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.

Mere Churchianity

This is a book for people who have left the church or are thinking about leaving the church. I am not planning on leaving the church, but am often frustrated by what the church has become, so I thought it would be an interesting read.

The author doesn't out and out say we should leave the church. He points out that there are benefits in both solitude with God and with community. And that Jesus sought both. What he does say is that, no matter where you worship and serve God, you should strive to live a "Jesus shaped life." We should be more concerned with thinking in terms of "if I spent three years with Jesus, what would I think about....", in other words, what did Jesus say about this situation and how did or would he respond than in church tradition that often doesn't reflect Jesus at all.

In describing why some people leave the church, I recognized myself several times. One was a feeling of being alone or isolated, even when in a big church with lots of stuff going on. Or being disillusioned when seeing a group of Christians being totally disrespectful and and inconsiderate and anything but examples of Christ like behavior. Interestingly, his example was of a youth group's behavior in a restaraunt toward non church members. Sadly, we all to often see that same unloving behavior inside the church doors toward our fellow church members.

At one point he says "I know a lot of church-leavers, and they aren't who you think. Many of them have left evangelical churches and found new homes in other Christian communities and traditions, often those that conservative Christians are convinced have "sold out" and gone "liberal". Later in the book he points out that the "map of truth" is not just the property of one kind of church. That there are many paths to the truth in both the evangelical and mainline traditions and that we often miss important truths by rejecting the other paths completely. This really hit home with me. My background includes paths in many different traditions and I value them all for what they bring to the table. While I disagree theologically with some of the beliefs of some of my friends in some of more mainline denominations, I often look at what their churches are doing and think that they are more on the mark for actually following Christ's example in serving mankind. I often struggle with that balance. Wishing that I could have the best of both worlds.

He encourages us not to judge those who have left the church and empowers those who chose to walk a different path. Reminding us that our main objective is to follow Jesus and to serve him no matter where we are. That we can worship and serve him in often unexpected ways.

I encourage everyone to pick up this book. Whether you are disillusioned with the church or not. It can serve as a mirror for to see where our priorities lie and whether our walk is patterned more after Jesus's ministry or whether our lives or more shaped by man's tradition.

To read chapter 1, follow this link.

Author Bio:
During the years when he was blogging as the Internet Monk (www.internetmonk.com), Michael Spencer was followed by hundreds of thousands of readers. He offered a lifeline to the spiritually dispossessed in his speaking, teaching, and writing. Michael graduated from Kentucky Wesleyan College and earned a master’s degree in theology from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. For seventeen years, he taught Bible and served as campus minister at a Christian school in Kentucky. Michael passed away in April 2010.

The Internet Monk Blog



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

Divine Appointments by Charlene Ann Baumbich

This is the second in a series called Snowglobe Connections, the first being Stray Affections, which I also reviewed.

This book focuses on employees of a company that is being restructured with the help of a consultant, Josie. We meet Josie briefly in Stray Affections and this book tells the story of her strange encounter with a mysterious snow globe. Josie a very independent, strong, 47 year old who's life is going just like she wants it, or so she thinks. We also meet several other characters who are dealing with the upheaval of downsizing and other personal issues.

It is easy and enjoyable to read. There is a good message about people not always being who they seem. To not judge them based on initial impressions. And sometimes we are not who we think we are. It is also a pretty relevant book dealing with the economy and job loss and we could learn something about dealing with these troubling times from the characters here.

There were some unexpected turns that could have really turned this book in another direction, but were handled well to keep the book uplifting.

Click HERE to read the first chapter of this book.

About the author:
Charlene Ann Baumbich is a popular author, speaker, and award-winning journalist who is passionate about rejuvenating lives through humor. Her writing includes the best-selling Dearest Dorothy series and Stray Affections, the first Snowglobe Connections novel, and seven inspirational nonfiction books. Charlene lives with her husband in Glen Ellyn, Illinois.

The author's website.

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

Start Here by Alex & Brett Harris

I was invited to preview the Harris brother's new book, Start Here, for the publishers. I have read and loved several of Joshua Harris's books and was intrigued with the Rebelution and Do Hard Things, so I jumped at the chance to read what Alex and Brett had to say. I had yet to read Do Hard Things, so I checked it out from the library and have been reading it out loud to the family. Everyone is enjoying it and being challenged by it and thinking about the hard things we can do.

Start Here is a practical guide to getting started with, following through and "getting done" with hard things. It gives good advice on how to know which hard things to tackle and when to start them. They remind us that what we think is the challenge we need to take up is not always what God has for us at that moment. Sometimes we need to work on seemingly small things to be better equipped for the bigger project. One quote that stood out is "It's easy to confuse 'do hard things' with the idea of 'do big things.' A push-up isn't a big thing. Winning the championship is. But, doing push-ups when you don't feel like it is what it takes to win in a championship fight." I appreciated the list at the back of the book of 100 Hard Things. It was another good reminder that you don't have to sail a boat solo around the world (my favorite story from the book!) to be doing hard things. Sometimes just stopping gossip is a hard thing. And it is an important thing. But sometimes we are called to do really big hard things, like sail around the world or plan a big event.

They discuss the challenges that sometimes come with our hard things and remind us that just because we are doing the right thing at the right time (and that "the right thing at the wrong time is the wrong thing"), doesn't mean that we won't have bumps along the road.

They discuss what happens when you finish a hard thing and where you go from there. Dealing with the attention you might receive and turning the glory to God. Learning from the process and applying it to another project.

There are lots of stories from other Rebelutionaries sharing what they have done and the ups and downs of doing those things.

A great practical guide for rebelutionaries wanting to do hard things where they are. A great companion to Do Hard Things. A must read for teens (or anyone) who want to make a difference for the Kingdom.


Publisher's Summary:

At the age of eighteen, Alex and Brett Harris wrote Do Hard Things—and launched a movement that would change a generation. Young people around the world were ready to be inspired, ready to move beyond complacency, ready to rebel against society’s low expectations.

Now the highly anticipated companion book, Start Here,How do I get started? What hard things does God want me to do? How do I keep from getting discouraged or burned out? What is the best way to inspire others? answers the questions Alex and Brett have received from thousands of teens on their worldwide conference tour and popular online community:

Filled with stories and insights from Alex, Brett, and other real-life rebelutionaries, Start Here is a powerful and practical guide for young people who are ready to take the next step and blast past apathy. Let the rebelution continue.

Author bio:

Alex and Brett Harris are the coauthors of the best-selling book Do Hard Things, which they wrote at age eighteen. Today the twins speak regularly to audiences of thousands on The Rebelution Tour, maintain a hugely popular online presence through their blog, TheRebelution.com, and have been featured on CNN, MSNBC, NPR, and in the New York Times. Raised in Portland, Oregon, the brothers currently attend Patrick Henry College in Virginia.

To purchase, click HERE.

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This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.