Plain Wisdom

Plain Wisdom by Cindy Woodsmall and Miriam Flaud is a series of short, well written chapters that are written by an Old Order Amish woman (Miriam Flaud) and an Englisher (Cindy Woodsmall).  Each short chapter deals with a situation, special event, or every day occurance as seen through the eyes of these two women.
While this is not  a book to just sit down and read through, it is one that is enjoyed a little at a time.  It is interesting to see the perspective of friendship of these two women who live in such different worlds.
I found this book entertaining because I personally know an Old Order Amish family, and their views on life, society and family are so different from mine, yet at the same time, there are so many ways I wish my life was like theirs.
Plain Wisdom is a good read if you are looking for something to pick up here and there and to glean a new perspective.
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255  : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.:*

Women of Faith:Rejoice CD Review

Women of Faith Worship:Rejoice is a new recording of praise and worship songs.  I listen to quite a bit of praise and worship and this CD just wasn't my cup of tea.  The women singing sounded like a Christian version of the 90's group Wilson-Philips.  There are some songs on the CD that I knew such as 'Our God' originally sung by Chris Tomlin, and this version of the song did not live up to the original.  While this CD may be what others like, it did not draw me into the presence of God, instead I was focused on the very feminine sound of it. Not my favorite CD, nor could I recommend it.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com  book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255  : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”*

Perfectly Patriotic!

God’s Promises for the American Patriot is a great gift book for the person in your life who loves history or is interested in the founding of our country.  There are short two page chapters that address a topic related to patriotism.  The book is not limited to the founding fathers, but also highlights others who more recently have been vocal about their love of country and love of God.  I think it is the perfect father’s day gift and would be a great book to have on the coffee table.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com  book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255  : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Plain Proposal by Beth Wiseman

In the genre of Amish fiction, there comes another book, Plain Proposal.  In this book, the main character Miriam is coming of age to make her own decisions when her English cousin Shelby moves in.  The two girls couldn’t be any different.  Plain Proposal takes you on a journey with Miriam as she moves from girl to woman and discovers her own life. 

I usually enjoy reading Amish fiction.  I have read a book by this author before, and this time, I can’t say I was disappointed, but at the same time, the book did nothing for me.  It was very repetitive and filled with quite a bit of space fillers.  There were many times where the writer rehashed what the characters were thinking or feeling, over and over again.  The book probably could’ve been quite a bit shorter if all of that were taken out. 

If you have read any of my other reviews on Amish fiction, you will know that I personally know Amish families in Lancaster County and have spent time with them.  Some of the aspects of Amish life in these books are true to life, and others are a bit far-fetched and elaborated. 

Overall, this is a wholesome book with a sweet story.  It isn’t a page turner, nor is it entirely entertaining. 

*Disclosure of Materials: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com  book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255  : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Do You Want to be RADICAL??

All over the world, people are living in “radical” ways, and too many times, Christians see themselves as ordinary. We look at Hollywood, we look at the news, and we look at reality TV and think that those people are doing such “cool and radical” things in the world.  But, a truly radical life is one that is wholly devoted to Christ and His Gospel.

In his book, Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream, David Platt explains how a life surrendered to Christ is nothing less than an extreme and awesome experience.  This book will open your eyes, it will challenge your thoughts about your life, and will motivate you to truly follow the Gospel of Christ. 

Radical is convicting, it is inspiring, it is a must read for anyone claiming Christianity. 

This book has made me think about how I live my day-to-day life.  How am I using my time? How am I making a difference in a way that really matters? 

Do yourself a favor and get this book!! You will not regret it! It will change your life and propel you into a great adventure!

Read the first chapter here!

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book to review by Multnomah.  I was not required to write a positive review.*

Voices of the Faithful

Voices of the Faithful is a daily devotional written by missionaries serving around the world.  It is organized by different topics for each month and each entry is written by a different missionary.

I found this to be a great daily devotional.  The readings are thoughtful and just the right length.  I did notice that some of the writers did not include their names, I'm assuming for fear of the governments where they are serving.

Overall, I would recommend this book to someone who wants to supplement their daily devotional or someone who is short on time.  I think this book is great for someone who is missions-minded.  It will also ignite an interest in missions for those who do not know much about it.
*Disclosure: I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for a review. I was not required to write a positive review of this book.*

Sun Stand Still

Sun Stand Still is a call to live with audacious faith.  Pastor and author Steven Furtick uses Joshua as an example to propel us into a new dimension of faith where we are brave enough to ask God for that which seems impossible. 

I chose this book because I thought it would be a book that helps increase my faith and moves me to a new level.  I did not get that out of this book.  While the message of this book is relevant to todays society, for me, it wasn’t as motivational as I thought it would be.  Don’t get me wrong, this book is an excellent book.

I would highly recommend it to a new believer who has questions about what faith is and how to increase it.  This book is Biblically based and is filled with wonderful examples.  However, if you have been a believer for awhile, and are looking for a deeper challenge, then I would not recommend this book for you.

Sun Stand Still is a great book to help you realize that God is calling His people to ask, seek and knock and to look for His hand in your impossible situations.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book to review by Multnomah.  I was not required to write a positive review.