Book Review: Addicted to Busy – Recovery for the Rushed Soul by Brady Boyd

10/10

Busyness seems to be the curse of the modern era. Between technological advances that put more information in your hand than ever before and the fact that we can simply keep working even when we’re no longer at work, we are constantly bombarded with more and more. But the pace of life has increased to a breakneck speed, and more and more people are crashing, including well-meaning Christians who believe that they must constantly do. How can we escape the never-ending, ever-growing, all-consuming to do list that shouts to be done? Believe it or not, God offers the answer.

In Addicted to Busy, a pastor who has struggled with busyness lays out his story to teach the importance of rest. God actually commands rest in the Bible, and in doing so he calls us to deny ourselves. In our fallen world, we constantly fill our lives with things to ‘do’ while not taking the time to ‘be.’ But we are human beings, not human doings, and rest is a key feature in being.

This book is fantastic. Instead of a list of do’s and don’ts, Addicted to Busy lays out why rest is important. Other than a few broad guidelines for Sabbath rest, the author doesn’t hammer in thou-shalts and thou-shalt-nots. The best definition of rest I have ever heard of is contained in these pages, and I recommend it to everybody who has ever struggled with being too busy. If you’re desperate to slow down and rest, the challenges in this book are worth visiting and looking over. And maybe linger for a while. Because while the world commands you to be busy, rest is commanded by God.

If you would like to purchase my book 9 Ways to Normal, you can find it here.

If you want to see my full reading list, read, currently reading, and want-to-read, visit my Goodreads here.

God Bless!

Book Review: But You Don’t Look Autistic at All by Bianca Toeps, Translated by Fay MacCorquodale-Smith

9/10

Bianca Toeps tells her story of being an autistic woman who, in typical fashion, was diagnosed later in life. With warmth and insight from being perceived as different throughout her whole childhood, Bianca shines a light on her own, female autistic traits and how they have affected her life in every way. A fantastic look into the mind of somebody with autism who is taking a stand for change for the better in a world of neurotypicals. Recommended if you want to hear about autism from an autistic person.

If you would like to purchase my book 9 Ways to Normal, you can find it here.

If you want to see my full reading list, read, currently reading, and want-to-read, visit my Goodreads here.

God Bless!

Book Review: With Christ in the School of Prayer by Andrew Murray

10/10

‘With Christ in the School of Prayer’ is a powerful and surprisingly deep look at the subject of prayer. With a focus on the New Testament teachings on prayer and the promises of “whatever you ask,” this book touches on painful truths about our lack in the answers to prayer and just how big the promises are about prayer. With a month’s worth of devotions on the subject, this book breaks down into strong, meaningful lessons about the human struggle with prayer as well as the beautiful promises of God in helping us to tackle this enormous subject of praying aright.

The content is solid, but it might be a bit verbose for the average reader. Written in an older style from the early 1900s, the sentences may sound strange to modern ears. But it is still a fantastic book on prayer and the lessons are both painful but necessary, especially in today’s world. If you’re looking for answers on why prayer is not answered or what the promises of “whatever you ask” really means, this is the book for you. It has great reread value and is an excellent resource. Highly recommended.

If you would like to purchase my book 9 Ways to Normal, you can find it here.

If you want to see my full reading list, read, currently reading, and want-to-read, visit my Goodreads here.

God Bless!

Book Review: Christianity Uncomplicated #2 – Jesus: Fib, Dead, or God? by James Finke

9/10

C.S. Lewis popularized the Lord, liar, or lunatic logic, and in this book, Finke does something similar. Breaking down the various ways of thinking about Jesus, the author takes us down each path and shows how there are really only three ways to think of Jesus. Either he is a lie, he is dead, or he is God. All rejections and arguments about Jesus fit into either the fib category or the dead category, and the only other option is God.

Finke clearly spells out how the entire question of fib, dead, or God is based on only one thing, one point in history: the resurrection of Jesus. If that is true, then Jesus is God. But if he did not rise from the dead, then he is not. Finke breaks down the facts that lay behind Jesus, the ones most scholars, Christian and otherwise, accept about Jesus.

The most important question in history is the one Jesus asked to his disciples: who do you say I am? With this resource, Christians can build up their knowledge and realize the facts support the idea that Jesus is Lord, not a fib, and that he is most assuredly alive. If you’re a Christian who needs to know the reason for your faith, or you’re somebody searching for the truth, this book will help you along the way to answers.

If you would like to purchase my book 9 Ways to Normal, you can find it here.

If you want to see my full reading list, read, currently reading, and want-to-read, visit my Goodreads here.

God Bless!

Book Review: Christianity Uncomplicated #1 – You Don’t Need a Ph.D. to Understand G-O-D by James Finke

8/10

Sometimes it seems like you’ve got to have a degree to understand some of the arguments about God. But that’s not necessarily the case. In this book, Finke takes what can be complicated subject matter, reasoning against macroevolution and for a moral law for example, and simplifies them so that the average person can understand what is being discussed. With clear, simple language, the author shows that you really don’t need a doctorate to know the truth about God.

This book is a great find for those who want to fully comprehend the arguments for a personal Creator. If you’ve ever struggled to understand concepts like moral law, the different types of evolution, etc. then this is the book for you. This really is a book that uncomplicates topics that seem like you need a degree to really be able to argue for God.

If you would like to purchase my book 9 Ways to Normal, you can find it here.

If you want to see my full reading list, read, currently reading, and want-to-read, visit my Goodreads here.

God Bless!

Book Review: Counterfeit Kingdom – The Dangers of New Revelation, New Prophets, and New Age Practices in the Church by Holly Pivec and R. Douglas Geivett

10/10

With so much coverage and widespread reach, the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) has begun to sneak into unsuspecting congregations and destroying the peace and unity it finds there. But what is it that makes this movement so devastating? How is this deceptive organization seeping under the doorways of all types of churches and across all denominations? And what exactly does it teach?

In this book, the authors explore the NAR movement and the many deceptions and errors that the leaders participate in. With clear language and clearer warnings, Pivec and Geivett analyze the beliefs and practices of NAR and its prominent figures, revealing the devastating false teachings that are gaining popularity in today’s me-focused, experience-driven society. From Bethel and beyond, this book covers the dangers inherent in this movement and cautions Christians to seek truth instead of experience.

Recommended for every Christian, especially new ones, or those who seek to understand how the New Apostolic Reformation differs from traditional Christianity.

If you would like to purchase my book 9 Ways to Normal, you can find it here.

If you want to see my full reading list, read, currently reading, and want-to-read, visit my Goodreads here.

God Bless!

Book Review: Indie Author Resources #3 – 1,000 Helpful Adjectives for Fiction Writers by Valerie Howard

10/10

Good, solid adjectives are like different shades of colors that add beautiful variety to prose, but sometimes it’s difficult to know what nuance to use to correctly describe what you mean. In this book, there are hundreds of different adjectives to describe all manner of things, all categorized by things like color, emotion, texture, etc. This easy to peruse guide is a great resource for authors of all levels, and I would recommend it to anybody who wants to add a bit of color to their writing.

If you would like to purchase my book 9 Ways to Normal, you can find it here.

If you want to see my full reading list, read, currently reading, and want-to-read, visit my Goodreads here.

God Bless!

Book Review: Indie Author Resources #2 – 1,000 Strong Verbs for Fiction Writers by Valerie Howard

10/10

Verbs are the actions characters take in books, and strong verbs make for strong, descriptive writing. Unfortunately, weak verbs are the ones that often come to mind in the middle of writing sessions. 1,000 Strong Cerbs for Fiction Writers breaks down common, weak verbs like talk/said into categories such as Quickly, Gently, Harshly, etc., and gives stronger verbs for each category. If you are a writer that needs help with weak verbs, this book is a great resource to start with to build up your repertoire of strong, descriptive verbs that will help your writing convey so much more with fewer words.

If you would like to purchase my book 9 Ways to Normal, you can find it here.

If you want to see my full reading list, read, currently reading, and want-to-read, visit my Goodreads here.

God Bless!

Book Review: What Does God Want? by Michael S. Heiser

9/10

What does God want? Most Christians ask this question at some point in their lives. But the answers seem as varied as everything else in life. But there is a simple, universal answer to the question of you care to look. What does God want? In short, He wants you. But what exactly does that mean?

Michael Heiser responds to this question by connecting the answer to the story of mankind as relayed in the Bible narrative. It seems astounding to say that God would want you. Doesn’t He know who you are? Doesn’t He know all your shortcomings and mistakes. Yea, He does, but He still wants you anyway. God does not need us, but He does want us. The answer is so simple that it just couldn’t be the right answer.

If you’re a new Christian or one who feels stuck in a stagnant relationship with God, this short book will breathe new life into you. It will help you to realize that God loves you even with all your flaws, and that He truly wants you, all of you, for Himself. Recommended to all Christians who want to know what God wants from them.

If you would like to purchase my book 9 Ways to Normal, you can find it here.

If you want to see my full reading list, read, currently reading, and want-to-read, visit my Goodreads here.

God Bless!

Book Review: Indie Author Resources #1 – 1,000 Character Reactions from Head to Toe by Valerie Howard

10/10

As a writer, I know that character descriptions are very important. But sometimes it can be difficult to come up with different reactions, so the author will use the same few over and over again. This book has a great variety of character descriptions that can be switched around and customized for different situations. From head to foot, this book lists a thousand different reactions and descriptions to assist any author with their writing. If you’re a writer, this resource will probe invaluable in helping you to write the best prose you can.

If you would like to purchase my book 9 Ways to Normal, you can find it here.

If you want to see my full reading list, read, currently reading, and want-to-read, visit my Goodreads here.

God Bless!