Book Review: You Can Be Everything God Wants You To Be

You Can Be Everything God Wants You To Be, written by the well published Max Lucado, proves to be the perfect book to tuck away in your college kid's boxes or tuck into your high school student's backpack. The book sends a motivating counter cultural message to inspire young adults into finding their "sweet spot" and purpose for their unique abilities.

Truly, American culture has trained us all to believe that we can be anything that we want to be. Max Lucado questions the core of this ideal by writing,

"If God didn't pack within you the meat sense of a butcher, the people skills of a sales person, or the world vision of an ambassador, can you be one? An unhappy, dissatisfied one perhaps. But a fulfilled one? No. Can an acorn become a rose, a whale fly like a bird, or a lead become gold? Absolutely not. You cannot be anything you want to be. But you can be everything God wants you to be."

Divided into 29 sections, this book breaks down the basic steps to discovering one's purpose. The book, which uses selections from Cure for the Common Life, motivates young adults to define the unique talents they possess and live a purposed filled life.

I found this book to be a great graduation or back to school gift. The reader is freed from the generic notions that possibilities are endless, anything is within your grasp, and the sky is the limit. Unlike a generic Hallmark card, Max Lucado's book teaches that the very thing you were created for, what you desire the most, and what you were tailor made to do is yours if you work to seek out what that niche is.

DVD Review: Hermie: Who is in Charge Anyway?

Hermie: Who is in Charge Anyway is the latest DVD addition to Max Lucado's Hermie and Friends series. I'm thinking that I just might be one of the last parents on planet Earth to hear about this series...

The stars of the show is a flea named Freddie and a group of his buggy friends, all cleverly named and brightly animated. In this DVD Freddie struggles to understand his purpose in his bug community. The story flashes back to introduce all the characters of the garden and their talents. Freddie discovers that God does not make mistakes and made even Freddie with a purpose. This DVD, like most these days, offers bonus material including a trivia game, a behind the scenes short film, a sing-along, and a read-along.

As a Christian parent, I love that the DVD is founded on the scripture of Psalm 90:16,

"Show your servants the wonderful things you do; show your greatness to their children."

The DVD succeeds to present God as approachable, loving, and perfect. My 3 year old was entertained and was able to verbalize, "God doesn't make mistakes." after watching the DVD. My heart is always joyful to witness my kids learning Biblical truths like this.

Here's where I cringed...While I want my children to know that God is approachable and that they can pray to him in anyway and anywhere, I also feel a little funny about a flea talking to clouds. I understand that it is difficult illustrate God but somehow moving clouds do not sit well with me just as a Caucasian Jesus robed in white fabric with a blue sash makes me cringe. That said, I still recommend the DVD and encourage parents to sit WITH their children to watch movies and to have conversations about what they have seen as a follow up.

I plan to keep this DVD in our collection because overall, it teaches strong Biblical values and truths. I recommend this DVD to families with children ages 2-5. Please leave a comment if you have seen any of the Hermie & Friends series with your thoughts!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review: I Am Hutterite

I received a copy of the book I Am Hutterite for review recently from the publisher Thomas Nelson. I was intrigued by the book's cover photo and the idea of learning about the Hutterite community through a memoir.

I found the beginning of this book to be far from a page turner. The author attempts to retell the story of generations before her. I experienced a strong disconnect between myself and the text. I found the timeline hard to follow and the voice of the author lost in the pieces of narrative that she has tried to piece together.

The memoir really begins to take shape almost a third of the way into the story, as the author retells her personal story growing up in a Hutterite community. The stories and tales offer glimpses into an otherwise private community. I was fascinated to read about the Hutterite traditions of marriage, parenting, and even the mundane daily tasks. The author takes the reader through the small joys of daily living, a deep tragedy suffered by the family, and through the many conflicts of living in community. The reader follows this family as they leave the Hutterite community and make their own way into living and functioning as a family apart from the Hutterite community. The author, in many ways, shares her deep desire to recapture her Hutterite memories and ways of life as she tells her life after the family's exile.

The author is able to strike a chord of resonance in her audience by revealing how deeply ingrained a person's childhood circumstance and family is into one's identity. While my childhood greatly differs from one growing up Hutterite, it seems clear to me that I am in some way defined by my parents, siblings, church, and childhood experiences. I believe the book's greatest impact comes in the epilogue where the author writes, "The Hutterite culture has defined me in ways that can never be erased. In my heart, I will always remain a Hutterite."

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review: The Money Answer Book by Dave Ramsey

Recently, I received the book The Money Answer Book to read and review. Now, like many, Dave Ramsey is not a stranger to me. My husband and I first turned to Dave for advice 6 years ago when I became a stay at home mom and we went from D.I.N.Ks (Double Income No Kids) to "good golly are we eating spaghetti again". It was Dave Ramsey's book The Total Money Makeover that led us, step by step, out of our financial pickle. I also became a listener of his national talk radio program and even worked up the nerve to call in when we became debt free.

When this book, The Money Answer Book, showed up in the mail my first thought was, "does the man really need to write a new book?". I know. It sounds cruel. It's not that I'm sick of Dave Ramsey. I love the guy. I wondered though, if Dave had anything new to write. Dave's principals on becoming debt free and building financial wealth are simple, straight forward, and grounded. Truly, if you've read Dave Ramsey there isn't much "new" in this book...and I'm good with that. In fact, I'm slightly relieved.

What Dave Ramsey does do in The Money Answer Book is repackage his plan for financial peace into an easy to read and slightly entertaining book. The book is organized into a question and answer format much like his talk radio show. This is what captured my peanut sized attention span. You can eat this book in small bites...one question per page. Or you can chew away at a chapter which organizes a number of questions around one financial topic. While you're entertained by the questions and *gasp* drama in the lives of strangers, your own financial questions are answered and you come away motivated to manage your money. It's a win win.

Throughout the book, The Money Answer Book also includes profound quotes and Biblical scripture grounding it's concepts and providing a bit of a thoughtful reading break. You also gain a few easy, stress-free, financial work pages to create your own money action plan. Very practical.

The book's opening chapter begins with a inspiring "No matter what I don't" list, which just endears the man more to me, and then goes on to explain, what Dave calls, The Basics. If you're at all familiar with Dave Ramsey, you'll recognize these as the baby steps:
1. $1,000 in an emergency fund
2. Pay off all debt(except the house) utilizing the "Debt Snowball"
3. 3 to 6 months expenses in savings for emergencies
4. Fully fund 15% into pre-tax retirement plans and ROTH IRA, if eligible.
5. College funding
6. Pay off home early
7. Build wealth! (Mutual funds and real estate)

Overall, I recommend the book to anyone who has, needs, wants, and is out of money. That's everyone right? Dave's advice is relevant for a person drowning in debt to a person swimming in cash. If you've never read or heard Dave Ramsey, this book is a gentle introduction that gives you a well rounded knowledge of Dave's program. It also wets your appetite to learn more and put your plans into action. If you're like me and you've already been "Ramsified" as I like to call it, and this book serves as an entertaining refresher course that will walk you back into your baby steps if you've strayed a bit.

I'll end with my favorite quote included in the book....

"If at first you don't succeed...try hard work." - William Feather

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”