NO MORE FAKING FINE

Sunday, February 26, 2017

NO MORE FAKING FINE
Ending The Pretending
By Esther Fleece

OVERVIEW: No More Faking Fine is your permission to lament—to give voice to the hurt, frustration, and disappointment you've kept inside and silenced for too long. Drawing from deep reserves of biblical study and hard-won insight, Esther reveals how to use God's own language to draw closer to him as he leads us through any darkness into His marvelous light. Like Esther, you'll soon find that when one person stops faking fine, it gives permission to everyone else to do the same.

AUTHOR: Esther Fleece is an international speaker and writer on millennials and faith, leadership and family, recognized among Christianity's Today's "Top 50 Women Shaping the Church and Culture" and CNN's "Five Women in Religion to Watch." As founder and CEO of L&L Consulting she works to connect influential individuals and organizations to their mutual benefit. You can follow Esther's global adventures on Twitter @EstherFleece and at www.estherfleeced.com.

MY REVIEW: If you like many, are on a grieving or healing journey—this is a book for you! You will be inspired by Esther's story and encouraged to realize that your lamenting that leads to healing is not just for you but for God's glory. This book will encourage you to stop faking fine and start being real.

I agree with pastor Andy Stanley, "How we grieve is directly related to how we heal. Esther Fleece introduces the language of lament and argues persuasively that this is a prayer God never ignores. No More Faking Fine is a book for anyone wrestling with the unavoidable tension created when the faithful suffer." Esther uses Scripture to show that God meets us in the midst of our deepest pain. Her powerful story encourages us to be honest to God and each other. No. We are not always fine. And we need to stop pretending. It takes courage. The book can give you that courage.

Author Allison Trowbridge says what I feel in a beautiful way, "...This book is your permission. To hurt, to cry, to scream, to grieve, to feel. And on the other side of that lament is a journey more beautiful—and a God more near—than you could have ever imagined."

(I received this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for a fair and honest review.)

THE HUM OF ANGELS

Saturday, February 25, 2017

THE HUM OF ANGELS
Listening for the Messengers
of God Around Us
By Scot McKnight

OVERVIEW: The majority of earth's inhabitants believe in angels. Yet many of us cannot claim to have seen one. Why? Perhaps it's because in order to encounter one, we first have to learn what to look for and how to look! We live in a world where the natural and supernatural overlap. Angels are constantly on mission from God and constantly at work in this world. From the Garden of Eden to the book of Revelation, Scripture is filled with hundreds of references to these wondrous creatures. In this creative work, Scot McKnight explores what the Bible says—and doesn't say—about these majestic beings. (From the back of the book).

AUTHOR: Scott McKnight is the author of more than fifty books, including The Jesus Creed and The Heaven Promise. A popular speaker at events such as Catalyst and Q Conference. Scot is professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary in Lombard, Illinois. His blog Jesus Creed, has 3 million page views annually. He and his wife, Kris, live in the Chicago suburbs.

MY REVIEW: If you, like me, have thought about angels for a long time—this is a book you will want to read. I have several books about angels and this is one of the best. I found it easier to understand than some of the others I have read. Recently I read Jack Graham's book about angels and it is excellent also. Scot McKnight is a splendid theologian but he doesn't get bogged down in deep, hard to understand religious thoughts. He writes in a way that is easier for the average person to understand.

Scot McKnight makes the claim, "If you believe in God, you also believe in angels." That's good. That's very good. He goes on to say, "This is not a philosophical book about angels, or is it an attempt to prove the reality of angels. I'm thankful the philosophers and apologists have set forth persuasive arguments in favor of angels and so have cleared the way for me to talk about what the Bible says about angels." And that is what he does. He talks about what the Bible says about angels. And that is the main thing I like about this book.

(I received this book from Blogging For Books in exchange for a fair and honest review.)