GinaMcClain.com

What could be better than another book written by John Eldredge?

One written by John & his wife, Stasi.

It seems every time the Eldredge’s unite and put pen to paper the product is outstanding. In their latest work, Love & War, John and Stasi are more than candid about the challenges of marriage.   A husband/wife duo authoring a book on marriage is not a new concept. You don’t have to look hard for some solid books on the challenges of marriage and the couple that survived them.  But what makes this book unique is the entwining of past storms they’ve weathered and the challenges they faced even while writing this book.

What a testimony of faithfulness to push through the very obstacles that could have stopped them from completing this project.

Every couple should have a relationship building book on their reading list each year. Make this one your 2010 pick.

John & Stasi are touring the country talking to couples about their latest work.  The tickets are inexpensive and the time invested is priceless.  Click here to find out if they’ll be in your area.

Disclaimer: This was book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah.

I’m sorting through books today trying to lighten the load.  This is tough for me.

I love books.

And I’ve got loads of them.

But I’m tired of overflowing basket next to my bed that I keep adding to, but never taking away.  According to one of my favorite shows, Clean House… that’s a sin of “mayhem and foolishness”.

So I’m sorting through my books deciding which ones I can part with when I uncovered a book written by my friend, Natalie Witcher.  A woman I highly respect.  I worked with her husband at LifeChurch.tv for a few years and frankly his family is cool.  They’re the real deal.

Natalie published her book, The Devil In Your Garden, in 2007.  It’s a great read about healing from shame.  Here’s a snippet from the back cover…

Shame makes its way in our lives like a snake slithering its way in a garden.  It is vicious and no respecter of persons.  Where did it all come from?  Why is it such a cancer in our hearts, in our minds?  What’s the deal here?  Why are we paralyzed and afraid?  Our soul cries, “Something’s got to give!”  Something did.  Some One did.

I love the way Natalie frames a situation.  She has a unique way of laughing at herself and finding joy in the smallest of circumstances.  After reading the book I stuck it in my basket next to my bed.  Each time I come across it I’m tempted to toss it in the Salvation Army pile but can never bring myself to toss out a book written by a friend.  Coming across it today, I had the same sentimental thought.  But then, it occurred to me that if Natalie were standing there she’d say,

Toss it out, sister.  It’ll land in someone’s hands.  And they need to read it, that’s for dang sure.

I’m taking liberties with quoting Nat.  Who knows if that’s how she would phrase it.  Either way, she’d laugh at the idea of me hanging onto it for so long.

So I figure I’ll give it away here.  If you’d like a copy of Natalie’s book (and trust me… you do), you can buy it new here or leave me a comment below and maybe you can win my used copy.  I’ll be back tomorrow and announce the grand recipient.

Congratulations Kimberley!  Thanks for reading.  Enjoy the book.

I confess.  I’m a Mark Batterson fan.  The man is on a streak and he hasn’t published a book yet that I didn’t love.  In his latest book, Primal, Batterson leads the reader on a journey into the depths of the Roman catacombs where the 2nd century church illegally worshiped the One, True, Living God.

There were many moments reading the book where I scrambled for my highlighter.  I’ll share only one… you can harvest your own when you read the book. 

That, I believe, is our primal problem.  That is the lost soul of Christianity.  If Jesus said that loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength is the most important commandment, then doesn’t it logically follow that we ought to spend an inordinate amount of our time and energy trying to understand it and obey it?  We can’t afford to be merely good at the Great Commandment.  We’ve got to be great at the Great Commandment.

If you’re up to being challenged on how you view Church and your role as a functioning part of it… put this on the top of your reading list for 2010.  Grab your copy here.