40 Loaves by C. D. Baker

Link for  40 Loaves – Breaking Bread with Our Father Each Day by C.D. Baker at Random House

Book Description:  There are many questions we’re not supposed to ask when playing by the religious rules. It makes people uncomfortable. So why is it that Jesus invited questions and even asked some of them himself? What is it that you’re afraid to ask God? It’s a risky prospect to begin asking–but far riskier to continue simply trying to get by without knowing. Author C. D. Baker asked himself 40 soul-searching questions which started a conversation in his heart and ultimately showed him more about God than He ever expected.


Can we become more honest with who we really are and find who God says He really is at the same time? Come indulge yourself in daily readings with an honest exploration of your secret fears and thoughts, and know that you will always be welcomed in God’s unconditional love.

My Review:
I absolutely loved this book. 40 Loaves is a devotional type book that asks and answers questions Christians are afraid to ask. The book begins with a “Dear Reader” where the author illustrates his compassion and understanding of struggling Christians and those who need to know they are not alone with their questions.
Just a few of the 40 Loaves are:

• Why am I so uncomfortable with doubts?

• Why don’t I have more faith?

• Why am I so afraid of death?

• Why are some Christians so hard for me to like?

• Why can’t I relax around God?

Each chapter also has a short “Food for Thought” and a prayer or scripture.

40 Loaves is both encouraging and challenging as the author explores the thoughts and questions we have about Jesus, faith, and feelings. For this review I read through the book as a whole, but I am going to go back and read it as a devotional with reflection and prayer. This is a book that came to me when I needed it most, and I was truly affected by its message.

The author’s website is here: C.D. Baker

About the author:
C. David Baker founded an award-winning business before redirecting his career to write full-time from his small farm in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. He is the author of eight books, including six novels, one of which was nominated for a Christy Award. He has contributed articles to the Christian History Institute’s international publication Glimpses, and to Christian Singles magazine. Baker has a Master’s degree in theological studies from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland.
 
 
Thank you to WaterBrook Mulnomah Publishing Group for the review copy.

Treasured by Leigh McLeroy

Link to purchase Treasured

Book Description:  In Treasured, Leigh McLeroy considers tangible reminders of God’s active presence and guides readers in discovering evidence in their own lives of his attentive love. “The idea for the book came from a cigar box filled with odds and ends of my grandfather’s life that arrived a few months after his death. Sifting through the objects in the box, I experienced him in a fresh new way. This made me wonder what treasures might be tucked away in Scripture that could frame God for me in an equally intimate, tangible way. This process also helped me uncover my own “treasures” of my walk with the Lord: objects that remind me of my history with him and his faithfulness to me,” says McLeroy.

Drawn from the pages of Scripture, the author considers twelve such treasures and personalizes their meaning for readers, such as a green olive branch that offers proof of God’s “new every morning” mercy and a scarlet cord that demonstrates his willingness to adopt “strays” of every sort. Weaving these treasures together with scenes from her personal history, Leigh McLeroy invites readers to discover God’s heart for them and embrace their unique role in his redemptive story. Treasured offers readers a guided experience of God’s love and character and invites them to consider their own treasures that point to their part in God’s ongoing story.

My Review: 
In Treasured, Leigh McLeroy begins this devotional style book with a story of receiving a box of keepsakes that belonged to her grandfather. As she looked at the Bible, she began to see a spiritual aspect and considered the small things, or God’s keepsakes, that would demonstrate His heart and love for us. The author has a unique insight as she compares her life and circumstances with those individuals whose stories are told in the Bible. How often do we read the Word of God without seeing the small hints of wisdom placed there just for us? The story that the author tells is deeply personal look at God’s provisions for her needs and desires. She also tells of those deep and sometimes painful desires that have not yet been fulfilled. Each chapter begins with a Bible verse and an explanation or application.

Just an example of the chapters:
A Fig Leaf: The God Who Covers Me
Abraham’s Knife: The God Who Provides
A bloodstained Piece of Wood: The God Who Defeats Death


 I especially enjoyed her account of a gathering she attended. It was a meeting of Christian Retailers with publishers, writers, agents, etc. in attendance. The author gave some interesting contrasts between individuals while watching authors interact with the public at a book signing and another incident in the lobby of the hotel.


Treasured can be read in one sitting, or as a devotional style book. There is also a “Personal Reflection and Group Discussion Guide” at the end of the book, which is an important self-examination of our own hearts and desires. What do you collect and why?

About the Author: 
Leigh McLeroy is the author of The Beautiful Ache and The Sacred Ordinary. An avid collector and recorder of everyday moments, words, and wonders, Leigh’s keen eye for God’s presence in ordinary life infuses her writing and living with a deep, insistent joy. A frequent conference and event speaker, the author makes her home in Houston, Texas, and posts often on http://www.leighmcleroy.com/
 and http://www.wednesdaywords.com/.




This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

The First Thirty Seconds by Stephen M Armstrong

Amazon.com link for The First Thirty Seconds

Simple, beautiful, concise, thoughtful, and meaningful are all words to describe The First Thirty Seconds. At each turn of the page the reader is presented with a thoughtful sentence or paragraph of various subjects and then a reflection on the opposite page. All of the topics are presented to help the reader focus on positive thoughts and behaviors.

The book is presented in the style of a devotional with each double page to be read individually so that there is an opportunity to ponder and apply to the reader’s life. The topics covered are all of the things we encounter in our everyday lives and the feelings and thoughts that can hinder us if we let them. What a wonderful way to start the day by reading, contemplating, and applying the thoughts presented! Then to be able to use what you learn to make choices through the day that reflect a righteousness of character and goodness.

I would recommend this book for anyone who would like to start their day in a positive manner. The book has one of the most beautiful covers I have ever seen, and with each page decoratively framed, I would especially recommend the book as a gift.