Christian Retailing

Book Reviews CR December 2010 Print Email
Written by Christine D. Johnson   
Monday, 22 November 2010 03:36 PM America/New_York

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God-Im-Ready-to-Walk-in-FaiGod, I'm Ready to Walk in Faith

Thelma Wells

Harvest House Publishers

softcover, 224 pages, $11.99

978-0-736-93036-9

Exploring Scripture with an eye to what it takes to trust in God with a modern-day faith, popular women's conference speaker Wells encourages readers to "Put on Your Shoes, Step Out, and Get Ready to Win!" in God, I'm Ready to Walk in Faith.

Using a shoe metaphor, her story starts with baby shoes, which she uses to represent the faith formation of her early years. Tying her personal story to Scripture, she observes that Hannah trusted God enough to give up her mothering role so her son could honor God in temple service. But, during successful times, Wells wears her "Bling Bling" shoes. Similarly, Esther's life demonstrates how faith can bring victory in the bleakest of circumstances. 

Whether in baby shoes or combat boots, Wells encourages readers to walk in faith, discerning God's will through personal Bible study and prayer. In God, I'm Ready to Walk in Faith, she offers a rich perspective on matters of faith.

—Bonnie Bruner

 

ThePowerBasedLifeThe Power Based Life

Mike Flynt

Thomas Nelson

softcover, 224 pages, $14.99

978-1-401-60434-9

Flynt, who chronicled his return to college football at age 59 in The Senior, goes into further detail about the fitness and spiritual philosophies that give him strength in The Power Based Life: Realize Your Life's Goals and Dreams by Strengthening Your Body, Mind, and Spirit

The book uses sports, business and Christian parallels to encourage readers to maximize their potential. Flynt writes in a relatable style, offering directives for success like "Playing to Your Strengths" and "Defying the Skeptics." 

Although much of the content will not be particularly revelatory, such as surrounding oneself with good teammates and visualizing one's goals, the author's passion will help underscore the simple message of faith-driven mental and physical health. 

The Power Based Life will appeal to those  in need of a pep talk from someone who's lived his own inspirational adventure.

—DeWayne Hamby

 

60MinuteMoneyWorkoutThe 60 Minute Money Workout

Ellie Kay

WaterBrook Press

softcover, 224 pages $14.99

978-0-307-44603-9

The 60 Minute Money Workout: An Easy Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Your Finances Into Shape goes beyond the traditional budgeting steps of saving, tithing, spending and debt elimination. Kay, a finance expert known for her "Focus on the Family" commentary, encourages a hands-on approach to personal finance that takes only an hour a week, encouraging families to live a full lifestyle with her thrifty tips on anything from food to vacations. 

Kay's advice—on buying cars with cash, exploring retirement and college plans, starting a successful home-based business and more—makes personal economic stability obtainable. Spreadsheets provided in the book and calculators on her Web site are helpful financial tools.

Showing step by step how financial stability is within reach, The 60 Minute Money Workout aims to motivate the reader to action and is useful for anyone who wants to brush up on their money skills, from newlyweds to those in the financial pits. 

—Andrealynn Boyd

 

AnAmishLoveAn Amish Love

Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller & Kelly Long

Thomas Nelson

softcover, 400 pages, $14.99

978-1-595-54875-7

An Amish Love is a collection of three romance novellas on matters of the heart.

Long's Marriage of the Heart sees Abigail Kauffman wanting to escape the Amish way by deceiving Joseph Lambert into marrying her. Her patience helps Joseph in his return from English life, including facing his struggles with drug addiction.

Fuller's What the Heart Sees is the story of Ellie Chupp, blinded in a car accident that killed her best friend, Caroline. Five years later, Ellie's courage to overcome her disability impacts Caroline's former fiancé, Christopher Miller.

Finally, Wiseman's Healing Hearts deals with the struggles in marriage as Naaman Lapp returns to his wife of 31 years, Levina, after spending a year in Ohio. Levina hopes that one day they can return to the love they once knew.

Entertaining and heartwarming, the three novellas in this collection weave together true characters of faith. A glossary of Amish terms, a group study and recipes are added bonus materials in the reading experience.

—Nicole Anderson

 

SerendipitySerendipity

Cathy Marie Hake

Bethany House (Baker Publishing Group)

softcover, 352 pages, $14.99

978-0-764-20321-3

Though skilled in bartering, Maggie Rose takes a risk every time she trades one of her many treasures with those who visits her home in Carver's Holler. But when Todd Valmer stumbles upon her doorstep carrying his very sick mother, Maggie soon realizes she is about to barter her heart. 

Struck by her beauty, her tenderness with his mother, not to mention her ability to cook, Todd is more than confident Maggie would make a wonderful helpmate on his Texas farm. With little time to spare, he proposes, promising Maggie that love will grow. He also agrees to let her bring along her treasures, not knowing just how much she has collected. 

Leaving her Arkansas home, Maggie soon fears she has made a terrible mistake as she adjusts to living in a one-room cabin with a mother-in-law who seemingly despises her and a husband who fails to understand her chatty, headstrong ways and her love for roses.

Hake's Serendipity is a beautiful, well-written story of the love and respect that can grow between a husband and wife when they learn to trust God and each other.

—Sarah Stegall

A Rabbi Looks at Jesus of Nazareth

Jonathan Bernis

Chosen (Baker Publishing Group)

softcover, 240 pages, $15.99

978-0-764-29506-1

Throughout his traditional Jewish upbringing, Bernis was taught that being Jewish was not compatible with believing in Jesus as Messiah. Yet, through Bible study and a variety of divinely appointed encounters, Bernis was eventually faced with a startling realization: Jesus of Nazareth's claim of Messianic status is supported with overwhelming evidence from the Jewish Scriptures.

In A Rabbi Looks at Jesus of Nazareth, Bernis presents the historical facts concerning Jesus with warmth and respect. Bernis is intentionally transparent about his journey to faith and the limitations of his writing. Though he takes great pains to thoroughly defuse common Jewish protests to Jesus' Messianic status, Bernis affirms that facts alone cannot give 100% certainty that Christ was who He said He was.

Readers of A Rabbi Looks at Jesus of Nazareth will meet numerous Jews throughout the ages who have paid enormous earthly costs for the sake of following Jesus. This book is a companion, hopeful and trustworthy, for the Christian who desires to share Jesus with Jewish friends in a respectful, honest way.

—Dave Stuart Jr.