Mary Vogelsong: Writer, Reviewer, Blogger
BethBirdBooks Publishing
Congratulations to all the graduates out there! I’m so very proud of mine! She has worked hard to get to this day, but it is just another step in the journey. I know she is going on to do great things!
Let’s not forget Mom! This is her big weekend too, and we need to show her plenty of love and appreciation!
Which raises the question, what are some great gifts for our grads and moms? Check out these ideas below.
Dr. William H. Marty was inspired to write 102 Fascinating Bible Studies on the New Testament partly from the students’ questions he fielded during his 37 years teaching at Moody Bible Institute.
The studies can be done in any order, and in fact the author recommends you not read this book like a novel. It is appropriate for Christians and non-Christians alike. Marty stresses the importance of reading the noted scripture passages to get full understanding of the studies.
The studies are organized by the life of Christ and the four Gospels, the Book of Acts, Paul’s epistles, the general epistles, several studies drawn from the book of Revelation, and doctrine.
Each study begins with a topic, ranging from the Genealogies of Jesus to the Wrath of God. Marty briefly explores the topic, including scripture references. Then several study questions are presented, also with scripture references. Each study concludes with a memory verse.
As suggested above, you cannot properly do this study without using the Bible to explore the many scripture references. While Marty presents the topic and guides you with insightful questions, it is truly a study of the Bible.
102 Fascinating Bible Studies on the New Testament is a great way to delve into a topical study of scripture either in a group or on your own.
#102fascinatingBibleStudiesOnTheNewTestament #NetGalley @ReadBakerBooks @bethany_house
Alia Joy H’s life has not been easy. Some people deal with cancer. Some deal with mental illness. Some deal with poverty. Alia Joy has had all of this and more in her life and continues an existence in which any given day can be a struggle. Thank goodness Alia Joy is an articulate writer who gives most of us readers an insight we’ve likely been blinded to by our “North American Christianity”.
I’m flagging Glorious Weakness as one of 2019’s most significant books. It reads like the Book of James. If your toes are too sensitive, don’t read it. If you don’t want to develop any compassion for the poor or disadvantaged, don’t read it. If you have no room in your theology for the mentally ill, homeless, addicted, uneducated, obese, abused, or marginalized don’t even check it out from the library.
If you’ve found yourself needing to justify your existence because you think you aren’t contributing anything to the church or society; if you’ve gone “all-in” for God but every circumstance still seems to conspire against you; if experience teaches you that actually relying on God brings sideways looks from the established church and sometimes it is best not to share what you know; if you believe no matter how hard you work you are always going to be God’s “secondhand kid” relegated to receive scraps and leftovers; you should read this book. In Alia Joy’s words:
“We have merit-based ideology so ingrained into our cultural identity and theology that we often fail to see the great imbalances Jesus constantly pointed out. Much to the irritation of the respectable religious people, Jesus was always elevating the poor and the weak. He knew something we so often forget: none are worthy, not one.”
I hope we will hear more from this new author. Stay fluent in the language of hope!
@aliajoyh @ReadBakerBooks
#GloriousWeakness #NetGalley
The Dictionary of Difficult Words is a delightful book for budding wordsmiths!
A brief introduction gives the reader permission to read the book straight through from A to Z to learn new things, or not read it at all, and just look at the pictures.
The illustrations are whimsical and eye-catching. With interesting pictures and cool words like Quixotic and Salubrious, I don’t doubt that whatever approach is taken new words will be learned.
My only recommendation for a change would be to replace the word “Difficult” in the title. I fear that could be off-putting to some children who would otherwise benefit from this book. This collection of words may more aptly be described as “less common”. I dare say most adults would gain from perusing this volume.
#TheDictionaryofDifficultWords #NetGalley
Tony Evans is a fine preacher and communicator, and there is no higher subject than the Names of Jesus. The Power of Jesus Names combines Evans’ illustrations and explanations to bring out the meanings of those names.
Evans says that the power in Jesus Names is available for us to tap into as believers. For instance, Immanuel means God with us. Evans explains that we are never alone, no matter what. The name Immanuel was introduced when the scripture spoke of Jesus coming to Earth to be with man.
To study the meanings of the names of Jesus is to open a new world of understanding the power and might of God: Creator, I AM, Banner of Victory, Lord our Shepherd, Lord of Hosts, Lord who is High and Mighty, and God Almighty. The list goes on. It will do you good to learn who your God is and how powerful he is!
#ThePowerOfJesusNames #NetGalley @Harvest_House
Successful Christian businessman Terry Looper has written a part-memoir, part-how-to book full of practical advice for the man or woman who wants to follow God’s leading in business, and in life.
Looper became a millionaire in his 20s, and had eclipsed all his financial goals in his 30s, but it came at a great cost. He found himself so utterly depleted – physically, emotionally, spiritually, and mentally – one morning he couldn’t get out of bed. His health and relationships with others were a mess. Although he was about to be ordained as an elder in his church, Looper admitted to himself that money and approval had really been his gods.
This low point in Looper’s life became the genesis of his new way of living and doing business, something he developed into a 4-step process he calls the Sacred Pace. The crux of Looper’s system is what he calls “going neutral”. This means divesting yourself of interest in the matter at hand, as you lay it before God. If your heart cannot impartially say, “I want what You want, God,” then you are not neutral.
The meaning and importance of scripture increased for Looper, as did stopping to discern peace. If there was no peace he could not proceed. Looper demonstrates this principle with examples from his business and life. This book is helpful for those exploring the logistics of following God’s leading.
Now available in ebook and paperback!
This time, you weren’t going to mess up.
That was your resolve.
You weren’t going to make God mad.
Until you did.
The Good News is God isn’t mad. And you don’t have to try so hard.
You’ll love this 3-volume bundle because you’ll learn how to get close to God. (And everybody loves a great deal!)
Get it now.
Many stories that include
child neglect and abuse are so painful I just can’t read them. For some reason
that biting edge of hurt didn’t make me put this audiobook down.
More painful perhaps was the unabashed way she was treated by
the town’s people, being called “swamp trash” to her face. And the
poor naive soul didn’t realize when she was being cheated on. What bred her to
be so gullible?
And yet the child who couldn’t count change or read, with a
few peer tutoring sessions, went on to publish a series of academic-level
illustrated scienentific texts.
By the time she figures everything out, it is late, too late.
She has not chosen wisely and other decisions have not worked in her favor. She
is deeply hurt and angry. The way they treated her would almost justify murder.
Through it all she turns to the only other people who are
disparaged in coastal North Carolina in the 1960s. They rescue her in so many
ways. Do they also do away with the one who comes back to kill her?
Where the Crawdads Sing deftly handles the pain brought about
by isolation and lack of proper nurturning. The subject matter could have been
presented in a more heavy-handed way to make this book too much of a downer for
me to finish, but the progress of the book and the mystery of the murder more
than balanced my desire to keep listening. Four stars.
In Blink, Malcolm Gladwell examines the first few seconds our mind is exposed to something, and our ability to make amazingly accurate assessments without thinking about it. He postulates that those initial decisions come from behind the locked door of our subconscious.
Gladwell also puts forth a theory that in moments of extreme stress, our mind becomes blinded to the cues that would provide critical information. He calls this being “mind-blinded” and compares it to autism. To support his theory, Gladwell recounts the shooting of an unarmed black man in a rough part of New York City by four white policemen. I’m not sure I agree with the autism comparison, but the rest of the theory seems to hold water.
Blink is an interesting and well-researched book, typical of Gladwell’s other efforts. This one didn’t grab me the way Outliers did, but still introduced new ways of thinking and seeing things. I give it four stars.
I read this book so long ago when I was a child, I had forgotten most of it. After all this time it is still a classic! This audiobook version has opening remarks by Madelene L’Engle’s granddaughter, and closing remarks recorded by the author herself. The book, written now over 60 years ago, didn’t fit any established genre at the time. It took two years before any publisher was willing to take a chance on it!
