iShine NLT Bible

While these Bibles are marketed towards tweens (that is, pre-teenage youngsters), I daresay anyone will enjoy them, regardless of age. Having read the New Living Translation of the Bible earlier this year, I know how well the thoughts of God are conveyed to the reader. Meaning is not lost, but there are none of the complexities of old English to mess people up. These soft leather-bound Bibles have excellent detail on the cover. The front in the picture is actually just a paper case. The left one has a mark of a boy rocking out to guitar with sparks flying. The right one has stars and flowers with three girls holding hands. Even though these Bibles are small (about 6in x 4in x 1in), they still include all the books of the Bible with footnotes, inserts, and fun concordances in the back. I'm really excited that I got these to review. Usually, I underline my Bible and read it from start to finish. Once I'm done, I just peruse whatever I feel like. With two new and unmarked Bibles, I'll have incentive to read my Bible start to finish in order two more times. Bravo. God is great (Rev 19:13).

"Revise Us Again" by Frank Viola

In this Biblically sound short book, Viola puts his foot down on many Christian practices. He urges readers to come back to the main attraction that is Christ Jesus and to actually walk the walk they talk. Some topics gone over are lax Christians versus judgemental Christians, claiming to have revelation from God, saying one will pray about something, adhering only to one denomination's set rules about Jesus, and more. Sometimes the Bible verses are quoted, and other times they are just referenced. With an uncanny voice for the truth, Viola will make readers really take a good hard look at themselves in the mirror and see if they actually see Christ.

"Fashioned by Faith" by Rachel Lee Carter

Written by an actual Christian model, this book is a must-have for women. Carter's modeling experience with her highlights and regrets are spilled onto the pages. While there is some fashion advice given, this is not a book on how to restructure your entire closet or what "looks" are modest. Rather, Carter gets at the issue of the heart. After all, fashion tips won't do a girl any good if, at the end of the day, she does not care about modesty. Bible verses and questions (with space provided to write) are included. At the end, there is even a 45-day Bible study. What's also great is that each chapter starts off with a photot of a teenage guy, a little bio, and what he thinks of modesty. Also included is a color collection of some of Carter's modeling. I'm glad I snagged this book from Thomas Nelson publishing!

"Love Written in Stone" by Philip Carlson, MD

This book takes a deep look at what God tells us to do from a medical perspective. I'm not just talking about the Ten Commandments or old school Levitical rules but commandments of God in general. Some examples have to do with love, joy, happiness, not worrying, etc. Even though the author is a medical doctor, he does not complicate things too much or put big medical words in his writing. Things are easy to understand, and various Bible references are made with some actually quoted on the page (something I personally like). If you're looking for a scientific dissertation on Leviticus, this book isn't for you. However, if you'd like to know how following God will made you a little better, have fun reading this.

"Heart of Ice" by Lis Wiehl

This heart-pumping thriller will have you turning the pages until your eyes begin to droop. Wiehl weaves a clever web of characters whose lives intersect (but not immediately so as to seem forced). You have a pyromaniac with a scarred inner and outer facade, three crime fighting women (not superheroes but those whose jobs are actually to handle crime), and a psychopath who just so happens to exude perfection. All the while, there is a story going on about a killer whose story resembles the "Craig's List" killer story from real life (although those terms are not used here). Best of all, Wiehl gets deep into the mind of the disturbed.

"Heaven Revealed" by Paul Enns + FREE GIVEAWAY

This book has lots of good intentions but bothers me on some levels. Sure, the fact that Enns writes on heaven is fine. However, he starts off the book with how he misses his deceased wife. The rest of the book seems to convey the notion that heaven will be a fantastic place where one can be reunited with loved ones and lead the best life possible. While Jesus is mentioned--we can't get to heaven without Him, anyway--there is not an emphasis on it. For instance, what I look forward to most about heaven will not just be reunions or fantasticness but the notion that I will finally be able to love God as I should (will all my heart, all my soul, and all my mind) and that I won't be able to ever sin or fall from Him again (if this were possible, there'd need to be a New New Heaven and a New New Earth. Also, for lots of verses, Enns just assumes they mean what he wants them to mean and does not cross-reference. Take Genesis 25:8. Enns says this means Abraham was taken to heaven. Other translations add "in death" after "Abraham joined his ancestors." Also, in 1 Corinthians 15:52 (in addition to various other parts of the Bible like Revelation 20:11-15), it is said that the dead will be raised to be judged and be with the Lord at the Second Coming. Before then, the Bible refers to a deep sleep (John 11:13 amongst other places). Sure, God made exceptions (like Elijah and Enoch), but for the rest of us, one can't say without a shadow of a doubt that we'll instantly be in heaven. I do believe God controls time and that our rest will feel very short (like a person doesn't feel the number of hours they sleep). All in all, Enns' intentions don't seem all that bad. However, if you want to know what heaven will really be like, please just crack open your own Bible and see for yourself. God wants to see you face to face there (2 John 1:12).

*The publisher gave me an extra copy to give away. If you want it, leave a comment with your email and say what you look forward to most with regards to heaven.

"Thriving at College" by Alex Chediak

There are many college books out there to advise students out there. What makes this book different is that it has a focus on Christian students and is written by a college professor--who teaches engineering at a Christian institution. Depending on one's level in life, some of the lessons in this book may be redundant. However, when used as a reference book for when students have particular questions, this does a superb job. Bible verses are quoted often, and pertinent advice is given. I don't agree with everything the author says, but the overall intention is good. For instance, I think it's good for students to take a Sabbath (or whole weekend) to do no homework. However, I do like how he said that female students ought not to dumb themselves down.

"Love Amid the Ashes" by Mesu Andrews

Most readers--Christian or otherwise--are familiar with the Book of Job from the Bible or at least the premise of the story. This faithful guy loses his possessions when God allows satan to wreak havoc on his life. In the end, Job prays for those who are mocking him and is blessed with more than what he had lost. Andrews takes this story and weaves it into fiction. Of course, she had to add some stuff here and there to make it a novel. However, for the most part, the accuracy is there. What's interesting is the emotions and dialog between Job and his family and friends--especially the women in his life. Want a real dramatic novel that's based on the Bible? Pick up this book.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

What do you like about the book of Job?

I like that it shows a godly man doubting himself and God. I think even the most spiritually mature believers can become discouraged and doubt. Job’s recorded suffering and questioning of his faith gives us all a measure of hope that we’re never too far gone to come back. We can be completely honest with God about our anger, bitterness, doubts, discouragement; and our merciful God may chastise us but will always love us back into His embrace. And to be completely honest, I’m thankful that Job’s situation is so completely awful—beyond anything I’ve ever heard of anyone else suffering. Even the most tragic of lives can still look at Job and say, “Well, at least my situation isn’t THAT bad!”


What do you say to "Christians" who think Job is just a story but didn't really happen?

I simply smile and say nothing. After growing up in a household of plaid Protestants (Charismatics, Quakers, Wesleyans, Nazarenes, etc.), I’ve had all the arguing I care to endure. I’m not a scholar, so I don’t know all the historical data to support my view that God’s Word is what it appears to be. I can only say that after a year of research, I found nothing to discourage my belief that Job was a real person and actually endured an extended illness with profound blessing at the end of it.


What is your view on suffering?

I don’t like it!!! Ha! I believe it can have several origins. It may be, like Job’s, an attack by our eternal enemy. Or it could be discipline from a loving Heavenly Father, an amended concept to Job’s friends’ accusations. I also believe it can simply be the natural consequences of living in a sin-sick world, an expected byproduct of the Fall. The truth is, I don’t think it’s as important to concentrate on WHY we’re suffering as HOW to deal with it, and more specifically, WHO to turn to in the midst of it.


How do you think Job's suffering story would be different if Job were a woman?

Great question! Job-ette wouldn’t have been allowed to lounge around on an ash pile for a year! All kidding aside, I’m not sure the story would have been preserved if the suffering had been a woman’s. I believe that’s part of the power of Job’s testimony. He was the wealthiest, the most blessed, the greatest man in the East. This description infers the epitome of strength and honor, leading to the lowest depths of human suffering at the threshold of death’s door. In the ancient mind, a woman would not have provided the extreme height to accentuate the plummeting depth. Because men traditionally recorded and preserved history, I’m thankful the Lord used a man to record and preserve Job’s lesson.


Why do you think Job was finally blessed when he prayed for his friends that yelled at him?

I think Job, like many of us, became too self-focused during his suffering. He couldn’t see others, nor could he see and worship God. When the Lord finally revealed Himself in an undeniable way, He pressed Job to continue his outward focus—to see his friends’ needs. I was startled to realize that Scripture does not specifically say Job was ever healed. Obviously, we assume God’s blessing includes healing, but how much of Job’s physical healing came as he focused on others? And how much was immediate and miraculous? Because Love Amid the Ashes is biblical FICTION, I can create that answer. Because I live with a tendency to be me-focused, I must live-out that answer.

Read the first chapter of "Love Amid the Ashes" at www.MesuAndrews.com. You can also download free Bible study and discussion questions and sign up for free weekly e-devotionals.

"The Chasm" by Randy Alcorn

Wowza, is there a lot of symbolism in this book! The protagonist Nick is in some sort of land that relates to Earth. There is a big chasm separating him from Charis. Charis is this great city of light and laughter that seems to represent Heaven. Throughout his journeys, Nick meets several different people. The reader has a fun time discerning who is really a friend and who is really a foe. Spiritual warfare is heavy in this book, and the illustrations are not for the faint of heart. When it comes to Jesus and the Crucifixion, there is also a plot event that correlates to it. It is not exactly the same in the sense that the story is in AD30 Middle East. However, Alcorn paints a vivid picture that makes the Passion easy to understand, especially for those that are not exactly Bible scholars. Also, at the end of the book, there are discussion questions and even a short list of Bible verses to guide the reader. I knew Alcorn was an apologetic theologian, but I had no idea how well he could write Christian fiction that impacts readers. Plus, at just over 100 pages, this book is short and easy to read.

"The Nature of Love: A Theology" by Thomas Oord

From the onset, this book is all right. The author talks heavily about the theology of love--big surprise, right? Anyway, at the first and last chapter, a plethora of Bible verses are quoted. However, in the middle chunk of the book, the Scripture quotes dies down as theologians are quoted more. Oord goes into the philosophies and lingual sciences as he makes his points. To the average reader, things seem fine. However, to the aged Christian, some little warning flags come up. A sentence here and there is disturbing, but--again--the average reader will either not pick up on it or just gloss over it. At one point. Oord says traditions and habits help make on a virtuous Christian. This is tiptoeing awfully close to works. At another point, Oord says that God only loves those who keep His commandments and takes a verse out of line. God loves everybody and never stops. For those that don't keep His commandments, He'll deal with them appropriately, but, at the end of the day, God loves everybody. When God removes His hand of protection or allows some calamity to strike a people, it is for the sole purpose of having the people return to Him. Even if people are just being tested, the purpose is still for the people to turn back to Him. God loves the sinners but hates the sins. When people end up in hell, it's not because God doesn't love them. God loves people so much to give them free will and woo rather than coerce them into His love. When people are in hell, it's their own choice and their own fault.

"Bathsheba" by Jill Eileen Smith

This is the third book is the King David series, but readers won't really be missing out if they haven't read the first two. While many Christians are familiar with the basic story of David and Bathsheba, even those that don't will know what is going on. Smith uses some Bible verses at the beginning of each of her three parts of the book. However, I think she should have included all of what the Bible says about the story and then less of her own story-crafting. Granted, what Smith writes about is fairly accurate, she obviously puts in her own style and fabricates details about characters to make the story come to life. Regarding the romance, it is not graphic in the least, but at times can get a tad racy. Overall, this book is a good read, but readers will get a richer--and quicker--tale if they just go straight to the Bible.

Available March 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

"Money and Marriage" by Matt Bell

I'm sure it's no surprise to people that most marriages end due to fiscal altercations. Bell's book aims to give couples (engaged or married) the tools to live happily together and not fight about money. Bible verses and principles are quoted when necessary, and the book is clearly organized. Surveys and charts are given, and economic terms are defined. There are even prompted questions meant for couples to go through together. My only criticism is that in the section that covers giving, Bell discusses being blessed for giving. While God does say He will bless us when we give generously, people should not give away money / possessions just because they think they'll get a reward; also, the reward may not come in this life. Besides that, the book is a good reference for couples to use. There is even personal advice from the author and other personal accounts that readers can relate to.

"The Grad's Guide to Surviving Stressful Times" from TH1NK

When I chose to review this book, I figured it'd be another self-help book for Christian teens ready to make their transition from high school to college. My mind was tumbled and turned upside down when I finally began reading the book. Does it discuss how to cope with stress and college like the title suggests? Yes. However, what's unique is that the book focuses on the Book of Daniel from the Bible. Verses are dissected, and readers learn how this prophet was not too different from them. Readers learn about Daniel's childhood and adolescence, how he was taken from home, how he had a close-knit group of friends, how he got his first job, how he relied on God, and how he never once stood by or succumbed to peer pressure that would involve denying his God--even in the face of death. This book will make readers really relate to the Daniel of the Bible and learn that stories from the Bible can definitely be related to their own lives. Superb.

"If God, Why Evil?" by Norman Geisler

In this highly intellectual book, Geisler knocks down many claims that atheists make about God not existing in an evil world. He uses bullet points and organized lists to clearly lay out each argument he makes. Bible verses are heavily used, with the majority of them being only referenced and not actually quoted on the page. What's more, Geisler does not just talk about pain and evil in an objective sense. No; he shares some deep and personal pain from his own life. While I do not agree with every single argument made in the book, the author does make some good points and points to how God is real and why evil is in the world. This would be a great gift to an atheist friend who likes solid arguments over "faith" talks.

"A Conversation with God for Women" by Marcia Ford

Like the title suggests, this book is full of dialog between women and God. Various topics like prayer, the Bible, God, Jesus, relationships, and life come up. Essentially, the way the book is laid out, a question is laid out to God, and God answers. While Ford uses Bible verses and Biblical insight, she often writes a narrative as if God is actually speaking to the women and leaves the Bible verses for the end of the book. They are footnoted in the chapters and included in the notes section at the back. Also, sometimes, Ford utilizes other Bible characters to voice responses. The book has good intentions, but not everyone may like this style. On the plus side, the pages are very glossy.

"What Are You Waiting For?" by Dannah Gresh

This book on--ahem--sexuality is written with a Christian perspective. The author quotes Scripture every now and then and goes over hot-button topics that most people would blush at. The cover boasts that there is something no one tells you about sex. I hate to be a spoiler, but you guys would have discovered this early in the book anyway. The author goes back to Hebrew translations of the Bible where to have intercourse with someone was called "yada" and meant to know. This is for a one-to-one relationship between a man and a wife. In the Bible, there is another term for sex outside of marriage (often with harlots) that is translated to literally just being an exchange of bodily fluids. The author also uses statistics and simple neuroscience to get her points across. The main thing that this book focuses on is that sex outside of marriage will never be the deep and intimate "yada"; it will just be an exchange of fluids that leaves you broken and sad. While the book is geared towards females, males can read it, too.

"TrueFaced" by Bill Thrall, Bruce McNicol, & John S Lynch

I've read a lot of theology books as a Christian reviewer, and this one is good. It revolves around grace and talks a lot about how people--Christian or otherwise--tend to put up masks that hide their real identity. People like to appear independent and polished on the outside when they are really rotting on the inside. Two rooms are used in this book. One is the Room of Good Intentions, and the other is the Room of Grace. The former involves works and trying to make God love us; the latter is where God's forgiveness transforms you and you come to grow into a deeper relationship with the Only One who loves you with unrelenting love that can never be diminished. My only criticism on this book is that it does not address trying to combat sin. The angle is that one should rest in grace. Granted, when one is fully in grace, they should want to obey God and be better about not sinning. Still, the book does a good job in showing readers to reveal their true selves and be TrueFaced in every sense of the word. The way I see it, if you never take off your mask, you may be preventing others from seeing God shine through you. Love Christ; He deserves it.

"Hollywood Nobody" by Lisa Samson

In terms of plot, this book is pretty engaging. There is a teenage girl as he protagonist with her own Hollywood blog. With her family being in the acting business, she is around the actual Hollywood scene quite a lot. Drama ensues when love triangles form and the girl learns about a mystery man and what her real family roots are. My only criticism would have to be the writing style. Thoughts seem to be convoluted and in a state of disarray. Whether or not this is meant to represent the thought process of the protagonist, it many annoy readers. Also, I hate to say this, but I'll just come out and say it. Most teenage books are written by authors who are past the teen age. Some of these books are well suited for teens and fit in with their culture and whatnot. However, some just seem like they are written by older authors trying to sound younger and put their foot in the door of young pop culture. Sadly, this book is the latter.

"Angel Sister" by Ann H. Gabhart

Oftentimes, people pass by the story of Moses. We know he was left in a basket and sent down a river only to be found by Egyptians who took care of him. But how did he feel, and how was he impacted? While this book is not about Moses, it has similar themes of abandonment and redemption. A small girl is left in front of a church. She is all alone and wants someone to rescue her--an angel specifically. She is taken into a home and learns what it's like to have a real family. Dramatic family tension is clear in the pages. Even though the little girls gets a family, she does not get a perfect family. Also, with the simplicity of the twentieth century, readers will have a paradigm shift. The plot is engaging, but the evoked emotions are what will really get to you. Sympathy will defy logic and turn to empathy as readers put themselves in the place of that little girl. The most important thing to take away from this book is that whenever we accept someone--regardless of their age--not only will we seem like good angels, but we shall reflect Christ. This is a more between-the-lines message but still a good one at that.


"Then he said to them, 'Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me also welcomes my Father who sent me. Whoever is the least among you is the greatest'” (Luke 9:48).

Available February 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

"Life, In Spite of Me" by Kristen Jane Anderson and Tricia Goyer

Although the ending of this book revolves around joy, the beginning has some tough points. Depression and its various mistresses are discussed in great detail. This book is great for people that need to put their life into perspective. If you've ever thought you'd had a bad day, books like this will show you it's not really all that bad. Or, if your life situation is the same as or worse than what is initially described in this book, you shall find hope. If the authors can overcome tough times, then so can you. This book isn't some theological treatise on how to feel well. Rather, it is just women spilling their hearts out onto pages of paper. With all the complexity of religion, these women put that aside and dwell on the simple notion of Christ's Cross and Love. Since there are some serious moments in this book, I would not recommend it for young readers who may not be mature enough to internalize this message.