Captivating - John & Stasi Edlredge

The book "Captivating" by John and Stasi Edlredge is written to help unveil the mystery of a woman's soul (they make it sound so easy...). John is also the author of "Wild at Heart" where he writes about discovering the secret of a man's soul(which also is made to sound so easy...). In this book however, John and Stasi co-write about how the things that women most desire are to be romanced, to have an irreplaceable role in a great adventure, and to have their beauty unveiled and to have the question of "Am I lovely?" answered.

This was an enjoyable book. I have previously read a bunch of other books written by John Eldredge and I have really come to like his style of writing and the way he brings old truths out in new light. This book was an easy read and it was helpful in figuring out what my wife needs and desires in her life. It helped me to better understand her journey and to be able to encourage her to know that she is not alone in the questions she asks and the answers she seek. The book will help to strengthen our marriage and assist me in developing a better understanding of what makes my wife and half of the world's population tick.

I am a member of BookSneeze and I received this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for a review of the book. My rating for this book is 4 out of 5.

Will the World End in 2012? by Raymond C. Hundley, PHD

Will the World End in 2012? A Christian Guide to the Question Everyone's Asking by Raymond C. Hundley was a quick read and an overall decent book. In the book, he covers the top 10 theories around the world ending in 2012. While I found most of the theories and the supporting "evidence" shaky at best, I did learn quite a bit about where these people are coming from. My favorite chapters were the ones at the end of the book with instructions for those seeking God and Christians.
The bottom line is that no one knows when the world will end, Jesus told us that while he was on the earth. The best way to prepare is to become a follower of Christ. You won't know when the world will end, but you will know where you are heading when the world ends.
I received this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for an honest review on this book.
My rating is 3 out of 5.

BibleMan - Combating the Commandment of Confusion DVD

I received this DVD from Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't know what to expect when I put this DVD into the player, I thought that it was going to be animated, exciting and an easy to understand Bible lesson. Instead, it wasn't animated, it wasn't super exciting and it reminded me of watching a dinner theatre.

However, the lesson was very good and I could see us enjoying this DVD and other BibleMan DVD's as our kids get older.

At Vimy Ridge by Hugh Brewster

This is a short book, put out by Scholastic that replays Canada's vital role in the Great War (WWI). Just last week, the last known veteran of WWI passed away, marking the passing of a great generation. This is a great little book that I plan on reading with my kids as they get older. It's also a great book to read for a quick overview of Canada's role in WWI.

Call of Duty by Lt. Lynn "Buck" Compton

I have been enthralled with the HBO series Band of Brothers since I first watched the series in 2004. The series is based on a book by Stephen Ambrose of the same name. It follows a group of men as they fought their way across Europe (starting on D-Day) and eventually took Hitler's nest.

This book is by one of the key characters in that series, Buck Compton. Mr. Compton has lived a full and heroic life. After serving in WWII, he became a distinguished public servant. This is a great book and offers further insight into the previous books on the subject.

His "call of duty" to serve a country that he loves is something that is definitely missing in America these days. We are losing many WWII vets every single day. If you know of anyone who has served their country, please thank them. Its because of their service that we are free.

The Gift of Being Yourself by David G. Benner

The Gift of Being Yourself by David G. Benner was a good read. I enjoyed it because of the simple, yet profound principles inside of it. To truly know yourself, you have to truly know God and to truly know God, you have to truly know yourself. This is a book I definitely plan on reading again, because it added a lot of value to me.

The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino

Og Mandino is one of the greatest motivational authors and speakers of all time. His bestselling book (I believe) is The Greatest Salesman in the World. Many people have credited the turn-around in their lives to this book.

Reading this book for me was roughly a 9 month process. I read each scroll 3 times a day (the last time before bed was always out loud) for 30 days before moving onto the next scroll. It is a discipline that I not only learned a lot by doing, but learned the basic skills of communicating with others and myself. Here are the Scrolls:

1) I will greet this day with love in my heart.
2) I will persist until I succeed.
3) I am nature's greatest miracle.
4) I will live this day as if it is my last.
5) Today I will be master of my emotions.
6) I will laugh at the world.
7) Today, I will multiply my value a hundredfold.
8) I will act now.
9) Help this humble salesman, guide me God.

Its a good read, but to get the full effect of this book, I recommend reading it 3 times a day for 9 months. It will change your life. It certainly changed mine!