The Butterfly Effect

The Butterfly Effect was an amazing book that demonstrated how lives can be interwoven and effect man kind in a positive way. Andy Andrews, uses various people who have somehow impacted the future of each other’s lives. By one person doing something, another person was able to take the next step. It reminded me of the movie “Pay it Forward”. This book demonstrated why we should try and help others, because you never know what good thing will result because of this action. This book was a fast book to read, and would make a wonderful gift for anyone. The illustrations in the book were beautiful. This book left me with a feeling that what I do in my life does matter. And that I should always strive to achieve new things. I wish the book had been longer, because I really enjoyed reading it.


Disclosure: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their [...] 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 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

The Jesus You Can't Ignore

I reviewed “The Jesus You Can’t Ignore” for the Thomas Nelson book review program. John MacArthur explains the behavior and differences of Jesus’ time on earth in contrast with the present. When Jesus lived on earth he never appeased the people who were against him. He stated the truth, and stood by it. Christians today are being led into believing that we should accept the ways of the world, and love our neighbors. They say it’s hypocritical to judge. However, if we are living according to Christ then we must live according to what Jesus preached. MacArthur does a great job of providing support on how Jesus spoke against sinners. This book would be great for anyone wanting to learn more about Jesus, and what he stood for. However, it is always beneficial to cross reference any Christian book with the actual bible. I think MacArthur was concise with his writing, and provided scripture to support his ideas.
Disclosure: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their [...] 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 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Plan B

“Plan B” was a book that I needed to read. I have been struggling with various aspects of my life, and wondering why things just are not going as planned. I attend church, pray, and read the bible. I found myself questioning why God was allowing so many negative things to happen at once. Reading this book reminded me that my plans are not God’s plans. Sometimes life throws a curveball, to guide you along the path God has laid out. Pastor Pete Wilson offers guidance, testimonies, and solid biblical foundation to help the reader cope with the problems they may be facing. He reminds us that God is in every circumstance we face, even if it seems he has deserted us. This book does not make the reader feel guilty for questioning God’s plans for you. Instead, it reminds us to turn to God and trust that he will lead us through the new plan he has laid out. I enjoyed the personal stories of how people have successful doubt with the obstacles in their lives. This book took me some time to read, because it really made me think about my personal relationship with my Lord. I believe God wanted me to read this book to remind me that his Plan B is better than my Plan A. I only have to lean on him to get through the difficult times in my life. God can bring joy, peace, and hope even in the midst of turmoil. I would highly recommend this book for anyone wondering why their Plan A did not work out.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.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 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Money Answer Book

I had the pleasure of reviewing Dave Ramsey’s, “The Money Answer Book”. This book is filled with many questions and answers on personal finance. The book is broken into various topics (debt, saving, investing, stewardship, insurance, real estate, etc…). Each question has a brief answer. I really enjoyed the bible verses that were throughout the book. Ramsey also includes various quotes and inspirational thoughts from an assortment of sources throughout the book. I appreciated the” Money Action Worksheets” that were placed in the book. I was able to complete them and gain a better perspective of my finances as I was reading this book. This book is not very big, and does not take long to read. It does give an introduction to finances, and how to be smart with money. This book would be perfect for a teenager or someone in college. I think we need to teach children from a young age how to handle money. While also teaching them about debt, credit scores, and how to avoid the traps of credit cards.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.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 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Chronological Guide to the Bible

I really enjoy reading from the Bible, its events and how I can relate it to my life. I felt however, that by understanding the history surrounding the events, it would be clearer to me the depth of the Bible. For this reason, I received the Chronological Guide to the Bible.

The Chronological Guide to the Bible serves as a great reference for those who want to get greater knowledge of the life and times of those in the Bible. I appreciated the vast number of charts and maps which help explain the timeline of events and where they took place. This book is not meant to be a devotional, but more of a supplement.

I think that the Chronological Guide to the Bible could have been laid out better. It seems to be jam packed with information, sometimes with four different focus points on one page. That I feel is the only setback to the book. The index is helpful and all in all I definitely see pros than cons in this book.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to put on the sandals and walk a little deeper into the history of the Bible.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.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 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Word of Promise

I am very excited about receiving and reviewing the NKJV format audio Bible called The Word of Promise. Though this is only the New Testament, there is so much that I continue to pick up and learn every time I listen to it. It is performed in dramatic audio theater, meaning that it is not read by one narrator in a monotone voice. Through the use of different actors and background noise/music it draws you into the New Testament immediately. It gives a depth to the pages of the Bible. It contains 20 CD’s including a Behind the Scenes DVD.

I would love to get the Old Testament also on CD from The Word of Promise. It is a great tool for me when I am commuting to work 45 minutes away. I personally feel that the Bible could be read/heard over and over again, and each time would be uniquely different. Whether it be where you are in your life, or the information you pass over previously which now has new meaning, whatever the case I would recommend this great tool to anyone. It is an awesome way of keeping yourself in the Word, while keeping your eyes on the road ahead.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.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 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

NKJV Greatest Stories of the Bible

The Greatest Stories of the Bible has been a great addition to our library. The Bible is written in a storybook New King James Version format. It does not include the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation, but 250 of the greatest events in the Bible. The reason I like it so much is that I have both an eight and three year old that like reading stories. With this book, I can take the lesson they learned in Sunday school from the Bible, and expand on it with this Bible. There is a table of contents and an index, so finding specific events are easy to find. Now I don’t have to worry about which chapter in what book did Jacob dream about the ladder to heaven. Greatest Stories of the Bible are listed according to their order in the complete Bible, so there is no real skipping around. That would have been a little too confusing, mixing New and Old Testament. I commend Thomas Nelson for putting together such a good quality book. The paper stock used and the cover added to the high quality of the book. This is a great book for anyone looking for a family devotional or a good bedtime read.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.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 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”