Angels live in the presence of God, and stay focused on God, and this is where they get their majesty and awe. With that kind of lifestyle, how could they be anything but majestic and awesome? I wonder what you and I would be like if we camped each night beside God’s throne in glory, and stayed full of his presence even when we went out into the world to do his work?

I’ve been around a few people like that. Haven’t you? When you’re with them you’re almost unsure of what to say. There’s something so different about them. So you reach the same conclusion that was made about the disciples in Acts 4:13 – they’ve “been with Jesus”. The Lord is all they seem to want to talk about, and they make you want to think more about him too.

- Angels, p. 170-171

Review: Who are angels? How do they help? What do they do?

If you’re like me, you have a lot of questions regarding these mysterious creatures. This is a subject that I have never really studied and has always been a bit fuzzy in my head.

Well, in this repackage of the original 1996 paperback, Pastor David Jeremiah sheds light on these bright beings. He uses the Bible as his source and takes the reader on a tour through instances where angels are mentioned. He is careful to not read too deeply into the text and states plainly cases of personal conjecture. Toward the end of the book, Jeremiah touches on demons, the identity of the “angel of the Lord” and how angels relate to God. He also provides guidance for some interesting questions such as, “Do I have my own guardian angel?” and “Do angels exist to serve mankind?”

Because angels are so magnificent, many have been tempted to give them worship. In the book of Revelation, the apostle John falls down at an angel’s feet after beholding its glory. The angel replies,

“Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers the prophets and of all who keep the words of this book. Worship God!” (Revelation 22:9 and a similar instance in Revelation 19:10).

This is a recurring theme of the book. Like a sunset or a pretty girl, there is a strong temptation to worship anything full of beauty and mystery. But even angels continually shout, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come” (Revelation 4:8).  All glory, honor and majesty belong to God. Angels are another of God’s creation. In this regard, they are like caterpillars.

Jeremiah notes thats the deepest purpose of this book isn’t just to teach about angels, but to help us learn through angels what we can about God Himself (p. 162). He succeeds and this book brings clarity to a subject that isn’t well-understood.

Rating: 4/5 (Straightforward and educational.)

This book was provided for review by the Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group. To learn more about or purchase this book at RandomHouse.com, click here.

I have a giveaway copy of this book. In the comment section, tell me the name of your favorite angel. It could be from a book, movie or even baseball team located in Anaheim. I will select a winner on Monday morning.

During that brief moment right before the collision, when my mind escaped the horror of inevitability and journeyed to a place where time slowed down and I could sense a greater force, I had enough time to ask God to save us. In that instant, right before impact, I knew – with absolute certainty – that God was present. I knew he was there with us not so much because I could hear Him or see Him, but because I could feel Him. He was there with us. And, right before impact, I could feel Him say, “This is going to be bad, but don’t worry. I am with you.”

- Shattered, Shaken, and Stirred, p. 27

Summary: On an autumn evening in 2002, the car Gilbert Ahrens was driving was struck head-on by a drunk driver traveling 95 miles per hour. Gil, his wife Kim, sister Margot, and three-week-old daughter Olivia had been going 60 miles per hour. The driver of the other car was only 18, and the passenger in that car was killed on impact. Gil’s family survived, but with some serious injuries. The most serious was his wife, Kim, who suffered a broken neck that left her paralyzed and sentenced to a wheelchair. Their baby daughter, however, emerged unscathed.

Ahrens writes this book to his daughter, describing the many ways in which that one night altered everything. It is a story that reads like a long love letter and includes actual correspondences to family and friends. Ahrens details how their world was ripped apart and the great struggle to get things back together. Of course, they never would get back to the way things were. Their lives had been forever changed.

Ahrens also describes how faith in God helped him through such a difficult time. He does not get very deep into theology, but has a lot to say about change, struggle and suffering. Amazingly, his tone is primarily of gratitude and he even injects humor into grim and bitter situations. What gets Ahrens the most fired up is all the inefficiencies and injustices encountered when dealing with what he terms “the System” (e.g. insurance companies, the legal system, etc.). This part took some time to get through, but illuminated frustrations that affect everybody and many directly face.

This book reminded me of another book titled, A Grace Disguised by Gerald Sittser. Both recount in horrific fashion the trauma that ensued after being hit by a drunk driver. The difference is that Sittser has a theological background (Ahrens was a business man) and lost three family members in his crash. Sittser’s book goes much deeper into matters of loss and suffering, while this book gets more into the day to day adjustments required to deal with his wife’s sudden disability.

Rating: 4/5 (Good, but Sittser’s book is one of the best books that I have ever read and is on a similar topic. I would read that one first.)

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” – 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

This book was provided for review by Positano Press through the B&B Media Group. To learn more about or purchase this book on Amazon, click here. For further information, check out the book’s website.

The life I touch for good or ill will touch another life, and that in turn another, until who knows where the trembling stops or in what far place my touch will be felt. - Frederick Buechner

Synopsis: The tagline to this complex book is, “What the Church can learn from Facebook, the Internet, and other networks.” Having that subtitle in mind, this book was entirely different than expected. It is about networks, but hardly mentions Facebook and the like. Because it veers off in so many directions, I’m having a difficult time creating a succinct summary. So, I’ll steal the summary from the site where this book was made available for review. Here it is:

Networks: They’re everywhere. From our roads to our relationships, from our food supply to our power grids, networks are an integral part of how we live. Similarly, our churches, denominations, and even the kingdom of God are networks. Knowing how networks function and how to work with rather than against them has enormous implications for how to live lives of faithful and life-filled ministry. In Thy Kingdom Connected, Dwight Friesen brings the complex theories of networking to church leaders in easy-to-understand, practical ways. Rather than bemoaning the modern disintegration of things like authority and structure, Friesen inspires hope for a more connective vision of life with God. He shows those involved in lives of ministry how they can optimize already existing connections between people in order to share the Good News, embed people more deeply in the lives of their faith communities, and grow together as apprentices of Jesus.

If that still isn’t clear, the back of the book continues:

Friesen inspires hope for a more connective vision of life with God and shows how to maximize already existing connections between people in order to spread the gospel, get people plugged in at your church, and grow together as disciplines.

The five sections are:

• Seeing Connectively
• God’s Networked Kingdom
• Leading that Connects
• Networked Church
• Connective Practices

This is an explicitly Christian book and is especially suited for Christian leaders. Each chapter ends with references to other books for further exploration and questions for personal or small group discussion. The book is a part of the Emergent Village resources for communities of faith series published by Baker Books.

Review: This book is under 200 pages, but has a density unlike any other book I’ve read lately and is by no means a quick read. I can’t quite agree with the statement in the summary that complex theories are broken down in easy-to-understand ways as this book requires a good deal of mental effort to stay engaged and reminds me of at least a college-level book. However, the reward for staying focused is that Friesen offers all kinds of meat to chew on.

The book gives vision and clarity to a radical shift from the individualistic nature of western culture. Each man’s choices have a far-reaching impact to bless or to curse and to build-up or tear down. Because we are so inter-connected, our choices matter. In light of the systemic nature of things and relational focus of the Bible, it is a worthwhile pursuit to learn how to best channel and utilize the power of networks for good.

Positives: I particularly enjoyed the discussion on relating to others with a goal of giving of oneself rather than only to use and take. I also enjoyed the focus on spreading rather than hoarding power and the “parable of Google” regarding the example of how Google links us to what we seek rather than being an end in itself. The chapters on leadership were compelling and there is a solid stress on looking at the big picture and cooperating with “competing” ministries. Finally, the networking theory as it relates to form and function and chaos and order was very intriguing.

Negatives: Apart from being thrown off by the subtitle, this book is not the most aesthetically pleasing. The cover is ugly, the line spacing is tight and the illustrations are busy and not always clear. Also, I feel like this book could have been better organized and set out a clearer road map as to where it would go and what it would aim to accomplish.

Summary: The author has clearly done his homework. This book is jam-packed with information, theory, guidance and challenging insights regarding connection and community.

Rating: 4/5 (A messy drink from a systems theory fire hose.)

To learn more about or purchase on Amazon, click here. You might also want to check out the author’s personal website.

His mother, Mary, is in the crowd. When she sees how badly He is beaten and broken and how bloodied His body is, the pain is too much for her to bear and she turns away. Dazed by her grief, Mary wanders down a vacant alley, remembering a time almost thirty years before, when Jesus fell down as a young child. She pictured how fast she had to run to reach Him, sweep Him up in her arms, and care for Him.

As she is drifting down memory lane, Mary looks up and sees Jesus carrying His cross through throngs of people down the road to Golgotha. She watches Him cry out in pain and fall under the weight of the heavy cross. As He falls, Mary races to His side and reassures Him, “I am here. I am here.” Lifting her face with His blood-soaked hand, Jesus smiles and whispers to her, “See, Mother, I make all things new.” The fear that drove her from His beating was being made new by His presence there at the cross.

- Us, p. 129

Background: The sub-title to this book reads, “It’s not about you. It’s not about me. It’s about… us.” I am reminded of a different marriage book written with the title Intimate Allies and the following quote by C.S. Lewis:

There is, hidden or flaunted, a sword between the sexes till an entire marriage reconciles them.

All have the idea of dropping weapons. No longer is it man against woman. Man and woman have joined in matrimony. No matter how disparate they once were, the two have become one. The working out of this reality is often excruciatingly difficult, but, ultimately, love is a war worth fighting. The battles, however, are for the other. And, because the two have become one, when fighting for the other you can’t help but indirectly fight for yourself.

Synopsis: Author Daniel L. Tocchini has worked with more than five thousand couples through personal marriage coaching and seminars offered through his organization, the Association for Christian Character Development. Using examples in his own marriage and others he has coached, Tocchini aims at teaching couples new ways of relating. The aim is to transform the marriage by learning to:

• Talk to each other instead of making assumptions and jumping to conclusions
• Break free of recurring, unresolved arguments
• Manage the impact of difficult (but necessary) conversations on your relationship
• Defuse conflict without sweeping it under the rug
• Open the broken places in your marriage (the ones you hesitate to talk about) to reconciliation

Tocchini explains, “This is a transformational approach to breaking through the barriers and getting out of the ruts in our marriage by paying attention to our conversation – what we are thinking, our motivation for thinking it, and the impact it has on our spouse.” Part of the way he goes about doing this is by taking the reader through forensics of arguments to detail where things go awry. It’s like a coach studying game film, only the film is one more dispute in a relationship full of pain.

Review: Tocchini provides excellent guidance on how to really listen to your spouse and seek out the underlying longing that is hidden in a complaint. Much of the book revolves around altering harmful patterns of interaction and finding resolution to conflict so deep, that it leads to places couples are resistant to go. But you have to work through the crud to find deeper intimacy on the other side.

My friend once compared conflict resolution to throwing up. You’re going to feel really sick until what is hurting comes out into the open. But if couples can learn to understand where the other is coming from and meet needs in the other that have long gone unmet, they might just find a newer, deeper and better relationship than they had before. Learning new ways of relating can be awkward and painful. What can be more painful, though, is finding yourself growing further and further apart from the one you once deeply loved and maybe still do.

This book is not going to solve all your marital problems, but offers some tools to add to your kit and may provide insights as to how to breathe life into a dead marriage or prevent a healthy marriage from losing its vigor. Some people don’t even realize how much their marriage could improve. The book is a reminder that our assumptions about others aren’t always accurate. It will also attack tendencies to bring a consumeristic mentality into marriage. After all, it is not about me. It is about us.

Summary: According to the Bible, He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord (Proverbs 18:22). If you have been blessed with a spouse, please do everything in your power and get whatever coaching or counseling you need in order to keep that relationship strong. May you rejoice in the wife of your youth (Proverbs 5:18). Enjoy and treasure her. She is your reward for all your hard labor. Don’t live a life of regrets. Don’t realize what you had after it is too late.

Rating: 4/5 (Insightful book on patterns of relating.)

“Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun— all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun.” – Ecclesiastes 9:9

This book was provided for review by David C. Cook through B&B Media Group. To learn more about or purchase this book on Amazon, click here.

You’re not feeling down because you’re somehow less of a person than your neighbor, who may seem “up” all the time. You’re feeling down because that feeling is a totally logical and reasonable response to everything you’re trying to hold up or hold together for yourself and your loved ones, moment by moment, day by day.

-50 Ways to Feel Great Today, p. 11

Summary: Authors David B. Biebel, DMin, James E. Dill, MD and Bobbie Dill, RN summarize this book in their introduction:

Here’s the gist of what’s in store for you as you continue to read: fifty simple and more or less inexpensive suggestions about things you can do today to improve your day, based on the best sources we could find as we searched far and wide. You’ll find references to scientific research as appropriate, quotes about or from noteworthy individuals, citations from wisdom literature and the Scriptures, true stories about people a lot like yourself, and a significant number of practical suggestions about what might help combat your own stress, worry, and discouragement in a way that fits your style and needs.

Here is a sampling of the suggestions:

• Fly a Kite
• Trace Your Ancestry
• Simplify Your Life
• Immerse Yourself in Nature
• Visit a Landmark

Review: After cracking this book open, I quickly realized that I was not in the appropriate demographic. Many of the chapters mention activities to do with your spouse, children and/or grandchildren. References to the Internet and exercise include basic information for beginners. As I read on, I had the hunch that at least one of the author’s was in his 70’s. This seemed to be confirmed upon discovering that two of the three authors previously wrote a book titled 70 Ways to Beat 70. Other chapters such as “Pamper Yourself” and “Work On Your Scrapbook” were geared toward women. With this is mind, know that I am not the target consumer of the presented material.

The book’s sub-title is “Keys to Beating Stress, Worry, and the Blues”. Many of the keys presented are ways to get your mind off of things that may be weighing you down. They are all good activities, but might not be enough for more severe anxiety and depression. Another thing to keep in mind is that many of the suggestions require a substantial amount of free time (e.g. learn an instrument).

This book would make a good fit for an older couple looking to spice life up by introducing different, healthy, memorable and pleasurable activities to established routines.

Rating: 3/5

This book was provided for review by Baker-Revell. To learn more about or purchase this book on Amazon, click here.

…we often post status updates, links, and personal information heedless of who it might offend. We make private meetings on public Facebook walls, regardless of who may feel left out. We tag photos of ourselves with friends because we happen to look particularly good in them (regardless of how our friends come off looking). We are overly cynical, sarcastic, and even downright mean at times, determined to express whatever angst is going on inside us at the moment, unfettered by doubts about the value of such comments. In this way, Facebook pushes our “monarchy” button and makes us feel entitled to say and do whatever we feel like in the moment. And why not? Again, we are mostly rewarded for such behavior. But “life-alienating” is how Rosenberg describes this form of communication and for good reason. When we deny responsibility for our words or actions – either willfully or carelessly – we effectively depersonalize our friends, dismissing their thoughts and feeling as less important than our own. And of course, we are diminished in the process.

- The Church of Facebook, p. 201

Summary: The Church of Facebook is a look at how online social networking is changing culture and impacting human relationships. Author Jesse Rice draws upon science, psychology, sociology, theology, history and culture in an attempt to better understand the ramifications of what Clive Thompson has called “the most significant intergenerational cultural shift since rock n’ roll”. This reads like a Malcolm Gladwell book as diverse anecdotes are weaved together to form compelling arguments. The author shares with the reader ways to navigate the tricky waters of an increasingly online world.

Some of the issues tackled are:

• The link between connection and happiness
• What Facebook reveals about our desires
• The impact of continuous partial attention and hyperconnectivity on relationships
• Adjusting to blurred social roles and audiences that might not normally be co-present
• What is community and can it be found online?
• Identity
• How to adapt thinking and behavior to accommodate the rigors of an “always-on” environment
• Improving the quality of our online and in-person relationships

Rice is a Christian, but wrote the book with the intention of including everyone in the conversation. Also, though Facebook is singled out in the title, much of what he writes can be applied to other types of online connections (e.g. Myspace, Twitter, Blackberries, iPhones).

Positives: It is probably not much of a surprise that I loved this book. Like the author, I have a Master’s degree in Counseling and curiosity as to the healthiest ways to utilize social networking (check out this post for instance). Apart from finding the subject matter fascinating, Rice is hilarious (watch some of videos below to see what I mean). This is one of the most relevant and timely books that I have read in a long time.

Negatives: The last part of the book offers some great practical suggestions, but I wish there had been more. Also, this book unearths the size of the iceberg, but it is just a start. The treatment is not comprehensive, but it gets the ball rolling.

Rating: 5/5 (Content and style really reminds me of Malcolm Gladwell.)

Jesse Rice is an author, musician, and counselor. He lives in Portland, Oregon and is married to Katie, who is also a musician. He has a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Santa Clara University. This book was provided for review by David C. Cook. To learn more about or purchase this book on Amazon, click here. You may also want to check out the book’s website where you can also find the author’s blog.

There’s a story in the Bible of a young king named Josiah, who lived 640 years before Christ. I think Josiah could have related to me – being religious but ignorant of God. Josiah’s generation had lost God’s Word. And I don’t mean that figuratively. They literally lost God’s Word. It sounds scandalous, but they essentially misplaced the Bible.

If you think about it, this was a pretty big deal. We’re not talking about a pair of sunglasses or a set of keys. The Creator of the universe had communicated with mankind through the prophet Moses. He gave his law. He revealed what he was like and what he wanted. He told his people what it meant for them to be his people and how they were to live. All this was dutifully recorded on a scroll. Then this scroll, which was precious beyond measure, was stored in the holy temple. But later it was misplaced. No one knows how. Maybe a clumsy priest dropped it and it rolled into a dark corner.

But here’s the really sad thing: nobody noticed it was missing. No search was made. Nobody checked under the couch. It was gone and no one cared. For decades those who wore the label “God’s people” actually had no communication with him.

- Dug Down Deep, p. 8-9

Background: I had to laugh at the placement of the books in the store. Joshua Harris’s book I Kissed Dating Goodbye was next to another book titled I Gave Dating a Chance. Honestly, I kissed Harris goodbye before reading any of what he had to say. The title alone was enough for me to pass that one over. As an aside, I always felt that the book was great at protecting fragile egos. For example, let’s say there was a Christian person who really wanted a date, but couldn’t find one. Well, that person could simply say, “I kissed dating goodbye!” What a wonderful way to gain an illusion of control and protected desirability. You could even call it “defense-method theology”. How quickly that person’s viewpoint would change when asked on a date!

Well, Joshua Harris is back and this time I’ve decided to actually read what he has to say. You might say that I gave Joshua Harris a second chance. I am glad that I did.

Summary: Dug Down Deep could have been titled Theology for Dummies. It is best-suited for Christians new to the study of theology or not sure why it is so important. Harris writes, “I’ve come to learn that theology matters. It matters not because we want to impress people, but because what we know about God shapes the way we think and live. Theology matters because if we get it wrong then our whole life will be wrong.” This book is a call to knowing and living out the fundamentals of the Christian faith.

Some of the questions tackled are:

• What is God like and how does he speak to me?
• What difference does it make that Jesus was both human and divine?
• How does Jesus’s death on the cross pay for my sins?
• Who is the Holy Spirit and how does he work in my life?

Harris frequently quotes J.I. Packer and Wayne Gruden, but this is not a book on systematic theology proper. In the words of Harris, “it’s more like a mixtape of biblical truth that I’ve found personally significant.” He continues, “I don’t pretend to be swimming in the deep end of the pool. I’m splashing in the shallow end. But if my splashing can inspire you to dive in, I will have succeeded.”

Positives: Dug Down Deep is written with admirable humility and honesty. It is also written with an engaging passion that brings to life material which could otherwise seem dry and academic. I am reminded of the issues Jesus had with people who worshiped him with their mouths rather than hearts (Matthew 15:8).  This book properly gets the brain and heart involved. It has been said that knowledge puffs up, while love builds up (1 Corinthians 8:1). Harris aims at building up the reader rather than trying impress everyone with how he much knows. I really appreciated the way he came across throughout.

Negatives: This book is best-suited for newer Christians or persons new to the study of theology. If the reader is already quite familiar with terms such as doctrine, orthodoxy, propitiation, and sanctification, he or she may have trouble staying engaged (and I’m not talking about dating!).

Rating: 4/5 (mixtape of biblical truth)

“Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” – 1 Timothy 4:16

This book was provided for review by Waterbrook Multnomah. To learn more about or purchase this book on Amazon, click here. You might also want to check out the book’s website.

This is the crux of The Joseph Road: Not knowing one thing about the future, Joseph simply did good in whatever tasks or opportunities came his way. He had no bargains or promises given him, no “steps to success.” He was still a slave – a slave who was now a royal prisoner. Not much to write home about. He was an alien, a captive without possessions, without a promise, without a future.

- The Joseph Road, p. 47

Summary: The Joseph Road is written by Jerry White, international president emeritus of The Navigators. As the title suggests, the book is about the life of the Biblical character Joseph. Along the way, White mixes stories from his own life with the challenges that Joseph faced. This softcover book is 197 pages and includes questions for reflection at the end of each chapter.

Review: As I grow older, I appreciate the story of Joseph more and more. Joseph endured all kinds of injustice and hardship. Just when things couldn’t seem to get worse, they did get worse. Year after year he suffered – with no end in sight. Through it all, Joseph was a model of character and trust. He continued to do the right thing – even when it would have been easier to turn his back on the God who already seemed to have turned His back on Joseph. The story of Joseph is one of the most remarkable and redemptive stories I have ever heard.

White does a great job drawing out aspects of the narrative I had never really considered and takes the reader through the story of Joseph in a way that is new, eye-opening and immensely applicable. I found the book equally challenging and comforting. I found it challenging because I clearly see how I have not been like Joseph. In the midst of my hardship, I have cursed God. I have taken matters into my own hands. I have sought revenge against those who have hurt me. I have lost hope for the future. My confidence in God has been profoundly shaken.

Meanwhile, I am reminded that God has a plan. God has a plan. No matter how confusing. No matter how painful. No matter how unpredictable. God has a plan. And God was with Joseph. Through all the heartache and loneliness and dejection, God was with Joseph. Stories like that encourage, provide hope and bolster faith. Looking back on the life of Joseph, God’s hand is clear throughout. In the thick of it, though, Joseph had many reasons to give up on his faith.

Overall, this is an excellent book for those struggling to see God’s goodness and questioning His lead. My only criticism is that I wasn’t always sold on what White inferred where the text wasn’t clear. For example, I had different thoughts as to what Joseph was going through during the times he wept. In one instance, White took it as a sign that Joseph had forgiven his brothers. I took it as a release of all the painful emotions that Joseph had been living with for so long. Also, White believes that Potipher likely knew that his wife was lying about the attempted rape, because Joseph probably would have been executed otherwise. I am not sure that I buy this because Potiphar “burned with anger” upon hearing the allegations (Genesis 39:19).

Rating: 5/5 (There is a lot to learn by digging deep into the life of Joseph.)

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” – Galatians 6:9

This book was provided for review by NavPress.  To learn more about or purchase this book on Amazon, click here.