Hope for All Seasons: Encouragement from Our Daily Bread by Julie Ackerman Link

Print Length: 288 pages

• Publisher: Discovery House (April 20, 2017)
• Publication Date: April 20, 2017

Book description: Although God promised to be ever-present and faithful, some situations in life can be so overwhelming that they get in the way of our faith. Combining Scripture passages with brief meditations, Hope for All Seasons helps us with fresh point of view on reasons to put our trust in God, no matter what. Each selection reminds us that God will never fail—He will follow through on His Word, and He will not allow us to be consumed by the everyday challenges of life.

My thoughts: 

This was a lovely devotional, with the theme of hope in every offering. Ms. Link made use of extended scriptural passages, both from the Old Testament and the New, which I find more enjoyable than devotions that focus on a single verse. They were originally written for Our Daily Bread, but have now been collected in this volume as a spiritual legacy to Ms. Link, who went to be with the Lord in 2015. 

The book is divided into parts that deal with hope and time, life events, the seasons and life's difficult challenges. As someone who loves the changing seasons, I especially enjoyed the devotions that tied seasonal change with reasons to hope. 

For example, in the devotion entitled From Bleak to Hope, Mrs. Link references Job 42:10-17. She compares the coming of spring, and the transformation of what had seemed dead, but is now springing to life--to the second half of Job's life. 

"With God, there is hope, even in the most hopeless situation," she concludes. 

This book was given to me free by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Cling: Choosing a Lifestyle of Intimacy with God by Kim Cash Tate

Cling by Kim Cash Tate

• Print Length: 192 pages
• Publisher: Discovery House (February 28, 2017)

I'm always excited to read hot-off-the-press Christian nonfiction. Kim Cash Tate, who's written Christian fiction, has branched out into Christian nonfiction with this new book. In it, she highlights scriptures that command believers to cling to God: 

Deut. 10:20

Deut. 13:4

She then goes through familiar territory, writing about how we were created to cling, but separated ourselves from Him through the fall. She talks about Christ's mission to redeem us. 

Around 25% into the book, she finally launches into what it means to cling to God, choosing a lifestyle of intimacy with Him. 

Weaving personal stories, current events and especially Bible stories, she shows us people who have successfully clung to God. She uses many good illustrations (particularly the Biblical ones!), but I confess that after having read so much of the best of Christian nonfiction over the past couple of years, I didn't find much in this book that shed new light on scripture, or made me look at something differently. 

It was written well enough, but I didn't detect any flashes of sheer brilliance that made me sit back and think for a while about what she'd said. 

The only chapter that presented an idea that I hadn't come across in all my reading was the chapter entitled Healing from Immoral Clinging. 

It's a chapter on varieties of sexual sin, including premarital sex between believers. 

She then gives the reader reassurance that if we confess our sins (and walk away from them), God will, of course, forgive them.

The book came with a study guide at the end. I suspect that it will be used and enjoyed by home groups. It will deliver enough of what the group needs in order to make a good class, if not an astoundingly thought provoking one. And that's probably just fine. 

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  

Put Your Warrior Boots On: Walking Jesus Strong, Once and for All by Lisa Whittle

Put Your Warrior Boots On: Walking Jesus Strong, Once and for All by Lisa Whittle

Print Length: 242 pages

• Publisher: Harvest House Publishers (May 30, 2017)
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Given the frightening state of the world, Lisa Whittle exhorts us to become spiritual warriors ready to stand firm in any and every challenge. Brimming with passion for God and the call for all Christians to stop being lukewarm in their faith, she tells us how.  

And how do we put on our warrior boots and become, as she says, Jesus strong? We prepare ourselves, by knowing what we believe. In other words, we read the Word. Daily. That gives us the power to stand firm in our faith, even unto death. We prepare ourselves, by being ready to give our testimony to anyone and everyone. We prepare ourselves, by choosing God before all else. That means spending time with Him before family, church, careers, hobbies. We prepare ourselves, by following Him not just some days, but every day, forever. 

I’ve read a number of books on discipleship over the years. Kyle Idleman’s Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus comes closest in execution. But Kyle’s book does not pack the same punch. If you read Lisa’s book, that is full of illustrations, declarations, and marching orders, be prepared to become a warrior for God. Onward, Christian soldiers. 

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.