Saturday, October 30, 2010

I Lift Up My Soul by Charles Stanley

This devotional contains some of Charles Stanley's best works in a concise, potent form. The daily reads and daily thoughts are well put together. Plus, having a devotional that comes from the many years of experience that Charles Stanley has it a very huge plus.

I very much would recommend this devotional to new, and mature, Christians alike. I like how the verses to read are usually not long. This allows for a simple thought to be reinforced and meditated upon throughout the day. This is my style of thinking which makes this devotional a must-use for me.

**I received this complimentary copy from Booksneeze.com. The thoughts here are my own.**

Delicious Dating by Babe Scott

This book is about how what a man eats will manifest itself into him as a person. Men are categorized into ten different types and each type has its pros and cons. These qualities, or lack thereof, reveal themselves in different areas of life, says Babe Scott. By understanding a man's eating habits, Scott gives experiential insight into how a woman's date may be post the dinner-date.

I found this book an easy read with some humor and some interesting insight. While the concept is different, the information is relatively common. I did appreciate the next to last chapter about finding the perfect dinner date. The information contained in this chapter is more about allowing the sexes to be as they are created to be; male and female. Scott gives the advice to let the man be a man and should he not be so, let him go and find another.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Outlive Your Life by Max Lucado

This is book, through its many chapters, is about one question: why? There is so much to be done in this world. There are many wrongs to be righted; many evils to eradicate. Yet it would seem that few champion the cause of justice and holiness. Why?

In his simple way, Lucado uses stories and Scripture to address the issue of making a difference. As Lucado shows, it does not take a Superman to change the world. The wealthy, the prodigies, and the powerful can do some good. Yet Lucado details how just helping your neighbors, your classmates, and co-workers could change the world. A person does not need to be Superman. No, they simply need to attack the lie that he/she cannot make a difference and chose to involve himself/herself.

Thus the book goes from asking the "why" question to "why not you?". It challenges the reader to step outside himself/herself and chose to be a world changer by starting as he/she opens their house door.

This is where this book challenged me the most. For some time I felt that I needed to get involved but believed that I need a degree or special training to do so. This could not be farther from the truth. I simply needed to believe that my efforts, so matter how small, would make a difference. I could be a world changer; I could outlive my life. The question becomes: will you?

**I received this book as a complimentary copy via Booksneeze. The opinions expressed are solely my own.**

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Scars and Stilettos by Harmony Dust

This book will strike at the very heart of the lie of exotic dancing: its only for fun. Mrs. Dust gives a look into the life of what is, regrettably, an all too common background of strippers and who they are. From loneliness, isolation, wanting to be loved, and trying to survive, this book gives a very powerful firsthand knowledge of the "adult" entertainment industry. Mrs. Dust shows that the "adults" are lost girls just wanting to be told they are worth something and doing everything then can to find acceptance. The passion, peppered with autobiographical stories, make this book a must read.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Chazown by Craig Groeschel

Wow! This book will revolutionize the way you think about your goals and vision; your chazown. From the beginning, Mr. Groeschel challenges the reader to maximize his/her life and embrace the passion placed in him/her by God. Starting with how to recognize your chazown, Mr. Groeschel takes the reader down the path of how your vision plays into your daily life. Your health, finances, relationships, career, and religious faith are all addressed.

What is very unique about this book is the way each topic is divided. Instead of a chapter on each subject, each topic is broken in sub-chapters lasting no more that four pages for most sections. The reason is so the reader will read each sub-chapter and think about what was written. That is the key to this book.

This book is not meant be read but rather digested over a period of time. As each spoke (think bicycle tire) is discussed, it is discussed in short segments with each segment building on the previous one until the chapter is completed. This causes a reflection that is much needed for a person's chazown to manifest itself.

Also helpful are the "take action" suggestions throughout the book. Each action item is intended to use what has been taught and to personalize it to each reader. This is what makes this book unique from other books of this nature. It does not give advice and then leaves the reader to chance. No, it gives ideas on how to find, build, experience, and grow your chazown until your chazown surpasses your life. Thus, this book is an absolute must read for those wanting to find their God-given passion and purpose.

(FYI - at the time of this review, the website mentioned throughout the book is being modified and thus may not be functioning correctly. This should be changing soon. see www.chazown.com)