5 Minutes with Jesus

This is a review of 5 Minutes with Jesus (Making Today Matter) by Sheila Walsh. It is a small book of 49 short essays. Each essay is followed by scripture passages that pertain to the essay. It will really only take about 5 minutes for you to read each one. The book is small enough to fit into your purse or carry-on bag if you travel.

I feel the author didn’t come up with anything new. Many of the essays are about her life and didn’t hit home with me. Her writing style is very average and I don’t feel terribly inspiring. I’ve read works by other authors that I found more interesting and enlightening. I do like the fact that the essays are short. Perfect for reading one a day and doing some reflecting.

I was disappointed that there is not a table of contents or index. So if you want to go back and find a particular essay you have to page through the book. (I’m not a fan of marking up books or adding flags.)

I have received a copy of this book to review from the Thomas Nelson book company. This opinion is my own.)

The Berenstain Bears Storybook Bible For Little Ones

This is a review of The Berenstain Bears Storybook Bible for Little Ones. It is a small board book with a bright cover of the Berenstain Bears reading their storybook bible. The cover is padded and the book seems to be very well made. The bible stories start on the inside cover and end on the back cover so there are no paper pages. 

There are 8 bible stories starting with the creation story. Noah, Daniel in the Lion’s Den, David and Goliath,the birth of Jesus, The Good Neighbor Story, Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and Jesus is risen are the others featured in this book. The characters in the stories are illustrated using the familiar Berenstain Bears style. 

 I wonder how the authors chose these particular Bible stories. I’m not sure that a story about someone being thrown into a den of hungry lions or a story about robbers beating up a stranger they come across are appropriate for the little ones this book is intended for. The story of Jesus coming into Jerusalem ends with the authors saying that the soldiers hurt Jesus but don’t say how. Then on the next page they tell us that Jesus died and was put into a tomb. Iwas glad they didn’t go into a lot of detail about the crucifixion. 

The book looks like it is made for toddlers but I think the content is more suited for 4-5 year olds. I think it would be a good book to take along to church to keep little ones entertained.

(I was given this book to review by HarperCollins Christian Publishing. All opinions are my own.)

Book Review--The Printer and the Preacher

This is a review of the book The Printer and the Preacher. It is a biography of Benjamin Franklin and George Whitfield. Benjamin Franklin is a well-known figure from American History and George Whitfield a lesser known preacher during Franklin’s time.

The author Randy Petersen tells about the friendship that developed between these two. Benjamin Franklin got to know George Whitfield as he printed Whitfield’s sermons. Whitfield preached in public spaces across the colonies. Whitfield in turn defended Franklin’s diplomacy.

I just wasn’t inspired by this account. Maybe it’s because I didn’t find his writing of Benjamin Franklin or George Whitfield to be all that interesting. You will get historical facts along with the story of their friendship. Some of the conversations between the two men are what Petersen imagines them to say. If you want more history and less entertainment this book might be for you.

Petersen does show that the two men with very different beliefs could get along, work together and sustain a life-long friendship. So it serves as a model that shows a friendship between two people of very different outlooks and disagreements can survive as long as there is mutual respect. 

(I was given this book to review by HarperCollins Christian Publishing. All opinions are my own.)

Book Review--The Undertaker's Wife

I just finished a delightful book called The Undertaker’s Wife. You wouldn’t think it would be delightful by the title but it is a very good read.This is a true story of Dee Oliver (who is also the author) and her husband Johnnie, the undertaker.

The book starts out telling us about how Dee and Johnnie met, dated and married. The book chronicles their 20+ years of marriage. You can imagine the stories Dee has to tell about being married to an undertaker. One of my favorites is the time they planned an overnight vacation just the two of them. It almost didn’t happen because of course Johnnie had work to do. To save the vacation, much to Dee’s dismay, Johnnie drove them to the hotel with the corpse in the back of the hearse. He had the valet park the vehicle way in the back of the hotel parking garage. Dee and Johnnie enjoyed their overnight stay and the next day Johnnie delivered the body to a nearby cemetery.

The rest of the book deals with life after Johnnie’s death. Dee actually goes back to school and earns her mortuary degree. Her brother-in-law doesn’t want her to join the family business so she finds work at a funeral home run by and for African Americans. 

Along the way Dee gives very practical tips on dying well,dealing with death and surviving the loss of a loved one. Her faith in God has helped her through all of her trials. 

(I was given this book to review by HarperCollins Christian Publishing. All opinions are my own.)

Devotions from the Garden

I just finished reading Devotions from the Garden: Finding Peace and Rest from Your Hurried Life with Miriam Drennan. This is an easy to read devotional based on comparing gardening to God working in our lives.

Being a gardener myself I found this book to be particularly interesting. I do think that even someone that was not a gardener would still enjoy reading it. I found that reading one or two a day was a good way to process the message in each devotional. (There are 90 total.) I like that each devotional started out with a scripture verse, had the comparison of gardening to life and ended with an appropriate prayer tying it all together.

Along with the meaningful words, the beautiful photographs added to the enjoyment of the book.There is also a ribbon to help mark your place in the book.

I would recommend this book especially to anyone that gardens but also to anyone who would just like a quick meaningful devotion to read each day. I found it to be a delightful way to start each day and to be a relaxing way to end the day.

(I was given this book to review by HarperCollins Christian Publishing. All opinions are my own.)

10 Ultimate Truths Girls Should Know

This is a review of the book 10 Ultimate Truths Girls Should Know by Kari Kampakis.  Being the grandmother of a “tween” granddaughter I thought maybe this was a book I should check out for her. 

I found this book to be more for older girls—in their teens. Topics covered include popularity, reputation, self-worship,inner beauty and interactions with boys. Particularly the chapter on boys I feel is written for older girls than my granddaughter who is 11. 

Some of the chapters include stories about girls (I took to be fictitious.) Other chapters have stories from Kari’s life. Woven through all is the message that you (the reader) are a child of God and part of HIs plan. In a few of the chapters there are discussion questions.

I wasn’t very impressed with this book. I think the topics are good but it’s written at a level for older teens who need to hear some of this stuff earlier. I don’t know that the readers would be real interested in Kari’s college life. I think that’s too far removed from their age. This might be better used as a resource for adults to generate discussions rather than a stand alone book given to teen girls.

(I was given this book to review by HarperCollins Christian Publishing. All opinions are my own.)