The Storm Inside by Sheila Walsh

There is always a storm brewing.  Either we have just been through one, are going through one, or one is headed our way.  It is just a fact of life.  Recently, I read Sheila Walsh's book, The Storm Inside.  Her book is ten chapters...each one talking about a different type of storm that we have the potential to go through. What I loved about her writing is that she just doesn't talk about the storm.  She explores how to get through it and transition to something better.  For example, here are a few of the storms she touches on...

-From Heartbreak to Strength
-From Unforgiveness to Freedome
-From Regret to Rest
-From Fear to Joy
-From Rage to restoration

Another awesome aspect of her book is that at the end of each chapter, Sheila provides a section called "Standing Through Your Storm" in which she gives practical ideas on how you can come out on the other side of it all.  This was my favorite part of the book in that it gave me ideas to really work with in my own life. She offers verses to memorize, questions to answer or journal about, and a prayer to pray.  I would highly recommend her book if you are suffering through a storm!

Thomas Nelson has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in order to review it.  I am not required to give a positive review.  All my opinions are my own.

Love Does {DVD and Study Guide} by Bob Goff

Last year I had the privilege of listening to Bob Goff, the author of Love Does, speak at a conference.  He is a vivacious, sanguine speaker that exudes the love of Christ. Listening to him speak motivated me to love God and others! I read Love Does last year and thoroughly enjoyed his stories and the connections he makes about Jesus. The book speaks about what love really is.  It is an action that is meant to be lived out.  His DVD and study guide are based on the book.  It is meant to be used in small groups, but anyone can benefit from it.  There are five short video sessions that parallel many of the lessons in the original book.  The study guide offers an introduction, a "Hearing the Word" section where Scripture is connected to the concepts taught, discussion questions, and ideas on how to put love into action.  In part of the study guide it asks you to read a section of his book.  While this is not absolutely necessary, I do believe that it adds to the study.

Bob Goff will challenge your concept of what love looks like and how it should act.  We are to love audaciously in word and deed.

Thomas Nelson has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in order to review it.  I am not required to give a positive review.  All my opinions are my own.

NIV Essentials Study Bible

A study Bible can be a great tool to help you understand God's Word.  Since the Bible is an ancient "library" of sixty-six books written by about forty authors over 1,600 years that amazingly tell one story, it would be helpful to have background information to gain understanding into the culture, people, and concepts of the Scriptures.  The NIV Essentials Study Bible offers six different resources in one Bible to help. There are several "lenses" in this study Bible:

• Flyover Lens: Start each book of the Bible with the right perspective from easy-to-read introductions from the popular Essential Bible Companion.
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• Unpack Lens: Easily understand and interpret Bible passages with bottom-of-the page study notes and in-text charts from the best-in-class NIV Study Bible.
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• Dig Deep, Look Close Lens: Understand the fascinating historical significance of the Bible with articles and photos from the bestselling NIV Archaeological Study Bible.
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• Q&A Lens: Get concise, easy-to-grasp answers to your most perplexing questions about the Bible with questions and answers from the beloved NIV Quest Study Bible.
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• People Lens: View Scripture from the perspective of the 100 most important people in the Bible with notes for the student of any age excerpted from the timeless NIV Student Bible.
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• Guided Tour Lens: Get a bird’s eyes view of Scripture with a Guided Tour, also excerpted from the category-leading NIV Student Bible.
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• Insight Lens: Find meaning in the Bible by reading these magazine-style call-outs from the NIV Student Bible.
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• R&R Lens: Reflect & Respond with this quick inspirational focus time, which unveils the sweeping narrative of the Bible as seen in the award-winning The Great Rescue, NIV.

I really liked the book introductions for each of the 66 books. They include an overview, key concepts, key verses, people, and terms.  Many of them also include a map related to the book. The "highlight boxes" were helpful in understanding verses that may seem strange or would be a mystery to us because we live in a different time and culture.

There is one part of this Bible that I didn't prefer and that was the Q & A Lenses from the Quest Study Bible.  Some of the sections brought up issues like in Genesis is a day really 24 hours (I would say yes) or was the flood really worldwide (I would say yes to that one, too).  While these sections don't tell you definitively what to believe they do raise the questions that have been debated.  My issue with them is they bring up doubts, and I guess that made me feel like I can't fully recommend that part.  But overall, I feel that this Bible can be extremely helpful for us to gain a greater understanding of God's Word.

Thomas Nelson has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in order to review it.  I am not required to give a positive review.  All my opinions are my own.

 

 

The Wall Around Your Heart by Mary DeMuth

Sometimes we get hurt so bad that we want to give up on the whole idea of relationships.  It can get so hard that our hearts harden to those around us.  Mary DeMuth has written an excellent book on the subject, The Wall Around Your Heart.  She takes the Lord's Prayer and uses each line of it to guide you through emotional hurts.  For example, in "May your name be kept holy" we learn that we need to let God be God.  Allow Him to deal with our relationships instead of trying to take the reins or be vengeful. With "And forgive us our sins", we learn that we need to focus on our contribution to the relational breakup and let go of the pride we harbor that the other person is the one totally at fault.

I have to say that I have read a lot of relationship-type books this year, but Mary's book has really touched my heart.  You can tell by her insight that she truly gets "relational messes".  She has an incredible story of overcoming abuse and heartache which gives a person hope as you read through her book.  If you are struggling with the condition of any of your relationships then this would be an excellent read!

Thomas Nelson has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in order to review it.  I am not required to give a positive review.  All my opinions are my own.