Book Review : Empty Promises by Pete Wilson

The Truth About You, Your Desires, and the Lies You're Believing

Book Description

We all long for more of something in our lives. In our endless pursuit to feel worth and acceptance we find ourselves sacrificing everything for the promise to be a little more beautiful, a little richer, a little more powerful and successful, a little more loved.

How do we break free from these empty pursuits and start chasing the only Promise that will ever satisfy? How do we uncover the hidden idols that are driving us and turn our devotion toward the one true God?

Join Pastor and best-selling author Pete Wilson in discovering the joy and freedom that comes with seeking after God with your whole life. Learn how to replace, and not just relinquish, life's empty promises by turning your focus and worship toward Him. It is the only thing that will set you absolutely free from the endless pursuit of everything else.

My review:

If we can be honest with ourselves, we will admit we have some things that we consciously and unconsciously idolize in our lives. Pete shows us some of the main things that people tend to base their lives on and hence idolize them. He also goes on to talk about how the promises that stem from these idols can be shallow or most often, just empty.We often base our identity on money, job, beauty etc and when it gets taken away from us, we are left with an empty feeling. That's a dangerous place to be as these material things do not have a solid foundation to stand on. Christ is the only solid rock and He never forsakes us - doesn't matter if we have money or no money, employed or unemployed and so on. God looks at us and says we are perfect in Him. We can feel that ONLY when we put our trust in Him and not on any other empty promises.

Since life is filled with a lot of empty promises, this book will be worth the read to know how to base our identity on something that will last forever. 

Disclosure: I received a review copy as a part of Thomas Nelson Book Reviewers Program. No monetary compensation was received. The above post reflects my personal opinion.

Book Review: The First Date by Krista McGee

Book Description

Addy Davidson is the last girl in the country who wants to be on the new reality TV show to win a date to prom with the President’s son. She’s focused on her schoolwork so she can get a scholarship to an Ivy League college, uncomfortable in the spotlight, never been on a date, and didn’t even audition for it.

But she got selected anyway.

So she does her best to get eliminated on the very first show… right before she realizes that the President’s son is possibly the most attractive guy she has ever seen in person, surprisingly nice, and seemingly unimpressed by the 99 other girls who are throwing themselves at him.

Addy’s totally out of her comfort zone—but that may be right where God can show her the most about who she is . . . and who she was meant to be.

During the holidays, I wanted a really light book to read every night and this was perfect. It was a simple romantic story about how true love can blossom. It focuses on a girl named Addy who loves her school and highly ambitious to get into a Ivy League college. But it turns out that God wanted to take her through an experience that she has never dreamed of. The story is slightly based or resembles the story of Esther from the Bible. Esther never wanted to be a queen but God gives Esther unmerited favor with the king so that her people would be saved. Addy's character is like Esther and the story goes on to talk about how she yields herself into the experience prayerfully . She is one of the contestants who would win the contest to go to the prom with the President's son. Will she go? Does she win? It is worth the read, so go on and find out!

Buy it from Amazon for CAD 9.65 / USD 9.99

( Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishers, I received a free advanced reading copy of this book as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. All opinions are only my own.)

Book Review: 100 Read & Sing Devotions

About the book: 

Kids can read, sing, and learn while they spend time with God!

In 100 Devotions, 100 Bible Songs children can read a devotion, sing a beloved song, and say a prayer all while learning and spending time with God. Perfect for before school, bedtime, or anytime, these short devotions will be fun for kids and help parents grow their children’s faith.

With bright illustrations, great music, and powerful messages, kids will have fun while they learn to walk with God and apply the message of the Bible to their everyday lives.

Every page of this book are little nuggets rich in scriptures through illustrations, reading, a short verse and a small prayer. I found it to be of high quality in terms of the book cover, page quality and oh it also comes with 2 CDs full of songs. If I were to give this as a gift, I am sure to "wow" the receiver.But I am not gifting this to anyone as my son loves to read this book! He finds it easy to understand and he is also learning the short Bible verses, which is awesome.

The CDs have found their home in our car and my son ( and me) loves the songs and sings along by shaking his head to the beats! It is a great set for small children as young as 3 and a valuable tool to teach and help children grow in their faith.

( Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishers, I received a free advanced reading copy of this book as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. All opinions are only my own.)

Book Review: "Love you More" by Jennifer Grant

Following the invisible thread of connection between people who are seemingly intended to become family, journalist Jennifer Grant shares the deeply personal, often humorous story of adopting a fifteen-month-old girl from Guatemala when she was already the mother of three very young children. 

Her family's journey is captured in stories that will encourage not only adoptive families but those who are curious about adoption or whose lives have been indirectly touched by it. Love You More explores universal themes such as parenthood, marriage, miscarriage, infertility, connection, destiny, true self, failure and stumbling, and redemption.

I really enjoyed reading this book and felt as though I lived the moments with the author. It is very interesting and not one page is boring to read. This was my first read ever on the topic of adoption and it was nice to hear about someone's personal experience - the anxious waiting, the joy and the ups and downs of the paper work and procedures. If I ever want to adopt a child, this book would be one of resources that I would use. 

Jennifer Grant talks about parenting and how others made her felt when they saw her children in the grocery store.Looks, words - kind and rude is all included to make the reader know that the process of adoption doesn't end with the paper work. She goes on to talk about how her adopted daughter felt about her birth mother and the important talk that she had at the right moment.

Simple, humorous and a great read. I found it hard to put down the book and looked forward to reading more though I knew that there was no particular end to the story.

( Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishers, I received a free advanced reading copy of this book as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. All opinions are only my own.)

Review: The Little Red Book of Wisdom by Mark DeMoss

We all could use an another helping of wisdom! I thought this book would be an "advice" or "lecture" kind of book, telling all the do's and don't s. On the contrary, it wasn't. It is full of nuggets of wise words we all know of but march right on them as we are too busy doing our own things.

The author shares in mini-chapters about his own experience and why it is important to pay attention to the small things in life. He also goes on to talk about how following some small rules in life impacted his life and those around him.

It was an easy read but I was all happy while reading it. I was able to reflect on how I can use these wise tips in my life to make a difference in my own life and to others.The author doesn't come across as a teacher trying to teach all the good lessons but his style of sharing his life experiences, made it more reflective and thought provoking.It would be a great book to read while traveling!

Buy it from Thomas Nelson for $16.99

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( Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishers, I received a free advanced reading copy of this book as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. All opinions are only my own.)

Review : The Ultimate DVD Bible - Volume 2

Synopsis

A Bible storybook with DVDs to help you share the joy and wonder of God’s Word with the children in your life.

These bite-sized vignettes in book and DVD presentations are perfect for the attention span of little ones, and give parents maximum flexibility to fit any time frame. This volume contains more than 100 beloved Bible stories, including time-honored favorites like Joseph, Moses, Balaam, The Promised Land, Solomon, Elisha, Daniel, Jonah, The Boy Jesus, Miracles of Jesus, Jesus’ Death and Resurrection, and many more.

I try to read Bible stories to my son often from his toddler Bible and he loves the story of David and Goliath, Joseph and his brothers and a few others to name. Though I prefer him to read from a book, I thought I'd give this The Ultimate DVD Bible a try. 

The animations were short and cute with simple words. Bright colors make it a vibrant story experience with wonderful illustrations. Not the ones, where you can fall asleep while you listen to them! The DVD Bible helped him to familiarize what was being read to him. The voice is pleasant and very appealing. Though I did not replace our special story time with this DVD, I would be happy if he watches this during the day. It will help him to know more about the Bible and the stories in it.

It retails for $19.99 on Thomas Nelson.

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( Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishers, I received a free advanced reading copy of this book as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. The review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way.All opinions are only my own.)

Book Review: Unto the Hills - A Daily Devotional by Billy Graham

I chose to review this book from Thomas Nelson because a daily devotional is a great tool for Bible reading through out the year. I have read many of Billy Graham's writings and heard him speak many times and I have been blessed each time. I am happy to have this to begin the New year pretty soon.

Each of the 365 daily readings in this inspiring collection offers a carefully chosen passage of scripture, a brief, thoughtful message from Dr. Graham, and a heartfelt prayer composed especially for this book. Distilled from a lifetime of study and ministry, these devotionals supply daily food for thought about living fruitfully and joyfully in an often fretful world.

The foreword page is very inspiring to read. Dr.Graham mentions that as much as all of us love to spend time on the serene mountain tops, we are also called to the valley experiences to reach out to the lost.Our help always comes from the Lord who created the mountains and the valleys.

Every day has a verse and 2-3 paragraphs of reading rich with a message that will speak to the heart and help meditate on the verse. It ends with a small prayer - I really like it. There have been days when I feel so overwhelmed with my requests to God that I don't know where to start. The short and powerful prayers in my daily devotional have helped me to connect with God in prayer.

I like to read a devotional every year written by a different author, simply to gain and understand the scriptures from different people of God, who prayerfully pen down every word. I am eager to know all that God has to say to me this year through this devotional. Or even, if God leads me to bless a friend in need who would be blessed with this, I will make it a lovely gift that will be remembered daily.

Buy it from Thomas Nelson for $14.99.

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( Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishers, I received a free advanced reading copy of this book as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way.All opinions expressed here are only my own.)

The King's Christmas List ( A Eldon Johnson Book Review)

What better time than Christmas to teach little ones about "giving" ! God gave himself for each one of us and that's the reason of the season that we celebrate as Christmas. This beautiful message is compiled in a beautiful short story with Bonnie Leick's artistic illustrations.

The King's Christmas List is the book you need to give your little ones this Christmas.

In a nutshell:

Emma and her little dog Shu-Shu were thrilled to be invited to the King’s birthday party. But what do you get a King for his birthday? Emma and Shu-Shu have no gift, but they bring the Christmas cake they made with Mom and put on their Sunday best as they dash to the King’s carriage.  And of course, Emma couldn’t go anywhere without her beloved Cherry-Bear.  On the way, they have encounters that lead them to bestow their cake, winter-cape, and even Cherry-Bear, on others. Now they’re chilly, rumpled, and empty-handed—what will the King think? Emma frets, but when they finally meet the King at his palace, they discover they gave the King exactly what he wanted.

The book is a lovely tool for teaching children about the real meaning of Christmas. I love the way Bonnie has illustrated the story with beautiful pictures and little Emma in a beautiful red dress and her hair neatly clipped with a cute, red bow..the story is painted on a snowy, winter background. 

Children will love to read this story over and over as the roles played by Cherry-Bear and Shu-Shu are sure to win little hearts. The story is sure to stay in their minds as it has a beautiful ending when the King talks about his own birthday and gifts. Simple yet a profoundly clear message to make the true spirit of Christmas grow in the minds of children.

Families will be able to go online and be directed to notable charities to give their own gift to the King.

Buy it from Thomas Nelson for $14.99 !

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(Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishers, I received a free advanced reading copy of this book as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way.All opinions expressed here are only my own.)

Book Review: One Hand, Two Hands by Max Lucado

Little hands are busy hands and they can keep us busy too ! This colorful hardcover book teaches little ones in a rhyming way how to use their hands to show love to others by helping. It not only entertains little ones with the rhyming words and wonderful art, but teaches them to be little helpers. Be it petting a pup or holding a cup...use those tiny little hands for God! Give a warm hug, write grandma a letter, wipe tears...oh and the times we wish we had an extra pair of hands!

This is the first time, i got to personally see a children's book by Max Lucado and i must admit, it is geared to teach young children with short, sweet and colorful illustrations. Just the way i like it ! I highly recommend this book for children.

It ends with a sweet little prayer:

One hand, two hands,
Five fingers, ten
God, thanks for my hands.
Please use them again.

You can buy it from Max Lucado's website & Amazon.

(Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishers, I received a free advanced reading copy of this book as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way.All opinions expressed here are only my own.)

Book Review: 100 Prayers God Loves to Hear, 100 Praise Songs

This book was a answer to my prayer! Yes, my prayer was one that God loved to hear. I was praying for a book with verses and short prayers that i could read to my son before bedtime. I also wished for a CD with short, familiar christian songs that my son could listen and learn. My joy knew no bounds when i received this book from Thomas Nelson for review ! My son has even started calling this book "my book" !

The author Stephen Elkins has done an excellent compilation of verses, prayers and small thoughts just apt for young minds. Each page has a theme followed by a prayer or a verse. It is filled with colorful pictures and also come with 2 audio CDs. Each CD has 50 melodious songs that can be easily learned by repetition. From cover to cover, this cute book will encourage children to pray and develop the habit of talking to God.

I love to listen to these songs along with my son as it brings back memories of sunday school and VBS. You can make the investment on this book without second thoughts!

Buy it from:

Thomas Nelson for $19.99
Christian Book for $14.99
Amazon.com for $14.99
Barnes and Noble for $14.39

( Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishers, I received a free advanced reading copy of this book as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way.All opinions expressed here are only my own.)

Book Review: "The Edge of the Divine" by Sandi Patty

An edge symbolizes the end or beginning of something. The time and space between two edges could have been cruel, traumatic, betraying and filled with the urgent need to reach the end. When we think it's all over, God meets us with His faithfulness and presents us with possibilities.

Sandi Patti, in her book, " The Edge of the Divine" discovers how God can meet us right on the edge and transform it into something new, just because He is faithful.

She shares about her struggle with her uncontrolled fondness for food which led her to being overweight and complicated the way she thought about herself. She also reveals a dark secret that traumatized her and led her to look for comfort in food. A humbling experience with John 8 leads her to discover that God gives us a second chance and Sandi crosses over the edge to experience life abundantly in God.

A walk from the edge onto a never-ending pasture of possibilities was a challenge . But she doesn't fail to mention about her family and friends who inspired her to be all that God wanted her to be.Sandi wore different hats - Award winning vocalist and speaker, wife, mom to 7 children, friend, daughter-in-law and it is deeply encouraging to know how she strove and sought God's help to fulfill each of these roles in the best way.

Being a woman, i could relate to every page of her book. It was interesting to note that success did not come easily to Sandi's singing career.All her dreams amounted to nothing when she faced a rejection. But she goes on to tell the readers the soulful message of how God can turn something that Sandi thought was "pretty boring" into who she is today! The journey from being a little girl with a record player to a Grammy award winning vocalist, in Sandi's words is " Hard choices, Soft Landings".

Simple, practical yet direct...every woman can find some encouragement from Sandi's personal experiences.

Sandi Patti is also releasing an inspirational album " The Edge of the Divine" on Aug 24, 2010.You can pre-order the book and cd for $30 on Sandi Patty's website.

Buy it from:

• Thomas Nelson for $19.99

• Amazon , Barnes & Noble for $14.39

Happy Reading!

( Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishers, I received a free advanced reading copy of this book as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way.All opinions expressed here are only my own.)