{Review} God of All Creation

I picked up this book because I am unashamedly an animal lover.  Even more so, I am a devoted dog lady.  Dogs are my thing.  And after my dog passed away a few months ago, I needed some encouragement - and a biblical view of how God looks upon all of His creation.

That's exactly what I received.  I put off reading this book because I was afraid there would be many tears, but it was quite the opposite.  I laughed as Robison retold stories of his beloved Princess, remembering instances when my pets have done similar things.

I am truly blown away by Robison's wisdom.  To look upon the lowliest creatures on this earth and learn more about God's character and heart - it's remarkable.  This book reads like a devotion, so you can easily do one chapter a day for 28 days.  Each lesson / chapter spoke to my heart, and not just because I love animals but because I love the Lord and I want to grow in my knowledge of Him.

Here is one particular passage that struck me (in a good way).  It is about God's endless and relentless pursuit of His children:

Every day when I awaken, I want to run as fast as Princess does to jump into God's lap, look into His eyes, and stay close to His heart.  This brings our heavenly Father great pleasure and gives me indescribable comfort, peace, and security.  As Princess lies with her paws resting on my chest, her long ears perk up, and she waits for me to speak to her.  I know she can't understand my words, but I believe she senses the love I have for her.  I do know that when I speak these loving words, she listens.  I also know that when we learn to hear the Lord, He will speak words of encouragement and affection to us. (11)

So as you book lovers put together your book lists for 2013, make sure this one goes on your list.  It is certainly a must-read!

You can read the first chapter for FREE here!

Here's a quick disclaimer:  every thought & opinion posted here is my own.  I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

{Review} A Leader in the Making, by Joyce Meyer

This review is "just because."  No payment or free book, just because I soaked up every word and I pray that you may find inspiration from this book as well.

No joke, this is my current set up at the moment.  Library book, Trader Joe's peppermint tea, Hillsong's Cornerstone on the good ol' MacBook, and my planner (post coming soon!)

I've read (read:  skimmed) many books on leadership in the church over the past couple of weeks, and this is the best I've read thus far.  The chapters are split up so that it's very do-able to do just one per day, so it actually reads more like a devotional.

Also, you don't need to be pursuing a leadership role like a pastor - you might just have the simple vision of leading a small group (like me!) or you want to learn how to lead others in a way that glorifies Christ.

No matter what, this book is a must read.  I wish I had read this earlier because I could have used some of the information Joyce provides.  For example, there are 14 tests that leaders-in-the-making often undergo.  This past winter & spring, I'm not going to lie, I had some friendship issues - big time.  It was messy and ugly.  I was hurt badly, as well as the others involved.

But reading those chapters on "tests" presented by the Lord, I was suddenly thankful for the challenges He had laid before me.  I pray that I passed the "Judas-Kiss", "Rejection", and the "Forgiveness" tests!!

{I don't really like calling these challenges "tests."  It doesn't seem fair to say "oh, the Lord is testing me in this season of my life."  I don't have any biblical proof.  It's just a gut feeling.  If you have any thoughts on this issue, let me know!}

Other important topics covered include the positive and negative conditions of the heart.  I challenge you to read these chapters and not feel convicted.  Like I said, this book is for everyone, leader or not.  The conditions are in a list form, which is very pleasing to my Type A personality, but it also makes for a quick read.

What books have you been reading lately?  Any that are noteworthy?

If you read this book or are interested, leave a comment or feel free to email me!  I would love to hear from you.

May the Lord bless you all!

{Review} Altared, by Claire & Eli

I finished this book a few weeks ago, but with a new job and such, I am finally just getting to write this review!  Sorry for the long wait, folks :)

//

I picked this book because God has put the subject of singleness on my heart lately.  I've come to the realization that marriage has been an idol in my life.  Claire & Eli, the co-authors of this book, had similar experiences.  This isn't your typical I Kissed Dating Goodbye or how to keep your heart & mind pure before you walk down the aisle.  Please note, I really do love Josh Harris' writing and I support his ideas.  I also believe modern day singles need a few lessons in emotion and physical purity.  This book on the other hand offers a different perspective.

Most young-adult marriage / purity / dating books focus on "don't do anything in this list, just focus on Christ."  For Claire & Eli, their point of view (as far as I can tell) is "let's remove marriage from our closet-shrines and focus on Christ."  The important aspect of this book is that it brings our attention back to Christ and what He did for us.

However, this book did not offer all that I expected (and wanted) it too.  First, it was disorganized.  I did not understand the order of stories and lessons offered.  The introduction stated that this was intentional... Well, it was simply distracting for me.  The fastest way to lose my interest in a book is for it to be disorganized.  Ick.  Second, the anonymity threw me off.  I understand the desire for privacy.  But, maybe you shouldn't write a book then.  My point is that the anonymity makes me question the legitimacy of this book - that's all.

Overall, I loved Claire & Eli's message.  I agree full heartedly that we should completely remove marriage as an "end goal."  This book has also pushed me to start living as if I may never get married.  Example:  I've questioned whether or not to receive a Masters degree, just in case I get married, have kids, stay at home, etc.  Now I say, why not get a Masters degree in education??

In addition, there were several times where I noticed how my thoughts and beliefs about marriage became distorted through my journey of Christianity.  So my final recommendation is to read this book.  Just try it.  You may not like every aspect of it, but I guarantee there will be at least one lesson learned.

//

Here's a quick disclaimer:  every thought & opinion posted here is my own.  I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Also, be sure to check out the first chapter of this book FOR FREE here!