Book Review: No Cape Required

No Cape Required: A Devotional 52 Ways to Unleash Your Inner Hero by Kristen Parrish a series of quick read devotions that describe at attribute of 52 different heroes and how we as Christians should strive to possess them. 

I enjoyed these quick devotions.  They take less than 5 minutes each to read.  There is alwys scripture attached to the attribute and a couple suggestions of what you can do.  There is also a simple prayer to say asking for this characteristic.

I think this book would be great for a Mom or Dad. 60+% of the characters would be known by most children and could be used as a great lesson to them.  Although young kids might not know Jane Eyre and Andy Dufresne from Shawshank Redemption they would know Superman, Belle from Beauty and the Beast, Robin Hood, etc. and could be taught the great simple lessons.

Another thing the author discusses in the beginning (and for good reason) is that these people/characters are not what we should strive for but the single characteristic.  None of us will be Superman but we can strive for Justice.  Robin Hood was a thief but he did understand Charity.

I plan on using specific characters on my children.  The others are great reminders and visual reminders of all the wonderful godly characteristics we should strive for.

 

Note: I did receive a copy of this book for free to read and review.  The opinions above are my own and I was not compensated for a positive review.

Book Review: Lifted from darkness

Lifted from Darkness by Alexa Foster is a true story of the author’s story of abuse.  When she was 19 she met the most beautiful man she had ever seen while waitressing.  He was attentive, rich, and helpful when she got stuck in a bad situation.  Instantly she fell in love with him and planned their future.  She ignored many warning signs and warnings from friends and family.  Soon after they were married the abuse started.  It escalated throughout the many years she stayed with him while taking care of this daughter from a previous relationship.

This story I’m sure is true for many women.  For me, it was a very hard read.  I do not like conflict or confrontation.  The author is very real about her abuse and how she justified it. She does not make excuses for all the times he abused her or all the times she forgave him.  Although she never goes into graphic detail (because it wasn’t necessary) she does describe the abuse in enough detail it made my stomach clench every time.  I wanted to rip through these pages and save this women and the child.

Throughout all of it, her strength and perseverance comes across.  When she is finally able to unshackle herself from the abuse she thrives.  More importantly she can look back at the awful times and see how God was still present in her life and would use them in her future.

I did enjoy this book.  There were times when I wanted to put it down and just write my own quick ending in my head but God knew the story was supposed to end. 

 

Note: I did receive a copy of this book for free to read and review.  The opinions above are my own and I was not compensated for a positive review.

Book Review: Unglued

Unglued by Lysa TerKeurst is a wonderful book helping women look at the underbelly of their lives and give all the regrets, hurt, insecurities, fears, and unresolved angers to God.  This book does a wonderful job walking through the stressful emotional lives as women and helps us resolve all these issues with Jesus and lean on him.  Although this textbook answer seems so obvious, it is so hard for us to fulfill in everyday lives. 

I love how the author with humor can truly show herself and women as emotional beings, designed by God. She wonderfully shows how each time of insecurity, rage, fears, etc. can be used to look toward God and become closer to him.  I love her positive attitude.  I love her ability to look at these unglued situations see the seed that caused it, give it to God, ask forgiveness, and move on. 

This book is for all women.  Although her target audience is married women with children, it can apply to anyone.  It gives the reader permission to accept your emotions and learn that they are “indicators not dictators of how we act.”  Using these indicators we can better assess situations, comments, feelings, etc. and react accordingly. 

 

Note: I was given a free copy of this book to read and review. The opinions above are my own and I was not compensated for a positive review.

Book Review: Samson

Samson; A savior will rise by Shawn Hoffman is the story of a Jewish inmate at Auschwitz. When he is recognized as a famous boxer from the last he is used for the Nazi’s entertainment; a boxing fight for entertainment but with deadly consequences.  The winner is granted extra provisions for themselves and their family.  The loser is put in the gas chamber with his family.  Samson has many life and death decisions to make that effect many.  In all this he struggles with his faith and how and why God is allowing this all to happen.

I will say this book is intense from the very beginning.  I think anything with Holocaust is but the author does not gloss over the depravity of it all.  Maybe it’s just me (and my 8th month pregnancy hormones) but this book gave me nightmares about the horrors of concentrations camps. But through it all I really enjoyed this book. 

The author does an amazing job telling the story with true grit.  This book is not the children.  It does open your eyes to the mistreatment of Jews during WWII and the callousness of the guards and doctors who experimented at the camps.  The authors decision to not shy away from the true horrors of Auschwitz makes the book that much harder to read and that much more moving.

Note: This book does contain an insert of real holocaust pictures that may be disturbing to some.

Note: I did receive a copy of this book for free to read and review.  The opinions above are my own and I was not compensated for a positive review.