The Me I Want to Be

The Me I Want to Be, John Ortberg, Zondervan, 9-780-310-275-923, HB, 264 pages, $19.99

Christian Living

What if other people didn't say things about us? Would we know who we are? Probably. With the world today telling us who we should or shouldn't be, John Ortberg's book, The Me I Want to Be, is a helpful way to find who God made us to be, and become that best version.

John Ortberg is a pastor and bestselling author of several books. In this book, he writes about first finding our identity, then flowing with the spirit, renewing our mind, redeeming our time, deepening our relationships, transforming our experience, and flowing from here on out. Throughout the book are quizzes, quotes, and verses that connect with what is being discussed.

I found Ortberg's book to be very helpful in understanding who God created me to be and how to be God's best version of me. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone frustrated with not being who they want to be. With the book comes a helpful and free on-line assessment, which is mentioned in the book.

Follow

Follow: A Simple and Profound Call to Live Like Jesus, Floyd McClung, David C. Cook, 978-1-4347-0192-3, paper, 256 pgs., $14.99

What if we stepped out of the boat and lived like Jesus? Is it possible? What does it take? Floyd McClung's book, Follow, discusses this topic. From loving Jesus, loving those who don't know Jesus, and loving each other, we have quite a task. It's not easy, but McClung has written this book to help us.

Floyd McClung has been a missional leader and church planter in Afghanistan and Amsterdam, America and Africa, and has written numerous books, including The Father Heart of God. He provides many personal examples to help us understand the things he discusses. At the end of each chapter, there is a 'Reflecting and Responding' section with questions that reflect what was read in the chapter. He also provides Scripture to read and do a discovery Bible study on, which he discusses in Appendix 1.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I would highly recommend it to anyone, mostly small groups or churches, interested in living like Jesus.

How Should a Christian Live?

'How Should a Christian Live?' was a great devotional and journal. The CD with the scriptures being read was a great way to study and listen to the Bible at the same time. The devotional and journal come with places where you can take notes/journal as you are listening or after you have finished the section. It also includes fun activities that engage you as you are finishing the study for each reading.

Taking you through 1 Corinthians to Philemon, each session contains a 'Get It' section, where it explains the passage of Scripture you are hearing, 'define it' sections, that defines a word contained in the section, a 'Grab It' section that goes more into detail explaining what was just read and also relating it to today's world, and a 'Hold It' section that talks about what we can do to hang onto the concepts just learned. There are also 'Live It' and 'Give It' sections that talk about how to live and how to give what we've learned.

Topics discussed include what abundant life is, learning God's truth, telling of His goodness, living in His love, and enjoying the expectant life. The back of the book contains an answer key to the activities.

I would recommend this devotional/journal to really anyone who wants to learn more of how to live this Christian life, but especially to teenagers.

Between Two Kingdoms

In Joe Boyd's fairy tale, Between Two Kingdoms, everyone in the Upper Kingdom is eternally seven years old. Those in the Lower Kingdom age. The two Kingdoms are divided by the Gate of Separation, and both are filled with tree houses. The Great King and Good Prince preside over the Upper Kingdom, while the Lower Kingdom is ruled by the Dark Prince. When Tommy is asked to go to the Lower Kingdom, he is speechless. Why would he leave the Upper Kingdom? Why would he leave his friends again? But, because the Good Prince asked him too, he obeys.

Tommy is first sent into the Lower Kingdom to find a friend of his that he met when he was there before. After finding him, with the Good Prince by his side, He is able to persuade his friend, Bobby, to come back to the Upper Kingdom with him. The two go back, and Bobby turns into a seven year old again. But, something went wrong while he was in the Lower Kingdom. He wasn't sent alone, but with two other companions: Luke and Amanda. While Amanda was playing with two girls, trying to get them to go to the Upper Kingdom with her, Luke goes off on his own and is captured by the Dark Prince. Luckily, the Good Prince rescues him and takes him back to His Father.

Tommy is reunited with his friend, Mary, and Bobby joins them. All is well, until the Good Prince tells Tommy he must go back to the Lower Kingdom for a while, because of the plot the Dark Prince has against Him and His Father. The Good Prince tells Tommy it was what he was born to do.

After securing the trust of two of his closest friends, Mary and Bobby, the three are sent to the Lower Kingdom with Pops, one of the Good Prince's friends, to build a tree house. The Good Prince gives them each a gift that will come in handy in the Lower Kingdom. Tommy receives a jacket of humility, Mary a necklace of hope, and Bobby a ring of vision. Once in the Lower Kingdom, they meet Pop's friend, Roger, and Luke is also there. Pops fills the three in on the Dark Night that the Dark Prince is plotting. His plan will make the Lower Kingdom darker than night until all of its inhabitants are blind. The four must go to the tree houses and warn the people to go to the River. The River will take them to the Upper Kingdom once the Dark Night is over.

But, not everyone goes to the River. There are Phantoms roaming around, destroying the tree houses and capturing people to work in the Furnace Room of the Dark Prince's palace. Will Tommy, Mary, Bobby, Pops, and those whom the Good Prince has sent to help be able to stop the Dark Night?

In this action-filled, analytical story of the Kingdom of Heaven and of Darkness, author Joe Boyd spins a plot that is engaging and that makes the reader not want to put the book down. He uses the power of the story to bring hope and to lead others to Christ. Boyd did a wonderful job developing the characters and making them seem real. His dialogue was well written and the story was, again, very engaging. The book was also a fast read, even with 191 pages.

I would recommend this book to preteens, since it is more of a fairy tale. I enjoyed it, and I'm sure anyone would enjoy it, but specifically preteens. It would make a great book to read and then discuss in a youth or small group setting.

The Famous One

Joey Parr never thought he would end up famous. Troubled from childhood and rebellious in adolescence, he all of a sudden finds himself tossed in a role he's not sure he wants. He's also searching for a love he's not sure he'll find. Lost in desolation, drunkenness, and lust, is there any hope for Joey?
And what do you do when you feel God has placed a burden on your heart for someone famous? Sarah Pressner has no idea, but the burden is that Joey would know God's love for him, and it's up to her to tell him. But how?
Nicole Petrino-Salter has created some memorable characters that I was sad to see go. She portrayed very well the struggles humans go through, and the victory at the end, making the characters easy to relate to. I enjoyed watching Joey Parr from the beginning of his life to the very end: watching him struggle, grow, and discover. I would recommend this book for any adult college aged and above.

Ruth

Ruth: Under the Wings of God, by John Piper, is the story of Ruth told as a poem. In the poem, David is being told the story by his grandfather Obed as he was told the events. Later, it is told from his great grandfather Boaz from his perspective. Biblically accurate, Piper puts the story into a new form that is easy and quick to read.

The poem is a rhyming poem split into four parts. At the end of each part is a prayer that pertains to what was just read. The poem also contains beautiful illustrations by Cory Godbey. Although written as a poem, the book was intriguing to read and hard to put down. I wanted to keep reading to find out what really happened in the story of Ruth.

I would recommend this book to anyone either to read for themselves or to read to their child. It is the companion to A Sweet and Bitter Providence, which takes a more expositional approach to the biblical account.

Eat, Pray, Love

In her memoir Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert takes us back through her year long journey through Italy, India, and Indonesia. After a messy divorce and deep depression, she takes a vow of celibacy and goes off searching for pleasure, devotion, and balance. Seeking to find herself, she spends four months in each location, introducing us to the people she meets along the way. Not only are we able to meet the people she has met, but we also get to know the places she visits as if we had been there ourselves. Everything and everyone, from the people to the places and events, becomes memorable.
Split into three books, 36 chapters each, she describes her travels, the people she meets, the food she eats, where she stays, and even her thoughts. Bluntly honest, she holds nothing back. From her personal thoughts to the interactions between people, nothing is hidden. Sharing her triumphs as well as her struggles, we meet a real woman who is doing the unthinkable.
Gilbert writes this book as if we are right there with her, not as if the trip is already over. Her prose is very easy to understand and is written from her view. I would recommend this book to anyone college age or above because of some of the content. There is foul language throughout the book and aspects of sex are mentioned, but not graphically. While it is not a Christian book, it does mention God several times. Eat, Pray, Love was a winner as soon as I read the first chapter. I loved it and could not put it down!

Psalm 119 For Life

Hywel R. Jones takes us through the Bible's longest psalm, which is also called 'the Great Psalm' in his study Psalm 119 For Life. Taking the Psalm and breaking it into eight verses at a time, Jones helps us to better understand this acrostic poem. We view the Psalm first in the context of an Israelite king in his kingdom, then with regard to the Lord and his church and subjects. Not only does he present an explanation of the Psalm, but also other Scriptures that are intermingled with it. Each chapter (1-22) is divided up into various subjects. Most open up by talking about the language of the psalm/the words and some meanings. Then, the study continues by presenting a few headings for the study of the selected verses, and then there is an explanation of those headings that makes up the study. At the beginning of each chapter are the verses to be studied in the section.

Dr. Hywel R. Jones became a Professor of Practical Theology at Westminster Seminary in California in 2000. Before that, he was Editorial of the Banner of Truth Trust and Principal of London Theology Seminary from 1985-1996. He was also a pastor at Grove Chapel, London, and Borras Park in Wrexham. He is also the author of A study commentary on Job.

I would recommend this book be read as it was written, as a study. It would help to be in a setting with the reader's Bible open in front of them while they read. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting a greater understanding for Psalm 119. It might make a better personal study, but also has the potential to be good discussion material.