The excitement began to dwindle quickly.  I didn’t think that this translation was a lot different that a NIV translation.  There are some neat features, like the words that are in the original text are italicized so you can know that they’ve added them.  There are great introductions at the beginning of each Book, and a short comment section sporadically placed in the text of each chapter.  The biggest selling point that they brag about is that it reads like a play.  For example:  Jesus: “I am the Way, the Truth…”  While I thought at first this would be neat, it was hard for me to keep focused.

Is this a good translation?  Probably.  Was there a need for it in my Biblical library?  Probably not.  Will people enjoy it?  Yeah, maybe.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Colton is a young boy who is three years old.  He had an emergency appendectomy.  During his surgery, he was taken to Heaven, and communed with Jesus, John the Baptist, his grandfather (whom he’s never met on Earth), and his baby sister who was miscarried during the pregnancy, among many others.  Colton reveals many scripture backed details about Heaven…and that God is “really, really big”.  He says that he was only in Heaven for three minutes, and that our time is different that Heaven’s.

The book was the easiest 150-ish pages I have EVER read.  I read the entire book in one day, a personal record for me.  The book is in the narrative voice of Colton’s dad, Tom, and he makes the book a delight to read.  He uses Colton’s exact words extracted from conversations with him in the years that followed his surgery.  It will make you cry, laugh, and everything in between.  If you haven’t read this book, you are REALLY missing out!  I know that there’s been lots of controversy about the content of the book, but I thoroughly believe that Heaven Is For Real!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

One of the great things about this book is the super short chapters.  It was an easy read, and the short chapters always left me wanting to read “just one more” before I quit.  This book definitely isn’t one that you’ll read and just sit on the shelf for years…you’ll want to meditate upon it, and apply the practices in your life.

I would recommend this book to anyone that is needing to develop their quiet time with God, it even has a study guide in the back of the book.  My rating: 3/5 stars

*I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review*

Right From the Heart; A 365 Devotional by Bryant Wright

Format: Print

musicmanmike’s rating: 5/5 stars

I was recently award the privilege to read and review Right From the Heart by Bryant Wright.  Upon opening the package, I was pleasantly surprised at the book that I had received.  It’s a hard cover book, with nice impression-type markings on the covers.  It’s very nice and durable.  Even the inside of the book is decorated with the same type drawings are the outside.  Each page is nicely laid out, with a scripture at the very beginning, before the devotion.  Each day has a title, and some titles have Part I and Part II.

Upon reading some of the devotionals in this book, I was even more surprised at the content that Wright was able to cram into a one page devotional.  The book is divided into 365 daily devotions, with a devotion for each corresponding date.  They were simple, to the point, and usually enough to get your “thinker” going.  I might have preferred a little longer devotions, but most people will find that the length of the devotions will fit nicely into the day.

Overall, this would be a great book to devour the 5 minute breaks during the day.  When you go to buy one, be sure and pick up two, so you can give one away.  It would make a very nice gift book.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the 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.”

God’s Love Letters To You: A 40-Day Devotional Experience By Dr. Larry Crabb

Format: E-Book

musicmanmike’s rating: 3.5/5 stars

I was recently given the opportunity to read ‘God’s Love Letters to You: A 40-Day Devotional Experience’, and mostly enjoyed the short and sweet daily readings.  The book takes 40 of the books of the Bible (20 OT + 20 NT) and portrays them as love letters from God to us.  Overalll, Dr. Larry Crabb has a great writing style, very easy and comfortable to read.  Each devotion includes an opening scripture, a short devotional message, reflection questions, and a closing prayer.

Each devotional usually started out with “God Says:”, and continued to speak as I would imagine God would to any of us.  One of the things that at first made me a little precautious was the fact that the author quite frequently spoke (as God) in a first person voice.  I took it very carefully at first, making sure that nothing he said as God was going against what the Bible says about Him.  It definitely took some getting used to, but eventually, I became accustomed to the overall tone and setting of the devotions.  I felt that the daily  readings were sometimes too short (sometimes only taking a few minutes to read), but were very useful in my everyday walk with God.

Overall, the devotional book was great.  Looking back, the narrative tone of God, while at first a little strange, made the book seem more personal.  It has and will help me in my daily walk with the Lord.  I’d recommend reading it if you are needing some encouragement, it feels that God is speaking right to you.

 
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the
publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html>
: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in
Advertising.”

The funny thing about all of this is that no one has pinned down a cause, common duration, or cure for this TRB.  They all have guesses, but nothing has been proven to work in everybody, just some things work for some people.  How did it happen?  I don’t know.  Why did it happen?  Because something great is getting ready to happen and the advesary is getting nervous.  My diagnosis is that this is the DLS (Devil’s Last Stand) and he’s pulled out all the punches.  Does it stop me, nope.  Just like a roadblock, I’m still sitting in the car and waiting for things to be cleared, then I’m punching the gas pedal once again.  He just doesn’t realize that I’ve got tons of time now to be thinking about how great our God really is and how much he really cares for us.  You see, he created this body that I’m currently occupying, and he created it pretty impressively.  For instance, did you know that you blink 5-7 times a minute?  I didn’t, it’s a reflex.  Something we don’t think about, we just do.

So when you get a case of TRB, sit back and think about how awesome God is.  Sit in the car, turn up the tunes, and get alone with our Creator.  Pretty soon we’ll all be back on the road together, with the gas pedal floored.  What did I get for Christmas?  A chance to see how much my God really cares for me.  What’d you get?

“Think Long and Hard”, “You got this sister”, “You’re super, super close”,  “I’m not giving up, I’m just frustrated” “I can’t feel my face” “What Do we do now?”, “You have to finish, there’s no out”, “They don’t call it the Amazing Race for nothing”

(Happy Friday!)

If you remember the ‘bowl’, throw yo’ hands in the air, and wave ‘em like you just don’t care. 

Go ahead. 

 I’ll wait. 

 Holla!

Just caught Chris Tomlin’s new single “I Will Follow” on the airwaves. It really spoke to where I’m at right now. It’s slated to come out on his new album ‘And If Our God Is For Us’ on November 16. Here’s the lyrics.

Where you go, I’ll go
Where you stay, I’ll stay
When you move, I’ll move
I will follow…

All your ways are good
All your ways are sure
I will trust in you alone
Higher than my side
High above my life
I will trust in you alone

Where you go, I’ll go
Where you stay, I’ll stay
When you move, I’ll move
I will follow you
Who you love, I’ll love
How you serve I’ll serve
If this life I lose, I will follow you
I will follow you

Light unto the world
Light unto my life
I will live for you alone
You’re the one I seek
Knowing I will find
All I need in you alone, in you alone

In you there’s life everlasting
In you there’s freedom for my soul
In you there joy, unending joy
and I will follow