Living Close to God

When I received "Living Close to God (When You Aren't Good At It) by Gene Edwards, I was really intrigued by the topic of the book, after all, who doesn't desire to live close to God? The book tells a personal story of fitting God into a busy life, and how it worked for one person. I liked the personal story that this book tells, and it does point out some important scriptural references, and give some solid advice on building a stronger, more personal relationship with Christ. However, I felt that the book tells more of what worked for one person with a certain set of obstacles, and wasn't really applicable to every person who will pick up the book. There are many general references to scripture, which are great. I liked the story the book followed, but when I finished the book, didn't feel that I had gained any significant insight into living closer to God.

I would recommend this book if you are looking for a story about someone who has found a way to live close to God, and find an incredible connection with Christ. But if you are looking for inspiration to find a way for you to personally have that same relationship, I would take a pass on this book.

FTC DISCLAIMER: “I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review”.

America: The Last Best Hope Vol. III

I was very excited to get William Bennett's book "America: The Last Best Hope Volume III". I am a big fan of Mr. Bennett, and actually purchased Volume I of this series when it first came out several years ago. The aim of the three volumes of "America: The Last Best Hope" is to educate the reader of the history of America in as truthful and nonbiased fashion as possible. I found that this volume was especially fascinating. This volume focuses on events that occurred in the United States from the election of 1988 through the present. It details the slow rise of radical Islam and terrorism, from the World Trade Center bombing through the 9/11 tragedy. This volume of Mr. Bennett's series covers such a significant period of time in the United States' history, from the Bill Clinton/Monica Lewinsky scandal to our "Shock and Awe" attack under President Bush, this book gives a great account of our recent history, and does so without any political undertones, which I think is fantastic. Mr. Bennett doesn't try to put a spin on the history for political purposes, he simply tells the factual story of our history, which is a history every single person in America should know. I really enjoyed this book, and had a hard time putting it down. I would recommend it to every American. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their 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

Close Enough To Hear God Breathe

I had never read anything by Greg Paul, so wasn't sure what to expect in his book, "Close Enough to Hear God Breathe". I was pleasantly surprised at this book! Greg Paul does a wonderful job of relaying bible stories, as well as his own personal experiences wit and realism. Paul tells stories of his own intimacy with God, which make the reader yearn for that same intimate experience with our Creator. One of my favorite stories Paul tells in this book is of the hard time he went through when his father passed away. I thought it was a true testament to his intimate relationship with God that he was able to find a sort of sweet contentment even in the tragic loss of his father.

"Close Enough to Hear God Breathe" tells stories of hard times as well as good times, and how God has stayed faithful and intimate with his children through both. I think that it's important to remember that even when things are hard, it doesn't mean that God has forsaken us. Building that intimate foundation with the Creator is an essential part of Christian living, and I think that Greg Paul does a wonderful job of illustrating that concept with his book. It's a great read, and I wouldn't hesitate to get any other books from Greg Paul. His writing style draws you in, and you don't want to put the book down until you get through the whole thing. Loved it!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their 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

Life Application Study Bible Devotional

I have to admit that I was very excited to be receiving a copy of the Life Application Study Bible Devotional. I own a copy of the Life Application Study Bible, and have always found it to be an easy, concise resource in understanding Biblical passages. The Life Application Study Bible Devotional completely lived up the the high expectations I had. 

The format of the devotional is split up into 52 "weeks" of reading. Within each week, there are six daily devotionals - one for each weekday, as well as one devotional for the weekend. Each week covers one main topic, such as Jesus' birth, Jesus' return, and Jesus' heals. I really liked how each day of the week tied into the main theme, and it made the devotionals really tie together. 

Each devotional consists of a passage from the Bible, in an easy interpretation. Each daily devotional also discusses the passage and then offers up some deeper questions to make the scripture more personal, and help me to understand how these particular scriptures are relevant, and how they affect my walk with Christ. The daily devotionals are relatively short, usually between one and two pages long, which makes it very easy to fit into my schedule, as it requires only about five minutes to read. This was a great way to start or end my day.

My personal opinion of this devotional was that it is a great daily resource for those of us who desire a closer, more intimate picture of Jesus. It also really offers up thought provoking questions that helped me to understand the bigger picture, and how each particular "story" somehow could be tied of my life. I really loved everything about this devotional, from the format to the easy to read Bible passages, to the length of the devotionals. This would make a great gift for a loved one, or a great tool for personal spiritual growth. I would recommend it to anyone wanting to know Jesus better. 

FTC DISCLAIMER: “I received this book for free from Tyndale Publishing for this review”. 

As Silver Refined

Have you ever felt like the world was against you? That the people you hold closest in your life are disappointing you? Or that you are disappointing yourself? Worse yet, disappointing God? Through a series of revealing chapters in "As Silver Refined", Kay Arthur exposes the devil's use of our disappointments to dig a foothold in our lives. This book goes on to discuss ways to recognize these attacks and correct our own thinking when it comes to disappointing situations.

This book really opened my eyes, and made me think differently about some of the difficult situations that I have faced in my own life, and the way I reacted to them. Kay Arthur really breaks down disappointment and showed me how the devil uses my disappointment to gain entry into my life. The solid truths that Kay shares with us are well formulated and backed by scriptural truths. 

This book also has a study guide in the back of the book, which makes it a great tool for a student or for a book group studying together. I would recommend copying the study guide pages so that it is easier to follow the guide while reading the book. There are so many wonderful and revealing truths in Kay Arthur's "As Silver Refined", and I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has been through or is going through a difficult or disappointing time in their own life.  

FTC DISCLAIMER: “I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review”. 

The Grace of God

Andy Stanley's "The Grace of God" is a book devoted solely to the topic of grace. There are a variety of interpretations of grace, such as acceptance, rebirth, redemption, and sustainence. This book has 13 chapters, and they are relatively lengthy, so for someone who has limited time to read daily, it might be a challenge to get through. Stanley uses biblical references to tackle the various angles of grace throughout the book in a very interesting and relevant way. There are many quotes straight from the Bible, as well as descriptive stories from the Bible to illustrate these various interpretations of grace.


I enjoyed this book, and thought it was very well written, thoughtful, and based on biblical fact. I would recommend this book. My only problem was the length of the chapters made it hard to actually get through the chapters. Other than that, great composition and topic. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their 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