I've Seen the End of You: A Neurosurgeon's Look at Faith, Doubt, and the Things We Think We Know by W. Lee Warren, MD

I've Seen the End of You is a fascinating look into the life and faith of a neurosurgeon, US Army veteran, writer, husband and father.  Obviously he is a brilliant man, but like most of us ordinary folk, has had struggles and trials in both his work and his personal life. This book tells not only his story, but the stories of several of his patients, all diagnosed with brain cancer or other brain trauma.

In the Prologue, Dr. Warren summarizes the book so well: "I used to look at my patients' brain scans, see the glioblastoma [a fatal form of cancer] I knew would ravage their minds and destroy their lives in the coming months, and say to myself, I've seen the end of you. But in the aftermath of war, divorce, rebuilding, and then unimaginable loss in my personal life, I realized I was standing at the deathbed of my shattered faith.

I'd seen the end of me too.

So I faced the greatest surgical challenge of my life: stitching together fatal cancers, dying children, and Christian cliches to heal the faith I'd lost and hoped to resurrect in some unforeseen new form.

What happens when our messy lives mess with what we think we believe?"

What happens when our messy lives mess with what we think we believe is that we have a choice to make.  We can either turn away from God or turn toward him.  Dr. Warren chooses the latter and finds a renewed faith.  As he says near the end of the book, "Faith, my friend, is being able to look for hope even when it seems impossible to find.  Faith is hope waiting for tomorrow."  Because God already knows what tomorrow holds and he will be there to hold us in the midst of whatever it brings.
If you too struggle with your faith.  If you too are living with trials or have been through a war of any sort.  If you have experienced loss or brokenness, you will find hope for your own tomorrow in I've Seen the End of You. 

Free to Believe: The Battle over Religious Liberty in America by Luke Goodrich

I was not at all certain that I would like this book, but I must say I really did!  Honestly, Luke Goodrich had me already engrossed in the Introduction.  He began by telling a story and it is my favorite kind of story, a true story.  It is the story of a small Christian school in Michigan (which is my home state so of course that made it even more interesting to me).  The school had a fourth grade teacher who became ill so the school had to hire a replacement for her.  The teacher got better  but the school felt it wasn't right to fire the replacement and asked give the first teacher her job back. She demanded they hire her and threatened to sue.  The school was upset at the teacher's behavior and after failed reconciliation, they fired her.  The teacher did ultimately sue the school and the case ended up going all the way to the Supreme Court. The case stands as crucial standard in religious freedom cases.  Riveting stuff and Free to Believe is full of stories like it.

Author Luke Goodrich is an attorney with the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty and has tried may Supreme Court cases.  He is a frequent guest on TV shows and in newspapers and magazines where he discusses religious freedom.  Although he is obviously highly educated and intelligent, he is able to make the law relevant and interesting to a casual reader.  He gives many examples of real cases and explains the repercussions of each case.

But more than just telling stories about legal cases, Goodrich details why religious freedom is so important in the United States and why Christians should care about it.  He has great ideas on how Christians can respond to threats to their religious rights and presents solid Biblical arguments for those responses.

If you are interested in the current battles going on in the US over gay rights, abortion rights, Muslim law, or religious discrimination, then you'll certainly be fascinated by this book, as I was.  

Becoming Us: Using the Enneagram to Create a Gospel-Centered Marriage by Beth McCord and Jeff McCord

If you're curious about the Enneagram, are looking for new material on the Enneagram, or have never heard of the Enneagram and just want to help grow your marriage, Becoming Us is just the book you're looking for!  Enneagram coach Beth McCord and her husband Pastor Jeff McCord have put together a wonderful, easy to use resource for anyone who wants practical steps and tools to better understand themselves, their spouse, or really anyone they have a relationship with (friends, parents, children, co-workers, etc).

The book is in two sections.  The first section details Beth and Jeff's own story and how the Enneagram helped their marriage.  They also share examples from friends whose lives and marriages have grown through learning about the Enneagram. The second section is what the authors call "an Enneagram Roadmap". It is a detailed guide of each Enneagram type (there are 9 total) that teaches the reader how to better understand him or herself and also how to better understand his or her spouse.

The first section gives a summary of the nine Enneagram types and what the core fear, desire, weakness, and longing of each is.   It describes each type in detail, working from the core belief that each type equally reflects God's glory and creativity when it is emotionally and spiritually healthy and living in alignment with the Gospel.  This section also discusses the layers of the Enneagram, including triads and wings.  Don't worry about all these terms, they are thoroughly explained in the book.

The second section, the Enneagram Roadmap,  is divided into two parts: Understanding Me and Understanding Them.  It teaches how to understand your spouse (or other person you are in relationship with) better, how to recognize their behavior tendencies, their core motivations, and their communication and conflict styles.  The main focus of this section is how you can best understand and love each other.

Beth and Jeff''s desire is for every marriage and every relationship to be thriving and Gospel-centered.  Their mission is "for people to see themselves with astonishing clarity so they can break free from self-condemnation, fear and shame by knowing and experiencing the unconditional love, forgiveness, and freedom in Christ."

I am most impressed with the McCords and the work they put into this highly researched, well laid out book and I highly recommend it!

Jesus in Me: Experiencing the Holy Spirit as a Constant Companion by Anne Graham Lotz

Jesus in Me is a rich, full read.  I found that I needed time to read it and space to process it.  It is deep and profound, a true treasure for any Christian who wants to learn more about how to tap into the power of the Holy Spirit.

I knew of the author, Anne Graham Lotz, Billy Graham's daughter, but had not read much of her writing previously.  She is indeed a talented author.  Anne herself admits that she is not highly educated, but God has certainly bestowed her with a gift to communicate Biblical teaching effectively.  Her theology is deep, yet it is easily understood.  Mrs. Lotz simply shares what she herself has learned through intensive study of Scripture and the revelation of God in her own life about the person, character and work of the Holy Spirit.  And she does it very well.

My favorite part of Jesus in Me is all the personal stories Anne tells to illustrate how the Holy Spirit has worked and is working in her own life.  She is not afraid or ashamed to share her own struggles and trials and how the Spirit helped her through them. Anne Graham Lotz writes of the death of her beloved parents and husband.  The pain of infertility and her battle with breast cancer. I love an author who is authentic and transparent, and Graham Lotz is both.

I have been a believer for many years, yet I found much new and relevant content within this book.  Whether you too have followed Jesus for a long time or whether you are a brand new Christian, Anne will open your eyes to all that the Holy Spirit is and does.  As she writes in the book's introduction: "He is Jesus without skin.  Just as Jesus is the exact representation of God the Father, the Spirit is the exact representation of Jesus' mind, will, and emotions.  He is the invisible Jesus.  The Holy Spirit is...Jesus in me!"

I received an uncorrected proof of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Dear Grandchild, This is Me: A Gift of Stories, Wisdom, and Off-the-Record Tales

Dear Grandchild, This is Me is beautiful in every way.  First off it is a gorgeous hard cover book with a textured, almost linen-like feel that will surely stand up to many readings by young children.  The inside pages are just as lovely, even the fly leaf is a pretty print. It's a true delight to flip through them and imagine my (future) grandchildren listening to my story being read to them or discovering it for themselves when they know how to read.

The book starts off with instructions and inspiration for the grandparent.  It suggests what kinds of stories your grandchildren might be interested in, prompts ideas on what to share and even gives permission to skip any parts that you feel don't pertain to you.  Then the very first page of this invaluable gift is space for a letter to your grandchild introducing yourself (great for a long distance grandparent) or stating what prompted you to write this book for them.

After the introduction are sections about your birth, childhood, family memories and school days.  Interspersed in the pages are inspirational quotes and Scriptures passages.  Some of my favorite questions/prompts from this section are: Why was your name chosen? How would you describe your mom and dad? What is the first major world event that you remember?  For me that would be the first moon landing!  At the end of each section are spaces for photographs and an envelope for your grandchild to open when they reach a special milestone in their own life.

The sections that follow include what path you followed after school--college or career?  Military service?  Marriage? Your wedding and honeymoon, stories of when you started your family. I love the section that is a map of both the United States and the world for you to color the places you've visited.

I could go on and on, but truly this is a book you must see for yourself!  It is filled with surprises and thoughtful ways to share your own memories and wisdom with your grandchildren.  I only wish I had such a treasure from my own grandparents.

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. 

Something Needs to Change: A Call to Make Your Life Count in a World of Urgent Need by David Platt

Pastor David Platt saw firsthand the need for change when he went on a week-long trek in the Himalayan Mountains. Change in his own heart and mind, change in his family, change in his church and in the Church.  In those rugged, remote mountains he encountered desperate need.  This was heart-rending need like he had never seen before: tremendous physical need, yes, but even more importantly, overwhelming spiritual need.

As you might imagine, that kind of need raised many questions for Platt.  He found himself wrestling with God over them, struggling to sense God's presence in the face of extreme poverty, suffering, and spiritual darkness. By the end of the week, he was turned inside out and he knew, without a doubt, that he had been forever changed.

Journey along with David Platt to remote villages along treacherous mountain paths.  Experience extreme cold, magnificent scenery, and new food (butter tea with yak milk anyone?).  Meet villagers who welcomed Platt and those who spat on him.  Talk with Buddhists, Christians, Tribal militants and Devil worshipers.  Hear the stories of the blind, the diseased, the abused, the trafficked. See the desperate, the yearning, the hungry. But be warned, once you hear and see, you too may be forever changed.  You too may hear God's call to use your life to bring his hope to the hopeless.

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

May It Be So: Forty Days with the Lord's Prayer by Justin McRoberts & Scott Erickson

I love the concept of May It Be So, but I am not so sure about the execution.  May it be so is the meaning of the word Amen and I think that's a cool title for a book about the Lord's Prayer.  This book is a prayer guide to the Lord's Prayer from Luke 11. 

When Jesus taught his disciples (and us) to pray by giving them the Lord's Prayer, he said, "This is HOW (emphasis mine) to pray."  He didn't say this is WHAT to pray.  So, he didn't mean we must pray those exact words but use the ideas/concepts in it to pray.  May It Be So guides the reader through the phrases in the Lord's Prayer day by day.  It is intended to help him or her slow down and focus on what Jesus is intending, to really ponder and think through the prayer--very helpful in our often frantic and fast-paced world.  The guided prayers are short, just one sentence, so they are easily remembered as you go through your day. 

The book also features a longer meditation for each phrase of the prayer, designed to help the reader dig a little deeper into its meaning.  Each meditation ends with some Pause and Reflect questions, ways to apply the prayer to yourself.  For example, in the section on the phrase, "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors", author Justin McRoberts poses these questions: "What does forgiveness look like?"  "Have you offered it?" "What would need to happen in order for you to do so?"  Good stuff there.

The part of the book that I didn't care as much for is the contemplative imagery by Scott Erickson.  Now, there is nothing wrong with his art.  It's very good, a million times better than anything I could do.  It's not offensive or theologically erroneous.  I'm sure it will speak to many, but not much to me.  I just don't really get it.  I'm not very artistic, I guess. 

If you're looking to dive deeper into the Lord's Prayer and especially if imagery moves you, this is the perfect devotional for you.    I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. 

Shades of Light by Sharon Garlough Brown

I am a huge fan of Sharon Garlough Brown.  I devoured her Sensible Shoes series, loving the fact that they are novels, yet contain such rich spiritual truths.  They stretched me and grew me in wonderful ways.  So it was with great anticipation that I joined the launch team for Sharon's newest book, Shades of Light. Because I am part of the launch team, I received an advance copy of the book  from the publisher in return for my honest review.


Shades of Light is not part of the Sensible Shoes series, yet some of the characters from that series appear in the book, much to my delight. This book is more topical than Sharon's other books.  This book deals with mental illness, specifically depression and anxiety.  A heavy topic to be sure, but one that most surely touches the life of virtually every reader in one shape or form.

Sharon Garlough Brown is a deep thinker and really brings her characters to life, getting inside their heads and hearts.   The two main characters in Shades of Light are Wren, a young woman who deals with both depression and anxiety, and Jamie, Wren's mother who has the difficult task of loving someone who is mentally ill.  Sharon helps the reader see the world through the eyes of both daughter and mother.  I am quite certain that you will be able to identify with one or the other or perhaps both.

If you love someone who struggles with mental illness, you will grow through experiencing life with Wren, who wants to be well but is not.  Who wants to trust and believe that God can heal her but has not yet done so.  Who wants to be an independent, healthy person but who often needs help from others in order to function.

I personally identified most with the mother, Jamie.  Jamie struggles with how to best love and support her daughter without enabling her or smothering her.  She most definitely does not always understand Wren, but she longs to.  Jamie also wrestles with her own guilt: should I have made different choices while raising her?  Are her problems my fault?  How do I balance helping her while not neglecting the rest of my family? And perhaps the biggest question of all: Why God?

Wren is inspired by the art and writings of Vincent VanGogh, so learning about his life was new and fascinating for me.  Van Gogh suffered from depression for years, yet he created beauty in his art that has endured the test of time. It was very emotional to view life through his eyes and from Wren's.  Mental illness is often misunderstood by the Christian community.  That was certainly true in VanGoh's day and sadly is still true today.

This book teaches much about suffering and the importance of finding community in suffering.   God never wants us to suffer alone, he is always with us, yet he also loves to see us surrounded by others who will walk alongside us in suffering.  And that is a beautiful thing, the body of Christ as it is intended to be.

I have much to process yet about this book and look forward to reading it again when the book is released to the public and I receive my pre-ordered copy. I highly recommend getting one for yourself as well!

Core 52: A Fifteen-Minute Daily Guide to Build Your Bible IQ in a Year by Mark E. Moore

Pastor and Bible teacher, Mark Moore, has written a great tool for all Christians, new and mature.  Core 52 is a year-long guide to the Bible.  It enables a new Christian to get a good grasp and overview of the Bible and the mature Christian to grow deeper in their understanding of the Bible.  For all Christians it is a one-stop-shop for memorizing key Scripture passages and a practical daily devotional. 

Core 52 is divided into, you guessed it, 52 weeks.  Each week starts out with a question such as Why am I here or Who do you say Jesus is or How can I reduce worry?  Great questions!  Then Moore proceeds to answer that week's question with solid Biblical essay (teaching), about 5-6 pages long.  He ends each essay with several Key Points to summarize it and help the reader remember it.

Day 2 of each week is memorizing a Bible verse that is a core text for that week's topic.  Day 3 is reading another passage from the Bible that helps illustrate that week's text.  Day 4 is meditating on (thinking about) 3 more Bible passages that connect to the first.  Day 5 is a call to action, a step to take to put that week's lesson into action. Finally, Pastor Mark gives an "Overachiever Challenge" for those who want to take it even further, with an additional Scripture to memorize and a "Bonus Read" in the form of helpful book to read by another author. His intent is that each day would take about 15 minutes.

Each lesson builds on the previous and takes the reader all the way through the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation.  If he or she is faithful to complete the entire year, they would have a great overview of the Scriptures and a wonderful framework for understanding God's Word.  I obviously did not go through every lesson yet, but as I skimmed through the book and read several of them, I especially enjoyed  "Election and Predestination", "Baptism" and "Overwhelming Worry".

I received an uncorrected proof of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

The Jesus Who Surprises: Opening Our Eyes to His Presence in All of Life and Scripture

The Jesus Who Surprises is a wonderfully complete Bible study .  It includes not only 6 weeks of Bible study, with lessons for 5 days each week but also lots of supplemental material.  Each week's lesson begins with a teaching from the author, Bible teacher Dee Brestin.  There is also an optional video testimony on Dee's website for each week as well as a suggested sermons on YouTube from well-known pastors such as Tim Keller and R.C. Sproul for those who want to take an even deeper dive into the material. 

Dee starts the book off with a chapter on how to use the book and study and even includes an optional Get-Acquainted study for groups who want to schedule that before they jump right into the study.  She ends the book with more extra material for leaders or group facilitators. Brestin even gives different ideas for a group prayer time each week. Really, this book includes both a leader's and member's manual right in one handy package.

But all that is just pretty packaging if the study isn't solid.  No fear with that here!  This is good stuff!  I love the topic: opening our eyes to the presence of Jesus in all of life and Scripture.  I'll talk about the Scripture aspect first.  The main passage for this study is from Luke 24, where Jesus appears on the Emmaus Road after his resurrection to 2 disciples.  They don't recognize him at first so he breaks down the Old Testament to them, showing them passage by passage how he is the Messiah. Dee also takes us through the Bible, passage by passage, showing us Jesus.  First in the first 5 books of the Bible, then in the Psalms and Isaiah. 

At the same time, Brestin teaches us to look for Jesus in all of our own lives with a method called God Hunt, intentionally looking for signs of Jesus in our everyday lives. This is a concept I learned and practiced years ago through a Bible study by Karen Mains.  It was a gift to me then and I'm certain would be a blessing again.

I have not yet done this study with a group, but am excited to do so.  There is some wonderful, substantial Biblical teaching here that I am certain would enrich the lives of those who commit to the study.  I did receive an Advanced Readers Copy of this book from the publisher in return for my honest review.

Hearing God: Eliminate Myths. Encounter Meaning. by Nathan Finochio

Hearing God is for those who don't hear God or aren't sure if they hear God or for those who doubt that God still speaks.  Nathan Finochio, a teaching pastor at Hillsong New York City, addresses six common reasons why a person might not be hearing God.  Each reason or myth, as Finochio calls them, comes with real-life examples, Scripture backup and then a succinct point to remember.

This is such a great quote from the end of the first chapter that I think sums up the book very well: "I'm telling you that God, by the Holy Spirit, is speaking His formative words over you from so many angles, but you're just not hearing them yet (emphasis mine).  You will, though.  You'll recognize His patterns.  You'll learn His language. You'll figure this out, and you'll grow.

Maybe what we need to do is lean in.  Draw close.  Ask the Holy Spirit to draw us to Himself, to show us who we are in Him.  And then listen when we need to listen and speak when we need to speak.

Just like in a conversation."

One of the best parts of Finochio's style for me is his sense of humor.  This is obviously a serious topic, but the way he injects humor makes it so much more readable and pleasurable.  I also appreciate the last chapter of the book, which gives response ideas for each of the six myths.  The ideas are short, easy to implement ways to overcome your own obstacles to hearing God and to move into deeper relationship with Him.

I received an uncorrected proof of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. 

Eat Live Thrive Diet: A Lifestyle Plan to Rev Up Your Midlife Metabolism by Danna Demetre and Robyn Thomson

Being a middle-aged woman, I was very interested to read Eat Live Thrive Diet and was fortunate to receive a copy from the publisher in return for my honest review.  The cover of this book is very eye-catching.  The authors, Danna Demetre and Robyn Thomson, are featured in sleeveless tops.  They are both 55+ and look really great. I really enjoyed reading both of their stories and how they had struggled with weight, body image and health issues.  Danna and Robyn are both Christians and weave Scripture and Biblical principles throughout their book, which I appreciated.

This book lays out a great plan for changing your lifestyle: diet, exercise, sleep, and body image.  Danna and Robyn use proven principles that have worked for them personally.  They suggest modifications along the way for those with limitations or special circumstances and have lots of FAQ's.  The Diet really is well thought out and thorough.

All that being said, I have not really attempted the program myself.  I lost 35 pounds on Weight Watchers 2 years ago and don't really need to lose weight.  However, there is still plenty of great material in the book that I could use.  There are delicious-sounding recipes, exercise tips, nutrition advice and  suggestions for an over healthy lifestyle that would make the book more than worthwhile. 

If you too are a middle-aged woman who is looking to improve her health and well-being, I would definitely suggest checking out Eat Live Thrive Diet!

American Omens: The Coming Fight for Faith by Travis Thrasher

American Omens: The Coming Fight for Faith is not the type of book I would normally read but since I had the opportunity to receive a copy from the publisher, I decided to give it a go.  And surprise!  I loved it; it was a true page turner! 



This fascinating read is a fiction thriller, but the premise is sadly not at all hard to imagine.   Author Travis Thrasher spins an exciting tale where he imagines a future in the United States where churches and Christians have been forced underground due to laws that declare it to be a religion of hate.

One of the most enjoyable aspects for me personally was that this book was partially set in the Midwest and several times referred to West Michigan where I live.  I really got a kick out of that!

 I also appreciated that the characters were genuine people, not just happy shiny pollyanna-like Christians.  The believers I know, myself included, sometimes struggle with their faith, are angry at God, and have a hard time trusting his sovereignty. Those are the kinds of characters I relate to and those are the kinds of characters in American Omens.

 If you enjoy suspense, adventure and a bit of futuristic fantasy, you'll enjoy this book as I did.