Tuesday, May 8, 2012

The Necessity of an Enemy

"The Necessity of an Enemy" is an awesome book written by Ron Carpenter Jr. This book focuses on turning the usual attitude of "Why is this bad stuff happening to me" into using those bad situations to create an opportunity to be used in the way that God intended. I think that it is so easy to get caught up in feeling sorry for ourselves, or being disappointed when the twists and turns of life become difficult. This book does a great job of helping us change our attitude, and understand that when the enemy attacks, we can still let God's light shine!

"The Necessity of an Enemy" has very short chapters, so you could definitely read it as a devotional if you choose. I liked how many different topics that were in this book, and they all tied back in to the main point of the book - as followers of God, we are bound to encounter resistance from all sides - especially from the devil. Carpenter uses this book to show us how to be prepared for that resistance, and how we can use those situations to fulfill God's purpose for our lives.

I thought this book was great - I liked that there was a study guide at the back of the book, so that you can really soak up all of the useful insight that is in this book. I liked that the chapters were shorter, and that each one really was useful to me. I think that this book would be appropriate for anyone - we all go through hard times, and sometimes feel like we are alone, but as Carpenter puts it: "The teacher is always silent during the test". I believe that anyone can benefit from the wisdoms in this book.

FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from Water Brook Publishers in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review.

All-Pro Dad

"All-Pro Dad" is a great book written for dads by Mark Merrill. "All-Pro Dad" is basically split into eight chapters, with each one prominently featuring one particular question that develops into one of Merrill's basic ideals about fatherhood. So many men muddle through fatherhood without any particular direction or conviction, and this book brings to the surface the heart of what it is to be a father.

Each chapter is through provoking, with topics such as: Who Am I? Who Or What Am I Living For? Why Do I Do What I Do? Merrill includes so many personal accounts to tie in with each chapter, and the end of each chapter offers a few questions that you can ask your own children about to help better understand their view of you with regard to each chapter of this book. 



This book is a great resource for any dad, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is trying to be the best dad that they can be. "All-Pro Dad" is a combination of grandfatherly wisdom, Biblical principles, and insight from a friend. It offers up so much insight into fatherhood, and I wouldn't hesitate to buy it for any of the dads I know. Great book.

FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review. 

Snuggles' Japanese Alps Adventure

"Snuggles' Japanese Alps Adventure" by Tim Ostermeyer is a breathtakingly beautiful book all about the early life of an adorable monkey named Snuggles. Ostermeyer uses a clear talent with photography to document the early life of this particular monkey, as he plays with his friend, snuggles with his mother, and travels to the hot springs before the weather gets too cold. Along the way he learns valuable lessons, guided by Bible verses.

The photography in this book is absolutely amazing. Children will absolutely love following Snuggles on his journey to the hot springs, and learning about this adorable monkey and his family. The story itself is relatively easy to understand, so I would recommend it for ages 4 and up. The only part of the book that didn't really seem to fit was the brief discussion on evolution - the wording was confusing for young children, and difficult to really understand. While this could be used to open a discussion about evolution, I think that for the age this book was created for, it just overcomplicated things.

I would give this book a 4 / 5, and would certainly recommend it to anyone looking to keep their child's bookshelf wholesome, and Bible-friendly.

FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from BookCrash.com in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review.