Book Review: Earthen Vessels, Why Our Bodies Matter To Our Faith

“What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you (1 CO. 6:19 KJV)?”

One must ask themselves the question, “Does my body matter to my Christian faith?” The Spirit of God dwelling within my flesh makes my body God's temple. The body must matter if this flesh is the temple of God. Matthew Lee Anderson provides insight in his book, “Earthen Vessels, Why Our Bodies Matter To Our Faith.”

Chapter One begins with a quote from Scripture, “The Word became flesh,” from John 1:14. The next sentence is, “God took on a human body.” It is from this base that the author begins making the case for the human body being important to our faith in God. He brings topics such as how the world shapes our bodies, tattoos, pleasure, mortality, and spiritual disciplines to the forefront of discussion.

The book starts slowly, possibly in trying to lay scholastic credence to the book from the beginning. My opinion aside, it is clear Matthew Lee Anderson writes from a tremendous amount of research on the subject of the human body and how it relates to Christianity.

“Earthen Vessels, Why Our Bodies Matter To Our Faith” begins picking up the pace with Chapter Four, “The Body Towards Others”. The book increases in intensity as it proceeds through the remaining chapters. The author does a great job of keeping the material presented interesting and engaging once he gets beyond laying the foundation.

The author admits you may have with more questions than answers in the closing statements of the book. I agree with his assessment. We have the God of heaven in our bodies, therefore we must look at the role our bodies play in our faith. “Earthen Vessels, Why Our Bodies Matter To Our Faith” is a good starting point for study and discussion. I recommend this book for those interested in how the body matters to our faith.

I received this book from Bethany House Publishers as a part of their reviewers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Book Review: The Blessing by John Trent, Ph.D. and Gary Smalley

What is the gift of unconditional love and acceptance? Have you received it? Have you given it? John Trent, Ph.D. And Gary Smalley share their experience and insight in their book, “The Blessing, Giving the Gift of Unconditional Love and Acceptance”.

“The Blessing” is about a special gift from parents given to their children. The Bible story of the patriarch Isaac blessing Jacob and Esau lays the foundation for the book. The blessing is the words handed from parent to child which have the power to dramatically affect the outcome of the child's life.

The major thrust of the book is to help the reader to develop the blessing and to aid them in giving the blessing to others. The book deals with those who may have not been blessed by their parents or other significant loved ones. An offer of hope is given to the readers to “reverse the curse”.

“The Blessing, Giving the Gift of Unconditional Love and Acceptance” is laced with stories of those who received the blessing and those who did not. The importance of the blessing is clearly shown through the successes of those who received it and the tragedies of those who did not. The five elements of the blessing are given by the authors as they relate their experiences in dealing with those blessed and those not blessed.

The book led me to think about my past experience as to whether or not I received a blessing. It also brought into clear focus whether I have given a blessing to my children and to those close to me. The book will cause you to deal with thoughts and emotions long tucked away into some secret place. It will open your eyes to see your loved ones in a different light.

“The Blessing, Giving the Gift of Unconditional Love and Acceptance” is not just another book to read and place on the shelf. It is a book which requires you to act upon what you have read. I recommend this book to those who never received the blessing. I recommend this book to those who have never given the blessing. Do not expect to sit and read this book through in one sitting though. Your own thought process will stop you. Now, I must act upon what I have read...

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Book Review: Grambo by Evelyn Dykes Chriswell

I cannot describe what it is like in a combat zone. I have never been on the mission field in a foreign country. I cannot tell exciting tales from firsthand knowledge of a live retracing of the journeys of the Apostle Paul in a Volkswagen “bug”. Thus it was thrilling for me to follow Evelyn Dykes Chriswell on her journeys as she shares them in her book “Grambo, The True Adventures of an American Grandmother in Baghdad... and Beyond”. The book is a biography of the love and the faith of a woman from childhood to mortar rounds exploding as she huddles in a bunker in Baghdad, Iraq. The author bares her heart as she shares her life of travels, tragedies, and triumphs.

Evelyn Dykes Chriswell does an outstanding job as she weaves the details of her life tightly around the faith she possesses in the God she serves. Time and time again I found myself riveted to my chair held captive by the stories given in such generous detail. Every chapter of the book begins with a passage of scripture which is then applied to the adventures which unfold throughout the chapter. Each story offers a nugget of inspiration and truth and reads so well as to give the sensation of being in the story, walking step by step with the author.

The amount of biographies I read are few and far between with most of them being of historic significance. Evelyn Dykes Chriswell possesses the ability to tell a life story as a clear testimony to her love and faith in a way which grips the heart and mind of the reader taking “Grambo, The True Adventures of an American Grandmother in Baghdad... and Beyond” beyond being just another biography!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and enthusiastically offer a five-star rating in my review of it. “Grambo, The True Adventures of an American Grandmother in Baghdad... and Beyond” is one of those books I will take from my bookshelf and read again and again. I recommend it highly to anyone looking for a good read.

I received this book free from the author for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."