Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Lifted by Angels by Joel J. Miller

           There is a realm surrounding us of which we are not aware. From time to time there is an overlap and occupants of that realm around us visit not to influence but to act as messengers from the heavenly realm. This has been the experience in the past of many people recorded in the Bible. Mystics have reported visits. Artists have tried to depict their concept of angels.
This is a good attempt to inform us and keep us from wrongfully speculating about these creatures.. Miller has presented us with a small  7 chapter history on the concept of angels throughout  time.
He looks both at the saved and the fallen angels using writers in the early church  along with sacred scripture to fill out the story. He covers the purpose of angels when it cones to service.
His style of writing comes across as one of a person in awe. He is successful in bring the reader along on the journey. He acts like a tour guide and the reader is the  passenger viewing the landscape.  His attempt to record the early conception of angels and their service to man is well done.
            I found the book an interesting addition to the discussion of angels and their purpose. It broadened my study of angels without majoring in a minor doctrine. I would recommend this small book as a discussion guide.
   BookSneeze has provided me with a free copy of this book to review as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I expressed were my own.

Friday, October 26, 2012

The Gospel Of Yes by Mike Glenn

             Our view of God determines our reaction to events in the world. Do we see God as a party spoiler and killjoy? Or do we see God as a caring deity? Have there been times when you feel God has considered what you were doing and decided to turn His back on you?
            What type of picture of God do you have?  Is He out to cramp your lifestyle?
            In this book Glenn  presents the reader with a God who is always reaching out trying to restore a relationship with his people.
            “Christianity begins with the unexpected and then keeps surprising us,” Glenn says. “One day Jesus appears to you. Jesus is alive, and you have to make a choice Is Jesus the real deal or not?”
Our view of God determines our reaction to events in the world. Do we see God as a party spoiler and killjoy? Or do we see God as a caring deity? Have there been times when you feel God has considered what you were doing and decided to turn His back on you?
            What type of picture of God do you have?  Is He out to cramp your lifestyle?
            In this book Glenn  presents the reader with a God who is always reaching out trying to restore a relationship with his people.
            “Christianity begins with the unexpected and then keeps surprising us,” Glenn says. “One day Jesus appears to you. Jesus is alive, and you have to make a choice Is Jesus the real deal or not?”
            In another place Glenn writes, “God in His mercy gives us limits for our own good. God says “:no” to us but the “no” of God is always positive.”
            Glenn presents this as a journey we are on to discover a God who is for us.
            This book seems to be written for small discussion groups who are asking themselves how does God relate to what I am doing. Is he a limiter or a liberator? Just what is God’s “yes”. For me?
            I would recommend it for such groups.
            I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. I was not required to give a positive review . The opinions offer are mine alone and not the opinions of the publishing group.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Once Upon A Secret By Mimi Alford

            Secrets when kept have a habit of destroying other relationships.
She was naive thinking that she could be alone with the president and he would not have sex on his mind.  She was only nineteen at the time and had no experience. It was 1962 and sex was not spoken of .She was able to hide it. deep in herself but it cost her dearly.
            This isn't just another tell all book. In fact I feel that  Alford would not be telling this today if she didn’t feel it was better to let the secret out.
            It overshadowed her first marriage and she admits that the secret hurt her marriage. “Tony was never able to trust me completely after that day”
It was while watching the funeral procession of Kennedy at Tony’s parents house that she broke down and told Tony of her affair. He told her to keep it a secret. She obeyed. Tony.
            It changed the way she acted toward her self and circumstances. It did not leave her happy. She had to learn how to hide her secret behind a placid façade.
            The style of this book is easy to read. Alford leads you gently through the incident with Kennedy and the aftermath of the affair. This book is published  2012. From 1963 to 2012 she only let a few people know. It remained a secret. It continued to effect her life.
This book is a book for people who need to know what keeping a secret can do to a person. Alford is brave in finally sharing it..
           

Thursday, October 11, 2012

50 Things Liberals Love To Hate

   How is your blood pressure? It doesn't matter if you love or hate what Gallagher stands for, you have to be fair and allow him to speak out his belief. It is the right thing to do.

   It is thought provoking For too long the individual has been put down. 1984. What do you think when I say that?. Mind control?. Think speech? A book that you are not going to read?
  I know. You are saying, here is a book review by one of them. Hey, calm down and let your blood pressure settle.
    Written in a count down style, from 50 to 1 it is well done. I feel it is a book that must be read if only to see what it is the liberal thinking person is being said to be against. Some of the targets are right on. Others you aren't so sure about but with further thought it makes sense.
     Gallagher has his own radio program and is doing well. This book gets his message out in a more permanent way than just the program. What you can hold in your hand and read is more powerful
    .

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Match Day by Brian Eule

  This book follows three new doctors as they  do their first year as interns.
   Subtitled One day and One Dramatic Year In The Lives Of Three New Doctors, this bllook is a must read for everyone who wants to know what goes on that first year after the new medical student graduates and is sent to start their new life as a doctor.
   They do get a choice of where to do their training. Maybe they won't get the first choice, they can list three.
    This is a true story and the names have not been charged for the most part.. The reason is explained in the author's note at the end..
    It is hard being a doctor and it takes time away from persoanl life. In fact, the hospital becomes your home and your life is centered around your home. Eule makes no excuse for the choices they have to make. He realizes that it costs and not many can pay that cost.  But for those who stick it out it is worth it. At least that is the message I got from the book.
    It gets three stars from me. I don't give out stars on everything. Three stars is a must read.

Monday, October 8, 2012

Live Young Forever by Jack LaLanne

  He is gone now but on his 95th year he wrote this book. It is a good inforamative lifesytle plan.
   He wasn't always what you remember him as.. a brash but good looking fitness guru. He started out as an out of fitness kid. Eating the wrong things. Doing the wrong things. Until he attended a lecture on fitness that got his attention.
    It was LaLanne who introduced most if not all of our fitness equipment.
   It has the subtitle of 12 Steps to Optimum Health, Fitness & Longevity. It includes an exercise workout in  drawings when you get to  chapter thirteen. The exercises look doable
  LaLanne was into juicing. As an aid he includes at the end of step twelve pictures and information on the fruits and vegetables and grains along with a glycemic index.
  Vitamins play a great part in his nutrition program.  For a look at available vitamins for sports and for exercing, the aminos you need, the other suppliments needed  you can go to www.vitaminspower.com.
   The web site is not affilated with Jack La Lanne but is an  independent online business.

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Miraculous by Kevin Belmonte

Do you need to have your eyes opened to God’s working in the world? Are you  so jaded that you feel God is no longer involved in events?   Then you need to read this book. It traces God’s work known as miracles as seen in periods of time . What makes this so good is the book is not written as a theological explanation of God’s involvement in the world but as a historical  look at what God is doing. It starts with the biggest miracle of all, the creation of man.. It moves quickly through Abraham,. Moses, Elisha, into the incarnation, the resurrection. Then it moves into historical periods and people, most are well known.
  Belmonte  looks at miracles as consisting of five types. He sees confirmatory miracles where God is showing his choice  and support of certain individuals or groups. Then there is the judgmental miracle. These can be seen in the plagues. Thirdly there are miracles of mercy or miraculous healings. Fourth we have miracles of deliverance as seen  with Daniel and the friends in the fiery furnace.  And last of all he uses the lens of the miracle of divine vision
 As I read this book I found myself marveling  at what God has done and is still doing.    The point is God is not finished doing miracles. We still live in a world of  wonder. I found myself looking at things around  me differently.
I would recommend this book for those who need to have their vision of signs, wonders and miracles refreshed.
This  book was received free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to give a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own and do not reflect the views of the publsiher.