I Quit! Stop Pretending Everything is Fine and Change Your Life by Geri Scazzero with Peter Scazzero

As Geri Scazzero explains in her book, I Quit! Stop Pretending Everything is Fine and Change Your Life, quitting is vital to gaining a healthy spiritual and psychological state. Quitting is not simply admitting defeat, but rather "dying to the things that are not of God." Over the eight chapters of her book, Scazzero outlines the areas in her life in which she needed to finally quit: being afraid of what others think, lying to herself and others, dying to the wrong things, denying natural emotions, blaming herself and others, overfunctioning, faulty thinking, and living someone else's life.

Overall, I Quit! is a great guide that teaches readers to give up the things in life that are draining happiness and threatening relationships. Scazzero's advice is practical, and can easily be implemented into real life situations. Although the book is geared toward Christians, secular readers can easily benefit from it. Scazzero addresses God and religion, as well as the need for deep prayer. However, the majority of the book offers self-help advice and anecdotes from her personal life. At times, the numerous personal stories were a bit distracting. Many, however, contributed because they illustrated how Scazzero's quitting method improved her life significantly.

One of my favorite sections of the book examined the nine Enneagram personality types. These are the perfectionist, the giver, the achiever, the romantic, the observer, the dutiful, the adventurer, the asserter, and the peacemaker. While each of these personality types appear positive, they are actually unconstructive, and must be given up in order to live the life intended for us by God. Like all other problems addressed in her book, Scazzero provides a useful solution for each of these problematic personality types. I highly recommend this book to others.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Zondervan as part of their Blogger Review 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 Commision's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Don’t Waste the Pain: Learning to Grow Through Suffering by David Lyons and Linda Lyons Richardson

“The amazing thing about childlike faith is not only that you believe without doubt, but you accept no without questions.”

Suffering and pain often affect the faith of Christians. It is sometimes difficult to understand why God would allow good people to experience horrible things. Siblings David Lyons and Linda Lyons Richardson address this topic in their book, Don’t Waste the Pain: Learning to Grow Through Suffering. As Linda learns her ovarian cancer has returned, David’s 12-year-old son is diagnosed with a serious form of cancer that kills 98 percent of its victims. David and Linda explain how these depressing circumstances and seemingly unanswered prayers are all part of God’s larger plan.

Much of the book consists of entries from David and Linda’s personal journals that document the pain they are each suffering. It demonstrates how they were able to maintain their faith. The lessons from this book are very inspirational and touching. David and Linda teach readers how to grow spiritually through painful and dark times. This is a great read for anyone experiencing difficult times. I highly recommend Don’t Waste the Pain to others.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NavPress Publishers as part of their Blogger Review 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 Commision's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Sabbath (The Ancient Practices Series) by Dan B. Allender

“The Sabbath is the day to experiment with beauty that teases your hunger to know more glory….What intrigues, amazes, tickles your fancy, delights your senses, and casts you into an entirely new and unlimited world is the raw material of Sabbath.”

Remembering the Sabbath is perhaps the most misunderstood of the Ten Commandments. It is typically seen as a day of forced religious attendance and rest. In his book, Sabbath (2009), Dan B. Allender provides a much different interpretation of this holy day. He claims that the Sabbath should not focus on merely abstaining from labor and sitting idly in a recliner. Instead, the day should involve activities that bring us the greatest pleasure. Fly-fishing, cooking with a loved one or reading a favorite author are all examples of Sabbatical celebrations, according to Allender. As he explains, personal delight is the key to keeping the Sabbath holy.

Although Allender does provide an interesting explanation of the Sabbath, his book is disappointing in several aspects. First, there is very little biblical support for his arguments. The majority of the book consists of anecdotes from Allender’s life. Since the book claims to “expel the myriad of myths about this ‘day of rest’”, I had expected a more scholarly approach to the topic. Second, there is little practical advice on how to actually honor the Sabbath correctly. He instructs the reader to plan a day of extreme pleasure, but does not provide any real advice on doing this. Instead, Allender alludes to how he and his wife celebrate the Sabbath. Finally, Allender makes bold claims that are not fully supported. For example, he argues that Sabbath should be rooted in nature without connecting this claim to any scripture.

In spite of its flaws, Sabbath is still a decent read. I find Allender’s conception of the Sabbath more appealing than traditional practices. While this book is not designed for serious or academic Bible study, it is a quick read that introduces a new view of the Sabbath.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their 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 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Preservation of Health: Managing Carbohydrate Intake for Life by Mark A. Falco, D.M.D

Many popular foods are filled with simple carbohydrates that elevate blood glucose levels without providing nutrients. In his book, The Preservation of Health: Managing Carbohydrate Intake for Life, Mark A. Falco explains how high-carbohydrate diets are responsible for many illnesses including depression, diabetes, stress, fatigue and osteoporosis. Falco provides a useful and complete guide for reducing carbohydrate intake.

Falco’s book is a great text that covers nearly all aspects of health. He connects carbohydrate intake to number of illnesses not usually connected to sugar. At times, Falco packs so much information into chapters that is difficult to get through the book. For example, he provides a number of case studies to support his claims. Although interesting and useful, these did cause the book to drag on. However, the book as a whole was excellent. It provides a clear explanation of how to understand nutritional values in food. Falco includes several average American meals and explains how healthy each is. A comprehensive overview of vitamins and their use is also included. Overall, The Preservation of Health is a great tool for improving one’s health. I highly recommend this book to others.

You can pick up a copy at the online bookstore:

http://store.yahoo.com/cgi-bin/clink?dorrance+vWVLFn+index.html+

I received a complimentary copy of The Preservation of Health: Managing Carbohydrate Intake for Life as a member of the Dorrance Publishing Book Review Team. Visit dorrancebookstore.com to learn how you can become a member of the Book Review Team.

The Discipline of Grace by Jerry Bridges

“So where the law condemns, grace forgives through the Lord Jesus Christ. Where the Law commands but gives no power, grace commands but does give power through the Holy Spirit who lives and works within us.”

In his book, The Discipline of Grace, Jerry Bridges examines the process of sanctification within the Christian faith. Bridges illustrates how salvation by grace and salvation by works are not dichotomies, but rather intertwined concepts. Salvation is purely by grace. He argues that works are then performed as a result of being saved, instead of being performed to gain salvation. Grace continues to influence us by giving us the power to exercise discipline and perform works. Therefore, the two concepts cannot be separated.

The Discipline of Grace is the perfect book for helping Christians become more like Jesus. It provides a concise but informative overview of the Gospels. Bridges also shows how to incorporate these teachings into daily life. The book urges readers to stop and list their own vices. Bridges then goes onto explain how to overcome personal vices through scripture mediation. Everyone serious about pursuing holiness must read The Discipline of Grace.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NavPress Publishers as part of their Blogger Review 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 Commision's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Angry: a Novel by Laura L. Smith

Thrust into the center of her parents’ bitter divorce, Emma Monaghan is surrounded by pure anger and confusion, in Laura L. Smith’s Angry: a Novel. Being the oldest of six children, she has the weighty responsibility of caring for her siblings. Things only get more intense as her father seems to spontaneously have an affair and leave their family. Emma feels as if everyone is blaming her for the divorce. Her only escape comes from the theatre as she assumes the role of Eponine for Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables. The play serves as metaphor for Emma’s own life.

Many teenagers will be able to easily relate to Emma’s experiences. In addition to divorce, the short novel addresses many other serious issues such as adultery, alcoholism, eating disorders and teenage pregnancy. Mixed into these issues are the average teenage concerns of fashion, cars, friends and gossip. Although religion does eventually play a large role in the novel, it does not dominate the text. Emma finds herself turning to God during hard times, but does not seem to devoutly believe in Him. Her conversations with God gradually move from casual comments to heartfelt exchanges. Angry is a great novel that accurately describes what it is like to be a teenage girl. I highly recommend this book to teenagers looking for a novel to identify with. Adults wanting insight into the teenage girl mind will also benefit from this great novel.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NavPress Publishers as part of their Blogger Review 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 Commision's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Blind Hope by Kim Meeder and Laurie Sacher

Animal lovers will not deny the remarkable connection that forms between pets and their owners. Kim Meeder portrays this bond in her book, Blind Hope: An Unwanted Dog & the Woman She Rescued (2010). While operating Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch, Meeder is united with a woman named Laurie Sacher. For much of her life, Laurie attempts to mask her true self by taking on various masquerades. Trying to persuade herself of her own kindness, she decides to adopt a needy dog that she imagines to still be grand and beautiful. As she first sets eyes on the dog her original visions are replaced with an underweight, blind, diabetic dog. Reluctantly, Laurie adopts the dog. Through much struggle, an amazing relationship develops between Laurie and her dog, named Mia, which eventually brings her to accept Christ as the Savior.

Laurie’s story, told through the perspective of Kim Meeder, is touching and heartbreaking at times. The relationship between Laurie and Mia is so well-depicted that it can honestly be felt by the reader. Although I had expected the book to focus more on Mia instead of her owner’s conversion, I was not disappointed. The book shows how God uses different methods to bring people to faith. While overall an amazing book, Blind Hope did have one small shortcoming with respect to dialogue. Laurie’s dialogue is conversational and realistic. However, some of Kim’s responses are too rote and unbelievable. At many times, it seems as if Kim’s responses are performed and impersonally. Nevertheless, I highly recommend this book to others interested in conversion stories.

Note of Disclosure: "I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review."