The Life of Sarah Jean Cobb

Little Black Books: Suffering & Evil by Scott Perry

Title: Little Black Books: Suffering & Evil

Author: Scott Petty

Book Information:

Publisher: Matthias Media
ISBN: 9781921441769
Page Count: 56

How did I get this book: A complimentary review copy was provided to me by Cross Focused Reviews (A Service of Cross Focused Media, LLC). I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.

Review: As someone who is not a stranger to suffering, I found this book to be the best conversation I never had. The potent, honest, Biblical information found here, felt like sitting down for coffee with an incredible youth pastor and having one of the most candid, refreshing, compelling, and interesting conversations imaginable.

Scott Perry addresses three big questions in this 'Little Black Book':
1. The question of suffering
2. The question of evil
3. The question of God

"Have you suffered recently? Are you suffering right now? Do you expect to experience suffering soon? Probably not. Nobody expects it- that's part of what makes it so bad." pg.9

"In our society we are masters at denying our problems." pg.12 Job didn't deny his problems or his suffering, and that suffering permeated all that he had as well as who he was. "We live in a world in which people suffer, and sometimes unjustly. When that happens to you like it happened to Job, then frankly it is better to gasp in despair, or to confess your loss of hope or sense of frustration, than to pretend everything is OK. God will not blame you for that kind of honesty."

There were many wonderful things that I learned from reading this book, but I would simply be robbing you of the riches to be found within it if I exposed them all here. So since I know you will be reading Little Black Books: Suffering & Evil by Scott Perry for yourself, I will exercise some restraint and share with you only one, and here it is: It is not possible to use the Bible to make a direct connection between suffering and sin; therefore, even though suffering can happen as a result of our sin, it would be an unsound argument that suffering is God's punishment for your sin itself. (I told you this book is good.)

About Little Black Books: A new series of books that get straight to the point on the topics that Christians always have questions about. Not too big, not too fancy, and not at all boring. LBBs are ideal for young Christians (ages 14-20+), but speak biblical truths applicable to any age range.

About the Author: Scott is the youth minister at Christ Church St Ives in Sydney, and loves the tricky questions young people ask about the Christian journey. He also loves his beautiful wife, Carolyn, his three energetic sons, racing bicycles, Italian coffee, food in general, rock‘n’roll and Apple computers, probably in that order.

This review has also been posted on Amazon.

Good Mood Bad Mood: Help and Hope for Depression and Bipolar Disorder by Charles D. Hodges, M. D.

Title: Good Mood Bad Mood: Help and Hope for Depression and Bipolar Disorder

Author: Charles D. Hodges, M. D.

Book Information:

Publisher: Shepherd Press (2013)
ISBN: 9781936908509
Page Count: 192

Review: Good Mood Bad Mood: Help and Hope for Depression and Bipolar Disorder by Charles D. Hodges, M. D. is absolutely phenomenal. The honesty in this work is beyond refreshing, the passion is evident, and to read a book by such a highly esteemed medical professional that was not only informative and inspiring, but that was also so incredibly transparent it its honesty, was pleasantly surprising.

I expected Good Mood Bad Mood to be good, but I had no idea what kind of a treasure I was getting when I received this gem in the mail. And then, just when my socks have been blown off, it gets even better- everything is backed up with the Bible, examples are used from Biblical times as well as patients in modern times, and you can absolutely tell that Doctor Hodges is empathetic, caring, and knows that our current system needs a change.

It is at this point when both depression and bipolar disorders or over diagnosed, patients find themselves over medicated, and both sides are frustrated, that Doctor Hodges not only points out the problem that has lasted thousands of years, and serves us with this labor of love, but he then proceeds to point us to our True Healer- Jesus.

Again, Good Mood Bad Mood: Help and Hope for Depression and Bipolar Disorder by Charles D. Hodges, M. D. is absolutely phenomenal, and you should read it right now.

About the Author:

Charles D. Hodges Jr., M.D. is a family physician who practices medicine in Indianapolis. He is a graduate of the Indiana University School of Medicine, board certified in Family medicine and Geriatrics and is a licensed marital family therapist.

Praise for Good Mood Bad Mood:
“Dr. Hodges has given the church an important resource in Good Mood, Bad Mood. With the scientific acumen of a physician and the loving concern of a brother in Christ, Dr. Hodges cuts through the morass of solutions for sadness, depression, mania or bipolar disorders. Written for the layperson but detailed enough for the physician or counselor, this book is for anyone who struggles with troubling moods and for those who help them.”
—Elyse Fitzpatrick, Author, speaker and counselor

“Millions of Christians suffer from depression and bipolar disorder. Unfortunately, many of them suffer in silence because of the stigma mental illness often carries in Christian circles. I’m tremendously grateful for Good Mood, Bad Mood, a book that compassionately offers medical and theological insights for those affected by mental disorders. Dr. Hodges is equally at home parsing the relevant biblical texts as he is dispensing medical advice. Throughout the book he intersperses stories of real people struggling to find freedom; this is a must-read book.”
—Drew Dyck, Managing Editor, Leadership Journal

“I highly recommend this resource to anyone wanting to understand or help those struggling with depression or mood swings. While not neglecting the medical research and possible medical explanations for some mood issues, he helps the reader to see what is often at the core of many mood disorders.”
—Dr. Garrett Higbee, Executive Director of Biblical Soul Care, Harvest Bible Chapel

This review has also been posted on Amazon.

Renée of France by Simonetta Carr

Who was Renée of France? Before a complimentary copy of this book became available to me to review through Cross Focused Reviews in exchange for my honest opinion, I had not heard of her. One of the things that I like most about this book is that it provided many different opinions of her without attempting to force a definitive answer upon the reader.

Renée was a close friend of John Calvin and the two corresponded together for most of her life. She was not regarded as beautiful. Her son could not give her a Catholic funeral because she died as a Protestant without apology. Leaders from both the Protestants and the Catholics sought her out in order to influence the nobility of both France and Italy since she was a princess of one and a duchess of the other.

Her faith caused her great pain within her family. Her oldest son opposed her religious views, her oldest daughter married a fierce promoter of the Roman Catholic church, and her youngest

son even pursued a clerical career in the Church of Rome. At the end of the day, no matter what she did, none of her children shared the same faith as she.

I highly recommend Renée of France by Simonetta Carr. It is interesting, reads well, could not have been better written, and is definitely one of those books that causes you to mature in your own faith.

In reading this work, I found myself rallying behind and pulling for Renée. She stood up for what she believed in, counted the cost, and followed the Lord anyway. She was honest about her frustrations, and learning about her life inspired me. I had heard about the Protestant Reformation before, but seeing it through the life of this wonderful woman gave it new meaning and made it come alive.

Parenting On Your Knees: Prayers and Practical Guidance for the Preschool Years by Vicki Tiede

Title: Parenting On Your Knees: Prayers and Practical Guidance for the Preschool Years

Author: Vicki Tiede

Book Information:

Publisher: Pix-N-Pens
ISBN: 9781938092299
Page Count: 190

Review:
"Arise [from your bed], cry out in the night, at the beginning of the watches; pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord. Lift up your hands toward Him for the lives of your young children, who faint from hunger at the head of every street."
~Lamentations 2:19

"And He took them [the children up one by one] in His arms and [fervently invoked a] blessing, placing His hands upon them." ~Mark 10:16

Children are sweet blessings. Raising them can seem like the best of times and the worst of times. There are many moments where you feel overwhelmed or like you can't make it, but then that one unexpected moment happens that makes it all worth it. This cycle could be repeated several times a day. It is important to remember in those times of need or being stretched beyond what we thought our limits were, that we are never alone. Children are sweet blessings from the Lord, and He longs for is to share everything with Him, lean on Him when needed, and take everything to Him in prayer.

"God has blessed you with this little one, to love and care for, but He wants to share in the joys, hopes, worries, and fears for this child. He doesn't expect you to travel this road solo. Going to God on behalf of your child helps you remember you are not parenting alone." ~pg.3
"...parenting is a process, not an event. It's a journey, not a destination...[when we parent on our knees, we are] eye-to-eye with our children and looking up at Jesus, who wants to co-parent with us." ~pg.5

"For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted my petition made to Him. Therefore I have given him to the Lord; as long as he lives he is given to the Lord. And they worshiped the Lord there." 1 Samuel 1:27-29

God desires to spend time with you and to help you through this, and it is okay if that happens in creative and unexpected ways. Your prayer time may not look like anyone else's but that's okay. The goal is to connect with God in whatever way fits your current place on this ride called life.

"Time with God is not about academic study or getting through a certain amount of Scripture or any of that. It's about connecting with God. We've got to keep those lines of communication open, so use whatever helps. Sometimes I'll listen to music, other times I'll read, Scripture or a passage from a book; often I will journal; maybe I'll go for a run; then there are days when all I need is silence and solitude and the rising sun. The point is to simply do whatever brings me back to my heart and the heart of God." ~pgs.9-10

"When you pay your electric bills, pray that your children will know Jesus as the Light of the world. When you see a school bus, pray that your children will learn new skills and strive toward greater achievements. When you water your plants, pray that your children will grow healthy and strong." ~pg.10

And what about quiet time? As a parent of multiple little ones, 'quiet' is the operative word. So what if the only time the house is quiet are those few minutes in between the kids being asleep for the night and you passing out as well? Never fear, Vicki Tiede offers helpful suggestions for this as well.

"As parents of little ones, you can do things such as: listen to worship music while you play with your children, pray in the car or shower, read Bible stories with your tots, listen to God in the middle of the night when you are up for a feeding." ~pg.11

"Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart. ~Psalm 37:4

When praying for the character of your little ones, you can also pray that the Lord would help them to persevere.

"And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint." ~Galatians 6:9

There are many creative ways to integrate the prayer life that you desire with your current life of madness that seems to frequently knock you to your knees. Above is just a taste of some of the wonderful wisdom and knowledge you can find in this gem of a book. 'Parenting On Your Knees' by Vicki Tiede is packed full of quick and helpful tips, refreshing honesty, and tons of humor. This is a book that the parent with absolutely no time will be able to find time to read, and they will be pleasantly surprised to find more than they bargained for.

'Parenting On Your Knees' by Vicki Tiede also contains actual prayers that you can pray with blanks to fill in for your applicable person and situation. In addition to this, there are even places to write your personal prayers, places to write how God answered your prayers, and also parenting resources sprinkled throughout this delightful work in case you desire to read additional material on a certain topic.

I enthusiastically recommend this book and urge you to grab a copy for yourself as soon as you possibly can. Sometimes parenting may knock us to our knees, but after becoming equipped with the knowledge in this book, you will have knee pads to land on, as well as the tools to intersperse parts of the changes you desire to see, into the life that you already have. This difficult and rewarding time won't overcome you, the storm won't last, and God is waiting and ready to help you make the most out of Parenting On Your Knees.

About the Author: Vicki Tiede, MEd, MMin, is a Bible teacher; conference speaker; author of When Your Husband is Addicted to Pornography: Healing Your Wounded Heart (2012) and Plug Me In and Let Me Charge Overnight (2009). Her passion is to share God’s grace and faithfulness with women through the Scriptures. Vicki transparently relates life experiences that resonate and draw others into a lifelong pursuit of knowing God. Living in Rochester, Minnesota, Vicki is also a wife, homeschooling mom, and women’s ministries coordinator at her local church. You can learn more about Vicki Tiede and her writing at www.vickitiede.com.

An interview with Vicki Tiede about Parenting On Your Knees can be found here.

This review has also been posted on Amazon and Goodreads.

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Suffering Well by Paul Grimmond

Title: Suffering Well

Author: Paul Grimmond

Book Information:

Publisher: Matthias Media
ISBN: 9781921896316
Page Count: 165

Review: This book really spoke to me. For the past twenty-three years I have experienced pain, trials, suffering, and 'tests' on various levels. As soon as I find my way out of one, I am then qualified and trusted to handle the next level and pass another. I never knew until recently that the ministry of suffering was an actual thing. I found a comfort in realizing that my pain was not in vain. Armed with this new knowledge, my perspective shifted more from my temporary discomfort to that which is eternal. I now know that the more that I go through, the more qualified I am to help someone else.

I do have many things about my past that I regret; however, I have been forgiven by the blood of Christ and have been made righteous through Him. I know that it looks like a short distance from my head to my heart, but realizing that truth, accepting it, and then forgiving myself, has taken years of healing.

One of the things that the LORD is currently teaching me is how to leave the past in the past, to let it go, and to just move on. As He promises, though, ALL things work for the good of those who love Him. Because I can identify personally with many situations, the scope of who I am able to naturally provide comfort, help, and guidance to feels like it has increased substantially.

I have been praying for a long time that God would develop Christ's character in me and make me more like His Son, Jesus. I have come to realize that in order for that to occur, it is required that I 'suffer well' through many of the same tests and experiences that He did. He is referred to as the Suffering Servant and His example is the first thing that comes to my mind when I think about what it means to 'suffer well.'

I feel like I am currently on my way out of a few trials right now. It is in surveying what I have learned from the "predictable surprise of Christian suffering" that I draw conclusions, and ultimately choose to reinforce or reconstruct my understanding thus far. While pondering the lessons from my most recent 'ministry qualifiers,' I was given the opportunity to read and review Suffering Well by Paul Grimmond. Based on the back-story provided above, naturally I felt a desire to see what additional Bible-based information might be made available to me.

The deciding factor that 'sealed the deal' was the following statement by the author himself regarding this insightful book: "As I began to write this book, I thought I knew pretty much what I was going to say. But the more I read the Bible, trying to find the right passages to make the points I thought I needed to make, the more uneasy I felt." After reading that, I knew that I didn't want to miss out on anything, and that I absolutely had to know what Paul's Biblical findings were on how to 'suffer well.'

Suffering Well is not limited to only addressing one kind of suffering, persecution, or trials. Reading the examples of the many things that other believers are going through around the world at any given moment in time, gives comfort to the reader. It caused me to shift my view from being introspective to realizing that on a corporate level, we all have a lot more in common than we may realize, and that none of what we may face is ever an isolated case.

Here is just a taste of some of the treasures awaiting for you in 'Suffering Well':

"She wants to meet God face to face and ask her questions. She wants to make Him give her some answers. Yet, for all of the anger and disappointment, in her frustration and grief her trust does not diminish."
"Suffering is not really a philosophical problem. Suffering is experienced, not just contemplated; it's often an event in our guts before it's a problem in our heads."
"It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. To live is Christ, to die is gain. (Philippians 1:20-21)"
"I am persuaded that the key to suffering well lies in understanding the fullness about God's revelation of suffering. Almost ironically, this means we won't find God's true comfort unless we wrestle with the ideas that are initially confronting and even painful. And so a large part of what follows is a challenge simply to hear and accept God's view of suffering. We live in a world that refuses to look to God's truth for comfort, and we are affected by our world, so the pages of this book may be as disquieting as they are encouraging. I make no apology for that. I believe that God's unsettling truth is much better for us than pillow-soft platitudes. In other words, this book is more of an inoculation than a remedy. Its aim is to help us arm ourselves with the truth so that we're equipped to suffer well when the time comes."
"In the depths of God's riches are truths about suffering that are treasures beyond compare, if you are willing to see them.

So are you ready to know that truth about suffering? How should we live as God's people in the face of suffering? What does it mean to suffer (and even die) well? Based on the Bible, what does God want us to know about Him and our world and suffering? What truth should we be armed with so that we're equipped to suffer well when the time comes?

Suffering Well by Paul Grimmond answers all of these questions as well as many more that you may have on your heart and mind. This book absolutely stands alone and is different from anything else that I have read on the topic of experiencing different kinds of pain. I am so glad to have the Biblical insight and knowledge that this book has provided in my life. I know I will be reading and enjoying it again. As far as a rating goes, this work deserves every single one of the five stars available. I highly recommend it and think that Suffering Well will greatly benefit every single person who reads it. This is a staple for every home library or book collection. Buy it as soon as you can!

There are reasons for the storms in our lives. One purpose for hardship is to cleanse us. Because of our fleshly nature and the world that we live in, it is easy for us to develop self-centered minds. Sometimes we receive these storms in our lives to bring impurities to our attention. Usually a storm reveals the true nature of our hearts, and our initial reaction to that storm brings to the surface things that God is trying to get out of us, that we might not have been aware of otherwise.

Our trials do not sink us; on the contrary, they are often used to guide us back to godliness. God's work on us is not just for ourselves, either. It is designed to permeate humanity on a corporate level. Because we are able to remember how we felt and what we needed when at the time, we are then able to effectively reach out to others and comfort them.

Through suffering we also learn about God's sufficiency, His provision of strength, His character, as well as His comforting presence to help us endure our trials. Reflecting on the divine purpose behind our hardship can also help us to respond appropriately to them, fix our attention on the Lord, and cause us to be in a position where we become attentive to what He wants us to learn.

We are reminded by the LORD in Isaiah 41:10 that we are to, "Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you; yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right hand of righteousness and justice."

I have learned many times over from personal experience that God's strength is perfected in my weakness. Sometimes the LORD keeps us from suffering; other times He sustains us through it. In both instances, He is still faithful, He is still good, He understands us, and He loves us in a greater way than what we can ever comprehend. Jesus is always with us and He will never forsake us in our weakness.

About the Author: Paul Grimmond is a gifted and well-known Bible teacher, currently serving on the campus of the University of New South Wales. He is the author of Right Side Up, a book about the Christian life, and co-author with Phillip Jensen of The Archer and the Arrow, a book about preaching. Paul lives with his wife, Cathy, and their three children in Sydney’s east.

An interview with Paul Grimmond about Suffering Well can be found here.

This review has also been posted on Amazon and Goodreads.

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Loving the Church by John Crotts

Title: Loving the Church

Author: John Crotts

Book Information:

Publisher: Shepherd Press (2010)
ISBN: 9780982438749
Page Count: 140

Review: First of all, I like that John Crotts dedicated this work to his fellow elders who he has served Jesus next to for several years. It is evident that he has a tremendous amount of love, admiration and respect for these men. Not only this, but he also took the time to follow this page with a personalized expression of his thanks to the entire team at Shepherd Press as well as conveying what each person did to help him.

Already, Loving the Church has left a good taste in my mouth, increased my mood, and then I see it- a wonderfully organized table of contents that is as follows:

Section I: What Is God's Family?
Chapter 1 Common Grounds
Chapter 2 The Church/ Family Disconnect
Chapter 3 The Value of the Church
Chapter 4 Defining the Church
Chapter 5 Describing the Church
Chapter 6 Filling Out the Body

Section II: How You Fit Into God's Family
Chapter 7 You and King Jesus
Chapter 8 You and the Elders
Chapter 9 You and the Deacons
Chapter 10 Building the Body
Chapter 11 No Body Part Left Behind
Chapter 12 Digging Deeper

After all of this wonderful content is a Notes section that cites every material used to research and contribute to Loving the Church.

The introduction, prior to the first chapter, summarizes the theme of the book in a way that comes across as very true, authentic, and interesting:

"As long as believers are battling sin, even more work will be required to strengthen families so they can be what God intends for them to be."-pg. 11
"Amidst all the calls for husbands, wives, and children to fulfill their biblical roles, sadly, very few people emphasize God's family as a vital element, and that is a terrible loss both the particular families and the particular churches of which they could have been a part...the contribution of every believer to the church's fulfillment of its God-given mission is valued and essential...regardless of one's marital state."-pg. 12

One of the things that I like the most about the way that John Crotts chose to write this book and convey his important message, is his brilliant use of fiction. Instead of the content coming across as a lecture, Crotts uses the story of people meeting in a coffee shop as well as their interactions with one another and their conversations to transfer information he intends to share with the reader. This accomplishes a softening of 'the blow' by making sure that the way he shares the importance of church will be conveyed in a loving way as opposed to a harsh confrontational one that might turn others off. In addition to this beautiful balance, the author also manages to pull it off in a way that is both intriguing and captivating:

"As the barista created Kevin's White Chocolate masterpiece, he eyed the muffins. He wondered if it would be worth the damage. Kevin settled into his chair and offered John another oversized smile along with a couple of oversized banana nut muffins. These were soon reduced to crumbs as the men started talking."-pg. 14
"Of all the reasons John had heard for a family missing Sunday school, he had never heard of a guy staying home to teach his own children the Bible...John responded by sharing some of his own victories and failures as a spiritual leader in his home. He was thrilled to see Kevin stepping up. But even as he praised the moves Kevin had made, he wondered if there was more to the story."-pg. 15

Regardless of what place you are in with your spiritual walk, worship, and church practices, I really believe that Loving the Church by John Crotts has something beneficial to offer everyone. After all, as page 22 simply states, "We all love the Lord, and are trying to figure out what His church is supposed to be."

I may not have agreed 100% with every single principle expounded upon in Section II, but I do understand why the author felt the need to write this book, and I identify with that. I also feel that he did the absolute best job that he could (you can't ask for more than that), and that it is impossible to experience all that this work has to offer from cover to cover without seeing the evident fact that he has a heart both for Jesus, as well as all of the people that Christ died to save.

John Crotts did an incredible job of tackling this very touchy subject, as well as presenting it in a way to make it palatable and well-received. I have a tremendous amount of respect for him for recognizing the need, developing what he thought was the best solution, and then marketing that answer to the target audience in a way that they could both understand and handle. Loving the Church is an obvious labor of love (in more ways than one).

About the Author: John Crotts has been the pastor and teacher of Faith Bible Church in Sharpsburg, Georgia since 1995. He graduated from Liberty University and received his M. Div. from The Master’s Seminary. He serves as a board member of the Fellowship of Independent Reformed Evangelicals. He co-authored the book Tying the Knot Tighter: Because Marriage Lasts a Lifetime with Martha Peace, and is the author of Mighty Men: The Starter’s Guide to Leading Your Family and Craftsmen: Christ-Centered Proverbs for Men.

This review has also been posted on Amazon and Goodreads.

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Will You Be My Facebook Friend? Social Media and the Gospel by Tim Chester

Title: Will You Be My Facebook Friend?: Social Media & the Gospel

Author: Tim Chester

Book Information:

Publisher:10Publishing
ISBN: 9781906173852
Page Count: 48

Review: We can all benefit from technology in multiple ways- from texting, to checking sports scores, to listening to the Bible while commuting, to keeping up with friend on Facebook, to checking in on Foursquare, to discovering new books to read on Goodreads, or even reading an uplifting Tweet.

Technology can be great, but the danger in it is that it can easily become perverted by our selfishness and sinfulness. Also, when we change the way that we communicate, it can alter the message that we convey as well as how it is received by others. Likewise, that same technology used to express what we think changes those thoughts, and ultimately changes what becomes important to us in our lives.

Sometimes, technology, specifically social networking, absorbs an exorbitant amount of our time. According to page 12, author Tim Chester states that over 700 billion minutes are spent each and every month on Facebook.

In addition to the above, technology can also become a constant interruption, which over time has lead to poor grammar, affecting the way we express ideas, and as page 13 cites, even losing our ability to construct an argument.

Now that we are able to attain information whenever we like about whatever we wish through smart phones, etc., we lose the importance of learning to hold information in our minds, and as a result, we are prevented from making connections between ideas. This may seem harmless when it comes to learning historical dates and facts, but what happens when the complacency expands to looking up Bible verses instead of memorizing and hiding them in our hearts?

At this point, we start to pay the price for what once appeared so innocent and convenient. Chuck Swindoll is quoted by Tim Chester as writting, "I know of no other single practice in the Christian life more rewarding, practically speaking, than memorizing scripture... No other single exercise pays greater spiritual dividends! Your prayer life will be strengthened. Your witnessing will be sharper and much more effective. Your attitudes and outlook will begin to change. Your mind will become alert and observant. Your confidence and assurance will be enhanced. Your faith will be solidified."

I don't know about you, but when I read that, it causes me to think of us like sponges. What we absorb is what will come out of us when we are squeezed and under pressure or in tough times. Since the power of life and death is in the tongue, I want to hide the LORD's word in my heart so that I might not sin against Him. Also, when things are happening in your life in real time, it helps to have some verses readily available to speak in faith as well as to praise God in advance while still in the middle of the storm.

Will You Be My Facebook Friend? Social Media and the Gospel by Tim Chester covers the problems with social media (some of which I itemized above), and talks about how we try to recreate our world, space, face, or image through projecting words in hopes of gaining approval. He also discusses how our bodies limit us to a particular place and time, how we can only be in one place at a time, and concludes that another reason we find Facebook so addictive is that it allows us to escape the limitations of our body. It offers intimacy without responsibility, and allows you to say things to a person that you would never say if you were alone in a room with them.

Facebook also offers us the ability to redefine ourselves and construct our own world without being restrained by others. While Facebook encourages you to live elsewhere, the gospel encourages you to live here and now. So upon further examination of our hearts, are we using it to enhance our real-world relationships, or to simply replace them?

As Tim Chester says on page 41, "Facebook is the place where I show my face or image. For some of you it is the place where you recreate your image and your world through your words. The gospel is the place where God turns 'his face towards us' (see Num. 6:26). It is the place where He recreates us in His image and recreates His world through His words."

This book is powerful, informative, helpful, and yet sobering. This work is very relevant to our generation as well as the times in which we live. I strongly recommend it, as the insight provided therein will cause you to come up higher as well as to make decisions to form positive habits that will impact your life and ultimately eternity.

Personally, I have switched from relying on the digital Bible app on my smartphone, and have bought a physical Amplified Bible. I will also be spending less time on Facebook, and more time developing real relationships with people by serving and showing them the love of Jesus Christ. I have also started to journal and read various devotional books.

I am confident that the reader's eyes will be opened upon finishing this to-the-point book, and that they will experience more fulfillment and joy as they shift their priorities as well as their focus.

Thank you, Tim Chester, for writing this amazing book and sharing it with the world. We sincerely appreciate it.

A Few Quotes:

"Social networking has rapidly become a significant aspect of the lives of many people today"-pg.7
"New technologies reflect humanity's God-given, Godlike creativity. God gave us a mandate to take His world and invent, create, produce... New technologies are enabling people to keep in touch over long distances."-pg.9
"Now texts, emails, blogs, Twitter and Skype enable missionaries to keep in constant touch with sending churches. These may not replace face-to-face contact, but they are a big improvement on occasional letters. New technologies are also enabling the message of Jesus to go into countries where missionaries could not readily go, or to reinforce the work of missionaries on the ground. Once it was radio. Now websites and online TV channels bring the gospel to people while Skype and emails allow follow-up discipleship."-pg.10

About the Author:

Dr Tim Chester is a director of the Porterbrook Seminary which provides affordable, Bible-college level training for church leadership and missional church in the context of your ministry (www.PorterBrookInstitute.org). He is a leader of The Crowded House, a church planting network (www.TheCrowdedHouse.org). He blogs at www.TimChester.co.uk. He has previously been Research and Policy Director for Tearfund UK and a part-time lecturer in missiology. He is the author of a number of books and series editor of The Good Book Guides (The Good Book Company). He is married with two daughters.

This review has also been posted on Amazon and Goodreads.

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