Heaven is for Real: Book Review

I received a complimentary copy of Heaven is for Real from Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for an unbiased review.
I am never the person that stays up all night reading a book, so when I read the glowing praise in the front of Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent, I didn't think anything of turning to the first chapter at 11 pm. I couldn't put the book down.
The nonfiction story begins when Colton Burpo, the author's son, had to have emergency surgery while still a toddler. After making it through some harrowing and prayer-filled nights, the family returned to normal. That is, until a few months later, when during a drive past the hospital where Colton had his surgery, he describes it as the place "where the angels sang to me."
Todd and his wife follow this enigmatic thread until it is revealed that Colton has other-worldly memories from when he was under an anesthetic during his surgery. In fact, his parents continue to question him over time and hear his descriptions of heaven -- seeing Jesus, meeting his great-grandfather, what the angels look like, and even describing events that are out of sync with the time-line of our universe.
I was fascinated by Colton's descriptions of Jesus and God, and even more intrigued by a few of the memories that stood out to him and that he repeated to his parents to stress the importance of their themes. I've thought a lot about some of the things Colton describes, some of the images have really stayed with me since I read the book. Whether or not Colton saw the real heaven, the book is gripping and you won't be able to put it down.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Voice New Testament: Book Review

I received a complimentary copy of The Voice New Testament from Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for an unbiased review.
As with The Message, The Voice is a terrific supplement to a more traditional translation of the Bible. It has a clearer interpretation of the scriptures in modern language, and I enjoyed reading passages side-by-side in The Voice and in my New American Standard translation.
The Voice refers to Jesus as "The Liberating King" which tickled me every time I read it. It really invokes a poetic image of Jesus that I never got from my other translations. In passages with a lot of dialogue between several people, The Voice prints the dialogue in a play format, which makes it really easy to follow and a quick read. There is also some commentary within the Chapters, with boxed-in text providing some facts about the author or the time period, or asking provoking questions of the reader, drawing us in. There were times I wasn't quite sure how I felt about the boxed-in information -- sometimes it was an interruption to what I was reading, but the informational boxes are easy enough to ignore and go back to at a later time.
Overall, I really enjoyed The Voice New Testament, and I highly recommend it as a supplemental study.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

What To Do When You Don't Know What To Do by Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend

I was happy to read and review this book after receiving a complimentary copy from Thomas Nelson Publishers. The aim of this book is to help people find answers to tough questions. The title really says it all: when you're at your wit's end and you're looking for answers, this book offers solutions to help you find your way. The authors tackles tough questions that I identify with, and I hoped to find some great, biblical answers in the pages.
I looked forward to reading a book by these inspiring men, who also penned the Boundaries books. I have to say, I finished the book a little disappointed. Certainly the book is well written and dives right in. The authors provide many colorful examples and stories that are encouraging and interesting. They outline 8 principles that will help readers in their troubles, like pray and seek counsel from wise friends.
I've been a Christian for my entire life, so these are things that I truly believe in and believe they help. But the title was telling me that I would learn what to do when I don't know what to do. I guess I set my expectations too high. It's not that I don't think that seasoned Christians don't need prayer or wise counsel. It's that I think that seasoned Christians have probably already tried this, and yet sometimes we still don't know what to do.
I think this book is certainly useful for all of us facing difficult decisions or rocky times in our lives, but I don't think it delivers on the promise of the title. I would recommend this book to new believers, but probably not to too many others.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”