Yes, Another Andy Stanley Book!

On it's way to me, The Principle of the Path by Andy Stanley.  Here's what the jacket has to say...

Your Direction, not Your Intention, Determines Your Destination. There is often a tension between where we want to end up in life and the path we choose to get there. We fail to see that having good intentions is never good enough. Like Charlie Brown, we wrongly believe there’s something to be said for trying hard. We need to understand why, in spite of our good intentions, we may have ended up at the wrong destination with our finances, our marriages, our careers, or a host of other dreams. So how do we get from where we are to where we truly want to be? The Principle of the Path is a road map to proper direction and discipline.

Illegals: The Unaccepted Cost of America's Failure to Control Its Borders

Illegals: The Unacceptable Cost of America's Failure to Control Its Borders - The title and subtitle intrigued me.  I opened the book expecting to read a one-sided view with little backbone and even less documented information.  Instead, I was caught off guard by the candid interviews with individuals on both sides of the fence (pun intended).  Mr. Ankarlo takes the reader on a journey through Arizona's border into Mexico and then back over the border again.  His team takes risks that endanger their lives as they seek interviews with the "coyotes" who transport men, women and children across our Nation's border to waiting drop houses or border patrol depending on the situation.

Shocking is the only word I could use to describe the stories and experiences in the book.  This book left me sad, angry, frustrated and frightened at times but I've been left with a greater knowledge about the issue of illegal immigration.  Education is a powerful tool and this book is sure to provide the reader with an education of the failing of the system, more knowledge possibly than some of our country's leaders might have.

*This book was provided free by Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for my honest and unbiased review .

The Grace of God

The Grace of God is an amazing journey of God's grace from Old Testament to New Testament.  The bible characters and stories share the tale of grace woven from the world's conception to Christ's resurrection.  Having never read a book by Andy Stanley, I was full of anticipation and was far from disappointed.  Rarely have I ever shared so many passages from a book with friends and family because they were just "too good" to keep to myself.  The book leaves the reader with a sense of hope and wonderment at the abundance of grace.  Truly a "must read"!

*This book was provided free by Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for my honest and unbiased review

A Welcomed Surprise - Another Book!

 

Thank you Thomas Nelson Publishers for a second book to review: The Grace of God by Andy Stanley.

The synopsis reads:
Learn how God's grace can and will transform you.

None of us deserve what God offers, a life free from sin and hope for a glorious future, but unbelievably it's ours for the taking. Why? Because of God's grace. The unmerited favor, the lavish love and kindness he pours out on us, and has, since Creation.

But if it's so available then why do we live a grace-less life? Why are our churches filled with disillusioned Christians, weary of religion's demands, struggling with personal defeat because of issues or behaviors?

Join pastor Andy Stanley as he traces grace through the Old and New Testament, observing God's grace at work in the lives of some of the best, and worst, characters. He also uses personal stories from his own life to reveal how grace is not a natural response but is the most essential one. Together these stories unravel the mystery of grace and tell of its transforming power to set us free.

Straight from the Headlines

On it's way to a very excited new reviewer from Thomas Nelson Publishers:  Illegals: The Unacceptable Cost of America's Failure to Control Its Borders by Darrell Ankarlo.

The book description reads:
Not since the Civil War has America been so divided over such a seemingly unsolvable issue as U.S. immigration policy.


Phoenix has become the number 2 kidnap capital of the world, ranchers and police officers in border states are being killed by drug runners from Mexico, and the federal government refuses to enforce its own immigration law. Why are 20 million people disregarding America’s sovereign borders and laws to come to this country? Darrell Ankarlo follows the lives of several Mexican citizens as they contemplate their existence south of the border, their temptation to sneak into America, and what waits for them here. To understand the issue first-hand, Ankarlo stared down gun barrels, was caught in the middle of a drug-lord showdown, and then wandered the Arizona desert after illegally sneaking back into America. Illegals explores issues raised by these personal stories and offers perspectives—often contradictory—from U.S. citizens.