This is the first book I have read from author Julie Klassen and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The Silent Governess blends romance with a hint of mystery and the result is a very interesting story. It caught my attention in the first chapters and I never lost interest. I usually don't enjoy books set in nineteenth century England but this one was an exception. Although it deals with British titles you don't have to understand the peerage to enjoy the story. The plot has several twists and turns and although I wouldn't consider this a mystery there is an element of mystery to it.
A copy of this book was given to me by Bethany House publishers.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Friday, February 5, 2010
Book Review - Tithing Test Me In This
Tithing has long been a controversial subject within the Christian community, and most Christians have a very strong opinion on it one way or the other. I believe that tithing, while it began as an Old Testament practice, is also clearly a New Testament directive (see this book for several good Scripture references to back this up). Now you know my mindset as I began to read Douglas Leblanc's book. I was excited to read about fellow believers' attitudes toward tithing.
Each chapter is the result of an interview with one person/couple/church and outlines how and why they have chosen to tithe. In and of themselves the stories are interesting and well written. But - and for me this was big - there seems to be no cohesiveness to the book. Yes, there is an overarching theme of tithing, but nothing ties these stories together, nothing grabs the reader by the collar and says, "This is the reason you should tithe, too!" . It seems that the only reasons you would read a book like this are if you 1) already tithe or 2) don't tithe but are seriously considering changing your stance. The book certainly did not change my opinion of tithing and I agreed with most of the reasons the interviewees chose to tithe. But if I didn't already choose to tithe I don't believe anything in this book would make me change my opinion. It's a good book, but it seemed to be missing something.
I received a copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers.
Each chapter is the result of an interview with one person/couple/church and outlines how and why they have chosen to tithe. In and of themselves the stories are interesting and well written. But - and for me this was big - there seems to be no cohesiveness to the book. Yes, there is an overarching theme of tithing, but nothing ties these stories together, nothing grabs the reader by the collar and says, "This is the reason you should tithe, too!" . It seems that the only reasons you would read a book like this are if you 1) already tithe or 2) don't tithe but are seriously considering changing your stance. The book certainly did not change my opinion of tithing and I agreed with most of the reasons the interviewees chose to tithe. But if I didn't already choose to tithe I don't believe anything in this book would make me change my opinion. It's a good book, but it seemed to be missing something.
I received a copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Book Review - Regret-Free Living
I had no preconceived notions of what to expect when I picked up this book by Christian counselor Stephen Arterburn. I have never listened to his talk show so I didn't know what to expect. What I got when I read the book is sound, practical advice on how to approach relationships from a Christian perspective, offering ways to heal difficult relationships and make good relationships better as well as how to recognize when an unhealthy relationship cannot be mended.
Regret-Free Living is a broad based book that covers relationships in general. You can apply the advice to close relationships such as husband/wife or father/son but the advice also works well for relationships with coworkers, friends, etc. This is NOT a marriage book but much of the advice is very applicable for anyone interested in improving their marriage relationship. I would not recommend it as the only book to read if you have serious marriage problems. I found the book most helpful in taking a good look at my relationships with those who are close to me and finding places where I can improve the way I relate to them. One of the most meaningful quotes for me was,
" What we should be doing in life - our highest purpose as humans and followers of Jesus - is to be a conduit of God's love."
This applies not only to our relationships with people we already know, but to people God places in our lives on a daily basis - whether their lives intersect our for a few moments or for the rest of our lives.
Regret-Free Living is a broad based book that covers relationships in general. You can apply the advice to close relationships such as husband/wife or father/son but the advice also works well for relationships with coworkers, friends, etc. This is NOT a marriage book but much of the advice is very applicable for anyone interested in improving their marriage relationship. I would not recommend it as the only book to read if you have serious marriage problems. I found the book most helpful in taking a good look at my relationships with those who are close to me and finding places where I can improve the way I relate to them. One of the most meaningful quotes for me was,
" What we should be doing in life - our highest purpose as humans and followers of Jesus - is to be a conduit of God's love."
This applies not only to our relationships with people we already know, but to people God places in our lives on a daily basis - whether their lives intersect our for a few moments or for the rest of our lives.
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