A Fresh Take on Grace

Dirty God by Johnnie Moore

 “Jesus’ love and Jesus’ grace are so great it’s scandalous—too much to bear, and too easy to get, and that’s why it’s always been so controversial,”writes Johnnie Moore.   His book addresses a centuries’ old concept in a fresh and balanced approach. He says  that grace is not freedom to live life the way we want.  It is not cheap grace, but rather costly grace that persuades us to flesh out Jesus’ love to others.

This book is well-written and thought -provoking.  It changed the way I viewed my relationship to God.  It caused me to savor the grace offered to me and to want to give it away to others.  The author also deals with the abuse of grace, which he calls one of the most dangerous illnesses within the body of Christ today.   This review is a poor reflection of the impact this book has.  Read the book!  I thank the publisher for the free copy that I received and this is my honest opinion.  

Well-written book on suffering

Glorious Ruin by Tullian Tchividjian

The problem of suffering grasps most of us around the throat at some point in our lives.  Tullian Tchividjian, author and pastor, says it is not a question of why but rather who?  Most of the questions we ask, like Job’s, are beyond us.  Instead of trying to moralize (find the why) or minimize (my pain isn’t that bad) our suffering, we should dwell on the presence of our suffering Savior, who understands our pain.

Tullian Tchividjian takes a fresh, compelling and compassionate look at suffering.  He uses examples from his own life and from the lives of others, including Job.  His book takes an honest look at our pain and helps us to use it to seek comfort from our Savior.  This book gives new insight into ministering to others in painful circumstances.  It is a must read for everyone who has ever suffered or ever will suffer.  I received a free copy from the publisher and this is my honest review.

New Christian Sci-Fi

Asylum  The Circea Tales by Ashley Hodges Bazer

Captain Chase Leighton, a member of the rebel Ghosts, has been fighting against the cruel forces of the Legacy.  He and his wife, Trista will soon celebrate their first wedding anniversary when disaster strikes.  While sent out on an assignment, Trista is taken hostage by the enemy Legacy and is used as a medical experiment.  Her memories of Chase and her previous life are wiped clean and replaced with new memories and a new identity among the Legacy.  Chase is determined to rescue her, but his attempt fails and he and his crew are being held on a spaceship for the insane, undergoing shock treatments to ensure their compliance.  Will he be able to escape and rescue her, or has he lost her forever?  Will she ever remember him?

The author writes a tale with many twists and turns in a sci-fi setting.  The plot kept me reading, although the names and the abbreviations of some of the people and equipment confused me.  Ms. Bazer did not fully explain “Logia” which further added to my confusion.  However, once I deduced the meanings of the words and abbreviations, I enjoyed the story.  (She does include a glossary at the end of the book, but I wasn’t aware of it until I had finished the book.)  I would read a sequel if one is available.  If you enjoy sci-fi with a slice of romance, you will enjoy this book.  I appreciate receiving a free copy from the publisher and this is my honest review.