Love Like That by Dr. Les Parrott

Be Bold. Be Inclusive. Be Selfless. Be Available. Be Accepting. These are the five lessons Dr. Les Parrott teaches in his book Love Like That.

He’s written five chapters: Chapter 1: Mindful. Chapter 2: Approachable. Chapter 3: Grace-Full. Chapter 4: Bold. Chapter 5: Self-Giving.

Each of these adjectives describe how to love like Jesus. Parrott’s premise is that if we can put on these traits, we can love like Jesus. Or at least attempt to. Or at least understand how Jesus loved others. Of course we can’t love like Jesus, but Parrott gives readers these ideals with assurance that if we follow them, our relationships will improve.

Be aware of what’s going on around us, and get involved. He writes that loving like Jesus isn’t efficient. We must be willing to change our agenda. We must be inclusive. Everyone is flattered when they get an invitation, right? We need to stop be judgmental and love. We need to be bold—speak the truth in love. And we need to give. To be selfless. To do unto others.

You know how it is, you read a book and forget i’s message. I’m not forgetting this book’s message. It’s worth remembering, and it’s hard to forget. How to love like Jesus? Yes, please. Thank you, Dr. Parrott, for this book—for showing us how to improve relationships. After all, what are we here for if not to love each other?

Dr. Parrott’s book is a blend of scripture, psychology, philosophy, and personal experience, making it a complete package. I recommend this book to others.

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The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookSneeze®. I was not required to write a positive review.

The Nehemiah Code by O.S. Hawkins

Do you have something in your life that needs to be rebuilt—a relationship, a career, a community? Do you know anyone who needs to rebuild a marriage, a vision, or a goal? If so, this book is for you, this book is for them.

The Nehemiah Code by O.S. Hawkins—divided into six parts and 24 chapters—speaks about principles of rebuilding. It is never too late to rebuild. Nehemiah was a master rebuilder: he rebuilt the wall of Jerusalem, and Hawkins shows readers how. By extrapolating each verse of the first six chapters of Nehemiah, Hawkins shows what is necessary for rebuilding: assessing the damage, standing up, rallying a team, leading by example, pushing forward through opposition, dealing with conflict, and more.   

What I appreciate most about this book is that each verse from the first six chapters of Nehemiah is used to create Hawkins message. This book reads like a Bible study. Sometimes when I’m reading books teaching Biblical principles I feel guilty—like I should be spending my time reading the Bible instead. But not with this book. It is an enriching Bible study.

The book itself is pretty. It would make a nice gift. It’s small and has an embossed, padded cover. The idea of the book is also intriguing—the idea that the Book of Nehemiah has a code to be cracked. And Hawkins cracks it. His illustrations and applications are simple and short, but profound and inspiring. He left me with a few one-liners to tuck into my pocket and use when I need a boost upward.

I recommend this book to others.

http://booksneeze.com/blogger/resources/9781400203048

The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookSneeze®. I was not required to write a positive review.

Desired by God by Van Moody

It’s been a few years since I read Van Moody’s The People Factor, but its lessons have stayed with me, and the book has retained a spot on my ever-rotating bookshelves. So, when I saw this new book by Moody—Desired by God—my interest was immediately piqued. Now, after reading it, not only will it secure a space on my shelf but I’m off to the bookstore to find his other book, The i Factor.

This book does exactly what its name implies: shows readers or reminds readers that they are desired by God. The Everlasting, Almighty Creator.

The first of three sections is about covenants—reminding readers that God’s ideal is not the laws of Leviticus but the Garden of Eden, the covenant made with Noah, and the covenant made with Abraham. All designed to pursue us. The second section reminds of readers who God is. He is the Shepherd. He leads us to goodness, rest, and peace. He is accessible. He is present. He is our Helper. The third section reveals the gifts God gives to us, His beloved: forgiveness, hope, favor, and freedom.

Three characteristics that make this book stand out:

1.      Laced throughout the chapters and the book are real-life stories: of Kierkegaard and Regine, of an Auschwitz survivor searching for his girlfriend, of a mom befriending her son’s murderer.

2.      Moody writes this book so that people unfamiliar with the Bible can appreciate every reference. Instead of assuming his readers know the story of the Good Samaritan, for example, he includes, verbatim, the story from scripture. Because of this, this book is an evangelistic tool.

3.      This book could also be used for group study, because at the end of each chapter is a page or two of Points to Remember and Questions to Ponder.

Thank you, Moody, for showing us how, and to what extent, God desires us.

I recommend this book to others.

http://booksneeze.com/blogger/resources/9781400203048

The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookSneeze®. I was not required to write a positive review.