The Mrs. & the Minister

I know God is there, all the time.  But might there be ways I can catch his attention? Jeff Anderson's Divine Applause:  Secrets and Rewards of Walking and the Invisible God says yes. And he writes with the goal of helping us to see our lives as God sees our lives. His book begins largely with his own experience, in an effort to illustrate what he understands God to see about our lives.  Then he goes on to encourage us to see God in every day moments, and live in a way that is pleasing to God.  The third section of the book focuses exclusively on living "blamelessly". I can understand why this book appeals to certain readers.  But it's largely filled with so much personal experience, and very little biblical reflection.  In that way, it's more religious psychology than genuine Christian faith.  While I agree that our goal is to live in such a way so as to please God, I think what it means to "please God" can be less described from my life --...

After having planned our own wedding a little over a year ago, I know the work that goes into planning and creating for "Your Big Day".  And I wish I would have had a little book like The Wedding A to Z .  It covers all the bases, and in alphabetical order for easy access. You can quickly find the topic you are looking for in the table of contents.  While no subject is covered in depth -- there are a few that really do need more detail -- what tips and advice are here are excellent and come from pros who know what they are talking about. Perhaps the best part about The Wedding A to Z is its readability.  It's written in simple English, without all the fluff that I found in the few wedding books we consulted.  It reads like something you may expect to hear from your best friends.  These are real women with real advice.  And, like I said, a few of the topics could have used more detail, but what you find here is helpful, even if unconventional...

Supermarket Healthy by Melissa d'Arabian is a wonderful book for those of us who are beginning to create new, healthy eating habits.  In it, she shares recipes and kitchen ideas for eating well without spending a fortune.  There are more than 130 recipes here, something that will satisfy the taste of every person, no matter your food flair.  I was particularly drawn to her recipes for Almond Waffles with Raspberry-Basil Sauce, Kale and White Bean Caesar Salad in a Jar, Rigatoni with Turkey Meatballs and Oven-Baked Crab Cakes with Tangy Yogurt Sauce.  My husband and I have begun to be health-conscious.  We're concerned about what we're putting in our bodies for health reasons, sure, but even more so for religious reasons.  But we're also having to cook on a budget, so cooking healthy has been a struggle.  Now with Supermarket Healthy we don't have to worry, and have enough guidance to begin creating recipes of our own. Like most other famili...

Samenow's Inside the Criminal Mind is an odd book to review.  Samenow, a research psychologist, says criminal behavior is 100% voluntary.  It is a product of disordered thought patterns that are almost entirely congenital.  Poverty doesn't cause crime, Samenow claims.  Nor do bad parenting, peer pressure, drug use, or any of the other "standard excuses".  Some kids are born anti-authoritarian thrill seekers and will remain so pretty much no matter what.  The only hope is to get criminals to intensively examine their thought patterns, and change them through sheer force of will. Originally written in 1984, I have to wonder:  Is this book merely a product of its time?  That is, does it represent the best of the cultural thinking that went into personal responsibility and individualism that was so rampant in America in the mid-1980s? Because, let's be honest:  Inside the Criminal Mind has a glaring problem.  To quote another 19...

Paul Bloom, professor of psychology at Yale University, puts forward a simple thesis in his new book, Just Babies :   Morality, or its roots, appears to come so evolutionarily hardwired that mere babes can tell good from bad.  According to Bloom, we humans are not born moral blank slates, proposing that "we possess an innate and universal morality". And Bloom should know.  He has conducted some of the most notable studies in the field.   In a lively, accessible style, Bloom also draws on research into adults from many societies, including the extant hunter-gatherer tribes.  And he tackles the moral claims of philosophy and religion, arguing that we understand how the "amoral force of natural selection" may have instilled the foundations for moral thought and action. I found Just Babies  to be one of the easiest psychology books I've ever read, and he supports his thesis convincingly.  But there's a glaring oversight:  Where, then, does evil ...

Having worked in a variety of non-profit residential settings, I know quite a bit about "toxic relationships".  And since my husband is a minister, I've seen first-hand how work environments -- particularly our churches -- can turn into toxic workplaces.  The fac t is, there are so many places that have a toxic environment that can discourage and turn off ordinary workers from discharging their best -- not just churches and other non-profits.  According to a Gallup poll, seven in ten people work in toxic workplaces.  A bad workplace also leads to stress and reduced productivity.  Class tensions create divisions within organizations.   This book offers wisdom and help for negotiating those "toxic workplace" environments.  Each chapter contains some survival strategies for workers as well as leadership tips for bosses.  Both are needed in order to cultivate a positive corporate culture.  The most common factor for these toxic workplaces are wor...

Love Without Limits  is the true-life (and true-love) story of Nick and Kanae.  They met  after his many dating disappointments and a failed relationship -- he was in his mid-twenties.  After their first date, the chemistry between them grew and was undeniable, while they went through many twists and turns before becoming one in Christ marriage in 2012.  The book recounts their story:  The improbable grace that brought them together, and their shared fight against the lack of faith that would keep them apart.  It's a book filled with practical insights that will benefit any couple, and it describes a godly courtship and the early years of the Vujicics' marriage and parenting journey.  The 15 chapters have so much spiritual wisdom for couples, that I hardly know where to begin.  It's a great book that every couple -- whether preparing for marriage or married for years -- need to read.  I received this book free, from the  Bloggi...