The Family Bible Devotional Volume 2 - A Review

 

The Family Bible Devotional

Volume 2

by

Sarah M, Wells

The subtitle describes this book well: “Stories from the Gospels to help Kids and Parents Love God and Love Others”. What the author has done is to compile a set of 50+ devotionals for parents to share with their children.

After briefly giving some brief suggestions on using the material found in the book, each of the 52 devotions follows a similar pattern:

1. A one-paragraph description of the setting for the chosen text.
2. The week’s scripture is quoted using The Message
3. Some suggested Bible study questions and provide an opportunity for each member of the family to ask their own questions
4. “A Closing Thought” summarizing the lessons that may have come from the passage
5. A “Prayer Prompt” based on the lesson is provided
6. A couple of activities are suggested to help all participants cement the lesson
7. Each lesson concludes with a brief bit of trivia taken from scripture, history, culture, etc.

Though my kids are long gone from home, this year’s collection of studies is among the best I have seen for use in family worship. It would make a great gift for a church to make to families with middle school or junior high school students. With a bit of work and patience, it might even be used with a younger family. Though not designed for a church setting, it might also be used as the basis for the weekly study with a small youth group. I can easily give this book five-stars.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are my own.

The Phantom of OZ - A Review

The Phantom of OZ

by

Cindy Brown

A Review

A mixture of humor, history, psychology, and self-reflection, Phantom of OZ is a murder mystery with a heaping dose of self-help on the side.

As I read the first chapter, I was a bit skeptical - a seance does not sound like an interesting topic to read for this reader. But the seance was quickly dropped and moved on to the disappearance of the best friend of Ivy Meadows, the primary antagonist. A friendly ghost does make an appearance - but she is more like Casper than Morley.

I enjoyed the way the author wove the theater into the story - though it was more figuratively than literal. Chapter titles are drawn from Gaston Leroux’s The Phantom of the Opera. The story centers on the cast members performing a remake of The Wizard of OZ set in outer space. Many of the expected characters are there, though they are somewhat creepier - and at least one of them is a murderer. And then there is the kidnapping. Ivy Meadows and her new friends are willing to put their own lives on the line to solve the puzzle and save the life of Candace Moon.

In the midst of all this, the author weaves a secondary story focusing on the issues of body image, anorexia nervosa, and bulimia. The story explores the roots of these diseases and approaches needed for their care. At the same time, the author recognizes that solutions are not easy and not always certain. These themes are addressed simply but clearly, helping those not familiar with the underlying issues to better understand the lives of those struggling with their self-image and their dietary decisions.

The Phantom of OZ is a fun read and a good contribution to the Ivy Meadows series coming from the author. For the reader looking for some lighter reading providing some insight to some darker issues, Phantom might be a good choice for a weekends reading.

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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions are mine alone.

Seeds of Revenge - A Review

Seeds of Revenge

by

Wendy Tyson

A Review

Megan Sawyer and her friends from the small town of Winsome, PA, are in the middle of another series of murders, a series which could easily tear the town apart. Megan owns a small organic farm on the outskirts of town and also runs a small cafe and store in town in which she markets some of her products. The cafe has quickly become the hub of town gossip - if you want to hear the latest news (true or false) visit the cafe. Winsome was also a place that was inviting to family reunions - and this one was turning deadly.

The disliked patriarch of the family was the first to die - but others would follow. Then other members of the community started to be threatened as well. The police chief was young and was learning his role in murder investigations very quickly. This was not his first case (see Wendy Tyson’s earlier novels in this series for those details), but it was becoming his trickiest to solve. With so many misleading clues and possibilities, naming the wrong suspect could lead to more deaths.

A bit harsher than some cozy mysteries, but still a satisfying read. Set in rural Pennsylvania, the place almost feels like home (without the murders, of course): warm fireplaces, ice covered roads, small town life. A walk along the frozen canal might be just the way to finish day’s work. The town, the plot, and the characters will welcome all readers to again visit Winsome, Pennsylvania.  

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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions are mine alone.

Touched - A Review

Touched

Book 1: Encounter Series

by

Paula Wiseman

A Review

Paula Wiseman has the habit of writing books that focus on people's lives - not mystery, murder, robbery, etc. - but lives that people have lived and the “stuff” that people bring with them as they live their lives. She has done a great job of doing that again in “Touched”.

Donna Sue Grant, the first person author, begins by writing,

Secrets come in all sorts and sizes. Sometimes, they are as sweet as an engagement ring in a nervous boy’s pocket. Other times ... they threaten to shatter your very self. With those kinds of secrets, it’s difficult to judge if keeping it or telling it is more damaging.

And as Donna Sue Grant hid her secret, she knew it was true. Her secret, like most abuse, was burden that was difficult to let go. “Touched” is the story of how she did that.  It is a story than many travel as they move out of abusive relationships, regardless of the abusers relationship to the abused. It is not an easy journey, but one that can lead to wholeness. Paula Wiseman has done a good job of describing the journey of fictionalized character.

If I were to stop this review at this point, it would be a five star review. But the author has endorsed a glaring error in the course of writing this book. Her husband, a counselor in training, serve as Donna Sue Grant’s primary therapist. If this had been a pastor, he might not know of the ethical issues involved in treating his own family. But Phil was being trained in a state university with an exemplary reputation and was being supervised in his current practice by a licensed therapist. He should have learned, as I and every trained therapist learns, that there are ethical issues surrounding the treatment of members of one’s own family. It is the same ethical issues that require that a doctor relinquish treatment of their family to other physicians - who are able to be professionally objective as they treat patients, or in this case clients. For this reader, this flaw raises large red flags that are not addressed in any way within the confines of the book.

The story has a lot to teach the lay person about the history and effect of abuse on its victim. We get a picture of the burden it puts on the abused, his or her need to protect themself and their abuser. But it also illustrates the freedom that can come once the abuse is revealed. Justice is not always possible, but as scripture says, “The truth shall set you free.” (John 8:32).  The book also presents a clear picture how faith can influence the lives of individuals and families. The author has not stepped back from addressing how faith will change the lives of those who will listen to God’s voice.

This family has more to teach us - the next book has been written, though not yet published. I will be looking forward to reading it in the near future.

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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are my own.

365 Essential Questions From The Bible - A Review

365 Essential Questions

From The Bible

by

Ed Strauss

A Review

Looking for sermon material for use after Advent? Here is one place I am looking. I earlier reviewed a book on 25 Questions God Asked, now I am presented with 365 Essential Questions From the Bible. Both present interesting material for developing a series of post Advent sermons.  And since I prefer Bible Studies to sermons, I have enjoyed reviewing the questions that God us mortals throughout the ages.  And I do not need to write these questions, One better than I did just that.

Mary Selzer has noted that there are some 3241 questions in the Bible. Now we look at nearly all the 450 questions that God asked in the 66 books that make us the Holy Scriptures.  For the most part, the questions asked are discussed in small devotional sized chunks.  But these discussions are not light - they require the reader to look at the world around them and to look at their own lives.

I found it difficult to find an order to the book. The devotionals and their related questions do not seem to be connected - they are not in Biblical order (though there is a Biblical index at the end of the book); I see no topical headings to suggest that they are arranged in topical order. The index is arranged by days, though my preview copy had no daily headings (NOTE: my e-copy was a reviewers copy, which is often not in a book’s final form).

The book would serve as a year long devotional for the established believer looking for something beyond the typical daily devotional available from various publishers. I might also serve a couple looking to deepen their own relationship with God.

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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are my own.