Category Archives: Book Reviews

February 10, 2010

Crave: Wanting So Much More of God – By Chris Tomlinson

I recently read Crave: Wanting So Much More of God by brand new author Chris Tomlinson courtesy of Harvest House Publishers.

Chris is not a Pastor or even a major church leader, but he is a Christian just like you and me who deals with the same struggles you deal with regarding your walk of faith. Have you ever wondered why you find it so hard to pray? Or keep a constant habit of reading your bible? Have you ever been unsatisfied with the current condition of your God relationship yet every endeavor to better it falls flat on its face? Well, if you can answer yes to any of these questions (if you’ll be honest with yourself, you will answer yes) then you need to read this book.

Crave: Wanting So Much More of God is almost an autobiography of a man who takes a chance that most Christians would not even dare to be totally transparent about his life, his faith, his relationships and his personal habits. This book is so refreshing in that it is encouraging to know that I am not the only one who deals with the same struggles and inconsistencies concerning my faith. This isn’t the type of book that will encourage you with great stories of faith where thousands of lives are changed, but encouraging in the sense that Chris puts into words and tries to process those same questions I know you are struggling with today and will struggle with tomorrow.

If you crave more of God but have discovered that you just can’t live up to being a good old Christian I strongly recommend you get a hold of this book. Tomlinson shares the process he went through in discovering he couldn’t get close to God by trying to pray for hours each day, or by making sure he reads through the bible in three weeks, or by trying to follow all the rules, or by helping others in need. Chris discovers developing a deeper walk with God is all about relationship, to find out what this means you’ll have to read the book.

One of my favorite chapters was one called pager. Chris writes about an internal pager that goes off when he feels the impulse to talk to someone about his faith and the gospel of Jesus Christ; yet Chris constantly tries to ignore the pager and hopes it goes away. As I read this I was thinking, ‘been there and I still do that!’.

There were some great quotes in this book and here are a few that stood out to me:

I have developed inch deep beliefs about a mile-high God (p110)
Perhaps rules don’t create intimacy by themselves.Maybe they create space for intimacy (p125)
This is why I want to be 12 years old again -because to a child everything is big (p158)
The security of bondage can often seem easier than the anxiety of freedom (p169)
We must seek to satisfy our longings, the deepest cravings of the soul, by seeking the One who made us with a desire for him (p199)

If you crave God but realize your just not up to the standard, then get this book, be encouraged and join the ongoing conversation.

To get in on the conversation you can visit Chris’s blog at www.cravesomethingmore.org or follow him on twitter here or facebook here.

If you would like to read the first three chapters of his book click below.

View this document on Scribd

Leave a comment | tags: Book Review, Chris Tomlinson, Christianity, Crave, crave something more, Crave: Wanting So Much More Of God, God, Habits, Harvest House, hobbies, Jesus, Pager, Prayer | posted in Book Reviews

December 15, 2009

Primal by Mark Batterson

By alexpenduck

Have you ever wondered what religion is all about? Have you ever found yourself asking questions about your faith and why life seems so complicated at times? It seems that over the years our lives get more complicated as we find more clutter. The passions and dreams we once had now seem to be buried under a pile of to do lists; lists of do’s and don’ts; and weekly duties and rituals that we can not even remember why we started them.

If this is you then may I recommend a book for you to read. It is entitled, ‘Primal ‘ A Quest for the Lost Soul of Christianity’ by Mark Batterson. The author of two great books, In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day and Wild Goose Chase, Mark Batterson writes an equally challenging read but in a more mature and eloquent way.

Primal is all about digging beneath the hundreds of years of religious Christianity to find the core or primal meaning of what this faith is all about. Mark uses the illustration of the streets of Rome, where underneath are more buildings and streets that today’s Rome is built upon. Mark journeyed down into these underground tunnels and streets where the inspiration of Primal began.

As Mark takes us on an adventure to find the core meaning of the Christian faith you can not help but want to stand shoulder to shoulder with him and spark a new ‘reformation’ that will take the church and its members back to a place of pure Christianity.

Mark Batterson uses science, humor, personal stories, history and great thinkers and innovators of our time to illustrate what Primal Christianity is all about and why the Church needs to be on a quest to seek and find it. This is a book that will get you thinking but will also challenge your beliefs, traditions and focus on life.

If you call yourself a Christian this is a must read. If you are seeking truth and enlightenment you need to read this book to get a clear pure view of the faith called Christianity; and if you are someone who is sick and tried of religion and religious people then pick this book up and feel the liberation of knowing that the God of this universe is not demanding religion but is seeking a pure and primal love that only you can give him and he can give you.

If there is one book to read in 2010 it is Primal. Make it the first book you read of the New Year and I promise you that 2010 will be a year where your view and outlook on life and faith will be changed forever.

You can buy this book from any book retailers. To pre-order click here.

Leave a comment | tags: Book Review, books, Christian, Christianity, faith, Mark Batterson, Primal, Reformation, Religion, Religious, Rome, WaterBrook Multnomah | posted in Book Reviews, Christianity

September 29, 2009

A Million Miles In A Thousand Years by Donald Miller

By alexpenduck

I recently read ‘A Million Miles In A Thousand Years’ by Donald Miller as part of the Thomas Nelson Book Review Bloggers Program.

This book grabbed by attention before I even opened it up mainly due to Miller’s previous book, ‘Blue Like Jazz’. Donald Miller is an incredible writer than will take you on a journey you believe you are part of. He is funny, interesting and very transparent.

A Million Miles In Thousand Years is a peak into a man who realizes his life is not as interesting and fulfilled as one would hope for. This is a peak into the life of Donald Miller himself. He takes the reader on a journey through a process he went through in evaluating his own life. Through an opportunity to allow a movie to be made on the basis of his life story, Miller realized his own life story lacked a punch. After his character had been edited so much to make the movie interesting he decided to go on a quest to reinvent his life story so that he could leave a lasting impression on this earth.

In the beginning Miller is delightfully entertaining, making fun at his own expense and enticing us with his quirky character. By the end of the book it is impossible not to find yourself evaluating your own life. Having an urge to reinvent your own life story that is not only interesting and fulfilled, but a life story that will leave a lasting impression. Miller shares stories of people he met while editing his own life like Bob the Lawyer or Jim the organizer. My personal favorite was one about a man called Mike who kidnapped a girls cat so that he could get to speak with her.

This is a book that I would like everyone I know read. What a powerful thing it would be if everyone evaluated their lives like Don Miller did. If everyone realized they were put on this earth for more than just the average life. If you want inspiring today go and get this book. I promise you, once you pick it up you’ll read it until your eyes and brain can not process anymore words. One of the best books I have read this year.

If you would like a free copy of this book click on this link, ‘Free Book’

If you would like to read a sample chapter either click on the image below or click here