A Word on Fear and Anxiety

A week ago I posted over at Comfort in the Midst of Chaos.  I love this ministry that ministers to the community of special needs.

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." ~2 Timothy 1:7

Fear. It has a way of dealing with us in the most deceptive ways. It can come at you in full force without hiding or it can just sneak up on you like a ninja ready to fight. However, I think the worst kind of fear is the low level, day by day, fear that is fed to us little by little by the media or other constant fear-mongering sources.

We don't need help with fear. The media exposure just enhances that for us. Our minds will hold on to fear all on their own. Yet the outside influences of this present age could be petrifying.

Yet, we see that God did not give us a spirit of fear but a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline. Did you hear that? The only fear we should have is fear of God. God gave us a spirit of power, such power by His spirit that resurrected Christ from the dead (Ephesians 1:19-20). That power lives in us. That kind of power has no need for fear. READ MORE HERE.

Book Review: The Wonder-Working God: Seeing the Glory of Jesus in His Miracles by Wilson

I loved this book. I found myself worshiping God all through out reading this book. The author has a way of pointing you to Jesus that leads your heart into flat out worship. The topic is the miracles of God so obviously a book like this should spurn your heart on to worship but I found this happening all throughout. I am better off for reading this and this is exactly what I look for as a reader. I want to be closer to Jesus because of the time spent reading. This book did not disappoint.

To be honest, I was not sure what I was getting into with this book because I did not really like the cover. However, as the saying goes, you cannot rightly judge a book by its cover. After I got past that, I was greatly pleased to have the chance to read this.

The book is composed of ten chapters. Each chapter addresses a miracle that Jesus performed. What I especially loved is that the author is gospel-centered in addressing miracles. I have encountered many flaky people when they talk about miracles, however, this book was Christ centered. All the miracles in the Bible are not about us but about Jesus. They all point to Him and what He is restoring to us. It is a glimpse into Heaven and what is to come permanently. This author explained this well.

I also loved that the author continually pointed the reader to the wonder of Christ. He shared personal stories as well that helped make him relate able to the audience. Over all it was an easy enough read. I do think any Christian, new or old, would benefit from reading it, especially if you are interested in reading about the miracles of Christ.

There is not really much more to say other than to recommend this book. It would be worth your time and encourage you in your walk as you glimpse at some of the miracles of Jesus.

I received this book at no charge from Crossway for the purpose of an honest review.

You can get a copy of this book from Amazon here.

CD Review: His Kids United, Volume 1, Christmas

This Cd, is a sweet and upbeat Christmas cd done by children for children. Children do draw other children in and evidence of this is when I was previewing it my five year old boy came running in to see what was happening. He stayed for the entire cd and found great enjoyment in it. I think that is exactly what the creators were trying to accomplish and they did.

From an adult view point, I actually did find this easy to listen to. It was upbeat, carried a variety of pleasing melodies, traditional Christmas songs, and a fun listen. I think it is a good cd for your Christmas collection if you have kids.

Another neat thing I found was that proceeds from this volume  "benefit the Dallas Neighborhood Art & Music School—also known as NAMS School of Music—where all of the tracks are recorded and produced with NAMS students performing on the series." 

I received a copy of these MP3 files from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review.

You can get a copy of this CD from Amazon here.

The Legend of St. Nicholas by Mackall

This was a sweet children's book about the spirit of giving during the season of Christmas. It focuses on the life of a little boy who is struggling with being generous. This boy hears the story of the real St. Nicholas and how he was a very generous man. Also, the best part of this book is that it also focused on Jesus, the real reason for Christmas.

This book was sweet and had a good message. My five year old loved it and also it is very well illustrated. The pictures in this book were very interesting and well done. Over all this is a great Christmas book but really because the focus is Jesus it is a book good for anytime.

I received a copy of this book at no charge from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review.

You can get a copy of this book from Amazon here.

Jonathan Edwards (CBFYR) by Carr

This little gem of a book is by far the best biography I have ever read for young readers. Because Jonathan Edwards is such an important figure of Christian history and because this book was so well done, I believe every Christian should have a copy.

What sets this book apart from other Christian biographies for young readers is several factors. First, it is written in a very easy to follow language. It is also interesting and good for holding attention of young readers. Next, the pictures are amazing and life like. Pictures capture the attention of the reader all through out this book. It is the most beautifully done book I have seen.

If you want to inspire a love for Christian biographies in your children then get this book. Also, if you know an adult who does not know Christian history, this information is just enough for them as well. All around this book is a win-win to whoever puts their hands on it.

I received this book from the publisher at no charge for the purpose of an honest review.

You can get a copy from Amazon here.