Category: Christian

Author: Scott Sauls
Publisher: Tyndale House
Genre: Christian
ISBN: 978-1-4964-0094-9
Pages: 240
Price: $15.99

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Those of us who attend church regularly might find we belong to a sort of clique. Without meaning to, we’ve surrounded ourselves with like-minded people and don’t really associate with those outside that inner circle. Befriend challenges us to look outside the circle and include the others we’ve unintentionally excluded.

In each chapter dedicated to a specific group of people, Scott Sauls presents challenges and opportunities in getting to know them. Some of these people include prodigals and pharisees, those grieving and dying, children, the other race, and people with disabilities and special needs. Sauls asks us to see them and reach out to them as Jesus would. Each chapter closes with a summary, Scripture verse, and a question to consider. A discussion guide is also available for book clubs and church groups.

Sauls reminds us that we live in a digital age, where we may have many so-called “friends” online, but only a handful of real friends we can call on when we need them. Befriend provides an insightful look at those we don’t normally associate with, and a timely reminder that we’re all God’s children. My only disappointment with this book was that I was expecting more of a “how to” develop closer friendships, while Sauls only touches on this concept in the context of reaching out to these specific groups.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Author: Paul J. Pastor
Publisher: David C. Cook
Genre: Christian
ISBN: 978-0-7814-1332-9
Pages: 304
Price: $16.99

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Defining the Holy Spirit is a lot like describing water. And in fact, this is where Paul J. Pastor begins this book: a midnight swim, plunging deep into ice cold water. While both can be discussed clinically, it’s a lot more helpful to experience them instead.

Using some of the ideas found in the book of Revelation, this book looks at imagery we normally associate with the Holy Spirit. These draw from key scripture passages: the seven lamps from the Old Testament and the seven lampstands from the New Testament. Images of new birth, anointing oils, breath of life, and holy flames, as well as others are explored. But rather than strictly quoting from the Bible, Pastor guides the reader through a poetic picture of the mysterious movement of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Quoting liberally from many different sources dating back to the beginning of the Church, he shows us how the teaching and experience of the Holy Spirit has grown through the years.

The Face of the Deep is not a textbook description of the Holy Spirit. Instead, it invites us to discover the Holy Spirit at work in our own lives. The foreword to this book asks the reader not to rush through it – better to linger and savor it. I strongly agree with this recommendation. Read it slowly and prayerfully, and enjoy.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Author: Sheila Walsh
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Genre: Christian
ISBN: 978-0-7180-3255-5
Pages: 192
Price: $9.99

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Jesus wants us to know His peace, but our busy lives often lead to frazzled nerves instead. 5 Minutes with Jesus: Peace for Today offers us a gentle reminder to keep our focus on Jesus and not our day to day problems.

Each brief meditation shares an application story, followed by a summary message and five Bible verses in support of the message. These meditations will take less than five minutes to read and absorb. In slowing down for this short period of time, the reader can relax and feel the peace Jesus wants to offer us.

Sheila Walsh has compiled many wonderful messages that the reader can turn to whenever needed. One thing that would be nice to have, though, is an index of topics to make it easier to find a reading that will most help with our current problems. But overall, I really liked this book.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Author: Melissa K. Norris
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers
Genre: Natural living / Christian
ISBN: 978-0-7369-6534-7
Pages: 208
Price: $12.99

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Many of us long for a simpler and more wholesome way of life, but making the appropriate changes feels too difficult. In The Made From Scratch Life, Melissa K. Norris guides us in looking at ways we can create a more natural home.

Beginning with food grown in our own vegetable garden, she shows us proper planting, harvesting and preserving techniques, along with recipes and meal-planning tips. Avoiding toxic cleaning products can be as simple as looking in the kitchen pantry, and Norris provides recipes to make our own chemical-free solutions. Raising livestock for milk, eggs, and meat is also discussed. Finally, Norris touches on our own family traditions and practices, and how these contribute to a happy home.

Throughout The Made From Scratch Life Norris shares Bible truths along with her own home-grown wisdom. Although some of these suggestions may be impossible for many city or suburban dwellers, there is plenty of good advice for every reader, as even small changes can contribute to your family’s well-being.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Author: Deanna Nowadnick
Publisher: Rhododendron Books
Genre: Christian
ISBN: 978-0-9835897-5-4
Pages: 144
Price: $12.95

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As we journey through life, God attempts to get our attention with “signs” that point us in the direction He wants us to go. Using the analogy of traffic signs, Deanna Nowadnick shares her own life experiences and how God is speaking to her.

“Yield” leads to the college her parents choose for her, and allows her to meet her future husband. “Wrong Way” shows how wrong it us to judge others. “No U-Turn” is a sign that it’s not a good idea go back to something that didn’t work the first time. “One Way” tells us our way isn’t always the best, and God may have other ideas. These and other road signs are featured, as she shares stories from her past and the lessons learned along the way.

Signs in Life is up-close and personal, as Nowadnick shares some moments she probably would rather forget. But in revealing her very human mistakes, she allows the reader to connect to her and her message even more deeply. This is an enjoyable and inspiring read.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Author: Brian Cosby
Publisher: David C. Cook
Genre: Christian
ISBN: 978-1-4347-0909-7
Pages: 208
Price: $15.99

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Many Christians choose to cherry-pick from the Bible, picking out verses that support their own view of God as love, and ignoring the rest. This leads to a watered down Christianity that has no power in a believer’s life. Brian Cosby attempts to show the reader where his faith may be lacking and why.

Early on, Uncensored shares an intriguing Bible passage – 2 Kings 2:23-24. Cosby explains this unusual story so well that I marveled at the insights I expected to read. Unfortunately, there were very few unique revelations to come. For the most part, Cosby expressed his thoughts about the Christian faith and backed them up with a couple of Bible verses. He didn’t tackle the truly tough verses that are causing problems today.

Cosby dares us to embrace the “entire” Bible, but he only half-heartedly mentions the Deuterocanonical books of the Bible, often referred to as the “Apocrypha.” He mis-numbers them as being fourteen or fifteen, but in fact, there are only seven. These seven books of the Old Testament were part of the Bible for over 1500 years, until Martin Luther made the decision to take them out, since he believed they weren’t inspired by God. Cosby also didn’t even touch John 6, which Jesus himself explains is a difficult subject for his followers to understand. And he avoids any tensions caused by Deuteronomy 22:5 and Romans 1:24-32.

While I think Cosby’s intent was good, I felt disappointed that he also seemed to cherry-pick the topics he wanted to write about. These are important ones – making God into our image, the creation and how it impacts us today, the role of parents, the consequences of sin, and the role of suffering, as well as others. But I would have preferred to see a deeper and maybe even controversial look at some of the Bible verses that make people squirm.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Author: Barnabas Piper
Publisher: David C. Cook
Genre: Christian
ISBN: 978-1-4347-0692-8
Pages: 176
Price: $14.99

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Jesus tells the father of a boy possessed by demons that “All things are possible to him who believes.” In distress, the father cries out, “I believe; help my unbelief!” While seemingly a paradox, this statement describes how many Christians feel about their own faith. We believe, but we know that we need help to overcome our unbelief.

Help My Unbelief meets Christians where we are today. It addresses all the places where our faith wavers and we’re not sure what we really believe. But the good news is that this is normal, and it’s not necessarily a bad thing. Recognizing our weak spots leads us to question and delve more deeply into scripture, and ultimately can bring us closer to God.

Our faith is a gift of the Holy Spirit. This side of Paradise, we simply won’t know all the answers. Help My Unbelief reassures us that we’re on the right path even when we doubt, and that others are struggling along with us. I highly recommend it.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Author: Ted Dekker
Publisher: Center Street
Genre: Historical fiction / Christian
ISBN: 978-1-59995-417-2
Pages: 384
Price: $26.00

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Three years after A.D. 30, Queen Maviah has assembled the other outcasts of the desert, in an attempt to rescue her lover, Judah, and her father, the conquered king of Dumah. After Judah is restored to her, the outcasts are enraged by the capture of several of their children, including Maviah’s own adopted son, Talya. A failed battle forces Maviah to search for the prophet, Yeshua, as she hopes to learn what she should do next.

With Saba, her protector and confidante, she journeys to Bethany, where Maviah learns that Yeshua has just raised his friend, Lazarus, from the dead. As they visit with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, they witness Yeshua’s triumphant ride into Jerusalem on a donkey and his death on the cross. Defeated and crushed, they return back to the desert a day later, with no more answers than when they left. But what happens when they arrive home is so much more than they could ever expect.

Meanwhile, as Talya is imprisoned, he dreams a fantastic dream of Eden, and witnesses a serpent striking a pure lamb. There is a woman there, also, who takes the fruit offered by the serpent. Talya is convinced that the woman looks like his mother, Maviah, and that he, himself, is the lamb.

I really wanted to like A.D. 33. I wanted to experience Passion Week with Jesus, and glory in his resurrection with the others gathered in Jerusalem. But this book focuses almost exclusively on Maviah and Saba and their desert problems, and very little on Jesus himself. Even his messages are just recited as Saba either teaches them to Talya or speaks of them to Maviah. They are not brought up in any particular context, but rather as if he was simply reciting them from memory.

The Garden of Eden sequences were especially confusing to me. The Church Fathers taught that Mary is the new Eve, and Jesus, the lamb who crushes the head of the serpent. Implying that Maviah and Talya could take on those roles just felt wrong. And honestly, I would have preferred a more realistic ending, rather than a supernatural one.

Reviewer: Alice Berger