Hurt at Church: The Bridezilla of Christ

It is not uncommon for me to choose a book because the title is intriguing. That was certainly the case when I was offered a chance to review this title from Ted Kluck and Ronnie Martin.  Anyone who has been in church for more than a few years knows that the Bride of Christ sometimes behaves more like a reality TV show than the scriptural model. Cliques, church splits, contentious business meetings--we can all relate to this topic.

This book is not, however, a gripe session with gossippy details about bad churches. This is a dialogue about how we as individual Christians need to behave in a community of sinners like ourselves. Saved people still sin, yet we are charged to be the Church and to show Christ to the world.  Kluck and Martin offer real help with this real problem that has been around as long as the Church itself.

This book is not too long and includes some humor to keep things from getting too discouraging.  It would make a good study for anyone who is experiencing hurt from church people or church organizations. I especially appreciated the authors addressing the rise of individualism/consumerism in the modern church. Pride and preferences are causing many churches problems with relationships and with ministry--and it needs to stop!

I received a free review copy from Blogging for Books for my honest opinion.  I am impressed and will be placing a copy of The Bridezilla of Christ in my church's library.

New Children's Books from Worthy Publishing

Children need story time. Fortunately, they also enjoy that time spent with a parent and a good book.   These two new board books by Mary Manz Simon offer delightful rhyming stories your child will probably memorize quickly--and still enjoy hearing you read again and again! The illustrations by Lizzie Walkley are beautifully detailed with flora and fauna as well as whimsical children and parents. 

These sturdy board books have unique layered cut-outs, perfect for little fingers to grasp as they turn pages.  If you want something more special than a typical board book, these are just the ticket.

I received free review copies of God Made the Moon and God Made the Sun from the publisher for my honest assessment.

Shakespeare and Scripture

Bob Hostetler offers a fresh new devotional for those of us who love the English of King James and of Queen Elizabeth I.  For every day of the year you will find a Scripture, a Shakespeare quote, and a short devotional offering insights from the Bible that inspired the Bard of Avon. Pick up some fun facts each day as well.

This beautiful book with purple dust jacket would make a fine gift for your favorite English teacher, actor, librarian, or general bookworm.  I know this KJV-reading lover of words thoroughly enjoyed previewing this devotional!

The book is available in hardcover and Kindle formats.  I received a complimentary review copy from the publisher for my honest review.

E.C. Jackson Offers Another "Hope" Novel

A Living Hope is the story of Sadie, a young woman who seems to have destroyed her life and burned all bridges to her past.  Finding the courage to return home, however, starts a series of events that remind her there is always hope for those who place their trust in Jesus.  The man she left, the man who abused her, and the friends and family she avoided all are affected by Sadie's choices--both the bad ones of the past and the good ones she has a chance to make.

E.C. Jackson weaves a story of imperfect people working through misunderstandings, secrets, traumas, and just plain stubbornness. In other words, her characters are like many of us!  She builds complex characters with believable struggles.  Happy endings don't come easily, but must be worked through with prayer, honest communication, and the willingness to step out in faith and do the right things.

This is a worthy successor to Jackson's earlier novel, A Gateway to Hope.

More Historical Fiction from Angela Hunt

Another volume in the Dangerous Beauty series, Delilah is an entertaining novel based on the woman we meet only briefly in the book of Judges.  While we know only that Delilah betrayed Samson, Angela Hunt uses her imagination to weave one possible story of what might lead a beautiful woman down a path that led to the betrayal of a lover to an enemy.

History and geography are skillfully woven into the story, along with fictionalized accounts of other events from the Bible, such as Samson's wedding riddle.  Readers of historical fiction will want to add this book to their collections.

I received a free review copy of the book from the publisher for my honest assessment.

You can get your own copy at your local Christian book store or on Amazon.

Enjoyable Fiction with an Irish Flavor

The Irish Civil War is not a typical topic for historical fiction/science fiction/fantasy, so this novel is unique.  The characters are believable, even when they do unbelievable things like time travel.  The struggles of real history blend with Irish myth to create a page-turning tale.  Bury the Living will be released soon. I received an electronic copy from the publisher via NetGalley for my honest review.


Pre-order on Amazon

The Life We Never Expected: Book Review

Like most married couples, Andrew and Rachel Wilson expected their children to be reasonably healthy, go to school, play sports, get married.....

Parents of children with special needs have to adjust one or more of those normal expectations.  In the Wilson family, special needs took the form of regressive autism in both their son and daughter.  This book expresses their thoughts on their journey so far.  They speak from the midst of the furnace, as people who know the One who walks with them in the fire.

From dealing with physical exhaustion to dealing with the grief over dead expectations to seeing the blessings in what they do have, the Wilsons express the struggle many of us have as we live in a fallen world that has not yet been healed completely by the Creator.  Especially encouraging tomany parents will b Andrew's "Reflections on Healing." Consider that God will heal in one of 4 ways: 

1. The daily healing built into our bodies as we recover from a virus or injury;
2. Miraculous healing like Jesus and the apostles did and that we may see when we pray;
3. Healing through the hands of doctors, therapists, etc.; and
4. Healing in eternity when all are healed.

This book should be in church libraries as a valuable resource for parents, teachers, and ministers.  Get your copy here.

"Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”