Book Review ("The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible")

I recently got the opportunity to review Max Lucado’s newest study Bible the “The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible” through the website Booksneeze. It’s the New King James version edited by Max Lucado with a number of added of features that make this bible really great. For instance inserts called “Life Lessons” which are done in a sort of bible-study breakdown format with explanations and overviews of certain texts and then an “application” or Life Lesson that the reader can take from it along with a number of extra insights one would normally find in a study bible. A full list of the features in this book will be provided at the bottom.

I found this Bible very rich and inspirational, however I think like a number of other reviewers of this product thought it was somewhat mislabeled as a “study Bible”. It is a wonderful Bible and can certainly facilitate study as well as any Bible can, but in my experience with specifically labeled study Bibles, there is much more content verse by verse, facts and connections and dates and historical background, and Greek and Hebrew references, essentially—a very thorough academic approach. If that is what you are expecting or looking for, then this is not the Bible for you. This Bible is all about inspiration and life application, filled with encouragement and insight and lots of commentary by the wonderfully thought-provoking Max Lucado

The Bible itself is beautiful and durable and very easy to read, with a nice clear and large font and side margins and special features that are clearly labeled and don’t disrupt or get in the way of the Biblical text which is one of the things I most appreciate about it. It’s a great Bible, again, but if you’re looking for in-depth Biblical studies, try elsewhere. This would make a morning-time Bible to sit back with in the early hours of the morning with a cup of coffee and really get encouraged and fed for the day. I love it and am looking forward to delving further into its many features.

Full list of “The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible” features:
*Life Lessons margin features
*Full-Page Devotional Bible Studies
*Christ Through the Bible articles
*New Life in Christ articles
*He Did This Just for You Verses
*New Believer Studies
*Spiritual Growth Verses
*”The Big Picture” Reading Plan: 30 Day reading plan that introduces the key passages of the New Testament
*”Where to Turn When…” Index
*Full Bible Reading Plan
*A Brief Note to Parents and Teachers

Book Review ("Start! Bible for New Believers")

I had the opportunity through Booksneeze.com to review the new Start! Bible for New Believers bible. It’s written in the New King James version and is filled with tons of simple, easy to understand tidbits for new believers throughout in little boxes labeled either “Know”, “Live”, “Learn” or “Grow” each with their own practical content. The beginning of each book also has a nice, informative overview that helps explain it and give a preview of what it’s all about.

I thought this bible seemed great for new believers first off because it wasn’t pretentious or churchy but instead was straightforward, simple, easy to use and didn’t have a million fancy oohs and ahhs to detour or discourage the new believer from really getting into it and growing their faith. It’s definitely going to leave older believers hungry for more, but it serves its purpose perfectly as a first time bible.

Book Review ("The Grace of God")

“The Grace of God” by Andy Stanley is a beautifully executed picture of God’s grace and how, even in the things we find hard to understand—our lives are simply SWIMMING in it. His writing style is incredibly easy to understand and connect with, and somehow makes confusing and easily misinterpreted passages of the bible concise and simple and beautifully relevant to our own lives.

Stanley’s points are made through the retelling of well known bible stories, and not a chapter goes by that isn’t filled with God’s word pointing again and again to the beautiful truths of God’s great and overwhelming grace for humanity. From the tales of Abraham to David to Stephen to many more, Stanley explores an incredibly wide variety of beautiful stories of simple people just like you and me, full of flaws and weakness and pain that God pours out his grace upon and uses to accomplish amazing things. Stanley also explores some fascinating areas of grace with unique insight—such as the ever debated subject of laws and salvation—how a God of grace can “demand” such high standards and still be considered “gracious”—but he presents a consistently winning argument for every question presented that God is a good God and his plans for us are beyond amazing despite all the ways we mess up and despite everything the world throws us at us—his grace is more than sufficient.

I have certainly read books of more earth-shattering revelations than this, but I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for an easy to read book that will leave you encouraged and at rest with the awesomeness of God’s mercy in our lives.

This review is my own opinion given in lieu of Booksneeze.com’s book review program where you are able to review books sent straight to you by the publisher for free. I was not required to give a positive review nor was I forced to say any part of this.

Save a Nerd! PLEASE!

WATCH CHUCK PEOPLE!

It's one of the best television series' on tv today--and I'm saying that as a highly particular tv-watcher, a skeptic by nature, and someone who was dead-set on thinking it was stupid before I actually popped in the first disc of season one. But it won me over and I'm never turning back! The quality and character development, comedy, music, cinematography and especially the acting are just SUPERB in this action/adventure/comedy. It's hilarious, truly entertaining, surprisingly surprising, the characters will catch you immediately and it has the BEST MUSIC EVER. I have literally discovered a good thirty songs that I've fallen in love with from this show--and I'm the kind of person who will listen to a new CD by one of my favorite bands and only like one, two at the most. It's rare that a song really captures me. I bought around 20 to 30 new songs off iTunes because I was so desperate to get them on my iPod after hearing them on Chuck! The acting is amazing, and while the promotional images and synopsis may seem cheesy or cliche or any other manner of ill-desired thing, (and trust me, I took one look at the cover of my friend's loaned season and said "this looks stupid and bland" but with fifteen minutes I was thinking to myself "I might be falling in love with a fictional character. Wow". WATCH THIS SHOW!

Last years, thousands, maybe millions of fans campaigned to bring Chuck back for a third season after it had been canceled to NBC's latest problems with ratings and such. And this third season has been UNBELIEVABLE. But the viewings are still dangerously low, Chuck just doesn't get that much attention despite how very much it deserves it--please, please, please people. Watch this show. Give it a shot from season one, watch the Pilot and let Chuck into your life. At least give him a chance.

---

Check out some Chuck-osity here on the official website:
NBC.com/Chuck

Or visit this fan site to read up on things, news, get pictures, links, interviews, etc to figure out what Chuck's all about:
ChuckTV.com

Or, watch this pretty cool video on YouTube that goes over the things that make Chuck awesome (although I must say, Chuck is about a million times better in person than even this video can show--especially the comedy/action aspects):
Ten Reasons to Watch Chuck

OR BEST OF ALLL! JUST START WATCHING CHUCK! Give it a try, just for five minutes, watch the Pilot and see if it interests you even the tiniest smidgeon, and if so...watch it, share it, buy it, help Chuck live on!!

Watch Chuck, for free in high-quality, at The WB.com: WATCH CHUCK's PILOT EPISODE RIGHT NOW: CLICK HERE!

---

"Lost"

Just found this pretty awesome video by oddball9818 on YouTube. It captured the magic of season one really well and I loved being reminded of how it all began. That first season had something special, every season is amazing for sure, but there's nothing else like Season One. It's just incredible. Ahhhh, I can't wait to rewatch everything again from the beginning once six ends. It's gonna be KILLERRR.

Swim Until You Can't See Land

Frightened Rabbit: A superbly spectacular band that deserves a lot more attention than it's gotten. In a world where "indie" is becoming a cliche, this band seriously redefines the genre, redifines music. I love them. Their last album "Midnight Organ Fight" has some of the most beautiful songs ever ("The Twist", "Keep Yourself Warm", "Floating in the Forth", "Heads Roll Off" and "My Backwards Walk" to name a few) and this new album that they just released this March is full of new songs that I already know are going to be fueling my inspiration for quite some time now. I love them.

This song so far is one of the first to jump out at me from their album, I love the beat, I love the feeling it has, the ambiance, it makes feel like I'm floating out to sea, it's got a hint of darkness to it but it's empowering, beautiful even while mournful. It feels like hope. I think one thing I really appreciate about Frightened Rabbit is how poetic their lyrics are, they have a way of stating something so simply in a way that is just completely and utterly unique and fitting, i.e. the chorus of this song which is just the simple statement succeeding the song title "Swim, until you can't see land--Are you man or are you a bag of sand?" Gahhhhhhh! Beauty.

In other new, I need ocean. Spring break: COME QUICKLY!!!

As the Day Begins to End

I hear you beckon, as the day begins to end, with the thunder storms you’ve reckoned. I don’t want to just pretend. Break me. Don’t let me be. While I have the strength to ask. While I have the will to see. You know me— I can take it. But if I stay here, I won’t make it. Rip me from this safe place I’ve been hiding. You’ve heard my whispers— in the dark confiding, but that’s not the place I want my heart residing. I want to hear you clear for once. To walk with a destination in my mind. I know— I know the path may not be kind, but I can’t stay here and close my eyes. I can’t see clear. And I can’t hear. And all those whispers— they were lies. So break me. Please, Just break me. Out of simplicity, out of complacency, out monotony, out of pride. Break me. I can take it. Stir me up inside. The distant rolling thunder beckons, and suddenly I’m running, running towards those heavens. "If any man comes after me, let him deny himself, pick up his cross and follow me."

For all Time

This is a crazy time in my life, the whole "figuring out the future" part. You know the one. It's been simultaneously terrifying, painful, and absolutely, ravishingly beautiful. It's crazy. I've been praying for God to lead me, take me down that path he's got carved out with my name on it, whatever it is, I want to walk it. Man I want to walk it so badly, I don't want to just sit still. I don't want to just be. I want to live fully, for God, for all time. Always forever. Till the end of my road.

*sigh*

Anyway, here's something beautiful:

I'm baacccckkkkk!

Oh my gosh. It's been a billion years since I've been on here! Due to crazy amounts of computer problems, followed by computer problems, followed by no computer, I've had to leave the more "luxurious" uses of the internet (such as posting blogs and obsessing over Lost and Harry Potter via fan forums) in exchange for checking my email a couple of times a day on my mom's computer. But, I'm back now, with my own laptop, my very first purchase ever with my own money as an adult! Whooooh! That's right, I'm no 18 and 100% LEGAL. Yeah. Actually turning 18 was kind lame, I really wasn't that excited, I'd so much rather be 11 or 12 again. Those were the good days. I don't want to keep growing old.

Ah well, I'm here, and I'm back online for the time being, although the time off from my tech-addictions allowed me to realize how much more my family, my friends, my health (hehe) and my God mean to me than the internet, Lost, Harry Potter and watching movies online do. Seriously though, I may be back, but I hope and pray that I have a better perspective now. I don't want to grow old, but the fact of the matter is, time doesn't have a switch to turn on and off or to slow down or rewind and even more than just growing old, I don't want to grow old and miss life while I'm at it. I've always been a dreamer, I want to be a reveler too.

It's hot

It's really hot today.
I'm just looking forward to feeling the cold ocean waves on Sunday--there's nothing in the world like it. :)

That was random.