Tag: Waterbrook

Book Review · Books

Get Out Of Your Head

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Do you live in your head? I sure do. I’m a dreamer, worrier and the hamster is constantly doing laps in his cage. Sometimes I have to tell my mind to, “Shut up,” because it won’t be quiet. It’s exhausting. How can I tackle this? Enter in the book Get Out Of My Head.

The author, Jennie Allen is personable and forthright about her own journey to get out of her own head, to learn how to have a choice in the thoughts you think. She provides ways we can take our thoughts captive to Jesus versus allowing them to control our lives.

What we believe shapes our thinking and how we react to our life. One thing Jennie shares that hits home is one thing: “I have a choice.” It sounds simple, but I think may be a tad more challenging to remember every time we have a thought. We have a choice in how we will choose to react to the thought, or even if we’ll accept the thought we are having.

As a believer Jennie shares how we can take our thought captive to Jesus. Satan wants to keep our mind muddled, to keep us enslaved. The more mental distractions we can have the more we have trouble battling our thoughts.

I know the idea of having silence is unheard of. We constantly are bombarded with visual and audible distractions clamoring for our attention. Sitting in full quiet is not popular because then we’ll actually hear our inner thoughts, we just might be convicted if we get quiet. We just may hear God speak within our being silent.

I received my complimentary digital copy of Get Out Of My Head by Jennie Allen from Waterbrook/Multnomah, care of NetGalley. The views are mine and of my own will. This book is helpful, convicting and educational. In a world filled with anxiety being on the rise I’d highly recommend it. Even if you aren’t a Christian there are still helpful things you can glean from reading Jennie’s book.

Book Review · Books

The Dream Of You

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If you are a woman who needs a spiritual pick me up then I recommend The Dream Of You by Jo Saxton. This short book is heavy on wisdom in a non-preachy manner. Jo talks about her tough childhood, how she came to faith and the different trials and accomplishments she’s had in her life. She shares her honest faith struggle in a way you can relate to. Throughout sharing her story, Jo includes Biblical stories about women and men who went through trying times to discover who God made them to be.

I received my free copy of The Dream Of You by Jo Saxton from Blogging For Books in exchange for my review. If you are a seasoned or new believer this book is written in language that is easy to understand and a great fresher on Christian basics.

Book Review · Books

The Alphabet Of Grief

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img_2099Grief is not a topic out of popularity, but out of necessity. We don’t know when a friend, family member, spouse, or acquaintance is going to pass away. The Alphabet Of Grace is a small little book packed with lots of wisdom. Chaplain Andrea Raynor brings death and grief to our door in an easy to understand Guide. Her guide of sorts is broken down via the alphabet. Each letter stands for a topic having to do with grief and death. At the end of each short chapter is a meditation and an affirmation.

I have had family members pass away and close friends. Death is never easy to deal with. I still miss my grandparents and my one best friend, but I know they are now not in pain. Personally I don’t find comfort in going to their graves. Honestly cemeteries creep me out. One way I like to remember them is by going to a fave place they liked to eat, or enjoy a favorite pastime they had like watching baseball, or reading a book. We all deal with grief in different ways.

I’m so glad I requested to review this book from Blogging For Books. This book is not preachy, though it is consider Christian. It comes across like a warm blanket on a winter night that keeps you warm and feeling cozy. It’s comforting and yet educational at the same time. I got this book for free in exchange for my review from Blogging For Books. I highly recommend this title for anyone dealing with someone in the process of dying or have passed on. I wish I’d had this book back when my grandparents passed. It would have helped me get through a lot.

Book Review · Books

Sinners In The Hands Of A Loving God

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This book cover depicts the scene from the prodigal son coming home to his father and being restored even though the son doesn’t feel he deserves it. This biblical story is of a son who asks for his father’s financial inheritance early. This younger son goes off and lives the glamorous life which ends up backfiring and he ends up eating slops out of a pig trough because he has run out of funds. He decides to go back to his father’s house to be a servant since it would be better than this. When the son returns home his father is thrilled his youngest has returned home. Rather than requiring him to be a servant, the father asks the older brother to get the fatted calf and to prepare a banquet in celebration of his son’s return home safe. The older brother is furious that his younger brother doesn’t get what he deserves for squandering his father’s inheritance. This cover has a modern art look to it. I like the color of blue that was chosen for the sky.

In Sinners In The Hands Of A Loving God, the author, Brian Zahnd talks about the topic of Hell and if God is truly monstrous. His journey coming to terms on these matters all began with the similar titled sermon by Jonathan Edwards, “Sinners in the hands of an angry God.” This very old American sermon describes God as a wrathful, angry God whose waiting to torture us for our sins uses different imagery comparison of us to spiders and snakes. Mr. Zahnd was raised to believe in a literal Hell afterlife, the traditional Christian view that only Christians arrive at heaven after they die while the rest burn in torment in Hell. For a time he prayed for God to give him an experience of actual Hell, but none came. Instead God called him to places of disease, war and poverty. Mr. Zahnd saw that life has its own types of Hell in the here and now. What helped the author change his view of who God is? Read his book to find out. It’d worth it. It’s short and precise.

I received an ARC of Sinners In The Hands Of A Loving God  from Blogging For Books in exchange for my honest review. If you want to read a nontraditional view of God, Hell and ultimately what and who true LOVE is I recommend this book. This book goes on sale 8/15/2017. For further information on the author click here.