February Reviews (Title, Author, Publication Date):
Recognizing the Mentors Who Will Take You from Dream to Done
#WhatTheyTaughtMe #NetGalley
Chapters describe mentors who...
... Lean In... Even When It Hurts
... Play the Long Game
... Invest Without a Guaranteed Return
... Get Comfortable with Pain
... Are Called, Not Qualified
... Lead by Example
... Break the Mold
... Fight for Your Future
... Propel You Forward
... Invest Generously
Each chapter includes Questions for Reflection and Discussion, and an Action Step.
"Field Notes" address What About the Wrong Mentors? and When a Potential Mentor Says No. There is an Afterword about Learning While Leading.
Description (from NetGalley)
“You don’t have to do this alone.”
Entrepreneur and podcast host Kelsey Chapman thanks God for the wonderful mentors who stepped into her life to give her the wisdom, inspiration, and support she needed in each season. In What They Taught Me, she’ll show you how to find a mentor who will help you reach your dreams—and how you can become that person for someone else.
As she recognizes ten women who changed the course of her life, Kelsey passes on the expert guidance that enriched her perspective, helped her live out her passions, and kept her hopeful and optimistic about the process. This book will help you… identify your goals along with the steps needed to achieve thempartner with women who have already walked the road before youencourage others by sharing the insights you’ve gained from your own experience God uses an entire community to shape you into the person He made you to be. Join Kelsey in celebrating mentorship, and learn how you can cultivate meaningful relationships by investing in others and welcoming them to invest in you.
The Wisdom Pyramid, 09 Feb 2021
Feeding Your Soul in a Post-Truth World
#TheWisdomPyramid #NetGalley
The introduction addresses the "Unwise Age" we live in, beginning with a quote of Proverbs 1:20-22
Published in 2021, there are two paragraphs dedicated to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as a reference to Donald Trump.
Part One of this book looks at the Sources of Our Sickness, namely:
- Information Gluttony,
- Perpetual Novelty, and
- "Look Within" Autonomy
Part Two looks at the Sources of Our Wisdom:
- The Bible
- The Church
- Nature
- Books
- Beauty
- The Internet and Social Media
- What Wisdom Looks Like
There are discussion questions at the end of each chapter, as well as a general index and a scripture index at the end.
Description (from NetGalley)
Helping believers navigate today’s media-saturated culture, Brett McCracken presents a biblical case for wisdom. Using the illustration of a Wisdom Pyramid, he points readers to more lasting and reliable sources of wisdom—not for their own glorification, but ultimately for God’s.
Practicing Thankfulness, 09 Feb 2021
Cultivating a Grateful Heart in All Circumstances
Cultivating a Grateful Heart in All Circumstances
#PracticingThankfulness #NetGalley
The book's introduction includes one of 2020 oft used words - "pivot." The author describes thankfulness as being a quality on which pivots the difference between maturity and immaturity.
Chapters:
The Rightness of Gratitude
The Wisdom of Gratitude
Portrait of a Grateful Heart
The Fruitfulness of Gratitude
Dangers of Ingratitude
Thankfulness in Action
Thankfulness and Contentment
Thankfulness and Wonder
Thankfulness and Suffering
Hindrances to Thankfulness
The "Various Questions about Thankfulness" chapter addresses pet peeves, tragedies, problems related to churches and pastors, spouses, poor service received, receiving unwanted gifts, and more.
"One Hundred Ways to Be Thankful" provides ideas on expressing thankfulness and gratitude, the 100th one being: "Add your own suggestion to this list, and thank God for the creativity to do so."
Includes a general index and scripture index.
Description (from NetGalley)
Pastor Sam Crabtree surveys the Bible’s teaching on gratitude, demonstrating that every moment is an opportunity to observe, embrace, and appreciate with thankfulness the wondrous workings of God in ordinary life.
Lies My Preacher Told Me, Brent A. Strawn, 09 Feb 2021
An Honest Look at the Old Testament
#LiesMyPreacherToldMe #NetGalley
The title and subtitle of this book piqued my curiosity. Last year we finished reading through the entire Bible as a family (kids then ages 16, 14, 11, 9). My husband and I were raised in the church and have a good understanding of Biblical teaching. If there's a sermon cliche, analogy, joke... we've probably heard it. We really dislike it when a preacher takes a verse out of context in order to support their point. So I couldn't wait to read what Strawn had to say.
The introduction starts off with "Lies Somebody Told Us about the Old Testament." The 10 chapters each deal with a different "mistruth," because the author believes (hopes) that they weren't intentional.
The Old Testament is "Someone Else's Mail"
The Old Testament is a Boring History Book
The Old Testament Has Been Rendered Permanently Obsolete
The Old Testament God is Mean... Really Mean
The Old Testament is Hyper-Violent
David Wrote the Psalms (and Other Unhelpful Historical Assertions)
The Old Testament Isn't Spiritually Enriching
The Old Testament Isn't Practically Relevant
The Old Testament Law is Nothing but a Burden, Impossible to Keep
What Really Matters is that "Everything is About Jesus"
Each chapter includes questions for discussion, making this a book that could be used for a small group - if you dare!
The book includes a suggested reading list at the end.
Description (from NetGalley)
In this concise volume, Brent Strawn addresses ten common "lies" or mistruths about the Old Testament, from perceptions of God's personality (the “angry Old Testament God”) to the relevance of the Old Testament for Christians. Discover why stories and laws written thousands of years ago, centuries before Christ, are enriching and indispensable for modern Christians. Written by a leading scholar in Old Testament and designed for easy reading and group discussion, this book will expand your thinking about the Bible’s First (and largest) Testament.
