Christian Retailing

Book Reviews CR Nov 2009 Print Email
Written by Production   
Thursday, 22 October 2009 10:33 AM America/New_York

WhenHeavenComesDownWhen Heaven Comes Down

Ché Ahn

Chosen (Baker Publishing Group)

softcover, 192 pages, $13.99

978-0-800-79479-8

In When Heaven Comes Down: Experiencing God's Glory in Your Life, Ahn explores the glory of God—what it is, how it is revealed, what it does and how to receive it.

The author maintains that God's glory is His manifest presence by which He reveals His goodness and displays His power through signs and wonders. Christians are called to glorify God and reflect His glory to the world. In other words, the glory of God brings about personal and societal transformation. Often His glory has manifested in revivals, and Ahn recounts the times in church history when this has been apparent and its effect on society.

Ahn's book will enlighten readers pursuing a deeper relationship with God, showing how that relationship produces fruit in the life of the believer and how the kingdom of God is extended through God's people.

—Deborah L. Delk

OneSimpleActOne Simple Act

Debbie Macomber

Howard Books

hardcover, 224 pages, $22.99

978-1-439-10893-2

In One Simple Act: Discovering the Power of Generosity, popular author Macomber touches on the story of the boy with the meager lunch of fish and bread that Jesus was able to share with 5,000 people, as a perfect example of what God can do with what one might consider so small.

Macomber reminds her readers that there is much more to be given than money. The gifts of time, intercession, comfort or hospitality are among those acts of kindness that make a world of difference. These are the gifts that matter most.

One Simple Act is a wonderful book for anyone who is looking to find ways to be a blessing to others. Macomber offers assurance that no matter how big or small the act of kindness, when done in the love that Christ has shown His people, the act of kindness will never be in vain.

—Heidi L. Ippolito

TithingTithing

Douglas LeBlanc

Thomas Nelson

hardcover, 176 pages, $17.99

978-0-849-90095-2

As part of "The Ancient Practices Series," LeBlanc's Tithing: Test Me In This explores responses to the text of Malachi 3:10. This seventh book in the eight-part series devoted to spiritual disciplines of the Christian church features a foreword by eminent religion editor and writer Phyllis Tickle.

LeBlanc, a journalist, traverses the United States and talks with pastors, priests and rabbis from a diversity of traditions, including Episcopalians, Catholics and Orthodox Jews. He discovers in his conversations that there are believers who actually view tithing as an act of compassion, joy and generosity, rather than a rigid, legalistic requirement. Furthermore, he encounters believers who give altruistically; that is, they do not "give to get" manifold blessings.

Tithing, overall, is conversational, personal and practical. Readers will no longer view tithing as a burden. Instead, they will be inspired by the stories of those whose lives have been enriched by obeying God.

—C. Brian Smith

PowersPowers

John B. Olson

B&H Fiction (B&H Publishing Group)

softcover, 400 pages, $14.99

978-0-805-44735-4

Olson delivers a supernatural thriller in Powers, which, though a sequel to his novel Shade, is a self-contained story. Powers begins with Mariutza, raised in a Louisiana swamp by her grandfather, Purodad. He has trained her to be one of the Standing, a group to which God gives extrasensory powers against the Badness, Satan's human presence. When 10 cloaked men murder Purodad, his dying words send Mariutza on a quest for Jazzaniah the prophet and a treasure the Badness wants.

Meanwhile Jazzaniah, a struggling New Orleans musician, is experiencing strange visions leading him to Mariutza. Jazzaniah helps her find others of the Standing to aid their search while dodging police, FBI and shadowy government agencies convinced by the Badness that the Standing are a terrorist group.

The portions written in Mariutza's viewpoint may throw some readers since she does not understand everyday things such as automobiles and cell phones. Nonetheless, Powers offers a gripping plot that will keep the reader engaged.

—John D. Leatherman

savingcicadasSaving Cicadas

Nicole Seitz

Thomas Nelson

softcover, 320 pages, $14.99

978-1-595-54503-9

In Saving Cicadas, 8-year-old Janie Macy is a normal kid, as far as she knows. She lives in a small town with her mother, Priscilla Lynn; her older sister Rainey Dae, who has Down Syndrome; and their grandparents. When her mother gets pregnant though, her whole world changes.

Janie begins to understand what is at stake when her grandparents tell her about abortion, and she and Rainey look it up online. When Janie's mother schedules an abortion, Grandma Mona decides Janie needs to try to stop it. To help her do so, she tells Janie some closely held family secrets.

Seitz deals with the weighty issue of abortion through the innocent eyes of a child. The supernatural surprise at the end makes for a somewhat far-fetched story, though the book's message is powerful. Through Janie's eyes, readers will see the abortion issue in black and white.

—Allison Hyer

dosomethingDo Something!

Miles McPherson

Baker Books (Baker Publishing Group)

hardcover, 224 pages, $19.99

978-0-801-01332-4

In Do Something! Make Your Life Count, McPherson challenges readers to make a difference in their lives and communities through the love of Jesus. Each chapter offers teaching couched in a real-life story demonstrating a biblical truth.

McPherson shares his personal experiences in dealing with drug addiction, unhealthy relationships and the pressures that come with being a professional athlete. His painful journey eventually leads him to follow Christ. He shares stories of his friends and congregation members, showing how loving people can impact the world.

Myths about who can "do something" for the Lord often hide the truth that anyone with a willing and open heart can be used by God to do something amazing. With each teaching, McPherson offers a prayer and a tangible challenge to show love in a real way.

Do Something! is an inspirational read. Readers will appreciate the practical lessons, and the book's concise chapters, along with an available DVD curriculum, makes this book useful for small group discussion.

—Bonnie Bruner