Giveaway for Hand-Painted Item!

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Biblical Portraits of Creation - Book Review, Part 1

I have been reading Biblical Portraits of Creation by Walter Kaiser, Jr., and am enjoying it.  Each chapter is a mini message about a certain Bible passage, with notes that include word meanings, related passages, and study questions.  The beauty of creation is laid out, as well as reasons for believing the earth was created in six literal days, not on top of an evolving past.  I look forward to finishing the book, as I am only about half-way through. This month has been a busy one for me!  I appreciate that each chapter is quite short, and has smaller sections dividing them.

Thanks to Cross Focused Reviews for giving me a copy to review!

Starting at the Finish Line - Book Review

This may be a good book for the Mormon or anyone who trusts in his own "good works," or those who wish to understand and witness to Mormons.

With Bible verses, illustrative stories, and his own experiences in Mormonism, Mr. Wallace shows that salvation is ALL of grace, of Jesus, not Jesus plus anything else.  The only things I found confusing at times were his thoughts about the Old Testament laws vs. NT grace (p. 121 in particular), but I think he does believe as I do about people be saved the same way in Old Testament days and new--by faith, as he mentioned the example of Abraham.  I think there was also a bit of Arminian doctrine, as in God loves/died for everyone, and some confusion on whether you can lose your salvation or not. But I liked that the author loves the Mormon people, and it's overall a pretty good book that hopefully will reach a lot of Mormons.

Gospel Assurance and Warnings by Paul Washer - Book Review

 
There are many important warnings and tests in this book, on target, and with hope for the struggling.  Nevertheless, it was not an easy read for me.  My sins were called out in detail, and I could hardly determine whether I have the love and faith of God in me.  Yet in the end I was encouraged, though convicted, and more concerned for the lost.  This is a book everyone should read.  Was it perfect? Probably not, as humans never are, but much of it was directly from God's Word, and thus to be carefully, seriously considered. The part about striving for God (or the violent taking it by force) was, in my mind, a somewhat questionable interpretation, but in general I think true.  There are various cases in which God has worked on a person suddenly (like the apostle Paul), and the author admitted that, but this part seemed to deny the sudden, unsought conversion (probably unintentionally). Overall it was very good.

The Treasury of David Quotes

Psalm 45 

Verse 13.--"The king's daughter is all glorious within," etc. When the children of God recollect their glorious and heavenly pedigree, they endeavour to excel others, both in the beautiful disposition of soul, and manner of life.  "The king's daughter," that is, the daughter of the heavenly Father, who is also the bride of the king's Son; every believing soul "is all glorious," adorned with a holiness not only glorious to herself, but also to the Father and the Bridegroom, and is the beginning of a heavenly glory; and that chiefly "within," not only when she appears abroad, and presents herself to the view of men, but also when she sits in the inner bed-chamber in the secret exercises of religion, in which she in private pleases the Father and the Bridegroom, who having a regard to the inward man, she above all endeavours to keep that pure and chaste.  - Hermann Witsius. 1636-1708.

Verse 15.--"They shall be brought." Reader! do not fail to observe the manner of expression, the church is brought, she doth not come of herself.  No, she must be convinced, converted, made willing.  No one can come to Christ, except the Father, who hath sent Christ, draw Him.  John vi. 44.--Robert Hawker, D.D.

Prophet on the Run - Book Review

This is an excellent book about the prophet, Jonah.  The author's unique insight into the Hebrew text makes this extra special.  He brings out things I had hardly considered before in the account of Jonah, and speaks to the heart of the reader.  We are all like Jonah from time to time, and yet there is God's amazing grace.  Mr. Maoz doesn't skip over the wrath and judgment of God, either, but tells of that in light of God's grace.  I quite highly recommend this book. It is scholarly, yet an easy read. 4.5 stars

I received this free from Cross Focused Reviews in exchange for my honest review.

Avonlea Fashion Link-Up ~ Anne's Bicycling Outfit

Bramblewood Fashion is hosting a giveaway.  I'm hoping this will count, because I wore this outfit about a week ago at a country-style wedding, but I was thinking of this contest in part, forgetting which date it was going to be held.  In any case, here is my partly historical, partly modern take on Avonlea fashion. I was aiming for something like Anne wore in the second Anne movie, with her vest, long skirt with same-fabric stripes on the bottom, and cream-colored blouse.

The vest I wore was from a friend, and the blouse and the skirt from a yard sale. If I recall (we're in the midst of a move, and all this is packed away), the blouse was a Talbots, lace-like one, and the skirt was a Ralph Lauren.  The brooch was a gift.  And the purse wasn't meant to go with the outfit. ;)  I wore brown boots, too, but you can't see them. I did my hair up in a simple, low bun.

Apostate by Kevin Swanson - Book Review

This is essential reading for the Christian or those with nagging questions about faith and reason.  I am still working on reading it, but have read about half so far and have found it to be insightful and thought-provoking. 

Kevin Swanson writes about many influential men who apostatized from the faith, either in their own lifetimes or in their lineage.  The first part--called The Nephilim--covers Thomas Aquinas, Rene Descartes, John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Jeremy Bentham, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Karl Marx, Charles Darwin, Fredrich Nietzsche, John Dewey, and Jean-Paul Sartre. 

The second part--called The Literary Nephilim--covers William Shakespeare, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Mark Twain, Ernest Hemingway, and John Steinbeck.

The third part--The Cultural Nephilim--covers the influence of musicians and the church, and sums up with a call to follow Christ.

You will most likely learn much from this book, perhaps some surprising things and some disturbing things, but you will also see the futility and destructiveness of man-centered thinking.  I highly recommend this book, and see it as very important for anyone in our day.

Almost a 5-star read for me. It's just a bit depressing overall, though it ends on a more positive note.

I received this book from www.crossfocusedreviews.com in exchange for my honest review. Thank you!

The Button Legacy - Book Review

The button box holds a secret. Not a trap-door kind of secret, but one of God's love through everything. The story is simple, but the words resonate with poignancy, picturesque stories told for each button. There are some sad stories, some funny stories, but in the end they point to God's grace. I appreciated the love and prayers between family, and the humble way of confronting wrong. There were a couple of somewhat embarrassing/intimate things, but not detailed. It wraps up a little too quickly, perhaps, at least for those of us who haven't read the companion book about granddaughter, Emily. There is nothing exactly objectionable, unless you count the time Emily goes into a dance-hall/bar and gets drunk--but the action is not condoned. Overall a solid, well-written tale, but it seems a bit unfinished.

I received a free kindle copy of this story from Cross Focused Reviews in exchange for my honest review.

And...the Winner!

Who is the winner of Bound Together by Chris Brauns?

Using a random number generator, I got number 5, which was the last entrant...Robert!

 Congratulations, Robert!  If you haven't checked your email yet, please do so.