But what do the first two

But what do the first two matter when

tragedy strikes? Illness and death are

explored through the eyes of Kate as

she gives a first-person account of her

feelings regarding her mother’s cancer.

The lesson she learns—how God loves

and protects us even during our darkest

hours—though somewhat rushed

and convoluted, shines through

strongly by the end.

Written by an experienced storyteller

and poet, this book is appropriate

for its juvenile readers, in spite of

the heavy themes. This simple, quick

story gets at the heart of the never-ending

dilemma: how a good God can allow

bad things to happen. The result

is a book that young readers, especially

baseball players or writers, are sure to

enjoy. ALN

Christian

Education

Drama

SERIES UPDATES

Program Builder

compiled by Kim Messer

Lillenas, 978-0-8341-7759-8,

$5.99

Mother’s & Father’s Day

Program Builder No. 12

Worship Creatively

Lillenas, 978-0-8341-7753-6,

$19.99

Lent & Easter

compiled by Kim Messer

20 20 Church Libraries • Spring 2010

B B O O O O K K R R E E V V I I E E W W S

Christian

Living

CHOOSING GRATITUDE: Your

Journey to Joy

by Nancy Leigh DeMoss

Moody, 978-0-8024-3252-0, HB, 235

pages, $17.99

That Thanksgiving puts us in God’s

living room is one theme of this book.

DeMoss, radio teacher on Revive Our

Hearts, emphasizes the point that giving

gratitude to the Lord is an essential

part of being a believer. She intricately

explains the reasons a Christian

should continually be thankful to God

regarding health, family life, education,

careers, and friends; and she offers

many examples to illustrate her

points.

Choosing Gratitude is a strongly written

book that allows readers to evaluate

their lives and levels of thankfulness

toward the Lord. The author does

a tremendous job of pulling in personal

testimonies and stories from a wide variety

of people, some well known,

some not. The topic applies to both

men and women; however, it probably

will appeal more to women. Overall,

this is a book that faces reality head on,

while at the same time offers hope to

the reader. MY

CROSSTALK: Where Life and Scripture

Meet

by Michael R. Emlet

New Growth, 978-1-935273-12-7, PB,

212 pages, $15.99

What exactly should you say to a

friend who asks for advice about her

marriage? How do you respond to a

loved one who has lost his job? Emlet

shows Christians how to avoid giving

pat answers in situations like these by

connecting the Bible to people’s lives.

He examines what the Bible primarily

is—God’s revelation of Himself to His

people—and what it primarily is not—

principles, colorful characters, and a

system of doctrines. In addition, he discusses

a model to use in counseling

people.

Counselor Emlet writes skillfully

about the interpretive process of the

Bible and its application to lives, but

readers will not receive a comprehensive

lesson on the psychology of

people. On the other hand, the book is

often too extensive, especially for readers

who are not trained in theology and

counseling. Still, pastors, counselorsin-training,

and clinical practitioners

will find CrossTalk to be a stimulating

and useful book. JCH

DUG DOWN DEEP

by Joshua Harris

Multnomah, 978-0-7642-0673-3, 240

pages, HB, $19.99

Words like doctrine and orthodoxy

may not appeal to Christians today, but

Harris reveals the importance of realizing

that what you believe about God

will determine how you live your life.

Rather than dwell on issues that divide

the church, he focuses on beliefs that

Christians have held throughout the

centuries and continue to be true for

all of us today. In a conversational style

reminiscent of Donald Miller, pastor

Harris takes readers on his own journey

of rediscovering the vitality and

relevance of biblical teaching.

Instead of claiming to have the answers,

he inspires readers to search for

themselves and grow in their knowledge

of God and His Word. This book

is valuable for people in all walks of

life, and I highly recommend it for libraries.

EMBRACING YOUR FREEDOM: A

Personal Experience of God’s Heart

for Justice

by Susie Larson

Moody, 978-0-8024-5280-1, PB, 288

pages, $13.99

Larson demonstrates the necessity

of freedom in a Christian’s life. She

uses personal illustrations to empha-

But what do the first two matter when tragedy strikes? Illness and death are explored through the eyes of Kate as she gives a first-person account of her feelings regarding her mother’s cancer. The lesson she learns—how God loves and protects us even during our darkest hours—though somewhat rushed and convoluted, shines through strongly by the end. Written by an experienced storyteller and poet, this book is appropriate for its juvenile readers, in spite of the heavy themes. This simple, quick story gets at the heart of the never-ending dilemma: how a good God can allow bad things to happen. The result is a book that young readers, especially baseball players or writers, are sure to enjoy. ALN Christian Education Drama SERIES UPDATES Program Builder compiled by Kim Messer Lillenas, 978-0-8341-7759-8, $5.99 Mother’s & Father’s Day Program Builder No. 12 Worship Creatively Lillenas, 978-0-8341-7753-6, $19.99 Lent & Easter compiled by Kim Messer 20 20 Church Libraries • Spring 2010 B B O O O O K K R R E E V V I I E E W W S S Christian Living CHOOSING GRATITUDE: Your Journey to Joy by Nancy Leigh DeMoss Moody, 978-0-8024-3252-0, HB, 235 pages, $17.99 That Thanksgiving puts us in God’s living room is one theme of this book. DeMoss, radio teacher on Revive Our Hearts, emphasizes the point that giving gratitude to the Lord is an essential part of being a believer. She intricately explains the reasons a Christian should continually be thankful to God regarding health, family life, education, careers, and friends; and she offers many examples to illustrate her points. Choosing Gratitude is a strongly written book that allows readers to evaluate their lives and levels of thankfulness toward the Lord. The author does a tremendous job of pulling in personal testimonies and stories from a wide variety of people, some well known, some not. The topic applies to both men and women; however, it probably will appeal more to women. Overall, this is a book that faces reality head on, while at the same time offers hope to the reader. MY CROSSTALK: Where Life and Scripture Meet by Michael R. Emlet New Growth, 978-1-935273-12-7, PB, 212 pages, $15.99 What exactly should you say to a friend who asks for advice about her marriage? How do you respond to a loved one who has lost his job? Emlet shows Christians how to avoid giving pat answers in situations like these by connecting the Bible to people’s lives. He examines what the Bible primarily is—God’s revelation of Himself to His people—and what it primarily is not— principles, colorful characters, and a system of doctrines. In addition, he discusses a model to use in counseling people. Counselor Emlet writes skillfully about the interpretive process of the Bible and its application to lives, but readers will not receive a comprehensive lesson on the psychology of people. On the other hand, the book is often too extensive, especially for readers who are not trained in theology and counseling. Still, pastors, counselorsin-training, and clinical practitioners will find CrossTalk to be a stimulating and useful book. JCH DUG DOWN DEEP by Joshua Harris Multnomah, 978-0-7642-0673-3, 240 pages, HB, $19.99 Words like doctrine and orthodoxy may not appeal to Christians today, but Harris reveals the importance of realizing that what you believe about God will determine how you live your life. Rather than dwell on issues that divide the church, he focuses on beliefs that Christians have held throughout the centuries and continue to be true for all of us today. In a conversational style reminiscent of Donald Miller, pastor Harris takes readers on his own journey of rediscovering the vitality and relevance of biblical teaching. Instead of claiming to have the answers, he inspires readers to search for themselves and grow in their knowledge of God and His Word. This book is valuable for people in all walks of life, and I highly recommend it for libraries. AW EMBRACING YOUR FREEDOM: A Personal Experience of God’s Heart for Justice by Susie Larson Moody, 978-0-8024-5280-1, PB, 288 pages, $13.99 Larson demonstrates the necessity of freedom in a Christian’s life. She uses personal illustrations to empha-

size awareness of our own spiritual freedom and a yearning for the freedom of those still bound by physical and spiritual slavery today. She offers insightful, biblical references to freedom in combination with daily prayers and study questions that guide female readers through an intense personal examination and urge them to seize freedom for their souls. Larson, a freelance writer, consistently supports the International Justice Mission, an organization she champions throughout the book. This powerful and practical guide would be an excellent study book for a women’s group intending to reach out to communities or countries in need, as well as women who have been victims of spiritual or physical slavery. NM THE GOSPEL-DRIVEN LIFE: Being Good News People in a Bad News World by Michael Horton Baker, 978-0-8010-1319-5, HB, 271 pages, $19.99 The back cover asks, “When did the Good News become just good advice?” In answer, Horton investigates many beliefs we hold about Christianity and God; and he gives hope and advice on how to live as we should. This book is challenging, having a SERIES UPDATES The Ancient Practices Series Nelson, 978-0-8499-0095-2, $17.99 Tithing: Test Me in This compiled by Douglas LeBlanc The Apprentice Series by James Bryan Smith InterVarsity, 978-0-8308-3532- 4, $22 The Good and Beautiful Life: Putting on the Character of Christ B B O O O O K K R R E E V V I I E E W W S S lot of heavy content and requiring deep thinking. Horton gives the analogy of a newspaper where the gospel should be front-page news instead of a vehicle for information about our lives. He explains what salvation is and isn’t, always backing up what he says with Scripture and writings of other theologians. While reading and understanding the content may seem daunting, the lessons learned are invaluable and can set us on the right track to understanding the grace of God’s salvation and how we can worship Him and not ourselves. MM IF GOD IS GOOD: Faith in the Midst of Suffering and Evil by Randy Alcorn Multnomah, 978-1-60142-132-6, HB, 512 pages, $24.99 Almost every Christian has experienced times of suffering and asked, “How could God let this happen?” Alcorn, director of Eternal Perspective Ministries, gives several different perspectives on this question and explores the theological issues it raises. Although he states that he doesn’t intend to give all the answers, he discusses the problems of suffering and evil in light of the effects of the Fall, eternity as the ultimate hope of justice, purpose and hope in the midst of suffering, and the agony of the ultimate sufferer: Jesus Christ. Because of the wide range of heavy topics he discusses, e.g., predestination, free will, God’s omnipotence, and hell, readers will find the detailed table of contents and index helpful. Alcorn’s primary source is the Bible, though he also supports his arguments with logic, personal and anecdotal examples, and insights from historic Christian thinkers. Though there are sections where he addresses atheistic objections, most of the book is geared toward a Christian audience. If God is Good is a poignant, thoughtful look at one of the most challenging obstacles to belief, as well as a confirmation of God’s character and ultimate purpose for believers. ALG KEEPING YOUR COOL … WHEN YOUR ANGER IS HOT by June Hunt Harvest House, 978-0-7369-2424-5, PB, 296, $12.99 Anger is a common problem, even among Christians. Thus Hunt, a counselor and radio host, has written a readable and practical handbook for anyone who has ever struggled with anger or angry people. Issues include sources of anger, triggers, buried anger, responding to angry people, and channeling anger in a positive way. Not your typical, guilt-inducing lecture, this book includes multiple examples from Hunt’s past and her counseling of individuals, including transcripts of actual conversations that demonstrate effective ways to encourage a change in angry thoughts and behaviors. Chapter-ending parables about firerelated topics provide unique insights. Hunt’s teaching is affirming and solidly scriptural, frequently demonstrating how passages have been incorrectly used to excuse angry behavior. She thoroughly covers all sides of anger with the clearest, most practical insight and instruction of any self-help book. The chapters on unresolved anger and domestic abuse are priceless. Best for adults, but teens could learn a lot from it too. Especially recommended for youth leaders, teachers, pastors, and counselors. SC LET GOD TALK TO YOU: When You Hear Him, You Will Never Be the Same by Becky Tirabassi Bethany, 978-0-7642-0673-3, HB, 195 pages, $17.99 From the outset, Tirabassi makes it clear that God yearns to speak with us if we are willing to listen. She covers not only how to have a conversation with God, but also how to live in conversation with the Lord. Chapters ad- Church Libraries • Spring 2010 21 21