Mastermind Week 1 (Winning the War in Your Mind)

Great new book

I just finished a wonderful book by Erwin Raphael Mcmanus called the last Arrow.  It was a wonderful book.  In this book Mcmanus contends with us that we should love a life that matters.  let's be honest, All of us at the end of our lives will not wish we watched more tv or went on Facebook more.  we will all wish we did more of what God was telling us to do.  he basically is telling us to live a life of no regrets.  I love this message and preach it from the pulpit all the time.  if you want to read a book that will help you live life to your full potential, I recommend the book the Last Arrow.
I received this book for free in exchange with an honest review.  my review: 5 stars out of 5.  

my favorite book in a long time: Sinners in the hands of a loving God, by brian zahnd

The Gospel is the most powerful truth we have.  We are all sinners that have ran into the mercy of God.  I picked up the book 'Sinners in the Hand of a loving God'  by Brian Zahnd and it was a great reminder of how much God loves us.  The author remembers the famous sermon by Johnathan Edwards titled 'Sinners in the hands of an angry God' and wanted to remind us that that is not true.  the gospel is good news for sinners.  we run to him for grace, mercy, and love.
I highly recommend Sinners in the hands of a loving God by Brian Zahnd.
I received this book for free from bloggingforbooks.com in exchange for an honest review.

Great collection of sermons from Eugene Peterson

Eugene Peterson's The Message Paraphrase of the bible taught me to love reading the word of God.  So when I got the oppotunity to read this new book i did.  While the title As Kingfishers catch fire doesnt catch the eye, what follows in the pages after do.  Peterson organizes the sermons from Genesis to revelation in order...I like that.  If you want to gleam some wisdom from one of America's greatest pastors, look no further than As Kingfishers Catch Fire.  i highly recommend it to anyone who wants to learn about the truths found in the bible and how to apply it to your life right now.
I recieved this book for free in exchange for an honest review. 

book review: Chazown by Craig Groeschel

I love this book.  I have read it before and had the privilege of reading the updated and expanded version.  The question that we all ask is "What on earth am I here for?"  This book helps in the quest to discover how God has wired us and what God has created us to do.  As you read the book, Chazown (which is Hebrew for Vision by the way), you will discover short chapters that will help peel the layers of the onion of your life and what you discover is the true you; who you were created to be.
I highly recommend this book if you want to live a life the honors God, live the life you were meant to life, and impact the world around you.  Craig Groeschel has written an easy book to answer the question, "What on earth am I here for?"
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review from bloggingforbooks.com    

You need to read the book Seven Mile Miracle by Steven Furtick

I watch every sermon that Steven Furtick preaches and read every book, he writes.  So it is no suprise that I picked up Steven Furtick latest book: "Seven-Mile Miracle."  Let me get to the point: Read this book and buy one for all your friends.  What, you have no friends???  Well  buy them for your enemies and random people.
This book takes the reader through a journey through the last 7 words of Jesus.  Jesus spoke while on the cross and if you take the words and put them together, you get a journey on the life of a follower of Jesus Christ.  Furtick talks about salvation, relationship, life problems, questions about God,victory and more.  I dont only recommend Seven-Mile Miracle, i challenge you to buy it on Amazon, or better yet, your local book store.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review at blogging for books. 

Another great book on the christian life!

Henri Nouwen was a great priest who most people have heard about or read some of his books.  I have read quiet a bit of his books and every time i read his books, my life is forever improved.  If you ever wanted to sit down and listen to Henri Nouwen talk about biblical topics and topics that relate to real life, "Love, Henri" is your book.  These are actual letters he wrote over his life to people.  in these letters you will find nuggets of wisdom and truth.  I highly recommend this book to you if you desire to grow in Christ!
I received this book for free in exchange with an honest review from bloggingforbooks.com   

Another great read from Billy Coffey

I have ready all of Billy Coffey's books and this is a nice book to add to my collection.  The book is titled, "There will be Stars."  Every book Coffey writes is very deep.  You cannot sit back with a cup of coffee and enjoy a nice relaxing read.  His novels make you think.  This novel is admittedly a strange one.  It is a story about a father and his two sons that end up getting in a car wreck and they wake up in some strange world.  The strange part is that these people relive the same day over and over.  they are stuck in limbo (Think Groundhog Day!).  This is a story of redemption i believe.  It is about getting your life right and making the most of every opportunity.  I love that message.  but the reality is, not everyone will like this novel.  It is very strange and can move a little sluggish at times.  Saying that, it is worth getting through it because the message is loud and clear by the end.  I do recommend this book to you.
I recieved this book for free in exchange with an honest review from booklook bloggers.

Author Blake Crouch has done it again

I picked up Blake Crouch's new novel, "Dark Matter" because i have read his Wayward Pines Trilogy.  Those books were great so that is why i had a hunch that Dark Matter would be great too.  I was right (LOL!).  This is a book about a man who lived a life that was lived but not enjoyed.  One day, He gets beat up outside his local bar.  When he wakes up, his wife is now not his wife and he now has no son.  His life is like it would have been if he made different choices when he was younger.
I cant spoil any more.  This book is kind of like a modern day "It's a wonderful life."  You will absolutely love this book.  I just hope they make this into a movie.
I received this book for free from bloggingforbooks.com in exchange for an honest review.

Could this be a new classic? I think so!!!

First time author James Anderson has written a masterpiece (in my opinion).  The Never-Open Desert Diner is a tale that gives us many characters that are so fleshed out for us that I feel like we really get to know them.  They become our friends!  
The Main character is a man named Ben Jones.  He is a truck driver who delivers goods out in the middle of nowhere.  He meets a mysterious women playing a Cello.  He falls in love with her and has some thoughts of going back to see her after he has left.  The problem is: she is still married and she is in hiding.  Why is she in hiding?
  This book has a great setting.  Who doesnt like a road trip story with an almost abandoned old fashioned desert diner?
 I would recommend you buying this book from Amazon or your local book store because it is a modern day road trip classic across the desert.  my favorite part is not the story (even though it is good).  it is how Anderson fleshes out the character.  His skill at character development is very high.
I received this for free in exchange for an honest review from bloggingforbooks.com 

A very interesting sci-fi novel

I read a book by author Peter Clines called The Fold.  After reading the back of the book, i have wanted to read this book for a long time.  I finally got a copy of it to review.  Let me say, that i loved the book.  It is definitely not a perfect book but it is definitely enjoyable.
I have watched the show Sliders; a show about parallel dimensions.  This book reminded me of an episode from sliders alot.  The Fold is a device used to travel across space in shorter time, but it ends up being a device for travelling to alternate dimensions.  
The ending is where things take a 90 degree turn.  All of a sudden we see creatures/.aliens that attack.  I did not expect this part of the story.  While it was still good, i was still disappointed with this part.  I thought they would talk about alternate universes more but they did not.  
Saying all this, i did like this book alot and would recommend it.  It does have alot of profanity, s if that offends you, be fair warned.
I received this book for free from bloggingforbooks.,com in exchange with an honest review.    

A book on marriage, guys will actually read!

I love being married, but like every marriage, mine needs attention, and care.  Left unattended marriage can fall apart at worse or be sluggish at best.  Marriage books abound in this book frenzy world.  I just finished reading The Dude's guide to Marriage by Pastor Darrin and Amie Patrick.  They have written a very practical book.  Darrin writes the majority of the book and it definitely is written for men.  His wife Amie then puts her "two cents" in and writes from a wives perspective.  this is actually very helpful to read what most women need and what most women are thinking.
If you are looking for a book your husband will actually read, look no further.  This is the book you need to buy.  In fact, buy it and then read it together.  it will be fun
I received this book for free in exchange with an honest review from booklookbloggers.com

book review: (un)qualified by Steven Furtick

Pastor and author Stephen Furtick has written another great book.  I was given a copy before it's March 1st release and i have to say this book resonated with me.
Have you ever felt over your head and unqualified for ministry and life?  I have and this book looks at the fact that God uses imperfect people to do great things.  Every person in the bible that was used by God had a reason to believe they were unqualified, but God used them anyway.
On March 1st go over to amazon and pick up a copy of unqualified by Steven furtick.  You will love it and i highly recommend it for your book collection.
I received a copy for free in exchange with an honest review from bloggingforbooks.com

Spent Matches: a book review

I picked up this book Spent Matches written by Roy Moran, on a whim.  I don't know who he is and why it is called Spent Matches.  I picked it up based on what the back of the book said.  the first line of the back of the book "Fire up your church."  That was enough to get my pastoral engine going.
  This book talks about spiritual apathy and church attendance.  Boy the topic just gets me fired up and excited.  Here is the problem though, this book is very confusing.
   Maybe i am a little slow in the head (lol), but he complicated an awesome topic.  He made boring a topic that should be exciting.
I just cannot recommend this book to anyone, even my pastor friends who might benefit from a book like this.  I found myself reading a page and then stopping and saying, 'Now what did he say?'  I had to reread alot of it and I dont like when books cannot just get to the point.
Let me get to the point: I didnt like this book and cannot recommend it to you.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review from booklookbloggers.com

A great book about the Messy grace of God

Grace, what word is more important to the believer?  Nothing!  Without it we are nothing.  Without it we are going to hell.  But God in His kindness has shown us His grace.
Caleb Kaltenbach has written a great book that is destined to make some mad.  Why?  Because anytime someone mentions homosexuality, people get upset.  See Caleb comes from a home where both mother and father ended up being gay.  This life has taught him well in how the grace of God works in the mess of our lives.
I learned that my life can also get messy and i need the grace of God.  If you need to learn more about the grace of God and how it applies to you and how we need to live it out more, look no further than the book Messy Grace.  I highly recommend it.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review from bloggingforbooks.com

The curse of crow hollow: a book review

Author Billy Coffey has done it again.  He has written a book that is on par with a beautiful painting that is revealed one brush stroke at a time.
Mr. Coffey has the ability to write in such a way that you can actually see what is going on in your mind.  His southern charm shows up in the pages.  Being a northern boy i am far from this world, but it is fun to read the southern world in such good detail.
In the curse of crow hollow, Coffey has created a story that introduces realistic characters, and a realistic setting.  A setting that takes some teenagers who are partying in the woods.  They find a house in the woods that belongs to "a witch"  someone who is cursed.  When they bother Alveretta, they run back into town with all sorts of different problems.  The townsfolk are determined it is the curse put on them by the witch that lives in crow hollow.  Is it a curse?  Read the book to find out.
You will love all of Billy Coffey's books.  This one is no different.  buy a copy of this book wherever books are sold and you will read it and want more..then you can read the rest of his books.
I recieved this book for free in exchange for an honest review of the book .
I give this a 10 out of 10.

Bringing heaven to earth: a book review

Heaven is such a written about topic in the world of books and a very mysterious topic at the same time.  Do we need another book about Heaven?  Well, this book is much more than heaven.  First, Josh Ross takes us on a journey that is bigger than just a place where we go when we die.  Josh Ross writes about not just heaven, but the Kingdom of God.  The kingdom of God is right now, not in the future.  This book tells us how to live for God now and how he blesses our lives and what our lives are about.  I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in knowing more about the Kingdom of God and the true meaning of the word heaven.
I received this book for free in exchange with an honest review from bloggingforbooks.org

Searching for Sunday: a book review

Rachael Held Evans is a blogger.  To be honest I never have heard of her until I picked up the book she wrote: Searching for Sunday.
The best part of this book is her authenticity.  She is rough around the edges and I like that because many Christians wear masks and pretend everything is ok when it is not.
This book is her account of her life and journey with God.  She is a struggler and she lets us know.
My favorite chapter was the chapter she talked about the failed church plant she and her husband were a part of.  She talks about failure and i love that because often i feel like a failure and she talks about here life and the disillusionment she experienced with her failure.  and how God's grace and mercy helped her come back to faith in God.
I recommend this book to anyone who struggles in faith or life.  If you are a "perfect" Christian, dont read this book because it will bother you.  But if you are like me, you will love this book.
I recieved this book for free in exchange for an honest review from Booklookbloggers.com  

book review: Life is_____ by Judah Smith

I loved this book.  I watch Judah's sermons from his church in Kirkland wa.  and I read what he writes.  This book is awesome along with the small group videos you can watch online.
This book breaks down our life into 4 categories or purposes.  1)Life is to be loved and to love.  2)Life is to trust God in every moment.  3) Life is to be at peace with God and yourself. and 4) Life is to enjoy God.

I totally enjoyed this book.  He uses humor, stories, and backs everything up with the Bible.  I challenge and encourage you to pick up this book if you struggle to know life's purpose.  this book will help point you to God and to help you get along in your journey of life.
I recieved this book for free in exchange with an honest review from booklookbloggers.com

book review: The bible in pop culture by Kevin Harvey

I just don't get this book.  I see what the author is trying to do.  He let's us peek into tv shows, movies, internet, just so we can see how the bible, God, etc are in pop culture.  I think i get it...but what's the point.
Yes, i believe God should impact culture but is this book trying to say that...I dont know.  Should we start watching those shows...I don't know.
Now to be fair, this was a relaxing, fun, entertaining read...but i didnt learn anything...which is fine.  Sometimes i like to read just for pleasure and this book fell into that category.
If you want to lear about the bible in pop culture...this is your book.
I recieved this book for free in exchange with an honest review from booklookbloggers.com