Redemption by Bryan Clay

While I have not been an avid watcher of the Olympic Games, sometimes an athlete will catch my attention.  Now after reading about the journey of gold medalist Bryan Clay, I am looking forward to watching him compete in August 2012 in the decathlon with hopes of winning a third medal.  Bryan hopes to use his success to share about the faithfulness of God is his life and to give hope to others whose start in life does not seem to pave the way for success.  This book is the story of two journeys in his life: the journey of an athlete to the Olympics, and his journey of faith.

I knew nothing about the decathlon until picking up this book, but now have a greater appreciation for the event and what the athletes have to go through to succeed.  The sport is physically demanding, but also requires a lot of mental focus.  I like that Bryan openly shares his successes and failures both on a physical and emotional level.  He learned from past mistakes and learned to turn to God for his strength when he felt like giving up.  Sometimes the details were a little more than I needed, but I think a track athlete or fan will appreciate them.

Another thing I liked about this book was the way Bryan used his sport and his faith to fuel each other.  He was able to set his priorities and apply lessons from his physical training to his spiritual training.  His comparatively small size and troubled youth made him an unlikely champion, but he overcame, and he gives glory to the One who made it possible.

This is a great book to read before the Olympics!  Enjoy!

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

Going Deep by Gordon MacDonald

Going Deep is a fictional story that attempts to answer a serious question many Christian leaders are asking today...how do we develop spiritually mature people?  Or using the books terminology, how might a church go about cultivating deep people who will become future leaders in their churches and communities?  The story follows a pastor as he is seeking the answer to this question and developing a plan of action.  He then forms a group called CDP (Cultivating Deep People) and starts intentionally training the younger generation.

I agree with other reviewers that this book is too long.  The first half especially is repetitive and slow reading.  With that being said, there are also many good ideas presented!  Basically, the pastor and his wife lead a small group of people who have been specifically chosen for their potential for growth and leadership.  Over the course of the year, the group meets weekly to focus on how to pray, study biblical leadership, learn about their personalities and spiritual gifts, share their stories, and support one another.  Each person/couple is also paired up with an older mentor couple to meet with during this time.  The story presents how a group like this could work and impact everyone involved.  My initial reaction...I want to be a part of a CDP group!  The Bible instructs the older generation to train up the younger and I think there's a real benefit to that.  This book is a tool someone could use to get ideas for this intentional training.  Presenting these ideas as a fictional story is an interesting twist.

The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookSneeze in exchange for an honest review.

Every Woman's Battle by Shannon Ethridge

There are few books that I read more than once, but this is one of them!  Shannon Ethridge's message of purity is presented in an authentic and honest way, and I have yet to read another book or hear a sermon that delves into these issues.  This book has had a profound impact on my life.

Every Woman's Battle is about the battle for purity, especially pertaining to sexual and emotional integrity.  Often times sexual integrity is a message directed only to men, which leaves women feeling very alone in their struggles.  Shannon puts it this way, "Men and women struggle in different ways when it comes to sexual integrity.  While a man's battle begins with what he takes in through his eyes, a woman's begins with her heart and her thoughts.  A man must guard his eyes to maintain sexual integrity, but because God made women to be emotionally and mentally stimulated, we must closely guard our hearts and minds as well as our bodies if we want to experience God's plan for sexual and emotional fulfillment.  A woman's battle is for sexual and emotional integrity."  By sharing her own struggles, the stories of others, and most importantly Scripture, Shannon sets forth to show women how to renew their minds, guard their hearts, control their tongues, set healthy boundaries with the opposite sex, connect with their spouses, and retreat with Jesus.

I would highly recommend this book to any adult woman (there is also Every Young Woman's Battle for teens).  The author isn't afraid to talk about subjects that are normally too embarrassing to bring up in conversation such as impure thoughts/fantasies, masturbation (I am blushing just typing that word!), and emotional affairs.  We need a clear, scripture-based viewpoint on these topics so that we can walk in the purity and integrity God calls us to, knowing that we are not alone in our struggle.  There is also a workbook included at the back of the book.  For each chapter there are questions for personal reflection and discussion questions that can be used in a small group. 

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.  Click here to read the first chapter!

Awakening by Stovall Weems

Stovall Weems is the pastor of Celebration Church and leads his church through a 21-day fast each January called Awakening.  He says "when it comes to my devotional time or certain areas of my life, if I start to not feel like obeying God, I know it is time for a fast...burdensome obedience should be the rare exception, not the norm." His desire is to see people move from a stale "have to" attitude toward God to an alive "want to" relationship.

This book is divided into three sections.  The first section contains 124 pages which talk about topics such as surrender, passion, God's goodness, prayer, and fasting.  The conclusion of each chapter has a testimony from a member of Pastor Stovall's church who has gone through the Awakening fast.  I have to admit that I struggled through this reading.  There were many points that I agreed with, but there were also things that alerted me to read with caution.  I'm not sure that the author truly takes all personality types into consideration when presenting what a relationship with God "should be like".  The chapter I most enjoyed was entitled Fasting For Your Health.  I had no idea all the health benefits that come from fasting!  But since there are many types of fasts, I was a little disappointed that the author didn't mean what type of fast these benefits were resulting from.

The next 18 pages detail The Awakening 21-Day Plan.  Information about different types of fasts are given, along with a sample menu.  Since I have never fasted, I would have liked to see more content in this area.  Most of the book talks about the "why" of fasting but not the "how", both of which are important.

And finally there is a Daily Plan to use each day during the fast.  Each day contains a devotion, bible reading plan, prayer focus, optional book reading plan, and a space for journaling.  There are also three small group discussion guides for those going through the fast as a small group.  I did not personally go through this fast so I cannot give an opinion on how beneficial the plan is.  I feel the need to consult more sources before embarking on this journey.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Sun Stand Still by Steven Furtick

Being the pastor of one of the fastest growing churches in America, Steven Furtick knows what he's talking about when it comes to walking in faith.  I have been listening to his podcasts for months and he is a great preacher!  This book highlights the biblical account in Joshua 10 when Joshua asks God to stop the sun from going down for an entire day so he can have complete victory...and God does it!  Pastor Steven says that we too can have the confidence (or "audacity" as he likes to call it) to ask God for seemingly impossible things when they are in line with God's desires.  He reminds us that God is great, God is good, and God is very much at work in our world today. 

For those who have done much reading about faith and prayer, I can't say that the information presented in the book is entirely new.  But I can say that it is presented with a fresh perspective, different vocabulary, and current examples of lives changed through audacious faith.  Pastor Steven answers common questions such as what happens when we make mistakes, and how do we deal with the sun going down (or in other words...with our prayers not being answered the way we had hoped).  One of my favorite chapters was Push While You Pray which talks about our need to act.  He writes "Prayer is rarely all we can do.  We can pray and we can prepare.  We can ask God to intervene and we can initiate changes in our lives to make it happen.  We can ask the Lord to fight for us and we can pull out our swords and start fighting in his strength.  Sun Stand Still prayers are integrated prayers: They join our faith-filled prayer with our faith-filled action." 

While it is mentioned in the book that this message applies to everyone, not just church leaders, I would have liked to hear more real-life examples.  I'm still trying to figure out what having audacious faith would look like for a stay-at-home mom like myself.  Maybe his wife Holly could write a follow-up book to add a female perspective :)  Overall, there is something for everyone in this book. It would be hard to read it and not be inspired by Pastor Steven's passion and ministry.

Fierce Beauty by Kim Meeder

Kim Meeder is a woman who has overcome tragedy in her own life and loves outdoor adventure.  She searches for the lessons that God is trying to teach her through her various experiences.  This book is a collection of real life stories, many of which lead to beautiful analogies of our spiritual lives.  The main message is Who are you going to focus on and serve...yourself or your King?

The first chapter sets the stage with a trek up a mountain and the subject of overcoming adversity.  Then the book is broken down into 3 main sections, each which include a few discussion questions.  The first section is meant to help the reader evaluate what/who she is living for.  It talks about the definition of true beauty, illustrates how sin (even little ones) can so easily hurt and entangle us and how we need to fiercely defend against it, and points the way toward hope.  Kim says "We were not designed to be princesses of entitlement but warriors of encouragement, fighting to bring love and hope to the world."  The next section is meant to help the reader discover God's faithfulness, peace, and love.  The final section explores how "you can answer God's call and begin living the life you were uniquely created for."  It illustrates the power of a smile, the need to forgive, and how we can use our wounds and our words to encourage others.

I enjoyed reading this book.  Sometimes the descriptions of her outdoor adventures got a bit too detailed for my tastes, but I loved how she was able to take these experiences to God and say "What do you have to show me through this?"  The way she was able to relate tangible things to our spiritual lives was insightful.  I was also touched by the wonderful stories of hope and perseverance presented.  Overall, I think this is a book most women would enjoy and benefit from reading...especially those who enjoy the outdoors.

"Don't be concerned about the outward beauty that depends on fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should be known for the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God." - 1 Peter 3:3-4


I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.  Click here to read the first chapter!

Ascent From Darkness by Michael Leehan

This is a true story of one man's journey into the depths of satanism, followed by his ascent into the light of Christ.  It will open your eyes to the reality of the spiritual realm.  Satan is real, but God is greater.  And what was intended for evil God can redeem for His glory!

I had a hard time putting this book down!  Michael Leehan shares his story with the hope that it can reach others who are hopeless and depressed, letting them know that no one is out of God's reach...even a soldier of Satan.

I believe there is a spiritual battle going on, but reading a book like this makes it so much more real.  I wasn't surprised by the cutting and the blood sacrifices that satanists practice...but I was shocked by something else.  Michael describes many of his "missions" to be finding lukewarm Christians and leading them astray.  This meant that he spent time at church, in bible study groups and at singles events.   He memorized scripture, fasted, and prayed (to Satan).  He seduced Christian women and tried to cause confusion and division within church groups.  Satan sends his soldiers onto our turf, and we don't even know it.  This confirmed to me the importance for Christians to grow and stay connected because the danger is real.

Michael had an assignment to kill Pastor Craig Groeschel of LifeChurch.tv.  Since I have seen this pastor speak before on video, I was intrigued.  It was stated that others were given this assignment previously and had failed....thankfully Michael did too.  (On a side note...I'm thinking if Satan wants Pastor Craig dead that maybe he is a pastor worth listening to!)  Since his conversion, Michael now sits in the front row of this pastor's church.  He also passionately shares his story and the gospel with many...he has become God's warrior.

Hearing about the reality of spiritual darkness can be scary, but the book continually points to the fact that God's power is greater.  The appendix of the book is filled with testimonies from people who knew Michael during this time in his life and can attest to his transformation. I love happy endings :)

The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookSneeze in exchange for an honest review.