Wild At Heart by John Eldredge, An Honest Review

Ok, gear up, because this is going to be a bumpy review.
After reading 'Wild At Heart', I was a left with many mixed feelings. I think I somewhat grasped the message the author was trying to send, but I had to read this book twice in order to get it. That's how hidden and confusing it was.
Summary: 'Wild At Heart' is a devotional book for men intending on revealing their true heart, in essence, what is at the core of every man, how God made them.

Theological Issues and Disputes: A main dispute I had with this book is how it criticizes what Mr. Eldredge calls "The Really Nice Guy". He puts the "nice guy" down constantly, insisting all men are to be assertive, pushy, forceful, etc. While I do agree that there is a time and a place for men act like men, standing for what is right, being strong, courageous, etc. this does not mean that a man is supposed to be forceful and "manly" when it comes to a little old lady needing help to cross the street. There are many, many scriptures that describe men being humble, meek, and kind, yet Mr. Eldredge almost scorns these Bible passages and instead makes his point with a few scriptures taken entirely out of context. This is not christian, nor professional. I don't want Mr. Eldredge's belief system, making the Bible fit it. I want the Bible, all of it. If you are going to take the Bible and try to make it fit your ideas, that's wrong.
Another issue I had was his "follow your heart" philosophy. The Bible clearly states in numerous places that you are not to follow your heart, you are to trust your heart to God. There is a huge difference!
I do agree with some of what Mr. Eldredge was teaching. Men today aren't very "manly", in my opinion. I'm not bashing men, but I think every time they've tried to say something, they've been shushed, so to speak. That many christian men don't stand up for what's right is a sad fact. That many christian men are criticized unjustly for simply acting like men in their created nature is another true message he wrote about here. However he did not distinguish the fine line between men's fallen nature and their created nature, which I felt to be so vital to this book. Yes, men are to be wild in a sense, but this author disregards the clear example of the greatest man of all- Jesus. Yes, Jesus did get angry, He was forceful, but those times were few and far between. It wasn't His constant presence. What drew people to Jesus was His mercy, His love, His compassion, and His forgiveness. If He dwelt in His fleshly passions of anger, condemnation, and wildness, then He would not have been a perfect man. I felt too much of the wild man was taught, without a balance, which Christ had, which all men, and even women, are to have as well.

Writing Style and Product: The product was very well made in itself. The writing style actually turned me off of reading this book for a while, which is why this review was a little delayed. Though I liked how Mr. Eldredge is personal and very open, on nearly every page he references some movie to illustrated a supposed 'biblical' point. Not wise. Many of these movies were inappropriate, as in, not the type of movies many christians would watch. I felt he should have backed up his views with more scripture instead of numerous movie references and quotes. It distracted greatly from his message and reading the book itself. I don't know if he was getting paid for all this advertising or not.

All in all, I understand the point of this book. Men need to be men, not the media portrayed image of men, or mousy men, but real, strong men. A great point, but this book needs a huge rewrite so to make it more clear to the general audience.

Essentials for Life by Marcia Ford, and Honest Review

Summary: 'Essentials for Life' is intended to be a devotional on the basics of Christianity, the fundamentals of the faith if you will, and is meant to help you figure out what you truly believe on these issues.

Theological and Faith Issues: Personally, I mostly agreed with everything in this book. The author was rather neutral on denominations, instead sticking to the Bible and comparing that with what she taught. There was nothing wild or off-base, maybe a few minor things I disagreed with, but nothing huge.

Writing Style and Message: The cover states that this book discusses and reviews major beliefs of the Christian faith, and it does that, in a way. One problem in tackling such a challenge is that, as the author states, it is immensely vast. This book was simply too short to address all these issues correctly, giving them a two page overview instead. What you'll learn when reading this devotional is that these issues exist, and that they are important, but you won't learn how to really defend them, which is something I was hoping for. Each chapter basically tells you to learn more about the belief discussed. There are a few pointers at the end, but not enough for a christian to become grounded on. Though this isn't that great with the shortness of it, it is a good devotional. You just need to read other books, or better yet, the Bible, to really get a grip on the standards the author writes about.
As for her style, I liked it. Friendly, and easy to understand, it gives the book an advantage in that many types of people can read it and learn.

Product Make: The pages are glossy and not boring. I had an issue with the cover though, as the flap simply won't stay shut, but flips out. I don't know why that is.

All in all, this is a pretty good devotional. I'll give it four stars, but I would say there are better out there.

Christian Encounters: John Bunyan by Kevin Belmonte; An Honest Review

Summary: 'John Buyan' is a biography about, namely- John Bunyan, the author of the timeless classic 'The Pilgrim's Progress'.

Product and Format: I would let you know that this is a very small book, as well as quite short. I had expected it to be bigger, so I was a little disappointed in it's size. Chapter lengths are 3-5 pages long.

Writing Style and Message: I enjoyed the writing style of this book is it's easy-to-read, as well as understand. It's almost as if it was written as a story, and I like a biography like that once in a while.
It gave an over-all view of Bunyan's life from birth to death, though not going into many specifics. I think this biography is perfect for junior high school age; it gives enough information, yet would still hold their attention. New-comers to the life and works of Bunyan would enjoy this work if they were just interested in some of his background and general knowledge of his life. I would recommend a more detailed biography to readers acquainted with Bunyan- there is nothing new here.
As far as I know the information in this book is fairly accurate, and is good for a small study.
'John Bunyan' would be a nice book to recommend to younger readers, or to assign to students. Adults might find it too short, as I did. Though I enjoyed reading it, I wouldn't buy it myself, as the price is fairly steep for so short a book.

Beautiful Things Happen When a Woman Trusts God by Sheila Walsh- An Honest Review

Summary: 'Beautiful Things Happen When a Woman Trusts God' is intended as a devotional and Bible study for women, and it's main point is how to trust God in diverse situations. The book includes an in-depth companion study for personal devotions and study groups.

Writing Style and and Product Description: The author, Sheila Walsh, writes in a very personal, heart-felt way which was easy to understand and relate to. She was real, and didn't use cliches or self-righteous comments. She was understanding as well as transparent- which I happen to believe as vital to a good devotional book. The product I received is a hardcover, beautifully made, of average thickness, with comfortable grip and hold.

Theological Elements and Teachings: In her book, Sheila Walsh delves into the immense struggle of trusting God in a dangerous world. She covers different situations with real-life examples from the Bible such as Tabitha, Paul, David, Mary and Martha, etc. Her questions and conclusions spoke true within me, and I related a lot to many situations. Topics such as: why someone is afraid, how they can overcome the fear through Jesus, and trusting God when it seems like He isn't there are covered in a beautiful, liberating way.
Also included is a Devotional/Bible Study, which I found most helpful. Study groups are able to use this, as well as someone in their devotional time. Sheila Walsh has taught me a lot through this book, and I'm looking forward to reading more of her works.

All in all, this is one of those rare devotionals to keep on the "re-read" shelf. It helped me grow closer to the Lord, and showed me a lot of issues in me that I need to give to God, and not only that, it showed me how. If you struggle with fearing life, fearing others' opinions, etc. read this book. You will be set free.
Highly recommended.

Nelson's Complete Book of Biblical Maps and Charts- An Honest Review

• Summary: 'Nelson's Complete Book of Bible Maps and Charts' is intended as a study aid for someone interested in knowing more about the Bible, and delving deeper into it's message. Complete with colour maps on nearly every other page, and an over-view of every book of the Bible, this product does just that, and more.
• Writing Style and Product Overview: The over-all style of this Study Aid was quite versatile, making it easy to use when just browsing, and also informative and helpful with intentional Bible study. Nelson's provides colour maps, photos, descriptive paragraphs, as well as numerous charts covering each book of the Bible, all in order. Background on the author of every book is included, as well as available information on the date the book was written, and etc. Journeys of well-known people through-out the Bible are documented and mapped. The book that I received is a soft-cover, and though a good size, is not uncomfortable to hold and it's not too heavy.
• Information Included and Application: I found all the information very useful, as well as interesting. I've always had a harder time reading through the books of the prophets; Nelson's gave me the clarity I've been looking for, and I loved reading about the background of the books, as well as their authors. There is also a lengthy section on the Pentateuch, which included charts and explanations of the feasts, traditions, and observances Isreal practiced in the days of Moses. Thorough details on the Gospels and the life of Christ was probably the best part of this entire work, and gave deeper insight into the parables Christ taught.
• Summing Up: In closing, I would give this product above and beyond 5 stars. It's so versatile that it can reach a wide span of ages; pastors, college students, teens and even children ages 10-12. It gave a helpful overview of the Bible and dug deeper into it's past. I highly recommend it.

Face of Betrayal by Lis Wiehl- An Honest Review

• Summary: 'Face of Betrayal' is an intended thriller about 3 women who are best friends; Cassidy- a news reporter, Nichole- and FBI Agent, and Allison- a prosecutor. Together they solve crimes, the current one a missing girl from Washington, DC who has vanished without a trace.
• Writing Style and Prose: The author does have a talent for writing, and can keep the reader interested enough to wonder what will happen next. She also has the flair for the mystery in her, which is a special talent in itself; she keeps the reader guessing with numerous suspects.
• Contradictions: An event that happens numerous times in the story is that the FBI agent- Nichole, gives her news reporter pal Cassidy confidential details about the case with the promise that Cassidy will not leak it to the press. This is unbelievable, bordering on ridiculous. An FBI agent would never give out any case information without express permission, much less to a reporter. I thought the author should have done her research a little better. Another issue is that, like stated above, the relationship between a prosecutor, news reporter, and an FBI Agent. This "Triple Threat" relationship could not exist in reality, and is again, entirely unbelievable. I must confess that the name made me laugh- it sounds not at all threatening, almost something a high-school kid would make up.
  
• Theological and Moral Disputes:
  

>Alcohol Consumption: Parents should know that this novel sheds positive light on alcohol consumption and social drinking. The author incorporates it numerous times, and I felt that the story would have been much better without it.
> Pre-marital Sexual Relations: This was a huge disappointment for me. I expected more out of a Christian company and a "conservative" author. Sexual scenes are described in detail, as well as the promoting of sexual relations, and the acceptance of sexual relations as a minor. This was completely needless and added nothing whatsoever to the story. I was shocked at how inappropriate this book was, and I think the publishers should look over their stories more carefully since they claim to be christian. I will not recommend this to anyone, and am not keeping my copy of this book. There are a few sentences that mention God in here but anyone who writes a cheap Harlequin Romance novel can do the same thing. This book was a disappointment; not moral, not conservative, and most definitely not christian.

Where Is God- by Dr. John Townsend, A Review

Summary: In 'Where Is God', Dr. Townsend tries to address the issue stated in the title, the question people ask when times get tough, when a loved one dies, etc. Where is God in all of this?

Theological Elements and Disputes: The reader should know that Dr. Townsend is a certified psychiatrist, and as such inserts his beliefs as well as his faith in this book. I found this rather confusing, as there is much psychiatric help that is contradictory to faith in Jesus Christ. A lot of his chapters were "mushy gushy", feel-good type of things, making the reader feel that he had no responsibility, no obligations, and that God did not allow the consequences of sin. Dr. Townsend states that God "is not an angry God", a directly contradicting statement to what the Bible says. God does get angry over certain things; to say that He never does is a dangerously misleading statement. 'Where is God' also gives the illusion that when bad things happen, God did not cause them to happen. This can be taken the wrong way when in certain cases, the trouble in a person's life are simply the consequences of their own sin, i.e: A man has an affair, which leads to marriage troubles, maybe even AIDS. To say that God is suffering with him and that God is with him, though this man is unrepentant, is a false teaching.

Theological Agreements and Encouragement: Throughout the book, Dr. Townsend describes the love of God very well, and teaches that in unexplained, tragic events, God is still there guiding us. He also says that God still does perform miracles and does provide and protect, though we don't always know why He does what He does.

Writing Style and Product: I enjoyed this book immensely in that it felt very personal, as if I was talking to Dr. Townsend myself. He came off as friendly, warm, and loving, not self righteous. He speaks in terms everyone can understand. The book itself is well made.

All in all, much of this book was encouraging, reassuring readers of the closeness of God, and His care. However, because of the issues I stated above, I would be careful to check everything from it with the Bible first, just to make sure everything lines up.