How Would Jesus Vote?

Jerry Newcombe and the late D. James Kennedy of Coral Ridge Ministries examine political issues that voters face not only now, in the 2008 presidential race, but those that are ongoing.

The authors drawn attention to the fact that voters with a traditional Christian worldview see issues and their solutions differently than other voters. At least, the authors believe we should, since our beliefs should be based on what the Bible says.

Some issues addressed are abortion, the death penalty, war, education, and economics, to name a few. Kennedy and Newcombe challenge the reader to vote from an informed view by applying faith and obedience in the ballot box.

Published by WaterBrook Press, you can purchase it here.

Bon Appétit

Lexi leaves her Seattle area home to pursue her dream of becoming a pastry chef. She switches places with the daughter in the Delacroix family, owners of not only the bakery where she worked in Seattle but also two bakeries in France. She settles into spending her working hours supervised by members of the Delacroix family at each of their bakeries, creating delicious pastries as directed.

Her education at L’École du Pâtisserie, sponsored by the family, begins just a few weeks after she arrives. She will have 16 weeks to prove herself and earn her diploma. In order to do so, she must end up in the top ten percent of her class. Will she pass the final exhibition of her baking skills?

Lexi cautiously makes friends, develops a devotional time where she is not only feeding her body but also her soul, and looks to God for help in sorting out what direction she should take. Good food, new friendships, a little romance…will she stay in France or decide to return to America? Authored by Sandra Byrd, the novel delightfully portrays Lexi’s struggles as she tries to find her way. There are even a few recipes included!

New from WaterBrook Press, this is the second book in Sandra Byrd's French Twist series.
I have two copies to give away to an interested party.

The Shape of Mercy

Any Susan Meissner fans out there? If so, you will like her new novel, The Shape of Mercy.

Raised in an atmosphere of affluence, Lauren sets out to disprove her family’s expectations. In her opening monologue she states: “This is the treasure the impoverished forget they have: the ability to choose a new road. They may struggle all their lives to on it, but at least they chose it for themselves. This is why I went looking for a job to earn a paycheck I didn’t need. Not because I wanted to prove I could earn my own money, but because no one expected me to do it. When you only do what is expected of you, you never learn what you would’ve done had you chosen for yourself.” (page 5)

A sophomore English major, Lauren is hired to transcribe a journal that has been handed down through the family of an elderly woman. Mercy Hayworth details the frenzy surrounding the colony where she lives during the time of the Salem witch trials. Mercy seeks God for answers and demonstrates abundant forgiveness. As she slowly peels back not only the layers of Mercy’s life but that of her employer, Lauren begins to realize her own perceptions of people are sometimes misguided and not based on truth. She finds and faces her own self-imposed perception of “not measuring up” and is released into a new freedom.

This was beautifully written and difficult to put down. A little intrigue, a little romance, some self-examination, much forgiveness, abundant mercy: all are wrapped together in Meissner’s The Shape of Mercy.

If you are interested, I have two extra copies.
New from WaterBrook Press. It can be purchased here.
You can find more about the author here.

For Young Men Only

This new book by Jeff Feldhahn* and Eric Rice* sets out to give helpful answers to young men in their quest to understanding young women. Taking basic questions, they surveyed up to 1,000 young women and catalogued their answers. Their wives, Shaunti Feldhahn+ and Lisa Rice^, consulted groups of high school girls in settings where they felt free to speak candidly about those qualities in their male peers that meant the most to them. The girls were a mixture of Christians and non-Christians. Random surveys were also conducted at malls.

I’ll admit it. I was curious. Having raised three young men of my own, I wondered what this book would tell my sons about young women that they didn’t know. After all, they had a mom and a sister who could definitely clue them in on the female mind. At least we thought so. After reading For Young Men Only I asked myself, “Have things changed since I was a young woman?” Apparently not. My daughter read it and came to the same conclusion. We don’t understand why they don’t get us. Still.

While the answers were no surprise to us females, they were to the authors. Here are two examples: Chapter 2: “Why ordinary guys have a real chance with great girls. A: A girl is most attracted to a guy’s hidden qualities.”

Chapter 6: “How to talk and listen to a girl without looking like an idiot. A: A girl wants a guy to talk to her. But to really make an impression with her, a guy just needs to listen.”

Each chapter is devoted to a survey question and answer, and then gives explanations, practical tips, and ideas for better relating to young women. For Young Men Only, written in a light-hearted and engaging way, is simple and easy to read. If you know a young man who is having a hard time understanding how to relate to young women, this book might be a good start.

I have two copies to give away.

Published by Multnomah, you can find more information at the following sites:

www.foryoungmenonly.com
www.Amazon.com
www.ChristianBook.com
www.FamilyChristian.com

*also authored For Men Only
+authored For Women Only
+^co-authored For Young Women Only