Bread and Wine

"When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last,
"what's the first thing you say to yourself?"
"What's for breakfast?" said Pooh.
"What do you  say, Piglet?"
"I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet.
Pooh nodded thoughtfully.
"It's the same thing," he said.

-A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

So I jumped on the band wagon. A few friends had read this book and enjoyed it, and when I saw it offered on the blog review website, I took the bait. Faith. Food. Family. Fellowship. The four essential F's to life that I've always joked around about with my friends. All in one book. Not only do I get to read a book on new recipes, but if my husband is really lucky, I build up the confidence to have people over more often! Win-Win, right?!

My husband will tell you I'm a bit a lot like Pooh bear, so the back cover and introduction of this book was quite intriguing.  I love food, struggle with cravings (though I am sure my pregnant/nursing appetite does not help the matter), debate whether I am oft times committing gluttony, and enjoy reading (and trying) recipe after recipe. I feel like the kitchen is the closest thing to working in a lab that I'll ever come to now that I'm a mother. Maybe that's why I wear chemistry goggles when I cut onions and love using the hood vent whenever I think it is the least bit necessary.

 Niequist, in her introduction, writes that "food is a language of care, the thing we do when traditional language fails us... it's the thing that connects us... our sense of home and family...". So true. Currently on the podium in the church foyer, there are four lists for meals: one for a baby, one for the family of a mother with cancer, one for a family who lost their home in a fire, and one for Wednesday night fellowship dinners preceding church. One of the things I love about food is that it is often the only time our family is together each day if my husband is out of the hospital in time. And in those few minutes of the chaos of feeding my family, there is happiness that we are all together.   Add to that my hesitancy (due to intimidation and insecurity) to host and you've got an instructional winner.

Bread and Wine is Shauna Niequist's latest book about focusing on the haven created when people are brought around the table for food and drink, because food connects people and shows that you care about them. Each chapter is an individual essay of her life, usually ending in a recipe that pertained to that story. In addition, the chapters are divided into four parts to make it easier for book and cooking clubs (discussion questions are also included). 

To say I enjoyed this book would be a gross understatement. It's probably because I normally choose weightier reading material, but few books have the ability to cause me to escape the beautiful cacophony of my life at present. It was the perfect book to read when you only have a few minutes at a time (like nursing a child), because each essay takes only a brevity of your time and it was usually followed by an amazingly delicious sounding recipe that made my mouth water and caused me to wish it wasn't midnight and that I had those ingredients on hand. (Disclaimer: I may have made a run to Trader Joe's to pick up a few ingredients after reading certain chapters). Although she writes about some weighty issues (such as her emotional struggles with miscarriages), it is a light, quick read; except for the introduction and a few chapters, there isn't a large spiritual component to the book.

I loved this book. I loved how real and open Niequist was in her writing  about many aspects of her life. It drew me in, made me feel like I knew her and her friends. And I found myself underlining a little gold nugget in almost every chapter, because this book is so applicable to where I am in life, always nervous about hosting, but desiring that atmosphere created when people are gathered around the table. The last few pages of advice about sample menus, weeknight cooking and a pantry list were an added helpful bonus. For me it was both an inspirational encouraging and chastising read, and I've already recommended it to quite a few friends.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze® book review  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

Prayer Warrior Mom

Prayer Warrior Mom, by Marla Alupoaicei, is a book that strives to teach mothers how to intercede to the Father on behalf of their children. Each of the fifteen chapters begins with an applicable quote before focusing on a specific principle that Alupoaicei argues is essential in successfully praying for our children. At the end of each chapter, the reader will find Bible verses that related to the chapter, as well as a sample prayer and small group discussion questions. 

I’ve always felt that prayer is a weak spot in my life and have oft times felt guilty, because I know it is not only powerful, but required for true intimacy with our Lord. Since having children, I’ve become convicted even further, as I know their Creator is also the divine Author of their lives, and he has given me the responsibility (or as Alupoaicei so aptly put it, the “holy privilege”) to raise them for Him. I was thus drawn to this book the moment I saw its title. 

I know there are other books similar to this one on the market, but I can’t compare it to others as it is the first book on the subject that I’ve read. For the most part I appreciated her down-to-earth, personal writing style, interwoven stories and practical advice. It was a fairly quick read, although at times I felt it was a bit redundant, abstract and didn’t flow from one subject to the next. I think it is best suited to be read slowly, to make it more applicable in a mother’s life, so that by the grace of God she can focus on practicing and growing in areas of her prayer life in which she might be weak. There were many take home points that resonated with me, such as the reminder of the power in praying Scripture, cultivating a grateful heart that radiates the grace God has given us, having a positive and prayerful perspective on that will help our kids live with a Kingdom reality, and remembering that labels applied to our children have the potential to be “soul killers”, so we need to focus on their heart rather than their behavior, and the positive potential of negative behaviors that might be displayed (e.g. instead of seeing a child as stubborn, viewing them in the light that they are showing characteristics of assertiveness and persistence in the face of obstacles) and how to mold that to glorify God. I would recommend this book, though I do feel like it could be a bit overwhelming and could almost cause a mother to focus on working to become a godly prayer warrior, versus drawing closer to God, and thus growing in Him to become the mother He desires you to be for your children.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze® book review  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

One Perfect Life

One Perfect Life, by John MacArthur is a harmonious compilation of NKJV Scripture, mainly of the Gospel accounts, of Christ's life with Matthew serving as the base text. MacArthur begins in Genesis with the creation and the necessity of mankind for a Savior; he then transitions through Old Testament prophecies before continuing into the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He finishes his massive (516 pages) work with New Testament reflections on the purpose of Christ's resurrection and how it relates to the believer. Although it is a large book, it reads like a story, with a copious amount of footnotes on each page (the footnotes are taken from the MacArthur Study Bible).

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend it. I appreciate chronological and harmonious Bibles, but their side-by-side accounts (or repeated sequential accounts) can become tedious to read. MacArthur did a phenomenal job of blending the Scripture so that it not only read easily, but it made me desire to continue to read it, as I saw how the dates and events corresponded with each other. Using superscript, he annotates for the purpose of his footnotes, as well as to differentiate when he is jumping from one gospel author to another. In addition, each chapter is titled and includes Scripture references to the pertaining section. These sections are also organized into an outline form, thus dividing up Christ's life, so that you can distinguish the words and events of his life in time periods (eg- Passover to Passover during his ministry years).  What results is a narrative that is not only a "pleasurable reading material", but can also be used as a reference and resource on your bookshelf. MacArthur's objective was "to bring into full view the One who is Immanuel", and I believe he accomplished this goal.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze® book review  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 

Intentional Parenting

Intentional Parenting: Autopilot is for Planes is a book about just that- being intentional in the parenting of your children. It was written by Sissy Goff, David Thomas and Melissa Trevathan; these three people are the counseling directors and founder of a ministry called Daystar Counseling in Tennessee. Together they have over 75 years of counseling experience.

I found this book to be loaded with a wealth of material, advice and suggestions, examples and personal stories. It is written in a very personal language, thus reaching out to the common person and making them feel at ease- almost like you were sitting one-on-one in an office session yourself. Although I personally didn't appreciate it, even Biblical references were mostly in the Message version of Scripture (with NIV also sporadically quoted), giving it a more laid-back, personal tone.

Each author takes turns writing the chapters; each chapter is focused upon helping the reader develop characteristics that will help us grow as parents, recognizing that we are vulnerable and dependent upon God, and exhibiting attributes such as being encouraging, consistent, playful, balanced and patient. They agree that it is a two-way street and rarely are children to blame 100% of the time. Interspersed in each chapter are italicized questions to get the reader thinking about how to apply to their lives the truths that the authors have written.

I think this book will be a good reference tool in my bookcase, because of the way the chapters in this book are broken down by subject, and it's a good thing, because it's hard to fully absorb (let alone apply) all the information shared by these counselors the first time around!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze® book review  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 

Unexpected Love

Unexpected Love is a book written primarily for women by Julie Zine Coleman, with the intent to reveal the concern and love God has for each of us through an in-depth study of Christ's conversation with nine different women. These women include: Mary the mother of Jesus, the hemorrhaging woman who touched His garment, the sinful woman who anointed Him with oil, the Syrophoenician, the adulterer, Martha, the Samaritan at the well, Salome, and Mary Magdalene.

Each chapter is broken into six sections; it begins with the story from Scripture, followed by the author's imagined story of what may have taken place, which helps to draw a more emotional response from the reader. The "Digging Deeper" section asks questions and then answers them with more background information and insight pertaining to the culture of that day. The final three sections are applicable parts for the reader: "For Today's Woman" is the take home points, "Food for Thought" asks self-analyzing questions,  and finally there is a section for journaling.

I found this book to be a quick read. Being one of an academic mindset, I felt that although this book had an extensive notes and bibliographical section, it tread lightly on the information and research. Putting Biblical references and further information in the notes section allowed for a smoother read, but I found myself constantly flipping to the back of the book to read this information. I was also a bit disheartened to see a reference to the apocrypha in it that is given credence similar to the Tanakh in the minds of the Pharisees, as although the book may be included in the Roman Catholic scripture, it was written in Greek (unlike the Hebrew texts of Daniel), was not considered true by the Jews and it's date of origin is debated.

Although this book is well written, I'm not sure I would recommend it without reservations, nor do I consider it to be a "must read"; I do think it could be helpful for some people. I think it is beneficial in reminding women that God is interested in us, no matter our background or current circumstances. Just like these women, He meets us where we are and is intentional about transforming us and developing a relationship with us.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze® book review  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 

Twelve Unlikely Heroes

Having read some of John MacArthur's other works, I was excited for the opportunity to read one of his latest, Twelve Unlikely Heroes. After introducing the concept of the word "hero" in today's culture, he contrasts the world's view by providing a definition for a biblical hero, namely one who has faith in God and lives a life of faithfulness. The book then offers an in depth look into the lives of twelve people mentioned in the Bible. Some of these people were only given a few verses of Scripture, while others have whole books devoted to them. Although many other individuals could have been written about, MacArthur singles out Enoch, Joseph, Miriam, Gideon, Samson, Jonathan, Jonah, Esther, John the Baptist, James, Mark and Onesimus as unlikely heroes. By doing so, he shows that biblical heroes are not defined by gender, physical stature, or social and economic status. 

I appreciated how MacArthur chronologically devotes almost a chapter apiece to each individual. He frequently references Scripture so that the reader can follow along in their own Bible. I also appreciated that he not only used the Bible as a reference, but other biblical scholars as well as early church and Jewish historians. 

Because of this, the reader is able to better understand the culture of the time, connect the dots between different books of the Bible and ultimately relate more personally to the character being studied. For example, he mentions of the military conquests of Xerxes to explain the four year gap before he chose Esther as queen, as well as other instances of his volatile temperament, the royal preparations that would've been given to Esther and the roots of the deep hatred and bitterness between Haman and Mordecai. Another example is showing the reader how John Mark is restored by Peter to become a close companion of Peter and Paul, and the slave Onesimus is forgiven to become a bishop in Ephesus. Throughout and at the end of each section, MacArthur shows that God can take any sinner and transform them to do His work. 

I would definitely recommend this book (and will most likely read it again), as it goes beyond the simple Sunday School lessons to provide a rich account that will strengthen and encourage your own faith.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze® book review  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