Christian Book Notes

Cross, Erin.  A Tidbit Romance. k2e Books, Inc., 2010.  170 pp.  $14.99.  Purchase at Amazon for $10.79 or less.

Introduction

From Erin’s website, The Chicken Dance Mama:

Erin Coss – A.K.A. The Chicken Dance Mama, is a published author and speaker. She has published works in Revival Nation Magazine, and books, including First Conversations (Bethesda Institute), My Surgery Journal and My Hospital Journal (k2e Books). Erin has also worked on the television series The Directors (Encore) and the television documentary The Genocide Factor (PBS). Her high-energy, down-to-earth style is what drives the Chicken Dance Mama persona. Erin loves having fun relishing in God’s word and shares her insights in her book, A Tidbit Romance – Falling in Love with God’s Word One Devotion at a Time. She resides outside Columbus, Ohio with her husband Eric and their three children.

You can follow Erin on Facebook and Twitter.

Summary

A Tidbit Romance is a compilation of 60 devotionals penned by Erin Cross. She does not claim to be a writer. Rather, this book grew out of her wanting to minister to some women with one “tidbit” letter. From there, she wrote 59 more and published what she now calls A Tidbit Romance.

Each devotional is no more than four pages. Each devotional drives begins with a passage of Scripture sometimes one verse in length, sometimes four or five or more verses in length. Each “application” section of each devotional contains well-thought out statements drawing core truths upon which to meditate each day.

To get an idea of how she writes, you can download a free 18-page sample of the book here.

Review

As I read A Tidbit Romance, I looked for something significant to critique Erin on and really could not find anything of significance. Her devotional is perfect for the busy mom (or dad) wanting to spend a bit more time meditating on the depths and riches of Christ our Savior. The book is aptly named “tidbit” as there is just enough to chew on for the day but not so much that you choke!

Recommendation

While A Tidbit Romance is no Valley of Vision or Morning and Evening, it certainly serves the same purpose–to draw you closer to God. Check out the free sample and then order your copy today.

Brownback, Lydia. Purity. Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2010. 136 pp. $10.99. Purchase at Westminster for $7.80.

Introduction

Lydia Brownback is the author of the series “On-the-Go-Devotionals” written with the busy woman in mind. Lydia is a conference speaker as well as a book editor for a Christian publishing company.

Summary

Joy is one of those emotions, though Lydia makes the implicit case that joy is not an emotion but a lifestyle, that we all struggle with.  In women, it may be a bit more difficult to cultivate given the daily duties as a wife, mom, and maybe professional.  Beginning with joy in going forward in life, Lydia takes her readers on a journey of cultivating a lifestyle of joy in all things culminating in finding your joy in God’s love.  Along the road, you will discover how to have joy in forgiving, letting go, being vulnerable, praying, trusting, and submission among many other areas of life.

Review

To find joy in every situation is tough.  Sometimes, seeking for the joy can actually become idolatrous.  What I mean by that is rather than looking to Christ, you seek the “silver lining” or the joy in every situation thus taking your focus from Christ.  Lydia does a masterful job of guiding her readers to cultivating a biblical understanding of joy.  Again, she does not write about joy as an emotion.  Rather, she writes of joy as a lifestyle. 

Each chapter is written in short, succinct messages allowing for more thought and meditation than simply reading and forgetting.  These devotionals will stick with the reader throughout the day and hopefully throughout her life. 

Recommendation

As with all of the “On-the-Go Devotions,” I highly recommend Joy to any woman looking to truly be joyous in every situation in life–even if that is in changing a diaper!

Guthrie, Nancy.  Be Still, My Soul: Embracing God’s Purpose & Provision in Suffering.  Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2010.  176 pp.  $12.99.  Purchase at Westminster for $9.09.

Introduction

Nancy Guthrie needs no introduction to readers here at Christian Book Notes. She has quickly become one of my favorite devotional writers (or editor as the case may be) today. Her books, Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus and Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross have blessed me (and many others) during Christmas and Easter. Her book, Hearing Jesus Speak Into Your Sorrow,was used by God as a sweet balm to the soul of my wife during a difficult time in our lives. You can read my reviews of these books here. You can purchase Nancy’s books at Westminster.

Review

This 25 day devotional is very similar in approach to her other two devotionals, Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus and Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross, in that she pulls from various theologians and writers to take the reader on a multi-faceted journey through suffering.  This time she draws from men like Philip Yancey, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Abraham Kuyper as well as women like Helen Roseveare and Corrie Ten Boom.  Many familiar names are present as well.  Great saints like Lloyd-Jones, Edwards, Spurgeon, Piper, and Luther.

She divides this devotional into three parts.  The first parts spends nine days looking at God’s perspective on suffering.  The second part takes you on an eight day journey learning about God’s purpose in suffering.  The third and final section is another eight day journey spent at the foot of throne of God understanding His provision in suffering.

After spending twenty-five days drinking in the wisdom of the ages by many great divines who have suffered much for the gospel, you will have a more God-centered understanding of what and why you must go through suffering.

Recommendation

After having read Hearing Jesus Speak Into Your Sorrow and knowing a little about her own sufferings, Be Still, My Soul has a much deeper meaning.  Granted, Nancy did not write these devotionals herself, but it seems abundantly clear to me that she drank deeply from the well of God’s providence and provision during her season of suffering and this is the outpouring of what she learned.  I highly recommend Be Still, My Soul as well as anything else written by Nancy to any man or woman who calls upon the name of Christ as both Lord and Savior.  Even more, this particular devotion would be excellent to give to one who may be grieving or dealing with a season of suffering apart from Christ.

Cross, Kevin and Steven White. Building Your Financial Freedom in 52 Days: The Lessons of Nehemiah. Alachua: Bridge-Logos, 2009. 178 pp. $14.99.  Purchase at Amazon.com.

Introduction

Last week I spent the entire week looking at financial resources.  I had hoped to include this book in my week-long series, but was unable to do so.  Nonetheless, I would like to share with you a unique book on money that is a wonderful resource for anyone looking to be a better steward with what God has given them.

Kevin has a website, Account417, where you can find many free resources for taking charge of your finances.  You can also learn more about the Nehemiah Challenge while surfing this website.

Review

I say this financial book is unique because it is a devotional book.  Even more than that, the daily devotions are unique in that there is no questions to answer each night or something to memorize each week or some immediate application you are challenged to make the next day.  Rather, you will find that you want to do all of these things as you read through the biblical account of Nehemiah rebuilding the post-exile temple.

Each day requires three to five pages of reading.  Each day is introduced with various quotes–some humorous, some serious, some from non-Christians, some from Christians, many from the Scriptures.  Each day offers real life illustrations as well as looking closely at how Nehemiah managed to rebuild the temple and how he managed the resources that God gave him.

After fifty-two days of reading this devotional, your perspective on money will change.  This is not a get-rich quick scheme nor is it a “the world is ending and you need to hoard your resources” platform.  Building your Financial Fortress is a sound resource to better understand how to win with money by managing (stewardship) what God has entrusted to you.

Recommendation

While there are some challenging questions, you are never goaded into making choices.  Truth be told, I believe God will use this resource to help men and women become interested in their money from a biblical perspective.  Sure, there are deeper books on God and money (see last weeks reviews), but not everyone is ready for those.  Everyone is ready for Building your Financial Fortress. A fifty-two day devotion is just the thing to kick start one’s taking back their money for godly purposes.

Giveaway

Kevin has been gracious enough to sign two copies of Building your Financial Fortress for giveaway.  To win one of two copies simply leave a comment below about how studying Nehemiah would help you with your finances or post something on Twitter using @ChristBookNotes in your tweet.

This contest will end Monday, 12 October at noon.  God bless and good providence.

I have received permission from Professor Grant Horner of the Master’s College in Santa Clarita, CA. to share this with everyone.  This is an interesting way of reading the Bible.  I caution you though that if you decide to do this you will find your life will be revolutionized! –Terry Delaney

The Idea

Each day you will read one chapter from each list, in order. Use ten bookmarks or sticky notes with the individual lists on them to keep track of your locations. On day one, you read Matthew 1, Genesis 1, Romans 1, and so forth. On day 2, read Matthew 2, Genesis 2, etc. On day 29, you will have just finished Matthew, so go to Mark 1 on the Gospel list; you’ll also be almost to the end of 2nd Corinthians and Proverbs, you’ll be reading Psalm 29 and Genesis 29, and so forth. When you reach the last chapter of the last book in a list – start over again. Rotate all the way through all the Scriptures constantly. As the lists vary in length, the readings begin interweaving in constantly changing ways. You will NEVER read the same set of ten chapters together again!

Every year you’ll read through all the Gospels four times, the Pentateuch twice, Paul’s letters 4-5 times each, the OT wisdom literature six times, all the Psalms at least twice, all the Proverbs as well as Acts a dozen times, and all the way through the OT History and prophetic books about 1 ½ times. After you’ve read any particular book once or twice, your speed in that book usually doubles or triples because you’re familiar with it and can move quickly and confidently — because you are no longer merely decoding the text but thinking it through in the context of all of the scripture! Acts 20:27.

Even an ‘average’ reader, if focusing on moving through the text, rather than trying to figure everything out, can usually do this in about an hour a day – 5-6 minutes per chapter. If it is taking you longer, then you are ‘reading wrong’ – stay relaxed, focus, and just keep it moving. After a few days it gets *much* easier; in a month it will be a habit, and in six months you’ll wonder how you ever survived before on such a slim diet of the WORD. I began in 1983 as a new Christian and have now read (most of) the Bible hundreds of times. You also need to get ONE Bible, keep it, and do all your reading in it, so you learn where everything is. I’ve had the same Bible since 1983 and I know it intimately. If you keep switching Bibles, you ‘lose’ this intimacy with the text. Find a translation and format you like and stick with it. If your Bible is falling apart — you probably aren’t.

Your Bible is the only thing on Earth that, as you wear it out, will actually work better and better.

The Ten Lists

List 1 (89 days)
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
List 2 (187 days)
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
List 3 (78 days)
Romans, I&II Cor, Gal, Eph, Phil, Col, Hebrews
List 4 (65 days)
I&II Thess, I&II Tim, Titus, Philemon, James, I&II Peter, I,II&III John, Jude, Revelation
List 5 (62 days)
Job, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon
List 6 (150 days)
Psalms
List 7 (31 days)
Proverbs
List 8 (249 days)
Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I&II Samuel, I&II Kings, I&II Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther
List 9 (250 days)
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah,
Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
List 10 (28 days)
Acts

SECRETS TO SUCCESS WITH THIS SYSTEM:

*Put these instructions in your Bible and review them from time to time*

• Read one chapter from each list each day, in one sitting or two. At the end of a book, go to the next book. At the end of the list – start it again. Do it in the order given above.

• Read quickly (without “speedreading”) in order to get the overall sense. Read as fast as you comfortably can with moderate retention. You’re not studying deeply or memorizing; shoot for 5-6 minutes per chapter. At the end of a chapter, move immediately to the next list.

• GET THROUGH THE TEXT – no dawdling, back-reading, looking up cross-references!

• There are different ‘kinds’ of reading: super-quick skimming, careful moderate-paced, studying the text, deep meditation. You should be between the first and second kind.

• Most people decrease their time spent and increase their retention after just two-three weeks! I now read and retain Matthew in 35 minutes, Romans in 20, Genesis in an hour!

• Don’t look up anything you ‘don’t get’ – real understanding will come through contextualizing by reading a LOT of scripture over time. Get through the text!

• If you miss a day or two – ok, get over it, then keep going. Don’t cover yourself in sackcloth and ashes and quit! Move the bookmarks along, to find your place(s) quickly next day.

Heb 4:12&5:11-14; Eph 5:26&6:17; Col 3:16; 2 Tim 3:16; Ps 119; Ezra 8; Prov 3: 1-2, 10:14; Dan 1

Taylor, Ruby L. No More Good-Byes. Pennsylvania: Joy Will Come Ministries, 2009. 100 pp. $24.99. Purchase at Amazon for $18.99 or less.

Introduction

Ruby Taylor took a tragedy from her life, the death of a close cousin, and has turned it into a ministry to help others cope with the loss of a loved one. She has a ministry, Joy Will Come, that offers help and support to those who are experiencing grief. She is a social worker and an educator who loves working with inner city children and adults. Ruby has an enthusiastic personality. She shows how to love the Lord with all your heart, mind, and soul while loving your neighbor as yourself.

Review of No More Good-Byes

More than a book to sit down and read, No More Good-Byes is a study resource designed to show those left behind to deal with the loss of a loved one just how God is speaking to them during this dark time in their life. The book begins with Ruby’s story of how losing her cousin led to the writing of this book and the founding of her ministry, Joy Will Come. It certainly helps to know that she is writing from experience and not from the isolated world of a home or church office.

The study is divided into three parts and is for twenty-one days though all three parts are not of equal length. In part one Ruby leads the reader down the process of grief and loss. She moves through the stages of grief and shows from Scripture how these stages are normal. Part two moves directly into reliance upon the Lord. In a time of loss, it is nice to know Who is with you. Finally, part three details how the life to come if far better than the life here and now.

Recommendation

Drenched in Scripture, Ruby leads her reader gently by the hand to see a God who is always there and who will never leave nor forsake you. She begins with the common man-centered understanding of dealing with grief and shows how that is all fine and well, but quickly points the reader to a greater hope in God our Savior through Christ our Lord.

With questions at the end of each day to allow for interaction and pages for journaling, Ruby Taylor has authored a nice resource that would serve pastors well to have on hand when it comes time for grief counseling in your congregation. It would also be a great resource for funeral directors to be able to offer to families when they are dealing with death and the inevitable questions that will ensue. You can order in bulk at generously discounted rates from her website.

Young, Sarah. Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2004. 382 pp. $14.99. Purchase at Amazon.com. Also, you can purchase the audio CD version from Amazon for $16.49.

Introduction

Jesus Calling was written by a young missionary woman seeking to feel the presence of God more. With a simple pen and pad of paper, Sarah began taking down notes. The Lord pressed certain scripture passages on her heart and she would meditate on them. What we have in this book is her meditations from a personal journal made into a daily devotional for men and women seeking to feel the presence of God closer in their lives.

Sarah and her husband have planted in churches in Japan and Australia as well as counseled countless men, women and families. They currently minister to Japanese people living in Perth, Australia.

Content of Jesus Calling

If there is one phrase that best sums up Jesus Calling it would have to be “Come to me.” Those are the first words that appear the most often at the beginning of one of the daily devotions. Each day the reader is called to draw closer to God. This beautifully echoes so many passages found in the book of Hebrews where the writer tells us to draw close to God to find grace and mercy (Heb. 4:16), so that intercession may be made for us (Heb. 7:19), and so that we are made perfect (Heb. 10:1).

Each devotional is written as though God was writing directly to the reader. For example, pronouns like “I” and “me” are used to refer to the writer of the devotion while “you” is used to refer to the reader. It is obvious the “I’s” and the “me’s” are not referring to Sarah, but to God. The reader really does feel as though they are engaging God in a conversation.

At the end of each devotion, there is a listing of scripture passages to read and meditate on. These are carefully selected to further the devotion and point you to the unchanging Word of God.

Recommendation

This devotional is God-centered, Christ-exalting, and soul-refreshing. This one-year, daily devotional would make a great gift for a Christian brother or sister. I am thinking especially of someone who is going through some seriously tough issues, and who ain’t these days, in life. I am thinking of the woman whose husband just left her with 3 kids and a house payment. I am thinking of the man who just lost his job and has no idea where to go next. There are numerous people in my own life that I can think to give this book to and I am sure there are in yours as well. If the book is not available at Amazon (it was not as of the writing of this review), then you can purchase it directly from Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Tripp, Paul David. A Shleter in the Time of Storm: Meditation on God and Trouble. Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2009. 160 pp. $12.99. Purchase at Westminster Books for $8.96.

Introduction

Paul Tripp is no stranger to writing books of meditations. He has also written Crossway’s Whiter than Snow (read review) which is 52 meditations on Psalm 51. In addition to his books, he is the president of Paul Tripp Ministries and is on the pastoral staff at Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, PA. Read more…

Bryan, Hunter, & Harrison Hall.  Mano-A-Mano.  Xulon Press, 2009.  431 pp.  $22.99.  Purchase at Amazon.com for only $17.93.

Introduction to Mano-A-Mano

The men of the Hall family set down to write a devotional for men who are parents to teenage sons.  Bryan, the father,  serves as a deacon, small group Bible Study leader, a fourth grade Sunday School instructor, and is a member of the worship choir at Brentwood Baptist Church in Brentwood, TN. Hunter is a biology major at Bryan College while Harrison is a junior at Brentwood High School.  All three have participated in multiple missions trips. Read more…

Fitzpatrick, Elyse M. Comforts from the Cross: Celebrating the Gospel One Day at a Time. Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2009. 146 pp. $14.99.

Elyse M. Fitzpatrick, head of Women Helping Women Ministries, holds a masters in biblical counseling from Trinity Theological School. She wrote this book of meditations in order to help us to truly celebrate the gospel each and every day for a month. This may seem silly, but if the truth were told, I bet more often than not Christians do not celebrate the gospel of Jesus Christ. Sadly, I often fall into this category more than I care to admit.

Fitzpatrick has written a month’s worth of devotional material to help keep you focused on the most important matter in one’s life: the saving truth of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection that is the gospel. In a style that I would describe as motherly, she sets out to show the centrality of the gospel and the joy found therein.

Brad Bigney, from his blurb on the back of the book, says, “The church today, particularly in America, has been languishing in selfish, impotent, shallow immaturity—barely able to survive, let alone thrive and make an impact on our culture.” Need I say more? This month long set of devotions will quicken your heart to love Christ for what He has done for you on the cross. In addition, you will be challenged—through your own joy in the gospel—to share it with others. If you struggle to find joy in the gospel, allow Elyse Fitzpatrick to help you. If you do not struggle, chances are you know someone who does; this book would make a perfect gift.