God

Dec 8 2010

Almost Heaven by Chris Fabry

One of the fun things about owning a Kindle (or any e-reader for that matter) is the free books. Publishers offer books for free in order to introduce you to an author or series in the expectation that you will then purchase the latest book(s).  Being a cheapskate fugal shopper I frequently download free books for my Kindle and Almost Heaven by Chris Fabry was one of the latest.

Here is the publisher’s description:

Billy Allman is a hillbilly genius. People in Dogwood, West Virginia, say he was born with a second helping of brains and a gift for playing the mandolin but was cut short on social skills. Though he’d gladly give you the shirt off his back, they were right. Billy longs to use his life as an ode to God, a lyrical, beautiful bluegrass song played with a finely tuned heart. So with spare parts from a lifetime of collecting, he builds a radio station in his own home. People in town laugh. But Billy carries a brutal secret that keeps him from significance and purpose. Things always seem to go wrong for him.

However small his life seems, from a different perspective Billy’s song reaches far beyond the hills and hollers he calls home. Malachi is an angel sent to observe Billy. Though it is not his dream assignment, Malachi follows the man and begins to see the bigger picture of how each painful step Billy takes is a note added to a beautiful symphony that will forever change the lives of those who hear it.

A great deal of the Christian fiction I come across is just plain bad (although to be fair maybe I haven’t sampled widely enough) and let’s be honest some of the books that are free on Amazon are free for a reason.  So the first thing to say here is that Almost Heaven is not one of those books that you simply don’t want to finish. In fact, I was so interested in the opening chapter that I just kept on reading it (something I rarely do when I download a free Kindle book).

Keep Reading

By Kevin Holtsberry • Reviews • 0 • Tags: , , , , , , ,

Dec 5 2010

Gum, Geckos, and God: A Family’s Adventure in Space, Time, and Faith by James Spiegel

I stumbled upon Gum, Geckos, and God: A Family’s Adventure in Space, Time, and Faith by my old Taylor University prof Jim Spiegel while looking for something else (it might have been his recently released The Making of an Atheist) and it became one of the many impulse buys I have made for my Kindle.

Plus, it seemed like a good fit. I have young kids and enjoy conversations about faith and philosophy; and my kids like to play stump the parent too.

It turned out to be a very enjoyable read.

Here is Publishers Weekly:

Spiegel, philosophy professor at Indiana’s Taylor University, takes deep issues of the Christian faith and dumps them smack into real life with a little help from his children. Their questions—Dad, where does God live? Dad, does God speak English? and What does God know?—open the door to discussions about God that solicit satisfying answers from Dad. Spiegel’s responses and ensuing comments will satisfy adults as well, especially those looking for beginning and intermediate study on topics such as God’s omniscience, the Golden Rule, God’s presence and human origin and destiny. Spiegel ponders the great issues of the faith with a light touch, thanks to the innate comedy of kids, but also to his own brand of humor. No doubt some readers will wish for more depth when it comes to doctrinal fundamentals, but rather than exhaustive study, the point is that God touches human hearts through geckos, hide-and-seek tag and the occasional possum. Spiegel shares his own wonder as he fields FAQs from the fertile, imaginative, earthy minds of his children.

What I really enjoyed was the way Siegel modeled how to talk with your children about serious subjects while at the same time discussing – admitedly in basic terms – some of the more fundamental questions of the Christian faith.

Siegel’s experience as a teacher pays off as he patiently offers insightful ways to think about these often difficult questions and offers a holistic way to think about faith and family.

The chapters really stand on their own so you don’t necessarily have to read the book chronologically. The chapters are also relativly short so it is easy to read them in one sitting. I read the book over the course of a few weeks reading a chapter at night before bed.

If you are your children wrestle with these types of questions, or if you are simply interested in exploring them in this unique way, I heartily recommend this enjoyable and insightful book.

By Kevin Holtsberry • Reviews • 0 • Tags: , , , , ,

Jun 13 2010

Gripped by the Greatness of God by James MacDonald

For Sunday School this past session I was in a class that featured video from James MacDonald based on the book Gripped by the Greatness of God. I enjoyed the class a great deal and decided to read the book to review and reinforce the lessons.

I highly recommend both the book and the video series.

It is an engaging and challenging study based on the book of Isaiah. It helps you comes to grips with the foundational character of God and how that should and will impact your spiritual growth if you truly believe what you read and learn.

Here is the publishers blurb:

When was the last time you were really and truly gripped by God’s greatness? Most Christians recall heartfelt resolutions around a fire at bible camp as children, and perhaps a revival meeting or two. But what causes the fervor of those experiences to translate into a consistent life pattern? Pastor and author James MacDonald believes that the better we understand God, the better we understand ourselves, and the less likely we are to favor our own will over God’s. He writes: “God is not safe and He will not be squeezed into some neat, respectable Sunday discussion..No. To Know God at all is to watch Him explode any box we put Him in with His terror, majesty and indescribable wonder.”

Expounding upon Isaiah’s encounters with God, MacDonald prods snoozing saints to rediscover the wonder of God’s attributes. He also shares candidly from his experiences in life and ministry where God proved Himself to be the Great I AM. This book will spur new and seasoned believers alike to detest mediocrity in their spiritual walks. Ideal for individual or small group study.

MacDonald has a lighthearted yet serious style and while the book is an easy read that does not mean the issues and ideas addressed our easy to apply in your life. It moves from the character of God to how our understand of that character, and or willingness to truly act on this knowledge, can change the way we experience God.

A great read for anyone interested in taking their faith deeper.

By Kevin Holtsberry • Reviews • 1 • Tags: , , , ,