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Read the Bible for Life

George H. Guthrie

B&H Books (B&H Publishing Group)

softcover, 304 pages, $14.99

978-0-805-46454-2

In Read the Bible for Life: Your Guide to Understanding & Living God’s Word, Union University Bible professor Guthrie converses with 17 down-to-earth Bible scholars, including authors Darrell Bock, Michael Card and Andreas Kostenberger. The reader seeking to understand the Old Testament prophets can flip to Guthrie’s conversation with professor Gary V. Smith, while the reader confused about how to responsibly and fruitfully apply the Bible to life can turn to Guthrie’s humorous—yet profound—conversation with himself on “Reading the Bible for Transformation.”

Deciding on this book’s greatest value is difficult. On the one hand, Guthrie’s style allows the reader to feel as if he or she is actually sitting in on a casual conversation between the author and the experts. On the other, the content presented is as relevant as it is comprehensive. Guthrie boils down the most significant, or most troubling, issues related to the given topic, making them accessible.

Read the Bible for Life should prove helpful in improving biblical literacy in the church.

—Dave Stuart Jr.

Courage to Stand

Tim Pawlenty

Tyndale House Publishers

hardcover, 273 pages, $26.99

978-1-414-34572-7

The former governor of Minnesota, takes readers into his heart, history and rise to power as a Republican governor in a traditionally blue state.

The fifth child of Gene and Ginny Pawlenty, the governor was raised in meat-packing mecca South St. Paul, where he regularly attended church and learned the value of hard work. His mother died when he was 16, but Pawlenty forged ahead to attend college and law school, marrying along the way.

He became governor in 2002, leading his state through crushing finance wars to a balanced budget, losing Minnesota’s soldiers in war, missing out on a vice-presidential bid in 2008 and seeing the collapse of the I-35 bridge in Minneapolis. 

In Courage to Stand: An American Story, Pawlenty shows himself to be unrelentingly honest and optimistic, presenting a chatty, cheerful look at his past and his years as governor, along with glimpses of national and international politics.

He speaks openly of his faith, which will interest readers who are seeing Pawlenty’s name bandied about as the 2012 elections loom.

—Ann E. Byle

Running Scared

Robert Leon Davis

Monarch Books (Kregel Publications)

softcover, 190 pages, $13.99

978-1-854-24993-7

By the time Davis turned himself in to authorities after 22 years of living as a fugitive, he had collected a grocery list of crimes worth many years in prison—but God proved Himself merciful. 

Despite his Christian upbringing, he was unable to live untainted by Hollygrove, a “crime-infested” area of New Orleans, where he learned to steal cars.

In hopes of making something good out of his life, Davis joined the New Orleans Police Department, but, like many of his fellow cops, he eventually began practicing “crooked justice.” Running scared, as the book’s title suggests, he hit the road and lived alone in the woods, venturing out from time to time and racking up more crimes. In the Tennessee woods, Davis put out a fleece before God and finally submitted his life to Him, though not before contemplating suicide. 

Running Scared will keep the reader turning pages to see what’s going to happen. Davis’ heart-wrenching story demonstrates the power of God’s unconditional love to get the attention of the wayward soul.

—Sarah Stegall

The Heart Revolution

Sergio De La Mora

Baker Books (Baker Publishing Group)

hardcover, 288 pages, $17.99

978-0-801-01384-3

De La Mora—founder and pastor of San Diego’s Cornerstone Church, one of the country’s fastest-growing churches—compels readers to rise out of spiritual complacency and toward personal transformation, in The Heart Revolution: Experience The Power of a Turned Heart.

The son of Mexican immigrants, De La Mora’s young life was swallowed up by drugs and gangs. In the eighth grade he was nearly paralyzed after being stabbed in the back. By 16, he owned a successful deejay company, but a cocaine habit owned him—until the Holy Spirit brought about a heart revolution. 

Along with his own hard-earned wisdom, De La Mora shares stories he has gathered through years of seeing how God’s power enabled His children to turn away from alcohol, sexual sins, drugs, self-righteousness, cancer and other struggles.

The Heart Revolution offers a 40-day plan aimed at turning hearts toward a life of love and grace.

—Andrealynn Boyd

Trusting God to Get You Through

Jason Crabb 

Charisma House (Strang Book Group)

softcover, 224 pages, $14.99

978-1-616-38174-5

Crabb, a soulful Southern gospel celebrity who left his family group and embarked on a more eclectic solo career, encourages readers who are going through hard times, in Trusting God to Get You Through: Lessons I’ve Learned Through the Fire About Grace, Loss and Love.

Lyrics from “Through the Fire,” a song his father wrote, accompany each of the book’s eight chapters, which address topics including loneliness, finding strength in weakness, God’s protection and refusing to give in to the enemy of the believer’s soul. 

The oldest son in The Crabb Family, he tells of the challenges and blessings of being raised in a traveling, gospel-singing group, and of his own personal trials, such as his parents’ eventual divorce and the miscarriages his wife, Shellye, suffered before the birth of their two daughters.

Crabb focuses the reader’s attention on God’s character, reassuring them that they can walk through the fires of adversity with His help. Readers needing compassion and encouragement will find it here, and this debut book should draw fans of the GRAMMY-nominated artist and his well-known family.

—Christine D. Johnson

Book of Days

James L. Rubart

B&H Books (B&H Publishing Group)

softcover, 400 pages, $14.99

978-1-433-67151-7

Rubart combines scripture with legend to create an engaging tale of self-discovery in Book of Days. The title refers to a book, mentioned in Ps. 139:16, in which God recorded every life before time began.

When Seattle video producer Cameron Vaux begins to lose his memory, he fears he will die young like his father. He recalls conversations with his late wife, Jessie, and his dad about a legendary book in Three Peaks, Ore., which tells the future.

Aided by telejournalist Ann Banister, Cameron follows cryptic clues and runs afoul of colorful locals like Jason Judah, seeking the book to bolster his New Age cult—all the while wary that the book might be a hoax.

Though prolonged somewhat by overly obstructionist characters, Rubart’s narrative remains suspenseful and involving. An afterword and discussion questions help the reader digest his message.

—John Leatherman

Softly & Tenderly

Sara Evans with Rachel Hauck

Thomas Nelson

hardcover, 320 pages, $19.99

978-1-595-54490-2

Taking a long road trip home often means friends and fun, but not for Jade Benson, who is traveling with her mother, Beryl, who is battling leukemia, and her mother-in-law, June, whose husband was caught in an affair.

Though Beryl left Jade and her two siblings in the care of their grandparents, that doesn’t stop Jade from wanting to be there for her—after all, Jade is a Christian—and though she is running two boutiques and trying to start a family with second husband Max, she wants to help.

But Jade discovers that Max is dealing with a drug addiction and also that he had a child with his ex-fiancée. When the child’s mother dies, Max wants to take him in. The women have their faith tested, but in the end do what is right.

Fans of Sara Evans’ music or previous novel, The Sweet By and By, are ready-made readers for this, the second in the “Songbird” series.

—Tanya Ohle

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