Twelve years, trying by her own efforts to win God’s approval. Twelve years, trying by others' rules to build her own righteousness. Twelve years, tryTwelve years, trying by her own efforts to win God’s approval. Twelve years, trying by others' rules to build her own righteousness. Twelve years, trying to maintain an unbiblical and an unnatural detachment from life. And in the end, self-righteousness and the un-natural repression combine to turn trivial bickerings into insurmountable divisions. Her life was so constrained that a look, a word (spoken or withheld), a differing opinion, a perceived slight, all are of immense importance. This is where the book takes a dark turn and starts to feel like bitter gossip. It’s a memoir so of course it’s from her perspective, but there is a definite me against the world mentality. Even with the distance of twenty years, there is no grace for others or questioning of herself. She expects perfection in those around her and finds nothing but perfection in herself. It is deeply sad, thinking of those poor women trapped in their cells, trapped in the endless futile search for a God who is so close yet unreachable despite their best efforts. All of them have buried the path to God under centuries of tradition and the whims of other humans. Christ, Himself, came once to die for all our sins. He offers forgiveness to all who will come to Him in faith. As He said, “I am the way and the truth, No man cometh to the Father but by Me.” Nothing we can do can add to that path, for He is the perfect Son of God. To reach the God they so desperately long for, all they need to do is reach out in faith, and He will make them new creatures. Oh, look to Christ! The style and flow of this book is very nice. The topic that is so disheartening. But, the low rating is because of the one-sided presentation of every squabble. ...more
Can you hear the choir? It’s thundering out “Halleluiah! – Halleluiah! -Halleluiah! – Halleluiah! -”. The first two are glorious statements of surety Can you hear the choir? It’s thundering out “Halleluiah! – Halleluiah! -Halleluiah! – Halleluiah! -”. The first two are glorious statements of surety in God our foundation, the next ones full of the joy and interest of a life of faith focused on our Savior. That’s what my spirit was singing as this magnificent book came to an end. For some it might be too abrupt of an ending, but for me it was a slingshot launching me out into life armed with the glorious truth of what Christ did for us and gave us by His death on the cross. Truly Christ has given us all we need for “life and godliness”. This poor world has so many questions and there in the Cross of Christ shine the answers. But that’s at the end of the book, once we have grounded ourselves in the awesome love of God. The beginning took me by surprise. I’m not sure what I expected, but it certainly wasn’t a history of the cross symbol/shape. But looking back it’s a very good place to start. It caught my interest but felt unimportant. In light of the rest of the book, it would have been anticlimactic in the extreme if it came anywhere else, yet by the end even the symbol has more value. Not because of any power of itself, but because it reminds us most strongly of what our Savior did for us there. Between the tradition at the beginning of the book and the eternal power of the end, there lies a lifetime of topics to study and apply. Will I ever fully grasp the awesome scope of what the cross means to this world? Probably not this side of Heaven, but Stott did an eloquent job of explaining Biblical truths and debunking myths and heresies. Have you considered what the cross calls you to do for those who hate you? Have you considered what the cross demands of nations? Have you considered what it shows us of the heart of God? Have you ever wondered if maybe we could forget about the cross? Stott answers all those questions and so many more. It's a rare book that grabs my head and heart enough to start rereading immediately. This one did. Read it. Give it as a gift. Let it strengthen your faith and open your eyes to the glories of the Cross of Christ. (Review of my first time through) (Review of my second time through) It would take a lifetime to exhaust the topic of this book. I have changed my opinion on it though. The first time through, I thought it was magnificent, but maybe more for slightly more mature believers. But on with a second reading, I’d recommend it to everyone, new believer or seeker. It’s deep, but it answers the questions that our culture asks about and of God’s love. Yet, as deep as it is, it doesn’t rely on man’s wisdom or reason to answer. It answers from scripture, backed as it is by God himself, it’s full of the power of God. Do read it. Please, this subject is so inexpressibly important, read it. Study it – and fall in love with our Savior all over again....more
It’s a long book about a tragic footnote to the start of WW2. The mystery is not very mysterious. It wasn’t even a mystery at the time. There are cer It’s a long book about a tragic footnote to the start of WW2. The mystery is not very mysterious. It wasn’t even a mystery at the time. There are certainly questions that we may never answer, but with a little knowledge of the times and circumstances, the fate of the Cynthia Olson’s crew is not hard to settle. Tragic, but not a mystery. By the end, I found myself thinking that the author spent 250ish pages wanting this to be a bigger event than it was. After every historical fact has been presented, the author recounts the collection of every fact and every interview related to it. Here is where it got a little odd for me. He disparages every interviewer who spoke to the Japanese crew as incompetent and too trusting. Then after attacking them for accepting the word of these Japanese, who he insists must be self-serving. He turns around and accepts the very same testimonies as true, coming to the same conclusions they did. What was the point of all the chapters arguing the contrary point? Even in the historical account, I found that it wondered from the premise of the story. For example, it traces the lineage of one crew member back about 200 years or so, and the history of the shipping line back to the start of its founder’s father’s career. After it was over, I found myself thinking that I could have learned all the pertinent facts in a long article. ...more
Helen Roseveare poured her life out helping the lost and dying. In doing so she suffered privations, tortures, and humiliations that brought her to t Helen Roseveare poured her life out helping the lost and dying. In doing so she suffered privations, tortures, and humiliations that brought her to the brink of death. Then in the face of death, she proclaimed the power of the Gospel. That part of this book and her story is amazing. Unfortunately, this book is not. It jumps around, flying from the 1960’s Congo to the 1940's England, from her early ministry to the Simba rebellion, and back again. It jumps from her arrest as a missionary to her conversion, from her founding of a hospital to her medical training. It’s just all over the place. And this is what really bothered me, while the Gospel is there in spots, it’s mostly not mentioned. Instead, the focus is obviously on the years of the rebellion, but next it’s on her medical and social work. I don’t know if that was just the way the book was written or if that was really where her focus was. She was clearly there to help people, but was the Gospel involved at all? I just couldn’t tell from this book. On top of the terrible physical tortures she suffered, she also seemed to be in a constant spiritual struggle as well. Even before confronting evil, she had given up on knowing the peace of God. It was very sad. When she attempts to help the other women after they were assaulted, the book lets us get a glimpse of the lessons she shared. I deeply hope this book just left out most of what she said. Because as her advice is presented here, all but one piece of advice lacked all Biblical support. Like I said, the Gospel is presented, occasionally, but there is so little other teaching, that I can’t say for sure what she believed beyond a personal knowing of God through Christ. This book chronicles her struggles and work, but not her beliefs, and not how God worked in and through her. That made it all very depressing. It is also a very hard story. Burgess handles it all delicately, but it’s still very hard to read. I would only recommend it to a mature audience. ...more
Meh...This one just missed. I can suspend disbelief for a lot, but this one was so far out there I couldn't. The villains are wildly powerful and straMeh...This one just missed. I can suspend disbelief for a lot, but this one was so far out there I couldn't. The villains are wildly powerful and strangely vulnerable. The title clue - that was just a little too wild. (view spoiler)[ A ship beached for decades that not only survives but manages to launch itself with the aid of a typhoon. Then it sails around for weeks, even surviving a torpedo attack. (hide spoiler)]. Then there were numerous flings mentioned or alluded to. Definitely, not his best work. ...more
I love receiving letters. A friendly note or a deeper longer letter of encouragement, it doesn’t really matter when it shows up, both are great. But I love receiving letters. A friendly note or a deeper longer letter of encouragement, it doesn’t really matter when it shows up, both are great. But days or weeks later, it’s those letters that point to the Savior and His message to me that mean the most. They never seem to lose their power and love. Therein lies the power of this little letter. It is full of Christ and the author’s reliance on Him and desire for his readers to have the same. I had heard that you could reconstruct the whole New Testament from the writing of the early church fathers. If they are all like this one, I don’t doubt it. It was amazingly full of Scripture. It’s short but interesting, and well worth reading. ...more
What an adventure! And what a very thorough book. It follows one of the most unlikely Arctic explorers from birth to death. I found the history of ea What an adventure! And what a very thorough book. It follows one of the most unlikely Arctic explorers from birth to death. I found the history of each member before and during the expedition very interesting. It did tend to drag as the author included every animal killed, and meal eaten. Then after the rescue it delves into the arguing, slandering, legal battles, and every one of Ada’s known movements. That drug on forever. For example, was it really necessary to include her decision about wearing a hat for a walk while on a visit? It’s the chronicle of a series of terrible decisions. From the mad-cap idea to claim an already claimed island to the refusal to acknowledge the dangers of the Arctic, the leader was decidedly delusional. Then in the end, everyone turned out to be self-serving and greedy. So it was interesting but very sad. Ada grew up with some Christian influence and showed some personal faith throughout her time on the island, but that never seemed to carry on once she was rescued. She does receive some ridicule from the other explorers and maybe the author for her love of hymns and Scripture. That was very sad also. ...more
Huh… well that wasn’t what I was expecting. Did I learn anything about international shipping? Sure. Do I understand the complexities and dangers of Huh… well that wasn’t what I was expecting. Did I learn anything about international shipping? Sure. Do I understand the complexities and dangers of the industry any better than I did before? Nope. Not a chance. But I do know that crew members now retreat to their cabins with computers at the end of their shifts instead of hanging out together. Oh, and pirates are mean nasty people (no shocker there). After slogging through it, I really couldn’t tell you what she was trying to accomplish with this book. She certainly doesn’t open any deep dark secrets, or even any hard to come by facts. Instead, she has drawn together a random collection of rather trivial facts organized around her trip on a container ship. She writes with a seeming desire to romanticize container ships, maybe that’s an attempt to bring back the mystique of ships of the past. The long passages that lament the differences of the modern era with anything before the invention of the container would support that goal. She continually laments the romance that has left shipping and that it has just become another cog in the economy of the world. On that note…a major theme of her book is just how bad the working conditions, living conditions, wages, and food are today. Granted, I would get tired of fruit that is a little old and rather unvaried diet and would probably get tired of seeing the same six people for months on end. And there are also some really terrible owners out there. Still, in all her laments over the past, she fails to mention just how far the industry has come in providing for its employees and the rest of us. It was just an odd mix of nostalgia, fear, and trivia. Then some random notes…Whales, I did learn a lot about whales, (I still don’t know how each ship is assigned a cargo, gets loaded or unloaded.), climate change, (How do ports work?), one particular sinking, (What does it take to build one of these behemoths?), and the lack of internet in the middle of the ocean. There were a couple of gruesome passages when she is speaking of the Somalian pirates. There is also a section discussing some of the more salacious rumors about sailor’s private entertainments. ...more
I absolutely love the crazy improbable twists that help the heroes out in the direst of spots. It’s just what makes a thriller worth reading for me. I absolutely love the crazy improbable twists that help the heroes out in the direst of spots. It’s just what makes a thriller worth reading for me. That, and the delightful mixing of ancient and modern. The deepest mysteries of Ancient Egypt and the intrigue of modern politics are all threatening to upend the world as we know it. The dauntless courage, knowledge, and friendship of an unparalleled band of archeologists are all that stand between an unsuspecting world and chaos. It was really a very fun adventure. It was quite clean. ...more
I’ve always found magnificent gems in this book. “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he re I’ve always found magnificent gems in this book. “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:..” chapter 1:21-22 “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” chapter 2:8 “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” chapter 3:3 “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.” chapter 3:23-24 But, I always struggled to understand the whole book. I think I might finally be getting a handle on it. Paul wants these believers to understand the Christ has done all for them. They, we, need nothing else. He redeemed us completely, soul and body. Because of that we are free to enjoy His world and live for Him no matter our circumstances. Study and see if it isn’t so. I still don’t find it the easiest of Paul’s books to understand, but I’m starting to see the beauty and application. ...more
It's both heartbreaking and amazing. The tiniest flaw can mean instant death in space, but the ingenuity of the astronauts and the teams on the groundIt's both heartbreaking and amazing. The tiniest flaw can mean instant death in space, but the ingenuity of the astronauts and the teams on the ground might just overcome the most deadly obstacles. It was a fascinating look at pivotal moments in various space explorations....more
Chancellor sets out to show the relation of money, time, and risk. But can anyone really sort out the causes and consequences of the rise and fall of Chancellor sets out to show the relation of money, time, and risk. But can anyone really sort out the causes and consequences of the rise and fall of interest rates? Even more than that, can anyone predict what an increase or decrease in it will cause? Scholars, politicians, talking heads, businessmen, everyone has an opinion on what is best, but who is right? This book doesn’t try to tell us how to run the economy. It’s a chronicle of the triumphs and failures of past attempts at running economies, banks, or businesses. It points out the complexities and pitfalls of both higher and lower rates. Then it rather leaves the reader hanging as it comes to today’s trials. It was an interesting look at one aspect of past economies. To do that he shows how people have spoken and handled interest from ancient times through 2022ish. He quotes popes, Marx, Greenspan, and many others, down through history. Not as to the merits of their theories, but only how what they said affected interest rates....more
Don’t do what I just did, even though it was fun! You must have more patience. Don’t just listen to it. Wait! Until you have time for the illustrationDon’t do what I just did, even though it was fun! You must have more patience. Don’t just listen to it. Wait! Until you have time for the illustrations. Like I said, it was fun. And it helped me get a little bit clearer grasp of Calculus, but I did feel the lack of illustrations. I did really like it, and wish I had this book when I was struggling through high school calculus. The humor would have lifted my spirits and made those equations seem a little more important than they did then. I highly recommend it for anyone attempting to understand Calculus....more
Well, that was a unique experience. I’m not sure I’ve ever read a historian who cast such doubt or flat-out disparaged all past historians and primar Well, that was a unique experience. I’m not sure I’ve ever read a historian who cast such doubt or flat-out disparaged all past historians and primary sources about his topic or whined quite so much about the lack of information about his chosen topic. There are long travelogue sections, random details about Man’s research experience, side topics, the history of all the empires that fought Attila, all the known details about him, and speculation and speculation, and speculation… all mixed together. It was all rather frustrating, I picked up this book to learn about Attila not how modern Hungary rewrote history, or who wrote what play. Oh, there were interesting bits. I liked learning how famous contemporary authors viewed him. Those bits made me want to hunt up those primary sources Man disparages so, just to see what they had to say in their own words. More though were the things that really annoyed me. So, if you would like more details about them, I have included the following mock quotes. These are not direct quotes, but my summarization of his arguments or statements. “Past historians, particularly Gibbons, didn’t know what they were talking about when they spoke about Attila. I, John Man, based on absolutely no more information than they had, absolutely know that they are wrong and I am right.” “No one knows why Attila did such and such or went here or there. But I, John Man, firmly believe that despite the mists of time and the silence of the historical record, know why he acted in such a way.” “It’s hard to shoot arrows off the back of a running horse. I, John Man, will travel many miles to chronicle in one chapter the story of a man who spent his life learning that particular dead skill and building it into a business.” “I, John Man, am going to Mongolia. Because maybe, just maybe, the Huns originated here. And perhaps studying the last great nomadic culture will give us insights into a long-dead civilization.” “Oh, by the way here is how people down through the ages have used Attila in their plays, myths, and general fiction. I, John Man, will end my book with that.” It is also a thoroughly modern history. There are points where he attempts to make the ancient Hunnic empire a bastion of feminism. The disbelief of ancient authors turns almost antagonistic when he deals with Christian authors or beliefs. ...more
It’s easy to think that people get away with sin in this life, certainly the ‘little’ ones at least. But God’s word assures us otherwise. Every actionIt’s easy to think that people get away with sin in this life, certainly the ‘little’ ones at least. But God’s word assures us otherwise. Every action has its consequences for us and those around us. A lifetime devoted to seeking righteousness by God’s path and laws leads to a godly life and eternal rewards. A lifetime devoted to seeking our pleasure and running from God leads to debauchery and eternal damnation. We may not see those consequences in other’s lives, but we will in our own. This book focuses mostly on the immediate ones, but it also teaches us about the eternal ones as well. It also includes the most important consequence as well. Will you spend eternity in Heaven or Hell? Will you accept Christ’s bearing the punishment for your sins? Will you accept His forgiveness for your sin? Or will you bear all the consequences yourself in Hell for eternity? His focus on the merging of Eternity and Life in the Biblical teaching of punishment and reward is very refreshing. You may not see the rewards for righteous living now, but God is faithful to remember them. It is a very clear rebuttal of the “health and wealth” gospel that is so prominent in the church right now. On a side note, one of his illustrations is the reaping of chaos and death in France from the abandonment of Christian teaching. What would he say about current events? It did remind me that this world may not see the Spiritual battle behind their actions, but we believers ought to and be willing to speak up and warn them of God’s immutable holiness and power. I can’t recommend it enough. Go ahead, read it....more
This book humbled me and corrected an error I’ve proudly, but privately, held for a number of years now. More importantly, it showed me the obstacles This book humbled me and corrected an error I’ve proudly, but privately, held for a number of years now. More importantly, it showed me the obstacles in my way to a deeper, more peaceful walk with the Lord, through the total eradication of idols. Think that if you don’t have an ugly, or beautiful, stone carving that you worship you are free of idols? Have you checked your heart recently? Have you found yourself defensive and angry, or discontented and bitter? Could it be because you have idolized your desires above submission to God’s good plan? Could you be fearful because you have forgotten just how caring God is? This book opened the Bible and showed us how placing God at the center of heart and thoughts makes everything else fall into perspective. Not that it is all easy. It takes the sword of the Word and uses it to cut away at the sin that corrupts our desires, attitudes, and actions. Sometimes, those are the very things that we have allowed to define us and our personalities. Are you willing to let God refine them out of you? Are you willing to let Him sanctify you in His image? It can be painful, but oh the rewards! This book places the choice clearly before you. It will be up to you what you do with it. But please read the book, prayerfully test it by Scripture, and allow God to guide you into the Truth. I wish I had quotes to share. Unfortunately, I only had it on audiobook. That has since changed and I now have a hard copy that I plan on studying more deeply soon. But I wanted to encourage everyone to read this one as soon as possible. The only reservation I have about it now is his free use of the Message. This is a Biblical truth that offers God’s path to peace and joy. It deserves the full power of God’s Word, translated though it is, as close to the original as possible, unweakened by slang. When I read it again, I will certainly be reading those passages in some other translation....more
I would have to say that I feel a little misled by the title. From the valuables his wife pawned to save his life to the sacking of Spanish towns, Si I would have to say that I feel a little misled by the title. From the valuables his wife pawned to save his life to the sacking of Spanish towns, Sir Walter Raleigh’s search is the focus of the whole tale. I guess since I didn’t see his name anywhere on the cover, I thought it would have been broader than his search. I’m not disappointed. The feats of exploration, the political intrigue, and the clash of personalities in such an unforgiving setting make a story guaranteed to keep anyone’s attention. The author handles history very well. He doesn’t shy away from the sins of the explorers, but he doesn’t ignore their virtues either. He lets them act and speak as they did and lets history show us the consequences of those actions. I would strongly recommend this one. ...more
That’s a very dramatic opening to a book. From there, it delves into the daily life and views of two of the most famous Roman authors. Glimpses of po That’s a very dramatic opening to a book. From there, it delves into the daily life and views of two of the most famous Roman authors. Glimpses of politics, diet, home life, and health of the wealthiest of Romans are drawn from their books, speeches, poetry and letters. It was very fascinating and strangely familiar. People really don’t change that much over the eons. It’s been almost 2000 years since Pliny penned his last words, and we still argue over the same issues. Even the place of Christianity in society comes in for discussion. At the time Pliny’s views meant life or death for early believers. It was a stark reminder that ideas carry great weight for those around us. But it was also a reminder that Christianity, truth, survives no matter the opposition. There were a couple of spots that seemed odd. The author jumped away from the days of the Roman Empire to more modern days, for example, Victorian times. Then for a few paragraphs or pages, she talks about how some other person understood or experienced what they wrote about. Those digressions didn’t add anything to our understanding of either Pliny, but they just seemed like extraneous trivia. They were very jarring. It didn’t happen all that often, but still enough to seem odd. Still, I would recommend it as an easy introduction to the writings and lives of these men. Parts of Roman culture were brutal and vile. Dunn handles those parts with some discretion but they are discussed. ...more
Shipwrecks and treasure... Secrets hidden just out of reach for millennia. And now we are slowly rediscovering and retrieving them. It's fascinating. Shipwrecks and treasure... Secrets hidden just out of reach for millennia. And now we are slowly rediscovering and retrieving them. It's fascinating. This book gives the reader a glimpse into the history of each wreck and its discovery. Along the way, we learn the history of this branch of archeology. I strongly recommend this book. Even as an audiobook, it's good. ...more
If I could put this book into the hands of every believer, especially every new believer, I would. It opens up the scriptures and pours out the glory If I could put this book into the hands of every believer, especially every new believer, I would. It opens up the scriptures and pours out the glory and love of God on the reader. And oh! how overwhelming His greatness and love are! He is love. He is justice. He is mercy. He is grace. We can love Him and study Him our whole lives and never fully grasp everything about Him. Thank the Lord we will have all eternity to know Him as well! This book is a wonderful introduction to Him or a reminder of what that means for every believer. I don’t agree with all of Packer’s interpretations. He is a Calvinist and I’m not, so we have some minor disagreements. Still, I highly recommend it....more
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