His Steadfast Love - A Moving Tale

Tuesday, November 22, 2011 Vishaal 0 Comments

Amanda Belle is a lady of Southern upbringing, charged with caring for younger
siblings after losing her mother. Kent Littlefield is a Union army officer, quickly rising in rank. The two meet just before the Civil War and quickly fall in love. However, when the war starts, Kent must take his place in the Northern army - taking him away from the woman he loves. Amanda's own brother soon joins the Southern Rebel army - tearing her allegiances: family and slavery; or true love and freedom? When the war ends, will Kent come for Amanda and win the blessings of both families for marriage? What will become of Amanda's brother, her siblings, and her convictions?

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Max on Life: The Book Review

Saturday, November 19, 2011 Vishaal 0 Comments


If you've read Max Lucado before, you know he has a unique, simplistic and descriptive style of writing. This helped to keep my attention as I read, but I still felt like the format got monotonous. It was difficult for me to keep jumping from question to question, topic to topic. My suggestion is to not read it straight through, but read "popcorn style" - jump around throughout the book sampling his thoughts on a variety of topics. There is also a handy topic and Scripture index to help you find direct help when you know what you're looking for.

The questions are very relatable. I have asked many of them myself. You probably have too. Sometimes I was satisfied with Max's answer but other times I felt like the answers were round-a-bout or politically indirect.

Here are a few sample questions:
#62. Why should we pray for help when God already has a plan? He's going to do His will anyway, so what difference does it make when we ask for healing for a friend, family member, or pet? Does prayer really change anything, or was the outcome already in God's plan?

#100. Some people say that being gay is a sin, and others say that it's okay if the person loves God. So does God hate homosexuals? Also, are the commandments in the Bible archaic, speaking more of the culture of that time and not necessarily ours today?

#128. Our family is exhausted. We run from one event to the next. How do we slow down?

#167. What of the people who never heard of God? How can God judge them for what they do not know?

Max On Life - Mr. Lucado takes the time to answers letters he has received over the years. He gives the reader insight on many problems they may be dealing with in their lives. I think it is a great book to have in your collection. Sometimes life problems can send us scrambling for answers... Max Lucado shows us GOD words are all the COMFORT we need.

What shines through each page is how pastoral these answers are. They are not the discourses of one theologian to another, nor are they simply feel-good self-help mantras. They are ordinary answers targeted to ordinary people, gentle, kind, soaked in Biblical wisdom, always looking to God's love & grace. Even though you probably will think, "Yes, I knew that..." at each answer, Lucado's way with words will cause you to pause, reflect, and see the truth just a bit more clearly.

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The Final Summit - Not Quite the Finale

Saturday, November 19, 2011 Vishaal 0 Comments


Summary: Mankind has become a quickly corrupted society and they are on the verge of complete annihilation. They have veered from being a productive, successful society and God has decided that if they do not change they will be destroyed. David Ponder, our hero, is one of the Travelers, a group of people selected to travel through time, many guided by archangel Gabriel, and he is selected along with the other Travelers to meet at the final summit, where a solution must be reached that will bring humanity back to being a successful civilization. What's the catch? They only have five tries.

Truth is, I did not find this work "great" or "classic". I did find it basically entertaining and a quick read. It's not heady or confounding; unfortunately it's not particularly deep, subtle, or complex either. Whereas it did offer an invitation to reflect, the content was not what I personally would consider meaty or profound. I have to believe that it was intended to be an every-man's book of inspiration...and I do mean every MAN. It has a decidedly masculine take on the world. Lots of warriors, football coaches, and politicians among his "wise" assemblage.

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A Year with God - Seems a long time

Saturday, November 19, 2011 Vishaal 0 Comments

This book is a daily Bible devotional based on the words of God from the Old
Testament. It is organized into sections such as Hope & Fear, Love & Hate, and Faith & Doubt. Each day lists a section of scripture that includes God's words to his people followed by a short reflection on this passage from the author.

As far as content, however, this book was only okay. The author uses many different Bible translations throughout the book, and I felt as if he/she was picking and choosing translations to what would fit his/her musings the best. I also thought that many of the contemplations about the scriptures fell rather flat and were not very thought-provoking.
 

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Prakriti Ki Prayogshala - Hindi Book

Saturday, November 19, 2011 Vishaal 0 Comments

Title: Prakriti Ki Prayogshala (in Hindi).
Authors: Nikhil Mohan Patnayak and Pushpshri Patnayak.
Publishers: Vigyan Prasar, A-50, Institutional Area, Sector-62, Noida 201 307.
Year: 2008.
119 pp.
Price: Rs 85.


This book is a Hindi translation of the original book Exploring Nature in English. It has been translated and edited by B. K. Tyagi, Anurag Sharma and Navneet K. Gupta. This little treatise supplements the school education about nature, by training students in an informal setting.

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