Three Spiritual Classics in One Volume, by A W Tozer

Tozer was concerned that the church no longer had right thinking toward God. Modern Christians had lost a sense of the majesty of God. He wrote The Knowledge of the Holy to help Christians know the character of God and His attributes. My favorite section was on the eternity of God. “[God] has no past and no future.” (73) “For Him everything that will happen has already happened.” (74) His explanation of the immutability of God was very understandable too. He also has a good chapter on living in light of God's attributes. (Originally published in 1961.)

Tozer saw a lack in the pulpits of his day. People were hungry for God Himself and preachers were not helping people in The Pursuit of God. Tozer identifies the paradox, seeking hard after God even after being found by Him. He encourages fervently seeking God. “Complacency is a deadly foe of all spiritual growth.” (225) He reminds us that this is a spiritual pursuit, not an intellectual one. God is ready to manifest Himself to us and we must have an inward habit of beholding His presence. This book is as applicable today as it was when published in 1948.

The third book in the collection, God's Pursuit of Man, is the one that impressed me the most. Tozer argues that true spirituality is essentially internal. Most Christians have settled for intellectual and emotional changes rather than a genuine encounter with God. He refers to 1 Thess. 1:5 and says some accept the word only but never experience the power. There is no internal change. He likens it to trimming a hedge but the hedge remains one of thorn bushes. (362) This section of the book helped me a great deal to understand the current state of Christianity in America. People have an intellectual and emotional change but do not experience that radical change becoming new creatures.

I highly recommend this collection of Tozer's books. Modern readers might be put off by the KJV language but the truths contained make it worth working through the text. It was enlightening to read these books from a generation ago. Tozer's encouragement to pursue an internal spiritual transformation make today's Christian books look anemic and powerless. Tozer's books clearly point out the “present state of spiritual weakness.” (376) Reading this collection will certainly encourage readers to a more intimate experience with God and a more powerful Christian life and witness. It would be a great book for pastors and church leaders to read too.

My rating: 5/5 stars.

A. W. Tozer (1897-1963) began his lifelong pursuit of God after hearing a street preacher in Akron, Ohio, at the age of seventeen. The self-taught theologian committed his life to the ministry of God's Word as a pastor, teacher, and writer. He was a pastor in association with the Christian and Missionary Alliance, serving churches in West Virginia, Chicago, and Toronto, Canada.

Moody Publishers, 480 pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

The Billionaire Raj by James Crabtree

I had no idea what was going on in India. As Crabtree writes, “Rather than fearing the world, India has embraced it.” (16) The decade of growth and globalization has produced an increasing number of billionaires.

Crabtree look at three aspects of India. The first aspect is the rise of the super rich. Just one percent owns half of the nation's wealth. Yet the poor remain. The inequality in the nation is great. Only South Africa has higher levels of income inequality. (101) The second issue is crony capitalism. Much of the country's growth has come because of collusion between business and political elites. Although this has changed some, India may still be the most bribe-ridden nation in Asia. (359) The third issue is the boom and bust cycle of India's economy. It is experiencing what America did during its Gilded Age. But economic challenges are looming. At least ten million young people will be added to the labor market every year for decades. (331) At this point, no new jobs are being created. (344)

I like Crabtree's method of interviewing business and political people and adding historical, financial, and political information. That technique really added a personal sense to the book. I was amazed at the shear wealth some possessed. Like Jayalalitha Jayaram, a past minister and movie star in India. She gave a wedding reception in 1995 for her son that included 150,000 people and cost twenty three million dollars that's still a world record.

I recommend this book to readers who would like to understand the current condition in India. You'll get a good idea of the corruption and excess of the elites. You'll find out what some have done to try to bring India into a viable and growing democracy. You will also know the future choices that must be made to keep the growth but lose the corruption. While India is the world's largest remaining emerging market, the average Indian income lags far behind Chine. I'll be waiting to see how India moves forward.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

James Crabtree is an associate professor of practice at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore. He was formerly the Mumbai bureau chief for the Financial Times.

Tim Duggan Books, 416 pages. This book releases July 3.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

The Love Letter by Rachel Hauck Blog Tour

About the Book

 

Title: The Love Letter  
Author: Rachel Hauck  
Release Date: June 12, 2018  
Genre: Contemporary  
Tour Dates: June 21 – July 4

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Wedding Dress comes a story of long-lost love and its redemption in future generations. Romance has never been actress Chloe Daschle’s forte—in life or on screen. But everyone knows who to call for a convincing death scene . . . and it might be killing her career. When Chloe is given a peek at the script for an epic love story, she decides to take her destiny into her own hands and request an audition for the lead female role, Esther Kingsley. The compelling tale, inspired by family lore and a one-page letter from the colonial ancestor of scriptwriter Jesse Gates, just might break her out of this career-crippling rut. Jesse would rather write about romance than live through it after his past relationship ended in disaster. But once on-set together, the chemistry between Jesse and his leading lady is hard to deny. Centuries earlier, in the heart of the Revolutionary War, Hamilton Lightfoot and Esther Longfellow wrote their saga off the silver screen. Esther’s Loyalist father opposes any relationship with Hamilton, but Esther must face her beloved father’s disapproval and the dangers of war in order to convince Hamilton of their future together. Hamilton has loved Esther for years, and on the eve of battle pens the love letter she’s always wanted—something straight from the heart. Set in stunning upcountry South Carolina, The Love Letter is a beautifully-crafted story of the courage it takes to face down fear and chase after love, even in the darkest of times. And just maybe, all these generations later, love can come home in a way not even Hollywood could imagine.

Click here to purchase your copy!

My Review:

I enjoyed this Christian romance that alternated between a couple in the 1780s and one in a contemporary setting. There is a good Christian emphasis on the contemporary couple with a clear portrayal of forgiveness and character change. We learn a little about Revolutionary War battles in South Carolina and the tension between rebels and those loyal to the crown in the historical setting. We learn about the cutthroat business of making movies in the contemporary one. The two stories are told in the third person narrative style but through the viewpoints of five characters. Three of them are in the historical setting and two in the contemporary one. This has the potential to be confusing but I found it only mildly so.

There are several issues addressed in this novel. The major one, I think, is unrequited love. What do we do when we feel God has that one person for us yet we are prevented from fulfilling that love? Can we love another? Another issue was forgiveness for past deeds, forgiveness from God, others, and self. There was also the appearance of Jesus or an angel giving direction a few times. That is such a rare experience for Christians I thought it a bit much in this novel. A somewhat side issue that really bothered me was the character Smitty. He is a Christian who brought one of the characters to faith yet swindled another in a real estate deal. That was a real distraction for me with respect to the Christian witness of the novel.

I do recommend this novel to readers who enjoy an historical romance along with a contemporary one. Do have your tissues handy when you near the surprising and rewarding end to the novel.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author

Rachel Hauck is an award winning, New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. Her book The Wedding Dress was named Inspirational Novel of the Year by Romantic Times. She is a double RITA finalist, a Christy and Carol Award Winner. Rachel sits on the Executive Board for American Christian Fiction Writers, and is the comical sidekick to Susan May Warren at the amazing My Book Therapy. She is a worship leader and speaker.

A graduate of Ohio State University with a degree in Journalism, Rachel is a devoted Ohio State football fan. She lives in sunny central Florida with her husband and ornery cat.

Guest Post from Rachel Hauck

I’m always looking for story ideas. My husband does a standard disclaimer when I start drilling into a conversation with questions like: ”Really? So why did you do that?” ”Have you sought help?” ”Was it love at first sight?” Hubster says, “Warning, anything you say can end up in a book.” Of course, stories abound! Interesting people abound! Then again, sometimes ideas just hit out of the blue. A few years ago I had the idea of a young, contemporary couple meeting by “accident” only to learn that their great grandparents were in love but time, life, family, war, or society made their love impossible. I suppose there are a hundred ways to tell such a story but when it came time to write The Love Letter, I was slightly infatuated with the Poldark series on PBS. Set in 18th century Cornwall, the story and the characters were so dynamic I had to write my own version of Poldark. But could I write a split time with a 240 year difference? I mean, they didn’t have electricity or phones in 1780! They didn’t even have a postal system. Letters were carried by traveling friends or family. What possible conflicts could my historical characters face? What event could be so dark and tragic to keep them apart? The Revolutionary War created a perfect backdrop for my young lovers. I set the story in upcountry South Carolina not realizing the battle I chose for the back drop, the Battle of Cowpens, was the inspiration for the movie The Patriot. (A fav movie of mine!) For the contemporary story, I started with shoes. I mean, doesn’t every thing start with shoes? ”Nice outfit but what shoes are you wearing?” ”You’re going on a date? You need new shoes.” What we “walk in” can either empower or defeat us. There’s a spiritual metaphor I’ll mediate on for awhile. However the shoe angle didn’t quite work so the contemporary story ended up in Hollywood with an actor/screenwriter and an actress. Both worlds—1780 upcountry South Carolina and contemporary Hollywood—were a bit out of my southern bailiwick. I did a lot of research on the war and the colonial south. Where I couldn’t find details, I filled in with my imagination. As for Hollywood, I talked with a screenwriter friend, read books, watched interviews, and then, you know, made the rest up. Don’t you know I eventually ended up on a movie set—Once Upon A Prince—four days after I finished reading the galley proofs for The Love Letter! One of the hardest parts of the story was the actual love letter. What did it say? Who wrote it and why? Was there more than one? No, only one. But why only one? I must have written and rewritten the letter five different ways to Sunday before I settled on the magical one. During the course of the book, I realized I’d never written a love letter. Have you? I’ve written sentiments to my husband on an anniversary or birthday card. I speak my love and affection out loud all the time. But a bonafide love letter? A love letter is it’s own art form. They range from sickly sweet with a lot of “darlings” and “sweethearts” to Shakespearean sonnets. There’s a vulnerability that comes with writing a love letter. Putting one’s heart on the page creates a new level of commitment with your affections. Will the reader receive your words? Will the reader respond in kind? It’s fascinating to consider the purpose of a love letter. Have we lost something intrinsic to the human heart with our instant texting and email society. Can you imagine Romeo texting to Juliet in 2018? Saw you at your window. You looked hot. Doesn’t quite have the same ring as: “But soft! what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east and Juliet is the sun.” Scripture is a continuous love letter. “For God so loved the world—” Whether you write love letters or poems, or quick texts, or put XO’s on cards to loved ones, write a love letter this month. Write one to yourself, to Jesus, a spouse, child, parent, friend, foe— See how it will bless your heart! Off to write my love letter…

Blog Stops

Among the Reads, June 21

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, June 21

The Avid Reader, June 21

Genesis 5020, June 21

ansel book blog, June 22

Blogging With Carol, June 22

Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner, June 22

Cover to Cover and Everything in Between, June 23

The Power of Words, June 23

Luv’N Lambert Life, June 23

Janices book reviews, June 23

C Jane Read, June 24

Kristin’s Book Reviews, June 24

Reflections From My Bookshelves, June 25

Faithfully Bookish, June 25

By The Book, June 25

Reading Is My SuperPower, June 25

Kat’s Corner Books, June 26

Maureen’s Musings, June 26

Ladybug Chronicles, June 26

Carpe Diem, June 26

Moments Dipped in Ink, June 27

Mommynificent , June 27

Godly Book Reviews, June 27

God’s Little Bookworm, June 28

Radiant Light, June 28

All-of-a-kind Mom, June 28

Have A Wonderful Day, June 28

Novels corner, June 29

Blossoms and Blessings, June 29

Christian Chick’s Thoughts, June 29

Bigreadersite, June 29

Pause for Tales, June 30

Bibliophile Reviews, June 30

Splashes of Joy, June 30

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, July 1

Simple Harvest Reads, July 1

The Christian Fiction Girl, July 1

A Baker’s Perspective, July 1

Remembrancy, July 2

amandainpa, July 2

To Everything A Season, July 2

proud to be an autism mom, July 3

Texas Book-aholic, July 3

Christian Author, J.E.Grace, July 3

Fiction, Faith, and Fun, July 4

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 4

Jeanette’s Thoughts, July 4

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Celebrate Lit. My comments are an independent and honest review. The rest of the copy of this post was provided by Celebrate Lit.

The House at Saltwater Point by Colleen Coble

Near the northern coast of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state are many lavender fields. Coble has set her Lavender Tides Series in this location. This is the second book in the series and while it reads well on its own, it can be fully appreciated only if the previous book has been read.

Coble goes for a modern terrorist theme in this romantic suspense novel. Ellie is the main character and is a successful house flipper. Grayson is a Coast Guard investigator who has been called into the area to find the culprits behind the theft of seized opium. The two clash when it looks like Ellie's younger sister is the thief. But the sister is missing and a large amount of her blood was found on her boat. Ellie and Grayson work together to find out what happened to Ellie's sister and the reason behind the drug theft.

I had a hard time liking Ellie. Her sister is missing and presumed dead because of the blood found. Ellie seems concerned at times but at other times she goes about her house remodel projects as if nothing is bothering her. She and Grayson feel some romantic tension as they haltingly work toward a relationship. Their “dating” just did not seem to reflect the feelings Ellie would have with a sister missing. It seemed to me that her character was not consistent. Grayson had just found out he had been adopted and was, in fact, a brother to a woman living in Lavender Tides. The back story for that is in The View From Rainshadow Bay.

The plot seems a little far fetched to me. I find it hard to believe that terrorists would be interested in doing a nefarious deed in such a rather isolated place. All the trouble it would take to deliver the destruction also seemed a bit much.

I do recommend this book to readers who enjoy romance combined with suspense. You'll learn a bit about a potential way for terrorists to disrupt life as well.

A view of the novel's setting at the foot of the Olympic Mountains from Whidbey Island.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Colleen Coble is a USA Today bestselling author and RITA finalist best known for her coastal romantic suspense novels. You can find out more at https://colleencoble.com/.

Thomas Nelson, 352 pages. This book releases July 3.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

The Aging Brain by Timothy R Jennings, MD

We're living longer but will we live into our later years in good mental health? Many of us are familiar with the heartbreak of dementia. Is there any way we can reduce our chances of getting dementia?

Yes. We are all getting older but that does not mean we have to suffer with dementia. “Dementia is not normal. Normal aging does not result in dementia. Dementia … is a disease state that may, with healthy choices, be avoided.” (177)

Dr. Jennings has written this book “to lead people to healthier lives, which slow the aging process and reduce the risk of dementia.” (45) It includes the latest scientific findings that Jennings summarizes into usable information we can put into practice. Some of the information is a bit technical but Jennings includes bullet points at the end of each chapter for easy review. He also provides bullet points of the actions we can take based on the material in the chapter. There is also a chapter near the end that is a review of all the major information.

There is a ton of useful information in this book that every baby boomer should know. Some things we can't change, like the effects from our childhood experiences and our DNA. But there is so much we can do to be healthy and go into old age with a better mental condition. Exercise is essential. Avoiding certain foods, like fast foods and blackened meats, while embracing the benefits of others, like fruits, vegetables, coffee and green tea.

I love reading and was glad when Jennings wrote, “...the healthiest mindset is one that loves to grow and advance in truth … rather than maintaining a mindset that believes it already possesses the truth and therefore resists any new insights.” (141)

I don't watch television and now I know why. “The brain cannot tell the difference between a real threat and a perceived threat.” (189) Watching stressful television programs (not educational ones) alters the brain structure and increases the risk for attention problems as well as dementia. (189)

I am very impressed with this book and highly recommend it. It has helped me understand why late-onset Alzheimer's disease is on the rise. It has also helped me understand what I can do to avoid it. Many suggestions I have already put into practice. Jennings notes that all the suggestions will not be applicable to everyone. The information provided will allow each reader to choose which to do and form their own action plan.

You can find out more about the book, read a chapter, and watch informative videos at https://www.agingbrainbook.com/.

My rating: 5/5 stars.

Timothy R. Jennings, MD, has been in private practice as a psychiatrist and certified master psychopharmacologist since 1997. Board certified in psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, he is a specialist in transcranial magnetic stimulation, a drug-free treatment for depression. Dr. Jennings is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, Fellow of the Southern Psychiatric Association, and past president of both the Tennessee and Southern Psychiatric Associations. He is a highly sought after lecturer and international speaker, and the author of The God-Shaped Brain and The God-Shaped Heart. He lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Baker Books, 288 pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

Broken Silence by Jamieya B-Johnson

B-Johnson had a very painful experience in marriage. She turned to writing poetry as it helped her through the difficult times. She includes a few pages that tell her story by way of introduction and then the next part of the book contains her poems and a few encouraging prose notes with Scripture. The next part of the book contains encouraging short devotionals. The last part contains longer readings of the insights she has gained in her spiritual walk.

She writes generally in the free verse style with some internal rhyming as she expresses her pain, confusion and ultimately her trust in God. Here is a sample of a few lines from various poems:

Unrealistic expectations stuffed in a suitcase with my name on it

I'm saddened at the indulgence of multiplicity in sinful engagement that

left me grieving as if I never existed.

Falsely accused of the nuisance lies try to portray

Against all odds fighting the old and new

I think my favorite poem is title “So Long Dear Friend...” My favorite line from that poem:

I see growth chasing after me with a love unconditional

I am not much of a poetry fan, thanks to a discouraging high school English teacher. I do appreciate, however, B-Johnson expressing her feelings in poems, even if I do not understand some of them. I recommend this book to those who have deep feelings they long to express. This book is a good example of expression with a view to helping others. I really liked the devotional readings in the second half of the book. They were very encouraging.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Jamieya B-Johnson started her writing career in her high school years in a small town in Indiana and is the author of several books. She is a poet and story-teller who uses life experiences to provoke people in thinking and believing. Her passion has always been to help hurting people understand that there is life after pain. She is a wife and mother of four children.

Book Venture Publishing, 86 pages.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through Authors, Large and Small. My comments are an independent and honest review.