Albert Pujols- Man of Faith

I have to confess to a personal bias as I review this book. I’m a Chicago Cubs fan, and should pan any book about a player for our arch rival, the St. Louis Cardinals. However, I laid my baseball (and his recent contract negotiations) aside and read the book Pujols. Somewhere in all the stats is a story but I had a hard time finding it. That Pujols is statistically one of the greatest hitters in baseball is indisputable, and the book follows the year-by-year progression of a player who hit over .300, drove in over 100 runs, and hit over 30 home runs in his first 10 seasons. Lamb and Ellsworth take us deeper; into the faith that motivates Pujols. The narrative is strong in baseball history but really skims the surface of Pujols’ life, marriage, and family. The authors assert Pujols faith and its evidence in his life and in baseball. ”Speaking to Posnanaski, Pujols laid it all out on the table for us to see: ‘You know how I want people to remember me? I don’t want to be remembered as the best baseball player ever. I want to be remembered as a great guy who loved the Lord, loved to serve the community and who gave back. That’s the guy I want to be remembered as when I’m done wearing the uniform. That’s from the bottom of my heart.” It’s difficult to argue with the expressions of Albert’s faith, but the narrative of his life is sorely lacking in details. Pujols’ daughter was born with Down’s syndrome. How did he and his wife feel when they learned the news? What did Albert feel when he held his daughter in his arms, as he watched her grow up? The book's most telling stat may be that 92% of those who find out they are having a child with Down’s syndrome abort the baby. The book does well in letting the reader know what a great player and strong Christian Albert is yet manages to do so without letting us really know Albert Pujols, the man. Maybe if I knew more of that man I could put my baseball bias aside and truly believe in him, and maybe others would be able to read this book and believe in Him. While the book holds up statistically I did not find it particularly inspiring and would be hesitant to recommend it to others as a testimony. I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I am under no compulsion to write a positive or negative review of this book. The opinions expressed are exclusively my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Sabbath by Dan B. Allender

Sabbath is one of the books in the Ancient Practices Series and focuses on God’s command to “remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy”. Allender look at the way we view Sabbath today, seeing this day as a day we have to go to church and (if you were raised in the same tradition as me) required nap time. Yet Allender points out that the Sabbath is so much more, a day we set apart from all the other days to rejoice and spend time with God. “Many who take the Sabbath seriously and intentionally ruin it with legislation and worrisome fences that protect the Sabbath but destroy its delight”. Sabbath is more than a day off work, more than a set of do’s and don’ts, more than tradition. Sabbath should be a time we delight in God and in the world God has given us. This delight leads us into worship, not just at a worship service, but in all that we see and do on our Sabbath. Sabbath is a day we spend in the presence of those we love, listening to them, sharing with them, serving them. Sabbath should be a day of joy, yet what differentiates the day for believers is whether “we will invite God to join us in Sabbath joy, to dine with us and celebrate”? Many people see Sunday as the Sabbath, church as our answer to the call for worship, and the Sunday afternoon nap as answering God’s call to rest. Allender helps us realize that our Sunday’s can become Sabbath days, set apart for our good and God’s glory. I confess that in my life this is a great challenge, and as I look at some of the ways the author spends his Sabbath I wonder if those things would ever be possible in my busy world. Yet I also know that the description of Sabbath given by Allender is an echo of the true Sabbath, when we will stand in the presence of Christ and truly celebrate. I would recommend this book to others. I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I am under no compulsion to write a positive or negative review of this book. The opinions expressed are exclusively my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

The Least Among You

The film The Least Among You is inspired by a true story, a dramatic presentation of an age-old theme, racism. As part of an unusual probationary requirement, Richard Kelly is sent to an all-white seminary. If he completes two semesters his charge is dropped and he is a free man. Kelly is the only person of color in the seminary and is met with obvious disdain by his fellow students. However, over time he befriends them, overcoming some of their personal racist barriers. An underlying story is the pull of Kelly’s old life, particularly of his friends and family. This story is interesting but frankly just couldn’t hold my attention throughout. The pace is slow, the cinematic use of back flashes confusing, and the characters too shallow. That’s probably the part which I struggled with the most; I didn’t really care what happened to the characters, even Kelly himself. This film captures some tough themes and doesn’t shy away from some of the violence in Kelly’s background. Yet other films have handled this theme so much better that I would find it hard to recommend this one. I received this DVD free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I am under no compulsion to write a positive or negative review of this book. The opinions expressed are exclusively my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Pursued by Grace

Captured by Grace by Dr. David Jeremiah.
I found this book to be biblically accurate and powerful. Dr. Jeremiah is best when he explains “grace is an act.” More than goodness or righteousness, grace is God turning His face towards us just because He loves us. “God pursues us, relentlessly.” Tracing the parallels in the lives of both John Newton and the Apostle Paul, Jeremiah shows us the depths of that grace in their lives and in ours. The message of the book is somewhat obscured by the amount of visuals the author uses. It reminds me of a preacher who uses too many illustrations and by the time he’s done you have to go back to remember the main point of the message. Jeremiah uses the outline of the song Amazing Grace as well as outlining the book with a timeline (grace past, grace present, grace future). Throw in his use of multiple illustrations and it’s easy to lose the main point. In spite of this the book does manage to bring that point across, that God pursues us, not because we are so pursue-able, but simply because He loves us so much. Grace is that unmerited, undeserved love and favor of God, His acting in our lives every minute of every day. I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I am under no compulsion to write a positive or negative review of this book. The opinions expressed are exclusively my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Resurrection in May

May Seymour was searching for something meaningful and not finding it. Literally picked up from the road by an elderly black farmer after a night of drinking, their friendship becomes the beginning of the end of that search. An invite from the local priest sends May to Rwanda where her she grows spiritually, But her time there ends in horrific, life-changing tragedy and she returns to her old friend’s farm, scarred both outside and in. Is there hope for May Seymour? Tumbling into a reclusive life, burying memories deep, relying on only a few people and friendly farm animals to survive, May claws her way back to God only to find that He was right there waiting all the time. Samson writes a story with a slow southern pace, with some quick plot turns that appear so suddenly you wonder if they truly happened. She reminds us that faith, hope, and love are best lived out in relationship, even if those relationships are not particularly normal. The characters in Resurrection in May are well-developed, particularly May, yet at times the situations seem a little far-fetched for someone living in a small southern town. Like any good slow story the pace quickens at the end, and the reader is pulled along to a satisfying conclusion. I enjoyed this book, but the slow pace of the story did cause it to drag at times. I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I am under no compulsion to write a positive or negative review of this book. The opinions expressed are exclusively my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Love On A Dime by Cara Lynn James

If you’re looking for swelling bosoms and ripping bodices, then this is not the book for you. But if you’re looking for a good period-piece romance with characters challenging themselves to submit all areas of their lives to God’s leading, even their romantic feelings, you can’t go wrong with this book. Fannie Cole is the author of “dime novels”, loved by the common person but often shunned as inferior literature by the more elite class. Yet Lilly, the real writer behind the Fannie Cole stories and a member of that elite class, works hard to pen stories with strong Christian morals. True to her Christian nature she donates all of the proceeds to a charity she supports. When her old beau Jack reappears after a long absence her romantic feelings are rekindled; but what about her fiancé’? The author creates interesting characters who waltz slowly through the story, and an underscore of various subplots keeps the reader spinning until the last dance. The final chapters pick up momentum and lead to a satisfying ending along with a few surprises. Christian romances aren’t my normal genre but I found the writing to be smooth and solid. I would recommend more books from this author if you are interested in Christian romance novels. I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I am under no compulsion to write a positive or negative review of this book. The opinions expressed are exclusively my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

I Am Hutterite by Mary-Ann Kirby

I Am Hutterite is a fascinating, funny, poignant look at life in a Hutterite community. Mary Ann Kirby’s memoir helps us understand what it is like to live in a cloistered community, a community where men and women know their place and all work toward the common good. But even in this secluded life politics and pride creep in causing her family to "weglaufen" (run away) and head out into a world that is as ill-prepared to receive them as they are to fit in. Kirby does a good job helping us see this challenge through the eyes of a young girl struggling to adjust to this strange life she now finds herself living. The faith that has been deeply ingrained in her heart and life helps her through the transition from her Hutterite life to becoming English. “And every year, by the grace of God, we inched forward.” The beginning of the book is a little slow, recounting the life of her ancestors and providing background into the Hutterite world. Once Ann-Marie is born the story picks up momentum. The book, much like the Hutterite community, is filled with humor, sometimes self-deprecating and often hilarious. Kirby does a good job helping us feel the tension between the Hutterite community and the world at large. I Am Hutterite is a coming-of-age book in two worlds, the secluded world of the Hutterites and the wider world where being different can be a challenge. The story also reminds us that sin affects even the most set-apart societies and that the devil does his most powerful work by hurting relationships. I would recommend this book. I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I am under no compulsion to write a positive or negative review of this book. The opinions expressed are exclusively my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255