"Words That Heal" (Michael Ross and Brian Doyle)

TITLE: Words That Heal
AUTHOR: Michael Ross and Brian Doyle
PUBLISHER: Ulrichsville, OH: Barbour Publishing, 2015, (192 pages).

The tongue is one of the most powerful organs in a human being. Words can hurt, words can also heal. Words can be cruel. Words can also be loving. Realizing the way that words can affect our Christian witness, the Bible contains lots of reminders and wisdom about how we can use our tongues. Inspired by James 3:1-12, this book contains 40 stories covering four major segments of society: Church, Workplace, Family, and Community. Each story brings out the best of what we can do with our words. Through stories, readers enter into the journey of healing. Through steps, readers learn of practical ways to apply the biblical teachings. Through words for growth, readers cultivate new creative ways by journaling and personalizing the content for practical living.

Part One deals with "Healing words for the Church." This may be surprising to some of us who may presume that Church people are mostly loving and nice. Yet, it is precisely in the Church where biblical ideals often fall flat when human realities appear. Church has been accused of hypocrisy, worldliness, fake, false theologies, legalism, uncaring or unkindness, and so on. For some, Jesus has indeed left the Church building. Readers learn about storing up healing words; how to be Church; how to affirm people; how to build the body of Christ; to be honest; to create a safe harbour; to be Christlike in our words; to respond appropriately to harsh and unkind words.

Part Two takes us to the workplace reminding us that we are God's ministers even when we work outside of the Church. With a right attitude, we can be a "cubicle missionary."  We learn about loving the unlovely. Speaking words of love is not the only way. Holding the tongue applies as well. Learn when to speak up and when to shut up. It also includes listening and engaging in meaningful conversations. The authors shares ten basic tips for workplace evangelism using words creatively, carefully, and constructively.

Part Three comes to the family. For parents, there are tips on slowing down, relaxation, being patient with kids, learning how to resolve conflicts, and letting words flow forth from a heart of integrity. Words are powerful enough to make or break family ties. Kids can be powerfully moved and encouraged with the right words. Marriages can also flourish with lots of encouragement.

Part Four covers the "Healing Words for the Community." Ordinary words can make extraordinary impact. Words play a big part in love in action. Loving words can erase the hate in relationships. It can be used in serving one another in the community.

While initially excited about the prospects of reading 40 powerful stories of how words can heal, I was left disappointed that the book is more about steps and methods rather than actual stories themselves. The actual stories are not fully developed and appear more as short anecdotes rather than full "chicken soup" style stories. For that reason, I was left feeling a little misled by the subtitle of the book. Having said that, this book tries to provide a little bit of everything for the Church, workplace, family, and the community. It is essentially saying that words occupy a huge chunk of our lives and the four arenas described are only the starting points for application. Everywhere we go, if we can apply the principles to the four main areas listed, we should be able to do the same for the rest of our lives.

Michael Ross is former editor of BREAKAWAY, a national magazine for teen guys while Brian Doyle is a Dutch translator who lives in Belgium.

Readers will need to expect to do some work and thinking on their own too as they fill up the blanks and spaces allocated for personal journaling. In this way, the book is 80% reading, and about 20% personal writing. This book is average and if you are tight on finances, I would not recommend buying this.

Rating: 3.25 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book is provided to me courtesy of Barbour Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

"Leadership Excellence" (Pat Williams)

TITLE: Leadership Excellence: The Seven Sides of Leadership for the 21st Century
AUTHOR: Pat Williams with Jim Denney
PUBLISHER: Uhrichsville, OH: Barbour Publishing, 2011, (320 pages)

This is a treasure of leadership teachings, tips, techniques, and tales about how leaders excel in the 21st Century. Written by a person who learns leadership through his parents, and through the school of hard knocks, Williams shares generously his insights over the years. For the author, leadership is a three-legged stool: viewing onself as a leader, preparing to be a leader, and stepping up to be a leader.As a sports management consultant, an experienced leader in the Disney organization, and now a leadership consultant, Williams draws on his experience and learnings from 700 other leadership books to give us a concise book on seven important sides of leadership. An outstanding leader will have or aim to have:

1. Vision
2. Communication
3. People skills
4. Character
5. Competence
6. Boldness
7. Serving Heart.

One's leadership can be excellent with these traits which are all learnable. For Williams, leadership is all about lifetime learning and practicing leadership excellence.

1) Vision
Leadership is essentially about the future, and this is concisely captured in the vision that powers the mission. He cites leaders like Cyrus the Great who builds his empire based on tolerance and diversity. He talks about Sam Walton's vision for Walmart, Steve Jobs for Apple, Richard Branson for Virgin, and many more. There are three vital traits of visionary leadership. Firstly, vision helps to keep one focused. Secondly, it keeps one fueled. Thirdly, it helps one to finish. He then goes on to show ways in which leaders can build vision.

2) Communication
In order to be a great leader, one needs to be a great communicator. Vision is no good unless it can be effectively communicated. Williams hones in on 6 principles:

1. Believe in the power of communication
2. Communicate so that people understand
3. Communicate optimism
4. Communicate hope
5. Communicate to motivate and inspire
6. Become a storyteller

3) People Skills

Relationships. People essentially do not care until they know that the leader cares about them. For Williams, love can be learned. For Williams, he describes:

"People skills are simply the learnable skills that enable you, the leader, to understand the people you lead, to empathize with them, and to build harmonious relationships with them. People skills are the social skills that enable you to get along with people, to negotiate with people, to avoid and resolve conflict with people, and to interact with people in a way that is mutually beneficial." (120)

4) Character

Williams calls 'character' indispensable to leadership. It is through times of testing, that our character will tough it through, to do the right thing, and to live with integrity. One of the helpful ways he gives is the accountability covenants. Covenants of confidentiality, of time, of honesty, and of prayer.

5) Competence
Leaders are made, not born. That is why it is important to continue to train and be competent in what we are called to do. Competence is defined as "the ability to perform the leadership role in a highly effective way." Williams then goes on to describe 15 leadership competencies. Each competency described comes with loads of precious nuggets of wisdom from the many different leadership gurus in the different industries.

6) Boldness
Leadership means not shrinking back from responsibilities, or to shirk away from threats. It is to be bold to face up to challenges. Good leadership means not over-analyzing anything, but taking action to do something. It is learning to swim upstream despite the loneliness of leadership. It is not being afraid to make mistakes. There are many examples of military situations, and wisdom from generals and commanders.

7) Servant Heart
This is the most important but also hardest for people to grasp. For Williams, the first 6 sides of leadership are all nouns. This seventh one is a verb: serving. He is so convinced that he calls serving the 'key' to leadership excellence.

My Thoughts

This book is a great collection cum reference book on many things on leadership. I like the many different anecdotes and wisdom from the different books and leaders Williams have learned from. The book is systematic in its presentation of the leadership traits. It is backed up with stories and multiple references to other leadership literature. It teaches. It motivates. It inspires. This is what leadership is all about. Williams has done a great service for all of us keen to learn and to practise leadership.

I strongly recommend this book to be read by all leaders, past, present and future. The old will nod their heads. The young will be wowed. For the rest, they will be actively challenged to pursue after leadership challenge. Great book!

Ratings: 5 stars of 5.

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This book is provided to me free by Barbour Publishing and NetGalley without any obligation for a positive review. All opinions furnished above are mine.

Book Review: "The Bible in World History"

TITLE: The Bible in World History: How History and Scripture Intersect (Illustrated Bible Handbook Series)
AUTHOR: Stephen Leston
PUBLISHER: Uhrichsville, OH: Barbour Publishers, 2011, (274 pages).

Expansive. Illuminating. Colourful. With clear diagrams, pictures, and photos strategically placed throughout, this book is a pleasure to behold. Unlike some encyclopedias, dictionaries, atlases, or similar survey of biblical history, this book packs a wallop without becoming too bulky to carry. Convenient to carry around, the reader will be captivated by the beautiful illustrations, and the clear point by point explanation of the Bible in history. The author's main purpose is to understand world history through the Bible. Leston's conviction is:

"Only a Christian view of history truly addresses the issues that drive mankind, and thus only a Christian worldview can give us what we need to understand the world around us." (2)

I will review the book in three ways. Firstly, I want so see how well it has demonstrated the strengths of the Christian worldview. Secondly, how has the book allowed the Bible to speak for itself? Thirdly, why should you read this book?

1) Has the book demonstrated the strengths of the Christian worldview?

Leston highlights the 6 Christian beliefs that make up the Christian worldview.

1. It is a recognition that God is the Creator of the world. 
2. It is an affirmation that in the end, God's Kingdom reigns forever. 
3. The Bible is God's revelation to man, through the 66 books of the Bible. 
4. God is the Redeemer of the world.  
5. Judgment for the evil ones who refuse to repent.
6. All creation will acknowledge the Glory of God. Eventually.

I must say that the author does a great job in constantly comparing the Bible event with a major world event. Using the Bible as a backdrop, he then weaves in archaelogical research from all other cultures and summarizes it side by side. Each chapter ends with a 2-column comparison of Bible history and world history. With the Bible as reference, the whole book looks firm. All understanding and learning needs to be based on a solid reference point. The Bible is that reference point, and it makes the reading of the book readable and the flow logical. In fact, the history of the non-biblical world has enhanced and illuminated the Bible passages. Thus, it is not the Bible that is lending a framework to world history, but world history enriching and illuminating many parts of Scripture. I like the way the histories of other cultures have been introduced. The link between the history in the biblical world and the non-biblical world is largely based on the timescale, rather than any political alliances or direct historical interaction between the biblical world and the non-biblical world. For example, on China, there is no direct relationship between the Chinese authorities and the Israelites at that time. The basic links are essentially by themes. Like war and suffering; or religious development. My conclusion is that the biblical worldview makes sense for two reasons. Firstly, there is a lot of archaelogical research and evidence that supports the Christian worldview. Secondly, the Bible is a unifying document, considering that despite the thousands of years of history, the Bible uniquely points to a common God consistently.

2) Has the Bible been fairly portrayed?

Mostly yes. The historical overview gives Bible readers a fresh understanding of the contexts of the biblical text. It informs, enhances, and gives readers a lot of incentive to read the Bible more. While the outline of the biblical material is logical, the book has to be seen as one that attempts to interpret world history from the biblical standpoint rather than an atlas or encyclopedia of the Bible. That said, for the purposes of this book, the Bible has been fairly portrayed.

I like particularly the three-fold emphasis throughout the book. Firstly, the sacred history uses the biblical view as a basis for reading world history. This is consistent with the way the world uses the BC (Before Christ) and AD (Anno Domini) notations when referencing time periods. Secondly, the secular history is not forcibly merged into the Jewish historical context but compared in parallel, albeit geographically distant. Thirdly, the redemptive history demonstrates a hope for the future. This is great because unlike some history books that live in the past, this book adopts history with an optimistic hope for the coming kingdom of Christ.

3) Why you should read this book?

If you are new to biblical history, this book benefits you because of its clear overview of the contexts of the bible lands. This book enhances our understanding of history, culture, and people throughout history. If you are a preacher or a teacher, this book is a wonderful resource to teach beginner classes about biblical history.  Unlike books that are wordy, this book combines the best of storytelling, archaelogical research, and some history of non-Jewish culture. It will give readers in the Western world a better glimpse of ancient cultures outside the Western hemisphere. Even non-Christians can benefit from the reading of this book.

In summary, I believe this book enhances our understanding of the Bible as well as an appreciation of the world history according to the Bible.

Ratings: 4 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book is supplied to me free by Barbour Publishers and NetGalley without any obligation for a positive review. The comments given are freely mine.

Book Review: "40 Days to Better Living - Depression"

TITLE: 40 Days to Better Living--Depression
AUTHOR: Scott Morris
PUBLISHER: Uhrichville, OH: Barbour Publishing, 2011.

Six individuals. Forty Days. 2 additional days for reflection. This colourful brochure-cum-recovery manual for individuals coping with depression is an invitation to journey with six persons who have experienced the lowest of emotions. Collected from the ministry of Church Health Center in Memphis, Dr Scott Morris brings together six persons who have gone through the steps to recovery. It is a testimony of a church bringing healing to people who feel down and out. It gently reminds us that one can be down, but not necessarily out.

This is a six week program. Each week, one individual shares about his/her depression condition, and the process that leads to their recovery. Each day begins with an evening meditation, a listing of the medication needed for the day, and some tips on exercise, balance, and specific therapy. There are guidelines to the use of the computer, talk, exercise, medication, support of friends and family, Scripture reading and many more.

On each page, there are encouraging words to urge the reader to move forward constructively. Questions are given to aid reflection and recovery. The daily practices are intentionally made simple and easy to follow. I like the way prayer and Bible is integrated into the healing routine. The day often ends with an affirmation of self-worth, and love of God.

I appreciate the different colours and the space allocated in the book for writing down thoughts and reflections. Meant to be interactive, readers will benefit more if the book can be worked upon together with another person.

conrade

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This book is provided to me free by Barbour Publishing and NetGalley without any obligation for a positive review. Comments given are freely mine.

Book Review: "Celebration of a Simple Life"

TITLE: A CELEBRATION OF A SIMPLE LIFE
AUTHOR: Wanda E. Brunstetter
PUBLISHER: Uhrichsville, OH: Barbour Publishing, 2011.

This book celebrates the simple life through sheer simplicity and beauty. It can also be a devotional developed based on Amish spirituality. There are 10 reflections on 'Attitude,' 16 on 'Responsibility,' and another 10 on 'Christian Duty.' Just from the structure of the book, the essence of Amish spirituality begins inside the heart. Supported by pretty photos of Amish life, with selected bible verses to accompany each reflection, the author uses her personal experience with her Amish friends to share with the contemporary reader, how one can learn to grow closer to God, Amish way.

Book Saint Comments
This is a great gift book. Its colour is visually stunning. The arrangement of reflections is easy to follow. The soft reflection is comforting and warm. I find that this book is best read in a meditative, slow, and prayerful manner. The way to understanding Amish spirituality is through slow-paced, and an intentional focus on God as the Higher Authority in our thoughts, words, and deeds. Kudos to Wanda for an excellent collection of devotions.

Do not be deceived by the simplicity of the book. The best way to savour the book is not to rush through it, but to read it slowly. Good for individuals. Good for groups.

Book Saint Ratings: 4 of 5 stars

conrade

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This book has been supplied to me free as an Advanced Reader copy, courtesy of Barbour Publishing. There is no obligation on my part to give a positive review. All opinions are freely mine.

Book Review: "The Bible Search Engine"

TITLE: THE BIBLE SEARCH ENGINE
AUTHOR: Pamela L. McQuade
PUBLISHER: Uhrichsville, OH: Barbour Publishing, 2011.

In a world of readily available search engines on our computers, one of the first questions I have about this book is why do we need it in the first place? According to the author, this book aims to 'include verses that help, encourage, and provide clear direction for the searching believer.' (p5)

Targeted at a beginner level, the book puts together conveniently bible verses for 1001 biblical and contemporary topics. It is easily referenced in alphabetical order, backed by beautiful photographs to brighten up the overall book. It is a quick reference for anyone in a rush, wanting to get references they have forgotten.

Book Saint Comments
This book is an abridged version of a Bible concordance. The strengths of book lies in its colourful pictures, and the popular verses conveniently put together in one place. It bundles together words whose meanings are closely similar. For example, when searching for verses about 'Diets,' the author suggests other words to search like 'Fasting/Fastings.' This broadens the reader's search effort.

The downside is that the unsuspecting reader may risk taking biblical verses out of context. Moreover, with the wide availability of bible search engines, it will be a hard sell to get anyone to want to buy this book. For the beginner, this may be a good reference book to start with.


conrade

Book Review: "The Complete Visual Bible"

TITLE: The Complete Visual Bible
AUTHOR: Stephen M. Miller
PUBLISHER: Uhrichsville, OH: Barbour Publishing, 2011, (271pp).
[also published at my main blog: yapdates.blogspot.com]

This is one of those books that I fall in love at first sight. It is a visually appealing partial paraphrase of the Bible. It is a colourful rendition of the flow of the biblical story. It is a dynamic interplay of part atlas, part dictionary, part biblical history, and part retelling of the Old and New Testament Bible in narrative style. One simply will not get bored with this book.

Strengths of the Book
Clarity is the strongest point in this book. The tables, the illustrations, photographs and beautiful graphics, this book is perhaps one of the best 'photo albums' of the Bible I have seen. The author needs to be commended for the massive amount of research and painstaking details to highlight the biblical text. It brings to life even the obscure parts of the Bible. For example, for those of us who think that certain books of the Bible is 'boring,' try reading that particular book with the Visual Bible. It will give the reader a refreshing read indeed.