FaithWords books

Book Review: Miller’s Look At World Breaks Down In Reader’s Focus

Posted on by lancelumley

Jason Adam Miller’s writing When The World Breaks: The Surprising Hope and Subversive Promises in the Teachings of Jesus (Faithwords, 2023)  looks at the Bible teaching of Jesus in The Beatitudes for answers for when the world’s events break down.

            Miller, the pastor of South Bend City Church, focuses on the section in Matthew 5, when Jesus is teaching his disciples with his words like “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,” and “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (for those who may not know what the titled “Beatitudes” are).  In the early part of the text, he writes about embracing emptiness when it comes to things like death, and illness, and looking at injustices in the world, along with using hurt in life to journey into praise. The first sections of the book pretty much remind readers how rotten the world is, filled with bad things, and then into a philosophical dissection of each of the eight sentences Jesus relays to his followers.

            When getting summaries of books to review, sometimes what I read doesn’t equal what is brought out in the brief descriptions.  Also, what may be a good topic ends up relating to the reader now, or the writing style doesn’t excite the reader, which may hinder the review. Such is the case here. What was assumed to be a helpful encouragement of how to use this Biblical advice in everyday life, became a book almost reminding the reader how awful life is, and the reminders of the evil in the world, which readers can just find by watching the news or reading online. By the time I finished each chapter, I had no idea what the point was being relayed or what suggestions to keep going in the world with your faith. The writer states that he is using what these lessons from Jesus meant in his life, but didn’t seem to be encouraging anyone at the end of it. The philosophical -in-depth tearing apart of the words, became over the head of this reader, making me glad with the wordiness I didn’t go to ministry college. He states several times that he is not interpreting the text, but what the text means to him; isn’t that the same thing?

            I always have respect for anyone who can get a book written, and get published by a major distributor (you must have so many followers to achieve these feats), but this was one of the books that didn’t resonate at all with me, thinking it was going to focus on something different, and ended up not knowing what I just read. Not to say that this is a bad book, just will be over the heads of many.

When The World Breaks: The Surprising Hope and Subversive Promises in the Teachings of Jesus (Faithwords, 2023)   by Jason Adam Miller  ISBN: 9781546003502 (hardcover), 9781546003526 (ebook) can be ordered at : http://www.faithwords.com

 This review copy was sent courtesy from the publisher.

For information on the author, visit: http://www.jasonadammiller.com

The Overall:

Pages: 223

Language: Mild

Geared For: Ages 20 and Up

For Fans Of: Ministry, Christianity, Christian Living, Spiritual Growth,

Book Review: Meyer’s Latest Shows How Bible Is Filled With Answers

Posted on by lancelumley

Jacket design by Faceout Studio, Molly Von Borstel

Joyce Meyer’s latest writing Overcoming Every Problem (FaithWords, 2023) is a devotional reminder that the Bible has plenty of answers and encouragement for whatever situation a Christian may be facing.

            The book’s second title states that the writing is “40 promises from God’s Word to strengthen you through life’s greatest challenges.” The book is a series of statements that Christians can hold on to from reading the Bible daily, with topics like how the Bible (God’s Word) can renew and revives, Give people good judgment and wise knowledge, can give hope, and have joy through troubled times. There are also chapters about how God’s Word can bring persecution,  melt a hard heart, and can bring stability.

            Each chapter is about three to four pages long, and has several Bible verse references in the sections, as mentioned earlier, in a devotional-type style. The author gives some of her life struggles and lessons to illustrate the ideas as well. The writing can be used as reading one chapter at a time, or many in a sitting due to the shortness of them.

            One of the good things about this format of writing is that even though the author gives some Bible verses in the chapter, many of the verses are just listed and not dragged out. Since the text is about getting into the reading of the Bible daily, Meyer sometimes just gives the Bible verses and leaves it, so the reader has to go and read them themselves, as opposed to having numerous lengthy verses on the pages. With the chapters short in length, again, it can be read one section at a time for those that want to dwell on the points made.

            Some of the topics are simple and probably not that groundbreaking to many long-time Christians, but that doesn’t mean a reminder isn’t needed at times. Also, this works for both newer Christians and mature ones, where some books may only focus on one of them, with the text either too over the heads of the reader or too simple. Throughout the pages, Meyer adds some great points of wisdom and positive encouragement as well, such as stating that “Hope is the anchor of the soul” to “Satan wants us to believe God or others are the problems” when it comes to certain struggles, as opposed to focusing on Satan being the lair.  Another chapter looks at the people pleasers, where the writer states that being one, can end up having the Christian disobeying God. Several stories from the Bible, not just verses are references like David in the book of Psalms, the story of Joseph and his brothers, and Jesus in the wilderness.

            I have mentioned a few times when reviewing Meyer’s books (you can find past reviews by typing in the archives via the search engine) that I am not a huge fan of her preaching style, but many of her writings lately have been educational and well done. This book is more of a helpful guide or a Spark Notes version of some of the topics that can be used as a concordance for some topics, as opposed to a book that would be read multiple times over and over. It’s not a bad thing, it’s just a nice quick guide to go deeper into readings.

 

This review copy was sent courtesy of the publisher.

 

            Overcoming Every Problem by Joyce Meyer (FaithWords, 2023) ISBN : 978-1-5460-2915-1 (hardcover),9781546004653 (large print),9781546029144 (ebook) can be ordered at: http://www.faithwords.com

 

FaithWords is a division of the Hachette Book Group, INC.           

For information about the author, visit: http://www.joycemeyer.org

 

The Overall:

Pages:  240

Language: None

Geared For: Ages 12 and Up

For Fans Of: Christian Living, Bible, Christian Studies, Christianity, Self-Help

Book Review: Meyer’s Latest Helps Deal with Stress And Anxiety

Posted on by lancelumley

Cover copyright ©Hachette Book Group.

Pastor Joyce Meyer’s latest writing dives into stress, worrying, and anxiety in the Answer to Anxiety: How to Break Free from the Tyranny of Anxious Thoughts and Worry (FaithWords, 2023) by using the groundwork of the writing from the Bible passage Philippians 4:6-7, which states :

 

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

 

            Meyer gives the reader several keys to overcoming anxiety, which suggestions for remembering the past victories the person has been brought through, trusting in God, and believing that God is in control. She also covers the power of prayer by being definitive in prayer requests to getting the person’s mind off their troubles by praying for other people and dives into showing gratitude, having peace, and not letting the worries build up, instead dealing with them one at a time without piling them up.

            The text is easy to read, which can be used as a devotion by reading one chapter a day or reading multiple ones. She uses Biblical stories in brief like the tale of Job without getting into too much detail, letting the reader go and discover the stories themselves. In one section of the book, she writes about “5 Keys To Overcoming Anxiety” and states that a person cannot think of two things at once, so thinking of the good things (such as “God will handle this”) will push the negative thoughts out, which although hard at first and may take a while to achieve. Once it happens, the person will be able to handle the next problem easier. Even if someone is not a fan of her preaching or work, there are several good points made in the text in a non-judgmental way (she uses her own experiences to be relatable) for readers of any age. The book is short in length (at 160 pages), but there is information in it that will bring Christian readers back for re-reads because who doesn’t want help in dealing with stress, and worry while reducing anxious moments when troubles come?

 

The Answer to Anxiety: How to Break Free from the Tyranny of Anxious Thoughts and Worry by Joyce Meyer (FaithWords, 2023) ISBN: 978-1-5460-2917-5 (hardcover), 978-1-5460-0304-5 (Large Print), 978-1-5460-2918-2 (ebook) can be ordered at : https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/imprint/hachette-nashville/faithwords/

 

For information on the author, visit: http://www.joycemeyer.org

 

FaithWords is a division of Hachette Book Group Inc.

 

The Overall:

Pages: 160

Language: None

Geared For: Ages 12 and Up

For Fans Of: Christianity, Christian Living, Mental Health, Non-Fiction, Self Help

 

Book Review: Osteen’s Latest Focuses On Adversity.

Posted on by lancelumley

Cover Design by Faceout Studio. Cover imagery by Shutterstock.

Pastor Joel Osteen’s latest book Stay In the Game (FaithWords, 2022) is a brief encouragement text helping readers have faith in their Christianity when it comes to overcoming struggles and obstacles.

            The writing  walks through the audience in several short chapters with topics like having the right attitude and mindset , not being content staying on the sidelines when hurting or struggles occur, and arming themselves with the strength and knowing that the tests and trials of life will bring the person closer to their destination.

            Just like many of Osteen’s books, which several have been reviewed on this page (you can find by typing in the search engine in the archives), he tends to keep a positive outlook and encourage the reader that God can do anything and with the right discipline and attitude from Christians, where they can tap into their potential that is there for them.

            The book is just over 100 pages with five chapters titled “Stay in the Game, “Keep the Right Perspective,” “You Can Handle It.” Your Second Wind Is On The Way,” and “Finishing Grace.” Osteen uses the sports analogy of life, much like the Bible verse that discusses running the race as a major theme here. He uses some true stories about a few sports athletes, people from his church, his family, and Bible tales like Joseph, Paul, and David.

            Regardless of what some may view about Osteen’s preaching, this is a book that will encourage someone who not only needs a short boost of faith and positivity, but those who seem like their trails have overcome them and not sure they can go on. Since the book is short in length, I chose to read a chapter a day and use it like a devotion to help me during the day. Some may choose to read it all at once (which I have done with other books in the genre, but chose to take my time on this one), but either way the reader will find some good in the text.

            After coming out of COVID shutdowns and lockdowns, with churches and work places being opening up again, it is still nice to have something that will help out with being positive and a helping hand when it comes to the struggles and trails of everyday life, and those who need their second wind , which he writes about.

            The hardback book is small in physical look as well, which is something I enjoy; just a little bit bigger in size than a mass paperback writing, but still has the hardcover on it (Michael W. Smith and Rebecca St. James used this format several times with their writings in the past).  It’s not so big and lumpy to carry around like full size hardback, yet durable with the solid covers for those who want to take it with them.

            This is a writing that is worthy the time and read, no matter what some may think of Osteen’s personal opinions on Christian may or may not be. With all the negative out there right now, Christians need something to boost their moral and help them stay in the game of life.

 

This book was sent courtesy of the publisher.

 

Stay In The Game: No Adversity Is Too Great For You by Joel Osteen ( FaithWords, 2022) ISBN: 9781546029335 (hardcover), 9781546029311 (ebook) can be ordered at :www.faithwords.com

 

For information on Joel Osteen, visit: http://www.joelosteen.com

The Overall:

Pages: 114

Language: None

Geared For: Ages 12 and Up

For Fans Of: Christianity, Non-Fiction, Self Help, Christian Living.

 

 

Book Review: Osteen’s Latest a Quick Read To Help Bring Positivity.

Posted on by lancelumley

Cover design by Faceout Studios. Cover copyright ⓒ2020 by Hachette Book Group, INC.

Pastor Joel Osteen’s latest book, Rule Your Day: 6 Keys to Maximizing Your Success and Accelerating Your Dreams (FaithWords, 2022), encourages Christians to start their day off by deciding to control their mindset when it comes to letting others, and everyday situations affect how they go through the day.

            The title comes from the idea that a Christian’s choices define how they relate to other people such as co-workers and the way they handle situations, are the choices made by them, and not other people. The person is affected by what they let into their lives, from music, movies, and attitudes of others, which will determine how their Christian walk and self-health will create the person’s environment. Early on in the book, he writes that the Christian has the choice to let people and other events in life offend you, or they can keep moving on with trying to achieve their peace and happiness.

            The writing covers topics such as daily filling up with God’s direction and not being on “autopilot,” to watch what people say and how they say it (speaking good things about not just others, but themselves), and the concept that when a person is struggling with issues, taking their mind off of themselves and go out to help others will end up helping them in the end. A few other topics involve avoiding being a person who constantly has to please others and digging into the power of bouncing back from bad situations.

            Like many of Osteen’s sermons and books, he focuses on being uplifting and positive, while using some examples in his life about the struggles he has encountered to encourage the reader to move forward with their goals and dreams. He uses Biblical examples like Joseph, Micah, and Abraham for references. The story of Joseph is used several times in the short read.

            The chapters are formatted where one can read several in a sitting, or read one a day to focus on the concepts suggested, which is not uncommon with other Christian Living books.  The length is rather short at under 150 pages and sticks right to the points of the chapters. There are some Biblical references in the chapters, but not that it overbears the reader or that gets in-depth, which younger and newer Christians may enjoy.

            Regardless of what one may have on Osteen himself (some Christians do not like his style or topic of always being positive), this is a short read that those who need a boost of positivity will enjoy helping get their morning started or to reflect at the end of the day. Sometimes Christians need just a shot of encouragement, and they will get it here.

 

This review copy was sent courtesy of the publisher.

Faithwords is a division of the Hachette Book Group, INC.

 

Joel Osteen’s Rule Your Day: 6 Keys to Maximizing Your Success and Accelerating Your Dreams (FaithWords, 2022) ISBN: 9781546041856 (hardcover), 9781546041825 (large print). 9781546041832 (ebook) can be ordered at : http://www.faithwords.com.

For information on the author, visit: http://www.joelosteen.com

 

The Overall:

Pages: 144

Language: None

Geared For: Ages 12 and Up

For Fans Of: Christianity, Christian Living, Non-Fiction, Religion, Self Help.

 

Book Review: Tomb’s Thorough Look For Select Readers.

Posted on by lancelumley

Cover copyright © 2022 Hachette Book Group, INC.

Joby Martin, with Charles Martin,  looks at several Biblical ideas in his book If The Tomb Is Empty: Why The Resurrection Means Anything Is Possible (2022, Faithwords) in showing how several events in the Bible leads to the death and resurrection of Jesus, along with encouraging Christians in their walk after the events.

            Joby Martin, the Lead Pastor of The Church of Eleven22 in Jacksonville Florida, breaks his book into chapters based on several mountains named in the Bible. He covers the mountains of Moriah, Sinai, Carmel, Calvary, along with the mountains used in the Bible for the Beatitudes, Transformation,  and the temptation of Jesus. Throughout the chapters, he uses stories about Joseph, Job, Abraham, and Ahab, using the Biblical tales to look deep into each story, while at times, adding a sense of humor in his writing.

            Sometimes when reviewing books the reader just doesn’t click with the writing style or the flow of the text, although one can’t point to exactly why. This is one of them. The author uses the Biblical text, but at times uses it so much that the reader will feel they are reading the Bible themselves, instead of summarizing the story and letting the reader go and visit their Bible themselves for more in-depth reading. Martin’s style here takes away from the flow of the book, and makes the reader seem they are listening to his sermons at the church, dissecting the five verses in-depth, which at times, doesn’t flow on the pages. However, some of the chapters flow nicely, but it seems to sway back in forth. The chapter on breaking down the Ten Commandments, where he describes how to remember them by using hand movements, doesn’t come off as well on the pages, as opposed to maybe seeing them via video or in person.

            The humor of the author adds to the book, and admittedly may be hard at times, would like to see some more of it in the pages at times. The personal stories of the writer’s past on how he has journeyed in his Christian walk would have flowed better by adding more of his life into the pages. The forward section by former football and baseball player Tim Tebow is nice as well, and several chapters were really good, such as the author’s take on why he thinks Jesus took Peter, James, and John with him to the mountain, and how he states that fairness is not a Biblical principle. 

            The book tends to state that it is for all levels of Christians, newer and experienced ones, but with the breaking down of some much text, a newer Christian (especially younger ages like teens) may get bogged down with parts, as opposed to, again, using a summary of the text.

            The uniqueness of looking at the different mountains in each chapter separates the book from others, but even at a shorter 250 pages, parts of the text could have been shortened to keep the flow continuity. No doubt Martin will have his targeted audience (probably his church community) for the book, but there seemed to be something that didn’t click as much as it could have for this reviewer.

 

This book was sent courtesy of the publisher.

Faithwords is a division of the Hachette Book Group, INC.

 

If The Tomb Is Empty : Why The Resurrection Means Anything Is Possible by Joby Martin with Charles Martin and Foreword by Tim Tebow (2022, Faithwords) ISBN : 9781546001508 (hardcover) , 9781546001546 (ebook) can be found at : http://www.faithwords.com

 

For information on the authors, visit Joby Martin’s church page at : http://www.coe22.com and  Charles Martin at http://www.charlesmartinbooks.com/books

 

The Overall:

Pages: 272

Language: None

Geared For: Ages 17 and Up

For Fans Of:  Non Fiction, Christianity, Christian Living

 

Book Review: Meyer Writes The Importance of Gratitude and Thankfulness

Posted on by lancelumley

Cover copyright © by Hachette Book Group, INC

Being thankful has been a theme in many Christian books lately. Joyce Meyer’s latest, The Power of Thank You: Discover the Joy of Gratitude ( 2022, Faithwords) takes on the same subject of being thankful, along with saying it to others and God, making Christians better in their walk, along with wanting to do more for others.

            Meyer states in the book that being content is to be thankful for things like getting out of bed, having your sight, or being able to walk, whereas the opposite is discontent which is an “illness of the soul.” She writes that thankful people are better off when it comes to helping others and having a healthier life in the church.

            According to her, Christians need to realize that not everything in life will be smooth sailing, that Christians still need to be thankful, and show gratitude regardless of their past or current situations. She tells stories of her past where she married the wrong person and even was abused before finding her calling in the ministry, which started small and has grown into a worldwide business. The one chapter uses the symbol of a rose, which has a thorn on it when many want to just see the flower. She uses Biblical stories like Joseph’s trials with his brothers who sold him into slavery, and Job for examples.

            Other chapters involve looking at what she calls “God Winks,” how gratitude turns into generosity, and being humble will make the Christian a more thankful person. She also has a chapter that focuses on how God does not answer complaints from Christians when it comes to answering prayers, and how to avoid the entitlement attitude that is more prominent in today’s society.

            The book is easy to read and is geared more toward a Christian who is already in the faith. Some books are geared for newer Christians, and although a newer Christian will still get valuable information out of this, the writer jumps into the topic, along with some of the Biblical references, assuming that the reader knows vaguely the stories (but then again, the newer Christian can read it and then use their Bibles to get the in-depth stories). I enjoyed the chapter on the entitlement mentality, along with the layout of the pages which has been featured the same way in several of her recent books I have reviewed (which you can read by searching her name in the archives). In her other works, she sometimes focuses on the female audience, with her examples of shopping and clothing, but this is a book that males can easily get into as well. Sometimes Meyer’s work doesn’t appeal to me, but this one is a well-written book that is not too in-depth but not juvenile either. With many books covering the topic, as I mentioned in the beginning, this is a topic that many Christian leaders must be telling Christians they need to be aware of.

 

This review copy was sent courtesy of the publisher.

 

Faithwords is a division of Hachette Book Group, INC.

 

The Power of Thank You: Discover the Joy of Gratitude by Joyce Meyer (Faithwords, 2022) ISBN: 978-1-5460-1612-0 (hardcover), 978-1-5460-0106-5 (large type), 978-1-5460-0227-7 (international), 978-1-5460-0260-4 (signed edition) , 978-1-5460-1613-7 (ebook) can be ordered at : http://www.faithwords.com

 

 For information on the author, visit: http://www.joycemeyer.org

 

The Overall:

Pages: 240

Language: None

Geared For: Mid Level Christians

For Fans Of: Christianity, Christian Living, Non-Fiction, Religion.

 

 

             

           

Book Review: Crank’s Past In”Thrive” Helps Christian Women Move Forward

Posted on by lancelumley

Cover Design by Lydia Robison. Cover artwork by Shutterstock. Cover copyright © 2021 by Hachette Book Group, INC

Nicole Crank’s latest book , I Will Thrive: Find Your Fight To Claim True Freedom (FaithWords, 2021) , encourages readers to not let their past dictate their future through telling her tales of struggles and heartbreak.

            Crank , and her husband, are founders and co-pastors of Faith Church.com, and she is an author, blogger, and podcaster. Her book starts off explaining how she was in an abusive marriage with a man hooked on drugs shortly after they returned from their honeymoon, where he disappeared for several days and returns to pull a gun on her and himself. The story continues throughout the book where he takes things from their house like bedroom sets of furniture and her child’s video games to sell for drug money. Crank then decided that she has to leave the state to escape for a while, only to be spiritually called back to deal with the situation and eventually move on to another life with a new husband.

            The first part of the book has some humor to it amidst the darker tones, like her describing how Canadian women would leave unattended children outside in their strollers while the parents would shop in stores. However, most of the book deals with Crank’s life story from being adopted to being raped, molested and having to move on from that past to find peace in her Christian faith.

            Using those experiences, she tells the readers how previous situations does not define who the person is today, dealing with rejection, and topics like how people build walls around their lives and needing to let God tear the walls down. She writes about facing “giants ” in life, along with dealing with anger and fear, while detailing her personal life as examples.

            The first part of the book is gender neutral, where male readers can take points away from her stories (men do deal with these issues too), but from the middle to the end of the text is geared more for the female audience, with talks about wedding dresses and romantic movies, and comments about eye rolling and her detailed story about meeting her current husband.

            Some chapters have a  focus with Biblical examples, while some of the others do not have much at all. This is a mix between Bible examples and true life stories, where if the reader does not like a ton of Bible references, they may like. It does seem that the author plugs her other books a little too much throughout the text for this reviewer’s liking, but the first half of the writing added some humor and encouragement, where the last sections lost attention for me due to it focusing more on the female crowd (since I never heard of the author, however it may not shock the followers of Crank’s work). The courage to put her story in print for the public eye is admirable, and her female audience will relate more than it being a text for everyone.

            The book was sent courtesy from the publisher.

I Will Thrive: Find Your Fight To Claim True Freedom by Nicole Crank (FaithWords, 2021) ISBN: 978-1-5460-3702-6 (hardcover), 978-1-5460-3701-9 (ebook) can be ordered at : http://www.faithwords.com.

For information about the author, visit: http://www.nicolecrank.com

The Overall:

Pages:  240

Language: None

Geared For: Ages 13 and Up

For Fans Of: Women’s Studies, Christian Living, Non-Fiction, Autobiography, Christianity

Book Review: Carpenter Details Life’s Comeback in “Disaster.”

Posted on by lancelumley

The Most Beautiful Disaster
Jacket Design by Michelle Lenger. Jacket copyright © 2021 by Hachette Book Group, INC.

The Most Beautiful Disaster : How God Makes Miracles Out of Our Mistakes (FaithWords, 2021) by Hope Carpenter is an inspirational, yet honest, account of how God can take something bad from life and turn it into a positive.

            Carpenter is the co-founder of Redemption Church in North Carolina, which she founded with her husband. Her and her husband Ron felt a calling to the ministry, yet she was living a double life, where she was having an affair with another man, which crashed her marriage and family to the point where she had to go into a private country setting counseling center (with no phones and limited contact with others) in order to seek the help she needed, while having to deal with the hurt and reconciliation with her husband, kids, and the church family.

            The book uses her story to dive into the topic of a Christian finding her way out of a situation where some of the issues stemmed back to her childhood upbringings and an event that happened in her teen years. This isn’t a writing that puts blame on the past, but acknowledges the scientific links to how past events can have an effect on people struggling, especially if they  kept it deeply hidden.

            Carpenter states that everyone at some point wears a form of a mask, especially in the churches, where Christians want to set an ideal image and flawless. This not only brings added pressures on the Christian, but as a leader in the church, intensified in her life to the point of a crash mentally, and spiritually, where Christians need to realize that no one is sin free.

            The writing covers many psychological issues such as listing a person’s 10 emotional needs, how messages imposed in early childhood can have long lasting effects, warning signs that a person is heading in a bad direction, to help in finding freedom and forgiveness for the person, while adding Biblical stories about Jonah, Jesus, Peter, and Job.

            The thing that separates this book from others is not only the easy to read chapters (which has a summary at the end of each to reflect on), but the honesty and overall positive vibes to the theme. The author admits her mistakes and is open in her feelings, but gives hope to the reader that no matter what the situation the struggle is, they can find hope and overcome. Also the fact that the writer states that these things may take years for healing is also a fresh read, where other writers give the outlook that the answer is either hidden through the sinner’s pride or that they haven’t found it yet because they are removed from God. The author states several times that God’s timing is not the same timing as the Christian, especially in the section where she states that although forgiveness is something that is required to those that have wronged the person, trust is not, and may take a long time to earn it back, if ever.

            Carpenter also makes the writing enjoyable in the fact that it is not geared only to women or those how have had marital problems. Her advice and scientific examples are for anyone who has struggled in any area. She also encourages the reader that the Bible is filled with people who have screwed up or had flaws, yet God used them for good.

            This writing is not gender oriented, and men can take quality information away from this reading. This is not just tale of a public known person in the ministry who had marital problems, but the author gives an honest admittance to the mistakes and pain she caused, and she states that it is an everyday battle for forgiveness that doesn’t have to be the end of her ministry or life. She encourages the church to be more open with struggles and getting rid of the idea of the “Perfect Christian” (my quotes, not the authors).

            The Most Beautiful Disaster should not get lumped into the Women’s Studies genre, because it is for anyone who not only wants to discover how to get over mistakes made by them or to them (even little ones; it doesn’t have to be a major life destroying event), but also has examples on maybe why the person did the things  may stem back to past experiences hidden deep inside them that has been hidden away without the person knowing. This is not a writing where the blame is put on the past, but opens up that it may have been part of the reasoning. This is a non-judgmental text that encourages and digs deep into the Christian person, the church’s attitudes, and how to recover from the obstacles in a down to earth tone that will give hope and draw the Christian closer in their faith.

This review copy was sent courtesy from the publisher.

The Most Beautiful Disaster : How God Makes Miracles Out of Our Mistakes (FaithWords, 2021) by Hope Carpenter  ISBN: 978-1-5460-1748-6 (hardcover), 978-1-5460-1747-9 (ebook) can be ordered at : http://www.faithwords.com

For information about the author, visit: https://hopecarpenter.com

The Overall:

Pages: 240

Language: None

Geared For: Ages 15 and Up

For Fans Of: Christianity, Christian Living, Self Help, Non-Fiction

Book Review: Meyer Continues Insightful Commentaries With Philippians

Posted on by lancelumley

Jacket Design by Terri Bleeker. Jacket photography by Chad Spickler. Cover copyright © 2021 by Hachette Book Group

Joyce Meyer continues her series of Biblical commentaries with Philippians: Practical Insights For Everyday Christian Living (FaithWords, 2021).  Much like her other commentaries of Galatians and Proverbs  (you can read reviews by typing into the search engine),  this easy to read guide is geared for both male and female readers.

            Meyer starts out writing that the book of Philippians is considered by many as the “book of joy”, with Paul writing his letter from prison. A small history of the city is given where a major battle was heard after Julius Caesar’s assassination, which many know through the writing of William Shakespeare’s play from our school days. Paul’s writing is a short book, with only four chapters involved, but there is quite a bit of information that Meyer brings out in the short segments.

            Meyer covers topics like choosing friends wisely, the importance of mentors (like Timothy had with Paul, which is mentioned in the Biblical text), the importance of hope, and the way Paul prayed among other subjects. She looks into how Paul prayed less about the circumstances he was dealing with and more about the spiritual welfare of his friends and the people of Philippi, and states that Christians can benefit from this action in their own lives.

            The text also discusses how to overcome fear and relying more on the strength of God, along with being like-minded, which is different than being in total agreement with a person’s opinion. The question of being obedient to God, as opposed to just “dating” him, working through our spirit (letting the inside work through to our outside appearance), and , of course, the topic of having joy are also covered.

            Like the other books in the series, it is easier to read the Bible chapter first before reading Meyer’s take on the section, and with this book over four chapters, it is not a difficult task. Throughout the book, there are questions asked for deeper reflection for the reader, along with a part where the writer can jot down notes or answer the thoughts as a journal on top of just being  a book.

            Again, these guides appeal to me because it is not geared only to the female readers and Christians, which is a major base for her ministry. Where the other books may have a few parts that are geared towards females, this one has none of that, so the male reader would not have to be bored at any section (such as reading about shopping for clothing for example). With the short book of Philippians, this could be read and studied in several days, but it is not a text that is one and done. The points and challenges the author provides, and the writing style, is not just easy to understand, but also is something that the reader can go back many times and learn something.

            Sometimes commentaries are written so over the head with historical text and filled with the origins of the words, but this book has very little of it, and is down to earth. There are a few stories of Christian history, such as a part about Ambrose and a few Christian authors, but it is only a page or two to bring home the points being brought out. This writing may be the  favorite so far of the commentaries that she has put out which I have reviewed. There is no filler to make the book longer, nor is there too in-depth investigations on every word that bores the reader. Philippians is a text that Christians will enjoy going back to several times to read and apply to their lives.

This review copy was sent courtesy of Faith Words and Hachette Book Group.

Philippians: Practical Insights For Everyday Christian Living (FaithWords, 2021) ISBN : 978-1-5460-2618-1 (hardcover), 978-1-5460-2616-7 (ebook) can be ordered at: http://www.faithwords.com

For information about the author, visit: http://www.joycemeyer.org

The Overall:

Pages: 180 pages

Language: None

Geared For: 12 and Up

For Fans Of: Biblical Studies, Commentaries, Christian Living, Religion, Faith