Secrets of the Vine

This book was a little dose of encouragement. A quick, simple read on a very meaningful passage of the Bible. It helped give a little insight into God's perspective on our circumstances -- good and bad. 

John 15 is much more real to me after spending a few months in Italy and seeing vineyards like this: 

It's amazing how God used simple reminders of His Words throughout Scriptures that are still visible to us today. This passage focuses on the blessing of being deeply connected with God and what it means to bear fruit. "As [Jesus] talked, I believe He was pointing to a branch, to leaves, to a vine. But He was looking right at His friends. With every word, He was thinking of His love for them, of the challenges they'd face, of the amazing and specific future God had in mind for each one of them. And I believe He was thinking of you" (12-13).

I reviewed this book for Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers Blogging for Books. I received this book for free in exchange for a review of the book.

Life, In Spite of Me

Are you tired of life? Are you so far down you don't think it will ever get better? Read this book! Even if your life is good for now, you know that hardships come. Kristen's story is one of hope. You should not be reading this book right now because Kristen should not even be alive. But God had plans for her, and it is obvious that He is using her story to give others hope and healing. "[I]n the quiet of my living room, I began writing my testimony. As I wrote, I suddenly realized I had a beautiful story to share. God had been working in so many of the details of my life through the years" (174). I highly recommend this book, especially if you are or have a young teen who is experiencing their first of many hardships.

I reviewed this book for Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers Blogging for Books. I received this book for free in exchange for a review of the book.

Love at Last Sight

Love at Last Sight is written as a 30 day adventure. Throughout the book, the Shooks look at love at first sight vs. love at last sight. There are four relationship deepening principles discussed in the book: being all there, acting intentionally, risking awkwardness, and letting go. While these principles can apply to any relationship, they focus on your spouse, children, and close friends.

It was interesting to see how they played out in real life. My favorite was day 14: Intentionally getting unstuck. The authors talk about how a lot of life is done in the “in-between” stage and how we need to keep investing in relationships.

I really liked that each chapter began with two quotes from outside sources. Each chapter ends with Love at Last Sight Challenges in case you want to journal and dive deeper into the book.

I recommend this book. The hard part is not reading this one; it is applying it!

I reviewed this book for Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers Blogging for Books. I received this book for free in exchange for a review of the book.

Book of Hope



If you are facing a hardship in life, pick up this book! There is a plan for your life, even if you cannot see it at the moment. This book challenges and encourages the reader to look at how your limits can be used by God. “Have the courage to pursue your own dreams, and never doubt your ability to meet whatever challenges come your way” (36).

The part that stuck out most to me was of a girl who talks to Nick about having conversations about God with her friends. She doesn't necessarily want all the answers... She wants to be able to put the puzzle pieces together on her own and figure out what she believes. This reminded me of college and the awesome adventure of making my faith my own, complete with conversations with friends about Jesus and what it means to truly follow Him.

This is a powerful book about Nick’s own personal challenges in life. He is unapologetic in giving glory to God; however this book is for everyone, not just Christians.

I reviewed this book for Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers Blogging for Books. I received this book for free in exchange for a review of the book.

Lazarus Awakening Put Me to Sleep

I was excited about this book. Little did I know that the author had already written two books. Had I researched a little bit better before selecting her book, I probably would not have chosen her book. I could not get myself to read one of her other books Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World.

I love the passage she selected to base her books on (John 11), however I did not really connect with her writing style. It might be because of the different stages of life we are in that she would connect better with women who are older than I am.

Her emphasis of God not always acting on our timetable is one that needs to be heard, but I had a hard time motivating myself to pick up the book.

I reviewed this book for Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers Blogging for Books. I received this book for free in exchange for a review of the book.

Little Star

A short review for a short book. 

I do not have children, but I still enjoyed the story. It was nice to hear about the Christmas story from the perspective of the star. This story reminds me of the humility of Jesus Christ coming to earth as a baby and doing things unconventionally. It is a simple story that a Dad tells his son. It does not matter what time of year it is, it is always good to remember Jesus coming to earth. "The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world." - John 1.9

I reviewed this book for Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers Blogging for Books. I received this book for free in exchange for a review of the book.

Throughout Sun Stand Still there are little treasures. I liked Furtick’s authentic writing and that he sees the value of everyone’s testimony. “The story God has scripted for your life isn’t inferior to Joshua’s – or anyone else’s” (13).

I do not agree with everything in the book theologically, but the overall theme of dreaming God-sized dreams and asking God for the impossible is something I am holding onto for life.

Chapter thirteen redeemed the quality of this book a little bit. Furtick knows that some people expect a miracle when they pray prayers like Joshua’s Sun Stand Still prayer and that it might not happen. But he said: “Audacious faith doesn’t mean my prayers work every time. It means that God is working even when my prayers don’t seem to be working at all” (148).

“The glory of God often shines the brightest when the sun goes down… and we keep our eyes on Jesus anyway” (140).

“The time between the conception and the completion of a vision will test the limits of your faith. And a lot of people fail the test” (182). Ouch. People are given God-ordained dreams and give up for whatever reason. Earlier in the book, Furtick makes it clear that: “When you examine the lives of people who are called to do great things for God, regardless of their age, you’ll usually notice three things:
* They offer God a long list of excuses.
* God doesn’t seem surprised.
* God doesn’t change his mind.” (30)

This book was a slow read for me, but I get restless reading about ACTING on faith. There is only so much you CAN read about this topic before getting antsy.

I reviewed this book for Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers Blogging for Books. I received this book for free in exchange for a review of the book.