Book Review: Gospel Deeps

Gospel Deeps takes readers beyond the altar call, beyond the commitment, beyond acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and into the deep water of what the Gospel means and how it transforms everything. This is not a lightweight book (full of cute anecdotes or pithy sayings), but it remains accessible to readers who are willing to do a little thinking and stick with it.

Chapters address different facets of Jesus and Christian theology (hence the diamond on the cover): the Persons of the Trinity; the meaning of atonement; why God allows suffering; characteristics of God; our longing for heaven; redemption; joy found in the Gospel; and the glory of Christ.

This book reawakens the beauty, joy, and wonder of the Gospel. I loved it because I'm not satisfied with a casual, "Jesus is my buddy" kind of Sunday morning Christian faith. I want to go deeper. Jared Wilson is awed by the majesty and excellencies of Jesus and he respects his readers enough to bring us along with him. Yes, there's some deep theology in here--but dive in--you can handle it.

Highly recommended.

Gospel Deeps
by Jared C. Wilson
Crossway Books, 2012

I received a copy of this book from the Amazon Vine program in exchange for a review.
 

Book Review: The Christian Mama's Guide to the Grade School Years

It's been 3 years since I first sent a kid off to Elementary School and my youngest is just finishing Kindergarten next month.  So I'm in a good position to review this new book in Erin MacPherson's "Christian Mama's Guide" series.

How should a family prepare a child (and themselves) for the big wide world of Elementary School? MacPherson's book claims to have "everything you need to know" but it's really divided into a few themes:  the "15 Factors" that will help a child succeed in life, choosing a type of schooling that's a good fit for your family, social-emotional learning, and how to handle difficult situations.  Most of this book addresses preparing parents on how to be parents of grade school children: how to let go and guide children in making decisions.  If you're looking for academic preparation, there's little here--but that's a good thing, since young children need to get the social behaviors in order before any real academic progress can be made. In other words, it's important that his little bottom stay put in circle time and that he knows not to push in line or grab toys.

MacPherson is a little out of her depth since her own experience sending kids off to school is limited. So she calls in her mom and more experienced friends to help. That's where this book really shines.  The sidebars--"From the Principal's Office"--offer seasoned advice on how to be a supportive parent, how to teach kids to handle bullies, and how to grow a child's faith.  The section on selecting a school is valuable for its balanced approach to the public school/Christian school/homeschool debate.

The author's manic style of writing and endless coffee references got to be a little too precious for this middle-aged mom and anyone who's taught preschool probably already knows this stuff.  However this would be a valuable book for moms of preschool aged children and even those whose kids have already started Kindergarten.

I received a copy of this book from Thomas Nelson in return for an honest review.

Unglued by Lysa TerKeurst

Why has it taken me so long to sit down and actually write this review?  Perhaps it's because I live the kind of hectic life that would lead a woman to need this book.

I've heard of Lysa TerKeurst, and have read some of her Proverbs 31 Ministries devotionals, forwarded by other moms.  So I was delighted to get to review the Unglued Devotional.

Unglued Devotional (the companion book to TerKeurst's Unglued) contains 60 days of devotionals designed to lead women through exploring the emotions, hangups, and situations that can cause us to come completely unhinged whenever a problem arises. Her devotions are a blend of storytelling, psychology, Christ-based mentoring, and humor. She writes about responding (as opposed to merely reacting), about acknowledging emotions (rather than stuffing them), and how to accept (and give) grace as we make imperfect progress toward a goal of leading a more peaceful, Christ-centered (as opposed to me-centered) life.

If you don't see yourself somewhere in the pages of this book....you are a living saint.

Lysa TerKeurst is at her best when she opens up and shares the real challenges she faces being a woman, a mother, a wife, and a friend.  I found myself referring back to this book again and again through the day--some of the devotionals were just what I needed.  I need these lessons to be ingrained so that I can use them with my own kids and with the kids I teach so that they can learn to recognize their own tendencies and not become "unglued" themselves.

I highly recommend this book as a personal devotion book and as an excellent choice for a women's accountability/support group. You may even read this and want to buy copies for all your friends.

I received a copy of this book from Thomas Nelson in return for an honest review.

Book Review: Yours Is the Day, Lord, Yours is the Night

Is there room in the modern, evangelical Protestant life for a prayer book?  Shouldn't our prayers be spontaneous, free-flowing from the heart rather than read from the page?  Isn't that what we've been taught is the more authentic prayer?

In answer, let me ask you to consider this unique collection the next time you're looking for a way to enrich your prayer life.

Yours is the Day, Lord, Yours is the Night is a collection of prayers taken from Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox sources. You'll find prayers taken from the Book of Common Prayer, prayers authored by well-known figures from Christian history: Bernard of Clairvaux, Thomas Aquinas, St. Patrick of Ireland, and John Wesley. You'll find excerpts from poetry, verses of Psalms, and anonymous inscriptions found in European cathedrals.

These morning and evening prayers are not meant to replace your daily prayers, but rather to enhance and enrich them, much like a devotional book does not replace Bible study, but grounds it in daily living.

I love this book and it sits alongside my devotional book by the chair where I drink my morning coffee.  Like my daily devotion, sometimes these prayers say exactly what my heart is feeling, though I cannot put it in words myself.  Over the past few years I've been toying with the idea of getting a prayer book to help me develop a better daily practice of praying.  But nothing seemed to fit until I found this book.  Not only has it given me a springboard for my own prayers, it has connected me with believers throughout the ages who also long for a closeness with God and peace in the midst of life's troubles.

Highly recommended.

Yours is the Day, Lord, Yours is the Night (A Morning and Evening Prayer Book) edited by Jeanie and David Gushee, Thomas Nelson, 2012.

I received a copy of this book from Thomas Nelson in return for an honest review.