Four books I finished in April: Book Reviews and Recommendations

Here are a few great books I finished this month.

The Last Arrow by Erwin McManus

Rating: 10/10

Review: This book was so good that once I started, I could barely put it down. Erwin shares one phenomenal story after another, connecting what God teaches in the Bible to real people putting that into action, and the POWER that action has had in their lives. Here are a few of my favorite points from the book:

1. You need to act like your life depends on it because it’s never just your life involved. The world desperately needs everything you can bring to the table.
2. Don’t allow your weakness to define who you are.    
3. You will never sustain greatness or fulfill your God-given calling if you see people as an obstacle to your destiny rather than as essential to fulfilling God’s purpose in your life. An old African saying: If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. We are more powerful when we walk together, and we are more vulnerable when we walk alone.    
4. Fear is like a leprosy that eats away at us. Fear will lead us to build fortresses that look like security and safety. Fear convinces us that we have locked out the dangers, but it hasn’t locked the world out at all. Instead, fear has trapped us inside. It was never a fortress, it was a prison.
5. I do not believe anyone is born average but I do believe that many of us choose to live a life of mediocrity. To be above average demands a choice. Average is a safe choice and it’s the most dangerous choice we can make.
6.  Do not lose sight of the fact that just because it’s time to move forward, the things in the past did not have great value for the time in your life. Appreciate the past, but live IN the present and FOR the future. 

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Home Front by Kristin Hannah

Rating: 5/10

Review: This is the story of a military family, the wife goes off to war and comes back with a missing leg and PSTD. I didn’t connect with the characters or find the story believable. I would recommend The Nightingale over this book! A much better story and excellent character development.

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Help Club for Moms: The Wise Woman Believes

Rating: 10/10

Review:  The Help Club for Mom’s Bible studies include mom tips, recipes, activities to do with your children, journaling pages, and practical devotions for mom. The book takes into consideration your home, children, faith, and marriage. The studies are uplifting and perfect for any mom.

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Remarkable by Brady Boyd

Rating: 10/10

Review: Brady Boyd has done it again with his masterful, engaging and meaningful writing. This is all about how Christ-followers can live ‘remarkable’ lives that make a positive difference in the world. Here are 5 things that stood out to me:

1. Every person is created in the image of God – regardless of color, creed, gender, socioeconomic status or citizenship. When you disagree with someone, ask: “Help me understand your perspective. What am I missing?” or “Tell me your story.”
2. Acceptance, kindness and forgiveness are the trifecta of a gracious life. “May we exude graciousness at every turn, remembering that we too, were lavished with grace. May we radiate the warmth and compassion of Jesus, who once took in our messiest messiness and said, ‘You are welcome here.'”
3. Inviting God into our painful places is when healing begins to seep in.
4. The first step in obtaining wisdom is admitting that I am not the source of wisdom. (Do I stop and seek God for wisdom before I make decisions or answer questions?)
5. Stay plugged in to the unparalleled power Source.

What are you reading?

Here are my favorite books for 2020

And my top ten from 2019