Close Enough to Hear God Breathe Review

Close Enough to Hear God Breathe

By Greg Paul

Publishers Synopsis:

Does the idea of intimacy with God seem farfetched and irrelevant to your real, daily life? Ever wonder if your own “little story” has any significance in the larger scheme of things, or why God’s Word doesn’t seem to speak to you?

In Close Enough to Hear God Breathe, readers encounter a rich message that recounts the story of a God who has been inviting all of humanity, and each individual, into his tender embrace since time began. Beautiful prose, powerful stories, and inventive teaching walk readers though this, the Bible’s foremost narrative thread.

Both subtle and radical, full of common stories told in extraordinary fashion, this book weaves the experiences of the individual into the great tapestry of the biblical saga. The reader learns to hear the voice of God speaking in the ordinary events and relationships of life, as well as in the broad, deep current of Scripture.

Reading the Bible ought to be like putting one’s head on God’s chest.Close Enough to Hear God Breathe will help readers do just that. And when they do, they’ll hear him whisper, “You’re my child, my love, mypleasure.”


My Thoughts:


A good book. Wow, I had not noticed the cover art on this book as a father embracing his child until the writing of this review. I suppose the cover art caught my eye more after having read the book and having heard of the personal and imtimate stories the author shares as he weaved them through with bible truths.

I love Greg Paul's story telling ability. His writing is beautiful and draws the reader into the personal stories he shares. I found some of his personally stories, quite personal, and when I considered how I could apply/see it in my life, it often made me stop in my tracks and think about what is truely important.


Check out his ministry based in downtown Toronto, Ontario : http://www.sanctuarytoronto.ca/



Book has been provided courtesy of Thomas Nelson and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Thomas Nelson.

Rumors of God Review

Rumors of God Book Review
Book By: Darren Whitehead & Jon Tyson
Watch the book trailer here: http://vimeo.com/26631383

Experience the Kind of Faith You've Only Heard About!

Publisher's Synopsis:

Rumors of God is a call to Christians seeking a vision of the life God is calling them to, one that transcends the shallowness of our culture.


In his classic work, Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis likens an encounter with God to coming to life: “This world is a great sculptor’s shop and we are the statues. But there is a rumor going round the shop that some of us are some day going to come to life.”

However, today many Christians live with tension. What the Scriptures promise seems like a far cry from what we experience in our lives. As a result, God seems distant, and the life described in the Scriptures seems more like a series of rumors than reality.

Does God still do great things today? Is it possible to really experience Him? Can we close the gap between what we hear and what we see?


Rumors of God is a rally cry for the church. Authors Darren Whitehead and Jon Tyson share compelling stories about the work and activity of God today. Packed with fresh cultural observations and illuminating Scriptural insights, Rumors of God will ignite a passion in your heart to see your faith come to life.


My Thoughts: 
The title and the tag will grab your attention. If you are looking that is.
Each chapter contained something that I personally found challenging that made me stop and pause.
We are  bombarded with media, with rumors, with so many things that attempt to grab and hold our attention. Anything to get our focus off of God.  This book is filled with stories of regular people like you and me who have stepped out in their faith and allowed the love of God to do some miraculous things.

In this book you have an opportunity to consider the following Rumors: Abundant Life, Another Dream, Generosity, Love, Grace, Freedom, Commitment, Community, Justice and Hope.

If you are open and looking/listening one of these Rumors are certain to challenge and encourage you.
All the best on your journey to "experience the kind of faith you've only heard about."

Disclaimer: Book has been provided courtesy of Thomas Nelson and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Thomas Nelson.

Heaven is for Real Review

Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back by Todd Burpo and Lynn Vincent

Publisher's Synopsis:
A young boy emerges from life-saving surgery with remarkable stories of his visit to heaven.

Heaven Is for Real is the true story of the four-year old son of a small town Nebraska pastor who during emergency surgery slips from consciousness and enters heaven. He survives and begins talking about being able to look down and see the doctor operating and his dad praying in the waiting room. The family didn't know what to believe but soon the evidence was clear.

Colton said he met his miscarried sister, whom no one had told him about, and his great grandfather who died 30 years before Colton was born, then shared impossible-to-know details about each. He describes the horse that only Jesus could ride, about how "reaaally big" God and his chair are, and how the Holy Spirit "shoots down power" from heaven to help us.

Told by the father, but often in Colton's own words, the disarmingly simple message is heaven is areal place, Jesus really loves children, and be ready, there is a coming last battle.

My Thoughts:
I will admit, I am a picky reader. When given the chance to read this book, I was intrigued. After all it had spend many weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list at #1, placed in many other Top 10 Lists across the country and it was a Christian book.  Having not read many books about Heaven, I wasn't expecting anything in particular. What I found was an easy to read book that gives insights into this child's life experiences. A quick and enjoyable read, definitely one I would share with a friend. The story of when Colton meets his miscarried sister are ones that make you believe you will see your loved ones in Heaven.

Interested in reading an excerpt, check out: http://heavenisforreal.net/.
I received this book courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Jolt! Review

Jolt! Get the Jump on a World That's Constantly Changing

Book Description

Author: Phil Cooke

Published by Thomas Nelson

In a world of constant change, there are 25 “jolts” that offer confidence and an advantage in business and life.

The world never stops changing. New technologies, new administrations, new rules in business and the economy. Stability, once a mainstay of American life, is now a pipe dream. For most, this causes major anxiety, worry, and confusion. In JOLT!, Phil Cooke, social media guru and cultural commentator, shows anyone weighed down by the constancy of change how it can be used to his advantage. In this accessible and relevant guidebook meant to anchor and empower every reader, Cooke unveils 25 “jolts” anyone can leverage to establish a professional direction, maximize potential, safeguard the heart and mind, reinforce values, and create an amazing future. He shows that the ability to master the fundamentals of change will be a game changer in readers' lives, opening up new possibilities, confidence, and impact.

My Thoughts:

Ready for a change? Need a push? A shove? In this book, Phil Cooke explores 25 "jolts" you can use to help push you where you want to be. This book hidden amongst the Business/Organization Behaviour section of your favoured bookstore. Rather than reading this book straight thru, I jumped chapters and began reading the ones that I was most drawn towards. Some of his stories are recycled. But sometimes those are the best kind. Sometimes the recycled story is exactly what you need when you read it. I found this book helped motivate me to change in areas I wasn't exactly expecting. Finished reading the book? Looking for more inspiration? More of a Jolt? Check out the author's online blog at www.philcooke.com

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the 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 Final Summit Book by Andy Andrews Review

The Final Summit

A Quest to Find the One Principle That Will Save Humanity

By Andy Andrews

 

Book Description from the Publisher:

David Ponder is back. This time the fate of mankind is in his hands.

This is mankind’s last chance. Centuries of greed, pride, and hate have sent humanity hurtling toward disaster, and far from its original purpose. There is only one solution that can reset the compass and right the ship, and it consists of only two words.

With time running out, it is up to David Ponder and a cast of history’s best and brightest minds to uncover this solution before it is too late. The catch? They are allowed only five tries to discover the answer.

Readers first encountered David Ponder in The Traveler's Gift. Now, in The Final Summit, Andrews combines a riveting narrative with astounding history in order to show us the one thing we must do when we don’t know what to do.

My Thoughts:

This is the sequel to Andy Andrew’s book “The Traveller’s Gift”. I had not read any of his previous books, nor am I much of a history buff. Much less an American history buff. The way Andy weaves the story into history and emphasizes the historical significance into his characters in this story, it kept me engaged and entertained. Definitely a decent read. For me, I had this book a long time before completing it. I found it was just my not my preferred genre. But what I did find, unexpected-ly were the many lessons from each different character that was intertwined throughout the book. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in fiction with historical characters.

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.”

This is Your Brain in Love Review. Book by Earl Henslin

This is Your Brain in Love Review.
Book by Earl Henslin

From the Publisher:
Learn the secrets of proactive passion.


Using the latest in brain research, This Is Your Brain in Love helps couples become Master Level Lovers by encouraging each mate to bring their healthiest, most balanced and joyful self to their marriage.

Dr. Henslin speaks to the vital connection between spirituality and sexuality. He identifies the five types of lovers, with ground-breaking insights and effective solutions for the challenges presented by each:

* Scattered Lover
* Over-focused Lover
* Blue Mood Lover
* Agitated Lover
* Anxious Lover

Filled with relatable stories and humor, this is not your boring brain book! Engaging and practical, Dr. Henslin provides an amazingly accurate, scientifically-based brain test to help spot typical brain imbalances. (And yes, most everyone has at least one!)

Bonus material offers brain-researched strategies and new hope for women dealing with hormones and men struggling with sexual addictions.


My Thoughts:

This book was an easy read, not blogged down with too much brain science research. Dr. Henslin weaved humour and examples while sharing some of his findings from his research. With tables and bullets and mini-quizzes it is easy to find things throughout this book. I appreciated the 10 tips for each type of lover - tips for yourself or tips to help your loved one. He provided quizzes to help you identify which kind of lover you are - Scattered, Over-focused, Blue Mood, Agitated, or Anxious. While reading this book I was reminded of the importance to take care of my physical, emotional and spiritual self. I will hang onto this book and read again when my relationship needs some help.

The wonderful folks at Thomas Nelson provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through
Booksneeze.

A Review of Fatal Judgment: Guardians of Justice (Book 1) by Irene Hannon

A Review of: Fatal Judgment: Guardians of Justice Book 1 by Irene Hannon

Publisher's Synopsis:

U.S. Marshal Jake Taylor has seen plenty of action during his years in law enforcement. But he'd rather go back to Iraq than face his next assignment: protection detail for federal judge Liz Michaels. His feelings toward the coldhearted workaholic haven't warmed in the five years since she drove her husband--and Jake's best friend--to despair . . . and possible suicide.

As the danger mounts and Jake gets to know Liz better, he's forced to revise his opinion of her. And when it becomes clear that an unknown enemy may want her dead, the stakes are raised. Because now both her life--and his heart--are in danger.

Full of suspense and romance, Fatal Judgment is a thrilling story that will keep you turning the pages late into the night.

My Thoughts: 

A wonderful blend of mystery and romance. This new series, Guardians of Justice, is sure to draw you in and hold your attention. The story is embedded with twists and turns, faith and romance, murder and danger, suspense and maybe even second chances. You will have to pick up a copy of this book to find out for yourself. Just plan sometime where you can read it without the interruptions of having to put it down. Looking forward to the next installment of the Guardians of Justice series.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group".