them with her and others' brokenness out for everyone to see. She is unapologetic about her past or her present. While her transparency and openness are very appealing and winsome, there is a flip side to that. Her liberal use of offensive language completely turned me off at first. It took a conscience mental effort to set that aside, see past it, and learn form the truth of grace each story presents. Some people won't find it a problem, but for others, its something to be aware of. In the end, I'm glad I was able to set it aside and see the truth, because I benefited from it. However, I know some will be unable to do that, and its something I wish I had known in advance. Because I was completely unfamiliar with Bolz-Weber before reading this, it felt somewhat like an ambush.

Overall, each story told in Accidental Saints pushed against my experience and sense of grace. It did this in a good way, because it stretched me. I appreciate Bolz-Weber's willingness to point out how much more powerful (and real) grace looks, the messier the situation. Anyone who is ready and or willing to be pushed in the same way will benefit from reading Accidental Saints.

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