A Little Peek Into My World

Choose Life.  That’s Life with a capital “L”.  Jason Jaggard challenges us all to step out and take risks that will lead to an Life with God.  In order to accomplish these risks he says that we must do these type of risks:

1. Immediate – something you will do in the next six days.
2. Controllable – something that is within your power to do.
3. Challenging – something that stretches your comfort zone.
4. Positive – something that makes your life or the world better.

Jason tells us about “Spark Groups” that meet on a regular basis and challenge each other to take these risks.  To me it seemed similar in nature to a “Small Group” although some small groups don’t necessarily open themselves up to taking risks.  This is the challenge!

This book reads very easily and can be done in one sitting, although to fully get the meaning, I recommend you go over each chapter a couple times and let it thoroughly sink in as to the challenge you will be doing by taking these risks.  This can only lead to Life!

I know Jesus died and was raised from the dead.  But have you heard of other people being in a similar situation?  Steve Sjogren tells us of his story of how he was on the operating table and was clinically dead for several minutes. 

Steve tells us of several life lessons (Which are common sense and can be found elsewhere): We have a Big God, Give to people who don’t give back, God loves people even if they don’t fit the mold, don’t be afraid of death and more.

Is this a book that I would recommend to people, Yes.  It’s an easy read and takes you deeper into your walk with God and the journey of everlasting life with Him.

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 https://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising

Ken Mansfield wrote a book called Stumbling on Open Ground and shows how a person can be open and honest when given challenges.  During his tenure Ken has worked with some very famous people including the Beatles.  When Ken learns he has cancer, everything in the past becomes unimportant.

Ken shows us how we can com close to God by dealing with struggles in life.  After all life may not always be a bowl full of cherries.  There may be stumbling blocks that seem to deal harsh blows to you along the way.  Ken demonstrates that staying close to God is the ultimate sacrafice to live a full life.

The Gaither Homecoming Bible is quickly becoming a favorite of mine in my library of Bibles I have in my collection.  This Bible is written in the New King James Format.  As you go through the Bible you are brought upon devotions from many people who have been in the Gaither’s lives as well as song lyrics that have also been in the Gaither’s lives.

Before I received this Bible I was thinking that it may also have the actual music notation in it.  As a musician, myself, I was a little disappointed that it did not have the actual notation.  That being said, it still is a joy to see some old favorites and some new songs that I was not familiar with included.

This is a great Bible for anyone that is looking for a very well written translation as well as some extra perks of Musical Lyrics and Devotions to also study.  This would make a great gift since the Christmas Holiday is soon coming upon us.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <https://BookSneeze®.com&gt; 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 https://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The River, by Michael Neale, tells us a story of a boy named Gabriel Clarke at the age of five who loses his father
during a rescue on the Colorado River.  Several years later he finds himself facing his greatest fears and is drawn forward
to face those fears.
Can Gabriel find healing in those fears?  Read it and find out.

This book reads quickly and can be read in a sitting or two.  The book seemed pretty predicatable,
but overall was a great read.  It reminded me of another book I read called “The Shack”.

In the book Wisdom Meets Passion, Dan Miller and Jared Angaza show how Wisdom and Passion work together to live more as an Authentic Christian, especially in the workplace.  You can’t have one with out the other or you may never succeed.  This book will demonstrate how to be wise, but yet use your passion to enhace those wise decisions, and score a great outcome.

In this book, Steven Furtick throws a challenge out to all of us once again to be “Greater”.

We all try to be greater as God has asked us to be in John 14:12, but we fall into a rut and just do things that are good enough.

Steven defines this:

**”Good Enough – Basline living that is marked by mediocrity, stuck in spiritual survival mode, and controlled by complatency.**

**Greatness – Vague, unrealistic aspirations of doing better that don’t work in real life and lead to endless frustration**

**Greater – The life-altering understanding that God is ready to accomplish a greatness in your life that is entirely out of human reach.  It’s beyond anything you see in yourself on your best day, but exactly what God has seen in you all along”**

Greater will give you the confidence you need to go above and beyond where you are at now in your life as long as you have God in it too.

The book is scheduled to release on September 4, 2012.

I received  an advance review copy from Mutonomah Books.

By Faith, Not By Sight is a beautiful story about Scott Macintyre.  In the book Scott, talks about his obstacles he hit during his childhood as well as obstacles that were in his way as he grew older.

During his college years things looked very bleak for Scott. His faith and his families faith pulled him through some very difficult times.

Scott had many hills and valleys in his life with some very good days and some that were looking like life was about to end.

All during this time Scott kept faith in God and pulled through.

Scott was a contestant on American Idol and handled that like a seasoned pro.  He did not let obstacles stand in his way.

This is a great read of a story of a man who went through struggles but yet let faith lead him, even though he can not physically see.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <https://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 <https://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Freya Reynolds and Daniel Tully, 13 years of age, came up missing from a school trip. Daniel lives on the streets and Freya lives in archways. After 8 years they are still enraged by the world they were in where they were in th underground on a quest filled with knights, and other creatures on a quest. Their mission is still incomplete.

They faced death, suicide, and other crimes.  All of these seem to be tied to the two of them. Who can be trusted in the epic journey?  You’ll have to read it to find out.

I recently got to read my first e-book on the iPad 2.  J.R.R. Tolkien was a biography of one of the most famous Author’s in history.  He is most well-known for writing the Hobbit and the Lord Of The Rings series.

Tolkien was born in South Africa but later migrated to Oxford University.  He also served in Word War I.

During those young informative years he met up with several other writers and pursued his dream of becoming one of the world’s most renown writers of all time penning the Lord Of The Rings series of books.

This is the first Biography I have read in a long time, and I have to say I enjoyed it quite a bit.  I also enjoyed getting this in an e-book format and reading it on my iPad2.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <https://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 <https://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”