Found: God’s Will by John MacArthur

Found: God's Will by John F. MacArthur Jr.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

MY REVIEW:

Are you, like so many others, wondering what God's will is for your life? Whether it is at the brink of adulthood or as gray-headed adult looking for change or out of curiosity or any phase in between - this book is for you! It's a perfect read no matter what your age, stage, or maturity level is and it's delightfully short and easy to read.

I personally enjoyed the audio version of this book due to it's shortness and simplicity. John MacArthur doesn't waste your time beating around the bush but rather gets right to the point - the simple truth of what God's will is for your life. He lists several principals for knowing the will of God for your life and they are applicable to all.

The quality of this audio book is great and it's smooth sound makes it a delight to listen to. Each track is a chapter making it user friendly to "read" by chapter and to go back and review a principle.

Once again MacArthur shares the truth simply for all to understand. This is a must-read for all believers - young and old.

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This review copy was provided for my review courtesy of christianaudio but in no way was my opinion influenced.

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The Radical Disciple by John Stott

The Radical Disciple by John Stott
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

MY REVIEW:

I have heard so many men and women, whom I highly respect, quote from John Stott's books that it was with great anticipation that I listened to this audio version of his book. And at first, despite the depth of thought, I readily nodded in silent agreement as I listened. However, after a few chapters I was nodding less and less and and spending more time tilting my head to the side as I paused to try and "get" what he was saying.

While much of this book is wonderful, and Biblical, his presentation is lacking greatly. I don't think this is a book that is best suited for audio digestion; it's easier to intake when given time to read a phrase, grasp it, and then move on to the next. In this audio format it moves too quickly for one to truly glean from - unless maybe they have read all his other books and are already very familiar with his thoughts. I also found that while I agreed with his outline of radical discipleship on the big picture scale, I am left not really agreeing in totality on how it fleshes out. There were parts that it sounded, to me at least, almost too radical. Because of the difficulty of reading this book via audio, I am left still unsure if it sounded too radical due to his wordy wording or because it truly is...and that will have to be decided by each individual reader.

My final thoughts are that even if I did agree 100% with everything that Stott wrote, I would still recommend other books first due to their content being easier to read and digest - Radical by David Platt being the first of those books. The quality of sound and the narration were fine, but this book and an audio format or not a marriage made in heaven!


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This review copy was provided by christianaudio.com but the opinion expressed is my own.

Worldliness by C.J. Mahaney

Worldliness: Resisting the Seduction of a Fallen World by C.J. Mahaney
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

MY REVIEW:

Worldliness is not just another book about the does and dont's of the Christian life. Rather this book addresses the heart behind the things we do and don't do as children of God. It goes beyond how we should dress and what movies we should not watch to dig in to why we dress the way we do and why we shouldn't watch a certain movie.

I enjoyed this book in the audio format for it's great quality. It was smooth and clear and the narration was enjoyable to listen to. Using the audio format to read this book is a fabulous choice and the only downside I found was with the discussion questions - it would have been easier if I could read them in print versus just hearing them.

Mahaney and the other men do a great job of keeping each chapter short and to the point while sharing a deep and balanced view of the topic at hand. I walked away feeling so convicted on all issues, especially ones I would have said I had "mastered". However, with this heart probing approach you are sure to walk away challenged and once again amazed by God's grace. This book takes the daily stuff right back to the cross.

BOOK OVERVIEW:

This resource uncovers the presence of worldliness and helps believers learn to relate to the world while resisting its influence in their lives.

People today are saturated in technology and prosperity. They are bombarded with endless luxuries: clothes to wear, cars to buy, vacations to take, entertainment to enjoy. Yet this world, which offers so many pleasures, is actively opposed to God and the truth of His Word. How, then, is the believer to relate to the world in which he or she lives?

Worldliness: Resisting the Seduction of a Fallen World uncovers the presence of worldliness-the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes, and the boasting of what he has or does. Worldliness then reveals how Christians are to engage a fallen world and boldly preach the gospel, yet not be conformed and ultimately seduced by the system of this world.

As readers learn to identify the presence of worldliness in the areas of media, modesty, music, and material possessions, they can begin to resist its influence in their lives and instead pursue eternal godliness.


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This review copy was provided by christianaudio.com but the opinion expressed is strictly my own.

A Place Of Healing by Joni Eareckson Tada

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

MY REVIEW:

This is the raw, honest, and vulnerable sharing from Joni's heart and from the Word of God about suffering. It's a powerful look at how God is a loving God and has plans for us to bring glory to Him and grow in our relationship with Him.

I enjoyed Joni's amazing perspective, steady faithfulness, and open honesty. She addresses the issue of Healing Services in a kind, yet biblically sound way. After reading this book you will have a better appreciation for your life as it is and for all that God is doing in your life.

This audio book is read by Joni and hearing her voice just brings this book to life - planting it's truth deep inside your heart. If you are going through a hard time this book will encourage you. Or if you are facing an easy time right now, this book will help you prepare for when life isn't always the way you want it.

BOOK OVERVIEW:

In this eloquent account of her current struggle with physical pain, Joni Eareckson Tada offers her perspective on divine healing, God’s purposes, and what it means to live with joy. Over four decades ago, a diving accident left Joni a quadriplegic. Today, she faces a new battle: unrelenting pain.

The ongoing urgency of this season in her life has caused Joni to return to foundational questions about suffering and God’s will. A Place of Healing is not an ivory tower treatise on suffering. Its an intimate look into the life of a mature woman of God.

Whether readers are enduring physical pain, financial loss, or relational grief, Joni invites them to process their suffering with her. Together, they will navigate the distance between God’s magnificent yes and heartbreaking no and find new hope for thriving in between.

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This book was provided for review courtesy of christianaudio.com and the opinions expressed are strictly that of my own.

Radical by David Platt

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

MY REVIEW:

Wow.

Sometimes you read a book and go away really challenged.

Then other times you walk away not remembering what you just read.

And then still there are times when you can't walk away because what you read has weakened your body with such conviction from the Holy Spirit.

This book is one of those times.

Everything else about the day seems to slip away and all that plays in my mind are snippets from listening to the audio version of this book. Not only was the quality and narration of this book great, but the message it's self made everything else pale in comparison.

I realized just how caught up I am in the American Dream rather than being sold out for the Lord God with a burning, all consuming passion. This book is a must-read for anyone - teen and up. It will bring the reality of life back to where it needs to be in perspective of the Gospel.

While this would be a great book to read, I highly recommend the audio version so that you can easily "read" the book over several times in order to let the message sink deep inside your heart and mind.

BOOK OVERVIEW:

Take a transforming journey in authentic discipleship. As the pastor of a large and wealthy congregation, David Platt began to see a discrepancy between the reality of his Church and the way Jesus said His followers lived. In Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream, Platt examines how American Christianity has manipulated the gospel to fit our cultural preferences and challenges readers to rediscover the path

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This review copy was provided courtesy of christianaudio.com but the opinions expressed are my own.

A Prayer Journey Through Deployment by Donna Mull

A Prayer Journey Through Deployment by Donna Mull

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

MY REVIEW:

I don't know what it's like to find out my spouse or family member is shipping out for active duty. But if I did know what that was like, I think I would make sure Donna's book was on the top of my nightstand reading stack.

A Prayer Journey Through Deployment is a simple book that will aid you in the most powerful resource you have - prayer. Each chapter is a topical prayer and can be read for encouragement, as a prayer prompt, or both. It would be a great tool for either personal use or a group setting.

I appreciate the simplicity of this book yet the depth in which it will minister to those dealing with being apart from their loved one. This is a great gift to give anyone with a family member serving our country.

BOOK OVERVIEW

"I just received orders for deployment to Iraq."

Such words have the power to make you weak in the knees and bring a parade of disturbing images to your mind. A sense of helplessness and dread forces you to your knees but you can't seem to get beyond the repetitive cry, "Keep them safe, Lord." Such was the paralysis Donna Mull felt when her son was deployed. Her heart ached for his family. Determined to surround them with prayer, she wrote weekly military prayer devotionals and emailed them to a network of friends and family to encourage focused, faithful prayer. What followed was a year-long journey that led far beyond the generic, "Keep them safe." An excellent source of hope, comfort and Scripture-based prayers, A Prayer Journey through Deployment gives voice to the heartfelt needs of soldiers and families like loneliness, fear, guidance, unity, loss, endurance, perspective, courage, etc. A compilation of 52 devotionals chronicles the journey of prayer through this experience of deployment. Even if you have no military connection, you may find that the prayers minister to you in the midst of your own "life battles."

AUTHOR BIO:

"Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands...." 1 Thessalonians 4:11 is a good descriptive life verse for Donna Mull—quietly going about the work of serving children and families as a pediatric home care nurse. That is, until life presented a challenge completely outside her realm of understanding. Her son received orders for deployment to Iraq. She felt compelled to pray and engage others to pray concerning a world she knew little about. The one essential qualification she had was a deep love for her son and his family. The equipping and understanding God would provide when she committed to this assignment.

Donna lives in a picturesque RI town with the oldest, longstanding 4th of July parade honoring civic and military servants (224 successive years). She has two married sons and four grandchildren. Donna enjoys walking, biking, outdoor concerts and the brief "mini" vacations of sitting beside the Narrangansett Bay before heading off to work. Best of all is spending time with her grandchildren, for whom she created a scrapbook to help them deal with some of the extraordinary challenges of having a deployed parent. Donna also has the unique privilege of developing long-term relationships with some exceptionally courageous families as a Home Care nurse for medically fragile children.

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This review copy was provided by WinePress Publishing. The opinions expressed are purely of my own.

What Did You Expect by Paul David Tripp

What Did You Expect?: Redeeming the Realities of Marriage by Paul David Tripp

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

MY REVIEW:

What Did You Expect? is the newest book on my "Top Books About Marriage" shelf. Pastor Paul Tripp digs into marriage and what it means for two sinners to be united from a true Biblical perspective.

It would take me way too long to even try to explain what I appreciate about this book, so instead I will just say that it is encouraging, convicting, challenging, uplifting, refreshing, and comforting. Understanding why we face some of the problems we do in marriage is a wonderful encouragement, and it's comforting to know that we are not alone in all of this. Tripp talks about Biblical principles and gives direct application for immediate use in our marriages.

This book should be a must-read for all couples considering marriage. It's what I would consider the text book for Christian marriages. The audio version - which I "read" - makes it easy for people who don't like to read still glean from this amazing resource.

The narration is wonderful and easy to listen to. It's a great way to feed your mind, and your marriage, while doing something else around the house.

BOOK OVERVIEW:

Marriage, according to Scripture, will always involve two flawed people living with each other in a fallen world. Yet, in pastor Paul Tripp's professional experience, the majority of couples enter marriage with unrealistic expectations, leaving them unprepared for the day-to-day realities of married life.

This unique book introduces a biblical and practical approach to those realities that is rooted in God's faithfulness and Scripture's teaching on sin and grace. "Spouses need to be reconciled to each other and to God on a daily basis," Tripp declares. "Since we're always sinners married to sinners, reconciliation isn't just the right response in moments of failure. It must be the lifestyle of any healthy marriage."

What Did You Expect? presents six practical commitments that give shape and momentum to such a lifestyle. These commitments, which include honestly facing sin, weakness, and failure; willingness to change; and embodying Christ's love, will equip couples to develop a thriving, grace-based marriage in all circumstances and seasons of their relationship.

AUTHOR BIO:

Paul Tripp is the president of Paul Tripp Ministries, a nonprofit organization, whose mission statement is "Connecting the transforming power of Jesus Christ to everyday life." This mission leads Paul to weekly speaking engagements around the world. In addition to being a gifted communicator and sought after conference speaker with Paul Tripp Ministries, Paul is on the pastoral staff at Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he preaches on Sunday evenings and leads the Ministry to Center City. Paul is also professor of pastoral life and care at Redeemer Seminary in Dallas, Texas. He is the director of the Center for Pastoral Life and Care in Fort Worth, Texas, and has taught at respected institutions worldwide. As an author, Paul has written eleven books on Christian Living that are read and distributed internationally, including Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands; War of Words; Broken Down House; and Crossway's Whiter Than Snow. He has been married for many years to Luella and they have four grown children. For more information and resources visit www.paultrippministries.org.

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This review was provided courtesy of christianaudio reviewers program.

Misconception by Shannon & Paul Morell with Angela Hunt

Misconception: One Couple's Journey from Embryo Mix-Up to Miracle Baby by Paul Morell

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

MY REVIEW:

The title really states what the book is all about. It's the emotional story of two families caught in the effect of human error.

This story held some twists and turns that would make one think it had to be fiction. However, this is a true story despite the hurt and pain caused. I appreciated the honesty with which Shannon shared their journey to overcome something bad in order to enjoy the blessing. It is such an amazing encouragement to read of the sacrifice of one family for another so that life could be celebrated.

In this audio version I greatly enjoyed the narrator and the high quality reading. It was easy to listen to and engaging.

While I don't necessarily agree with the views and beliefs presented in this book about IFV, it was still a fascinating biography and testimony to the sanctity of life. It's a book you won't want to put down/turn off until you've read the last page or heard the last track.

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This audio book was provided for review courtesy of christianaudio

In the Presence of My Enemies by Gracia Burnham

In the Presence of My Enemies by Gracia Burnham

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

MY REVIEW:

I remember hearing updates about the plight of the Burnhams on the radio through out their capture, and while my heart ached for them and their children, I did not have a full understanding of what was going on. Listening to this audio book of Gracia's book In the Presence of My Enemies brought their trial to life for me in my own home. I was horrified at what they had to go through, broken-hearted for their children, frustrated with the lack of action taken to rescue them, and completely overwhelmed and convicted by the godly way in which the Burnhams responded in this journey.

Martin and Gracia Burnham were a living example of what it meant to live for Christ and to count it all joy when we face trials. Their story ended with such bitter-sweetness, yet through it all God was glorified.

This audio book was well narrated and easy to listen to and follow while working around the house or exercising. This book, audio or print, will keep you on the edge of your seat, soften your heart to the experiences of others, and challenge you to walk the extra mile in your own walk with Christ.

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This review copy was provided courtesy of the christianaudio Reviewers Program.