The Case for Christ, Student Edition by Lee Strobel with Jane Vogel (Book Review)

I was late getting connected to the internet. Saying that I was behind the times is quite an understatement. I'm not saying that that's necessarily a bad thing, just...a thing. Because of my tardiness into seeing a bigger picture of the world, I was quite taken aback when I finally did get online at how many people there are who don't believe in the claims of Christ. When you're as sheltered as I was, you sort of think that the majority of people do believe in Jesus and the Bible, even if they don't claim to be Christians. I had had very little exposure to those whose views contradicted mine so completely, so I was shocked at what I read over and over again: from doubts that Jesus was really Who He said He was, to out and out venomous hatred of Him and all He represented. Though I had been sheltered, I too had had questions about many things in the Bible and about Jesus. Still do, to be honest. I believed, but was lacking in knowledge in so many areas. I wanted (and still want) to know exactly what I believe, why I believe it, and how to properly and effectively defend those beliefs. I'm still learning how to do that. Not only do I want these things for myself, but for my children. I don't want them to be blindsided like I was, so I am doing my best to equip them to defend their beliefs, and not just because their parents "said so". So, when I saw The Case for Christ, Student Edition up for a review, I was quick to request it. 

I've heard a lot about Lee Strobel but I had never read any of his books, so I was unsure what to expect. Being a student edition, this book is short, concise, and to the point, but it is quite good at laying out the arguments against Christ's claims and then refuting those arguments, one by one, with facts. It helps that when Lee Strobel was researching he was himself an atheist; he wasn't looking to prop up  a faulty faith, therefore he wasn't grasping at straws to defend beliefs that weren't defend-able.He was a skeptic. Unbiased. He was convinced and convicted by what he found, and became a believer in Christ. 

This little book is perfect for its target audience. My daughter will read it soon as part of her homeschool Bible studies. 

I'm excited about reading other books by Lee Strobel, and I highly recommend this one to adults and young people. 

More about the book:

Book Description

Based on his award-winning bestseller The Case for Christ, journalist Lee Strobel, along with Jane Vogel, presents his journey from skepticism to faith, written for students.

There's historical proof Jesus walked this earth, but was he really who he claimed to be? Or are all the stories in the Bible just that-stories? In The Case for Christ Student Edition, teens will join former investigative journalist Lee Strobel as he searches for objective answers, including those that brought him from skepticism to faith.

I received a copy of this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for a review. 

A Curious Man by Neal Thompson (Book Review)

When I saw this book in the list of titles available for review I was intrigued by the cover and subject matter. Ripley has always fascinated me a little because, who wouldn't be fascinated by someone who saw and collected so many amazing things? Though I have always wondered if all of them were real.... 

I thought this book might be something that would be both interesting and educational for my older children, but realized while reading the description a little more thoroughly (unfortunately after I had ordered the book--totally my fault) that it wouldn't be suitable for that. 

I did try to get through the book, but found that while some of it was very informative and interesting, quite a bit of it was rather dry. It did get more interesting near the halfway point. 

I suppose that, as it is a biography on Ripley's life, some personal details should be told, but I really didn't care to know about his love life and "concubinage". All in all Ripley seemed to be a selfish, self-centered, unlike-able, unhappy man. I did feel a little sorry for him. 

This book would probably be interesting to history buffs.

Read more about the book here or here. Visit the author's page here.




"I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review."

Wherever the River Runs by Kelly Minter (Book Review & Giveaway)

The winner is: Elaine Laney! Congrats, Elaine!

Thank you all for entering! 

Refreshing. Eye-opening. Convicting. Beautiful.

Wherever the River Runs is all these things and more. Kelly Minter went on a trip to the jungles of Brazil to be of help to poor villagers along the Amazon, but was herself ministered to by these special people. The story of her travels down the Amazon River and her portrayal of a fuller life, even in poverty and extreme need, will change the way you see your own life and priorites.  I don't consider myself to be wealthy by any means, but as I read this book I realized again how truly rich I am. I also had to take a look at my list of needs; many of them aren't needs at all. They're luxuries. Somehow, I almost envied the people of whom she spoke. 

"After witnessing this close of a culture, I realized how isolating the world I live in can be: car garages that keep us from knowing our neighbor and automated checkout lines at the grocery store that circumvent yet another conversation. Headphones remove us from the person sitting in the next seat over, and a quick text to a friend that says, "Don't forget the butter," replaces the phone call that might have also included "How are you today?"

Wherever the River Runs will inspire you to look beyond the confines of your safe, comfortable world and catch a glimpse of faith in the midst of hardship and beauty in unexpected places. It will, hopefully, encourage you to participate in mission work by prayer, giving, and/or going. 

The fascinating retelling of Kelly's experiences and God-given courage in new and frightening situations makes for exciting reading!  

To enter to win a copy of Wherever the River Runs, simply leave a comment under this post or on my Facebook page here. That's it! Contest ends at 8 p.m. on Thursday, August 21st.

More about the book:

Wherever the River Runs by Kelly Minter "how a forgotten people renewed my hope in the gospel"

About the book:

In Wherever the River Runs, Kelly Minter invites us on a journey down a river teeming with piranhas and caimans, as well as machete-wielding mothers, heroic jungle pastors, faith-filled children, and miracles too seldom experienced in our part of the world. Kelly's honest and engaging narrative pulls back the curtain on one of the most captivating places on earth as well as on parts of the gospel we may be able to recite but have never fully believed.

On this beautiful adventure through the jungles of Brazil and the tangles of the soul, Kelly rediscovers Jesus among a forgotten people living well beyond the corners of her previously defined faith--a people who draw her back to their country, their pain, and their hope in Him, again and again.

"Kelly Minter writes the way a portrait artist paints." -- Beth Moore, Living Proof Ministries

"The best thing I can say about Wherever the River Runs is that I closed the last page, bowed my head, and said, 'God, send me too.' Thank you, Kelly, for your courage, leadership, and faithfulness." -- Jen Hatmaker (speaker, blogger, and author of 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess)

Check out the trailer for the book here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGb4r7lrEno&list=UU4vF_MunQDVGg-P497Bj6nA

Visit Kelly's website here: www.kellyminter.com

Persecuted, by Robin Parrish (Book Review and Giveaway)

The winner is: Lisa Boyle! Congrats, Lisa!

Thanks to everyone who entered!

Words are easy. It doesn't take a whole lot of guts to say, "I believe the Bible, and I stand by Truth it contains." But what if you are threatened? What if you know you could lose everything, even your life, if you don't back down, water down, or step down? What if you are promised fame and money if you compromise? Would you falter then? Sometimes greed is stronger even than fear. 

These are the choices John Luther must make in this exciting, political thriller. As a well known evangelist, he is in the position to help along--or hinder--a bill that sounds nicely tolerant but is in fact a death knell to religious freedom. His decision, and the events that unfold as a result, will open your eyes to what might actually be going on in some political and religious circles. 

This book wasn't what I expected, but it was definitely a page turner. At first I was skeptical of the plot. I mean, really? Could something like this happen for real? But the more I read, the more convinced I was that yes, it probably could, and maybe it is. Because there are some who will stop at nothing to silence the voice of truth, and "tolerance" is a great way to accomplish that goal.

Near the beginning of the book I was uncomfortable with the manner in which a certain event was described and, for that reason my teen will not be reading it for awhile. Otherwise, there was nothing objectionable. 

The movie Persecuted is in theaters now, I believe. It is rated PG-13 and because of the incident I mentioned I wouldn't recommend it for minors. I have not seen the movie, but I have watched a trailer for it. 

For an exciting read that will give you plenty to ponder, I recommend this book. 

One of my readers will win a copy of the book, Persecuted! 

To enter, simply comment below. That's all! :) Oh, and please share, share, share! 

The giveaway ends Monday, Aug. 4th, and the winner will be announced by 9 p.m.

More about Persecuted:

Buzz about the film:

 "Bringing the battle of FREE SPEECH to light." FoxNews"House of Cards for the religious sect." - POLITICO"A big thumbs-up." - American Family AssociationAbout The Book:The Question Is Not IF Attempts Will Be Made to Limit Religious Freedoms, But WhenThe most popular evangelist of his day, John Luther, simply wants to share the Gospel and enjoy a quiet life with his family. He never asked to be at the center of a political controversy, but an ill wind has been blowing through the halls of Congress, and supporters of a new religious-equality bill see Luther's endorsement as critical. But when Luther refuses to lend his support, he unknowingly sets in motion an explosive plan bent on destroying his reputation and undermining everything for which he stands. His once-normal life is turned upside down as he becomes a fugitive left with only one dangerous option--putting everything he holds most dear at risk while he fights to expose the truth. It is a mission that brings him face-to-face with the coming storm of persecution that could threaten the very fabric of our nation's freedoms.About The Author:Robin Parrish is a journalist who's written about the intersection of faith and pop culture for more than a decade. He's also the author of Offworld and The Dominion Trilogy . Robin and his wife and children live in North Carolina. Visit Robin's website...www.robinparrish.com

Be sure to check out PERSECUTED the movie at a theatre near you, July 18th!

Visit the official movie website: http://www.persecutedmovie.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/persecutedmovie

"Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”

Behind the Wall by Robert Elmer (book review)

From Brianna, teen reviewer: 

"Life Behind the Wall, a collection of three books: Candy Bomber, Beetle Bunker, and Smuggler’s Treasure, by Robert Elmer, is a very interesting story about the Berlin wall and the people separated by it. The book begins with a boy in 1988 hiding in an old C-54 and seeing a name carved into the bottom of a  wooden seat. The author then takes you back forty years earlier to 1948 in Berlin, Germany to tell the story of the name carved into the wooden seat and brings you through the three books back to the present and weaves the stories together. 

I really enjoyed this book and learned about an important event in history. I love how even though the main characters were different in each book, he brought all of it together into one very interesting story. I do think it is more for kids 11-13 or somewhere around there, but I enjoyed it so it isn’t totally boring for kids older than 13. 

The author teaches about this historical event in an interesting way.

It did get a little confusing sometimes just trying to figure out how it went together, but wasn’t very confusing overall." 

My 12-year-old daughter enjoyed the book as well. I love that they enjoyed learning some history while reading these books! We definitely recommend them. ~Jessica

Book Description

Marking the 55th anniversary of the creation of the Berlin Wall, this epic tale extends across generations and unfolds against the backdrop of a dangerous Cold War Berlin. This historically accurate, action-packed, 3-books-in-one features teens and their family's struggle living in the shadow of the Berlin Wall, from its creation after WWII, to life behind the wall during the Cold War, to the Wall's ultimate and final destruction.

Both educational and exciting, Life Behind the Wall is a great choice for middle readers at home or school.

Buy the book on Amazon here.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Signed, Sealed, Delivered (review)

I was privileged to review an episode from a new series called Signed, Sealed, Delivered. The series airs on Hallmark and is, as I discovered for myself, a warm, funny, wholesome show! I was impressed by this episode. Shows like this are hard to find these days! Biblical undertones were present as well, and that was incredibly refreshing. I was also impressed that they used actors with special needs. This episode was beautifully done and I found myself pretty choked up by the end.

The only thing I saw that was a little objectionable was a scene in which an actress wears very tight clothing. Everything else was fine.

My family hasn't seen it yet, and I'm anxious to watch it with them! I hope to catch more episodes.

Watch it!

You can read more info, including air times, below:

Signed, Sealed, Delivered 

The new original series "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" is a wonderful combination of romance, comedy and drama that follows the lives of four postal detectives who transform themselves into a team of detectives to track down intended recipients of undeliverable mail. Their missions take them out of the office where redirected letters and packages can save lives, solve crimes, reunite old loves and change futures by arriving late but somehow always on time. The team includes charming Oliver O’Toole (Eric Mabius), the group's leader is a man of faith who prayerfully approaches his work with the goal of making a difference in people's lives; new team member, Shane McInerney (Kristin Booth), a technophile who brings 21st century sensibility to the group; free-spirited, “girl next door” Rita Haywith (Crystal Lowe) who has a photographic memory; and lovable Norman Dorman (Geoff Gustafson), a master in conventional research methods.

The show aires SUNDAYS, 8/7c on Hallmark

This incredible series even incorporates scripture in its themes and in the conversations between characters.  In FACT, The American Bible Society has built a bible study to go with the series, 

Sign up for that here: http://www.americanbible.org/features/signed-sealed-delivered

Isn't that great? A seven-day Bible reading experience to dig deeper into the meaningful biblical themes revealed in each episode of Signed, Sealed, Delivered.

Website: http://www.hallmarkchannel.com/signedsealeddelivered

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/signedsealeddeliveredtv?ref=br_tf

Facebook for creator Martha Williamson: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Martha-Williamson/609169295802010

No More Dragons by Jim Burgen (Book Review)

I remember listening to The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by Focus on the Family's Radio Theatre and loving the part about Eustace being freed by Aslan. It's a terrible, beautiful, painful, wonderful way of drawing a picture of something we can all relate to: We either are dragons, are chasing dragons, being chased by dragons, or have been undragoned. According to Jim Burgen, "undragoned" is a word. And I get it. You will too, if you read this book.

In No More Dragons Jim Burgen, lead pastor of Flatirons Community Church in Boulder County, Colorado,  tells his story of being undragoned and offers hope to others who still need to be freed. He is very direct, even startling at times, and I was a little taken aback by some of his bluntness and choice of words, however, he deals with tough subjects like depression, lost faith, and church problems with a Biblical perspective and manages to relate to his readers in a real and personal way. The section of the book about the balance that must exist between Truth and Grace was phenomenal. So much of this book is quotable, but I do think that part is the best.

I love Jim Burgen's sense of humor and direct, keep-it-plain-and-simple style. I had only read this book for about five to ten minutes and I was laughing like crazy and saying, "Yes! I totally get it! That's hysterical!"

While I did not completely agree with everything in the book, I found it eye-opening and full of hope. I recommend it!

P.S. The awesome book cover may or may not have influenced my decision to review this book. ;)

Read more about No More Dragons here:

Book Description

Becoming a dragon is a dangerously subtle process.

You make a long chain of bad choices. The chain gradually wraps around you. Layer by layer, it begins to take on the aspect of scales. One day you glance at yourself in the mirror and a monster is staring back at you. You aren't who you used to be. You aren't who you want to be. You're not who you were created and designed to be. Instead, you're a dragon.

When Jim Burgen was nineteen years old, he realized how easy it had been to become a dragon. He knew he didn't want to be one anymore . . . but how? No More Dragons is the story of our common, hopeful journey from dragonhood back to personhood.

As Pastor Burgen narrates the remarkable process of reclaiming himself from himself, he implores modern church goers to shake off the trivialities of churchiness in favor of the substantive questions that make a spiritual transformation:

"Is Jesus the only one who can undragon people?"

"Why don't I like most churches?"

"Where is God in difficult times?"

"How do you shed decades of gnarly scales?"

Some choices will lead you to a better life. Some will kill you. Some choices will add a new layer of scales to your dragon, and some will slough them off. No More Dragons is about asking Christ to deliver you and learning how to obey him.

Thanks for reading!

Jessica

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”