Review of 100 Prayers God Loves to Hear, 100 Praise Songs By Stephen Elkins

Thanks to Booksneeze.com, I got to review a copy of Stephen Elkin's "100 Prayers God Loves to Hear, 100 Praise Songs".

This is a children's religious song book that includes 2 cd's with all the songs sung. Essentially each song is supposed to teach children how to pray about certain things. This is not your traditional christian song book though, it covers a great deal. You have prayers from Mother Theresa to Martin Luther, etc.

This is definitely for younger children, perfect for short attention spans. It has treasured older songs like Amazing Grace and newer songs I had never heard of before in my life.

I am not sure I would use it if I had children as I AM Christian, but it is a cute book and cd duo, very colorful and seems like kids should like it indeed.

(Thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishers for sending me a copy to review.)

Book Review: You Can Be Everything God Wants You To Be by Max Lucado

Thanks to Booksneeze.com, I got to read a copy of Max Lucado's "You Can Be Everything God Wants You to Be".

This is a gift book great for anyone, in my opinion. And appropriate for everyone. I think everyone struggles with what their place is in God's plan, and this book is just a little helpful guide to realizing where you belong. It wants you to recognize that God made you to be exactly as you are, there is nothing in you that is a mistake, he made us all to be unique. He gave us all gifts and purposes and we need to keep working at finding them to please HIM, and be proud of the purpose he has for us. We need to realize our purpose is not everyone else's purpose. We have our gift and need to nurture it, as others need to nurture theirs.

I really enjoy the writing of Max Lucado. He puts things in a way that makes it easier to understand what scriptures, and what he thinks, God wanted to tell us. Like many others, I feel what gift or gifts I might have, are small and inconsequential. But then you are reminded in this book of the mustard seed, the widow's mite and the stone that felled Goliath. Such small things that had such HUGE after affects. Small deeds can end up affecting someone in a big way. We may think a small random act of kindness is nothing, but to the person we were kind to, it could end up affecting their life in ways we never imagined. God works in mysterious ways and we need to accept that and trust in that. I would definitely recommend this book to others. To hear someone say, in words, that God made a mold just for me and then broke it so I would be the only me...it makes you think. And I think that is important.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Why You Say It by Webb Garrison

Thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishers through Booksneeze, I got a complimentary copy of Why You Say It by Webb Garrison. I picked this book because I thought finding out the "fascinating stories" behind phrases we use all the time, would be fun and educational and all that good stuff.

This book explains the stories or reasons how everyday phrases and words came to be. Why we say "cameo role" or "let one's hair down". They break it down and tell you within a paragraph or two where the word or words originated from, and how they came to be used as slang or whatever you want to call them. Garrison explains their origins and backstories.

When I first started reading, I was excited. It seemed like such a fun and cool way to learn about how these popular phrases we use without thinking, came about. Sadly though, I was not particularly drawn in by the information presented. I find it is presented in a very dry, and somewhat boring, manner. It did enlighten me to how these words developed into what we use them for today, but not in a very engaging manner. I just found it very hard to keep reading. The author just wasn't presented in a way where I felt like I wanted to continue reading. It became a chore, which is not the best thing for a book to be.

I cannot claim I would recommend this book to others. It is not a book to keep by your night stand to read whenever you get a chance. The best I can say is it may indeed, be perfect as a bathroom reader. Which is not always a bad thing. There are some successful books out there MADE to be bathroom readers. In our family, we always keep material in the bathroom so one doesn't grow bored if you happen to need to be in there. So that is where I think this book will end up. My father loves facts and random knowledge, so it may prove to be quite popular as a book to skim through when you have a few moments. I just don't see it as one where you sit down and read it for hours, or even an hour. It just needs some oomph in it. I just found it a bit...stale.

*I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review: 66 Love Letters by Larry Crabb

Thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishers through Booksneeze, I got a complimentary copy of 66 Love Letters: A Conversation with God that Invites You into His Story by Dr. Larry Crabb. I admit I picked this book because out of the options I was given, this seemed to be the least boring choice. But I am very glad I did pick this and that it is now a part of my family's library.

When you read the Bible, do you, like me, have a hard time understanding just what messages you are supposed to be getting? The language alone can confuse you as to what that verse or chapter MEANS. Well this book says it can break down the Bible into more relatable language. Crabb wrote it as "love letters" God has written directly to him, explaining in more simpler language, the messages all these 66 books were meant to get across to us. You are given the main points that Crabb thinks God wanted to get across to us, in each of these love letters. It is like he is trying to take the Bible and it's difficult language, and put it into layman's terms, so we can all enjoy the messages God left for us.

When I first started sifting through this book, I was a little taken aback by the "conversations" happening between God and the author. The author actually expects me to believe he knows how God would talk to us? I was not keen on that concept at all. I found it a little distracting actually, because one minute I would be reading what I felt was a clearer picture of, say, Exodus, and the next minute Crabb is having God answer "Digest what I've said and read on". And that made it seem like almost a joke. When I read the synopsis before picking this book, I thought the emphasis was on the love letters, on explaining the Bible and what it is all about. I knew the letters were to Crabb, but was surprised by these conversations.

The love letters themselves, I did appreciate. I liked feeling like I was gaining a better understanding of the Bible. You do need to remember as you read this though, that each love letter covers an entire book of the Bible. So it is not a book you read from start to finish and it is one cohesive unit. You have to take a letter, and realize that this 4 page letter covers maybe 30 chapters! I think this is an excellent tool personally. Obviously in such shortened letters, you do not get the full effect of the Bible, but I think it works great as a study guide/resource in helping you understand more. I think Crabb could have skipped a little more of his conversations and added a little more on the actual books of the Bible, but I definitely am glad I have this book to help me understand what God wants for me, in a simpler way. I am not sure you can say this is a book I loved or anything like that, but it is a book I am glad I gave a chance, and can now use it to further my personal views of the Bible.

*I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”