IMPERIAL HISTORY OF THE MIDDLE EAST - INTERACTIVE MAP:

This is an interesting interactive map that may be useful in your bible study/reading. 
Source: mapsofwar.com

"Life Application Study Bible Devotional: Daily Wisdom from the Life of Jesus"

I must admit, I've never been a big fan of the typical "devotional". I find them too simplistic, enabling the problem of our already-busy lives. Rather than really slowing down and excavating deep into God's word, devotionals dig more like spades.

That said, I still volunteered to review this study/devotional bible to give it a chance. The basic format of this particular study bible is this: each daily devotional is one page long. Along the outer margin of each page is the passage being considered, and each passage is typically only a verse or two. Since this bible is only a "gospels" devotional, longer passages aren't a necessity. It's definitely not bogged down in heavy bible reading. The main section of each page consists of a review and setting of the passage in consideration. The last paragraph of that main section typically asks a couple questions for life application. Finally, in the same outer margin mentioned earlier is a prayer recommendation that relates to the topic under consideration.

Given my reservation for devotionals, I found that I actually like this devotional bible. This one has caused me to pause and rethink my position on devotionals. God has a marvelous way of speaking to people through His word, regardless of depth of study. If He chooses to speak, He will and send the needed messages at the right times.

In the early weeks of review, I was literally enduring a week of strong physical temptation. For two consecutive days, the passage spoke to my struggle as though God sent me a personal message on those particular days. The words were precisely what I needed to read/hear. It's difficult to dismiss those occurrences as mere coincidence.

So, do devotionals "work"? I guess I'd say they do. Do they provide all the sustenance we need in our spirit? I still say no. But even body builders don't eat full meals every time they eat. Sometimes they snack.

All-in-all, I give this devotional bible 4 stars. It doesn't blow my mind, but it certainly changed it.


I received this bible from Tyndale Publishers free of charge in exchange for my unbiased review of it. I was not promised rewards or threatened to provide a positive review. All opinions are mine.

"The Book of Man", by William Bennett

"The Book of Man" is no mere book, but a volume. Want a good workout? Carry this one around a while! It's thick with short stories about various great feats of great people throughout history, specifically men.

The stories in this volume don't display courageous men solely in battle. Although one section of stories does just that, these stories also reveal the character of men in the way we compete in sports, how we work, the way we worship, our leadership in the home, etc. One quote that I really like is borrowed from Lt. Cmdr Eric Greitens, author of "The Heart and the Fist", and is found in the short "Profile: A Navy SEAL". He writes, "...we live in an America that offers its young men very few tests, very few cultural markers through which they can, to which on the other end they can say, 'You know what, I've become a better person, I've become a man'" (p. 263).

The Book of Man is a neat book, one in which the reader can freely skip around. Its not a book one would read cover-to-cover in a week. Instead, it makes for a good "bathroom reader", for the coffee table, or even a gift for a pastor to supplement his sermon illustrations. I imagine it could be used by men's groups to facilitate discussion in issues that run far deeper than politics, war, and sports. It's deeper intent is in dealing with courage, faith, honesty, honor, etc - the things that truly matter in life.

Something I would have liked to see is a few pictures of the men described in their stories.  Not because the book is so big and in need of visual relief, but because it's always nice to put a name with a face. Unfortunately, however, there are none. But that's the only gripe I have with this book, and it's not even a major one.

That said, I give "The Book of Man" 4 stars out of 5.


I received this book free of charge from Booksneeze in exchange for my unbiased review. I have not been threatened, coerced, or promised reward in any way to provide a positive review. All opinions are mine.

SUNSET STOP SIGN:

This is one of my favorite pictures I've ever captured...and it was Entirely by accident. The sunset in Michigan this past Thursday evening was glorious and I hoped to capture its magnificence. The first picture i attempted with one of our "Blue Gooses" just didn't do much. Then I thought to encapsulate the golden sun in the center of the "O" of the "stop sign". What you see is the result.

By the way, the stop sign is an old tradition in the Michigan State Police, dating back to The time we began driving cars on patrol. It used to be used as a tool to stop cars from the side rather than from behind. Now it's there primarily for looks, but can also be used at night to reveal who we are when we pull into an unsuspecting citizen's driveway at night.