Thursday, April 28, 2016

The 9 Arts of Spiritual Conversations by Mary Schaller and John Crilly

This book was exactly what I needed to read at this exact moment in life.

Generally we have forgotten how to have conversations, right? We tweet, we text, and we throw Facebook tantrums. None of these things equal conversations. We're getting really good at talking at people and losing the art of talking with people.

Schaller and Crilly have been honing their skills in training people to return to the art of conversation and we desperately need this book.

Inside are four parts: Getting Ready, Getting Started, Keeping it Going, and Ongoing Spiritual Conversations.

Using Jesus as the example, we begin with learning the arts of noticing, praying, and listening. Simply notice the people around you, pray for them as you go about your day - pray for their well-being and their life and then really listen. It's here that the authors give some very practical advice on how to get ready to have a conversation.

So often, we are thinking about what we want to say back to the person as soon as they quit talking that we fail to listen.

How many relationships would be healed if everyone practiced the art of getting ready?

Next we learn the arts of asking questions, loving, and welcoming. By asking clarifying questions you show that you are truly invested in what the are saying and not simply trying to figure out the quickest way to fix the problem.

The last two parts are like rolling down a hill. Once you get things going, these will help open the door to more honest conversations and we absolutely need to have better conversations.

This book is fantastic for any pastor, Christian, or honestly anyone tired of people staring at screens all day and returning to the lovely art of getting to know people.

This is a must-read!!

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

Read With Me Bible for Little Ones by Doris Rikkers

This sturdy board book has one major fail to its name.

But first, the good stuff: Dennis Jones is the illustrator and the pictures are fantastic! This feels like a comic book for a two or three year old child. The pictures are bright and colorful and the people typically have a happy face that should really interest a toddler.

There are fifteen board pages filled with pictures. The front and back cover are also used with images. It is very well put together.

The stories are creation, Adam & Eve, Noah, David & Goliath, Jonah, Birth of Jesus, quick summary of Jesus' ministry, Jesus calming the water, and Jesus going to heaven.

The stories give the title and the Bible reference then continue in paneled pictures with the words in ovals - like a comic book.

My one complaint - and it's a big one - they completely skip the death and resurrection of Jesus. It goes from Jesus calming the storm to Jesus floating up to heaven.

I understand this is for toddlers. I understand all of that but we're talking about the pivotal moment in history here. The death and resurrection of Jesus needs to be part of any Bible, be it normal or "Read with Me".

Major - Epic fail here.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Zonderkidz publishing.
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Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Star Trek: Manifest Destiny by Mike Johnson

It is difficult to post a review of the first issue of a new Star Trek adventure starring the Enterprise crew from the JJ Abrams timeline.

It's difficult because, as the first issue, it really doesn't dive too deep into plot.

The crew of the Enterprise are off on their adventure and then they meet up with Klingons. But these Klingons are on a ship that looks like it belongs in the original timeline.

Battle ensues and then the issue is over. 'Til next time, right?

The artwork is similar to the other Abrams' Trek timeline stories and that is perfectly fine.

It's intriguing because these stories typically take a plotline you're familiar with and twist it just a bit so I am greatly anticipating what comes next for these Klingons.

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

Monday, April 25, 2016

The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins

Remember when you first watched The Matrix and had no idea what was going on for the first hour? This is how I felt reading this book.

Of course, after The Matrix was over I had a better understanding of what was going on in that world. With this book, I finished it and still remained in the dark.

A group of adopted children are raised by a man in a building they call The Library. They each are given strict guidelines as to what their life will be about. This man whom they call Father is very abusive. He expects and demands they stay within their own path and not interfere with the other's.

Is he God or a god? Are these children demigods? You're guess is as good as mine.

Then Father goes missing and the children are left to find him and answer so many questions. (I think that's the plot) Plus there's a little budding romance going on that felt shoehorned then resolved.

So it's a fantasy book. But it's also incredibly violent, gory, and vulgar. On top of that, each chapter feels like you have to start all over with orienting yourself to the story. I think it's written that way on purpose but it drove me out of the story so many times thinking, "What in the world am I reading???"

I was not at all a fan of this book. Too violent, too bizarre. But I understand many others are proclaiming this book to be compulsively readable. I'm not one of those.

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

Friday, April 22, 2016

Jesus Called He Wants His Church Back by Ray Johnston

I was in the perfect mindset to read this book.

There seems to be a trend in Christian circles: in order to be hip, you have to trash on the church. This book toes the line on that trend.

However, Ray Johnston clarifies his reason for writing this book that it isn't simply to trash-bash the American church culture. It is to remind American Christians what their purpose is and how our society, and the many losses that occurred, has led us to this place.

There are three parts inside. Part one deals with where our society and church went wrong. It talks about the things that we lost in seven decades. Part two deals with what Christianity looks like without Jesus. Part three deals with rediscovering Jesus.

I connected with part two. In the three chapters, you look at why people are fed up with church and why some of today's Christians actually enjoy being lukewarm.

Part three is the actual meat and potatoes of the book. This section should energize church leaders into action to lead their church forward to be the church of Jesus and do what Jesus wants it to do.

The writing is a mild bite in that if you are happy with where your church is, you might feel a bit offended at it. The chapters are quick-hits; very easy to blitz through. But you may want to go back and reread the thing.

What is the American church missing? It isn't doing what Jesus would have it do.

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

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Superman vol. 1 Before Truth by Gene Luen Yang and John Romita Jr

This is the first Superman comic I have read in a long time and my assumption in having "vol. 1" as part of the title was wrong. This drops you into a story already in progress.

My first gripe is why does every Superman comic have to give him a reason to lose his powers? Superman goes therm o-nuclear but then his power gauge drops to "human" levels. And Jimmy knows?? What all did I miss?

See how the vol. 1 can be misleading?

This is a decent story. I liked how Clark Kent has moved up in the world and uses text messaging now. And that's a big plot point as it's used to blackmail him. Plus there are ninjas. Ninjas in a Superman comic!

My second gripe is how I felt in the Sam Raimi Spider-man movies: how come everyone has to know the secret identity? Wasn't the whole point that people didn't figure it out? And part of the fun of Superman was that it was so obvious!

Well know pretty much everyone knows.

The illustrations are fantastic. Romita really doesn't disappoint here. And the jokes aren't too bad.

It felt weird as a vol. 1 but it was a decent Superman story to get things running.

This comic was provided for review, at no cost, by DC Comics.