Courageous Teen review

Courageous Teens is a student-focused presentation of Courageous Living by Michael Catt, senior pastor of Sherwood Baptist Church and executive producer of the hit film Courageous.

Catt brings fresh insight to “stories of people in the Bible who displayed great courage when it would have been easier to play it safe . . . (who) challenge me to keep moving forward. They demand that I examine my priorities and deal with anything that brings fear to my heart.”

Teen readers will be inspired to resolve to live for God as they learn more about Abraham, Moses, Nehemiah, Ruth, Daniel, and many more.

Best-selling youth market author Amy Parker arranges the heart-stirring material into four categories: Courageous Faith, Courageous Leadership, Courageous Priorities, and Courageous Influence. Discussion questions are also included at the end of each chapter.

My Review:

First some background. 

Courageous is a movie about fathers, a call to action for them to lead their families.  If you haven't seen the movie or read the book, I highly recommend it.  But the call to be courageous isn't just for fathers, it's for all of us.  That is what this book addresses.

"In this decade of American Idol, we need a generation who will not worship the gods of this world and will serve the one true God."   The young people of today will be the leaders, the fathers and mothers of the next generation.  This is their call to step up and stand up for the one true God.  Catt skillfully combines scenes from the movie, Bible examples, and real life to illustrate how teens can step up to the plate.  After all, "God has called us to think differently than the world thinks.  But until right stands up and looks like right, then wrong doesn't take it into consideration." 

I  found this book to be a great reminder that we each have a purpose here, and that quite often God calls us outside of our comfort zone to act for Him.  That way we can give Him all the glory.  This would ba a perfect book for individual or small group study, and despite the "teen" title, even younger children can use and apply the teachings in this book.  My preteen daughter is reading it now and with each chapter she gets more excited about how she can be courageous for God.

Greater review

Book Description:

Are you ready to open your imagination to the possibility that God has a vision for your life that is greater?  We all have honest moments when we’re gripped by a desire to feel that what we’re doing matters more. That who we are matters more.

And according to one of the most shocking verses in the Bible, Jesus wants the very same thing for every one of us:
“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” -John 14:12
That single promise—“even greater things than these”—should be enough to shatter our acceptance of spiritual mediocrity. Unfortunately, most believers have only tried and given up on vague notions of greatness…then settled into a life that’s just good enough.
Good enough = Baseline living that is marked by mediocrity, stuck in spiritual survival mode, and controlled by complacency.
Greatness = Vague, unrealistic aspirations of doing better that don’t work in real life and lead to endless frustration.
But there is a third way.
Greater = The life-altering understanding that God is ready to accomplish a greatness in your life that is entirely out of human reach—beyond anything you see in yourself on your best day, but exactly what God has seen in you all along.
In Greater, Pastor Steven Furtick draws on the biblical story of Elisha to empower you to:
   • Take a God-given dream from idea to reality
   • Stretch your limited resources and abilities in ways you never thought possible
   • Replace the images of yourself that keep you feeling stuck in the past
   • Make a significant impact with your life starting today, rather than making endless plans for tomorrow that you never get around to

If you’re tired of being ordinary, it’s time to dream bigger. If you’re feeling overwhelmed about where to begin, it’s time to start smaller. It’s time to ignite God’s Greater vision for your life.

My Review:

First, I have never attended a Pastor Furtick's church, had never listened to one of his sermons before this book, and I didn't realize that he was as well known as he apparantly is.  I read this book for two reasons.  First, the topic really interested me.  **Seriously, why else would I read a book!  ;o) **  Second, Melissa Taylor was going to be leading an online Bible study using this book in November 2012 (you can find out more at www.MelissaTaylor.org ). 

Let me start by simply saying my Kindle had so many highlights that I really think someone could have read just my highlights and totally understand the book!  It was awesome!  From the beginning when Furtick says, "You can't keep living like this.  It's not fine for you to settle for going every day to a job you'd prefer to quit, doing decent work, being a pretty good person compared to your neighbor, paying your bills on time and sporadically reading the Bible as though it's your guide to the great things God did in other people's lives in the past." I knew this was going to be a life changing book. 

Furtick takes us through the story of Elisha and his path to "greater" and shows us how we too can walk that path.  From burning our plows to raising an axhead from a river, to learning that even though we may be surrounded by enemies we always have more with us that against us if we open our eyes and look around.  Furtick tells us that like Elisha, we will come to a point where we are "standing at the crossing point to your future...parents, friends, maybe your spouse, maybe your children...are waiting for you to do the things only you can do by the power of God's Spirit.  They are waiting for God to touch them through you, even if they don't know it yet."

We are reminded that we each have a purpose, a calling, in our lives.  We can not simply stand in the middle of the path and watch the world flow around us and think that we are making a difference in Jesus name.  We are called to be greater than that and Pastor Furtick inspires us to discover where our path to greater starts and begin walking, no begin RUNNING, on that path!  Greater isn't something only "special" people should strive for, it is a calling for us all.  If you are looking to improve your relationship with God then this is a great kickstart!

You can find out more about the book here

The River Review

Book Description:

“You were made for The River . . .”

Gabriel Clarke is mysteriously drawn to The River, a ribbon of frothy white water carving its way through steep canyons high in the Colorado Rockies. The rushing waters beckon him to experience freedom and adventure.

But something holds him back—the memory of the terrible event he witnessed on The River when he was just five years old—something no child should ever see.

Chains of fear and resentment imprison Gabriel, keeping him from discovering the treasures of The River. He remains trapped, afraid to take hold of the life awaiting him.

When he returns to The River after years away, his heart knows he is finally home. His destiny is within reach. Claiming that destiny will be the hardest—and bravest—thing he has ever done.

My Review:

Let me start by saying, I am NOT in to rafting at all, which is what some may think this book centers on.  While it does take place around a river, and while rafting does seem to be a central theme, you don't have to even have a working knowledge of rafting to "get" this book.

We have all experienced something in our life that has dramatically affected us.  Fortunately that doesn't include the death of a parent at a young age for many of us, but that also doesn't keep you from "getting" this book.

Gabriel loses his dad at the age of 5 in a terrible accident.  As a result he leaves everything behind and moves to the complete opposite side of what life had been for him.  He grows up refusing to live life in a lot of ways as a result of the accident.  He has few friends, tends to live inside of himself, and just goes through the motions.  How many of you can relate to that?

But Gabriel doesn't stay there.  As so often happens we are one day brought face to face with our past and a choice must be made, live there or learn from it and move on.  Gabriel struggles with this but does learn to embrace his past once he begins to really understand what happened and uses it to improve himself.

This is a well written book, although it is predictable and you can almost see the ending at the beginning of the story.  The characters are well thought out and most have some depth to them,.  I have to say my favorite character isn't Gabriel, but Ezra, an old man who seems full of wisdom and patience. 

A great, relaxing pleasure read that can have depth to it if you look for it.  Reminds me of some of Andy Andews fiction titles.



You can purchase the River on Amazon here
You can also purchase a CD with music inspired by The River here

Unglued review

Book Description:

In her bestseller Made to Crave, Bible-teacher Lysa TerKeurst shared her struggles with what went into her mouth and how her food choices were based on her emotions. Now in Unglued: Making Wise Choices in the Midst of Raw Emotions, she focuses on what comes out in her speech. Sharing from her own experience, Lysa observes how many women hold their feelings inside, until circumstances reach a crisis and we explode, speaking in anger and saying words we'll regret later. In a very real way, we can come unglued and lose control of our emotions.

But there is hope for women who desire healing for their emotions. Without offering pat answers or simple solutions, Lysa brings insight to help women resolve conflict in healthy ways and improve communication with those whom you're in close relationship. Discover what it means to "renew your mind" in Biblical and practical ways.

My Review:

Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl was my introduction to Lysa Terkeurst, and that book really impacted my relationship with God. Then there was Made to Crave: Satisfying Your Deepest Desire with God, Not Food which helped me to see how my relationship with food was a symptom of problems I had with my relationship with God. In this book, Unglued: Making Wise Choices in the Midst of Raw Emotions , Lysa  addresses our emotions, or rather our desire to not let them control us.  And again this book has helped me to draw closer to God.

I love Lysa's honesty throughout all of her writings.  She doesn't preach at you, but rather shares real stories about having been there.  She comes unglued on her daughter not realizing that she has pocket dialed her pastor and he can hear it all, she cleans her house for company only to have company arrive and aks, "Lysa, where's the toilet seat for the kids' bathroom?"  She is downright honest, which makes it so much easier to hear that we need to change, and opens us up to her suggestions.  After all, if this gal who has similar unglued experiences can progress towards wise choices, why can't we?

And that's what this book is about, progress not perfection.  Lysa keeps it real here too.  Rather than tell us we will have a new us by Friday she tells us that we aren't going to get it right quickly, not if we want it to stick.  We are aiming for imperfect progress, where our steps forward are greater than our steps back, because we will have steps backwards.  No shortcut to happily ever after in this book, but I don't want the sugary sweet your life is going to be complete in 5 easy steps version.  I want truth, I want to know that when I mess up it doesn't mean the game is over.

So if you have ever felt like sometimes your emotions control you rather than the other way around, grab this book and start reading.  At best you will start on your own path to imperfect progress, at worst you spent $10 on a book that you can turn around and sell on ebay!

If you are interested in reading Unglued as part of an online Bible study, stop over at www.MelissaTaylor.org and sign up!  Study begins September 23, 2012

Bad Girls of the Bible review

Bad Girls of the Bible and What We Can Learn from Them:

 Women everywhere marvel at those “good girls” in Scripture–Sarah, Mary, Esther–but on most days, that’s not who they see when they look in the mirror. Most women (if they’re honest) see the selfishness of Sapphira or the deception of Delilah. They catch of glimpse of Jezebel’s take-charge pride or Eve’s disastrous disobedience. Like Bathsheba, Herodias, and the rest, today’s modern woman is surrounded by temptations, exhausted by the demands of daily living, and burdened by her own desires.

So what’s a good girl to do? Learn from their lives, says beloved humor writer Liz Curtis Higgs, and by God’s grace, choose a better path. In Bad Girls of the Bible, Higgs offers a unique and clear-sighted approach to understanding those “other women” in Scripture, combining a contemporary retelling of their stories with a solid, verse-by-verse study of their mistakes and what lessons women today can learn from them.

Whether they were “Bad to the Bone,” “Bad for a Season, but Not Forever” or only “Bad for a Moment,” these infamous sisters show women how not to handle the challenges of life. With her trademark humor and encouragement, Liz Curtis Higgs teaches us how to avoid their tragic mistakes and joyfully embrace grace.

My Review:

 Higgs story telling ability really shines in this study book.  I really enjoyed the "contemporary retelling" of each girls story and I liked the way Higgs walks us through the actual Bible verses as well.    Her diligence in research doesn't shine quite as much in this book as it does in The Girl's Still Got It, but it is obvious that she has done it.

What I enjoyed most about this book is the "what lesson can we learn" section at the end of each chapter and of course the "Good Girl Thoughts worth Considering" which is the reflection section (just say that, reflection section.  Fun to say isn't it?).  Higgs manages to show us how we can learn from these "bad girls" and use their mistakes as a way to evaluate ourselves and turn from a path that may lead us to appearing in a future bad girls book.

Higgs personality really shines throughout the book and you feel like you are sitting with a group of your girlfriends having a chat session.  With lines such as "Grab your daisies, sister, and let's pull of the petals, one by one. 'She loved him.  She loved him not.  She loved him.  She loved him not...' Not, it seems," (Did Delilah love Samson?) we see Higgs humor.  With her admission of leaving a store with a book in which she was undercharged without correcting it (she did later, but not at the time!) we see her getting tripped up just like we do sometimes.  (This was in the Sapphira chapter.)  You really feel like you are just hanging out with the gals while reading this, which is a good thing considering what the subject is.

You almost feel like you are gossiping.  "Did you hear what Eve did?"  "Eve, the one that is sooooo perfect?  No, tell me!"  or "Oh my gosh!  You remember Rahab?  You know.... (whisper) the harlot?  Guess what I saw her do!"  Only this gossip has a purpose.  These gal's stories were included in the Bible for a reason.  "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right." (2 Timothy 3:16 NLT)  Higgs really helps us to examine these particular scriptures and to examine our own lives to see if we have these same wrongs in our own lives.  I bet that you will identify in some small way with at least one of these bad girls!

Learn more about Liz Curtis Higgs on her website
Read chapter 1 of Bad Girls of the Bible here
order your own copy from Amazon here

Cruel Harvest review

Book Description:


"Get out here, now, or I'm gonna kill you!" he hollered.

Little girls are hardwired to hold their daddies in high esteem, so it comes as a shock the first time a daughter feels the back of her daddy's hand across her face . . . or watches him punch and kick her mother to within an inch of her life.

How could this be? Her older sisters teach her how to survive, even when he comes for her in the night.
A girl learns to become invisible, to look the other way, to say nothing when a curious stranger asks if she's okay. To lie. To expect nothing, not even from relatives.

To cry without tears.

To pray silently.

When she is fourteen, and weary, a girl begins to wish she were dead. Cruel Harvest is the compelling story of how she lived instead.

My Review:
This is a difficult subject to write about, especially when you are so close to it as Fran Grubb obviously is since it is a memoir.  Physical, mental and sexual abuse are horrible things to undergo.  Grubb and Reardon do an amazing job of conveying the abuse without being crass.  As a reader you understand the fear, the terrible situations and the acts of evil that occur without the four letter words that must have been used or the minute detail that would have pushed this into something that a Christian publisher would have turned down.

This story, while horrible, demonstrates the power of faith.  How Fran was able to hang on to God when she had no church she attended regularly, no Bible to read and few examples of what it is to be a Christian is a testament to God himself. 

I can't label this as a "good" read.  The subject prevents that.  What I can say is that you will find yourself with tears in your eyes as you watch Fran's family run away from her father, eventually leaving her alone with him.  You will cringe when you read how easy it was for him to walk back into his children's lives and again subject them to his torture.  You will be stunned at the logic that some use to justify committing one evil in an attempt to rescue Fran from another.  If you have never suffered abuse and do not understand how easy it is to be charmed by an abuser or how you begin to believe what the abuser tells you about yourself, you will wonder why the women in Fran's father's life chose to stay.

Fran makes no excuses for the actions of those around her.  It was a different time.  One in which fathers ruled their families however they saw fit.  Spousal abuse, while maybe not common it was often overlooked.  Child abuse as well.  It was a different lifestyle.  As a migrant worker you were never really anywhere long enough to form bonds with others.  As a result few on the outside took notice of what was going on.  For Fran, it was what it was.

This is a story of triumph however.  By God's grace she makes her way out from under her father.  She overcomes, she reconnects with siblings, and she learns to forgive.  Truly a testament to the Spirit that lives in her.



You can purchase Cruel Harvest:  A memoir on Amazon by clicking here

The Girl's Still Got It

Book Description: 

 Walk with Ruth as she travels from Moab to Bethlehem, certain of her calling, yet uncertain of her future. Hold Naomi’s hand and watch love put the pieces of her broken life back together. And hang out with Boaz, their kinsman-redeemer, who blesses both women and honors God, big time.

With best-selling author Liz Curtis Higgs by your side, you’ll tarry in the corners of their ancient houses, listen to their conversations, and consider every word of every verse until you can say, “I totally get the book of Ruth. And I see what God is trying to teach me through this rags-to-riches redemption story—he has a plan for my life.”

Girl, does he ever!

Think of it as time travel without gimmicks, gizmos, or a DeLorean: a novel approach to Bible study that leaps from past to present, gleaning timeless truths that speak to the heart.




My Review:

I like Ruth, actually it is one of my favorite books of the Bible.  It has hardship, perseverance, romance and a happy ending all centered around God.  What could be better?

I also like the way this book was put together.  Higgs brings us there, using many reputable sources to establish what a day in the life of Ruth and Naomi might have been like.  While she doesn't stray from the scriptural account she does include daily life and gives each person some character (or at least lets them borrow some of hers!).

Higgs leads you through the story with frequent stops to examine what Ruth and Naomi might have been thinking, what they were facing giving the times and culture they lived in and really helps us to understand what they were facing.  But Higgs is a story teller, and that is very evident in this study.

Now don't get me wrong, I like that about this book.  But you do need to be aware that while the information she inserts is always clearly her own interpretation or is backed up and cited by other researchers, there is a lot of inference going on in this study.  So much so that I began to question this being sold as nonfiction at times.

That being said, this is a great study to help us grow, to see God's plan unfold, to help us realize that if God can take this Moabitess and graft her in the to lineage of His Son, what great things can He do in our own lives if we surrender to Him?!

Find out more about Liz Curtis Higgs at her blog here
Order your own copy of this book on Amazon here


edited August 30, 2012
Good news!  Liz Curtis Higgs is planning to do an online study with this book THIS fall!  You can read more about it on her blog here

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