Life Is by Juddah Smith

        

          What is life all about? What is living life supposed to be about? Have you ever had any of these questions come into your mind once in awhile? Chances are, you have experienced those wanderings from time to time. And it is questions like those which may attract some readers to Pastor Judah Smith's new book "Life Is" where the author explores some of the intricacies of life from a Biblical worldview and guides his readers to the right direction for their answers to life's probing questions.
          Judah Smith is the Pastor of the City Church in Seattle, Washington. He has written before, including the best-selling "Jesus Is". Following the pattern of the title set in his past work, "Life Is" is divided into 4 sections and 16 chapters. The sections each highlight an aspect of what life is all about, including how life is to love and to be loved, life is to trust God in every moment, life is to be at peace with God and yourself and life is to enjoy God. The chapters elaborate on each concept.
          First, Judah is a gifted communicator, which is one of the reasons he is well known in the United States and around the world. Second, he is very strong on his use of personal illustrations and rather funny in employing them throughout the book. The book is entertaining and simple, which is the desire many people share in choosing a good book. I found the Biblical content to be a little weaker than I expected, considering the rich spiritual background and reputation Judah and his church have in the Christian world. But, nonetheless, it was still a good read and enjoyable.
          Ultimately, life is about Jesus. God made us in His image and desires for us to know Him and enjoy the life He created for us. Only by aligning ourselves with God's thoughts and intentions for life, will we be able to enjoy it to the full. I hope "Life Is" will make this end more achievable for you and will put you on the path to an abundant life. This book was given to me, free of charge, through the Book Look book review program for bloggers, available at www.booklookbloggers.com, and the views expressed are my own.

Be the Message by Kerry and Chris Shook

 

          Pleasantly surprised. That's the way I would describe my reaction to the new book by Kerry and Chris Shook, titled, "Be the Message". This book was offered to me for free through the book review program for bloggers, available at http://www.bloggingforbooks.org from the Crown Publishing Group. I am not sure what I expected when I first received it, but it was an interesting read that kept me going until I finished it. This was a noteworthy contribution from Kerry and Chris Shook, who Pastor the Woodlands church, in the Houston, Texas area of the United States.
        What makes this book excellent is it's basic premise that I could sum up in two words "Do Something". Whereas many Christian books can focus either entirely on scripture, or in today's culture can be caught up with the emotional, family, vocational and other issues, this book is a clarion call to make a difference on the world we live in today. It is simple, practical and yet motivational in it's approach, with out being a hyped up sales pitch to jump on the trail of the latest fad.
         One of the ideas contained in the pages is the concept that we embody Jesus Christ on the earth. We are the visible expression of what He is like to others. Opening the book as a Pastor stating how tired he is of more sermons, Kerry launches into an exhortation to Christians to begin putting into practice all that they have learned in church and from Christian leaders. What follows are areas these thoughts apply to and illustrations that paint a picture of how each one of us can be effective in reaching out beyond our comfort zones. Just as a note, though they wrote the book together, they don't usually distinguish which one of them is speaking unless they deemed it necessary,
          The book has suggestions at the end of each chapter that will both challenge you to listen to God prompting you on how to be a blessing, as well as practical ideas to make those promptings a reality. If you are wanting to make a difference around you, this will be a helpful resource in accomplishing that goal. I am glad I chose this work and look forward to reading more material from this great couple in the future.  

Simplify by Bill Hybels

            
                Do you remember a time when life felt so much simpler to you? Maybe you can't or perhaps your recollection of your toddler years has faded into the distance. And, if so, you're not alone. Most people I know find life anything but simple. And, whether Christian or non-Christian alike, this lack of simplicity affects everyone and can have a dramatic impact on our ability to function and enjoy our lives. Bill Hybels new book Simplify, addresses the quest for simplicity and offers helpful suggestions on moving into a less stressful and easier way of living.
              As many people already know, Bill Hybels is the founder and pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in the suburbs of Chicago, which is one of the largest churches in the United States. He has authored several other books, but the book Simplify is written after many years of intense living and the discovery of the lack of simplicity in his own life, which he details throughout the book. I received this book for free from the book review program for bloggers, available at www.tyndaleblognetwork.com. I was not required to write a positive review.
              The chapters are arranged with contrasts as their emphasis, and build a case for ten principles to unclutter your soul. The titles address topics such as "From Exhausted to Energized", "From Anxious to Peaceful", "From Drifting to Focused" and many others. The issues addressed are real life, practical issues. You will find many things that you have encountered in at least some of the areas that will be applicable to your own journey toward simplicity. And there is a wealth of suggestions in the pages of the book.
             I am, however, a tad bit torn on how to rate it. Can you benefit from it? Yes. But, in spite of that, I didn't find it to be as enjoyable of a read as I would have hoped. Perhaps it was too simplistic (pun fully intended). I wasn't intrigued by the contents and did not find it to be personally impacting. Though, as I said, there are benefits that can be derived from the contents. If you choose to read it, you may find it contributing toward a simpler life. And, for that reason, I hope that others will find it to be a blessing to your life.

Greater by Steven Furtick

 

                Have you ever longed for something more? Have you ever sensed in your heart that you were born to do something you never anticipated with your life? But, have you ever settled into the routine of the comfortable and the familiar? Has life ever become so mediocre that each day seems like a complete repeat of the day before? The latter two choices are the type of lives that many people fall into. But, pastor and author Steven Furtick challenges us in his book Greater that God has something more in store for us than we ever thought was possible when we reach out to Him and allow Him to take us on our journey with Him through life.

                This book has actually been out for quite some time, but I was recently given a free copy for this review through the book review program for bloggers that can be found at  http://www.bloggingforbooks.org from the Crown Publishing Group. With the recent emphasis on featuring this selection again from the publisher, I'm glad that I had the opportunity to review the selection. As always, Steven Furtick delivers a no-nonsense challenge to his audience to not just waste their life away and not just settle for the mundane but to live the greater life that God has already designed for them to live.

                Using the life of the prophet Elisha (not to be confused with the prophet Elijah, of which he does make a distinction), Pastor Steven Furtick examines the things we can learn from this great leader whom God used mightily on the earth. He compares the prophet's adventures to the things that God wants to do through us, making the illustrations from Elisha's exploits potent pictures of the power that's available to all of us as we dare to believe for the impossible.

                 While I do not necessarily feel that this was Pastor Furtick's best work, it is still a powerful work that will challenge you to think, do and be more than you ever have before. As always, the author includes his own personal stories and confessions that make the material more relatable to those who are reading it. It's worth reading if you allow yourself to be challenged and to act on the principles he espouses. And there' seven a study guide at the end for group discussion of the material presented. You can read a sneak preview of the first chapter at http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/pdf/SneakPeekGreater.pdf.

 

Crash the Chatterbox by Steven Furtick

 
    I have to admit that when I first saw the title of this book, my initial reaction was 'what is it he is talking about?' "Crash the Chatterbox" was certainly unusual  terminology. But, I knew about the author Steven Furtick, who is the founder and Pastor of Elevation Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, and I had reviewed one of his books before, so I decided to delve into the contents. It was a good read, and addresses the all too common subject of dealing with the negative "chatter" that bombards our mind. This is information that applies to all of us and is vital to our spiritual health.
    The book is divided into four basic sections and each one deals with a spiritual truth that will help us to "Crash the Chatterbox'. The chapters in each section revolve around those central themes of "God says I am", "God says He has", "God says He will" and "God says I can". In this manner, the author is able to address the basic tools that we have available to help us win the war that rages in our minds every day. And while he makes it clear that we will never vanquish this enemy as long as we remain alive, we can defeat the negative voices that shout in our minds and replace them with the truth about who we are in Christ.
     The author uses many personal stories and other illustrations to bring his points across clearly, including stories of the problems he had in dealing with the voices in his head while writing this book. He is funny at times, though some might find the material too honest (I didn't). It is a good read and I think you'll grow from the contents, if you apply them. It is a little long, but I think that was needed due to the amount of important information which was required to address the subject. And since it was written by a Pastor who has seen literally thousands make professions of faith in Jesus Christ, I was a little bit surprised that it did not present a clear presentation of the Gospel.
      I received this book free as part of the book review program for bloggers, available at  "Water Brook/Multnomah Publishing Group." It will help you to fully harness your mind to think the thoughts of Christ. There are questions for study included at the end, and a group would most likely benefit from discussing the material. You can read a free preview of chapter one at http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/SneakPeek_CrashtheChatterbox.pdf.

Champions in the Wilderness by Bob Santos

         
          I like the Bible. and when I read Christian books, I like it when they take their thoughts from the Bible, rather than trying to find scriptures to confirm their thoughts, as the current trend is in today's Christian books and in many pulpits also. So, when I began reading Champions in the Wilderness by Bob Santos, I found myself comforted by the Biblical emphasis the author takes in this book, which is a 52 lesson devotional that I believe you will find beneficial in helping you navigate through seemingly dry spots, confusing spots and sometimes even painful periods in your walk with God. Rather than provide a step by step map through the wilderness periods of the Christian life, the book will serve as more of a guidebook along the terrain that you will travel, teaching you what you will likely encounter, and how to navigate it successfully.
          Perhaps you've never heard of Bob Santos. But as you read Champions in the Wilderness, you'll get to know hin a little better. Bob was born-again in 1980 while in college at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and later served on the same campus for 16 years in ministry to college students. In 2006, he and his wife Debi launched Search For Me Ministries. He writes from a wealth of experience as both a Christian serving Jesus faithfully and as a full time minister. Many stories from his own life and ministry are woven throughout the book. He is candidly honest but challenging in his lessons and they will cause you to look inside yourself and be open for examination, while looking inside the Bible for answers.
          The book has four sections, focusing the lessons on understanding your journey, faith, security and purpose. The chapters are short, normally with a Bible reading, quote and lesson. These are followed by probing questions, action steps, a closing prayer and further reading. I was able to read through the material quickly so that I might blog about it, but I do not recommend that approach. Take the time to read the material, answer the questions, take the steps, pray the prayer and read further. Though there are 52 lessons, I think a small group would benefit from the material.                
          Finally, there are a couple of places where I felt the lesson could have been supported better by a different scripture reference, but not many of them. But this did not hinder the points from getting across. I received this book free through the book review program for bloggers at www.bookcrash.com and was not required to write a positive review. You may purchase this book at http://www.amazon.com. To the author I say, good job Mr. Santos, I look forward to reading any works you might produce in the future.