Monday, May 21, 2018

Review: How to Be a Perfect Christian: Your Comprehensive Guide to Flawless Spiritual Living

How to Be a Perfect Christian: Your Comprehensive Guide to Flawless Spiritual Living How to Be a Perfect Christian: Your Comprehensive Guide to Flawless Spiritual Living by The Babylon Bee
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I wrote a better review but it was all deleted without saving. This is my shorter (probably not as good) review because my wrist is hurting, haha. =)

This book is satire. People of said it, it's worth saying again. It's important to know if you're planning on reading this book and taking everything it says seriously. That being said, it does do a fantastic job poking fun at REAL issues today by painting them in an outrageous light. Hence the satire. I have college students sending me articles all the time from the Babylon Bee, and the same humor you've come to expect from those are on nearly every page of this book! I found myself chuckling and laughing out loud quite a bit. I sometimes think about if I were to teach at a university what books would I use to teach with. This would be a book that I would have students use to do a project on. With the engaging humor and the over-the-top satire of it, I think it provides a perfect opportunity for students (and everyone else) to look at the outrageousness of it and follow the thread back to reality and evaluate if we (even if subconsciously) actually believe/act in these ways. Anyway, funny book, makes you think about how Christians today can appear and portray themselves, defiantly worth the read. If you pick up a copy, sit back and enjoy!

"I received this book from the publisher through their book launch program."

View all my reviews

Review: Original Blessing: Putting Sin in Its Rightful Place

Original Blessing: Putting Sin in Its Rightful Place Original Blessing: Putting Sin in Its Rightful Place by Danielle Shroyer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I've been reading this book off and on for a year (it's crazy when I looked down and saw I literally started this book and finished it on the same day a year apart... that wasn't intentional but cool that it happened, haha). Overall, this book is certainly an interesting book to read and a thought provoker. The theological concept of 'original sin' has always intrigued me, mainly because of how it really seems unnecessary and doesn't seem to have as much biblical basis as many claim. I'm not an end-all authority on theology so I really appreciate reading varying perspectives on different concepts. Shroyer's book is certainly a nice addition to the conversation. While at times it seems a little taxing to push through, there was much that I enjoyed reading, even if her contributions were not enough to yet convince me of ALL of her conclusions. In all fairness, I hope to reread this book in the future (within a much shorter time frame) and I'm hoping I'll be able to derive a better understanding/appreciation for this book as well as provide a better review. Overall, I have a hunch/suspicion that anyone who holds onto the doctrine of 'original sin' will take issue with this book and won't be convinced otherwise. Yet despite this, it's a book worth reading and given a serious shot at contributing a valid voice within this theological conversation.

View all my reviews

Sunday, May 6, 2018

Review: Out of a Far Country: A Gay Son's Journey to God, a Broken Mother's Search for Hope

Out of a Far Country: A Gay Son's Journey to God, a Broken Mother's Search for Hope Out of a Far Country: A Gay Son's Journey to God, a Broken Mother's Search for Hope by Christopher Yuan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Where to start... I grabbed this book about 3 years ago from a book table at a conference. It was one of those where (to be honest), the cover didn't really appeal to me and the title led me to believe it was a memoir of an immigrants journey to the US and becoming accustomed to 'Westernized' Christianity. Not that it would necessarily a bad read, it just wasn't something that really screamed at me to read. Nonetheless, something about this book made me buy it and keep it on my shelf.

I recently joined a 'launch team' to help read, review, and promote Dr. Yuan's newest book due late this summer, early fall. Due to this sudden opportunity, I remembered this book sitting on my shelf and thought to myself that I should probably make sure that I read his memoir (and first book) before I start adventuring into his new one (just in case there was some groundwork I needed to know). After finishing this book, all I can say is 'WOW!' I had NO idea how good this book was. Aside from the subtitle (which to be honest would trigger A LOT of 'judging a book by its cover by individuals who are pro same-sex relationships and the sort, due to the implications that the author arrived at a different destination than his beginning camp of homosexually active), reading about the life of Christopher AND his mother, the brokenness all throughout their family, and the awesome ways that God worked to speak to them and literally physically save their lives was just an absolutely incredible experience.

There was much to Chris's life that you wouldn't expect (but I don't want to spoil it for you, so you'll just have to pick it up and read it yourself). Nonetheless, to read about the journey, life choices, and metamorphosis that took place in the life of a family that dealt with as much as the Yuan family, is truly an enriching experience.

I HIGHLY recommend this book to just about anyone and everyone. It's not difficult to read by any stretch of the imagination, and is very engaging. It's presentation is genius, with each chapter written (almost as journal entries), alternating between Chris and his mother. Overall, fantastic, easy, and encouraging read that truly capture the modern day example of how prodigals lost in a far country from God can truly return home no matter what they've done and experience the love that their Creator has for them.

View all my reviews