The Searchers by Joseph Loconte

The Searchers by Joseph Loconte

Join Jesus and the two men journeying to Emmaus as they confront the doubts that they faced after the death of their savior. After they saw Jesus give his life on the cross, these two men were distraught and lost, confused in their faith. What they didn’t know was that their savior had risen, conquering death and at that very moment was walking right by their side. In his book, The Searchers, Joseph Loconte explores the emotions and issues those two men were wrestling with thousands of years ago, and, using history, poetry, pop culture and more, compares their journey to the very one each of us go through during our time on this earth.

While starting out a little slow, the information that Laconte weaves together makes for an informative and engaging read. There is a lot of information to digest in this short book, but Laconte succeeds in shedding light on our own choices and doubts today and how those very same feelings have been confronted throughout history. Just as he was on the road to Emmaus, Jesus is right by our side while we walk out our faith and confront our doubts today.

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.

Twelve Unlikely Hereos: How God Commissioned Unexpected People in the Bible and What He Wants to do With You by Jon MacArthur

Each chapter of MacArthur’s book outlines the story of one of the twelve “unlikely” heroes: Enoch, Joseph, Miriam, Gideon, Samson, Jonathan, Jonah, Esther, John the Baptist, James, Mark and Onesimus. We learn how God was able to take each and every one of these men and women and use them to accomplish His will, even when they messed up, made mistakes, or out and out fought doing what God asked of them. MacArthur’s compilation and examination of these particular stories is a humble reminder that God can use anyone to His glory if only they will trust in Him. I would have enjoyed a little more in depth practical information regarding the second part of the book: “what He wants to do with you”, but overall this is an interesting and valuable read. I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

No Wonder They Call Him the Savior by Max Lucado

In his book No Wonder They Call Him the Savior, Lucado delves deeply into the meaning of the cross. He takes his readers through the familiar story of Christ’s crucifixion, but focusses on the small details that are so easy to breeze past and overlook, without uncovering what each little detail adds to the truth of the cross. By examining Jesus’ journey to the cross, Lucado helps us see that Jesus went through some of the same trials that we face every day and is compassionate to our needs. I received copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Running for My Life: One Lost Boy's Journey from the Killing Fields of Sudan to the Olympic Games

By Lopez Lomong

This is the absolutely amazing story of a young child who was literally torn out of his mother’s arms at a church service in their home of Sudan. He was taken by rebel forces, along with many other children, and what followed was a horrific, heart breaking and ultimately triumphant journey. I was so inspired by Lopez’s story. It is humbling to realize there are people who have been forced into such desperate situations and not only survive, but actually use their experiences to reach out and help others. Lopez tells his story in such a way as to draw the reader in and not let go until the final word. This is a must read book and I would challenge anyone to read his story without being changed for the better. I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest and fair review.

Ascent from Darkness By Michael Leehan

Wow! This was an intense read and an unbelievable story…but I DO believe it! This first person narrative makes you marvel at the depths a man can sink to when he turns to the forces of evil for power and control. At his wits end over family strife and relationship troubles, Leehan turns to drugs and alcohol for comfort, and ends up having a near death experience in the process. As he lay dying, he hears a voice call out to him telling him he has much left to do. It is a voice that soothes and comforts him as the doctors fight to save his life. And he is saved…bodily. However, his soul is anything but saved. What follows is a fascinating, highly disturbing look inside the world of Satanism and how the forces of evil use this man to do their heinous bidding. And just when you think this man is doomed…in steps God. An amazing story of redemption and how one man really did go from being a Soldier of Satan to a Warrior for God. I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair, unbiased review.

Stuck by Jennie Allen

I was so excited to receive this small group Bible Study to review. It is very nicely packaged, and I love how everything is laid out so clearly…you know exactly what materials to use when. On a practical level, this study is great because each session can be gone through rather quickly if your group is short on time, or you can really dig into it and really get a lot out of each session. On  a spiritual level,  this is a much needed study of the ways woman get caught up in everyday life problems and end up “stuck” there, unable to pursue the life God has planned for them. I believe many women will benefit from this study and would recommend it to small woman’s Bible study groups. My favorite feature of this set is the discussion cards. Often the biggest hurdle in Bible study groups is getting everyone engaged in the discussion, and these cards are the perfect catalyst to make that happen. A wonderful resource! I received this Bible study from the publisher in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

The Love & Respect Experience A Husband-Friendly Devotional that Wives Truly Love

First off I love that this devotional has a leather cover and attractive appearance, which right away makes it a nice gift idea. Even better is the content of this unique book. Based on the original Love and Respect book, this devotional contains weekly readings to guide couples in deepening their relationship with God. Each writing is based on key teachings from the original, and is designed to emphasis the aspects of devotions that men will find encouraging and non threatening rather than those things that often cause frustration and make husbands want to avoid the whole thing. I am excited to work through this book with my husband in the coming weeks and will update my review with our thoughts soon.

Lead. Serve. Love. 100 Three-Word Ways to Live Like Jesus

Just as the title says, this book is full of three word points that are backed up by the author with scripture and captures the essence of some important topics. What this book succeeds in doing is cutting out all the wordy and cumbersome text and boiling the important points down instead of watering them down. A simple format and uncomplicated writing, yet packs a powerful punch. This style could easily have been cheesy or boring, but instead it offers just the right amount of truth, inspiration, and insight into God’s Word. The result is an accessible and easily read text that would be a great gift book for everyone you know. I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.

The Velveteen Bible



A beautiful hard cover bible perfect for any child. The soft flocked cover and case of this bible makes it look and feel very special. Though a children’s bible, it is not a summarized or bible story book, but instead contains the full biblical text making it a good resource for children’s bible study. The illustrations are beautiful and the layout is well done. It comes in a sturdy case covered in the same design as the bible and can be used to house and protect the bible, or as a special place to keep treasured items. Would the perfect addition to this year’s Easter basket! Love it! I received this bible from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.

The Charlatan's Boy by Jonathan Rogers

The Charlatan’s boy is a sometimes funny, sometimes heart breaking look at an orphan named Grady. Raised by Floyd, the talented con artist of Corenwald, the only life Grady knows is one of traveling from town to town trying to swindle out a living by tricking gullible towns people. As the “wild man of the Feechiefen Swamp”, Grady pretended to be a savage hostile captured and confined by Floyd, who would offer a glimpse of this rare sight for some coin. But as people from these small towns begin to disbelieve in the tales of Feechie folks, Grady and Floyd’s living starts to dwindle. As they scheme to come up with new ways to scam their way through life, one thing keeps nagging at Grady. It is the thing that has troubled him his whole life: where does he come from and what happened to his parents. These legitimate questions, however, are next to impossible to find answers to. His only link to the past is the con man Floyd and as Grady says, “I only know one man who might be able to tell me where I come from, and that man is a liar and a fraud.” And so Grady continues his life on the road, hoping one day to find a place in the world where he fits in.

Unto the Hills; A Daily Devotional

Unto the Hills by Billy Graham


A compilation of previously released writings, this is an inspirational and uplifting daily devotional. Psalm 121:1-2: "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth” is the inspiration for the title of the devotional. This devotional does just that; it offers up a years worth of readings and prayers that help one stay focused on their strength in the Lord. Each day’s passage contains just the right amount of material without being too challenging, making it the perfect tool to use to help get a bit of God’s Word in each and every day. I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.



A Year with God by R.P. Nettlehurst

A daily devotional that focuses on the importance of immersing your thoughts in the Word of God in order to transform them to match those of the Savior. Rather than following a calendar schedule as many devotionals do, (Jan.1-Dec. 31) this devotional start simply with Day 1, making it feel accessible to begin anytime of year. It is organized into several different topics, including:

Hope and Fear

Love and Hate

Perseverance and Quitting

Faith and Doubt

Loyalty and Betrayal

Companionship and Isolation

Mercy and Judgment

Forgiveness and Anger

Joy and Sadness

Peace and Conflict

Each daily reading begins with a Bible reading which is included in its entirety, making it easy and convenient to study the scriptures each day. I like that the scripture readings are quite substantial, more than the verse or two that are often included in daily devotionals of this kind. The second part of each reading is a discussion of the days scripture and how it relates to the topic under which it falls. While I found some of the discussion sections to be a bit dry, this is overall a useful resource and one that could really promote the practice of spending time immersed in the Word on a regular basis. I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.

I Lift Up My Soul: Devotions to Start Your Day with God by Charles Stanley

A compilation of readings from Charles Stanley’s multitude of works. As a daily devotional, it’s laid out with a one page devotion for each day of the year, and includes a key verse and scripture passage as well. These Bible centered reflections are a positive and uplifting way to begin the day. As each passage is short and takes little time to read, this devotional would also be an asset to any busy schedule and could be pulled out and read anytime of day. In fact, the only fault I could find with this particular book is that if you are looking for a devotional with very “meaty” daily readings, this might disappoint. I would recommend this as a good devotional for everyday use and as a guide to other works by Charles Stanley that could elaborate on each of the daily topics. I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.

Really Woolly Bible Stories by Bonnie Jensen

Great book of Bible stories for little ones! Each is actually more like a poem written to briefly introduce these popular stories to children. They are written in rhyming fashion, which is both fun to listen to and to read. The popular stories are each covered: creation, Noah, Abraham, Joseph, David and Goliath, as well as many of the stories of Jesus. There are sixteen stories included in all, plus an introduction and a great little prayer at the end. The illustrations are wonderful. They are colorful and help to tell each story. There is also a reference with each story that directs readers to where in the Bible they can read more about each one. This would be a great baby shower gift or perfect for younger children, as it is a board book with a slightly padded cover. Really Woolly Bible Stories would also work well as a first reader for slightly older children. I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review

"Big Red" Holy Bible - Contemporary 3-D Art International Children’s Bible

"Big Red" Holy Bible - Contemporary 3-D Art International Children’s Bible is a good choice for children age 8 and up, especially boys. The cover is attention grabbing as it is an almost holographic looking design. There are quite a few full color, detailed pictures throughout this Bible. Each depicts a scene from a particular Bible story. I love the International Children’s Bible translation, as it empowers younger children by giving them access to God’s Word. It is very readable and understandable. There are a few things I don’t care for in this particular Bible, however. The cover is very flimsy and mine is already crinkled and has edge wear after only a few days of use. The pictures are detailed and interesting, but they are grouped in sections throughout the Bible and don’t appear near the stories they depict. This makes it confusing and also makes the overall presentation seem very plain as there are whole sections with no illustrations what so ever. I would not give this as a gift Bible due to the flimsy structure, but I would use it with my own child as a good resource and a good translation for elementary aged kids. I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.

The Boy Who Changed the World by Andy Andrews

This is an inspirational story of the lives of several different men and how they each ended up changing the world. The message of each story is that every single thing that each of us do, no matter how small, effects the ultimate outcome of many lives. Like a butterflies wings fluttering can create the tiny breeze that will ultimately end in a hurricane on the other side of the world, we each have a drastic effect on others by the small actions and decisions we make each day. In the case of the men in this book, each made a decision to help someone, and the repercussions of each of those men helping someone was that the world was changed for the better. This concept is a little hard for younger kids to grasp, and therefore some of the story could be lost on a child under the age of maybe eight. The youngest will enjoy the full color pictures even if they might not “get” it. For older kids, this is a fantastic and inspirational tale of how their own life and every choice they make will also change the world. I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.

God’s Promises for Woman of Faith

A cute little gift book with a fun cover. I could see gifting this little book to a girl friend or female family member. The intended audience is of course Christian woman. I would suggest that, if giving as a gift, making sure the recipient is familiar with the Bible. I say this because the verses used throughout are from the King James Translation and therefore may be slightly less readable than if they had used the NIV. I do think, however, that the use of the KJV does add to the overall beauty of this particular book. This is a nice little book to have around the house to flip through every now and then for a quick faith “pick me up”. Not a thorough study of God’s promises, but not really meant to be. I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.

The Heavens Proclaim His Glory

What an interesting and awe inspiring book! The Heavens Proclaim His Glory is an apt title for this collection of photos from space. Each picture is brilliant, colorful, and amazing. I like the mix of Bible scripture with facts about the stars, galaxies, and other wonders of the universe featured within. I think anyone who is interested in factual information would find this book to contain quite a bit. I most like the fact that even if you are not necessarily interested in outer space as a science, you can still enjoy the wonders of God as portrayed in the beautiful photos. I have two sons, age thirteen and five, and they were each able to enjoy this book even given the difference in age between them. This would be a great book for the whole family to talk about and enjoy! I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.

Living with Confidence in a Chaotic World by Dr. Jeremiah

Living With Confidence In A Chaotic World by Dr. David Jeremiah is the sequel to his previous book, What in the World Is Going On, which I must say I haven’t read. I do think the information in this book can stand on it’s own, however. The author outlines ten ways to stay focused on biblical truth even when the world is falling apart around us. These include staying calm, staying connected, and staying committed, just to name a few. In light of the state of the world today, I think this is an important book for Christians. It would also be a good discussion starter with non-Christians who express fear and anxiety about current events, and could open the door to meaningful witnessing about the peace that comes with knowing Christ. I like the true life examples and stories about people who are trusting in Jesus and His sovereignty to get them through their hardest times. I am no expert on end time prophecy, and therefore can’t say everything the author discusses is right-on biblically, but I can say this book offers a lot of reassurance that those who put all their trust in Christ are indeed on the “winning team”. I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.

Let’s Do Lunch by Roger Troy Wilson

Roger Troy Wilson lost a significant amount of weight and this book details how he did it. I am giving this book 2 stars because the writing is good, but the diet itself is very questionable. The author states that anyone can lose weight by eating only the foods he has deemed as acceptable…basically no sugar other than that found in fruit, no bread, rice, noodles, potatoes, fatty meats, etc., etc. While the author frequently describes his diet in such a way as to make it seem unrestrictive, the foods he has outlawed are very numerous, and are not all things most people would call “unhealthy”. I do not at all agree with his emphasis on stuffing yourself with certain foods in order to avoid being tempted to eat others. I think overeating any food, healthy or not, is a bad idea and goes against the way God designed our bodies…there is a reason we feel sick when we overeat! At one point the author offers very specific ways to trick your body out of temptations by gorging on one of his recommended foods: “I figured out a way to get by without eating any pizza. If I was still hungry after eating fruit, I forced myself to eat soup until my stomach looked like a balloon that had just been filled with water. Or, I bloated myself with popcorn sprayed with olive oil or topped with little strips of fat free cheese.”. Doesn’t sound too healthy or intelligent to me. I am happy he found something that has worked for him to keep weight off long term, but I can’t imagine this being a healthy and effective life long plan for most people to live with. I received this copy from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.