I've read many books on World War II, some on World War I, but not many at all on the Vietnam War. Blaze of Light is a fascinating (and sometimes horrifying) memoir of the life of Green Beret Gary Beikirch. I enjoyed all the details in this book, it started with Gary's childhood and went all the way through present day. I felt that this really gave a deeper picture of who Gary is and what motivated him to first of all enlist in the army and then to go on to become a Green Beret medic in the US Special Forces.
The depictions of the war in Vietnam were disturbing to be sure. The blood shed and lives lost were astronomical. Gary was gravely injured while stationed as a medic in the village of Dak Seang. He was hospitalized for ten months, recovering from gunshot wounds, and an explosion that filled his body with shrapnel and ripped apart his stomach and intestines. He nearly bled to death, was paralyzed from the waist down and had an colostomy bag. He was in excruciating pain and unconscious much of the time, but it was while he was in the hospital that he met Jesus.
Gary's life didn't immediately change. He was not miraculously healed of his injuries. He still dealt with PTSD from the war. He still distrusted people and had anger issues, but the Lord was working in his life. God used many people, Gary's cousin and her husband, Gary's long-estranged father, a college professor and most of all Gary's wife, Lolly, to help heal his emotional wounds. God also used his own creation, the Appalachian wilderness as a place of spiritual healing for Gary.
If you like true stories of courage, adventure and overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles, you will definitely enjoy this book, as I did.
Saturday, March 21, 2020
Monday, March 9, 2020
Don't Forget to Remember by Ellie Holcomb
Don't Forget to Remember by Ellie Holcomb is such an adorable book! It is oversized, perfect for reading to the little one in your life. It's pages are thick, like a board book so it is sturdy and very well made.
The story line is about how every aspect of creation speaks to us of how much God loves us and will never forget us. The words are simple, yet beautiful. I like the rhythm and cadence of the words and so will the children you read it to.
The illustrator, Kayla Harren, has created gorgeous artwork on each and every page. The book is chock full of fun, colorful scenes, ranging from a meadow to a jungle to the ocean. There are both children and animals on each page. Children of every nationality and animals of every kind. There are many, many things to point out and talk about all throughout the book.
The only minus I would give this book is that there are no children with any sort of different ability. I would have loved to see a child with crutches or a wheelchair, a child with glasses or hearing aids, or a child with Down's Syndrome. Other than that, Don't Forget to Remember is a completely charming book and I would highly recommend it to parents or grandparents.
The story line is about how every aspect of creation speaks to us of how much God loves us and will never forget us. The words are simple, yet beautiful. I like the rhythm and cadence of the words and so will the children you read it to.
The illustrator, Kayla Harren, has created gorgeous artwork on each and every page. The book is chock full of fun, colorful scenes, ranging from a meadow to a jungle to the ocean. There are both children and animals on each page. Children of every nationality and animals of every kind. There are many, many things to point out and talk about all throughout the book.
The only minus I would give this book is that there are no children with any sort of different ability. I would have loved to see a child with crutches or a wheelchair, a child with glasses or hearing aids, or a child with Down's Syndrome. Other than that, Don't Forget to Remember is a completely charming book and I would highly recommend it to parents or grandparents.
Sunday, February 16, 2020
Isaiah's Legacy: A Novel of Prophets and Kings by Mesu Andrews
I am a big fan of Mesu Andrews! I love Biblical fiction and I think she is one of the best authors that writes it. I very much enjoyed her last book, Isaiah's Daughter and had been looking forward to Isaiah's Legacy. In the end, I did also enjoy Isaiah's Legacy, but I will say I wasn't sure for a while there that I could even finish it. I completely understand that sexual depravity, idolatry and witchcraft were common practices of the day, but I honestly could hardly bear reading about some of it. It was very disturbing and difficult to read about. I wish that the introduction had come with a warning of some of the subject matter.
So, if you are able to set that aside and not be too bothered by it, you will love this book. It is a wonderful story of redemption and the power of our God who never gives up on his lost children. I recently finished reading through the Bible and I must say that Isaiah's Legacy really brought fresh, new insights to Kings and Chronicles.
The life of Manasseh, who the Bible says did much evil in the sight of the Lord (2 Kings), is indeed fascinating, albeit horrifying. Manasseh reigned as king of the nation of Judah for 55 years and led his people to participate in idol worship, child sacrifice and many other abominable practices. If you haven't read about him, I will not spoil the ending for you but you can be assured that his life (and this book) are exciting indeed.
So, if you are able to set that aside and not be too bothered by it, you will love this book. It is a wonderful story of redemption and the power of our God who never gives up on his lost children. I recently finished reading through the Bible and I must say that Isaiah's Legacy really brought fresh, new insights to Kings and Chronicles.
The life of Manasseh, who the Bible says did much evil in the sight of the Lord (2 Kings), is indeed fascinating, albeit horrifying. Manasseh reigned as king of the nation of Judah for 55 years and led his people to participate in idol worship, child sacrifice and many other abominable practices. If you haven't read about him, I will not spoil the ending for you but you can be assured that his life (and this book) are exciting indeed.
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
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.
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.
Wednesday, November 6, 2019
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.
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.
Monday, September 30, 2019
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!
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!
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
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.
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.
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