Heaven Change Everything

Heaven Changes Everything: Living Every Day with Eternity in Mind by Todd and Sonia Burpo is a devotional that builds on the story of Todd Burpos’s bestseller Heaven is for Real, which details the Burpos’ son Colton’s experiences during a near death experience.  There are 42 entries which are written by one or both of the Burpos that follow the same format.  Each chapter opens with a brief excerpt from Heaven is For Real, followed by a narrative that builds on the principles of the excerpt or discusses events that have happened since the publication of the first book, a thought to contemplate and finally a Bible verse linked to the devotional’s main point.  The topics covered vary from serving, grieving, the afterlife, evangelism, prayer and many more.

As I read though this devotional, I found that it would be what most would expect from a devotional reader with brief chapters that can be mulled over.  I believe that this offering would be of interest to two audiences.  First, fans of Heaven is For Real will likely enjoy this text since the Burpos expand on stories within the original book and share stories from their life about what has happened since.  The second audience is those who are wrestling with grieving.  Having lost a child to heaven, and have him returned they speak of loss in a different way than others that did not walk through journey.  Additionally, as a pastor and his wife they have seen and helped others in their periods of loss.  Overall Heaven Changes Everything is a typical devotional that fans of Heaven is For Real will likely pick up to enlarge the story of the Burpo family. 

Review Copy Provided by Thomas Nelson

Grace by Max Lucado

Grace!  It is a powerful and often misunderstood concept.  And it is foundational to our faith.  Max Lucado in Grace: More Than We Deserve, Greater Than We Imagine attempts to wrap his readers’ minds around this complicated and important word by showing examples of grace in action in the lives of ordinary people, who often prove themselves extraordinary, and the pages of the Bible.  Lucado notes that we often have a wimpy picture of grace and that he wants readers to understand the transformative power of grace.  The grace that Lucado offers is one that reshapes the recipient giving us a heart transplant in his words.  The chapters of Grace shows how grace changes us to be more giving, more caring, and more receptive to the work of God.  The main text is followed by a study guide. 

So, if you have read and liked a Max Lucado book before, you probably know what you are getting in Grace.  The book is easy to read and Lucado’s strength is his ability to write in a clear and entertaining way.  Most anyone can pick up and understand this book.  The chapters are brief and easy to read through in a devotional style.  So, if you have read and not liked a Max Lucado book before, you probably know what you are getting in Grace.  So for those who dislike Lucado’s style you already are well aware of this and probably should not pick up this book.  Grace is a typical Lucado book sure to please Lucado’s core audience.       

Greater: Dream Bigger, Start Smaller. Ignite God's Vision for Your Life

Greater: Dream Bigger. Start Smaller. Ignite God’s Vision For Your Life by Steven Furtick looks to inspire learners to stop living mediocre lives and step into the life of greatness God has meant for them.  Furtick provides both practical, theological and inspirational advice for believers to escape their a life of waste to one that is greater, greater than labels, greater than earthly success, greater than our own dreams.  To show us how to live this greater life, Furtick relies on two chief illustrations.  The first is the prophet Elisha who went from plowman to Israel’s most distinguished prophet of his day.  The second is stories from Furtick’s own Elevation Church and the people that he does life with.  Furtick directs our attention to Jesus, the ultimate example of one who lived a life using the principles Furtick has discovered to being greater. 

The following is probably more of my thoughts on “Christian” publishing and not Greater persay.  Why as a belief group that speaks living in freedom do we need so many “self-help” books.  Furtick himself acknowledges that he could be seen as just another self-help book.  My question is why does he need to address that issue?  Let’s be honest, self-help books are ones we read, consider, and then forget about as we pick up the next title.  I call it Generic Christian Book and they tend to have the themes of look to Jesus, throw off the bonds and live in freedom, do more for Jesus.  Don’t worry they also tend to all give us the same recipe; have faith, pray, read your Bible, be nice to animals (okay I made that up).  Honesty this is not about our authors but us as consumers.  Publisher and authors are putting these Generic Christian Books out because we are buying and reading them, but as I look around are we living them with the swagger that says the Father loves me and I am free!  Often, I think no.

With that being said, Greater is a text that I would drop into the category of Generic Christian Book.  Yes, I like the use of Elisha.  Yes, the books are well written.  But I think a “mature” believer should have read much of this elsewhere or heard similar concepts from the pulpit.  Greater should be of benefit to a new believer who needs to move past that old mediocre life and does not know how yet, but it is us “mature” believers that seem to need this sort of message again and again and again and again.  Reading with a bad attitude, some of the examples from real life mentioned in the book did not impress me.  And I was frustrated with impression given early in the book that one with deep faith who takes a deep risk will have a windfall soon after, especially when Furtick discusses in depth later in the book the difficulties walking out on faith will experience. 

Honestly, I was probably pre-disposed to not be as open to Greater as others who will pick it up.  I almost feel bad saying it but I see it as a trend within theBbody.  Maybe I am reading too many Generic Christian Books improperly giving me the impression that we are staggering in our belief instead of strutting with confidence.  As someone who reads a lot, I say let’s start listening and living the messages of a book like Greater instead of recycling and re-reading it’s concept that we need to live lives of greatness.     

Review Copy Provided by Blogging for Books

Rudy: My Story by Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger and Mark Dagostino

Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger with the help of Mark Dagostino tells us for the first time a story many of us thought we know in Rudy: My Story.  Rudy: My Story retells the familiar story of Rudy Ruettiger’s efforts to play for his beloved Notre Dame football team.  Ruettiger tells the story of his large and loving family in Joliet, Illinois, and their growing love of Notre Dame.  Ruettiger loved sports, but hated school which meant his chances to go to college were non-existent.  In the era of the escalating Vietnam War Ruettiger joined the Navy and received an unintended benefit, access to the G.I. Bill.  Ruettiger used access to education through his military benefits and a community college to build the grades needed for him to be admitted to Notre Dame.  Once admitted he worked to become a walk-on to the football team and served for two years on the scout team.  The highlight of his football career was his one opportunity to suit up and play in one collegiate game.  Ruettiger and Dagostino then detail Ruettiger’s post college career and how he worked to get the blockbuster movie about his life, Rudy, made. 

This is a familiar and yet different story than many of us know for Rudy.  Ruettiger explains how some incidents in his life were changed or ignored to make a story suitable for the theater.  For example his service in the Navy is ignored in the movie, along with his on-campus boxing success.  The book makes it clear that Ruettiger and his desire to suit up for a game were known by many throughout campus.  Additionally, his father was more supportive than depicted in the film.  In many ways the real life story is simply not as exciting as the movie, as we should expect.  Additionally, the information after Notre Dame is very unclear, such as leaving information about his wife almost completely out.  If anything the story of Ruettiger’s missteps in getting the movie made is one that adds to the story of Rudy the movie.

Ruettiger makes it clear that he wishes to further the message of Rudy.  Everyone has Rudy in this in his opinion and his combination of dreaming and doing has inspired many.  Ruettiger succeeds in sharing his life and message.  But in many ways this combination sports biography and self-help books falls a little flat for me, mostly because I constantly compared it to the movie!   

Review Copy Provided by Thomas Nelson

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand

Laura Hillenbrand recounts the story of World War II hero Louis Zamperini in Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption.  Zamperini was a troubled youth until encouraged, or maybe forced, by his brother Pete to become a distance runner.  Zamperini participated in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany, and his performance helped propel the young runner onto the world stage.  Zamperini was preparing for the 1940 Olympics in Tokyo when World War II broke out.  He entered the Army and joined the U.S. Army Air Corps as a bombardier.  After harrowing bombing runs against Japanese bases from his base in Hawaii, Zamperini’s plane crashed into the ocean.  Zamperini and his surviving crewmates were lost in the ocean with Zamperini spending over 40 days in a life raft.  After his recovery from the ocean, Zamperini experienced brutal conditions in Japanese captivity.   The reader is left with the question of how and will Zamperini survive his incredible and horrifying story.      

Hillenbrand is a solid author who spins a story that is engaging.  Readers will be regret putting down Unbroken when in the midst of the story.  And Zamperini’s story, of which I was not aware, is incredible.  It leads one to wonder how we did not discuss Zamperini more often in history courses as a representative of those held captive by the Japanese.  I left the story understanding how these men would have seen the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima as a god send as Hillenbrand chronicles events in several POW camps around the events of the flight of the Enola Gay.  Hillenbrand does an excellent job of providing tension to her readers as one questions if Louis, crewmates, or other POWs will survive the war.  Additionally, this is a book that I have been talking about as I read it.  My copy will be passed to a co-worker as I have been unable to not share Zamperini’s story as I dug into Unbroken.  Along with being well-written the text is also well researched using both oral interviews and archival documents.  Sources also come from both the United States and Japan. 

           

Unbroken is an excellent book that I cannot recommend enough.  It helped provide a very personal and engaging face to the facts and figures of Americans in POW captivity.  And with a story that includes castaways at sea is highly engaging.                                 

Review Copy Provided by WaterBrook Multnomah

Tender Warrior by Stu Weber

Stu Weber in Tender Warrior provides a description of Biblical manhood.  Weber reinforces what other author’s have also brought forward, there is an absence of real men in our society.  He then proceeds to provide a detailed summary of what a real man should be.  He discusses the need for men to have both strength and be able to show tenderness to those they love.  He explores how a real man interacts with his spouse, providing both provision and understanding.  This is followed by an in-depth discussion of the role of fathering and the need for real men to father children.  Weber points out beyond one’s family, a man needs companions to do life in.  He concludes with a picture of what a true man is.  A true man follows the focuses model of Jesus.  He notes that society has emasculated Jesus giving a picture of a pansy.  Weber extends notes the focuses vision of Jesus, a man who was both a warrior king and also one who could show deep compassion. 

Honestly, I kind of think this book is lost on me.  The portions of the book that resonate with me are really things I believe I am doing now.  And there is a lot of material similar to what I have read in men’s issues books before.  And those things that don’t resonate with me failed to challenge my thoughts but were discarded.  I’m not saying the material is not good or the book is not well written.  It just simply did not provide me anything new.  Part of this could be my non-hunter attitude, as this book uses many hunting stories that are lost on me.  Luckily as someone who has studied military history, Weber’s leads using his military experience did keep my attention. 

So I asked myself what would I do with this book.  First, if a believer had never read a book of this type I would suggest it as a starting point that would give them a good overview of these issues.  It would likely challenge a young husband who has not yet thought about these issues.  And I would be very willing to provide this book to someone not following Christ who wants to know what Biblical manhood looks like.  It is likely for these reasons that this book has continued to find a large audience since its original 1993 printing. 

Review Copy Provided by Waterbrook Multnomah

Love Does: Discover A Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World

Bob Goff in Love Does: Discover A Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World shares practical lessons learned from a life lived on faith and how they link to the teachings of Jesus.  Goff writes relatively short chapters centered on poignant and often humorous stories from his own life and those that he does life with.  Goff, a lawyer, leads what many of us would call an extraordinary life where in his spare time he supports global justice initiatives.  One of his stories recounts how he became a Consul for Uganda, with many of his stories relaying his own experiences in that country.  In fact, the proceeds from the book are divided between Donald Miller’s Mentoring Project and Goff’s Restore International Leadership Academy in Gulu, Uganda, which provides educational opportunities for children in war torn northern Uganda.  In the vast majority of chapters Goff explains how his experiences have enlightened him on the life and teachings of Jesus, restating the basics of New Testament passages without the typical Biblical citations found in “Christian books.”

Goff’s message is clear, Love Does!  Love is something that has energy and action around it.  And as Christians it is not enough for us to think about love but we have to put love into action.  By expressing love in an active way we can share in the work of Jesus and get to know Him in a better way.  Love does not sit idly by but moves!

Love Does is easy to read, with the reader feeling like you are engaged in a conversation with Goff.  Goff tells stories and he has interesting stories to tell.  With this being said, I think there are three key groups this book can be helpful for.  First, those seeking to know about Jesus will enjoy this book.  Goff’s writing is easy to engage with and his choice to restate Biblical text without citing makes the book non-threatening to a non-believer.  One does not have to be in the club to understand what Goff has to say about Jesus!  Second, those wanting to find direction in their Christian walk will get simple advice from Goff, do something.  And his tales show how powerful just moving in a direction can be if you don’t know where to start.  Third, Christians deep in their faith can stand to review Goff’s lessons.  Goff makes it clear that we make religion too complicated.  For Goff through action we can get clarity about God as He uses motion to make things occur around us.  Especially convicting for me was the chapter on Stalking Jesus!  Yes, stalking Jesus.  He notes that often we spend so much effort getting to learn the “facts” about Jesus that we are looking at Him from 1,000 yards away while failing to know Jesus by responding to work and entering into life with him.

Donald Miller in A Million Miles in a Thousand Years introduced us to his friend Bob Goff, a force to be reckoned with.  In Love Does we get to know Goff on a new level through his own words.  I feel comfortable saying Goff is my friend.  We both love Disneyland!  And if I really need to run something past him, I do have his phone number.  Because you should always be able to contact a friend directly!  Thanks friend for reminding me that love is an action verb!

Review Copy Provided by Thomas Nelson