gods at war

Remember ‘not a fan’? The book that rocked the church and shaped the faith of millions? The book that challenged people to step outside their comfort zone and fall in love with God? That book? The pastor who wrote that, Kyle Idleman, is back with a new game changer. His newest offering, ‘gods at war’ focuses on our passive idolatry. We may not bow down to physical objects made of wood and gold, but we forsake our Creator for earthly pleasure, power, and love. We are in the middle of a battle ground, with our hearts fighting over things of this world verses the things of God.

Idleman makes use of testimonies, statistics, studies, anecdotes, and basically everything but the kitchen sink in the book in order to make his point. With each chapter focusing on a different idol (including food, sex, money, family, and entertainment for example), Idleman brings big lofty ideas of sacrifice and commitment and brings them down to the common people’s level.

Kyle Idleman has a true gift with words. He connects with you on a personal level, pulls you in, and doesn’t let you leave the same. This book is quite simply amazing. Five out of five stars.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This is completely my opinion on the book.

When Donkeys Talk

Hey guys! Sorry this is so late! (It’s like 1 in the morning where I’m at! Haha J ) Anyway, I wanted to tell you all about this AWESOME new book I just got from booksneeze the other day. I ate it up. Okay, not literally. But it’s still pretty legit J

So this book is called ‘When Donkeys Talk: A Quest to Rediscover the Mystery and Wonder of Christianity” by Tyler Blanksi. It’s basically about how God is awesome and He can do whatever He wants, like making donkeys talk, so that everyone will know that He’s God.

Mr. Blanksi has a unique writing style, blending centuries-old quotes and viewpoints with a fresh humour that basically just puts an new spin on things. His book is written in a very easy to read style, which helped me finish it so quickly J He talks about taking the mundane out of our relationship with God, because God is anything but ordinary. God is awesome and fantastic and mysterious and wonderful, and Tyler does a WONDERFUL job of portraying that.

I give this book five out of five stars.

Note: I received this book for free from the Booksneeze Blogging programme in exchange for an honest review.

"Dirty God" by Johnnie Moore

Hey yall. SO! It’s really late right now, but I JUST finished this AWESOME book from the lovely people over at Booksneeze. Before I get too far, I gotta tell you that I received this book for free from the Thomas Nelson Booksneeze blogger programme in exchange for an honest review. This review is 100% my own opinion and how I legitimately feel. Alright, now that that’s over, I gotta tell ya about this awesome book.

It’s “Dirty God: Jesus In The Trenches” by Johnnie Moore.

The main thing I loved about this was the accessible writing style. Mr. Moore didn’t use pretentious speech or over analyze things. He spoke plainly and with an awesome applicability.

“Dirty God” is basically the unveiling of God’s love story. God loves us silly humans so much that He got down and dirty with us. Got to the nitty gritty. He refused to let us flounder about alone. He come down and showered us with grace and continues to do so today. That’s the essential summary of this book.

So many parts of this book struck a nerve with me. It had me giggling one minute and then crying the next. It’s a rare book that can make me do that. Five out of five stars.

Who Do You Think You Are?

Hey guys. So… I gotta be honest… I’m usually pretty wary of anything Mark Driscoll puts out. I like him and all, and I think he has some good things to say, but I’ve usually taken most of what he says with a grain of salt; comparing his opinions against others and then forming my own. When I saw his new book, “Who Do You Think You Are?” on booksneeze, I was getting ready to pass it over. However, I felt a tugging to go back and at least read the description. So I read the description and promptly ordered it.

See, here’s the thing… a lot of Christians don’t know who they are in Christ. They think going to church is the extent of their relationship with God… and that they haven’t become that new creation of which 2 Corinthians speaks.

While I still hold the, “Compare all of what Driscoll says against Scripture along with other commentators/theologians” (I say to do this with all writers), Mr. Mark’s book “Who Do You Think You Are?” is a pretty good read. And, to be personal, I gotta say this came at the perfect time for me.

Four out of five stars.

I was given this book free of charge from the Thomas Nelson booksneeze blogger programme in exchange for an honest review.

Live Second

Hey yall! I just got this awesome new book from Booksneeze, “Live Second.” For years I’ve been following the I Am Second Company, watching the videos, connecting with the groups, and I read the original book that released last year. I Am Second has changed countless lives, including mine, and the newest devotional, “Live Second: 365 Ways to Make Jesus First” is about to be added to the line up.

“Live Second” is written by Doug Bender. It consists of 365 daily devotionals, sectioned into 52 weeks, grouped into 12 sessions. Each session lasts 4-5 weeks.

At the beginning of each week, the book gives you a video to watch (accessible by scanning the QR code with your smartphone). Every day comes with a scripture reference (that you read on your own), a couple paragraphs that break down the passage, some questions to consider after reading the passage, prayer suggestions, and challenges. Challenges focus mainly on living your life based around what you’ve just read, and sharing the gospel with others. At the bottom of each devotional is a twitter hashtag (that look something like #IASgoodness or #IASsurrender) that can share your thoughts on the devotional with the I Am Second community.

All in all this is a wonderful devotional. I love it and I’m going to (attempt) to follow it all through the next year. I give it five out of five stars.

I received this book for free through the booksneeze blogger programme. I was not obligated to give this book a positive review. 

Fully Alive by Ken Davis

Hey guys! I don’t know if yall knew or not, but one of my favourite Bible verses is John 10:10b: “I have come so that you may have life to live to the fullest.” (That may be a little paraphrased, but it’s the same general feeling.) Anyway, the new book I’ve gotten from booksneeze talks about that very verse.

“Fully Alive” by Ken Davis was an interesting read. It pulled me in quickly and Davis has a unique ability weave together personal stories and theological truths. He has a quirky sense of humour that I love and his truths were practical. “Fully Alive” is about living life to the fullest (pretty obvious, considering the title) the way God wants. I loved it. I’ve noticed a huge influx of books similar to this one. People aren’t satisfied with the Sunday-to-Sunday salvation. This book offers a way to live your faith day by day. It’s wonderful. Five out of five stars.

Note: This book was given to me free of charge by the publisher through the Thomas Nelson Booksneeze Blogger programme in exchange for an honest review. I was not forced to write a positive review. This review is completely, 100% my true opinion.

The Truth About Grace by John MacArthur

"“Is the experience of God’s grace in your life a thrilling thing? Just thinking about the fact that God, by His own sovereign plan, decided to be gracious to me is overwhelming. There is nothing greater than receiving grace upon grace.” —John MacArthur

Simple definitions can make grace feel like an obvious―even mundane―concept. Nothing could be further from the truth. Grace is the defining feature of the Christian faith. Once we understand how undeserving we are and how much favor we’ve been given, grace becomes shocking, thrilling, inspiring, and contagious."

This comes from the back of the book, and I honestly can't describe the sentiments in this book any better. Grace is often a scary concept. MacArthur does a wonderful job of simplifying it and making it easily accessible to the common man. This book is very short; I finished it in an afternoon. It’s not so deep that you go under, but it goes hand in hand with real life. This was my first experience with the ‘Truth About’ series that MacArthur has been putting out, but it most definitely won’t be my last. I give this book a good 3.5 out of 5 stars.

*Warning. This book had a few parts that I found biblically questionable. I am in the process of seeking answers in the Bible. Read with a bit of caution!

Love Does by Bob Goff

Hey guys. One of my favourite parts of being part of the booksneeze programme is getting to find kind of the yet - to - be - discovered literary gems. In Bob Goff’s ‘Love Does,’ I’ve found such a gem. Before I go on, though, I need to let you know that I did, in fact, receive this book for free from the Thomas Nelson publisher through their booksneeze blogging programme in exchange for an honest review. I am under no obligation to give this book a positive review. Everything that you are about to read is completely, 100% my own thoughts. Anyway, so I’ve been noticing more and more biographies coming through booksneeze recently. The thing is with most of these biographies, however, is that most of them are of celebrities. Or at least people that I’ve heard of. Before this book, though, I had never heard of Bob Goff. But when I read the summation of the book on the review page, I was intrigued. This guy seemed like he had it going on. So I ordered the book and wasn’t disappointed. This book is funny, thought-provoking, and completely enjoyable to read. I love it, and it does a fantastic job of showing how a person can live putting love into action. I give this book five out of five stars.

I am Second by David Sterrett and Doug Bender

Hey guys. Seriously, I cannot rave enough about this book that I’ve just gotten. It’s called “I Am Second”, and it contains a lot of stories about different people who have become Christians. It’s a book of testimonies, blending together celebrity stores from the likes of Brian Welch and Michelle Aguilar as well as regular people like you and I. It is “officially” written by Dave Sterrett and Doug Bender, it is truly written by dozens of people who have learned what it means to become second. I AM SECOND is an organization that I’ve recently gotten involved with, and I love it. If you would like to learn more about it, please visit iamsecond.org. It is an amazing site and I am sure you will be blessed by it. I loved this book so much and I give it a solid five out of five stars.

Just to make sure everyone is aware of this, I received this book for free from the publisher through the Thomas Nelson booksneeze blogger program in exchange for a completely honest review. I was under no requirement to give this book a positive review, and everything that you’ve read is my own opinion.

I am a Follower by Leonard Sweet

Hello there! I have just received a new book from Booksneeze, “I am a Follower” by Leonard Sweet, and I LOVED it! But, before I get started, I need to let you all know that I did get this book for free from the booksneeze blogging program offered through the Thomas Nelson Publishing Company. I got it in exchange for an honest review, and anything I say is completely my own opinion. Now, on with the review! Following, in today’s society, is not the norm. At all, whatsoever. We are the masters of our own path, the dictators of our own lives, and the rulers of our situations. So when this Jesus guy comes along and says, “Forget about you. Live for Me,” it gets sort of hectic. It turns our little, perfectly placed lives upside down and changes every aspect of our day-to-day schedule. Shouldn’t that be the case? And used to be, that was exactly what happened. But as AD 30 turned into AD 2011, our collective attitude towards Jesus has become less and less about Him and more and more about us. This book was written so that maybe some people would change that. In a time where everyone is wanting more, books such as “Radical,” “Not a Fan”, and “Crazy Love” rise to the top. I believe that we should add “I am a Follower” to this list. Five out of five stars!

Cliques, Hicks, and Ugly Sticks by K. D. McCrite

Hey, there, everyone! I just received a new book from booksneeze- “Cliques, Hicks, and Ugly Sticks: Confessions of April Grace #2” by K. D. McCrite. Before I delve into the actual review, I need to say (for legal reasons) that I received this book from the Thomas Nelson Publishing Company for free in exchange for an honest review. I am not obligated to give anything but my own thoughts, and whatever I say is my own honest opinion. So take it or leave it, folks. Anyway! So, I had also reviewed the first novel in this series, “In Front of God and Everybody”, and it was adorable. When I read this, I was just as enamored with the bubbly writing style and the plain sweetness of the prose. It was… Innocent, would probably be the best word for it, in my own opinion. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I will probably be giving it (and the first one- nice little gift set! J) to a friend of mine for Christmas. I know that she will completely enjoy the books, as much I liked them. I think this was a cute book and I hope that there are more to come! Four out of five stars!

The Encounter by Stephen Arterburn

This book was great, I'm just gonna say up front. It flowed easily and almost made me cry at a few points. A young man, after an attepmt at suicide, decided to go out and find his birth mother. He tracks her all over Alaska with the help of a reporter, Erica. Does he find his mom? I won't tell you- you'll just have to find out for yourself. This was a really sweet book and I give it four out of five stars. Perfect for when you need a little sugary sweet something to lighten your day. I received this book for free from the booksneeze blogger program in exchange for an honest review.

His Steadfast Love by Golden Keyes Parsons

Good evening, all! I hope that everyone is well. I have just received a new book from booksneeze- “His Steadfast Love” by Golden Keyes Parsons. I’m not entirely sure that’s the author’s real name, but if it is, I am extremely jealous. Anyway, I need to say, before I get started on the review, I received this book for free from the Thomas Nelson Publishing company through the Booksneeze bloggers’ program, and everything I say is my own, complete, and honest opinion. So, now, on with the show! “His Steadfast Love” by Golden Keyes Parsons takes place during the civil war, on the Gulf Coast of Texas. A young woman, Amanda, never thinking that she would get married, finds herself falling in love with a Union captain. When her brother joins the Confederates, she is torn in two. What happens next? I guess that you will just have to read it for yourself and find out. Mixing history beautifully with romance, “His Steadfast Love” by Golden Keyes Parsons is a very well written book. It is interesting to see both sides of a conflict put together so well (you know, Union v. Confederate). I give this book four out of five stars.

Waking Hours by Lis Wiehl

Good evening, people! I’ve received a new book recently, and now I have to tell you all how great it was. Before I get started, however, I need to let you all know that I received this book for free from the Thomas Nelson publishing program in exchange for an honest review. Everything I say in the review is completely and truthfully my own opinion. So, anyway, I’ve just gotten the book “Waking Hours” by Lis Wiehl. I’ve read her work before, and this is different than the other books of hers that I have read. But it’s still fantastic. Set in East Salem, you immediately get a sense of mystery and intrigue. This is, after all, where the Salem Witch Trials took place. (Or is it? I’m terrible with geography :)) Lis Wiehl blends mystery, suspense, and the supernatural with as much grace and ease as someone along the lines of Ted Dekker. And I’m a super huge addicted Ted Dekker fan. This would actually be a good book for a reading group- I know that after I finished I could barely stop talking about it! If this is the case, the book has a handy reading guide in back. I loved this book and look forward to more work from the author. Four out of five stars.

The Realms Thereunder by Ross Lawhead

Hello, there! I’ve just received a new book from booksneeze, “The Realms Thereunder” by Ross Lawhead. Before I get started, however, I must say that I received this book for free from the booksneeze blogger program from the Thomas Nelson publishing company, and I am under no obligation to give this book a positive review. Everything I say is how I legitimately feel. Now, on with the show! This was a fairly good book, well written and the plot was formed well. However, a lot of the book felt to me to center around the fantastical, mythical side of things. And that is something that I generally don’t like. The book was well written, however, and I’m trying to write an unbiased review. So I think that, all in all, it was a very good book. I shall give it a solid four out of five stars. I would honestly suggest this book to anyone who finds the unknown, science fictional realm interesting. I know of a few people in my life who would enjoy this book. In fact, I have a certain little brother who loves this kind of stuff, and I do believe that I’ve just acquired his birthday present. J

It Couldn't Just Happen by Lawrence O. Richards

Hi! I just got a new book from book sneeze! Before I get started, though, I need to let you know that I received this book for free from the Thomas Nelson publishing company through the booksneeze program and I am under no legal obligation to give this book a positive review. So whatever I say about this book is for real how I feel. So, anyway, let’s get going, shall we? “It Couldn’t Just Happen” by Lawrence O. Richards is a good beginner’s guide to apologetics. I’m not a seminary graduate, or have any kind of religious degree, but I love reading and collecting apologetics literature. This was a bit rudimentary for my taste, but this book is written for like 8-12 year olds. So I don’t hold the basic writing style against them J. This book is very colourful, and lays out the facts for all to see. It has charts, diagrams, pictures, fast facts, so on and so forth. I really, really like this book. It’s a good introductory guide to scientific apologetics. I that this book would be excellent for the more scientifically- minded kids out there. I most definitely give this book a solid five out of five stars J

A Vision of Lucy by Margaret Brown

Hey thereJ I’ve gotten a new book sort of recently  from booksneeze, and it’s really good. Before I get started though, I should probably tell you that I received this book for free from the booksneeze program offered through the thomas nelson publishing company and this review is one hundred percent my own opinion. Anywho, this story is about a fledgling woman photographer. Now, to be quite honest, I’ve never really looked into the history of photography- particularly American photography. For a while, it seems that photography  was quite the frivolous pursuit. This is where Lucy in introduced- a woman with a job at a time when it seemed women did everything BUT have a job. Lucy hopes to convince her dad she’s legit, but that’s hard to do when disaster seems to follow her everywhere she goes. Determined to become a respectable worker, she begins to take photographs of the town’s recluse, sure that capturing him on camera would insure her media attention. But she realizes that this job is harder than it looks as she falls in love with him. A plot twist comes (don’t you love those?!) and change Lucy’s story. What will happen to Lucy? Will she remain true to her passions and her God, or will everything crumble down? I’m not about to go and tell you now. You need to find out for yourselfJ

Money Secrets of the Amish by Lorilee Craker

Hello, there! I’ve gotten a new book from book sneeze recently. It’s call “Money Secrets of the Amish” by Lorilee Craker. Before I get started,  I simply must tell you that I received this book for free from the book sneeze program from Thomas Nelson Publishers and they are not making me give this book a good review. So whatever I say about this book is really and truly my own opinion. I need to say this because of some long legal law thing. Anyway, I’ve always been a fan of Dave Ramsey. If you’ve never heard of him, you need to look him up. Seriously. That guy is like a genius with money management. When I saw this book, I was intrigued. I think it’s always a good idea to manage your money well. “Money Secrets of the Amish” by Lorilee Craker is a very practical money mangagement guide. Not only that, but it is enjoyable to read- as enjoyable as accounting/ money books can beJ If you are looking for a user friendly, easily applicable guide to managing money, “Money Secrets of the Amish” by Lorilee Craker is the book for you. You don’t even have to churn butter or own a buggy to use itJ

Rejoice CD by Women of Faith

Hey! I got something new from booksneeze!! I need to tell you first (as always) that I got this for free from Thomas Nelson Publishers and I have no obligations to give this a good review. Okay, now this one got me excited. Because this time, I didn’t get a book. I got a CD! Call me old-fashioned, but I prefer CDs that I can hold over downloading songs from iTunes or whatever. The CD, called “Rejoice by Women of Faith”, offers a bunch of well-known songs, including “You Brought The Sunshine”, “Come As You Are”, “Great Is Thy Faithfullness”, and quite a few more. These songs, though, are not preformed by “famous” artists- rather, it sounds more like a women’s choir (although, really, these songs are actually kind of like arena concerts that were recorded) These songs are good songs, and I honestly enjoy them, but the people singing at some points almost got on my nerves. They sing really, really, really high at some parts (okay, a lot of parts), and it almost gave me a headache. But I still enjoyed this CD, and I think the song selections are superb. I think I give this a good four out of five stars :)

In Front of God and Everybody by K. D. McCrite

Hi! I just got a new book from Booksneeze- “In Front of God and Everybody: Confessions of April Grace” by K. D. McCrite. This is a really cute book, but before I start telling you about it, I need to tell you that I got this book for free and that I’m under no obligation to give this a good review. Okay, now that that’s done, we can get down to business. “In Front of God and Everybody: Confessions of April Grace” is a cute book- it makes me think of books that I used to read when I was younger. As a girl that basically grew up out in the booneys, I loved that there was FINALLY a book that didn’t take place in some big city. This book chronicles the life and adventures of a young girl, April Grace, for whom this book is named. There is a certain innocence about the book, something that is prevalent in childrens books yet absent in most adult ones. It was very refreshing to feel that once again. This is just a simply cute book and I would recommend it to anyone under the age of 13 (any GIRL that is under the age of 13. For some reason, I don’t think many boys would be very interestedJ) I give this book five out of five stars.