The Westminster Confession of Faith

This little book has the complete Confession of Faith as penned by the assembly at Westminster Abbey in 1643. For those who want a solid, Biblical foundation for what the Bible teaches and what men have believed for several hundred years, this is the book for that. The richness and depth of the content is so potent that I am taken aback by the effect such a work has. I cannot encourage people enough to get a copy of this book.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Banner of Truth Publishers in exchange for my honest review.

The Dude's Guide to Marriage by Darrin and Amie Patrick

"Husbands love your wives."

That snippet from the Bible is not a suggestion. Sadly, many men consider it an impossibility because their wives are so hard to understand. While men and women do communicate differently it does not give license to give up on each other.

In his book, The Dude's Guide to Marriage, Darrin Patrick and his wife Amie, list 10 skills that a man must develop in order to love his wife. While the list is not exhaustive it is a great foundation for any man to build. I found myself nodding in agreement several times while reading this book as I viewed each chapter.

New husbands, seasoned husbands, or those wanting to be husbands would do well to reach this book more than once for the betterment of their marriage and life. I give this book five stars all the way.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review.

Sacred Intent by Dr. Brent Crowe

It is not uncommon nowadays to hear often that there are a lot of books, self help books particular, relating to the maximization of one's life. Here's a thought: what if your life was a week long?

Brent Crowe, in new book Sacred Intent, has written a book with that in mind. What Dr. Crowe has done is divide the chapters as if they were days of the week. The seven items, or days of the week, have a subject that Dr. Crowe  focuses on to get the reader to see how valuable each topic is. The topics are: influence, time, calling, engagement, relationships, motivations, and dreaming.

What I appreciate about this is at the book can be read like a devotional but doesn't necessarily have a devotional feel to it. By focusing on the seven items that can define someone's life and make every moment valuable, Dr. Crowe has put together a wonderful book. I highly recommend that anybody who is getting ready to graduate either high school or college really take a look at this book. What it will do is hone one’s questions to what is really important in life.

I’ll also add that he has some very excellent quotes and prayers at the end in the appendices and is  something I highly recommend that the reader not overlook.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Worthy Publishing Group in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

Four Secrets to a Forever Marriage by Michael Letney awith Karen Hardin

Are there secrets to a great marriage?

In his book for secrets to a forever marriage Michael Letney details how he is not the perfect husband but with the four secrets that he has learned he has helped his marriage remain solid through life's difficult times.

The four secrets that he mentions are: transparency, truth, trust, and unity. While there are probably more things that could be used in a marriage what I appreciate about the Four Secrets is that when they are combined and understood they form a great foundation upon which to build a solid marriage.

I will not go into all of the secrets. However, I will focus on thhe one that stood out to me the most; transparency. I have seen a lot of things happen in this world that could have been avoided because of transparency. We are afraid to let people see our faults, especially with loved ones such as a spouse, and as a result we do a great detriment. Marriage needs to be built on trust and one of the ingredients in trust is transparency. If anything ruins the trust then there will be no trust.

As a result, transparency is vital and when I appreciated about the transparency section of this book is its simplicity Letney brings forth why it is so key and I understand why he put it first. One of the areas in which Letney really points out how transparency is critical is in the area of intimacy.

Intimacy is something that is needed in a marriage and it has to be there between a husband and spouse. The perfect way to get that done is through transparency. To be open and to be organic with each other, hiding nothing, and willing to be seen for what someone truly is and not how they want to be perceived. Transparency is not easy which is why many do not engage in it. However, those that do will begin the journey of a lasting marriage.

There are many marriage books out there. Is this one of those marriage books that will be the go to book for every marriage? Probably not.  However it is definitely a book that should be in the arsenal of tools used to make sure that a marriage remain strong and is intimate.

* I receive a complimentary copy of this book from Worthy Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

Waiting on God by Dr. Wayne Stiles

Waiting on God.

Waiting is not easy. Often it pushes us to points we never thought we would reach.

Waiting for the traffic light to change. Waiting for our food at a "fast" food restaurant. Waiting for the proverbial "ship to come in."

Waiting on God, however, is quite a different experience. God has the power to do whatever He wants. He can desire a certain act and then make that act occur. Since this is the case, why does God make us wait?

In his book, Waiting on God, Dr. Stiles uses the life of Joseph to show how waiting, while difficult, allows God's plan to unfold so that He gets the most glory. While not our preference, waiting on God allows us to grow so that when the time is right, we are prepared.

Waiting can be difficult. God has patience for His timing; do we have such patience?

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Baker in exchange for my honest review. 

The Columbus Code by Mike Evans

What if you found out that you were related to Christoper Columbus? What if you found out that part of his history has not been taught in history books?

Mike Evans has written a fictional thriller that explores the history of Christopher Columbus and brings to light some fascinating facts about him. One of these facts: Columbus was Jewish.

Follow the story and you may be surprised about the Christopher Columbus you thought you knew.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Worthy Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

The New Pilgrims: How Immigrants are Renewing America's Faith and Values by Joseph Castleberry

Illegal immigration is something that is really popular right now. In his book,  The New Pilgrims: How Immigrants are Renewing America's Faith and Values, Castlelberry gives stories of how immigrants are bringing with them their heritage their culture and also their faith.

One thing that Castleberry pointed out that I found really interesting is the mindset of immigrants who are coming across the borders into United States. What they believe is that America needs them and some have even see it as a new Israel leaving the old Egyptian world and coming into the new promised land.

Castleberry also points out how immigrants view education recognizing that it is a bridge between what once was in the old world and what can be in the New America. I must also admit that I found it a little difficult at first but the more I read it the more recognized a understanding of what American history and heritage is and how sadly many Americans have forgotten what the Americans of the past have given for them and their freedoms.

One thing to that I was really surprised about his how Castleberry sees the Hispanic immigrants, more specifically, as being a particular catalyst that might bring about a renewal in the United States. Demand this book for individuals, specifically individuals who are interested in a Hispanic mindset or a Hispanic understanding of what America is. 

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Worthy Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

Redeeming Pleasure by Jeremy Jernigan

Preview for redeeming pleasure by Jeremy Jernigan.

In his book redeeming pleasure Jernigan has set out to show how the pursuit of pleasure mirrors are hunger for God. What he does is he takes a lot of the areas in which people seek pleasure and show how when properly understood they point us to a desire to know God more.

For example, the first chapter that he has is the pursuit how human beings pursue pleasure perhaps more than anything else. Pleasure, when properly understood, should bring someone closer to God.

God has given pleasure to humans for a variety of reasons and Jernigan brings about these different reasons in various areas to show how much seeking pleasure does not necessarily mean neglect of God.

One chapter that I found particularly interesting was the chapter on media particularly the area of movies and entertainment.Movies and entertainment are okay when used properly and in fact can be used successfully to not only encourage but also spur people on to take action against injustice is, evil, or to spur them on to do great things.

Another area that I really found interesting in the book had to do with the area of sex how that sex was given by God for pleasure but there's so much more to it and when sex is only used for pleasure it loses all of the wondrous benefit that God has given sex to accomplish.

Overall, I found this book to be an interesting read with some content I am still analyzing into my worldview. If nothing else, this books makes the reader think about pleasure in a different way.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Worthy Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

The Message 100 by Eugene Peterson

The Message 100 is a unique Bible in that it takes the story of the Bible (redemption, grace, and salvation) and breaks the major themes into 100 daily readings.

By doing this the reader sees the story unfold in an easy to follow story-line. Instead of read accounts of various people, this Bible weaves the narrative to tell one story: the story of God and His love for his creation.

While this is not ideal for studying a particular book of the Bible, it is very effective in giving survey of the Bible for personal growth.

No study notes, no reference column, no concordance.

Just the Bible laid out as if someone was telling it to you.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale Blog Network in exchange for my honest review.

I also received this free from www.tyndalerewards.com. If you are not familiar with Tyndale Rewards I recommend taking a look.

Seven Women And the Secret of Their Greatness By Eric Metaxas

In a follow up book to his book - Men and the Secret of Their Greatness, Eric Metaxas has written Seven Women and the Secret of Their Greatness. In this book Metaxas lists seven women who have inspired many many people because of their hardship they faced, what they believed in, and the resiliency to never quit. Of the seven I really had a good time reading about Rosa Parks, Saint Maria of Paris, and Susanna Wesley.

One thing I noticed of the three women that I've mentioned,  all of them had to face some sort of hardship and as a result had a strong courage to stand up for what they believed in and to maintain their faith no matter what.

Overall book was about how greatness is not something that is given at birth but rather is achieved by continually working hard, staying true to what one believes, and pursuing God with all that they are.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson in exchange for my honest review.