Search For Significance

It took me longer to read this book than normal for the fact that I kept getting mad at it and walking away.  Why did I get mad at it?  A lot of what it was talking about described me too perfectly and that was hard to face sometimes.  This books makes you come face to face with hard truths about yourself and find the acceptance needed to understand them.

Every one is looking for significance somewhere, but do we look for it in God or do we look elsewhere? That is the question this book addresses.  It use scripture to back up the things it says and has exercises to help you understand the teaching within the book.  At the end is even a little workbook to help you through the book and study it and the Bible.  I found it helpful to read a chapter or two a day and work on the workbook sections at the same time.

It was easy to follow and understand.  It was filled with over the top and excessively wordy chapters.  No matter where you are in your walk with God, this book is helpful in taking that first step in finding significance within Him rather than other places.

I  know I will keep coming back to this book over and over again and will keep learning something in it.  A friend of mine recommended this book to me and highly recommend it to others as well.  If you want to grow and come closer to understanding God's love for us then this is the book for you.   Even though it made me mad over and over again I give this a 5 out of 5 star rating.

A Woman of Strength and Purpose

As a strong-willed woman, you meet the world head-on, undeterred by those who say something can’t be done. When applied in the right ways, your God-given passion produces clear-eyed purpose, deep compassion, and a bold spirit that can change the world. But sometimes your determination leads to misunderstandings and fractured relationships.

Sometimes people view a strong-willed or determined woman to be overwhelming, competitive, even intimidating. Cynthia Tobias take that strong will and shows woman how we can turn it into something positive, something that draws people towards us rather than away.  She stresses the idea that when you add God to a strong willed woman she will be able to move mountains to so to speak.  She will be able to walk bravely and accomplish things that others may shy away from. 




Tobias uses her writing style to help women learn how to use their strong-willed nature to overcome their weakness and become strong women of God while forming solid relationships with those around them.  This is a quick and easy read, a couple of hours or  a day if you really delve deep into what Tobias is telling her readers.  I enjoyed how she pointed everything back to God and how to turn that natural instinct into a passion for Christ.  There are also discussion questions at the end for small groups or personal development as you read the book.



Something I did enjoy most was as a meak-willed woman, I learned some ways to become more outgoing and stronger willed in my pursuit of Christ.  I think this book is perfect for every woman to read whether she is strong willed or not.  I give the book a 4 out of 5 because it did make me really think about what was going on in my own life and how I can change that.

She Heard

I have gone through a variety of Bible Studies that focus on the women of the Bible.  There are many that strive to help women become the strong woman God intends us to become.  Throughout the Bible there are many women who represent this strength and what it means to be a Godly woman, She Heard is a Bible Study that takes a look at these women and helps relate their lives in Biblical times to our lives in present day.  She Heard discusses how these women heard and allowed God's will for their lives to be present and became what God had intended.  I cannot begin to say how much I love this devotional.

It is perfect for a group or individual study, and presents questions and situations that really make readers think about their lives and whether or not they are allowing themselves to hear God's voice in their lives.  It makes women dig deeper into their lives and see who God wants them to be.  I loved the stories of the various Biblical women such as Abigail and Ester, and how God used them for His glory (I don't have it at my side as I haven't unpacked it yet to give specifics).

It is very evident that the women who wrote the book are strong women and understood the material they were writing about.  I would highly recommend this study for individuals as well as a group study.  I give this a 5 out of 5 rating, and plan on going through the study again next year to see how my answers to some of the questions have changed.  I hope to see more from Deliberate Women.

Warroom Bible Study

I was excited to get the War Room bible study after watching the movie.  It was such a great movie, but I was a little disappointed in the Bible Study.  While there is a lot to learn in the study, it was difficult to put myself into some of the situations that were presented.  I found it to be a great Bible study to have in a group because there are numerous discussion questions that relate to a group study, but it is a little harder for an individual study.

One of the things I didn't like to much was there parts of the Bible study wanted you to watch portions of the movie, and if you do not have the movie readily available to you, it is hard to answer questions or follow along with what the study is talking about.  It does help you dig deeper into prayer and how to make your prayer life better.  It does provide ways to help battle through some of the evil that comes our way throughout life, but as stated, there are points where it was difficult to relate the situations to our personal lives.

I liked how the study was set up and it made it easy for the group to follow along and see what areas of our life need help.  While the book does seem helpful, I do not think I would recommend this Bible Study because you do need the movie to go with it.  I prefer a study that is not heavily reliant on a movie it is related to.  For that reason I give this study a 3 out of 5.

Wicked Women of The Bible by Ann Spangler

Wicked Women of The Bible by Ann Spangler has a deceiving title.  Those included in this book are both notoriously good and notoriously bad.  As much as it is about the women Bible, it is also about men of the Bible.  For example the story of Miriam is also about Moses and Aaron, Ruth and Naomi's story also includes Boaz.  The book begins with Eve and concludes with Mary Magdalene.

Each section starts with a narrative about the woman which includes elements from the Bible as well as filer that one can only speculate.  Such as in the story of the woman who washes Jesus' feet:  "Simon passes by her without allowing himself the luxury of a sideways glance."  The book is powerful enough without speculation on what the characters of the story could be thinking or feeling.  After the narrative, is a brief section titled "The Times" which talks about the time and culture of the story that was just told.  This section also gives some additional information on things like harems, and family lineage. Last in the chapter are the "Takeaways," this section has 4 -5 questions that ask things like :"What evidence is there in Ester's story that she waited for the Lord?  What do you think would have happened had she not?"  These questions make for great discussion and study either individually or in a group.  After the end of the book there is a list of the scripture used, so readers can look back and study farther.  There is also  6 - 7 pages about Eve and talks about different legacy's that she left behind.

As I stated earlier, the title is a little deceiving.  Immediately one's mind jumps to the definition of wicked as evil, morally bad.  But the author gives two definitions of the word, the one that states evil, morally bad.  But then she also refers to the online slang definition as "very very good, excellent, extremely in a grand way; "cool"; "awesome" as is, that concert was wicked!"  With that definition, the title is very fitting.  Spangler weaves her stories together wonderfully to reflect the lives of women not only in Biblical times, but also in modern times.  Each and every one of the sections has a lesson everyone can learn from, not just women but men as well.

This book is not only informative, but it is also entertaining.  There were moments I found myself giggling, most in Sarah's story with the line "who wouldn't find that funny?  Two old sticks kindling a fire."  Ann's choice of words and deep understanding of the Biblical accounts makes this book a wonderful addition to a life study.  I would highly recommend this book for anyone who is looking for something that gives a different perspective on the stories we all know so well.  I also recommend this for anyone who thinks the Bible is filled with stories of strong powerful characters.  This books shows even the most faithful had faults.  I give this book a 5 out of 5.

**Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program.  **

Confessions of a Prayer Slacker

Professions of a Prayer Slacker: Diane Moody
Media: Ebook - Kindle
Rating 3 out 5 stars

How many of us will confess we slack in the area of prayer whether it is of the Christian faith or not? Confessions of a Prayer Slacker follows every excuse we tend to give for not finding time to pray and gives reason why those excuses are not good enough.  Diane Moody shares stories of her own failings in the area of prayer, as well as the times when she found prayer to be helpful.  She also talks about ways she made time and the discipline needed to remain strict in her prayer time.  She gives challenges and exercises to help readers become better prayer warriors and have quality prayer time.
Something she suggests that helped in her prayer life was a prayer journal, one with various sections based on the type of prayer: thanksgiving, intercessory, needs etc.  She keeps each of those prayers seperate so she may go back and when prayers have been answered.  She reminds readers many times prayers are answered, just not in the way we expect.
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Diane Moody is funny and witty in her writing.  She makes the subject interesting and enjoyable rather than something to dread.   She hits home with the excuses people make and while not intending to, she can make the reader feel ashamed for making those excuses, such as "I don't have time."  If we can make time to catch that show on TV we can make time for prayer.  She doesn't drone on about the subject as some other books are prone to do.  She tells it like it is and comes up with great ideas on how to make your prayer life better and more natural.