Thursday, March 28, 2013

Wounded Warrior, Wounded Home by Marshele Carter Waddell

This is a good book to help anyone understand what a soldier deals with.




It is presented from a biblical worldview and contains solid information. It comes from first-hand experience as one of the author's spouse is retired Navy and has suffered from the wounds of a warrior.

You won't feel like this is full of fake mumbo jumbo. The writing is incredibly authentic and draws you inside the struggles that everyone goes through.

If nothing else, this book screams for those going through these things to not be silent. This will, hopefully, encourage vets and spouses to seek out help.

While they do include biblical insights and advice, reading this did not feel like a sermon on all the world's ills from sin. It was encouraging to read something Bible-based that was very gracious and good.

I would recommend this book for anyone in the military or in close proximity to a service person.




This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Revell.


Wednesday, March 20, 2013

A Rabbi Looks At The Last Days by Jonathan Bernis

First things first - this is not the book I was expecting. In fact, the title is quite misleading.




Jonathan Bernis is a Messianic Jew and the President of a Christian ministry to Israel. So while he is a rabbi, I was assuming a rabbi from Orthodox Judaism and that he would bring in that religion's views of The Last Days. (You read the detail of his being a messianic rabbi on the back cover, but not all online retailers provide that. Many would just read the title and be intrigued.)

Even the sub-title is misleading: "Surprising Insights on Israel, End Times and Popular Misconceptions" When you place these two titles on the cover of a book, one would expect a deconstruction of everything Evangelical Christians and Fundamentalists believe about the end of the world and why they are wrong.

This is not quite the case.

The surprising insights never really manifest. Bernis believes Jesus will not return until all of Israel believes in Him and not as a secretive thief per The Rapture. Is this the big surprise? Is this the popular misconception?

When the back cover starts with, "What if everything you know about the end times is wrong?" I would expect something much more than what Bernis provides. Where is the "everything" I know?

Bernis uses the rest of the book to promote our financial support of his ministry and Israel in general. None of this is in error. Indeed we should cover them in prayer and all types of support as we should every people, group and tribe.

But I would recommend changing the title to reflect the true nature of this book. My biggest critique is that I felt the title and promotion - using the pop-culture craving of End Times craze but not really delivering the answers and "surprising insights" that were implied - was misleading.

This is a good book  for people to learn a bit more of the viewpoint of a Messianic Jew but it is not the End Times book expected.




This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Baker Publishing.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Miracle for Jen by Linda Barrick

A book about a horrible accident and the survivors.




Linda Barrick has a powerful story to tell and she's poured it all out in this book. While she and her daughter doing public speaking events, this book details the events of the car accident and incredibly long road to recovery.

The Barrick family was driving home from church when a drunk driver sped away from a police officer and smashed into their vehicle. Jen received the brunt of the injuries and doctors didn't think she would ever recover. Both Linda and her husband, Andy, were seriously injured. Jen's brother walked out of the accident  with only minor injuries.

When you look at the pictures provided in the middle of the book and you read what the doctor's were doing to Jen while Linda and Andy were receiving their own urgent care, it's a testament to healing and miracles.

It may be hard for some to read this book and wonder, why didn't this happen to so-and-so who died in a car accident?. While I've had my own moments of questioning, this book is a fantastic week-long read (or however long it takes you to read books like this) into the power of prayer and a family who allows their trust in God to carry them through a very dark period.

Jen was the quiet girl until her recovery. Now she's a loud voice into the provision of God and why people cannot live without him.




This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Tyndale Publishing.

Pursuing Justice by Ken Wytsma

It's difficult for me to review this book and not because it was poorly written or because I disagreed with the points.




In point of fact, Wytsma lays out some fantastic groundwork and creative ideas to get anyone's juices flowing for living bigger than what we see.

You'll be consumed with the 19 chapters that cover all things from Wytsma's own life to theological insights, history lessons and social overviews.

He first covers the bases of what is justice? How will we define it? Then he pours it on quick and thick. Seriously, this book has so much but every page of it should be consumed slowly.
How to know God through justice.
What does the Gospel say about justice.
Where justice and love intertwine.
Why justice is always social.
And so much more...

Here's my deal, my review isn't as praiseworthy as it should be because I just wasn't "with it" while reading it. I went through the chapters agreeing with him all the way and found myself nodding with his points and even raising my eyebrows when he would throw me a zinger or two. But, to me, I was reading another Christian Get-With-It tome.

There is nothing wrong with this book at all. In fact, I would recommend my friends to read this and then act upon it.




This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Thomas Nelson Publishing.
I review for BookSneeze®

The Price of Politics by Bob Woodward

I appreciated Bob Woodward's books during President Bush's terms and I appreciate his books during President Obama's terms.




The Price of Politics is typical Woodward reporting. He gathers hours of personal interviews and information and compiles them into an engaging 380 page story. Who would think that reading about how laws are made, or not made in this instance, would be so interesting.

There has been much hype surrounding this book. Especially now that I've read it after the sequester has taken effect. Woodward highlights how our politicians actually operate behind their public/media personas. The time period is when the federal government is in risk of defaulting for the first time in history. The GOP has taken the House and the Tea Party is riding high.

There is a brief introduction to how President Obama's administration treated Congress during their first two years in office. This treatment boiled down to: "We have the votes, f- 'em." The arrogance would come back to bite them in 2010.

Who will give in this political cat & mouse game? President Obama and the Democrats want revenue to offset the deficit by the tune of $1.2 trillion. (In all fairness the President was constantly talking about cutting spending. Something the GOP hammer him on whenever they're on the cable shows) Republicans were willing to vote for $800 million by reforming the tax code.

When Nancy Pelosi and her Liberal allies pressured the President to ask for $400 billion more, Speaker Boehner stopped negotiating and that was it. The blame game was on.

I admire Woodward for painting a full picture for us. This is a book for anyone interested in our their government works (or doesn't). No one is painted with a biased, Woodward simply gives us the information he is told. No one comes out clean. In fact, both Speaker Boehner and President Obama are to blame for many of our problems. Neither one provide the kind of leadership needed at that level.




This is a fantastic political book. Woodward does not deserve the flak he has received from the White House. By the end I was screaming at both Democrats and Republicans - "GROW UP and LEAD!!!"