Enemies of the Heart

Enemies of the Heart

By Andy Stanley

About the book:
In this compelling and helpful book, previously published as It Came From Within!, pastor and author Andy Stanley wrestles with what he calls "four invaders of the heart"--guilt, anger, greed, and jealousy. One or another of these caustic emotions sabotages lives on a daily basis and destroys relationships. But Stanley assures readers that there is hope. In his trademark style--smart, engaging, and popular--he examines where these powerful forces come from and reveals effective strategies for overcoming them and moving toward healing and maturity.


My Thoughts:
  “Enemies of the Heart” is a convicting read about the health of one’s heart, not the literal heart but the state of one’s heart before the Lord. Andy Stanley presents four destructive emotions that can take hold in our heart: guilt, anger, greed, and jealousy. The first section of the book is about diagnosing these emotions and the second part of the book addresses how to fix them.




This is a good book. The author is very straight forward and has easy-to-grasp concepts which when applied can be very useful in our lives. Andy Stanley quotes a lot of scripture to explain his points, all of which are very applicable to life.



Being “Enemies of the Heart” is so straight forward in concepts and application; I think it would make for a great Bible Study.



I listened to the audio version of this book and at first I thought the narrator was very dull. As the book went on he became easier to listen to and his voice seemed to match the subject matters he was speaking about.



Favorite Quote;

“When our embarrassment level has exceeded our desperation level, we are a candidate for God’s grace.”

 
 
*I received this audiobook free for review from Christianaudio.com*
 
Rating: 4 carats
 

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The Brotherhood

The Brotherhood
By Jerry Jenkins

About the book:
Boone Drake follows all the rules - as a cop, husband and father. But when everything in his personal life is destroyed, he buries himself in guilt. His faith is rocked when he questions why God would allow this to happen to him. When it appears that it can't get any worse, he's accused of police brutality and suddenly his career is at risk. The possibility of being promoted to the Organized Crime Division is slipping from his hands. His life is spiraling out of control. But while protecting the leader of a Chicago gang, Boone comes to realize that God can change the hardest heart...and forgive the worst of crimes.




My thoughts:

The Brotherhood is a gritty police thriller that ultimately asks "Why does God allow tragedy?"




Jerry Jenkins does not shy away from questions stemming from a man having a crisis of faith and searching for the meaning of his life all in the context of a fast paced story.



I listened to the audio version of this book and the narrator seemed strong and perfect for this story, very cop-like.



Rating: 4 carats


*I received this audio book free for review from christianaudio.com*

Rating : 4 carats

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The Shelter of God's Promises

The Shelter of God's Promises
By Sheila Walsh

About the Book:
In a world of uncertainty, pain, and struggle, where do you find solid assurance and unshakeable truth? Gifted Bible teacher and inspiring Women of Faith speaker Sheila Walsh offers powerful, heart-filled teaching on ten bedrock promises of God, providing the foundation for daily confidence, joy, and hope. In The Shelter of God's Promises, Sheila searches Scripture for what God has promised us, what God's promises mean, and how encounters with Christ are the eternal fulfillment of His unrelenting commitment to us. In this riveting walk through some of the Bible's most compelling stories, Walsh unveils ten foundational promises of God that secure our lives during even the most difficult times. Sheila weaves her hallmark storytelling, inspiring personal experience, and Scripture to help readers gain a trust in God that will sustain them for a lifetime.


My Thoughts:



I was pleasntly surprised by this book. The back cover synopisis sounded good but before I even finished the first chapter I was excited to hear the stories that lay ahead.


Sheila Walsh takes us on a journey of exploring specifics promieses of God and illustrates ways He has used them with indepth despriptions of Bible stories.

She divides the book into nine promises. As she covers each promise you will not be disappointed. You have most likely heard these promises before but she helps you to see them promises in new light. This is a great Bible study.


I listened to the audio version of this book. The narrator is a Scottish woman who talks in a soothing tone and takes great pauses at moments when we need to digest what she just said, which is really nice with all of the profound quotes and thought provoking things said.

*I received this audiobook free for review from Christianaudio.com
Favorite Line:
"when the pain of staying the same in greater than the pain of change, than you will change"

Rating: 5 carats

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Found: God's Will

Found: God's Will
By John MacArthur
About the book:
GET READY FOR A SURPRISE!




You may want to jump and shout when you read the sixth principle for knowing when you have found God's will.



The sixth principle is "Do whatever you want" as long as the first five principles are operating in your life.



Read about all six principles to better understand what the psalmist means when he urges, "Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart" (Psalm 37:4).

My Review:
This is small but powerful little book. John MacArthur outlines six steps listed in scripture to help the reader find God’s will for his/her life. MacArthur does just that as every step is based in scripture, clear, and easily understood. I think any Christian would benefit from studying this book.




I listened to the audio version of the book which was not read by John Macarthur. The narrator for the book did well; he was pleasant to listen to and flowed right along with the narration.



Favorite Quote:

“The only way to saturate yourself with Christ is to saturate yourself with the book that is all about Him”


*I received this audio book free for review from christianaudio.com*
Rating: 5 carats

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Outlive Your Life

Outlive Your Life
By Max Lucado

About the book:

These are difficult days in our world’s history. Billions of people are poor, millions go hungry or thirsty every day. Disease claims thousands of lives daily. But you and I have been given an opportunity to make a big difference. What if we did? What if we rocked the world with hope? Infiltrated all corners with God’s love and life? We are created by a great God to do great works. He invites us to outlive our lives, not just in heaven, but here on earth. Let's live our lives in such a way that the world will be glad we did.

My Review:

Max Lucado’s latest book encourages us to send ripples not only through your life and those around you as well as to others far after you are gone. He draws from stories throughout scripture and poses questions of what we can do to influence others and be a missionary wherever we are.



Max Lucado is very down to earth in his writing approach and easy to understand. Every chapter ends with a prayer based on the focus of that chapter. I listened to the audio version of this book and found the narrator to had a strong, almost pastoral voice that really gets the point across. It wasn’t a relaxing or leisurely audio book to listen to. I have heard Max Lucado’s devotionals on the radio and I would have liked it better if he narrated the book himself.


*I received this book free for review from Christianaudio.com*

Rating: 5 carats

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The Shape of Mercy

The Shape of Mercy

By Susan Meissner
Having grown up in a wealthy family, Lauren decides to defy the tradition of relying on family money and step out on her own. She attends a public college and has to fend for herself. Always interested in literature, Lauren sees an ad for a transcription job and immediately applies. Lauren gets the job. Her first assignment is to transcribe the diary of a teenage girl, Mercy Hayworth, set during the Salem witch trials, and is soon drawn into a tale she knows will end in heartbreak. As Lauren digs deeper into the diary she begins to see herself and her life in a new light.




Just as Lauren was drawn into Mercy's story I was drawn into this book. Lauren gripped me with her love for the written word and her determination to make a life for herself. I loved following both Lauren and Mercy as they asked themselves the same question about life and where they were going while living in two different eras, experiencing different situations. It proves that no matter how different we seem on the outside we are still similar on the inside.



I listened to the audio version of this book and the narrator had a gentle, almost haunting voice which seemed perfect for the scenes of the witch trial.



I received this book free for review from Christianaudio.com



Favorite Line:

"We understand what we want to understand. That's the way it is, the way it will always be."

Rating: 5 carats

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A Place of Healing

A Place of Healing
By Joni Eareckson Tada

As many of Joni’s books have dealt with suffering so does this one. Written with the same eloquence and compassion we’ve come to know Joni for she poses the question, “If God can heal, why doesn’t He?”




Joni invites us to walk with her as she asks this question trying to understand her new battle of chronic pain. After nearly forty years of quadriplegia she is asking once again how God can use her while is so much pain. She is open, encouraging, and gives the honest answer to the question of God’s healing. It is His choice of who and when to heal according to His will.



She then goes on to explain the process and verses she has used in her journey to accept her new situation. Her advice may not be the easiest to swallow but I believe that with hard work, determination, and the right mindset this book can aid in making sense of suffering.



Favorite Line:

“Authentic strength walks hand in hand with weakness”




Rating: a whole gem parcel

Jesus, the only way to God

Jesus, the only way to God
By John Piper
About the book:
If the evangelical church at large was ever too confrontational in its evangelism, those days are gone. In our shrinking, pluralistic world, the belief that Jesus is the only way of salvation is increasingly called arrogant and even hateful. In the face of this criticism, many shrink back from affirming the global necessity of knowing and believing in Jesus. In Jesus, the Only Way to God, John Piper offers a timely plea for the evangelical church to consider what is at stake in surrendering the unique, universal place of Jesus in salvation.


My Review:


In this book John Piper sets out to answer one question, "Is Jesus the only way to God?" The answer is simply yes. John Piper breaks this book down into three questions people commonly ask when wondering if Jesus is the only way to heaven. He continually turns readers to the Bible in order to prove why Jesus is the only way.



John Piper’s writings are very deep and profound. This book is not for the faint of heart and not something to pick and read through fast. John Piper is an author requiring the reader to read through and through his writings until the reader understands what he is saying.



I listened to the audio version of this book and while the message is a good one, the narrator was awfully boring and dry to listen too.



Favorite Line:

"God opens the eyes of the blind when his spokesmen portray Jesus Christ. This is the work of the Holy Spirit in the world to glorify Jesus."

I recieved this book free for review from Christianaudio.com
 
Rating: 4 carats

Visit John Piper's ministry
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The Telling

The Telling
by Beverly Lewis

This is the third and final book in the Seasons of Grace series by Beverly Lewis. The series is set around an Amish family in Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania and is a story of God’s provision and redemption.



In the first two books Lettie Byler left her family without any explanation for Ohio to find the missing piece of the life she left when she was a teenager. The third installment starts with Lettie’s daughter in Pennsylvania, Grace Byler, setting out on a quest to find her missing mother and to bring her home.



Grace takes a ride with an “Englisher” named Heather Nelson who’d recently been diagnosed with cancer and is going to Ohio to attend an alternative treatment facility.



Will mother, daughter, and one seriously ill “Englisher” find what they are looking for?



Every Beverly Lewis book is good and this one is no exception. Beverly offers a glimpse into the life of the reclusive Amish people that are so easily misunderstood. The Telling is simple yet deep as it unfolds and illustrates covering up our mistakes only makes situations worse than had we owned up to them in the first place.



I listened to the audio version of this book and really liked that there was a different voice for each character. The Amish characters even had a traditional Amish accent which gave a certain authenticity to these characters.

Favorite Quote:
"Sighing, I knew in my heart I was willing to put up with any awkwardness-even fear-if it meant bringing mama home"

I reviewed this audiobook for review from Christianaudio.com
Learn about Beverly HERE
Buy the book HERE




Rating: 5 carats