BookSneeze Archives - Dad of Divas

Book Review – The Butterfly Effect by Andy Andrews

September 13, 2010 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

“Everything thing you do matters. You have been created as one of a kind. You have been created in order to make a difference. You have within you the power to change the world”, by Andy Andrews.
With this quote I would like to discuss this book.

Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, a Colonel in the US army , led Union soldiers in the battle at Gettysburg , during the Civil War. The effect of the decisions by this courageous man would affect the world. His decision to charge against the South when the outcome was bleak changed the history of our US history.

If he had lost the battle we would have had a spilt nation. If that had occurred our nation would not have been strong enough to stand up to the adversity in WW I and Hitler in WW II. His bravery and courage created the butterfly effect which rippled into our world to bring about the United States of America and the principles we want to continue to live by today.
Joshua was a catalyst.

So what about you and me? You may not think what you do matters , but it does . Every action you make affects your family, friends, your work community, and even your community . Your actions can change the future of those around you.

We still reap the benefits and feel the effects of George Washington Carver. His butterfly affect created changes in how we looked at how we used peanuts and sweet potatoes. We now have over 266 ways to use peanuts and 88 ways to use sweet potatoes because of this man.

However did you know that this man and his mother were kidnapped by robbers when he was a baby.His neighbors negotiated his release and he was almost dead,but they took him in and adopted him as their own. Look at the butterfly affect that these two people who fought for the life of this baby created.

So do you matter? YOU DO have a special purpose in this world. Your actions have value.
“Your life and what you do with it today . . . .matters forever , ” Andy Stanley

Example: an application to each person’s life who reads this

Think about your actions. Did you help someone in trouble at some point? Did you listen to someone who you later found out may have been so depressed they did not want to live but you gave them hope?

On the other hand: Did you lie to someone and that lie caused other events that are still being played out today? Did you take something that did not belong to you and you see that person grieve the loss today still? Were you so proud and your ego so important to you that you did not care what you did to get what you wanted and the ripples of that decision are stretching over years and years?

Yes both good and bad can happen with The Butterfly Effect. How are your actions and words from the past or present affecting your present and even the future? Think about that.

If this book sounds like something you would like in your own library you can find it on Amazon!

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site’s Terms of Use for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

——————————————————————————————-
New to the Divadom?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Book Review – Outlive Your Life by Max Lucado

September 10, 2010 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

I recently read the another one of Max Lucado’s books called OUT LIVE YOUR LIFE The title was intriguing and I was eager to begin reading. First of all the book was easy to read and understand. Max gave excellent examples of how we ordinary people can make a difference in the lives of others.In fact his words were “You were made to make a difference” Max challenges the reader to reconsider your role in the world.

To begin with, Max talks directly to those of us who are not wealthy, we may have no position in society, who may volunteer already in the community, you work or worked hard, pay your taxes, attend church, etc. He puts no minimum or maximum age on his challenge either. Now of course this does not discount those who are wealthy or who have a position in our society. But the challenge is there: Love those in need and when you do you are showing love for Jesus.

Jesus came to Earth to show us how we can make a difference in the lives of others. He provided many examples in his life and Max illustrates his examples by using The Bible. So how does that apply to our lives? Here are several examples from the book.

Some needs can be met without cost: encourage someone, listen to someone, offer to babysit for a single mom, read to children or help children to learn to read and that includes adults, cut someone’s lawn for them, offer to drive them to doctor appointments or grocery shopping, stand up for what is right and remove your biases about how a person looks, his religion, his position in society or the world, serve food at a local soup kitchen, etc.

Here area few examples that would require some funding: invite someone who is alone for dinner or take them a meal, raise money ( as a nine year old boy did) to help a village in Africa dig wells so they would have clean water to drink, adopt a child overseas who needs an education and food to eat (you never know if this child we become a doctor in their own country, purchase a meal for a homeless person, gather clothing to take to a shelter, make blankets or purchase blankets for the babies of teenage mothers, women and their children in shelters, homeless people who may have a church or shelter at night, contribute money to the Heifer project so a family could purchase chickens , tools, whatever so they can make a living and raise out of the poverty they currently have in their lives, and more .

You could easily brainstorm ways to “out live your life” with family and friends. You can easily make a difference in someone’s life.But remember that you cannot out live your life if you cannot get beyond you judgments about others. You biases must cease in order to do the work of Jesus on Earth.

Please before you involve yourself in service at any level, ask yourself why you are doing this. Are you doing it to be recognized by others? Will you be disappointed if you are not recognized? If you are performing works of service to have recognition, then you are doing it for the wrong reasons. Desire to serve God in any way you can. God will notice!

At the end of the book is a section of Discussion and Action, so the book can be used by groups. There are other resources available to enrich the experience and discussion also.

Will you take the challenge of “out living your life”? Would you be able to find a way to help another person in our community or in our world that would change their lives? Remember you were made to make difference in this world. You can begin today.

If you want this book as a part of your own library you can find it on Amazon!

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site’s Terms of Use for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

——————————————————————————————-
New to the Divadom?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Book Review – Jungle Warefare: A Basic Field Manual for Christians in Sales

July 26, 2010 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

About the Book
Jungle Warfare provides a field manual for the Christian in sales: a guide for certain victory in uncertain times.

Could a WWII Basic Field Manual on Jungle Warfare have any words of wisdom for sales and business professionals today? Yes – and it may even provide more. Christopher A. Cunningham has taken a prized family gift: his grandfather’s Jungle Warfare manual, and adapted its rules of engagement to fit the basic needs of the Christian sales person who is on the front lines of business every day.

The parallels are obvious: Stay fit. Keep your wits about you. Know your enemy. Serve your leader well. In today’s unsure business climate, those who find a way to keep their faith intact while pushing through the difficulties of market downturns are the ones who will be rewarded. This book is about fighting the good fight and finding inspiration even while crawling through enemy territory.

My Take on the Book
I usually read book through from the beginning to the end. This book was not set up to be read in this way and I was unaware of it at the start. The book is to be digested slowly, and the reader is to ponder the thoughts presented instead of simply plowing through the book to find the meaning within. Though this is the case, seeing that I wanted to review the book, I did read it through and I still felt that I got a lot out of the book (though I might have gained more if I was to have taken longer).

I work in higher education, which is not in sales, but some of my job (especially in college recruitment) uses many sales techniques to help the customer (the student) to see the benefit of attending my institution versus another institution. With this in mind, I enjoyed the ideas presented, as there have been times where I have had to question the values that I hold and how I can live both as a Christian and as an employee.

The book/devotional was easy to read and follow along with. Even if you are not in sales, I believe you will find some great ideas and benefits held within!

If this book sounds like something that you would like in your own collection you can find it on Amazon!

Book Review – Cast of Characters

July 7, 2010 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

About the Book
Some of the most powerful stories from the Bible will come alive for today’s readers through these inspiring selections from the writings of Max Lucado. Max provides a compelling look at the most high-impact moments in the biblical narrative, drawn from his previous 20+ years of writing.

At the end of each chapter will be study guide questions so the reader can go deeper into this
scripture.

Extraordinary stories are told about the following characters:
Mary, Peter, Matthew, Joseph, Nicodemus, Woman at the Well, David, Esther, Job, The Samaritan Woman, John, Rich Young Man.

My Take on The Book
I have read many books that talk about spirituality and the characters that you find within the Bible itself, but this book is one of the first that really drew me into the book as this book did. The author did a commendable job at getting his readers to know and understand some of the known and not so know characters within the bible.

What would the Samaritan woman be thinking as Jesus approached her? Why would Moses listen to God’s voice? Max Lucado takes classic Bible stories and adds his own touch, his own story to the mix and also adds historical detail in the context of what you read.

I loved this book and believe that you would to. While this book could easily be used for bible study, you also will gain a lot of insights into your own understanding of the Bible and its’ characters by reading this as well. Each chapter is easy to read and engaging. They draw you in and encouraging you to read even more of the stories, expanding your own knowledge of the Bible itself.

If this book sounds like something you would like in your own library you can find it over at Amazon!

Book Review – You Can Be Everything God Wants You To Be

June 28, 2010 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

About the Book
God made only one version of you. He custom designed you for a one-of-a-kind assignment.

You are heaven’s Halley’s comet; we have one chance to see you shine. You offer a gift to the world that no one else brings. So find it and bring it! And when you do, both you and God will smile.

Yes, you can be everything God wants you to be.

My Thoughts on The Book
You Can Be Everything God Wants You To Be is an affirming book by Max Lucado. The book is a quick and easy read and I was easily able to read the book within one day. Being only a little over 100 pages, I found that the messages included in the book were very powerful, and Lucado did a wonderful job at packing them in. The book, though seemingly geared toward an upcoming graduate are applicable to all who read it, as the pearls of wisdom cross all lines. The book is full of important questions that all should work to answer to be able to discover one’s purpose and “sweet spot.” The book is something of an overview as it does not go into a lot of detail, which at times would have been nice, but the information contained is definitely powerful.

This book would be great for someone that needs a little validation about what they want out of life. The book reinforces that you can be anything you want to be and also talks about God’s plan for you as a special person who was sent here to do certain things.

Book Review – Lead Like Ike

June 12, 2010 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

About the Book

Dwight Eisenhower’s leadership methods during the most daunting project in history, the D-Day Invasion, provide invaluable strategies for today’s business person.

No modern CEO has ever led such a large organization—the immense Allied military forces of the U.S., Great Britain, and Canada—in the face of such crushing pressure to succeed. Lead Like Ike begins with Eisenhower reporting for work as the CEO of D-Day Inc., facing a ridiculously tight timeline, having to create an executive staff and company, and then managing D-Day Inc.’s early projects, the invasions of North Africa and Sicily. By analyzing military operations as business operations, and the commanding general as CEO, Lead Like Ike finds management lessons for modern corporate executives.

My Thoughts on the Book
This book takes a unique approach to leadership, analyzing the different points in the career of Dwight D. Eisenhower and his leadership style into that of being a CEO or manager of a business. Some of the analogies within the book included:

Determining the mission
Risk management
Handling the board of directors: FDR, Churchill and the Combined Chiefs of Staff
Building and leading an executive staff
Creating the company: Making the Allied military into a single force that could fulfill its mission
Understanding the competition and the market: Hitler and Occupied Europe
Preserving his stakeholders: Eisenhower was loathe to waste his soldiers’ lives on anything less than complete success.

I found the book itself to be fluid and easy to read. I was intrigued to how the author intertwined Ike’s life with the everyday management decisions that I and others like me make. I found this approach to be refreshing and I found it to be an interesting way to teach and share leadership principles.

Overall, I was impressed with this book and I think you will be as well!

If this book sounds like something you would like in your own library you can find it on Amazon!

DVD Review – Read and Share: The Jesus Series, Life and Miracles

May 20, 2010 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

About the DVD

Take a wonder-filled journey with Jesus and His disciples.

Animated straight from the pages of the popular Read and Share® Bible, The Jesus Series introduces children to the life of Christ. Unlike the 3-minute, bite-size story format of the Read and Share® DVD Bible Volumes 1-4, this DVD is an uninterrupted half-hour presentation of Jesus’ ministry along the shores of Lake Galilee and the villages near Nazareth. Children will see Jesus call His disciples, feed 5,000 people, heal the sick, teach about God’s kingdom and introduce the Lord’s Supper.

This DVD completes The Jesus Series by presenting the life of Christ in a way that little ones can understand and build a solid foundation on.

My Take on the DVD
I shared this DVD with my 5.5 and 2 year olds and we had mixed response to this DVD. My two year old watched for a few minutes but then decided to go and do her own thing, while my five year old watched a bit more intently. At the end in asking how she liked the movie she mentioned that it was alright, but I could tell it wasn’t one of her favorites. In trying to delve deeper, I think she was disappointed by the voices of the characters and the lack of music (as she loves music).

For me, the storyline was strong, yet I found myself thinking that there were parts of the stories that were being told that seemed to be left out. Maybe this was for flow and understanding of the child who would watch it, but I would have liked to see more of the stories filled in altogether.

Overall, the DVD was good, and if you are not sharing stories like this with your children this would be one way to provide such a glimpse into the stories contained in the Bible.

If this sounds like a DVD you would like for your own collection you can find it on Amazon!

——————————————————————————————-
New to the Divadom?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Book Review – The Heart Mender

May 14, 2010 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

About the Book

The Heart Mender tells the story of a German U Boat officer who is betrayed for refusing to kill Americans while sinking supply ships destined for Europe in the Gulf of Mexico during in 1942. Shot by a fanatical Nazi and left for dead at sea, he washes ashore in Alabama. A beautiful young woman, whose husband had been killed by the Germans in the war, finds his near lifeless body. The enraged and shocked woman is prepared to leave him to die but after hearing him say an unusual phrase in his delirium, she changes her mind and hides him while he recovers and tries to elude capture.

The stage is now set for two people forced together on a collision path that takes them on careening through action and mystery packed sequences of life, danger, loss, and devastation. Together they explore the excruciating pain of their respective past lives and deal with treachery and the threat of discovery in a tense struggle for survival that ultimately brings them face to face with the most crucial decision of their lives.

In The Heart Mender, Andy Andrews’ entertaining story telling skills and inspirational talents are once again unleashed and he presents the most powerful lessons of life.

He shows us how it is possible for people to overcome anger and hate.

The Heart Mender is a mesmerizing masterpiece of adventure and intrigue that points a way to a new era of peace, hope and happiness for all of humanity.

Andy Andrews delivers an important message to all of us at a crucial time-the power of forgiveness and the universal healing that can be achieved only by letting go.

The world will be a better place if we can put this wonderful lesson into practice.

Andy Andrews says you forgive for you – it is simply the greatest gift you can give to yourself.

“There is not a shred of evidence from any expert or book-including the Bible, by the way-that demands a person ask for forgiveness, deserve forgiveness, or even be cognizant of the process for forgiveness before you can forgive them.

Forgive and forget is not reality. Forgiveness does not erase history or excuse what happened.

Forgiveness means relinquishment. It is that simple. It means giving something up. You simply give up whatever power it holds over us. If you forgive somebody for something he or she did to you, that means you choose to never again allow that event to determine how you feel or how you act or even how you treat that person. You may remember the wrong, but by choosing to forgive, you have disarmed it. Then it can no longer determine what you think, what you say, or what you do.”

About the Author

Andy Andrews, hailed by a New York Times writer as someone who has quietly become “one of the most influential people in America,” is a best-selling novelist and in-demand corporate speaker for the world’s largest organizations. The Traveler’s Gift, a featured book selection of ABC’s Good Morning America, has been translated into nearly twenty languages and was on the New York Times bestseller list for seventeen weeks.

Andy has spoken at the request of four different United States presidents and toured military bases around the world, being called upon by the Department of Defense to speak to the troops. Arguably, there is no single person on the planet better at weaving subtle yet life-changing lessons into riveting tales of adventure and intrigue—both on paper and on stage. He lives in Gulf Shores, Alabama, with his wife, Polly, and their two sons.

What People Are Saying

“The Heart Mender is a sweeping adventure filled with many emotions. The compelling narrative unites the past and the present in a fantastic must read!

Bonnie Tiegel, Senior Supervising Producer, Entertainment Tonight & The Insider

“The principle woven into this incredible story has changed my life.”

Tim Brando, CBS Sports Host and Commentator

“With the skill of a virtuoso, Andy Andrews continues his string of successful writing performances in this, his latest entertaining masterpiece. The plot, characters, and storyline combine to summon the reader into an unforgettable experience.”

Robert Silvers, Executive Publisher, The Saturday Evening Post

My Take on The Book
I had never read any novels by Andy Andrews in the past so I didn’t know what to expect. I found the book to engaging and filled with much historical fact.

As a person who enjoys adventure historical fiction, this book was one that I really enjoyed. As a reader I came to find myself connecting with the characters and the author does a good job at creating vivid images that draw the reader even further in to the world surrounding the 1940’s.

I can say that I was engrossed in the story and found that I did not want to put it down, which for me is the sign of a great book!

I will mention that I have seen some other reviews that compare this story to another of a different name and they question whether this and the other are the same books? I cannot comment on that as I have not read the other account and as of this time I have not hear nor found any substantiation of this claim.

So if this book sounds like one that you might like for your own collection you can find it on Amazon!

Book Review – Searching for God Knows What

May 12, 2010 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

About the Book

New York Times best-selling author Donald Miller explores the origin and meaning of redemption in this fully revised and redesigned bestseller.

Hysterically funny, wryly provocative, and disquietingly insightful, Searching for God Knows What invites readers to examine their deep need for redemption, to feel it, know it, and live like it is true in their lives.

Miller weaves phenomenal characters and true-to-life spectacles into his acclaimed memoir style to enrich, inspire, entertain, and ultimately challenge readers to see life in a new way. He shows that one of the greatest desires of every person is the desire for redemption, to have brokenness repaired. Instead of the chaotic relationships, self-hatred, wreckless consumerism, and anxiety that overrun a life without redemption, Miller uncovers the beauty and power of the Gospel to fulfill one of our deepest needs.

My Take on The Book

I have had the chance to read a number of Don Miller’s Books lately and continue to be amazed at how well I enjoy his style of writing and his approach to talking about spirituality.

This book allows the reader to examine their own relationship with a higher power and know that there is no correct way that this must occur. Instead, Miller focuses on what the Bible says and allows the reader to examine these passages in a fresh light. What I enjoy most about the way Miller writes is how he intertwines humor and real life experience into one to make the read even more enjoyable.

Some books on spirituality tend to be in your face and preachy, but Miller never takes this tact. Instead he lets the reader come at their own pace and allows them to do what they need to do to get to know their higher power better in their own way.

If this book sounds like something you would like in your own library you can find it on Amazon!

Book Review – The Money Answer Book

April 28, 2010 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

About the Book

This question and answer book is the perfect resource guide for equipping individuals with key information about everyday money matters.

Questions and answers deal with 100+ of the most-asked questions from The Dave Ramsey Show—everything from budget planning to retirement planning or personal buying matters, to saving for college and charitable giving. This is Dave in his most popular format—ask a specific question, get a specific answer.

My Take on The Book
I have listened to Dave Ramsey on the radio and have looked at some of the concepts that he has put forward in his other books (though I have not yet read them completely through).

In saying this though I found the Money Answer Book to be a great resource for anyone (whether you know of Dave or not) that provides some down and dirty answers to what you should be focusing on when it comes to your money.

The book is short and a very quick read. It helps that each chapter is well laid out and easy to understand. Overall, this book makes me want to read some of Ramsey’s other books to see what I can do to take control of our family money situation!

Read a few pages of the book below to see what I mean!

If this book sounds interesting to you you can find it on Amazon!