Nightstand Reading

Do you keep books on your nightstand? 

Whatever I'm currently reading usually ends up there, along with other random things. 

Yesterday I looked at my nightstand and realized that I have a relatively small stack of books - just five, in fact.  Here's the list from top to bottom:

1.  She Makes Hats

Have you read this blog?  Robyn is a friend of a friend so although I've never read her blog before, I went to the book signing here in Omaha.  As she read a couple excerpts from the book and shared her story, I knew I would like the book!  

2.  Forgiving Our Fathers and Mothers

This book is by a fellow Redbud and it is one I'm reviewing for BookLook Bloggers.  I'm not too far in, but I can tell that it is a book that has the potential to impact many people.  I am looking forward to writing a review when I finish it.

3.  Bird By Bird

It is impossible to be a good Christian writer and not read Anne Lamott, right??  Although I've known of Anne for years, I haven't read any of her books.  But when a different Anne (of Modern Mrs. Darcy) posted Shauna Niequist's book recommendations for writers and it contained not one, but TWO Anne Lamott books, I knew it was time.  I'm so looking forward to digging into these.

4.  Traveling Mercies

Another Anne Lamott!  And also from Shauna Niequist's recommended list.    

5.  Mudhouse Sabbath 

I love this little book by Lauren Winner.  This is probably the third or fourth time I've read it!

Also hanging out on my nightstand is a book of crossword puzzles, a book on toddler speech, a bottle of melatonin, Starbucks tea, lotion, Kleenex, and nine bobby pins.

What's on YOUR nightstand??


**All opinions are my own.  Forgiving Our Fathers and Mothers was given to me by the publisher in exchange for a review that will be posted soon.  All other books were purchased on my own or given as gifts.

Currently Reading: Where the Wind Leads

Compelling.

That is what I would say if I were asked to sum up Where the Wind Leads in one word.

It is "a refugee family's miraculous story of loss, rescue, and redemption" written from the perspective of the son, Vihn Chung with Tim Downs.

Chung begins by laying out his family's history in their homeland of Vietnam.  The story is tumultuous as the family survives various coups and wars.  Each time they are uprooted and upset, yet they press on.

Eventually they decide that they cannot live this way any longer and in 1979 they become "boat people" who sail away from Vietnam in hopes of finding a better life.

Intertwined with the Chung's story is the story of Stan Mooneyham, the second president of World Vision.  When a friend challenged Stan to learn more about the boat people and find a way to help them, Stan resisted at first.  Soon, however, he was convinced that his Christian organization should be helping these refugees who were fleeing their country for safety, yet unable to find a country to welcome them.

Chung's description of their time on the boat and as new refugees is agonizing.  Eventually they are rescued and, with World Vision's help, are allowed to enter the United States.  There are still difficulties once the family is settled in Arkansas, but they work hard and persevere.  Chung fulfills his father's dream when he graduates from Harvard Medical School.  Chung now lives and works in Colorado Springs, Colorado and serves on the board of World Vision.

This is an excellent book.  Chung (and Downs) told a gripping, riveting story and appropriately interwove both humor and history.  I am more familiar with stories of immigrants, but this book opened my eyes to the experience of refugees.

I was a bit worried about the ending.  In the last chapter, Chung asks questions about why his family was rescued and why others were not.  I was afraid that the book might turn the corner to preaching a prosperity gospel (e.g. "They called upon God and therefore all their problems were taken away").  But it didn't.  I was impressed the way Chung turned the question around, explaining that why they were the ones rescued isn't the correct question.  Instead he says that he should ask the question, "What does He expect me to do now?"

Chung answers the question with this: "Now that I am safely ashore, He expects me to send the boat back for someone else."  

I was left with a renewed realization of how much I had been given in this life and, as Chung says, "I believe that blessing is something I am expected to pass on to other people in any way I can."

Please note that all the author royalties from this book are donated to World Vision.



** I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

currently reading: Bittersweet

Try Grammarly's plagiarism checker free of charge because when your mother told you that "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery," she wasn't giving you a free pass to plagiarize! (Plus, she was quoting someone herself!)

My book review in fewer than 10 words: 

IT IS SO GOOD! GO BUY A COPY IMMEDIATELY!!!!!!!

My book review in more than 10 words:

If you've read my review of Shauna Niequest's book Bread & Wine, it will probably come as no surprise that I loved this book as well.  Bittersweet: Thoughts on Change, Grace, and Learning the Hard Way is Shauna's second book, which she wrote in between Cold Tangerines and Bread & Wine.  I am just now starting Cold Tangerines, which means that I have read her books exactly opposite as to how she wrote them.

As the title suggests, Bittersweet is written out of a season of loss and frustration in Shauna's life that will later yield good lessons.  This is a book that not everyone will understand.  But if you, too, have had a season where it feels like you are just bracing yourself for the next blow, for whatever disaster God or fate could send you next, this may be the book you need to read.

Bittersweet is a collection of essays that cover all sorts of things: the loss of a job and the loss of a baby.  Moving away from loved ones and making new ones.  Cooking and gatherings round tables.  Grace, grace, and more grace.  Friendships, families, motherhood and more.

In "Grace is the New Math," she writes of keeping a tally of the good and the bad of a person's life and calculating up their worth.  "Grace is smashing the calculator, and using all the broken buttons and pieces to make a mosaic."

This book came at the perfect time in my life.  I am, just now, slowly, calling myself a writer.  I haven't been able to say it aloud to someone, but I'm working on that.  In "Love Song for the Fall" Shauna writes about writing.  She says, "...it's hard work, fraught with fear and self-consciousness..."  It is silly, of course, but I assume that fantastic writers sit down at the computer and the correct words flow out with no effort.  When I read that she had to force herself to sit down and work, suddenly writing was normalized for me.  This is difficult for everyone.  This is not always enjoyable.  This takes time.  This. is. difficult.

Multiple essays are on the subject of miscarriage.  Although I would never be bold enough to say that I understand miscarriage, her words gave me a window into what mothers must be feeling after the loss of a baby.  She writes of remembering the due date and thinking about "what might have been."  She tells readers to "say something" after a tragedy, even if it is awkward and you are not sure what to say.  I told my husband that if we know someone who miscarries, I'd like to buy them this book in addition to being there for them.  What I meant was that I wanted to give them words when they might not know how to express what they are feeling and, since I can't relate to that experience at this point in my life, I want to hand them a reminder that they are not alone.  

Earlier I said, "Go buy this book immediately!"  I was serious.  

currently reading: Notes from a Blue Bike

Do you ever read a book and find yourself thinking (or shouting), "yes! yes!!" the whole time?  Or, if you're an annotator like me, you keep writing it in the margins, accompanied by a mixture of stars and underlining and brackets and arrows?  When I like a book, you can tell just by flipping through because it will be embellished with my pencil markings.  And if you were to pick up this book, I think you'd realize pretty quickly that I liked it.  It resonated with me in a deep way.  

Tsh Oxenreider is the founder of TheArtofSimple.net, a website inspiring people to live simply.  Her latest book is Notes from a Blue Bike: The Art of Living Intentionally in a Chaotic World.  In this book, Tsh shares about the journey her family has taken to duplicate the slower lifestyle they enjoyed overseas as they have transitioned back to the States.

The book is divided into seven sections.  With an introduction and a conclusion as bookends, Tsh writes about the five areas in which they have chosen to be intentional: food, work, education, travel, and entertainment.  Notes from a Blue Bike is a collection of essays with tips for simple living sprinkled throughout, instead of a "how-to" book.

I hadn't heard of Tsh before this book or seen her website, so this was truly my first introduction to her writing.  And I loved the book!  I loved the essay format and hearing how their family decided upon these intentional steps and reading how it actually worked within the family.  I appreciated all the sections (really!), but, at this point in life, the work and education sections held the most meaning to me.

In the work section, Tsh talks about managing a business from her home with her husband.  She writes about finding time to write in the midst of being a busy mom with little ones at home.  It was a message I needed to hear: that it's okay for me to take time to do something I love.  She writes of slowing down and setting limits, but also of valuing your work and treating it like it is "worthy of my dedication, practice, focus, and excellence. (Because it is)."  I was interested to hear how she and her husband manage the business together, but I also appreciated that she included examples of many other families with different work schedules who have made adjustments in order to find what works for them.  In other words, Tsh isn't expecting that what works for her family is what will work best for mine.    

I also appreciated the chapter on education as Tsh shares their journey to find the right fit educationally for each child, each year.  After swearing that she would never homeschool her children, Tsh spends a year homeschooling and falls in love with parts of it.  But later they decide that the best decision for their family is to send their children to public school.  She writes about the value of exposing your children to books and of giving them room to be creative.

Other reviewers have mentioned that Tsh's life doesn't seem simple and I understand where they are coming from.  Her life certainly isn't straightforward - she's lived all over, she works strange hours, and her children have had multiple schooling options within a few years.  Her life is complicated.  But I believe she wants to live a full life and is choosing to do so as simply as possible.  If you're looking for a practical, step-by-step guide to simple living, you will probably be disappointed.

Notes from a Blue Bike is balanced, which is what I like about it.  The main message is to find what is important to you and then adjust your life to reflect that.  Tsh doesn't write expecting that every reader will move to a farm and live off the land.  She writes for ordinary people and ordinary families looking to make small changes.  And I like that because I am an ordinary person with an ordinary family.  I hope that you read it and, if you do, let me know what you think of it!







I was given a copy of this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for an honest review.



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currently reading: The Question That Never Goes Away

I think I should rename this series "books from the pile on my bedside table".  And by 'bedside table' I mean the metal folding chair that I use as a bedside table.  My life is so glamourous!  ;)  This week I have been actively reading three books: one to review, one to enjoy, and one to help my husband and I figure out how the heck to parent our toddler thoughtfully.

The book I am reviewing this week is The Question That Never Goes Away, courtesy of BookLook Bloggers (formally BookSneeze).

  

Philip Yancey is the author of Where Is God When It Hurts?, which he wrote in 1977 to explore suffering from a Christian perspective.  Now, over 30 years later, he released a sequel: The Question That Never Goes Away.  Since writing his first book, Yancey has become somewhat of an expert on the topic of pain, receiving countless letters from hurting people and numerous speaking invitations.  The Question That Never Goes Away is based off of Yancey's personal experiences with three different events: the four year long siege of Sarajevo, the 2011 tsunami in Japan, and the 2012 shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.  Each of these events were horrific and ghastly in their own way, but they raised the same question: Where was God during this and why did He let it happen?

I was thrilled to see this book available for review from BookLook Bloggers.  I've read Where is God When it Hurts? and Disappointment with God (both by Yancey) before and thought I would like this one as well.  I wasn't disappointed.  Yancey is a thoughtful, compassionate author.  Since I am interested in the theology of suffering, I have read books by multiple Christians authors on the subject.  Yancey is one of my favorites.  Unlike many others, he avoids offering platitudes or prescriptive advice.  Yancey points to Jesus' example of avoiding answering why suffering exists, instead focusing on our response to suffering.  I appreciate that Yancey faces the issue of suffering head-on and writes of how he was affected personally rather than tackling the subject from a strictly academic perspective.

Some may be disappointed by this book.  Yancey doesn't offer a definitive answer on suffering.  But that is what I like about it.  I feel that any answer he could have given would have probably fallen short.  He wrote rawly about his experiences and emotions in Sarajevo, Japan and Newtown and instead of tying them up with a flippant clique about God's will, Yancey lets the heaviness of these situations resound.  Yancey is an author who seems comfortable admitting that we don't have all the answers, but instead, gives us tools and encouragement to continue living under the weight of unanswered questions.  This book is so important for all Christians would read - I wish that more people would take the time to consider this topic seriously before spouting off harsh words following tragedies.

**I received a copy of this book from BookLook in exchange for an honest review.

**This post contains Amazon Affiliate links

currently reading: Jesus Feminist

"exploring God's radical notion that women are people, too"

"I'll never fit in with Christian women..."

I said these hushed words to my husband as we left a small group one night.  

Looking back, I can see that it was kind of a silly statement.  The night had been discussions of children and cooking and clothing - things that I actually do enjoy, but they felt frivolous at the time.  I was missing deep conversation and connection.  During the long, lonely hours as a SAHM I was (am) mentally wrestling through all that I read on popular Christian sites.  

Why were these amazing debates taking place online and in books where Christian women spoke with strong voices and yet, when I went to Church, I felt like all the women talked about were recipes and kids and decorating and dieting?  Was the conversation only happening online?  

Reading Sarah Bessey's book, Jesus Feminist

, I'm realizing that I was wrong ( and that I should probably get used to that feeling).  I think that all over Christendom these women - strong women who want to challenge and to be challenged - do exist.  But maybe, like me, they're used to churches telling women to be "gentle and quiet", but not telling them to use leadership skills.  And they're used to churches with a "brain-check" at the front door next to the coat check.  And they're used to feminism being "the f word" in Church.  And so, like me, these women have decided to just take the easy route and keep their voices to hushed tones.

But what I'm realizing is that strong women who want more from the Church are all around me.  And I'm so excited to see where that takes me in the next year of hard conversations and growing friendships and women challenging women to do more and be better.

Whew.  All that was just an intro to my thoughts on the book.  I'll try to hurry up after this.  :)  

{I am a bit self-conscious about posting pictures of myself...and I am a Jesus feminist ;) 

 Also, if you didn't know, Sarah collected pictures of people with similar signs.

I didn't come up with this idea on my own. }

Jesus Feminist

 surprised me.  I expected Sarah Bessey's writing to be bold and scandalous and very heavy on research.  And it was, in some ways.  But what surprised me was how personal this book was.  Sarah wrote to ME.  Her words were like a thick blanket wrapped around my shoulders, cocooning and comforting.  She asks her readers to "lay down our ideas, our neatly organized Bible verses, our carefully crafted arguments" (p.1) and instead, invites us to a conversation.     

From the beginning, Sarah wrote gently and kindly and truthfully.  While many people might have negative stereotypes they associate with the word "feminist" (read: angry, bitter), Sarah's tone is completely different.  It was a bit off-setting for me at the beginning because this book was not what I expected.  If you're looking for a book goes through each verse pertaining to women and painstakingly proves (or disproves) why you should be a feminist, this is not the book you're looking for.  This book is about leaving our entrenched sides and coming together to see the Kingdom of God at work.  It was obvious that the book was well-researched, but it was not scholarly.  

I loved how Sarah used her own life stories (and those of her friends) in this book.  She writes of childhood and childbirth, marriage and ministry, hurts and happiness.  She combines stories and Scriptures and quotes and hard truth, and when it all comes together, it works.  It captured my attention and engaged both my brain and my heart.  

One part stuck out to me: "Often when a woman exhibits leadership, she's accused of having that Jezebel spirit.  I look forward to the day when women with leadership and insight, gifts and talents, callings and prophetic leanings are called out and celebrated as Deborah, instead of silenced as a Jezebel" (p. 92)  Yes.  Yes!  I wish this wasn't revolutionary in western Christianity, but it is!  And I too look forward to the day when women are celebrated as leaders, scholars and pastors in the Church.  

I've read criticism that Sarah's book didn't go far enough.  And I understand where those people are coming from.  In some ways, I do think she could have pushed further.  But I think she ended up with a gracious book that will speak to both sides and will start the conversation rolling in churches.  Rather than focusing on the minute details, Sarah looks at the bigger picture.  To her, being a feminist is being part of the Kingdom of God here on earth.

Before reading this book, I was comfortable calling myself a Christian and a feminist.  But Sarah's book helped me delve deeper into the conflation of those, which I appreciate.  This is a book I plan to read again and will recommend to friends, both male and female.  I am already looking forward to the conversations that will take place because of Jesus Feminist

.

My rating: 5 stars

{Finished book on my little red desk}

If you've read Jesus Feminist

 (or read Sarah's blog), I'd love for you to let me know what you thought! :)

**This post contains Amazon Associates links

currently reading (my LAST book review of 2013): A Star for Mrs. Blake

While we were away for my husband's surgery, I was contacted about reviewing the book A Star for Mrs. Blake

 by April Smith.  I read the summary and it caught my interest so I agreed.  When we got home from the trip, I was TIRED.  It had been a long two weeks of chasing a toddler around, helping with my husband post-op and I needed a mental break.  This book was waiting for me when we got home and I thought I'd just read a couple chapters to see what I thought.  Things didn't exactly go as planned because soon I was swept away into Mrs. Blake's world and reading non-stop.  In less than 24 hours I had read the entire 334 pages!  If you want to read a little more about the book, check out my review below or look for it on sale on January 14th!

(Image from Amazon)

A Star for Mrs. Blake

 is a historical fiction book set in 1931, thirteen years after the end of World War I.  The story follows Cora Blake's journey from her small town in the United States to visit the grave of her son, Sammy, in Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery with a group of Gold Star Mothers (referring to the gold star that hung on their service flags after a family member had died).

Cora Blake, a volunteer librarian, lives on Deer Isle, Maine where she cares for her three nieces, and keeps tabs on her trouble-making brother-in-law.  Living the midst of the Great Depression, Cora makes ends meet by working in the cannery and a frugal lifestyle.  When a letter comes from the US government, Cora has a flashback to the letter she received 13 years ago telling her that her only son, who had lied about his age to enlist in the Army, had been killed in action.  This letter, however, was an invitation to join other Gold Star Mothers to visit their sons final resting places in France, paid for by the United States.

With little hesitation, Cora decides she will join the pilgrimage.  She travels to New York City where she meets the group with whom she'll be traveling - four other Gold Star Mothers, a young nurse and a newly commissioned Army officer.  The women are all unique, coming from different religions, ethnicities and socioeconomic levels, which adds drama to an already emotional journey.  Once in France, Cora meets an American journalist, Griffin Reed, who was injured during the war and is now forced to wear a metal mask to cover his wounds.  When Cora tells Griffin the story of her pilgrimage, including a secret she's kept for years, he writes an article about her that brings with it a surprise ending.

A Star for Mrs. Blake is based on the stories of deceased Army Colonel Thomas West Hammond, "whose first assignment as a graduate of West Point Academy was to accompany a party of Gold Star Mothers...on the pilgrimage to France."  After I finished the book, I did some researching of my own and found that April Smith had done an excellent job of weaving historical fact within her fictional story.  The characters quickly grew dear to my heart and I was moved to tears many times throughout the book.  As I read about mothers crying over their sons graves, I found myself stopping the book for a moment to scoop my son into my arms and tell him about much I love him.  This book gave me a greater appreciation for the sacrifice of our veterans and their families and a great appreciation for my own family.

My Rating: 5 Stars

**I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

**This post contains Amazon Associates links

currently reading: The Beauty of Broken

"There is no such thing as a perfect family".  

This is the premise for Elisa Morgan's new book The Beauty of Broken.  Morgan is the former CEO of MOPS International and a well-known speaker in addition to authoring several books.  In this book, Morgan shares deeply personal stories from her own life.

I was attracted to the cover of this book and the fact that Morgan, being in charge of MOPS International, was writing honestly about her life.  It's easy to assume that leaders (especially Christian leaders) have everything under control, but it is encouraging to see how they will make an impact with "messy" lives.  In the book, Morgan covers a wide range of issues she's gone through in life including marriage, adoption, teen pregnancy, homosexuality, drug addiction, infertility, alcoholism, divorce, sibling relationships and death.  

Morgan writes that Christians often make family values into a formula, acting as thought if you do A, B and C, your children will turn out to be perfect, beautiful, godly adults.  From her own life experience, Morgan shows that it's usually not that easy.  Life, and especially parenting, is messy and complicated.  

At the end of each chapter Morgan includes a "breakthrough" section.  One of these wrote about going to "Church" with her husband and son.  As you read on, you realize that she's actually talking about AA.  I loved her description of AA as Church because I got the same feeling when I visited a few AA meetings - there was something holy and sacred about people being vulnerable and holding each other up even when they know the worst about you.

As much as I wanted to like this book, I fought against it.  In a forward, Morgan writes that this is her story and asks that we "don't judge" her family members based on what she wrote.  But it's not just her story.  And sometimes even though you are involved in someone else's story, it's still not yours to tell.  I truly hope that each family member read this before it was published and signed off on the sections pertaining to them.

More than that, however, was Morgan's endless need to put a positive (read: spiritual) spin on everything.  I understand that Christians want to see God's hand in everything, but I felt she took it too far.  {SPOILER ALERT} One example is when Morgan's grandbaby is born far too early.  She writes, "Tissue-paper skin.  Sunken lungs. Delicate limbs.  There was no way he could have lived in this world.  He was not made for it.  He was made for another world."  It made me angry - it is an overly romanticized, spiritualized view of death.  The baby wasn't "made for another world"; he just wasn't made to leave his mother's womb that early.  

I have mixed feelings about this book.  It was distasteful to read Morgan "[putting] a bow on everything' (something her daughter accuses her of in the book) by trying to force there to be beauty in everything or to write a good ending to a story that perhaps hasn't resolved yet.  But it was an easy read and could be an encouragement when family struggles and parenting seem overwhelming.

**I received a free copy of this book from BookSneeze in exchange for an honest opinion.

currently reading: Notes From the Tilt-A-Whirl

This book review is long, long overdue.  Usually I review a book within a couple weeks of receiving it, but this one arrived over six weeks ago!  Yikes!

I am very conflicted about this book - I'll do my best to explain why.  When I read the summary, I thought I would love this book and I was thrilled to be reviewing it.  But when it came and I actually started reading, I really labored over it.  The first few chapters were mind-boggling.  Each time I picked up the book, I literally got a headache and had to put it down within a few minutes.  I was thrown off by Wilson's style and really struggled to keep reading.  It was the first time I seriously considered not finishing a book I was given to review.  For me personally, the first chapters felt like I *was* on a tilt-a-whirl.  Since I wasn't following the book clearly, it felt like I was being spun around and couldn't tell up from down.  

Then, about four or five chapters in, I started to catch on a little bit, like I finally learned to go with the rhythm of the ride.  Soon I was pausing to marvel at Wilson's insight.  He changed the way I thought about creation, heaven and hell.  Throughout my days, I found myself thinking back to the book and looking at the world around me differently.  And isn't that what a good book is?  Not only did it change my thinking, it stuck with me and changed how I viewed life.

Overall, the poetic style of this book was difficult for me to follow.  I wasn't expecting it and I usually prefer books to be more straight-forward.  However, Wilson wrote such profound things that I want to read it again sometime.  Since I'm prepared for the unusual style, I think I'll enjoy it better.

Now that I am (finally!) finished with that book, I can start on the next two books on my list: Crazy for God by Frank Schaeffer (a gift from my sister) and The Meaning of Marriage by Tim Keller (a gift from my friend, Megan).  I'm taking a short break from reviewing books for publishers to read these two!

**A copy of this book was given to me through BookSneeze in exchange for an honest review.   

currently reading: The Tender Soldier (PLUS GIVEAWAY!)

When Simon & Schuster offered me a copy of The Tender Solider: A True Story of War and Sacrifice to review, I thought the book sounded intriguing, but I had two concerns.  First, I was afraid that perhaps it would end up being dull.  Secondly, I was concerned that it would be abstruse military and combat information.  I chose to review it any ways and quickly realized that I was completely wrong on both counts.  It turned out to be both captivating and educational.

The Tender Solider tells the story of the Human Terrain System, a social science experiment to bridge the gap between American troops and the people of Afghanistan and Iraq.  Small teams of trained individuals would work alongside the US Army to help interpret the local culture and collect relevant information.  While many people worked on this program with noble intentions, it didn't stay that way for long.  Because the program grew too quickly to make proper evaluations and adjustments, many problems emerged.  For instance, the teams were not receiving sufficient training before being sent into a combat zone.  But a major ethical complication arose: the anthropologists were helping the Army better understand the Afghanis, but that turned out to be a double edged sword because "'good anthropology' might lead to 'better killing'"(p. 115)  Many social scientists were concerned about the direction the program was heading.

The Human Terrain System is made personal in the story of Paula Loyd and Don Ayala.  Loyd was a Wellesley grad who was working as the social scientist on a Human Terrain Team in Afghanistan.  Ayala, one of her teammates, was a former Army Ranger.  As they were collecting information one day, a horrific tragedy occurred that changed their lives forever.  This event is woven through the book, interspersed with information about the inception and outcome of the Human Terrain System.

Gezari's background as a journalist comes through as she includes almost 100 pages of notes.  Additionally, she flew around the United States and to Afghanistan to conduct personal interviews.  She spoke with everyone from the founders of the Human Terrain System, to Army generals, to current Human Terrain Team trainees, to local Afghanistan police.

This book helped me put together the pieces of the war in Afghanistan - there was so much I didn't know or understand.  Now I have a much better picture of what has happened in the years since September 11th.  My copy of this book is full of underlining and annotations.  As I read, I kept stopping to tell my husband about it and ask how much he knew about the Human Terrain System.  Even as an officer in the Air Force, he didn't know much about the program, but his interested in the book was piqued so he plans on reading it now.

The book was gripping, but its ending was especially sobering.  In the last few chapters I had assumed that everything would come together, but you are left with more questions than answers.  Of course, there are no easy answers for war and this is even further muddled by the addition of anthropology being used an intelligence source.  This book will keep me thinking for a long time to come.



GIVEAWAY INFORMATION:
Simon & Schuster has graciously offered a copy of this book for one of you!  I love sharing good books and I hope that you take a moment to enter either for yourself or for someone else who would be interested in this book!

To enter the giveaway, you simply need to:
 1) share this post somewhere (Facebook, Twitter, email, word of mouth, etc)
 2) leave a comment below and include where you shared the post
**If you don't have a Google account, make sure you leave an email address so I can contact you in the event that you are the winner

Winner will be chosen using a random number generator next Saturday (September 7th).  I will make a note here when the winner is chosen and then will contact the winner.  The book will be shipped directly from the publisher.  Good luck!

currently reading: The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good

As the President and CEO of HOPE International, Peter Greer knows a lot about "doing good".  But in his book, The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good (co-written with Anna Haggard), Greer talks about about the darker side of helping others.  He is unflatteringly honest, sharing how his marriage was failing as he was busy leading an international Christian nonprofit.

Each chapter is about a different spiritual danger.  He writes about the danger of giving your family leftovers while working overtime in ministry.  Another chapter focuses on the importance of deep friendships and deliberately choosing friends to hold you accountable.  Later he writes about the danger of trying to please everyone around you.  Overall, Greer touches on many different dangers to be aware of while serving.

Greer included many anecdotes from his own life (including the time he was dragged by a gorilla!), but also from the lives of friends.  At the end of each chapter, he provides reflection questions that would be especially helpful to someone currently serving in a ministry.

This book would be good for leaders and lay people alike.  Personally, I didn't find it thrilling or find much new information.  It seemed like a lot of practical, good advice.  It certainly could be a reminder and a "check-up" on your heart and motives for serving, however, in my opinion, it isn't a "must read".

**I was given a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  

currently reading: Jesus, My Father, The CIA, and Me

"A memoir...of sorts."  That's the subtitle to Ian Morgan Cron's latest book (the first I've read of his) and it really does sum up the book perfectly.  The book was utterly engaging - Cron is a fantastic writer.  I read this book in about 24 hours because I kept wanting to pick it up whenever I had free time.

Cron tells the story of growing up in a strict Irish Catholic family, going to parochial school and living with an unstable alcoholic father.  At the age of 16, Cron was told that his father worked for the CIA, which came as a great surprise.  Cron writes about his own addictions throughout high school, college and young married life and how he eventually entered ministry.  He now works as an Episcopal priest.

What I loved about this "memoir of sorts" is that was easy to read.  It felt like reading fiction.  I would be reading along, laughing at some description, enjoying the book and then all of a sudden there would be a sentence that would hit me because of its truth and honesty.  He has a unique way of writing about Christianity, but it was refreshing and contemplative.  Each character, as well as each event, is vividly described.  As much as it was beautiful to read about his reverence and respect for his first communion, it was painful to read the way his father treated him.

At the beginning of the book, Cron explains that he is retelling all these events with a few changes.  But he reminds his readers that all stories are colored by the view of the person telling them.  He wrote: "This is a record of my life as I remember it - but more importantly, as I felt it."  That description is gold.  

**This book was sent to me from BookSneeze in exchange for an honest review.

currently reading: Francis: Man of Prayer

When I was given the chance to review Francis: Man of Prayer by Mario Escobar, I jumped at the chance!  I was anxious to know more about this man as I had been following the news reports after he replaced Pope Benedict XVI and heard that he may bring significant changes in Catholicism.  I was interested in learning about his background as he is the first Jesuit pope and the first pope from the Americas (Argentina).

This book is divided into three parts.  The first focuses on his early life (birth through seminary and teaching positions).  The second part talks about his time as a Cardinal and the 2013 Conclave.  The third looks to the future at the challenges he must overcome and factors that make him unique.  Quotes from Pope Francis were scattered throughout, which I liked.  In addition to learning about his background, I learned more about the hierarchy of the Catholic church and especially the Vatican.  I am looking forward to seeing how Pope Francis leads the Catholic church in the coming years.

While my respect for Pope Francis grew after reading this book, I cannot recommend this book as a biography.  I assume that it was written in haste (in order to be published as soon as possible after Pope Francis was chosen).  There are several parts that seem like filler information, including a long portion about the dictatorship in Argentina and the background of the Jesuits.  Yes, these do have something to do with Pope Francis' life, but it really veered off the track of a biography in my mind.  At times it felt like reading a very long news article.  I do hope that people read more about Pope Francis, however, I think that they should find a better, clearer biography.





**I received a free copy of this book from BookSneeze in exchange for an honest review.

currently reading: Tempted, Tested, True

Dr. Arnie Cole and Michael Ross, both currently of Back to the Bible, teamed up to write Tempted, Tested, True: A Proven Path to Overcoming Soul-Robbing Choices.  Various other writers also contributed.  The book focuses on temptation, reminding readers over and over that all people all are tempted, simply in different ways.  Additionally, it gives practical steps to overcoming temptation and changing habits.

This book begins by talking about the seven deadly sins and also about the four stages of temptation (mentioned in James 1). Throughout the book, the writers touch on many different sins including sloth, gossip, lust, worry and materialism.  Each chapter ended with a "nudge" such as "Nudge 1: Learn to be God-centered" and "Nudge 4: Change your brain".  These nudges had seven steps: tempted, tested, true, memorize, listen, respond and pray.  Included in each nudge were questions to answer, research/quotes to consider, Scripture verses and written prayers.    

The appendix was noteworthy.  In it, the authors explained "three protestant views about sin and salvation" by comparing the theologies of John Calvin, Martin Luther and Jacobus Arminius.  Included was a helpful reference chart.

I picked this book to review because I was intrigued by the phrase "soul-robbing" in the title.  I appreciated the authors' straightforwardness about sin and thought that they dealt well with it: showing the gravity of our sins (ALL of our sins, not just the "big ones") but reminding readers of hope for change through Jesus.  I liked the "nudges" because they gave clear steps for change and I believe they could be of great help if used properly.  Personally, I didn't care for the fact that there were multiple writers.  Having the two main authors was fine, but multiple other writers were added, I wished that their sections would have been designated differently.  Sometimes I had to look back a few lines to figure out who was writing.  Perhaps the editors should have changed the font or set those parts in a quote block to avoid this confusion.  Other than that, the book is easy to follow.  As someone who enjoys reading more academic-type books, I did get annoyed a few times when something was written without a reference.  For instance, on page 53 the authors write about how "ancient Jews thought that a desire...could have a life of its own".  I would have appreciated an endnote designating where they found this information, however, I recognize that most people wouldn't have been bothered by that at all.  The appendix was great - I appreciated their work there.  Overall, I would recommend this book as a reminder of the gravity of sin and practical guide to overcoming temptation.

**This book was given to me by Bethany House Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

currently reading: Finding God in the Dark

Finding God in the Dark: Faith, Disappointment and the Struggle to Believe is written by Ted Kluck and Ronnie Martin.  When reading my options of books to review, this one stuck out to me because I've been having many conversations lately that revolve around doubting.  I've read a few other books on similar topic and I have studied this subject on my own so I had high expectations.

This is a book I would recommend to others and will no doubt be re-reading in the future.  Kluck and Martin shared their own stories of disappointment and, I thought, were transparent with their feelings even though they had some very "unchristian" thoughts.  Kluck writes about the sorrow (and anger) over a failed adoption which seemed to be the last straw in ongoing disappointments over infertility, tight finances and an unpredictable freelance writing career.  Martin writes from the perspective of a Christian musician whose career never really took off as others did.

Other reviews I have read of this book acted as though Kluck and Martin's trials weren't difficult enough and they have given the book poor ratings as a result.  This confused me.  Perhaps this book wasn't filled with tantalizing stories, but the authors were honest about their troubles and their feelings and it seems odd to imply that their struggles weren't "hard enough" to write a book on disappointment.  I don't think we can really compare.  We all have different events that take us to our lowest point in life and these men were simply honest about theirs.

If you're looking for normal Christian niceties about how the authors are soooo godly and how they respond perfectly to all hard circumstances, this is not the book for you.  The authors are very honest about how they felt in circumstances, even when it paints them in a selfish light.  But, in my mind, that's part of what makes the authors relatable.  Over and over again I found myself nodding my head, reading bits aloud to my husband and annotating with fury.  In addition to sharing their own wisdom, both authors quoted from other theologians (e.g. C.S. Lewis, Tim Keller, A.W. Tozer) and included Scripture verses as well.

The chapters alternate between authors, which could feel a bit choppy at points.  I found myself looking forward to chapter changes because I resonated with one author more than another.  I can foresee some readers being frustrated as both authors write from a (very) Reformed perspective.  If you come from a less Reformed background, be prepared for many, many references to God's sovereignty.  ;)  This could have come across as a flippant answer to disappointment and suffering (i.e. "Oh, just trust that God is sovereign and move on!"), but I really felt like the authors didn't use that as a cop-out, but continued to wrestle through the issues.

Overall, I really liked the book and am going to recommend it whenever I have the chance.  I know many people who have experienced disappointment that has left them doubting and I think this would be a good guide for them as it encouraged me in my own doubting.  Much of what Kluck and Martin wrote I had heard before, but I thought they did an exceptional job at intertwining stories, quotes and verses to make the information especially poignant.

(I posted an excerpt from the book here if you're interested)


**Disclaimer:  I received a free copy of this book from the publisher (Bethany House) in exchange for an honest review.

currently reading: Learning To Love

Learning to Love: Passion, Compassion and the Essence of the Gospel is written by Heidi and Rolland Baker, the founders of Iris Ministries.  Heidi and Rolland have been missionaries for many years.  They are currently based in Mozambique where their work includes building churches, digging wells, evangelizing and running children's homes.

Throughout the book, the Bakers share many stories of God's miraculous provisions - healing from physical ailments, food supplied for many, safety in dangerous situations and thousands of people meeting Jesus.  It is clear that the Bakers take their work very seriously and that they care deeply for the people of Mozambique.

One theme that was seen throughout the book is the idea that "love looks like something".  For instance, at one point Heidi writes that "love looks like a new roof before the rainy season" (p. 74).  The Bakers are constantly looking for ways to make Jesus' love tangible to the people of Mozambique. This could be a challenge to many readers if they too decide that "love looks like something".  To use an example from my personal life, today love looked like taking a homemade meal to someone could use a little help.

Although I appreciated the stories and the passion that the Bakers possess, I will say that this book was a struggle to get through.  The stories were wonderful, but altogether the book felt disjointed.  I wondered many times if it was simply a series of blog entries that had been pieced together into book format.  It is divided into four parts, each with a different emphasis, but I doubt I would have picked up on that if it wasn't written out.  The writing and "blog entry" format of the book were both distractions for me.  I wish that these issues had been addressed before publishing so that I could give it a higher recommendation.

**I was given a copy of this book by Chosen Books in exchange for an honest review

currently reading: Fearless Daughters of the Bible

J. Lee Grady has long been a champion of women within the Church and his newest book Fearless Daughters of the Bible: What You Can Learn from 22 Women Who Challenged Tradition, Fought Injustice and Dared to Lead further explores women leaders by looking at the examples found in Scripture.  Included in this text are both "famous" biblical women (e.g. Mary, the mother of Jesus) as well as lesser known women such as Jehosheba, daughter of King Joram.  Along with the biblical examples, Grady shares stories of historical and modern-day women who are following God fearlessly.

The 22 women profiled in this book are:
 Sarah, the Mother of Our Faith (The Courage to Be a Pioneer)
 The Five Daughters of Zelophehad (The Courage to Challenge Tradition)
 Ruth, the Moabite (The Courage to Forsake the Past)
 Achsah, Daughter of Caleb (The Courage to Claim God's Blessing)
 Hannah, Mother of Samuel (The Courage to Believe God)
 Esther, Queen of Persia (The Courage to Challenge Injustice)
 Miriam, Sister of Moses (The Courage to Lead in a Man's World)
 Deborah, Judge of Israel (The Courage to Fight)
 Jehosheba, Daughter of King Joram (The Courage to Protect)
 Mary, Mother of Jesus (The Courage to Surrender)
 Mary of Bethany (The Courage to Worship)
 The Samaritan Woman (The Courage to Forgive)
 Mary Magdalene, Witness of Christ's Resurrection (The Courage to Go First)
 Priscilla, Spiritual Daughter of the Apostle Paul (The Courage to Mentor Others)
 The Four Daughters of Philip the Evangelist (The Courage to Speak for God)

There is an introduction chapter as well as an appendix.  Each chapter concludes with discussion questions and a "Message From Your Heavenly Father".  To be perfectly honest, I find other people writing messages from God a bit cheesy.

The book is clearly for lay people; it is not a theological textbook and it is not meant to be.  There is very little exegesis, which may draw some readers and deter others.  Because of the lack of exegesis, I would not recommend this book to someone who was just beginning to study women's roles in the Church.  This book gives a good overview of the exegesis, but it could not hold up to a theological debate on this issue.  The lack of exegesis is also seen in Grady's biographies of the women - there is a fair amount of speculation through the book.  One instance of this is seen on page 72 while discussing Achsah.  Grady writes: "...Deep inside, she had the same desire to inherit the Land of Promise and establish God's righteous rule in the midst of Canaan.  Meanwhile, Caleb adored his little girl and wanted only the best for her."  Other examples are seen on page 100 where Queen Esther is described as "a shy girl" and one who "mobilized prayer".  A final example of the speculation is on page 167 discusses Mary of Bethany after her brother's death.  Grady wrote, "Mary was overwhelmed with grief and disappointment.  Her faith was as cold as Lazarus's corpse."  In each of these cases, Grady's assumptions could have been true.  However, there is no biblical proof of any of those states so they are speculation.  This is when I wished there was more careful exegesis and wished that Grady was more careful to identify when he was making guesses based on human nature and when his words were clearly based on the text.

Grady draws in stories of historical and modern-day women in addition to the biblical examples.  This shows how women around the world are being used by God.  I appreciated that he mentioned women in a wide range of professions including a pastor, a stay-at-home-mother, a missionary, a rancher, a Holocaust surviver, a church planter and a philanthropist.  Grady repeatedly challenges traditional assumptions of women's roles and speaks to women in all different circumstances.  This book was encouraging to me as I often see women marginalized within the American church.  I am grateful that Grady is a champion of women and hope that more people (both men and women) will strive to see both genders working together instead of limiting women to a narrow range of activities and ministries.

Overall, I would recommend this book to others who would like to see examples of women leading in the bible and in churches.  While it is not strictly exegetical, I can appreciate that Grady makes a case that is easy to follow and comprehensive.  Were someone looking for more exegetical books on this subject, I would recommend Slaves, Women and Homosexuals by William Webb, Good News for Women by Rebecca Groothuis and Women in Ministry by Dan Doriani (Complementarian perspective).

Disclaimer: I was given a free copy of this book from the publisher (Chosen Books) in exchange for an honest review

Currently Reading: inSignificant

In his new book inSignificant: Why You Matter in the Surprising Way God Is Changing the World, Chris Travis challenges the common stereotypes of significance and paints a broader picture of how what it means to lead significant lives.  The platform for his book is Travis' experience teaching at 'the most dangerous middle school in all of New York City'.

With raw honesty, Travis uses his words to draw readers into the classroom where he taught.  He vividly describes the rebellion of the students and his feelings of defeat and insignificance.  Stripped away was his passion for teaching as well as his good intentions.  Travis ended the first year in utter defeat, but goes back for a second year when he is convinced that it is what God is asking him to do.  In the end, he emerges with a changed view of significance which he shares with readers.

Throughout the book, Travis mixes his own story with theology and biblical exegesis.  The book was engaging and thought-provoking as Travis relates it back to the reader and their own search for significance.  He writes plainly that "following Jesus often means losing" and shows a picture of significance that is truly counter-cultural.  inSignifcant is easy to read and conversational which makes it a good book for people of different ages.

On a personal note, inSignificant came at the perfect time as I read it just weeks after having my first baby.  There are moments when changing diapers feels like the most insignificant task in the world, yet I was challenged to see what God is teaching me through this and to be obedient to and dependent on God.  I will highly recommend this book to friends and family as I think it is relevant for all.  This is the best book I have read in awhile - I hope that others be challenged by it as well.

Disclaimer: I was given a free copy of this book by the publisher (Bethany House) in exchange for an honest review.

Currently Reading: Girl Meets God

 photo from:  http://oneyearbibleimages.com/girl_meets_god.jpg


Girl Meets God: A Memior
Lauren F. Winner

Do I agree with her on every point?

No.

Do I agree with anyone on every point.

Also no.

I am learning that people who think differently than I do are a treasure.  That they strengthen and fortify me.  That while it seems prickly and awkward at times, I am a better person and a better thinker when I am challenged in my comfortable ways.

This is Dr. Winner's memoir of her religious life.  She converted to Orthodox Judaism in her teen years and then converted again to Christianity in her twenties.  It is interesting to read how Christ wooed her.  How, despite her reluctance at at times, He made Himself known and revealed to her that He is the only way.  As she is a practicing Episcopalian and writes from that perspective, she showed me some of the beauty that I may have overlooked in liturgy.

While reading this book I told Mr. Mays that were I actually friends with Dr. Winner (which I am not) I could see myself pulling her aside one day at church and uncomfortably saying, "Um, so, I just wanted to let you know that Christians don't really talk like that...."  She is the kind of honest that I wish I could be with myself.  She says the things that "good Christians" won't even admit to thinking.  But there is something so incredibly appealing about her honesty.  Instead of judging her for the faults that she openly admits to having, I found it rather endearing to hear someone admit their sins rather than try and make excuses for them.

My copy of "Girl Meets God" has pencil markings throughout as I underlined and annotated my way through the text.  I stopped multiple times to read something aloud to Mr. Mays.

This is the third book I have read by Dr. Winner.  At the suggestion of a friend, I read Real Sex: The Naked Truth About Chasity which has since become my one of my favorite books on sexuality from a Christian perspective and one that I have passed along to many friends.  I also read (and loved) Mudhouse Sabbath: An Invitation To A Life of Spiritual Disciplines which is actually on my Christmas list for this year.  :)

Here's the except I read aloud to my mom (from pages 261-262):

"I have always felt faintly embarrassed about the role Jan Karon's Mitford novels have played in my conversion.  I'm sure God, who could have thrown a little Dostoyevsky Barth in my path, was playing some sort of divine joke, figuring He would both get me to the baptismal font and erode some of my cherished intellectual snobbery in one fell swoop.  Still I often reflect on the books God has used in other people's conversions - Richard Gilman turned to Catholicism after reading Graham Greene and Georges Bernanos, for example, and Augustine famously became a Christian after reading the Book of Romans - and I feel annoyed that in His wisdom, He chose to reel me in with middle-brow Christian fiction.  It could be worse, I suppose.  I could have come to faith while reading Left Behind."

Read it.  You'll like it.  :)

On a side note, a dear friend of mine is studying at Duke Divinity School and Dr. Winner is her academic adviser!  How rad is that?! 

currently reading: My Lobotomy

Title:  My Lobotomy - A Memoir
Author:  Howard Dully (with Charles Fleming)

Genre:  Biographical Non-Fiction
Pages: 304

As a psychology major, I've been interested in this book for awhile.  Each time I saw it on the shelf of Barnes and Noble or another bookstore, I made a mental note to look for it at the library, but never followed through on that idea.  A few weeks ago, Borders was having a huge going-out-of-business sale.  And guess what was one of the few books still left on the almost-bare shelves?  This one!

I started reading this on the flight to Tampa for our honeymoon.  And I finished it a few days later on the cruise.  It was a fairly quick read, although it took a little bit for me to adjust to the style of writing.  It is written as if Dully is narrating it, which made it a bit hard to follow at times.

Dully describes the events leading up to and the events following his lobotomy.  At the age of 12, Dully was  admitted to a hospital where Dr. Walter Freeman performed an "ice-pick lobotomy."  This essentially means that Freeman took a "knitting needle" type object and poked it through Dully's eye socket and rotated it around in his brain for a few minutes.  Dully did not "qualify" for a lobotomy (a procedure which  is no longer valid in the medical world - it does more damage than good).  Freeman was eager to have a patient to work on and Dully's step-mother was eager to have her step-son "altered" or forced to move away.  Dully began a journey to find out about his lobotomy (and why is was ordered) which was documented by NPR.

This book is chilling.  The account is so personal and you cannot help but sympathize with Dully.  I could not help but wonder how Dully slipped through the cracks of doctors, teachers, social workers and government workers.  Dully wrote multiple times that no one ever taught him responsibility and that he had never learned a skill.  Didn't any of the people around him see that?  This made the book personal to me.  I was forced to ask myself, "Are there people standing right in front of me who are just as in need of help as Dully was?"

I really appreciated the ending where Dully wrote about being a victim.  He wrote that while horrible things happened to him, he saw that we were all victims at some levels or another.  I thought that this was an appropriate ending to the book as it was a challenge to all readers and as it issued freedom for Dully - he no longer needed to live in the shadow of his past.