Christian Book Notes

Earl, Richard. Shepherd’s Balm: Monday Morning Calls to the Shepherds of God’s Flock. Cherry Hill: Kalos Books, 2010. 335 pp. $7.99. Purchase on Kindle or in Paperback.

Introduction

Richard Earl is a 27 year veteran of pastoral ministry in a variety of small church contexts and roles. He has been lead pastor at Mountainside Assembly of God, a progressive missional congregation, in Coal Township, Pa. in the heart of Pennsylvania’s anthracite coal region since 1998.
Rich is founder and president of the Lehigh Christian Alumni: an alumni affinity group at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa. He serves as board chair of Expectations Women’s Center in Lewisburg, Pa. and of Vision for Growth, a Christian action group serving the communities of Shamokin and Coal Township, Pa.
Rich lives with his wife Faith, and Art Therapist and three children in Sunbury, Pa.
You can connect with Rich through Facebook, and follow him on Twitter (Goodground). Follow his interesting blog at http://goodground.blogspot.com/. He is an avid antiquarian book collector and dealer.

Summary

Divided into 52 “chapters,” Shepherd’s Balm is written to be a devotional to help pastors to continue to focus on the Lord…even on Monday. The author pulls from many different writings and authors as he seeks to challenge pastors to gird up their loins and be prepared for the fight. Each chapter is written to that end. Some of the chapters are meant to be healing. Others are meant to be a stirring call to battle.
Some of the men from which Richard extracts from are Richard Baxter (Puritan), Eugene Peterson (author of The Message), Dallas Willard, Charles Spurgeon, Andrew Murray, William Gurnall, and John Bunyan to name but a few. Richard, while serving as the editor, has also added a few of his own chapters.
The end of the chapter offers exercises to put into action the principle found in that week’s devotion. These help to get the pastor back in the saddle so-to-speak. Also included at the end of each chapter is a page dedicated for journaling. Again, a beneficial discipline to work into one’s daily routine.

Review

Richard Earl has done a nice job of compiling from a wide array of pastors who have “been there and done that.” He does not reinvent the wheel nor does he come off as an authority on how the pastor should respond in ministry. Rather, he writes as one who has suffered through the very same trials and tribulations that every pastor preaching the Scriptures will experience. His exercises offer practical helps that will push the pastor in the right direction. Often times, Satan isolates ministers into believing they are the only one to experience such and such a trial. By engaging in these exercises, the element of isolation will be nullified. All in all, well edited and written. Very practical and biblically sound advice can be found on these pages.

Recommendation

For most pastors, Monday’s are rough. Sunday services generally take a toll on the pastor more than any other day of the week. Many resignation letters have been written and thrown away on Monday’s. Shepherd’s Balm will be a great resource to give to a pastor who is struggling or will find himself one day struggling in the ministry.
Even more, this resource could be used for all Christians to help them along in their respective journeys with Christ.
For more information on the book, you can visit the Shepherds Balm.

Liere, Helen Decker.  A Life Transformed – by Accident: An Inspirational Memoir.  Denver: Outskirts Press, Inc., 2009.  216 pp.  $14.95.  Purchase at Amazon for much less.

Introduction

Helen lives with her husband, Ray, in Oregon.  After her near-fatal crash (about which this book is written) and having to quit her professional life, she has discovered a renewed sense of purpose and joy in which to pursue life.

Summary

From the back of the book:

“You never know what tomorrow will bring.” Helen Liere found out how life-changing an ordinary day can be. When returning from presenting a workshop, she was nearly killed when struck head-on by an out-of-control pickup truck. The reader will discover through her spell-binding story-telling: • how difficult it is for a very independent woman to become totally dependent

• what parts of her life are lost forever
• what character traits help her survive and recover
• the role of family, friends and church
• what saves her from financial ruin
• what she wishes she had known before she left the hospital
• what happens to her faith
• what she discovers really matters in life.

Life can change in an instant, but Liere knows that she is now ready for what tomorrow may bring. Her physical loss has truly been her soul’s gain. For book clubs and faith study groups there is a study guide at the end of the book that will provide for the readers’ discussion of the insights gained from this inspiring story.

Review

A work like this is difficult to review in that you are in essence reviewing one’s perspective on what took place in their personal life.  On one hand, they are not wrong because it is their belief.  On the other hand, they may not fully understand what is happening or what the Bible really says about a particular situation.  For example, the plethora of books about dying and going to heaven – I have no doubt that those authors experienced something, but I do question the authority by which they write of their experiences as though their experience supersedes that of what Scripture explicitly teaches.

That being said, what you read in A Life Transformed must be done with great discernment.  For example, she questions why the accident happened to her, was it God’s judgment or was it to help her?  Ultimately, as a believer in Christ, it was for her good.  Often times, we make an idol, unintentionally or otherwise, of the “silver linings” in our trials and tribulations and we miss the importance of clinging to Christ in faith and hope.

The question is never, Did surviving an accident like this change your life?  rather, the question should be, Did surviving the accident draw you to Christ in such a way that you are now closer to Him?  I believe that Helen answers the latter with a resounding “yes” because it is obvious that the former did happen.

Recommendation

Again, it is important to remember that reading these subjective biographies must be done with great discernment and taken at face value.  We must wrestle with her perspective while continuing to keep Scripture before us as our rule.  I do recommend A Life Transformed to any discerning Christian.  I am grateful that Helen did write her story and publish it so that others may be blessed by what the Lord has done in her life.  

Timmerman, F.B. The 40 Days – A Novel.  Janesville: Cardamom Publishers, 2011.  200 pp.  $12.95.  Purchase at Amazon for much less.

Introduction

“He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3).  Other than a few details concerning appearances to the disciples and apostles (most seemingly right after His resurrection), that is all that is mentioned of Christ’s post-resurrection life here on earth.  Author F.B. Timmerman seeks to take what is not known and engage in telling a story about the impact He would have had on those whom He conversed with.  The 4o Days – A Novel is meant to make the reader think and is not meant to take the place of Scripture.

You can read more about the book at its website.

Summary

What begins as an archaeological dig for a father and daughter turns into a trip down memory lane as they unearth a diary of a shepherd and his special needs son.  In this diary, we read of a visit from one Jesus Christ who spent a few days talking with the father and the son.  The father has a ton of questions for Christ which He patiently answers.  Along the way, the conversation will provide biblical answers to everyday questions from a 1st century Palestinian setting though, as with Scripture, applying to today’s world with today’s issues.  In other words, “There is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9).

Review

One must always be careful when writing a work of historical fiction…especially with Scripture.  Timmerman does a nice job of keeping the essentials straight and accurate.  While not everyone will agree with his perspective on some answers given by Christ, they cannot do so because of extrabiblical influence.  Instead, they will be forced to wrestle with the Scriptures themselves as he, the author, offers biblical support (almost 500 separate footnotes!) for each and every answer that comes from the mouth of Jesus.  Perhaps the best aspect of this book is the timeless, biblical wisdom offered in a story format that will surely cause the reader, believer or not, to pause and consider what the Bible says about ________.  And yes, the Bible speaks to just about every problem man faces.

Recommendation

The 40 Days is a nice work of historical fiction.  More importantly, the author painstakingly supported every answer with Scripture.  For those who are looking for a good read, I recommend this novel.  I would also caution the reader to be discerning.  Not that there is anything heretical, but you never want to fully agree with 100%…especially in a subjective work of fiction where, more often than not, we are reading the author’s perspective.  That being said, I would recommend this resource to anyone…believer or not.

Puerto, Evelyn.  Beyond the Rapids – One Family’s Triumph Over Religious Persecution in Communist Ukraine.  Enumclaw: Pleasant Word Publishing, 2010.  330.  $19.99.  Purchase at Amazon in print or Kindle for much less.

Introduction

Evelyn served as a missionary in Russia for seven years after leaving a health care planning career.  During that time, she traveled a number of times into the Ukraine where she met the Brynza family, about which this book is written.  You can learn more at the website, Beyond The Rapids.

Summary

From the website:

Spanning the years from the Great Terror of the 1930s to the time when believing in Christ is no longer a crime, this close-knit Ukrainian family quietly persisted through the years, trusting God for everything. The Brynzas’ children, forced to choose between God and the communist system, wrestled with temptations of ambition, popularity, love, and wealth. But God heard the faithful prayers of Alexei and Valentina, and the Brynza family was able to not only survive, but to thrive. Their son-in-law, Igor Yaremchuk, adds his own testimony of coming to Christ with the help of miracles and atheistic propaganda.

Also from the website, concerning the Brynzas:

Alexei Brynza served as a Baptist pastor in the Khortitsa Baptist Church near the city of Zaporozhe from 1975 to 1990. In 1975, he was named senior pastor for the Zaporozhe region, overseeing over 30 churches.

He and his wife, Valentina, had four children, Yakov, Viktor, Lena, and Veniamin. In spite of pressure from school government officials, they brought their children up in the church, even during the years it was illegal to do so.

Following the fall of the Soviet Union, Alexei Brynza was asked to be the first president of a new seminary to train Baptist and Evangelical Christian pastors and Christian education workers, to be located in Irpin, and suburb of Kiev. He served in that role from 1990 to 2008, resigning only a few months before his death. His son-in-law, Igor Yaremchuk, now serves as president of the Irpin Biblical Seminary.

All four of the Brynza children came to know Jesus as their savior. Beyond the Rapids tells of their struggles and triumphs, and how these faithful parents were able to defeat the efforts of the government to prevent them from passing on their faith to their children. All of Alexei and Valentina’s children are currently serving in ministry.

Review

This works reads more like an interview of the Brynza family detailing the horrors of religious persecution.  The book opens with the grandfather being lead out to the firing line for being a Baptist and refusing to fight in the military.  In other words, this quick paced biography hits the ground in a dead sprint and rarely gives the reader a chance to relax.  What the reader quickly finds is that there is much more to this family’s faith than one would think.  Forged in trials and persecution, the Brynza family does not want to make there story about their family.  Rather they want their story to tell His story of grace and mercy even in times of trouble.

While this work is about a specific family from a specific country, the author, friends with the Brynza family, opens the eyes of the American reader to the reality of religious persecution in the world today.  If just one person becomes more aware of this reality of religious persecution and seeks to do something about it (prayer, missions, etc.) then the author and the publisher’s investment will have been far worth it.

Recommendation

I am sure there are some reviewers that might take to task some of the beliefs of the family, but that is not the point of this book.  You can read Foxe’s Book of Martyrs and remain unfazed by what he shares because it happened so long ago.  For those who do not believe that religious persecution takes place today, read Beyond the Rapids and you will see that we are more than fortunate (for a time, anyway) than most every other country.  I thoroughly enjoyed this biography and believe you will as well.

Strauch, Alexander.  If You Bite & Devour One Another – Biblical Principles for Handling Conflict.  Littleton: Lewis and Roth Publishers, 2011.  192 pp.  $13.99.  Purchase at Amazon for less.

Introduction

Alexander Strauch is quickly becoming one of my personal favorite authors.  His works are needed in the church today as they deal succinctly with specific needs from a biblical perspective, or, as in the case of his biography on Robert C. Chapman, introduces us to men who lived a biblically-sound life.  You can read my reviews of other resources by Mr. Strauch here.

Summary

The entire book is, in essence, a meditation on Galatians 5:15: “But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.” The book is somewhat subdivided into four parts: Act, Control, Pursue, and Face.  The first section encourages the reader to act in the Spirit, in love and in humility.  To this end, he challenges the reader to fight to be a genuine Christian in his or her actions.  The second section exhorts the believer to control their anger, their tongue, and their criticism.  This is important as these three “elements” are the seed-bed in which much controversy is started.

The third section encourages the reader to pursue both reconciliation and peace when conflict arises.  This must be done in a loving and humble spirit (see the allusion to section one?) while controlling the elements of section two.  The final section challenges the christian to face up to both false teachers and biblical controversies.  In other words, do not turn your back on these cancers found within the church.  This also takes wisdom as not everything should be considered a controversy!

Review

Strauch teaches his way through Galatians 5:15 with the precision of a surgeon.  In a manner that hearkens back to the days of the Puritans, he carefully exegetes this passage beginning with how one ought to behave in order to avoid conflict.  He then moves to how one ought to react to conflict that has been instigated in the church or even in one’s personal relationships with others. Finally, he explains how we should be on the offensive looking to root out possible contention within the body (and again within one’s personal life).

Each chapter ends with a few “key principles to remember” that helps the reader to readily apply what has been learned in the preceding chapter.  What is more, this work is not rooted in psychological babble or sociological schizophrenia.  Rather, it is rooted in Scripture  as the nine page index of scripture references shows.

Recommendation

While there are a few sound conflict handling resources available (I’m thinking Ken Sande here!), Strauch has authored one that definitely rises to the top of the pile for its practicality and biblical centrality.  That is not to say that Sande is neither of those.  It is to say that Strauch offers a different, albeit still biblical, perspective on a subject that is sorely needed in the church today.  Furthermore, this resource is perfect for the one who seeks to be a peacemaker in the lives of those he or she interacts with.  A highly recommended resource to any seeking to handle conflict biblically.

Schaff, Phillip.  The Person of Christ: The Perfection of Humanity Viewed as a Proof of His Divinity.  Hannibal: Granted Ministries, 2011.  224 pp.  $16.00.  Purchase at Granted Ministries for $10.00.

Introduction

This work published by Granted Ministries is a combination of the original 1865 edition which was published by Bible House and the last edition which was published by the American Tract Society in 1882.  This is the second edition published by Granted Ministries.

Dr. Schaff (1819-1893) was born in Switzerland and educated in Germany.  He emigrated to the United States in 1844 where he served as a professor at Union Theological Seminary in New York Seminary until his death.  During that time, he became a much respected church historian.  This work, in particular, takes a long hard look at the man, Jesus Christ, upon which the church is founded.

Summary

This work is divided into three sections.  The first section looks at the Person of Christ.  Over ten chapters, the reader will learn of the life of Jesus from His birth to his Crucifixion.  The last two chapters of the first section offer a summary of what was gleaned from Scripture as well as a look at what Christ had to say about Himself.

The second section studies false theories regarding the person of Jesus Christ.  First, the author offers a study on the denial of miracles before moving on to dealing with the hypothesis of imposture — that is, Jesus was pretending to be sinless.  The next false theory dealt with is that of self-deception.  Many might know of this as part of C.S. Lewis’ Liar, Lunatic, or Lord argument for the authority of Christ as both Lord and Savior. The final false theory dealt with is that of poetical fiction.  Here, Schaff looks specifically at two men who have attempted to promulgate this theory with different emphases.

The final section is a collection of many testimonies of unbelievers throughout the history of the church.  To our knowledge, none of the men Schaff quotes ever became a believer in Christ.  Nonetheless, they all spoke highly of Him.

Review

Written in the latter half of the 19th century, this work remains timeless in both its subject matter and usefulness for the church.  Dr. Schaff is, as usual, impeccable in his research and support for his arguments.  He also lays out such a complete and compelling argument that for one to walk away from this conversation and not believe is doing so willfully.  Even though the book was written some 150 years ago, the arguments remain accessible even if a bit weighty.  This work is certainly not beach reading but can definitely be read by anyone with a thirst to learn more about the person of Jesus Christ.

I appreciated the opening remarks for each section of the book by Granted Ministries.  These help today’s reader to better understand the implications of what is being read as well as how to apply it to every day life.

Recommendation

Again, though this is an “advanced” book (Granted Ministries has it labeled as a “level 2″ book of 3 levels) I would not hesitate to offer it to a new believer or even someone who is wanting to know more about Christ as an unbeliever.  Ultimately, faith is from God and to God through the power of the Holy Spirit and no one can argue another person into the kingdom.  That does not mean that resources outside of Scripture can be used to this end.  Dr. Philip Schaff’s work, The Person of Christ, is one such resource that can be used for this end.  It deals with one topic and one topic only — Jesus Christ.  There is no better topic for either the believer or unbeliever to study.  I recommend this work to all regardless of faith.

Stallings, Gary.  Photography by Christen Byrd.  Mario’s Golden Locket.  Flourish Publishing House, 2012.  38 pp.  $10.95.  Purchase at Amazon for less.

Introduction

Perhaps it is best to introduce Gary and his family with the words written at his website, Fields of the Fatherless:

Our family used to live in the Rocky Mountains where Gary was an elder at Agape Outpost Church in Breckenridge, Colorado for many years. During this time God developed a heart for the nations in him as he went on mission trips all over the world. It was contagious and so together, he, Cathy, Josh and Abi dreamed together and then stepped out into the adventure we are now living.
Gary farmed in Arkansas before his move to Colorado, and so a return to the farm seemed to fit. Through a variety of unusual circumstances the Lord planted us in Uruguay.

In addition, He has provided this amazing farm; a place far above and beyond what we could have hoped for, dreamed of, or paid for! Just as He did that in the physical realm, we have hope and faith for Him to do far above and beyond what we could imagine or hope for in the spiritual realm.

Our family is on site in Uruguay, but we are blessed with many supporters, encouragers and prayer warriors, whom without, we could not be here. In addition, Fields of the Fatherless is a non-profit organization.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the book are used to support this ministry.  You can find out more at FlourishingPublishingHouse.com or FieldsoftheFatherless.org.

Summary/Review

This children’s book tells the story of a sheep, Mario, who is looking to play with other animals.  Each animal has a locket inscribed with a message from the king.  As he searches for new friends, he finds that there is no one willing to play with him.  After a while, another animal changes the inscription on Mario’s locket to which he becomes dejected.  As he trudges homeward, the king comes upon him and changes the message inside the locket back to what he had originally inscribed.

For children, this little resource can be used to show that it does not matter what names others may call you (and let’s be honest, kids can be mean and hurtful to one another) but it does not matter because the King of kings and Lord of lords has named you and created you in His image.  This important truth is expressed in great detail without skirting the reality that “names and faces” do hurt.  The author does a wonderful job of pointing the reader back to the Lord where we all should find our identity.

The photography by Christen Byrd sets this work apart from other children’s resources.  Whereas most children’s books are drawings and sketches, the pictures here are of actual animals and and a young king.  This really helps to enliven the child’s mind and to realize that they are not alone in the world when it comes to having their feelings hurt.

Recommendation

Mario’s Golden Locket would make for a great coffee table book or a book to have in a doctor’s office or child care center.  The message is biblical though not offensive (yes, I’m appealing to the PC police on this one) and will be a resource that can be used to read to a group of children and discuss the importance of “doing unto others as you would have them do unto you.”  As for owning in your own home, once again, this resource will be of great value.  I recommend this book to anyone who has children, wants to have children, or interacts with children.

Godawa, Brian.  Noah Primeval – Chronicles of the Nephilim, Book One.  Los Angeles: Embedded Pictures Publishing, 2011.  396 pp.  $12.99.  Purchase at Amazon for Kindle or in print for much less.

Introduction

Brian Godawa is an award winning screenwriter in Hollywood who wrote the feature film, To End All Wars, which starred Kiefer Sutherland.  He has also adapted to film Frank Peretti’s novel, The Visitation, for Ralph Winter, X-Men and Planet of the Apes.  He has also published two books through Inter-Varsity Press: Hollywood Worldviews – Watching Films with Wisdom and Discernment and Word Pictures – Knowing God Through Story and Imagination.

A note about this series is important for the reader.  Brian states in the Preface, “While I engage in significant creative license and speculation, all of it is rooted in an affirmation of what I believe is the theological and spiritual intent of the Bible.”  Later he states emphatically he is “not writing scripture.  I am not even saying that I believe this is how the story might have actually happened.  I am simply engaging in a time-honored tradition of the ancient Hebrew culture: I am retelling a biblical story in a new way to underscore the theological truths within it.”

I share these two quotes because they are essential to the reading and enjoyment of this novel and consequently the review of this book.

Summary

Since this is a retelling of a beloved Biblical story, the summary is quite simple.  Noah has been charged by Elohim to build a box in order to save he and his family from certain doom when Elohim judges the world because of sin.  The artistic license really comes in as Brian imagines what the world must have been like in the days of Noah.

From the back of the book

Noah Primeval is a speculative retelling of the beloved story of Noah for a new generation. In an ancient world submerged in darkness, fallen angels rule as gods, and breed giants and monsters. Mankind is enslaved to evil. Noah, a tribal leader, has been prophesied to bring an end to the rule of these “gods” and save humanity from coming destruction. But Noah’s wife and son are captives of these dark forces. To rise against this supernatural evil and rescue his family Noah will need an equally supernatural army. But why has God told him to build a huge box out of gopher wood?

Review

First, let me be clear, there was a ton of artistic license about the story surrounding the Biblical account of Noah and the ark.  That being said, Brian stays absolutely true to the story we find in the Bible.  Furthermore, I think he helps to break through certain wrong assumptions regarding Noah and the actual building of the ark.  All Noah is told is how to build the ark not that he alone must build it.  I for one, realized that I had assumed he built it by himself.  Brian helped me to see that that may not have been the case.

Also, he offered a good visual to what may have happened to Noah’s friends and extended family when the flood waters came.  Again, this all artistic license, but there is nothing wrong or heretical with what Brian wrote.

The story in and of itself is well told and extremely visual.  While the reader may not necessarily agree with the angles in which Godawa writes, they will certainly find the retelling of this story mind-blowing and, quite honestly, believable.  Furthermore, Brian offers some 100 pages of appendices chronicling his research and why he wrote from the perspective he did.  Again, this is helpful to the reader but not necessary.  What it does show is that Brian is working from a point of view in which he seeks to bring honor and glory to God through his artistic rendition of this Biblical account.  Keep in mind that the author’s goal was to “retell a  a biblical story in a new way to underscore the theological truths within it.”  Brian succeeds wonderfully and does so to the glory of God.

Recommendation

This is the first volume of many.  I do have the next three and will be reviewing those as well.  I must say that I started reading a bit skeptical as to the ability to stay true to the story in Scripture while adding to it numerous other facets.  I recommend this book to the one who is looking for a fun read that will leave you worshiping the Lord and wanting more.  You will enjoy this book.

Carr, Simonetta.  Renee of France.  England: Evangelical Press Books, 2013. 128 pp.  Purchase at Amazon for less.

Introduction

Simonetta Carr has become one of my personal favorite authors.  She has done more for children’s literature in terms of biographies than any author I have read.  You can read my reviews as well as my interview of Simonetta here.  You can also become a “fan” of her Christian Biographies for Young Readers series on Facebook.

Summary

Renee lived in the 1600′s and wound up right in the middle of the Reformation (she was seven when Luther nailed his 95 theses to the Wittenberg church door).  Carr traces Renee’s thoughts as she struggles with what to believe and, more importantly, why she should believe it.  She was a tender-hearted woman who wanted to please God.

Review

Carr does an excellent job staying objective in her treatment of this controversial woman of the Reformation.  For the Roman Catholic Church believes she was deceived by John Calvin and the other Reformers while the Protestants believe her to be a champion of the Reformation.

I liked that Carr let Renee do the talking for herself so to speak in order that the reader could get a better feel for the inner turmoil taking place in her life as the war of Reformation took place all over Europe.  More importantly, Carr masterfully shows what it means to be a Berean and to search the Scriptures along with seeking the insight of great thinkers all the while looking to the Bible for confirmation.

Recommendation

Simonetta Carr has done it again in this superbly written biography!  Renee of France will provide much insight into the horrendous pressure to choose a side in what we call the Reformation.  This work is recommended highly to all Christians, young and old, who want to know more about their heritage from which they come.

Kail, Lisa.  Without Words: The Story of a Mission to the Roma People.  Mountain Home: BorderStone Press, LLC, 2012.  88 pp.  $7.99.  Purchase at Amazon.

Introduction

Lisa has been married for 28 years to Kevin, her high school sweetheart.  They have two daughters and one son-in-law.  They attend First Baptist Church in Humboldt, TN where they are supported and nurtured in a way that only a loving church body could.  Lisa began a ministry to the Roma in 2001 and has watched as the Lord blossomed her activity in the country through numerous short term mission trips which she leads.  In 2010 she was blessed to be able to stay for a full 8 weeks bridging the gap between mission trips and now also serves as a full time volunteer to Roma Ministries as an administrative assistant.

Summary

In essence, Without Words, chronicles Lisa’s work to the Roma people in the country of Romania.  The Roma people are often called gypsies and are more often negatively stereotyped as being thieves and beggars.  Lisa shares how the Lord began to burden her heart for these men and women who were considered as outcast from society yet in dire need of the gospel (as we all are).  After all, Paul said it best in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

Review

It is difficult to review a personal work such as Without Words.  Ultimately, you are criticizing one’s personal reflections and perspective on what is happening in their own life and the lives of those being ministered to.  What you will get in this short but powerful little book is a heart wrenching story of a people in need of the gospel and a heart warming story of the Lord sending workers into the field to bring about a bountiful harvest.  Lisa writes with an openness that is needed today.  It is abundantly clear to the reader that Lisa is not writing this story in so much as the Lord is writing it through her.  The conclusion of each chapter is a “personal challenge” that will open the reader’s eyes to the need of the gospel to go forth as well as our need to be humble and open to the calling the Lord may place on our lives.

Recommendation

While not exactly a book calling us all to missions (though it is that), Without Words is an exhilarating look at what the Lord of the harvest is doing in and through missionaries  in a particular part of the world; specifically, Romania.  I recommend this short but powerful little book to anyone with a heart for the gospel and a heart to reach a particular people group.  I can see this small resource raising awareness of a need and being used of the Lord to draw others into the work that He has begun.  What a joy and a privilege to serve our Lord.  Lisa makes it very clear that that is all she is doing.  Read and enjoy.