Category: Bookshelf

Book Review: From Tablet to Table

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From Tablet to Table: Where Community is Found and Identity is Formed
by Leonard Sweet

Leonard Sweet writes in his book, From Tablet to Table, that the Bible begins in Genesis with the command to “eat freely” and ends in Revelation with the command to “drink freely.”  It’s a Biblical sandwich of table-dialogue.  His book spreads the table wide, talking about every aspect imaginable related to eating and drinking in the Bible: about Christian community, Communion, storytelling, relationships, and Jesus’ ministry of inviting everyone to the table, including ‘sinners.’  I had never considered the pervasiveness of food and eating to the Bible or to our faith until I read this book.  tablet-to-table

At times, Sweet is super-practical, giving instructions about what to bring to a meal when you are an invited guest.  At other times, he is rhetorical, arguing for ideas, like the need for more storytelling and table-sharing in Christianity.  Then, he moves along to reminding parents of the value of dinner table conversations instead of meals-on-the-go or silent suppers spent in front of the television.

His style is readable and quick-moving, but always masterful and eloquent.  He seems like the kind of teacher/professor that you’d want to sit and listen to because his use of language alone is captivating.  At the same time, the book is so very broad in its discussion of ‘table’ that I almost felt like I couldn’t narrow it down. What was it about?  What the modern church should look like?  Servant evangelism?  Family life?  Yes, to all of the above.

I also felt there were moments where he sacrificed theology on the altar of rhetorical artistry.  He seems to get caught up in the language and then try to finish off the argument with one final dazzling move.  For instance, he argues about needing more shared meals in Christian community and then tosses out that it was Eve’s solitary eating that got her into trouble.  Well, actually, no, that wasn’t what got Eve into trouble at all.  It’s easy to get swept up in what he’s saying because he says it well, and yet there were times I needed to stop and say, “Actually, I don’t think that’s right or true.” It’s not often, perhaps, but it is a book to be read with attention so you just don’t nod your head at everything and end up agreeing to things you don’t really believe.

Still, I loved his emphasis on how we’re people of ‘story’ and yet we sometimes don’t take the time to swap stories like we should.  It’s a lost art of relationship and hospitality that helps us draw people to Christ, not as some new evangelistic strategy or three-step witnessing formula, but by genuine love through spending time with others.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and 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: Rhythms of Grace

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Rhythms of Grace: Discovering God’s Tempo for Your Life
by Kerri Weems

The world is a rushing, stressing, pushing, breathless place in this modern age and there have been a surge of books about taking it slow, simplifying life, learning to say ‘no,’ learning to breathe, honoring the Sabbath and more.  Kerri Weems adds her voice to the mix in her book, Rhythms of Grace.  rhythmsofgrace

She starts with an introduction and explanation of some of the ‘heartbeats’ God has set in place to establish the rhythm and tempo of our lives. What is essential?  What do we so often miss that God never intended us to miss?  Shalom—peace and wholeness.  Sabbath—-rest and breathing room.  Grace.

Then she moves on to talk about “pacesetters”: the essentials we build our life around.  She defines and breaks it down to the practical and nitty gritty.  In the area of relationships, she emphasizes how we often make a mess of things.  Sometimes we place relationships with acquaintances or work as a higher priority than those within our family—our husband, our kids, our parents.  She asks us to re-establish the priorities and to learn to let things go.  Weems gives freedom with the assurance that you don’t have to attend every Pampered Chef party or birthday extravaganza.

In addition to pacesetters, she examines ‘peace-stealers,’ the burdens we need to shake off or maybe the way mixed-up priorities, people-pleasing, and focusing too much on achievement wreak havoc on our schedule, our hearts, and our relationships with God and with others. . Ultimately, she leads you through a calendar ‘reboot’ where you define the pacesetters in your life and make the tough choices needed to protect the essentials and leave yourself room to breathe and room for God to work.

I began this book thinking, “here we go again….what could possibly be different about this book than the other 10 books I’ve read on this topic this year?”  Yet, if you’re looking for practical ways to evaluate your life and your schedule while tuning into the mantra of ‘simplicity’ we’re hearing so much about, this is the book for you.  It was so very practical and realistic.

I think she also managed to do what not many other Christian books do for women—she deals with the reality that many women are balancing work and home.  So often the books skirt around the issue, never fulling giving the support and advice many women need, but Kerri Weems takes it head on.  As a resource for women who need to learn how to ‘turn on work’ in the morning and ‘turn off work’ at the end of the day, this could be a breakthrough and so invaluable, encouraging and helpful.  I’ve read several books on this topic and haven’t seen anyone address working moms quite so well.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and 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: In This House We Will Giggle

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In This House We Will Giggle:Making Virtues, Love & Laughter a Daily Part of Your Family Life
by Courtney DeFeo

I’m a structured, scheduled, careful, attentive, purposeful mom, but not the most likely mom in the world to grab a pillowcase and initiate a sack race out in the grass with my kids.  That’s why I didn’t know what to expect when I picked up Courtney DeFeo’s book, In This House We Will Giggle.  I prepared myself to learn from a more ‘fun mom.’  I also prepared myself to feel like a mom-failure just because my parenting style and natural personality isn’t the same as the author’s.

The book isn’t at all what I expected and I ended up loving it.  She does scatter “60 ways to bring out the giggle” ideas throughout the book, anything from a family talent show, to swimming indoors by putting swimsuits and goggles on in the bathtub, to those pillowcase races I mentioned earlier.  Any of these ideas could be fun or creative, but they weren’t the heart of the book.  Essentially, DeFeo gives 12 virtues to focus on as a family, which this ‘purposeful, schedule-loving’ mom loved even more than any of the giggle suggestions she also provides.

You can read straight through the book like I did and pick up general ideas to use with your family.  You can also follow her suggestion and take one virtue/chapter per month and spend a year as a family growing our kids in Christ with intentionality.  Each chapter includes some thoughts from DeFeo about the virtue, how to teach it, what are the pitfalls, why it’s needed, etc. The virtues match up well with the calendar, focusing on love in February, Gratitude in November, and Generosity in December, for instance.  I love the natural way the virtues fit with what might already be happening in our kids’ lives.inthishousewewillgiggle

Even more helpful, she includes a one-page section for each virtue called “Catch phrases.”  These are a string of phrases to use with your kids all month long to cement the principles you want to teach.  Then, the chapter concludes with a teaching section.  This is what I loved.  She gives a memory verse for the month, a simple definition of the virtue to teach your kids (I love her definitions), a passage to read in the Jesus Storybook Bible, Questions for Discussion, a prayer, and then a family activity or two to put the virtue into action.  Here’s what I loved—nothing about her teaching sections was overwhelming.  It wasn’t memorize a verse a week or read this daily devotional or do an activity every day….. It was one thing to focus on all month.  That sounds doable to me and I’m a practical and busy mom with 4 kids:  Doable matters.

There are a million ways to feel guilty as a mom for not doing enough or not measuring up, especially in this world of Pinterest and blog ideas.  Everyone has a plan or method to teach our kids something important.  If I tried to do everything, I’d exhaust us and end up failing completely.  But this book offers a fun and Christ-focused way to spend a year highlighting Spiritual virtues with our kid that you can easily tailor to your family.

More than that, DeFeo ends the book with just what most moms need—a message of grace: “I have to remind myself daily that God offers grace. Yes, we are going to mess up. We will not, cannot, get all this parenting stuff just right. But God fills in the gaps and gives us tremendous grace and mercy along the road.”  Amen!

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and 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: 365 Pocket Prayers for Mothers

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365 Pocket Prayers for Mothers

As a mom, I’m always on the look out for ways to cover my kids in prayer, and I love the idea of this beautiful book 365 Pocket Prayers for Mothers.  It’s lovely enough to be a gift with its lavender cover of imitation leather, and it’s small enough to slip into a purse and carry with you as a mom-on-the-go.  Personally, I may keep it tucked into a purse or even in the glove compartment of the minivan to pull out any time I’m waiting for my kids outside of school or other activities. pocketprayers

You can pray through the book in order from Day 1 to Day 365, or you can use the index to find prayers on topics that might be on your heart like: worry, feeling burned out, thankfulness, balance, and others.

The daily entries include a brief Scripture verse, as well.  Every few days, you’ll find two especially short prayers for those times that you are rushed or perhaps for the weekends.

I loved the beautiful honesty of the prayers.  They were personal to the three ladies who wrote the book—maybe sharing stories about watching the sunset with family or how a daughter is learning to be thankful.  So, for me, the prayers were less about me saying these same words to God, as they were a way to pray ‘with’ another mom.  I could read the prayer on the page and then continue to pray for my own family in agreement and in my own words.

It’s a great gift for moms maybe for Christmas, Mother’s Day or a birthday…or really any occasion.  But it’s also a prayer book you may want for yourself!

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and 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: Brave Mom

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Brave Mom: Facing and Overcoming Your Real Mom Fears
by Sherry Surratt

We live in a scary world and it’s all too easy to get caught up in parenting with fear rather than parenting in faith, which is why I was so excited to read Sherry Surratt’s book, Brave Mom.  This CEO of MOPS International(Mothers of Preschoolers) talks openly and honestly about some of the biggest fears moms face, including a fear of parenting teenagers, fear of not being perfect, fear that being a mom will change you forever, and more.  Certainly as a mom I’m more than just afraid about keeping my kids physically safe.  I worry about the friends they make….worry about whether I’m doing enough, whether I’ll let them down or mess them up, whether they’ll be bullied or teased or lost or alone or…you name it.  These “Real Mom Fears” can take over the moment you find out you’re pregnant for the first time.bravemom

Each chapter includes notes and letters from other moms who have faced and overcome similar fears, so it really is like attending a mom support group and saying, “Hi, My name is ________ and I struggle with fear” and listening to others who understand what you’re going through.  Surratt’s relaxed and chatty style of writing makes this book an easy read and very relatable.  She concludes every chapter with a section called “Let’s Get Practical” that includes some questions for further thought/discussion and another section called “Let’s Take Action” that helps you put what you’ve learned into practice. It’s not a Bible study really, but it is great for an individual to read or for a book club or moms group to read together.

My favorite chapters in the book came at the end: “Facing Your Emotional Monsters” and “Building a Better You.”  Her advice in those chapters is practical, helpful, wise, and full of grace.  She encourages moms to build a support system and to find spiritual rhythms that work for you instead of trying to copy the quiet time habits of others around you.   I also loved the idea of sorting fears into two categories: things I can do something about and things I can’t do anything about so I need to just leave it to God.  Grabbing a hold of those runaway fears, analyzing them, praying through them, and doing something about them all helps tame the anxiety monster that can hold us moms captive.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and 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, A.D. 30

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A.D. 30: A Novel
by Ted Dekker

I’ve never accepted a request to review a fiction book before as I find Christian nonfiction to be more my forte.  But I was asked to review Ted Dekker’s novel, A.D. 30, because of its discussion of women’s issues that might be of interest to me and my blog followers.  So, this is my first Christian fiction review and the first time I’ve read any of Ted Dekker’s books at all.ad30

He takes what seems to me to be quite a unique perspective on Jesus’ ministry.  Instead of setting the book in Galilee or Jerusalem or focusing the book on any of the people closest to Jesus, such as a disciple or Jesus’ family, Dekker writes from the perspective of Maviah, an Arabic woman.  She seems in every way to offer an outsider’s perspective on Yeshua and sometimes it’s that view from the outside-looking-in that offers the freshest voice.  She and other characters in the novel struggle to make sense of Jesus’ teachings, such as turning the other cheek and that the Kingdom of Heaven is here, now, within us.  As long-term Christians, sometimes we grow blase to the truly dynamic and revolutionary way that Jesus taught.  It was wonderful to grapple again with what Jesus really meant by His teachings and remember how He overturned expectations.

Maviah’s story itself is that of an outcast.  She has been a slave.  She is a single mother.  She is, simply put, a woman in a culture where she should have no power and no voice.  And yet, her journey takes her to the courts of King Herod and to the shores of Bethsaida where she hears the teachings of Yeshua and meets others familiar to us, such as Nicodemus, the disciples, and the woman who had been bleeding for 12 years.

I liked the freshness of the perspective.  Dekker’s writing style is capable and unique, not cliched in either language, emotion or storyline, and I could see this book appealing to both male and female readers.  I can’t say that I’m drawn to books about life among the Arabian nomadic peoples in the early first century, so it wasn’t a comfortable read or a particularly relaxing and ‘cozy’ read, but it was fairrly compelling.  This book begins Maviah’s story and a sneak peak at the end promises more to come in the future.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and 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: The One Year Hearing His Voice Devotional

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The One Year Hearing His Voice Devotional: 365 Days of Intimate Communication with God
by Chris Tiegreen

Several years ago, I received one of Chris Tiegreen’s One Year Devotionals as a Christmas present.  I’m usually a devotional critic, expecting more meat and substance to be packed in than most devotionals really deliver.  Yet, I fell in love with Tiegreen’s style and made that Christmas present part of my daily reading all year long. Since then, I’ve used several of his devotionals as part of my regular quiet time.  I choose them because I know what to expect—quick, to-the-point writing that gives me some new way of looking at a particular verse or gives me something deeper to meditate on throughout the day, which is exactly what I’m looking for.hearinghisvoice

His book, The One Year Hearing His Voice Devotional, follows the same format and style that I love.  Each entry begins with a Scripture, includes a one-page devotional thought and ends with a few lines of prayer.  Nothing fancy or elaborate, but still thoughtful and contemplative.  I like how his devotionals follow a particular theme for the entire year, in this case hearing God’s voice.  Right from the beginning, he addresses the skeptics who think surely God doesn’t speak to us directly. He highlights that it is the nature of God to speak and it is His desire to have a relationship with us.

I’m likely the only person to feel this way, but the only part of the book I didn’t like so much were the occasional entries written “From the Heart of God,” in the same style as the popular book, Jesus Calling.  About once a week, he has included these entries written as if God were speaking directly to the reader.  It does fit with the book’s theme of God speaking, but I have to say I prefer devotionals written from a third-person perspective.

Other than that personal preference, I have enjoyed the One Year Hearing His Voice Devotional and look forward to continuing to use Chris Tiegreen devotionals as part of my quiet time in the future.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and 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: Move On

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Move On: When Mercy Meets Your Mess
by Vicki Courtneymoveon

Andy Stanley wrote, “Either you were a mess, are a mess, or are one dumb decision away from becoming a mess.”  With the human propensity for such a messy state, we all need mercy, and that’s the hope that Vicki Courtney offers in her book, Move On.  She is utterly vulnerable, sharing failures and mistakes that so many hide away–some of them in her pre-Christian days, some of them as a Christian author and speaker who still isn’t perfect.  And that’s the point—we can’t be perfect on our own.  That’s why we need Jesus.

I loved her conversational, easy style, her humor and vulnerability.  I’d never read any of her writing before, not her books or her blog, so her style seemed a little ‘fresh’ and new.  It didn’t sound overly rehearsed, like a talk she’s given 100 times before.  I loved that she sounded ‘real’ and was willing to share real stories from her real life.

She touches on Christian legalism, shame and guilt, coveting attention and wanting more ‘likes’ on Facebook and Instagram.  Ultimately, she manages to strike that difficult balance between knowing we need grace and yet still being called to become more like Christ.  Each chapter ends with questions that could be used for private contemplation or for a Book club or small group to discuss together.

It’s so easy as a Christian to be overwhelmed by failure, to come face-to-face with our own sin or mistakes or weaknesses and feel like we’ll just never be enough.  Satan prods us with condemnation.  Better to give up.  Better to hide away.  These are the lies he tells us.  But Christ compels us forward.  Yes, we fall—but we don’t stay there flat on our face.  We don’t get back up and abandon the field completely.  We get up and we keep going.  We shake off the past and keep heading toward Jesus.  We do indeed ‘move on.’

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and 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, Messy Beautiful Love

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Messy Beautiful Love: Hope and Redemption for Real-Life Marriages
by Darlene Schacht

In her book on marriage, Messy Beautiful Love, Darlene Schacht shares a testimony of grace.  She’s not a marriage counselor or the perfect wife who has always gotten it all right.  She starts the book off right away with a reminder that she’s struggled and messed it all up, but God redeemed her marriage and taught her so she could share with other women.messybeautifullove

Better known as the popular blogger, The Time-Warp Wife, Darlene is a skilled storyteller who shares with open vulnerability.  This book reminds us that fairy tale marriages where everyone lives Happily Ever After without effort are just that–fairy tales.  Life happens.  Whether it’s because of everyday stress and the rush of jobs and kids or it’s the moments when the world just seems to crash down on you like illness, loss, bankruptcy, unemployment, no beautiful love exists without some mess.  But her book reminds us of how to respond, how to grow together, and how to be prepared for the best and worst that marriage and life might have to offer.

Ultimately, it’s mostly a book of practical marriage tips and covers things like “give up your right to be right,” “handle your conflict wisely,” “appreciate him for who he truly is,” “communicate with loving respect,” etc.  I especially appreciated that she focused on wives and what we can do as godly women to be obedient to God in our marriage.

The book is easy to read.  She uses mostly personal stories to convey her points, sharing occasionally letters from other women that she’s received through her blog, and some Scriptures.  It’s not my favorite marriage book.  I felt by the end that she hadn’t really said anything original, nothing I hadn’t read hundreds of times in every other marriage book.  But her book is unique in that she’s sharing out of her struggles instead of clinical expertise.  She also doesn’t give you cutesy slogans or communication exercises to solve your marriage woes.  This book is more about ‘getting real’ about marriage from a wife who has been there in the trenches and walked out stronger.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and 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: Dancing on the Head of a Pen

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Dancing on the Head of a Pen: The Practice of the Writing Life
by Robert Benson

I’m a little embarrassed to confess this, but Robert Benson’s book, Dancing on the Head of a Pen, is perhaps the first time as an author I’ve braved reading a book on writing.  Maybe I was mistaken, thinking surely these books focused on mechanics or practicalities.  Maybe I was fearful, worried that I’d be pushed to write a certain way, with a certain schedule or technique, and I’d end up shoving myself into ill-fitting authorial clothes.dancingontheheadofapen

I was wrong.  This is a beautiful book, straightforward, easy-to-read, but so thoughtful.  I drifted through it slowly.  It felt less like a tutorial or a lecture and more like a chat on a park bench.  He seemed to say, “So, you’re a writer?  This is what I’ve found works for me after all these years and so many books.  What works for you?”

He shares a bit on the life of a writer, the disciplines of a writer, the heart of a writer.  He encourages writers to read–read well and read carefully and shares some of his favorites.  His writing life sounds entirely different than mine.  I’m this young mom with four kids, a noisy home, a noisy life.  My time for writing is dictated by external schedules.  I felt, at times as I read, a little wistful.  Wouldn’t it be nice to take random strolls into the woods or turn over soil in the garden and linger over my favorite books and spend time on the crossword each day?  And yet, I take the principle well.  I can’t ignore the inspiration my soul needs.

I loved this book, loved the practical advice, loved the humor, loved the understanding and kindred connection, loved the inspiration.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and 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.”