Where is God When It Hurts, Phillip Yancy

The first part is a little dry, but has interesting facts about the pain network and how disabled we would be without it. Makes you appreciate the fact that you can physically feel pain and touch and pleasure, they are all intermingled.

It gets better as you explore how response to pain determines how we deal with the outcome of the pain.

As I came to the close of the book and tried to make some resolutions about pain and suffering I came up with these conclusions.

1. Pain is inevitable - it's going to come

2. It's universal - everyone will experience it

3. It's personal - doesn't matter that others have suffered before us it's still very personal

4. If I don't suck the life out of pain it will suck the life out of me - if I don't look at pain as an opportunity to trust God, to learn all I can, to react with an open mind and let it do it's work, I will sink to depression and despair and lose all hope as I wallow in my grief.

It gives new meaning to the passage "Consider it all a joy my brothers when you encounter trials (pain) of various kinds knowing that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Let perseverance finish it's work so that you will be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4

I do recommend this book. It works well in a book club setting as it has discussion questions listed in the back.

The Boy Who Changed the World by Andy Andrews

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Boy Who Changed the World. The author, Andy Andrews did an amazing job illustrating how everything we do has the potential to make a difference in other people's lives. He calls this the butterfly effect. This is a story of how four boys were influenced and inspired by a mentor in their lives. Norman Borlaug was influenced by George Wallace, who was influenced by George Washington Carver who was influenced by Moses Carver. It is suitable for young readers or as a read aloud. The illustrations are marvelous and will the hold the attention of pre-schoolers through early elementary.

Thank you Thomas Nelson for making this book available for review.

Living With confidence in a Choatic Word by Dr. David Jeremiah

For my very first posted book review I chose to read Living with Confidence in a Chaotic World, by Dr. David Jeremiah. This book is a sequel to his previous book What In the World is Going On? I've been a long time listener of Dr. Jeremiah's radio broadcast and have always enjoyed his calm and reassuring voice, so I had high expectations for Living with Confidence in a Chaotic World. In ten rather short chapters he zeros in on ways that we can stay confident in Christ while we watch the world around us spin in chaos. He uses marvelous stories to back up and support his chapter titles Stay Calm, Stay Compassionate, Stay Consistent, etc. While I enjoyed the simple layout of the book I found that it was best enjoyed by reading a chapter or two a day, otherwise it's rather simplistic tone sent my mind wandering. I would recommend the book as a simple read, it expresses good reminders for Christian living, but it's not a pager turner.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson for making this book available for review.