Book Review of A Year With Jesus: Daily Readings and Reflections on Jesus' Own Words by R.P. Nettelhorst

R.P. Nettelhorst's book, A Year with Jesus: Daily Readings and Reflections on Jesus' Own Words, is a collection of daily Bible readings and reflections of each one.  Nettelhorst's reflections are informative, encouraging and thought-provoking.  The book is split up into 10 different topics which include: Love and Hate, Truths and Lies, Arrogance and Humility, Friends and Enemies, Belief and Disbelief, Patience and Impatience, Deserved and Undeserved, Good and Evil, Fidelity and Treachery and Life and Death.

I absolutely LOVE this devotional.  The readings are short, but each one really makes you think about your own walk with God.  I really liked the introductions that Nettelhorst wrote for each topic as well.  Those alone could be a daily reading as well because they are just as thought-provoking as each daily reading is.  I highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a good devotional because this one definitely surpassed my expectations and is EXCELLENT!

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.”

Book Review of An Amish Wedding by Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller and Kelly Long

The book An Amish Wedding is actually a collection of three separate novellas.  The first novella, A Perfect Secret by Kelly Long, tells the story of Rose Bender and Luke Lantz.  Rose discovers that her fiancee is hiding something, and she is determined to find out the truth.  The second novella, A Perfect Match by Kathleen Fuller, tells the story of Naomi King and Zeke Lapp.  Naomi meets Zeke, and there is an immediate attraction between the two of them, but she has made a promise that creates an obstacle for them to be together.  The third novella, The Perfect Plan by Beth Wiseman, tells the story of Priscilla King and Chester Lapp.  Priscilla and Chester are very much in love, but as their wedding day approaches, many things start to go wrong making them question if they are following God's perfect plan.

I really enjoyed reading this book.  There is a glossary in the front of the book with some of the Amish terms that are used throughout each novella.  I found this helpful along the way, but eventually was able to know what each word meant as I read.  Each novella kept me interested which is very important to me while reading a book.  I absolutely LOVED that the stories were intertwined.  It was neat to see the main characters in each novella as supporting characters in the others.  I highly recommend this book!

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.”

Book Review of The Encounter: Sometimes, God has to Intervene by Stephen Arterburn

The book The Encounter: Sometimes, God Has to Intervene by Stephen Arterburn takes place in Fairbanks, Alaska where the main character, Jonathan Rush, has traveled to search for the truth behind his mother's abandonment when he was four years old.  With the help of a reporter, Jonathan's search for answers about his past leads him to the home of Mercy, a woman who holds the key to unlocking them.  Howerver, before Jonathan can get those answers, he has to learn how to forgive his mother.

I found this book enjoyable and easy to read, but I also felt like I was missing part of the story.  I found myself going back to the previous chapters to see if I had missed something, only to find that the information was not in the previous chapters.  While the book was lacking in details, I found it to have an excellent message.  I really liked that Arterburn wrote this story by combining two true stories, and that he took the time to tell us about each true story at the end of the book.  The message I took away from reading this book is best said by using Arterburn's own words on page 149 of this book: "Too often we sit around and wait for someone to make things right with us when we are the ones who need to move to right a wrong.  When someone attempts to make amends, it is easy to reject that person, but accepting the effort to right the wrong helps that person and it helps you more.  It allows you to bring closure to a festering wound.  All of us truly need to be slow to anger and quick forgive and restore."

If you are struggling with forgiving someone and you need some inspiration, I would recommend this book.  It really gives you something to think about.  

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.”

Book Reviews

Book Sneeze recently accepted my application to review Christian books.  I am very excited to receive my first book in the mail because I'll be reading and growing in my Christian faith as well as sharing my view of the book with others!  How fun!