One Call Away by Brenda Warner

I was given the opportunity to review One Call Away by Brenda Warner. Known to many as NFL star Kurt Warner's wife, Brenda writes this book to share with her children and her readers who she is beyond that identity. Starting with her childhood she tells her story. The story of her family, her military career, a troubled first marriage, single parenthood and then the ups and downs of life with Kurt and the NFL.

Being from St. Louis, I watched Kurt's amazing "fairytale" rise to the Superbowl with the Rams. I am somewhat familiar with his rags to riches story and have been impressed with his Christian witness. I heard some of the media talk about Brenda following the Superbowl, but really didn't know much about her story. It was very interesting hearing her story in her words.

This book hooks you from the first paragraph. The writing style captures your attention and holds it. I found it hard to put it down and finished it in a couple of days. Her story is often a difficult one, but through all the ups and downs, the tragedies and triumphs, she continually points to the One who is in control. This is a story of faith, of trust, of learning to hand over the reins to God, learning that she is not in control and that God's plans may not be comprehensible at times, but He is in control and she can trust Him. She very candidly shares details of her life and the circumstances that shaped who she is. While it is a story of trust and faith, it was not an overly preachy book. Faith is just the thread that weaves this story together.

As often is the case with people in the public figure who has dealt with controversy this book does sometimes have the feel of "this is my side of the story". A chance to make a defense for things that have happened. Not knowing all the details and not really having followed the media hoopla that surrounded the Warners, I can't really make a call on all that. I am sure there are many sides to the stories here. But, I didn't feel that that detracted from the story too much. It was still a compelling book of someone has become famous but has managed to keep her eyes on Christ and use her platform for good. One who is human and not always perfect and can admit that.

I received this book from Book Sneeze and Thomas Nelson publishers for review.

Desiring God Dvd by John Piper

This dvd set is a recording of a lecture given by John Piper, based on his book Desiring God and explaining the concept of Christian hedonism. His premise is that "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him." He goes on to show us in scripture how God's goal is always to be glorified. Everything's purpose is to bring glory to Him. And that when we are satisfied in Him, when we find joy in Him, he is glorified. Piper disputes those who say it is a sin to find pleasure in God, that if we enjoy doing something, we are sinning. He shows over in over in scripture that our motivation is scripture is the reward in heaven. That while we may be making sacrifices in our walk, ultimately we will reap so much more in pursuing God.

This is a two dvd set with 10 sessions of about 30 minutes each. I watched it in about three sittings. Though I didn't find it easy to find time to sit down and watch them, when I did finally pop a disc in, it was easy to watch it through. There are so many great nuggets of truth in them, that I just kept watching. I will admit that sometimes his way of speaking could be distracting and sometimes my mind would start to wander, but he always brought me back with some insight that should be so clear and obvious but isn't always and I would think "wow, that's good." I plan to watch these again to remember points that he made. Lots to think about and ponder. And a challenge to me to examine my heart and ask do I desire God more than anything else? Is my joy found in Him?

If you have a heard time finding time to read, or if you learn better by listening you may find this video series helpful in summarizing the insights of the classic book by John Piper. There is also a study guide booklet that you can purchase that will help delve deeper either by yourself or with a group.

If you would like to learn more about Desiring God, you can visit this website www.desiringgod.org

You can read the first chapter of the book by clicking HERE.

This video can be purchased from the publisher by clicking HERE.

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


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Cherished by Kim Cash Tate

Cherished is the second in a series by Kim Cash Tate, following the book Faithful. Picking up where the last book left off, Cherished focuses on Kelli, the sister of Cedric and Lindell London and her story. All the main characters from the first wonderful book show up here, but the book is not as much about them.

While being cherished is the theme, this book is a lot about forgiveness. Learning to forgive others for things that feel unforgiveable. And, just as important, learning to forgive your self and to live in the freedom that Christ’s forgiveness brings to us.

I enjoyed this book very much and found it’s message inspiring and very true. I love how the characters lovingly support each other and seek to follow God’s will, even when it seems to bring pain in the beginning. Their faithfulness to God’s will and love is what brings healing in the end.

Not as complex as the first book, which interwove so many different plot lines, it is still a powerful book. One of the little things I enjoy about these books is the St. Louis setting. Always fun to run into familiar places as I read. Though I was curious where the name of the Webster Family Arena, in St. Charles, came from. That arena is in my home town and is often the site of Christian concerts, but I have never seen it with the name Webster. All the other places mentioned in the book seemed to be accurate.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Don't Check Your Brains at the Door by Josh McDowell & Bob Hostetler

Studies are showing that our kids are leaving the church at alarming rates. Kids are starting to check out, if only in their minds and hearts and then later in body, before they even leave highschool. Many believe that this is because they are not being taught truths in the church. They have no defense against the onslaught of lies that the world uses to challenge their faith. This book was written to help combate that by equipping our young people with the truth. It gives answers to many of the myths that the world tries to perpetuate.

It is divided into sections like Myths about God (ie God is just a big killjoy), about Jesus (ie he is "just a good teacher"), the Bible (ie, inconsistencies in the Bible), the Resurrection (Did Jesus just swoon?), about Religion and Christianity (Do you have to be unintellectual to be a Christian?, etc), about Life and Happiness (for example, "nice guys finish last"). Each section includes many of these types of myths and the authors address each topic in an approachable but truthful way to explain why these are myths and what the truth really is. They use scripture to illuminate the truth.

I enjoy apologetics books and am always on the look out for books like this to hand my kids. I found it to have a devotional feel where you could read each myth for a short daily reading. The authors used contemporary and familiar examples like Star Wars to help illustrate their points, making it approachable for kids. For anyone who has read a lot of apologetics, this book might seem a bit simplified, but this book is written for those who will probably never pick up a heavy tome like Knowing God. It is just right for your average youth who may be struggling with his faith and would appreciate the easy to read, short devotional style.

There was one point where I thought the authors were making a bit of an assumption about Jesus's family life before his ministry, but other than that I don't think I came across anything that bothered me.

I think this would be a good addition to a youth group or home school setting. There are questions at the end of each section to help the reader dig deeper, look up scriptures and think more about the topic.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Christy Miller series by Robin Jones Gunn

When I was reading the Praying for your Future Husband book earlier this month, I kept coming across references and quotes from the Christy Miller series that the author had also written. Snippets from Christy's journal, letters and prayers to her future husband, etc. I kept thinking, I am going to have to read those books. I love books for teens that model good morals and staying pure and other characteristics that I would like to see in my kids. So, on July 13, I downloaded the first volume of three books in the series. My intention was to preview the books for my girls and to review each book for the publisher so that I could up my number of book reviews on the Blogging for Books site. Um, didn't quite happen that way. I finished the first book quickly and thought of some thing things I could say in my review, but really did not want to take the time then, I needed to know MORE! There were two more books to read on my Kindle! I would review later. :-) Um, I have now read all 12 books in the original series and the three books in the "Christy and Todd: The College Years" series. Yeah. That is 15 books in 12 days! They are good! I love these books!

I am a romantic at heart. I love a good love story and I love a good happy ending. I needed to get to the happy ending! This series chronicles the up and down "forever friendship"/romance of Christy and Todd and their forever relationship with the Lord. As they grow, mature, and follow God's path for their life there are lots of questions and twists and turns. I raced through the first series in hopes that it would turn out "right!". :-) It did, but it didn't end. It was a great happy ending, but it stopped too soon. Apparently many other readers over the years felt the same way and begged for more, so the final three books were added. Phew! And, thankfully, readers continued to beg for more info on the other characters introduced in the series, so the author also wrote the Sierra Jenson and Katie Weldon series, the latter of which I have already started.

I love that the characters in these books are so real. Though they are Christians, they struggle with their human and Godly relationships. They must ask God again for direction and forgiveness for lack of trust and for jumping ahead of them. But, they do the right things. You can live a Godly life and still not always be trusting Him fully for everything. I love that they recognize that and continually seek to grow closer to God and trust him more for their earthly relationships. One of the things I really liked about this series was that Todd was not perfect. I love Lori Wicks books. As I said, I love a good Christian romance with good examples. But her heroes are almost too perfect. They always know the right thing to say and do. Todd is human. :-) He can be a jerk, say stupid stuff and be a completely dense male. :-) But he loves God and he honors Him in his relationships. These books show that guys can do the right thing, they can save themselves for marriage, keep their relationships pure and holy and be a servant of God, and yet it is not so unrealistic in making Todd never mess up. I don't think kids will relate to someone who does everything right. And Christy and Todd both mess up plenty!

Though written well before the Praying for Your Husband book, they are like a wonderful illustration of the principles outlined in that book and in so many other books I have read on the subject of purity. Many examples of keeping pure, how to set guidelines to protect themselves from "going too far" and also what happens when you don't guard your heart and your body from going too far. What happens when you give away little pieces of your heart before you should. Different characters live by different standards, so I can see people relating to different people. I like that. It shows how to approach the same goal in different ways. I just think it is a fun way to make real all those things we are trying to teach our children.

I also love the little illustrations that the characters use to explain God's truths. The gospel is shared and God's love and truths are shared over and over through out the series and in wonderful ways that really help people see what it means to become a child of God.

One thing that does bother me about the books, and this is a common complaint from me when reading a series. Continuity. I don't know if it was a matter of so much time taking place between writing the books and just forgetting what was said before, or if it was a matter of over time the author wanted to see things from a different angle, make a different point. But there were many times when I said "what?" that's not how it happened. Or "don't' you remember when?". But, as an (wannabe) author who has struggled with needing to deal with something I already wrote not lining up with what I want to write now, I can see how that happens. Sometimes you just need to change course, and unlike my books, where I have the option still to rewrite, her books are already in our hands. Also, when you read a series of books as they are written you might forget too. But, when you read all 15 books in less than 2 weeks, you remember all those little details. :-)

I may still try to go back and review each book individually, to bring up all the points I liked/disliked about each one, but for now, let's just say I love these books and they will become a part of my daughters' library!

Praying For Your Future Husband by Robin Jones Gunn and Tricia Goyer

I chose to review this for the Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group because the subject is one that interests me very much. While I admit that I have not been very disciplined about regularly praying for the future spouses of my children, it is something I do. Often I will pray through Power of a Praying Parent and tack on my future children in law as I pray for my own kids. But, it was nice to find a book that has prayers just for this purpose.

A little different format from the Power of... books, this book includes testimonials of both the authors and others who have shared their stories of prayers and answered prayers. It includes scriptures, poems, bullet points of things to pray for in a variety of areas such as praying your future spouce will be a "God Lover", that they will have patience, strength, etc. It includes sample prayers to pray for your future spouse and also prayers for yourself, how to prepare yourself, your attitude, your commitment, your character in a way that is pleasing to God and will help in future relationships.

I found the advice to be good and useful. I also appreciated that they addressed that God doesn't always have a spouse for everyone. Advice to live your life for our greatest lover of all, God, to the fullest and not just wait around for our prince or princess to show up. They advise to be patient and faithful while waiting for God's timing and to enjoy living in God's perfect will, whatever it may be.

I plan to have my girls read this book and to pray with them more as we wait to see who God will bring into their lives. I also plan to check out Mrs. Gunn's fiction books for young girls. They sound wonderful.

If you would like to read Chapter 1 of this book, click HERE.

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

Mine is the Night by Liz Curtis Higgs

I was so excited to get to review Mine is the Night, the sequel to Here Burns My Candle by Liz Curtis Higgs. These wonderful books are set in 18th century Scotland and are based on the book of Ruth. Mine is the Night picks up with the part of the story we are most familiar with, when Ruth, or in this case Elizabeth, arrives back in the home of her mother in law.

I so enjoyed reading this book. It is like two stories in one and both are great stories. I enjoy reading and learning the Scottish history and the customs of that time and the characters are well developed and likeable. Wonderful lessons about trusting in God and his provision for us. We are reminded that every good gift comes from our Lord, not our titles or who we know on this earth, but our King in heaven, to whom our allegiance belongs.

As always it is fun to see how the Biblical story unfolds in the new time and setting. Ms. Higgs does a terrific job of telling the old familiar story and yet writing a new stor with new characters all her own at the same time. This one was especially fun for me as I just finished an indepth study of the book of Ruth with my Bible Study class. I had a new appreciation for this story after digging in deep in class and so it was fun to revisit it again in this book.

I highly recommend this book.

Click HERE to read Chapter one of this book.

Read about Liz Curtis Higgs HERE.

Liz Curtis Higgs' website



This book was provided for review by Multnomah Waterbrook publishers.