Get Motivated! was an eye-opening read for me.

Tamara Lowe is the founder of the Get Motivated! Business Seminars. She, and her husband, Peter, take their team to dozens of cities across the country every year. They spend a day, along with several others known for their motivational and leadership skill, teaching and boosting the motivational levels of thousands of people.

I had the privilege of attending a Get Motivated! Seminar in Springfield, Missouri, in October of 2009. It was at that seminar that I received a copy of Tamara’s book, Get Motivated! It took me a few weeks to get to a point where I could read it, but once I started, I had a hard time putting it down.

I have to admit up front that I’m not sure I agree with everything she wrote, much of which will reveal itself in the following reviews. However, there are massive amounts of information in this book, and I learned much from it; even from the portions that I didn’t necessarily agree with or didn’t like.

There is a lot from this book that I’d like to process as I write about it. As a result, I will make several posts about this book over the next few days.

NavPress has a series of personal and group Bible studies called the Life Change Bible Study series. This series is a good opportunity to read and study different books of the Bible and grow from what you learn. I recently received and studied through the book of Philippians using the Life Change series Bible study.

It’s hard to review a Bible study guide without also speaking of the passages of the Bible studied using the guide. Philippians has always been one of my favorite books. So, when the opportunity arose to review a study guide on Philippians, I jumped at the chance.

NavPress has put together a great Bible study guide in the Life Change series. These studies are fairly well written and have a lot of rich features to add to your study.

First and foremost, is an opportunity for personal discovery of God’s Word. Life Change Bible studies give you the opportunity to really dig into the Word and gain a lot of insight from it. Life Change studies break the subject material up into easily read and managed portions. You don’t have to worry about reading too much or missing something because the study takes too long.

The historical background pages at the beginning of the study help a lot as well. With maps and timelines, along with an overview of Paul’s ministry, you have a solid, yet concise, grasp of the era in which Paul lived and wrote to the Philippians.

Each chapter also has varying levels of application. There are several application questions to make you think, as well as optional projects that enable you to put into practice what you learn. This is my favorite feature of the Life Change Bible study series.

NavPress has included a lot of other great features, such as a group discussion guide, making this an easily led small group study. With study skill suggestions, word and idea definitions and text boxes full of interesting insights and historical snippets, this Bible study series if full of useful information.

NavPress has done a great job of putting this series together. However, nothing really makes the Life Change series stand out above any other series on the market, in my opinion. InterVarsity, College Press and Willow Creek, to mention a few, have similar study series available. All of these have great features and assist you into deeper knowledge of the Word.

NavPress has done a good job creating another tool and resource. But ultimately, the change in lives comes from the power of God’s Word. Thanks, NavPress, for helping people study and apply that Word into their lives. You’ve created a helpful tool in the Life Change series.

If you are interested in reading the Life Change Bible Study on Philippians, you can purchase it at Amazon.com.

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. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. 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.”

Ted Dekker is a master of suspense. I just finished reading Burn, Dekker’s second cooperative effort with Erin Healy. Burn lives up to every expectation of Dekker’s work.

Burn is the story of a gypsy woman named Janeal. Janeal is frustrated with the life of a gypsy; she wants to go out into the world and make her own way. And then she is offered that chance by a criminal named Salazar Sanso. He offers her freedom from the gypsy culture if she will help him recover a large amount of money from her father.

When Janeal’s plan backfires, Sanso deals with her harshly. Her gypsy camp, with all of her family and friends, is completely burned to the ground. And during that fire, Janeal is faced with a choice that can change her entire existence.

Burn is the story of Janeal’s life and the results of her choices made during that fateful blaze. With Dekker’s trademark stark contrast between good and evil; and his masterful suspense, Burn is a page-turner that is impossible to put down. It’s Dekker at his best. And with Erin Healy’s input into two successful novels, it’s a sure win. I’m looking forward to Healy’s first solo work, which comes out in May, 2010.

I would highly recommend Burn to anyone who enjoys a good thriller along the lines of Koontz or King. In fact, my opinion is that Dekker is better than either of those authors. And as long as he keeps cranking out the books, I’ll keep buying them.

Buy it. Read it. Now.

If you are interested in reading Burn, by Ted Dekker and Erin Healy, you can purchase it at Amazon.com.

Disclosure of Material Connection:
Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. 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.”

5 Cities That Ruled The World is a brief, yet very interesting read. The concept of the book is simple: Mankind has lived in cities almost since Creation. Over the last few millennia, a few of those cities have risen to the top and have had major influence on the world. Of those cities, Wilson has chosen five: Jerusalem, Athens, Rome, London, and New York.

Why these five cities? Because each of them has contributed to not only their society, but their contributions are still strongly echoing today. And our society is better because of it.

Here’s a brief synopsis of what each city has contributed: Wilson contrasted each of the five cities to Augustine’s City of God, in which we find ultimate freedom and liberty. And each of these five cities has seen, and been the recipient of, significant developments in this idea of liberty.

Of course, this is a very brief and broad description, but Jerusalem represents our souls set free; and the search for spiritual significance is strong in each of us, whether we want to admit it or not.

Athens established the idea of free inquiry. Philosophy, logic and the art of reason flourished in Athenian culture. And most of today’s Western culture is still described as Hellenistic as a result.

Rome passed on to us liberty of movement, liberty under law. Civil liberty is only possible when we submit to the rule of governing laws, ensuring that freedom for all citizens. Rome set a high standard, to which we still strive today.

London was the place where the literary imagination was set free. London placed extraordinary literature into the hands of ordinary people. And those works have endured to become classics, because they have stood the test of time.

And New York, with its commercial success, has shown us the freedom to trade, and the subsequent freedom from want. And also with it, I might add, an element of materialism that is pervasive throughout American culture.

5 Cities That Ruled The World contained a very brief history of each of these cities. Should you want more, the endnotes are full of additional resources. I just may end up with some of these additional books. Wilson was successful in piquing my curiosity.

I would highly recommend 5 Cities That Ruled The World to any student of history. It is brief, but it will leave you wanting more. Your next step is to go get more.

If you are interested in reading 5 Cities That Ruled The World, you can purchase it at Amazon.com.

Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze blogger review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. 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.”

I just posted my book review on Souvenirs Of Solitude by Brennen Manning. Great book. Kicked my butt, and yet did so in a gentle way that didn’t cause me to feel guilty and convicted, but encouraged and challenged. I recommend that you read it. I don’t care who you are, this is a great book.

Toward the end of the book, Manning wrote something that has been haunting me for days, weeks even. Much of what Brennan Manning has written tumbles around in my brain for a time. Especially his book Ruthless Trust. That used to be my favorite book written by Brennan Manning. I’m not so sure it is anymore; Souvenirs Of Solitude comes pretty close, if not taking that prized position in my library of Manning’s writings.

Molly

But for some reason, this paragraph has lodged in my mind and simply will not let go. I keep returning to it in my thoughts, worrying at it and gnawing on it like our pug, Molly, continually gnaws and chews on her rawhide bones.

Here it is:

Perhaps the main reason that we are such poor practitioners of the art of being human, why we so often teeter on a tightrope between self-hatred and despair, is that we don’t pray. We pray so little, so rarely, and so poorly. For everything else we have adequate leisure time. Visits, get-togethers, movies, football games, concerts, an evening with friends, an invitation we can’t decline – and these are good because it is natural and wholesome that we come together in community. But when God lays claim on our time, we balk. Do we really believe that He delights to talk with His children? If God had a face, what kind of face would He make at you right now?

Brennan Manning’s books have always helped me to be more contemplative, and Souvenirs Of Solitude is no exception. Subtitled Finding Rest In Abba’s Embrace, this book helps you do just that. While definitely challenging, Manning has managed to soften the blow with a large dose of grace and humility.

Quite simply, Souvenirs Of Solitude kicked my butt. Brennan Manning seemed to speaking directly to me and to my life throughout the pages of this book. Several passages made their way into my journal for further reflection.

Basically, Souvenirs Of Solitude is a collection “remembrances” that Manning wrote in the 1970s. These are the kind of thoughts you might expect to find in his journal; nuggets of truth and wisdom that Manning has offered to share with the reader. And the insight within these humble words is magnificent.

I would highly recommend this book to all my friends. In fact, I already recommended it to a group of other youth ministers I meet regularly with. This book has helped me grow more aware of God as my Daddy, Abba. I’m sure it can and will help many, many others.

May your life be changed as you dig deep and find rest in Abba’s embrace…

If you are interested in reading Souvenirs Of Solitude, by Brennan Manning, you can purchase it at Amazon.com.

Disclosure of Material Connection:
Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. 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.”

I’m experimenting with a new (for me) format for some of the books I read and review. As I review and process my thoughts about what I’ve just read, I’d like my ideas to be as coherent as possible. I’d also like my thoughts to be easily presentable. So here goes…

Author
John Perry

Book Name
Unshakable Faith: Booker T. Washington and George Washington Carver (A biography).

Book Synopsis In Twitteresque 140 Characters Or Less
A biography of the lives and the relationship of Booker T. Washington and George Washington Carver. Great men. Great leaders. American heroes.

Where I Bought It
George Washington Carver National Historic Site near Diamond, Missouri.

How I Paid For It
I have no idea. I’ll explain that in a moment. If I had to guess, probably my old Discover card. I know, that wasn’t a great thing to put on a credit card, because I’m probably still paying it off. I know. Quit rubbing it in.