God of All Creation by James Robison

God of All Creation by James Robison is described as being life lessons from pets and wildlife.  Mr. Robison teaches of God’s plans and wishes for us by reminding us of the lessons taught in the Bible and further explaining them as he speaks of his love for his pet dogs (especially Princess his current dachshund) and of God’s greater love and plans for us.  Mr. Robison shares how watching the animals around us “reveal expressions of God’s love, lessons of His grace, warnings about sin, and other external truths.”  He gives warm stories and life lessons that not only has he learned from the animals around him but also he gives inspiration and insight into how the reader can learn of God’s love for us and his grace that He so willing gives to all believers who trust and submit to Him.

I liked this book.  It is not a book told through the eyes of an animal which can get old and contrived but rather the writer reflects on the Bible’s teaching and explains the many life lessons by giving stories that he has observed in nature most notably in pets or wildlife that one sees in their daily life.  Jesus told his lessons in parables and Mr. Robison does much the same with animals in the starring role.  My favorite stories were the dog who wouldn’t learn and baby rattle snakes—who couldn’t learn from them?

I was provided this book for this review by WaterBrook Press.

She Speaks by Michele Clark Jenkins

She Speaks by Michele Clark Jenkins

She speaks is advertised as being a book which shows examples of powerful women in the Bible and how African-American women can find relevance, purpose and identity in the Word of God.  It further offers complete Bible references to help the reader locate the stories easily.  The book shows how God speaks through the women and also how this Biblical woman's story applies to the modern black woman's life today.  If you want to find how important to you are to God especially as a black woman read this book.

I am a white woman and I found that this book to speak to me just fine and also found the books references to modern day to day life very good.  Each chapter denotes a separate woman and would allow deeper study for each by using the Biblical references and also in at least one case extra-Biblical references.  This book is easy to understand by the reader whether or not the Biblical references are used.  It could be used by groups who wanted an easy woman's Bible study. 

This book was provided to me by Booksneeze for this review.

Goodbye to Yesterday by Wanda E. Brunstetter

Goodbye to Yesterday by Wanda E. Brunstetter.  Luke and Meredith had not been married long when Luke loses his job.  It’s a good thing that he had saved money before he got married because between his savings and what little bit he can make from his woodworking projects it is all they can do to make ends meet.  Luke has been looking for jobs but with the economy he just cannot find anything.  They have both been praying for something to come up when Luke’s uncle calls with his plans to retire and offer of selling his company of engraving grave stones.  Luke feels that it is the answer to prayer but Meredith is uneasy about it.  Luke convinces Meredith to take the chance and Luke heads out with most of their savings to learn this new trade in Indiana.

I liked this book though it was awfully short (only 121 pages).  If all 6 parts of this series are this short I am wondering why it isn’t broken up into just 3 parts or even just one book.  When one reads the back of the book it appears that the story was intended to go further into the story as it explores whether or not Meredith and Luke will be brought back together and when the book ends they are only separated because of a trip in which Luke meets with tragedy but there is no talk of their not being together.  It is priced at $6.99 on the back of the book and though there are better prices out there if it is intended to be sold at that price I am not sure that it is worth the price.  It is only a little longer than a pamphlet.  Other than the size I think this is a good story line which will be good when the plot is more fully explored in the next parts of the series.

I received this book from Handlebar Central for this review.

Stumbling on Open Ground

Stumbling on Open Ground by Ken Mansfield.  This is a true story of the author’s own walk through the maze of cancer diagnosis and treatment with a little input from his wife, Connie.  He is a man who spent his early years as a poor boy raised near a reservation and his adult life as a wealthy man in the entertainment world.  He credits his wife Connie for leading him into Christianity.  It gives a look into how one Christian man and his family work through going through 2 different cancers sometimes at the same time and how they cope.  As with life sometimes they cope well and sometimes God must carry them through their trials.  It covers Mr. Mansfield walk with God through this time and some of his doubts during this time and how he works through them.  He includes his reasons for his decisions and a very few times advice.  It also includes some of Connie’s feelings and how he as well as she coped.  She writes the intro to each chapter of his book.

I liked this sometimes sad sometimes funny book on the author and his wife’s coping with cancer.  I would advise reading this book to anyone who has cancer or loves someone with cancer.  This author can tell the reader in simple ways of the complexities of dealing with cancer well as well as working through the times when a person just isn’t at his emotional best.

I received this book from Booksneeze for this review.

Clouds by Robin Jones Gunn

Clouds by Robin Jones Gunn.  This novel is another in Ms. Gunn’s Glenbrook series.  It is the story of two children, Shelly and Jonathon, who grow up living next door to each other and gradually fall in love.  Also as will happen things don’t work out and the two of them go their separate ways after a big fight.  The two never find another love like their first love but in a twist of fate while vacationing in Germany with her sister Shelly runs into Jonathan and his fiancée.  Shelly has to work through that she has never stopped loving Jonathan.   This story is how God works his miracles in lives and how Shelly learns to live on in her life drawing closer to God and all that she has in her life.  Shelly has always hidden her feelings and avoided talking about them but her sister encourages her to face them and learn to deal with them as a part of herself.

This book is a part of the Glenbrook series but it easily stands alone.  I had only read Echoes but it didn’t matter and I truly enjoyed reading this love story.  It is not sappy.  I felt like I could have met any of these characters in my home town.  I am so glad that there are writers like Ms. Gunn who can write a love story that I can read and enjoy and then pass it right on down to my grandchildren. 

This book was provided for this review.

The 5 Money Personalities by Scott and Bethany Palmer

The 5 Money Personalities by Scott and Bethany Palmer is the newest in the line of books by the couple.  This book teaches couples how to learn to live with each other’s money personality and introduces each into how to find your own as well your spouse’s money personality.  It encourages each to take the money personality quiz, which is a quick and easy online 10 minute test.  From this test the book then guides the couple through learning the steps to not only figure out how your spouse is thinking about money but also backgrounds to each how to work together to make the plans for the future that both can live with.  The book does not profess to turn every marriage into a fight free marriage but rather to understanding each other’s focus where money is concerned.  Money touches all of our lives and decisions that we make from where we get the coffee to drink to which car to buy.  This book teaches that it is not the amount of money that is being spent that causes the problem but rather our money personality that causes the arguments.  Learning to know how your spouse is thinking and discussing the decisions is what will decrease the tension within the household.  This book also teaches working through the lies and deceptions and learning to trust each other’s money decisions is possible for each couple.  It promises to help each couple learn to build a better working money relationship with your spouse.

This book I thought was good.  I read the book entirely and then took the test (which is not the way it is suggested to do).  All through the book I was thinking that I knew I was a saver first and kept going back and forth about which was my second money personality.  When I took the test I found that the saver personality was actually my second personality and security seeking was my first.  This taught me in my second reading of the book not to judge my husband on what I was just sure was his personalities.  He took the test and we found he was a flyer/spender 1^st and 2^nd personalities.  Therein easily one can see that there might be differing philosophies on life and much fighting.  The book does tell how to avoid fighting even with such different personalities as these.  I encourage reading this book and taking the tests and doing the games that the writers have you do.  They really work.

This book was provided for this review by Booksneeze.

Echoes by Robin Jones Gunn

Echoes by Robin Jones Gunn is a sweet Christian love story of the ending of Lauren Phillips and her fiancé and the grief that follows.  Lauren’s brother, Brad, set up her first computer in her living room plus shows her how to email and shows her how to meet others online and clues to meeting other Christians (God lovers).  Lauren through Brad meets KC and online they get to know each other.  After a year of “pen paling” Lauren and KC decide to meet. 

I liked this book though I almost didn’t get it because of my being leery of meeting people online and then thinking that you know them.  I am concerned with young people being so open online.  This book does bring out the dangers of online socializing though the story is about an online meeting.  The story is really about grieving of a romance while going on with your life.  It also discusses how a rebound date can be a disaster but life still is mostly good.  The story discusses how even if you do meet the right person it is still best to go slow and get to know each other well.  All in all I would recommend it to all aged girls and women.

I received this book from Waterbrook Multnomah for this review.