Martyr's Fire by Sigmund Brouwer

Will this quest lead the Orphan King to an ancient secret or to total destruction?  The Orphan King disguised as a beggar escapes Magnus after fifteen men that refer to themselves as the Priest of the Holy Grail take control of the cast.  With the help of his long time friend the Orphan King begins a journey the sends him to the Holy Land.  His beliefs are tested with a power others have been searching for.  You are sent into a world of Merlin’s Immortals.  Evil conspiracies and secrets open up hidden discoveries and hidden knowledge.

The book follows the same form and pattern as the first two books.  It provides and interesting plot and a quick read for an adult.  We are presented with many plot twists and lots of exciting adventure to keep the reader interested throughout the book.  The character structure is memorable and well thought through.     

 I received a free copy of this book from WaterBrook Multnomah.

God of the Underdogs by Matt Keller

We have all felt like an underdog at some time in our lives.  The author takes the reader down a road of modern day examples and relates those with the stories in the Bible.   The book is in what the author calls the nine excuses (or chapters).  Each excuse or chapter is associated with a person from the bible.   Excuse 1 is from David about how he was not qualified.  Excuse 2 is from Paul about dealing with the past and getting over it.  Excuse 3 is from Jacob about a person reputation.   Excuse 4 is from John the Baptist about dreams, no matter how small or large.  Excuse 5 is from Jesus about a person’s potential and the lack of everyone to notice it.  Excuse 6 is from Mephibosheth about your relationships and if they are to the right people.  Excuse 7 is from Gideon about lack of resources.  Excuse 8 is from Esther about slim chances.  Excuse 9 is from Moses about insecurity. 

Anyone can benefit from reading this book.

I received a free copy of this book from BookSneeze in exchange for my honest review of the book.

God in My Everything by Ken Shigematsu

The author discusses how spiritual development is not just solitude and contemplative reflections or prayers.  Our spiritual development happens every day.  For most of us that are caught up in the busying ourselves with work, family, and church it feels at times that God is just another thing on our list if things to-do.   The author explains how the spiritual practice of the 'rule of life' will bring people closer to a relationship with God. He demonstrates how personal rules of life will almost any life style.  You will discover a practical life-giving, sustainable rhythm in your busy life.  If you are looking for a deeper spiritual development this book is for you.

I received a free copy of this book from BookSneeze in exchange for my honest review of the book.

Living The Quaker Way by Philip Gulley

While most Christian religions each have their own ideas, we could learn something from the Quakers.  Most of us are caught up in the ever changing social media and striving to find the newest and best gadget to “simplify our lives”, or so we think.  We lose touch on what is important in our day-to-day lives.  This book covers five key topics: simplify peace, integrity, community and equality.  The one topic that stood out for me was “simplify”.  Society leans towards measuring our success based on what you own.  Some even determine success based on their job title.  We have confused the line between what we need and what we want.  This creates a false sense of accomplishment that many people find is short lived.  The book contains many practical principles that anyone can benefit from.   

I received a free copy of this book from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing in exchange for my honest review of the book.

The Mercy Prayer by Robert Gelinas

The author's writing is very easy to understand.  The author discusses the most commonly used prayer in the Bible, “Lord, have mercy”. The Mercy Prayer provides an insight that must be studies slowly and deliberately to fully understand everything the author is writing about.  This book is well worth the time and effort.  Do not be fooled in thinking this book is only taking about the Mercy prayer.  The key topic is the most commonly used prayer but there is a great deal more information provided about and around this prayer.  An example would be how mercy is the opposite of justice.  The author writes, “Justice is what we deserve in any given situation. Mercy, on the other hand, is not receiving what we deserve, or receiving less than what we have coming to us." Strive to be on the receiving side of Christ's mercy.  Do not demand justice but see what happens when mercy is given to others.

 I received a free copy of this book from BookSneeze in exchange for my honest review of the book.

This Beauiful Mess by Rick McKinley

It was a struggle getting through this book. Yet another author is a theologian giving his version of what the kingdom of God is along with what it means in relation to us. The author does not present anything new that hundreds of other books have not already provided on the same subject.  I lost interest when he provided too many stories trying to get a single point across.  I also understand he is very proud of the church he belongs to but the constant mentioning of it comes off like an info commercial.  If this is a new subject matter for you then the book does provide basic information but it is not a page-turner.  If you have read books about practicing the presence of the Kingdom of God then hold off on buying this book, it will be a redundant.      

I received a free copy of this book from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing in exchange for my honest review of the book.

Runaway Emotions by Jeff Schreve

The book Runaway Emotions narrows the topics down to eight main emotions: embarrassment, loneliness, frustration, worry, anger, guilt, discontentment and depression.  As humans, we cannot avoid any of these emotions but the author provides a better understanding of why verses what is taught in the Bible.  The key issue is we all sin to some degree.  How we approach forgiveness to God and other others is the key to resolving many of these emotions.  Some will come and go, others we will struggle with and they will occur repeatedly.  The author goes into detail about how God is forgiving and the struggles we face asking for forgiveness.  The author provides examples from the Bible and other related stories.  To fully appreciate the book read a chapter, then take time to compare how you handle that emotion currently.  You might be surprised and realize you could be doing things differently.  This could help you physically, emotionally, spiritually and socially.  Will your problems all be resolved after reading this book or within a few days?  No but it does give you the foundation to approach these emotions from a better-prepared Christian point of view.  Making this type of correction in your life will take time, dedication and faith.  

I received a free copy of this book from BookSneeze in exchange for my honest review of the book.