Nonfiction Review: It's Okay Not To Be Okay by Sheila Walsh

I'm familiar with Sheila Walsh's story. I've read a few of her books, and they do seem to follow the same line. But every so often, scattered throughout each of her books, she writes something incredibly profound. So, while "It's Okay Not To Be Okay" doesn't really make me feel all that much better about failing at work (the book deals more with spiritual failure and struggles with sin), I highly recommend it.

Consider these gems:

"I believed I had surrendered everything to Christ when I still felt so entitled to the life I wanted."

"We're invited to come back to Christ over and over again to be renewed."

Sheila writes that we should place more value on who we are in Christ than in what we do as God redeems our suffering.

If you haven't read anything by Sheila Walsh before, or if you're unfamiliar with her story, you are sure to appreciate Sheila's vulnerability and honest in her writing.

*Disclaimer: I received this book for free in exchange for my honest review.

Nonfiction Review: Assured by Greg Gilbert

Greg Gilbert's "Assured" gives a clear, concise interpretation of what the Bible says about a Christian's assurance of salvation... all without complicating things with the debate over determinism and free will. According to Gilbert, there are three main sources of assurance... driving fountainheads (the blood of Jesus), confirming sources (good works) and supernatural sources (the Holy Spirit). Ultimately, we cannot rely on self-assurance, but rather must put our faith in on Christ-confidence. Gilbert writes that the gospel destroys self-confidence.

I wish I had been able to read this book years ago. It's a thought-provoking look at what it means to follow Christ in obedience, fighting sin, yet rely completely on Christ's righteousness for our salvation. This isn't a self-help book. It won't cure your problems. But it may just be a great stepping stone in your spiritual journey.

*Disclaimer: I received this book for free in exchange for my honest review.

Fiction Review: A Secret to Die For

After reading all of the Nikki Boyd books, I was excited to have the opportunity to read another Lisa Harris novel, and I have to say, as much as I loved the Nikki Boyd books, "A Secret to Die For" beat every one of them. Here, Lisa truly balances edge-of-your-seat suspense with poignant, dramatic moments. Although spiritual topics don't really enter the picture until the end of the book, there's plenty to relate to, from the affects of divorce to the trauma of loss. Harris also steered away from the stereotypical romance setup, giving her two leads time to get reacquainted without any of that love (or hate) at first sight stuff. I had a hard time putting this book down and read it in just three days (it would have been less if I hadn't had to work!).

*Disclaimer: I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

Review: A Christmas By The Sea

Despite my reservations about the author's writing style, Melody Carlson has become a holiday tradition for me. It's pleasant to sit and read a quick Christmas-themed book right around the time fall rolls around. And A Christmas By The Sea is definitely one of the better Melody Carlson books I've read. The ending is abrupt and I'd enjoy more in-depth conversations between the leads, but the pacing of the story is well planned (until the end), and I felt I had a solid understanding of the characters. This is truly light fare. There is very little spiritual content outside of a few mentions of church and trusting God. But again, it's just a very simple story to pass the time.

*Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Edge of Over There

Shawn Smucker still hops around a lot in point of view and tense, but the author's creativity and overall writing style have improved vastly since the first book in this series. One thing is for sure... I'm hooked. Although I would recommend readers get the first book in order to fully understand the events of "The Edge of Over There." There are a few surprises straight out of Genesis in this young adult Christian novel that sets up a world between earth and heaven. Young Abra finds herself with the responsibility of keeping each Tree of Life from growing and reach the hands of mankind. The mythology of this series doesn't necessarily fit neatly in with what the Bible tells us about the afterlife, but the story and characters are very intriguing. I couldn't put the book down and can't wait to see where the characters go next!

*Disclaimer: I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

Nonficion Review: Breaking the Fear Cycle by Maria Furlough

Maria Furlough surprised me with nugget after nugget of Bible-based wisdom in her book "Breaking the Fear Cycle." Maria tells her own heartbreaking story of a lost child and how God met her in the pain and helped in her desperation. We are not in control of the circumstances of our lives, Maria writes, but God does have control. The one thing we do have control over is our heart, which we should focus on God's wisdom. Our fears are unworthy of our attention, but God loves us. He is trustworthy. He is truth. His promise of peace is real. Maria also gives practical advice for application with tips on how to pray without focusing on the details of our fears.

This is a book I have already taken notes from and will want to return to for further digesting. I am also anxious to share the book with friends and family... and you.

As a side note for those more sensitive to doctrinal differences: At one point Maria mentions baptizing her baby and at another point she quotes from the devotional "Jesus Calling."

*Disclaimer: I received this book for free in exchange for my honest review.

Christian Nonfiction Review: Sex, Jesus, and the Conversation the Church Forgot

Lately, there have been so many books, sermons and cultural issues revolving around sex and the "conversation the church forgot" that I feel like the conversation is no longer being forgotten. When I first started reading Mo Isom's "Sex, Jesus, and the Conversation the Church Forgot," I expected this would be the same old look at what the Bible has to say with bits of testimony thrown in. However, I found pieces of myself in Mo's story, and as I read, Mo's talent for words and getting to the heart of a matter caught my attention... at least for the first half of the book. I almost wish Isom had expanded more on some of the original ideas she presents early in the book: true purity, false exaltation of self, and the relationship between our inherent worth and purpose and God's purpose for sex. However, my markups stopped around page 46. I do think I'll keep this book for a second read and more markups later on, though.

*Disclaimer: I received this book for free in exchange for my honest review.