Lead Like Christ by A.W. Tozer, James L. Snyder (editor)

 192 pages / 4 hrs

This is a quick read of solid Christian basics. It is a good foundation for leading, but not very practical. I give it three out of five stars.

Unyielding Hope by Janette Oke and Laurel Oke Logan

Unyielding Hope by Janette Oke and Laurel Oke Logan - 331 pages

As a young girl, Lillian Walsh lost both her parents and a younger sister. Now in her twenties, after enduring the death of her adoptive mother, Lillian must find her place in the world. Just as her adoptive father is leaving for an extended trip to his native Wales, a lawyer appears at the door to inform Lillian that she has inherited a small estate from her birth parents--and that the sister she had long believed dead is likely alive.

When she discovers that her sister, Grace, is living in a city not far away, Lillian rushes to a reunion, fearful that the years of separation will make it hard to reconnect.

When the two sisters meet, Grace is not at all what Lillian expected to find. Though her circumstances have been difficult, Grace has big dreams. Can Lillian set aside her own plans to join her sister in an adventure that will surely change them both?

Enough About Me: Finding Lasting Joy in the Age of Self

Enough About Me: Finding Lasting Joy in the Age of Self by Jen Oshman 176 pages

Women today are constantly bombarded with the need to self improve. There is constant pressure to peruse the latest self care trends and keep up your appearances on social media. Jen explains that there will never be true happiness found in this cycle. The best way to find lasting joy is to "die to yourself" and "take up your cross" to follow Jesus. The book is filled with plenty of scripture to back up her statements.

I absolutely loved this book.

River Rising by Athol Dickson

River Rising by Athol Dickson - 318 pages

In the swamp beyond the Tupelo and Cypress a lingering evil sleeps no longer. It will rain down on Piltoville; it will rise up like a River, and nothing but a miracle can stop this awful flood.

Pilotville, Louisiana, 1927, isolated on the Mississippi. Reverend Hale Poser, a stranger looking for his roots. Hannah Lamont, new baby to James and Rosa, a breech birth if not for the strangest touch upon her mother's belly. She's her parents sweet joy until, suddenly, she vanishes. Who but this stranger could have done this terrible thing? Who but this man of miracles could see that it's undone?

I love Southern mysteries if the author is good and I like this one.

DIGITAL WINTER by Alton Gansky

Digital Winter by Alton Gansky - 491 pages

I'm not very good at book reviews.  I read one on Amazon which is how I felt about the book.  I grew bored with it, possibly because I recently read an end-time sort of book where everything goes black and folks have to rely on their wits to survive.

Anyway,
Take one savant kid who can only say about 6 words, plunk him in front of a keyboard, and watch the world go dark continent by continent. But, some nations are getting their electric grids up and running pretty quickly and the United States isn't one of them. Seems that they have some shadowy other-worldly help. I won't give the plot away but you'll be introduced to old scratch and his merry band of shadowy demons, and the man who is soon to be ruler of the world.

I like Alton Gansky but some of his other books are just better to me.

For Men Only: A Straightforward Guide to the Inner Lives of Women by Shaunti Feldhahn, Jeff Feldhahn

For Men Only: A Straightforward Guide to the Inner Lives of Women by Shaunti Feldhahn, Jeff Feldhahn -- 192 pages



Women: Complicated and impossible to understand? Do you love and want to please the woman in your life, but just can't seem to figure her out? That was before For Men Only. Now at your fingertips is the tool that will unlock the secret to her mysterious ways. Through hundreds of interviews and the results of a scientific national survey of women, this book demonstrates that women are actually not random and that they really can be systematized and "mapped." In fact, much to men's delight, this book shows that women are actually quite easy to understand and please-as long as you know what it is they need. This simple map will guide you to loving your wife or girlfriend in the way she needs to be loved.



Okay, yes, I read the book for men about women, mainly because I was curious to see how accurate it is. It's decently accurate, but very, very general. They had to make very broad generalizations to make this book work. When it comes to your significant other, you'll have to learn who they are as an individual and what they struggle with. At best, this book will help you consider things that you haven't and prompt you to ask questions that you ought to ask.

For Women Only by Shaunti Feldhahn

For Women Only: What You Need to Know About the Inner Lives of Men by Shaunti Feldhahn -- 224 pages



What's going on in there? Ever been totally confused by something your man has said or done? Want to understand his secret desires and fears, his daily battles that you know nothing about? 

In trying to explain that the man in your life has hidden insecurities, what they're about, and why he might be discouraged, this book almost seemed to paint men out to be wimpy. But then I remembered, this book is focusing on what women probably don't know about men. We already know that men are resilient and often forgiving, but maybe we don't even know what they are forgiving, because we've never understood their struggles. I found this book helpful, and it encouraged me to do my best to build up the men in my life, significant other or otherwise.

A Gospel Primer by Milton Vincent

A Gospel Primer by Milton Vincent  -- 97 pages

Preach the Gospel to Yourself Daily
God did not give us His gospel just so we could embrace it and be converted. He offers it to us every day as a gift that gives to us everything we need for life and godliness. This book includes 31 "Reasons to Rehearse the Gospel Daily."

AMISH PROMISES by Leslie Gould

Amish Promises by Leslie Gould - 508 pages

I always like the Amish books because they're  light reading.  This one involved a story about neighbors, one Amish and one English.  Of course, they had to throw some romance in....but I try to overlook that.  It was more about faith and hope.  Enjoyable.

The Seekers by Wanda E. Brunstetter

The Seekers by Wanda E. Brunstetter - 448 pages

I would call this a nice story.  A woman decides to hold Amish cooking classes since she's Amish, has no children and looks for extra income.
The folks who show up, Amish and English, are sharing their lives and well as cooking classes.  Good ending for all those involved.

THE PRAYER BOX by Lisa Wingate

The Prayer Box by Lisa Wingate - 537 pages

While this moved a little too slow for me it was a good story.  While I can go into detail about how a woman who tries to start over with her kids and then connects to a deceased woman through prayer letters....details aren't for me.  But I like what Amazon had to say about this one.

This is a story of family ties, broken parent and sibling relationships (again, I can relate) and the struggles we all face in family life. Stories of love and life after disappointments are the key to going on living. It's a story about how strangers in a seaside tourist village come together to help one another in the most unlikely ways. It's a story you will be able to relate to regardless of your past.

Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis

Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis -- 288 pages

Katie had her life planned out, complete with college aspirations and a boyfriend whom she loved, but her world was rocked during a week-long trip to Uganda. After that week, she decided to spend a year in Uganda before college, before resuming normal life. She never went back to normal life.
Today, Katie runs the non-profit organization she started, "Amazima", which sponsors children in poverty, and she is also mother to no less than thirteen young girls while taking care of hundreds more. Her heart and hands are full and overflowing.
This book isn't professionally written, but the story speaks for itself and I was overjoyed to read about such a young woman fully devoting her life to God.

Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery by Eric Metaxas

Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery by Eric Metaxas -- 304 pages

This is a biography of William Wilberforce, the man at the heart of the end of the British slave trade. Not only did Wilberforce help to end the slave trade, he also changed the hearts and minds of the British people, who before then never valued service to the poor or help for those less fortunate.
William Wilberforce has always been one of my heroes, and Eric Metaxas does a wonderful job portraying his life, his work, and his passion.

I Kissed Dating Goodbye: A New Attitude Toward Relationships and Romance by Joshua Harris

I Kissed Dating Goodbye: A New Attitude Toward Relationships and Romance by Joshua Harris -- 221 pages

Recreational dating: find someone who makes you happy, brings you pleasure, makes life exciting and then when their charm is gone, or when you find someone else, or, heaven forbid, when your partner leaves you, then it's over, leaving your heart intact or otherwise. More often otherwise.
Is there a better way to find a life partner? Is there an alternative? Joshua Harris presents one.

Published in 2003, I Kissed Dating Goodbye is still widely read in Christian and homeschooling circles and continues to be a source of counsel.

Harris is very good at explaining problems with worldly dating and also very good at getting to the root of the problem, the heart issues. I greatly appreciated it.

When the Hurt Runs Deep: Healing and Hope for Life's Desperate Moments by Kay Arthur

When the Hurt Runs Deep: Healing and Hope for Life's Desperate Moments by Kay Arthur -- 240 pages

Where can you turn for hope when the hurt runs deep?
At some point in life, every one of us will face the dark pain of heartache and despair, a hurt that pierces so deep we're left gasping with questions:
"Why me? Why now?"
"What have I done to deserve this?"
"Will the pain ever go away?"
"How can God just stand by and let this happen?"
"What do I have left to hope for?"

If you know Kay Arthur's Bible studies and devotionals, you know that a lot of her content is simply guiding you as you study the Bible, highlighting and underlining different words, verses, and themes. She truly draws her content from the Bible as well as from her own past experiences. 

Listening to the audio book was a bit different, since you can't journal in an audio book and often you listen to them while your hands or feet are busy, so you don't have opportunity to sit down and study the scripture with her. Although it was moving to hear her voice telling you her stories, the audio book just didn't work for me as well as the physical copy. 

Even so, the truths in this little book are wonderful. 

Girl Defined: God's Radical Design for Beauty, Femininity, and Identity by Kristen Clark, Bethany Baird

Girl Defined: God's Radical Design for Beauty, Femininity, and Identity by Kristen Clark, Bethany Baird -- 240 pages

Most of the principles that sisters Kristen and Bethany share in "Girl Defined" are not new or novel to a lot of Christian girls I know, but compiled in this easy-to-read (and pretty) little book, it is certainly ideal for young girls who seek to discover their purpose as a girl. Along with the same themes that run in other solid Christian books, Kristen and Bethany share their own stories that drive home different points, and leave journal space to write your own similar experiences or thoughts.

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas -- 608 pages

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a Pastor, wholly dedicated to the true church, enough to stand up against the German Christian movement that Hitler instituted.
He was a Prophet who saw Hitler's mad and sadistic nature before anyone else could, and warned the Germans of the path that they were headed on.
He was a Spy and a critical part of the conspiracy to assassinate Hitler.
And lastly, he was a Martyr, executed for his actions only days before Hitler committed suicide and the war ended.
This biography is quite long and can be a bit dry, but the story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer is a great one.

Under the Overpass: A Journey of Faith on the Streets of America by Mike Yankoski

Under the Overpass: A Journey of Faith on the Streets of America by Mike Yankoski -- 256 pages

Mike Yankoski was a young college student when he began to wonder what it would be like to really have to rely on God for his daily needs. He was convicted by his meaningless prayer, "Give us this day our daily bread," when he would after that go about his work to provide it himself. He decided after much prayer and counseling to experience what it was like to be homeless.

Mike paired up with a buddy named Sam and the two of them hit the streets, going to three different cities to live homeless with only a $3 sleeping mat, a backpack, a guitar, a Bible, and a journal.

Mike and Sam's account of living homeless is an eye opener to what it is really like to live on the streets. People turn away because you smell, they don't trust you because you are so ragged, and they don't help you because they assume you are on drugs or alcohol.

This story is one of faith and dependency on God, but even if you are not a Christian, it may answer some questions you've had and inspire you to help those in less fortunate situations.

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made by Dr. Paul Brand and Phillip Yancey

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made by Dr. Paul Brand and Phillip Yancey -- 240 pages

Dr. Paul Brand was an experienced doctor who had traveled to many third world countries and specialized in treating leprosy, a much feared disease which has excluded people from their communities for thousands of years.

This book is a mix of his wonder and marveling of the human body, his personal stories from his travels, and his comparison of the human body to the body of Christ as mentioned in the Bible. I found this little book very enjoyable and exciting.

I Dared to Call Him Father by Bilquis Sheikh

I Dared to Call Him Father by Bilquis Sheikh -- 192 pages

Bilquis Sheikh writes the true account of her encounter with God and how she converted to Christianity out of Islam.

Bilquis was in her fifties, wealthy, and with a beloved grandson when she first began to feel drawn toward the Bible. She resisted as much as she could because she knew that to become a Christian would bring on the shame and shunning of her family. But finally she dared to call him Father, and her life changed.

Her story is inspirational and beautiful as God turns her life upside down and draws her into a sweet and close relationship with Him.