Category: Reviews

Book Review: I Am By Michele Cushatt

Posted on by Mary

I Am by Michele Cushatt is a 60 day journey to learning who you are in Christ!  Basically the book is broken  into 6 parts with 10 chapters (days) in each Part,  Michele’s transparency throughout the book is both touching and humorous as she gets down to the nitty gritty and the not so pretty in our daily walks with christ.  BUT she does it laced with mercy grace and humor. Michele takes passages that speak to who we are in Christ and carefully weaves in her life experiences which are many, some humorous and some very hard hitting.  You will travel from laugh out loud moments to tears of conviction and sympathy and back to laughter again. I  greatly appreciated how Michele hand scripture with care as well.

When I think about I AM , the word that immediately come to mind is WOW.  And it is not a cop out type of wow either.  Earlier this year Through a series of prayers I realized that I had kind of lost myself.  I began seeking out books that could help me through this process of rediscovering who I am  when I stumbled upon the launch video for Michele’s book I Am.  It was an answer to prayer!  I sought out who the publisher was and when I realized it would be released for review through BookLook Bloggers I was over the moon excited.  Little did I know the journey It would take me on.  This book is not a fast read nor an easy read.  This book is meant to be digested.  It sometimes took me days to read through one short  2 page devotion.  I have yet to work through the questions at the end of each day.  They are set aside in a gray blog…they are thought provoking questions that I plan to use as journaling prompts as I work through the chapters again.  As I looked back over the last 60 days I want to find some quotes to share with you but quite honestly most of the book is highlighted.    This book is well loved and I can promise you that I will be passing on other copies of this book!  I found it to be a great encouragement to me….And I know that no matter what you are going through, no matter you are or circumstances, you too can glean truth about who you are in Christ!

Now there was one slight problem when I received this book ad it was not that of the Author.  When I received this book from Harper Collins half of the packing sicker was stuck to the back of the book which in turn damaged the book’s back cover.  I was disappointed but  it didn’t  effect the reading of the book.

damage

All in all I give the book 5 stars

Thank you BookLook Bloggers for providing this free copy for review purposes. Positive reviews are NOT expected in return

Book Review :NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible By Craig S. Keener & John H. Walton, General Editors

Posted on by Mary

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NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible
By Craig S. Keener & John H. Walton, General Editors

This study Bible is based on the understanding the importance of context…and context is key..  Many Biblical scholars say this is key to understanding  the Bible…my husband is one of those scholars.  So of course I had him look at it and give me his honest opinion.  I have used it to study now for About two months.   It is chock full of helpful interesting information.  the Bible itself is designed well.  When you take the dust jacket off the hardcover you will quickly notice something unique.  Even though it is a hard cover the design on the cover itself looks just like a regular Bible.  There is another cover option as well.  I actually got to hold it in my hands this weekend at a local Christian bookstore,,,AND IT WAS GORGEOUS! it is a cloth  hard bound edition with a lovely teal-ish green  pattern with bound corners and spine!  I oohed and Ahhh’d over it a while in the store 🙂

The pages of the bible itself have a tan hue that graces the edge and the maps and pictures are of a very high quality.   I felt as though I was opening a true treasure as I flipped through it’s pages, exploring the details nestled deep within.

The content?translation.  The NIV is one of our top choices for translation and we base our choices on My husbands work with the Greek and Hebrew Texts and along with his studies  in Linguistics and Textual cricisim.  so of course when It comes to a study bible I am going to turn to him for advice,  He was very excited to see one of the authors was co-author of the Study notes section and was concerned with the other.  This is due mostly because this author has a tendency to weave his  pet issues as fact .    Upon reading the notes that pertain to his pet issues my husband concluded that he stuck with the facts and the context rather than go off on rabbit trails.  I am not trained in Greek, Hebrew, or other biblical languages as my husband is so I rely on his expertise to make sure these things are rock solid before I put my stamp of approval on them.    I have use the study notes as I have been working my way through Titus and I have found them to be informative and very helpful in understanding the context of whats going on the passage.

This Bible has potential of becoming a great to tool to both the scholar and the layman alike.  It is easily understood AND enjoyed.  It makes the Bible come alive as you learn about customs, cultures, and backgrounds of why things happened in the Bible the way they did.   I encourage you to check out this Bible, its what I would call a must have for Bible Study!

The only downside to the Bible in my option for this legally blind girl is the print is Soooo tiny, especially in the Study notes area.

I give this Bible a 5 out of 5 stars!!

 

Thanks to BookLook Bloggers for providing me with a free copy for review purposes.  in no way is there a positive review expected  in return.

Book Review: Unstuffed By Ruth Soukup

Posted on by Mary

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Author Ruth Soukup is best known for her Brand Living Well Spending Less.  She has written both a book and a blog titled by the same name. She is skilled at being organized and is very honest and open about the struggles she faces.  In her new book Unstuffed, Ruth skillfully encourages the art of literally become unstuffed…in our homes, in our minds and in our bodies…Oh and in our schedules too! Have you ever felt as though you had no room…your house is stuffed to the gills…Have you ever said….”If only I had one more closet”? Or…..”I wish I had more time BUT I”M just so BUSY?” OUCH!!!  Then this book is just for you. Ruth Takes ou step by step through the unstuffing, if you will , with a book jam packed full of practical ideas, including a one weekend whole unstuffing event….. laid out in half hour schedule.   This book is riddled with thought provoking questions that really force you to think about why you do what you do…. why you keep the things that you keep.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It gave me some great ideas and spurred me on to make some great decisions. I cleaned out my closet and got rid of 3 white garbage bags full of cloths I haven’t worn in a LONG time. It also encouraged me to again take a look at things cluttering my schedule. To consider what I like to do and what fits within my purpose… yeah lets just say that a garden won’t ever happen again… or at least not in the near future. In actuality I have let go of a lot of things because of this book (and others). We clutter our lives with so much nonsense. Our social media time can be wasted with games, videos and cute pictures of animals doing craziness. We spend money on things we don’t need or even want… I’m talking about the lady on YouTube who bought 22 $2 grab bags from a certain chain craft store and got multiples of everything she hated. This book gives us an answer to the constant wasting and misuse of our time, energy, money and talents. What I love most about this book is that there is literally something for everyone to learn and grow in.

I definitely give this book 5 stars because I have NOTHING bad to say about it.  It was an encouraging yet challenging book and it takes fine balance to be both!  Have you read the Book?  what are your Thoughts?

Thanks so much to BookLook Bloggers for providing me with this free copy for review purposes.  They provided this book free and with no expectation of a positive review!

Book Review: Angel In My Room by BettyCollier

Posted on by Mary

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Angel in my room

Angel In My Room by BettyCollier is the Biography of Lillie Hopkins who lost the baby who had become her everything.  When the baby dies, she becomes inconsolable.  She feels as though her life is over and struggles with deep depression.  she talks about seeing her baby and having a conversation with God, in which she cannot decide to live or die.  Upon returning home she  is helped by a few people including her brother and another dear friend.  as she grows out of this horrible experience she then passes the grace and love shared with her during her hard times to those who then need it..  It is an encouraging book of hope and how you can rise out of the valley of despair and still touch and impact lives with love and truth.

I enjoyedAngel In in my Room.  It is a fast read and keeps you engaged.  I found it to be encouraging.  Though some of the circumstances are far fetched at times, we must remember that the Bible is specific, that Angels existed before man was created so therefore humans cannot become angels.  Does that then mean that she didn’t experience some sort of miracle NO.   This is one woman testimony, we have truth in scripture, So I can only say that one piece.  outside of that it was a gripping touching story and she is able to take the pain she endured and turned it into something absolutely beautiful as she encouraged others through their struggles as well.  It was powerfully written and the author did a fantastic job telling this woman life story.   I give it a 3 1/2 stars.

DISCLAIMER: I RECIEVED A COMPLIMENTARY COPY OF PEACE FOR TODAY BY SHIELA WALSH FROM BOOKLOOK BLOGGERS FOR REVIEW PURPOSES ONLY. I DO NOT RECEIVE COMPENSATION FOR POSITIVE REVIEWS .

Book Review :Peace For Today by Shiela Walsh

Posted on by Mary

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Peace for Today By Shiela Walsh is a gritty little book that packs a punch. 50 devotionals all based on Peace.    Peace for today offers short 5 minute devotionals that is geared towards a busy lifestyle but doesn’t lack truth!   Do you feel as though your life isn’t full of the peace only Jesus brings?  Do you have Peace stealers in your life?

look no further than Peace for Today.  No Matter what is going on in your life you can find peace, in Jesus! and that is exactly what Shiela Walsh brings to us.  This little book packs a punch when it comes to hitting us hard with truth but in the way only Shiela Walsh can.  This book speaks truth right where and When we need it~ from her own personal stories to accounts of those in the Bible you can truly rly on truth on peace being spoken into your heart!

I really Loved this book!  I must confess that I had my doubts!!  I enjoy Sheila Walsh and when Peace For Today Arrived on my doorstep I thought to myself “oh no, it’s a fluff book…not a whole lot of content”  but I should have known better.  You should not judge a book by it’s cover…OR ITS SIZE!  which by the way the cover is super cute and the feel is high quality, but it is SMALL.   But small doesn’t mean it’s lacking for content.  each morning as I read the devotionals I found it speaking to the deepest recesses of my heart and met me just where I was…and isn’t that just what Jesus does.  I think Ms. Walsh has skills above most to be able to meet you as a friend.  when you read this book just like her others you feel as though you have been friends forever!  to say the lease I was impressed!  I highly recommend this book no matter the place you are in life whether in the valley or on the mountain top.  I give it 5 stars

DISCLAIMER: I RECIEVED A COMPLIMENTARY COPY OF PEACE FOR TODAY BY SHIELA WALSH FROM BOOKLOOK BLOGGERS FOR REVIEW PURPOSES ONLY.  I DO NOT RECEIVE COMPENSATION FOR POSITIVE REVIEWS .