Jesus Calling

After recieving Jesus Calling to review I dug right in! I love devotionals and books that are like a spirtual cup of coffee to my soul. I am sorry to say that I was dissapointed in this particular one. Though Sarah Young has a wonderful idea in writing down exactly what she felt that Jesus was saying to hear, I feel it was specifically what SHE needed to hear. I found the devotional repetitive and after about a dozen entries it became stale for me. If you happen to be in the same place that the author was when she wrote this book then you may find it refreshing and encouraging, but I would say it is a must to have your Bible out and reading the sriptures for yourself that she gives at the end of each day's entry. Don't get me wrong, the truths that she shares for each day are not, I believe, take out of context, but they the end of the book you get a very real sense of what God wanted to say to the author and where she was coming from, and in that vein, you know the author's needs and not your own.

Next Up!

The next book headed to me for my review is Jesus Calling: Seeking peace in his presence by Sarah Young. Here is what Thomas Nelson has to say about it:

Uniquely inspired treasures from heaven for every day of the year by missionary Sarah Young.
Jesus Calling is a devotional filled with uniquely inspired treasures from heaven for every day of the year. After many years of writing in her prayer journal, missionary Sarah Young decided to listen to God with pen in hand, writing down whatever she believed He was saying to her. It was awkward at first, but gradually her journaling changed from monologue to dialogue. She knew her writings were not inspired as Scripture is, but journaling helped her grow closer to God. Others were blessed as she shared her writings, until people all over the world were using her messages. They are written from Jesus' point of view, thus the title Jesus Calling. It is Sarah's fervent prayer that our Savior may bless readers with His presence and His peace in ever deeper measure.

Amazing truth revealed!

Can I just say how amazing this book was to read??? I am in the midst of a class on the end times and we are focusing on the role of Israel and the Jewish people right now. It was serendipitous timing to be reading this book and discovering how miraculously God used the people of Italy to save a remnant of Jewish people under the very nose of Mousselini during the second world war. The people of the small towns and villages humbly and without thought for their own lives took a silent stand and acknowledged the right of the Jewish people to survive. The truly puzzling thing is that they did it withot knowledge of the same thing being doen throughout the country and then did not even speak of it until just recently to a woman who made it her purpose in life to recognize such bravery publicly. Though I am not catholic, I can understand the signifigance of the recognition of the pope himself at these acts of selflessness. This book has some amazing pictures and reads a little like a memoir, but is so very worth the wading to uncover the riches of the human spirit. I highly recomend this book to anyone who doubts that anything good came out of the "war to end all wars". Doing what is right is always the right thing to do.

NEXT!

"It Happened In Italy:

Untold Stories of How the People of Italy Defied the Horrors of the Holocaust"

By Elizabeth Bettina

I'm very excited to review this book since my ancenstor come from Southern Italy and I love hearing true stories of how people have stood up for what is right and how God protected them in doing so...

Inventive and fun!

Here's something a little different! Similar in feel to a childhood version of Indiana Jones, the value of being different in couched in a grand mystery and an adventure! Everyone goes through the indecurity of being a little different and comparing themselves to others. This Hermie and Friends adventure helps kids discover the blessings of being a little different and the truth that God has a special purpose for each of us! Creative storytelling and bright animation couple to bring a bible-based tale sure to delight over and over again! With a wonderful twist at the end, each child will feel quite smart to have figured out, all of the characters have a change in perspective and find that God is indeed in control. There is something for everyone in this video- even grown ups won't mind sitting through the inventive tale.

The Noticer: an easy buck...

I don't give negative reviews often as I have a special appreciation for the hard work of an author, but this one really got me... When I opened The Noticer, by Andy Andrews, I was quickly drawn in by the storytelling and the parable-esque quality of the writing. If I was a new Christian or a person seeing the frosting-type of sweetness that comes from shallow advice I would think this was a very good book. There are so many other religeous self-help books that were skimmed to cobble this one together than I got a little lost about what advice was given to what situation. The main character was so unbelievable that I was totally turned off by the 3rd chapter even. I have to say that I was very dissapointed in the amount of scripture used. It felt a little like playing the telephone game with a whole lot of great ideas being passed around without roots. I honestly would not recommend this book at all unless it is for a very light devotional or a mindless distraction.

Next: Same Kind of Different as Me

Coming next: Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore. Here is the teaser from the Thomas Nelson Product Page:

A dangerous, homeless drifter who grew up picking cotton in virtual slavery.
An upscale art dealer accustomed to the world of Armani and Chanel.
A gutsy woman with a stubborn dream.
A story so incredible no novelist would dare dream it.
It begins outside a burning plantation hut in Louisiana . . . and an East Texas honky-tonk . . . and, without a doubt, in the heart of God. It unfolds in a Hollywood hacienda . . . an upscale New York gallery . . . a downtown dumpster . . . a Texas ranch.
Gritty with pain and betrayal and brutality, this true story also shines with an unexpected, life-changing love.

EDITED 5/6/09: This book was in PDF form and will take a while longer to read. This review may be a while in coming, but don't give up!