Christmas Stories

Christmas Stories
Heartwarming Classics of Angels, a Manger, and the Birth of Hope

By Max Lucado

I should begin by saying that I'm not a huge fan of Max Lucado. I have read some decent writing by him, but with his nonfiction stuff I just get the feeling that he's trying to sell books rather than put out new helpful fresh material for his readers.

BUT, I have always been blown away by his fiction work. His kids stories are beyond compare so I was intrigued to get a chance to review his new collection of Advent stories, especially since a friend and I are celebrating Advent together this year and it was really nice to be able to make it special by incorporating this book into what we are doing.

The first story really set the tone for me. It was a longer one, a few chapters long, but it had all the elements of a great story in it. A mystery, conflict, even a hint of romance and a fantastic climax. The stories rolled on from there. Some long, some short, but all brought out a different aspect of the true significance of the Advent/Christmas season in a way that gave me something new to meditate on with each story -- which is just what I wanted since I was looking forward to digesting this book slowly as I savour the Saviour during this Advent season. It dovetails so nicely with my Advent scripture readings and prayers.

Thanks Max, I really enjoy this one. Keep it up with the fiction.

The Respect Dare

40 Days to a Deeper Connection with God and Your Husband

By Nina Roesner

While I have really enjoyed reading this book, I was a little disappointed with the format.

I guess what I was hoping was that the book would give an idea of something different I could do each day that would be a blessing to my husband for that day and would, in turn, help us to develop a natural habit of respect between us as a result. What the book actually does is give a different respect-related principle to keep in mind for each day (which begins to be a little on the overload side after a few days) with some specific suggestions here and there. Don’t get me wrong, its ALL helpful, but I don’t find that the content of the book is conducive to a “principle per day” format. I kinda get the feeling that Nina only used that format to sell books because its popular right now – and I can understand that since the only reason I picked up this book was because I was hoping for a practical guide to 40 specific days of different specific ways to show respect to my husband. And that’s what I didn’t quite receive from The Respect Dare.

The Purpose Driven Life

The Purpose Driven Life

What on Earth Am I Here For?

By Rick Warren

I should start this review by pointing out that I never read the original “Purpose Driven Life” put out 10 years ago by Rick Warren, but I do know that its ridiculously popular and that I always meant to get around to reading it. And now that its been republished and updated, I can say that I’m glad that I did!

The Purpose Driven Life is a 40-day read but I would not call it a “devotional”. Warren intends for the reader to embark on (and commit to) a 40-day journey of intentionally exploring what the reason is for their existence in this world. It starts with the truth about who God is and what he wants and moves to more specifics about our life.

The basic outline of the 40 days is divided between these basic premises:

• We were planned for God's pleasure
• so your first purpose is to offer real worship.
• We were formed for God's family
• so your second purpose is to enjoy real fellowship.
• We were created to become like Christ,
• so your third purpose is to learn real discipleship.
• We were shaped for serving God
• so your fourth purpose is to practice real ministry.
• We were made for a mission
• so your fifth purpose is to live out real evangelism.

And the daily reading explores the issues within each premise.

Unfortunately I wasn’t given 40 days to review this book but I can say that I have been changed even by what I have made it through so far. Even though Warren’s premises are simple enough to digest, the way they are set out really capture my desire for meaning and purpose in life and help me to understand the bigger picture of what God has intended me for in the grand scheme of the world.

There are some new features to the updated version of the book that deserve mention. At the beginning of each chapter is one of those scan squares that you can point your smartphone to and it will take you to a website dedicated to that day in the book (or you can just type in the URL if you don’t have a smartphone or scan reader). Each day’s website has a video introduction by Warren and then a 40 minute audio message that is supposed to expand upon the message. I think this is a great idea in theory, but really, I don’t have time for a 40 minute message every evening/morning… so I actually got stalled in my 40 day journey because I wanted to hear each audio message, which meant I couldn’t go on to day 3 when day 3 came around because I still hadn’t had time to listen to the message from day 2 (and so on). I’m still not sure how I’m going to deal with that. I’ll probably just keep going through the days and just save the audio messages for after the 40 day reading experience.

I am really enjoying the 10^th anniversary edition of Purpose Driven Life. I think I may give away copies of it this Christmas.

Beginner's Bible App for iPad Review

The Beginner's Bible App for iPad

I was really excited to get a chance to try this app out and give it a review here on the blog. I've never reviewed anything but books here so this is a little new for me.

I should start by saying that I don't use the iPad all that much. I love my iPhone and am pretty much glued to it, but its my little four-year-old niece Ella who is the iPad addict, and it was her I had in mind when I heard about the chance to review this new app.

The version of the Beginner's Bible App that I got a chance to review contained a free story pack and it was implied that further story packs could be purchased to add on to the program going forward.

There are two main components to the program. There is a Read component where the Bible story is read out loud like a story book with background music and (a little bit of) animation. Then there is a Play component where the kids get to interact with the story.

The Read component was pretty straightforward. The basic Bible stories are heavily paraphrased for children's attention spans and ears, much like you'd tell the story to a Sunday school class. The only noticeable deficiency that I noticed in this component of the program was that the music which accompanied each page would abruptly stop at the end of the narration. This sounded very awkward and was quite noticeable when my niece and I were trying to enjoy the stories and look at the pictures before turning the page. The music would start again as soon as the page was turned, but it just seemed very odd for it to all of a sudden cut off as soon as the narrator was finished with the page. Maybe a little fade out or something would be nice...?

The Play component was fun, but lacked any... substance. I guess you can't really expect much substance from a kids' program like this, but I would have liked to see some games that helped to enforce the Bible story or the biblical principle.

Instead, there was a colouring book activity that allowed the kids to colour in an activity page. It also had a neat function where you could push a palette icon and it would paint in the right colours wherever you touched so that younger users would be able to create a pretty picture without less skill.

There was also a puzzle game, which was my niece's favourite.

And then there was this weird apple shooting game with Eve and the Serpent... it was my favourite game to play... but it took Ella and I awhile to figure out what we were supposed to do and how. Some written instruction or even a visual demonstration at the start of the game would have been helpful (instead of the single diagram...which did not seem self-explanatory to me...)

All in all I thought it was a fun little app. Ella was even able to e-mail me a picture of what she'd coloured in the Bible Activity page and that was super cute. But I would never buy this app. It simply doesn't have enough functionality or substance to it to make it worth purchasing, no matter what the price was. Ella and I managed to get all the use one could possibly get out of this app after two 10 minute sessions together, and that just isn't enough usefulness to justify a price or the space it would be taking up on the iPad.

It was fun, but I think it could use some work.

See more info on this app here:

Beginner's Bible App

The Open Bible - Thomas Nelson

The Open Bible 

Thomas Nelson

I am having problems deciding whether I really enjoy the Open Bible or think it’s a waste of time/money. I know there’s a large span between those two opinions, but I think in the end, I feel as though the Open Bible is a good Bible to have around, but I would never recommend buying it. Let me explain.

I love a good study Bible with relevant, interesting and easy to use resources. But I really dislike the idea of putting out a new Bible just for the sake of selling more Bibles. After spending some time with the Open Bible I am sad to say that I feel as thought this Bible falls squarely in the realm of the latter classification.

The extras in this Bible are great. I enjoy the write-ups on history, archeology, anthropology, etc. But these materials are not linked at all with the Bible content and so they would have been just as useful if they were contained in a separate book (EXCEPT for the fact that when they are in a Bible, they are (theoretically) with you when you need them as opposed to when you find yourself at a Bible study and wish you had some certain book or other at that particular moment… well with the Open Bible, it would be right there. But really, how often does that happen? And how often are you at a Bible study and find yourself with 10 extra minutes that would be necessary to peruse through the many essays and write-ups in the Open Bible to find the piece of information that you are looking for?)

I guess my biggest problem with the Open Bible is that it is not really a good study Bible nor is it a great Bible for reading. I found the in-Bible references lacking in substance and the legends difficult to remember and, thus, use effectively. I was really excited by Nelson’s catchphrase for this Bible, “Read and Discover the Bible for Yourself”, but this Bible really fell short of the goal because it doesn’t really promote that at all. A study Bible that doesn’t have meaningful in-text content doesn’t help me to discover the Bible for myself.

It’s a nice Bible to HAVE but I wouldn’t waste money on it if you already have a perfectly good Bible.

The Voice Bible

The Voice Bible

The Ecclesia Bible Society

I always enjoy reviewing a fresh translation of the Bible and “The Voice” is no exception. I thought this was an excellent translation for reading and for simple enjoyment and basic comprehension of the Word of God.



I had the privilege of being able to review The Voice New Testament when it first came out several months ago and you can see my review of that here: http://evelynbookreviews.blogspot.ca/2011/11/voice-new-testament-revised-updated.html?m=0

I was really excited to get to review the Old Testament once it came out and I am happy to say that it did not disappoint. The key to enjoying The Voice is knowing what you’re getting and what you’re not getting from the get go. The Voice does not even begin try to be a literal translation. Don’t think ESV or even NIV, think more along the lines of The Message and the NLT when you think of The Voice. It is the kind of Bible that is helpful for new believers, for seekers, for Christians who are interested in a lighter read when in the midst of 2 Chronicles or Ezekiel, and so on. And it is important to read The Voice with the caveat that it is clear that the editors have preferred their Biblical interpretation to those of other major commentators whenever possible BOTH in their extra comments AND in their decisions on how to translate certain passages. This was not a surprise and does not seem to affect any real major points of doctrine so as long as you’re not looking to STUDY the Voice Bible, you will really enjoy this. If you want to study the Bible (and we all should!) we need to get back to what God has actually said, word for word. You will not find that here. But for devotional time with God enjoying a non-literal translation of His word as part of your time with Him, this translation is a great fit. It is also good for giving away to people who might not otherwise read the Bible. The playscript format makes for an easier read in some cases and the introductions and commentaries help to interpret particularly difficult passages of the old testament especially. I thought it was excellent!

Garden of Madness

by Tracy L. Higley

Thomas Nelson

I was really excited to see this biblical fiction offering from Thomas Nelson when it came out -- especially since it had to do with Daniel's time and King Nebuchadnezzar which is an area that I think is underdone in the biblical fiction genre. But I  did not find this book to be as compelling and interesting as I had hoped. Its very much a biblical murder mystery/love story that is far to predictable and does not have enough interesting aspects to the plot to keep me wanting to get to the end.

The characters seemed to be very two-dimensional, especially the secondary characters (i.e. the plotting Queen, the evil seducer, the dead prince, etc.) but even the main characters (Tiamat the princess, Pedadiah the love interest, and Daniel himself!) were flat characters with responses and actions that were far to predictable -- even though it was clear that the author wanted to try and make them deep and complex as people.

Higley's use of language and imagery was excellent, but it wasn't enough to keep this story from being too archetypal and formulaic. I would be interested in seeing how her writing improves as she continues to produce.

The Grace Effect

How the Power of One Life Can Reverse the Corruption of Unbelief

By Larry Taunton

 

 

I really enjoyed Larry Taunton's book. It was an artful mix of history, journalism, and Christian contemplation. He uses the story of his family's grueling experience in adopting their youngest daughter from communist Europe to underscore his thesis that the common grace given by God to men based just on the presence of Christian influence in the world is tangible and makes a real difference in the lives of both secular and Christian people. 

 

Mr. Taunton makes his point well. The corruption inherent and rampant in the process of adopting his daughter was disgusting and disappointing. However, he seems to make a lot of broad sweeping statements about the social conscience of the people of western Europe which I found offensive. 

 

Mr. Taunton's style of writing also got on my nerves a lot. It was at many times more like reading a crafty blog than a well-edited and thought-out book. He uses adjectives way too liberally and in a calculated way to illicit disdain in the reader in a way I thought was unfair ["...it occurred to me that the whole diabolical orphanage system was their singular contribution to the misery that prevailed in these places"]. He also is definitely in love with his own linguistic abilities and took pleasure in demonstrating it at several points -- using seven words when two would do and so on. 

I really enjoyed reading this book because it was entertaining. But entertaining in the way a blog is supposed to be entertaining. Not a book. There is a difference. The author is trying to support a thesis and I don't think that is best accomplished by merely appealing to the western sympathies and prejudices of his intended audience. The thesis was awesome, but the support was in poor form. 

Womans Study Bible

Thomas Nelson

I spent a lot of time trying to find just the perfect woman's bible for myself. I sat at the bookstore pouring over the different options and found one thing in common throughout them all -- they are fluff! There was no depth, nothing for the serious woman of God to study.

I know there is a market for easily digestible Bibles out there. There are many women who are new or young in the faith who need milk instead of meat. But there has to be an option for those women who are looking for something deeper to help them grow in the Lord. Real food.

Then I happened upon the Woman's Study Bible from Thomas Nelson. It is a beautiful bible, physically, but that aspect of it pales in comparison to its contents. The study notes are not only thorough and many, but they are specifically geared towards the interests and concerns of women (not in a pandering or militant sort of way) and then in addition there are regular devotionals/studies throughout the Bible that focus (in a VERY balanced way) on various topics of faith, life, doctrine, etc. as well as female characters in the Bible.

As with any good study bible there are many diagrams, charts, and other helps to aid the serious reader with their understanding of biblical concepts/events.

I love this bible and I love it in this format. It is very portable and readable anywhere. I do wish the paper was a bit thicker, but then again, then the Bible would be quite a bit thicker which would take away from its convenient size.

Well done, Thomas Nelson, thanks for updating your Womans Study Bible (the original edition was good too, but not nearly as nice as this one) and for producing a product that acknowledges the dignity and desire for study of your female audience.

(posted by iPhone)

Preparation for Eternity with God

by Rick M. Streight
** (2 stars out of 5)

Let me start by saying that I really wanted to enjoy this book. The title intrigued me because my whole goal in life is to know God intimately in this lifetime in preparation for my eternity with Him so this book seemed to be right on point. But I just found that it missed the mark in many ways.

First of all I did not appreciate the cover. While I believe the imagery of the marriage supper with the Lamb is beautiful and awe-inspiring, the picture of the typical American newly-wed couple holding hands together in a field takes away from the ineffable reverent and unimaginable quality of the marriage relationship between us the Church and our betrothed, Christ. Something less mundane would have been much more appropriate.

The content itself was well-intentioned, but I found that many of the chapters consisted mostly of random (though relevant) scripture quotations with little to no discussion or application.

The book is also a little more shallow than I expected. It is more of a gospel outreach book than a deep, spiritually developing book. And maybe that’s why it didn’t resonate with me – I was hoping for rich thoughts on really preparing myself for my eternal relationship with God, but this book seemed more aimed at those who do not even realise that they are made for such a relationship and explaining that to them.

Additionally, I reviewed the electronic version of this book and found it very difficult to differentiate between the quoted scripture and the author’s words. Maybe this is not a problem in the printed version, but I do wish publishers would give more thought to the layout and presentation of their electronic materials.

Finally, I did not feel as though there was a prevailing theme or thought that tied this book together, even though it seems it would have been easy to tie it all together. It felt more like disjointed thoughts that all had to do with eternity with God, but no theme, climax, or idea to take away from the book.

From the Heart of a Woman

By Sylvia Hensel

An intimate glimpse into a private love relationship. 

Isaiah 54:5 tells me that my Maker is my husband.

This comes as a great deal of comfort and consolation to me as a single person contemplating spending the rest of my life without a human companion so to speak. I don’t know what God has in store for me, but I do know that He has promised to be a husband to me and has taken great pains to show me that no matter whether I am single for life or find my match tomorrow, I will always experience a lonely yearning that can only be satisfied through deep communion and intimacy with Him.

I think this is the crux of what Sylvia Hensel has found and tried to communicate in From the Heart of a Woman. It is a beautiful book full of expressions of love from Mrs. Hensel to her Maker. And although Mrs. Hensel herself is a married woman, it is clear from her writings that her first devotion is to her Saviour and Friend who is clearly the “Lover of her soul”. If he weren’t a godly man, I would genuinely worry that her husband would be given to jealousy to see just how intimate his wife’s relationship is with the Lord.

I am not usually partial to poetry or prose, but I really enjoyed this collection. I would have loved to see more thoughts from the author on just how one can begin to cultivate such an intimate relationship with the Lord, but perhaps her answer would be that one might start by simply reading His word, spending time in meditative prayer, and contemplating some of Mrs. Hensel’s thoughts of Him contained in this book.

A truly edifying read.

Your 100 Day Prayer: The Transforming Power of Actively Waiting on God

By John Snyde


Okay, let me start by saying that I have not finished this 100-day devotional yet. I have dedicated myself to it and have been faithfully following it for over 50 days so I felt as though I was at a point where I could formulate a helpful review despite the fact that I have not yet completed the journey.

I guess my overall impression of this devotional is that it is an EXCELLENT idea for a devotional, and the first 10 to 25 days perhaps are filled with excellent devotional materials surrounding the premise of spending 100 days of focussed daily prayer with God on one particular prayer request. But after about day 10 to 25, I found that the author seemed to either lose focus or, as seemed more likely, ran out of ideas to fuel his devotional to day 100.

I think the idea of encouraging Christians to embark on a steadfast journey of prayer and seeking with God for a long period of time is great. I think that the author did a great job in the beginning of bringing out different ways of approaching this journey as you went through each day in the first quarter of the book. But I found that eventually the devotional failed to offer any new or encouraging insight or help into the task.

I would encourage readers to take up the challenge of devoting themselves to a specific prayer request for 100 days or more, but this book will not be particularly helpful in your wish to do so.

As an aside, I would add that even the act of trying to determine what you're going to pray for for that specific time has enormous devotional qualities to it and I would have liked the author to have spent more time on this issue in the beginning of the book as well.

I bought 5 copies of this book to give out to friends at Christmas after I read and was amazed by the first few days of this devotional. Now I kind of wish I hadn't, and had just encouraged my friends to try this neat way of spending a focussed time of prayer on something with God.