Miracle at the Higher Grounds Cafe' Book Review

A Heavenly Novel

SUMMARY:  What if you could ask God anything?  What would you ask?  And how would He answer?

     Chelsea Chambers is on her own.  After a public split from her NFL superstar husband, Chelsea takes a bold step out of the limelight and behind the counter of the Higher Grounds Cafe', an old-fashioned coffee shop in dire need of reinvention.  But when her courage, expert planning, and out-of-this-world cupcakes fail to pay the bills, this newly single mom finds herself desperate for help.  Better yet, a miracle.

     Then a curious stranger lands at Chelsea's door, and with him, an even more curious string of events.  Soon, customers are flocking to the Higher Grounds Cafe', and not just for the cupcakes and cappuccino.  They've come for the internet connection to the divine.  Now the cafe' has become the go-to place for people in search of answers to life's biggest questions.

     When a catastrophe strikes and her ex comes calling, Chelsea begins to wonder if the whole universe is conspiring against her quest to make it on her own.  After a shocking discovery opens her eyes to the unseen world around her, Chelsea finds the courage to ask God a question of her own.  Heaven answers in a most unexpected way.

REVIEW:  Max Lucado and company hit the ball out of the ballpark with this one.  The story grabbed me from the very beginning, held on tight through the twists and turns and didn't let go until the very end.  There were times I caught myself laughing out loud (even out in public) and a few times when tears came to my eyes.  There is so much I want to say about this book but to do so would give away some keys parts.  Suffice it to say, I loved Chelsea's story!!  If I had to pick a favorite character, it would definitely be Samuel/Manny.  He had me cracking up throughout the book with his view of life. 
     If you are looking for a fun read that will lift you up when you are at your lowest, this is the book for you.  To get a glimpse of Heaven and see how God works, open this book.  Neither God nor Max will disappoint!!

This book was provided by Litfuse Publicity Group and Thomas Nelson Publishers for review without compensation.

More than 120 million readers have found comfort in the writings of Max Lucado.  He ministers at the Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas, where he lives with his wife, Denalyn, and a sweet but misbehaving mutt, Andy.

Before Amen Book Review

 The Power of a Simple Prayer

SUMMARY:  We all pray . . . some.

     We pray to stay sober centered, or solvent.  When the lump is deemed malignant.  When the money runs out before the month does. When the marriage is falling apart.  We pray.  

     But wouldn't we like to pray . . .

More?

Better?

Stronger?

With more fire, faith, and fervency?

     Yet we have kids to feed, bills to pay, deadlines to meet.  The calendar pounces on our good intentions like a tiger on a rabbit.  And what about our checkered history with prayer? Uncertain words.  Unmet expectations.  Unanswered requests.

     We aren't the first to struggle with prayer.  The first followers of Jesus needed prayer guidance too.  In fact, prayer is the only tutorial they ever requested.

     Jesus gave them a prayer.  Not a lecture on prayer.  Not the doctrine of prayer.  He gave them a quotable, repeatable, portable prayer.  Couldn't we use the same?

     Join Max Lucado on a journey to the very heart of biblical prayer and the power unleashed with six simple lines:

         Father,

                   you are good.

                                     I need help.

                                                     They need help.

                                                                          Thank you.

                                                                                         In Jesus' name, amen.

REVIEW:  Max Lucado takes the Lord's Prayer, explains it in an easy to understand format and gives examples of ways to use the different parts.  As always, he explains things in ways everyone can understand it but doesn't dumb it down.  He uses personal examples along with illustrations from the bible to make this personal prayer relevant for today's Christian.  This is a superb book that can help Christians, whether they've been walking with the Lord a long time or if they are brand new.  

This Advance Reader's Copy was provided by Litfuse Publicity Group and Thomas Nelson Publishers for review without compensation.

More than 120 million readers have found inspiration and encouragement in the writings of Max Lucado.  He serves the people of Oak Hills Church in San Antonia, Texas where he lives with his wife, Denalyn, and a sweet but misbehaving mutt, Andy.

Grace Book Review

More Than We Deserve

Greater Than We Imagine

SUMMARY:  We talk as though we understand the term.  The bank gives us a grace period.  The seedy politician falls from grace.  Musicians speak of a grace note.  We describe an actress as gracious, a dancer as graceful.  We use the word for hospitals, baby girls, kings, and premeal prayers.  We talk as though we know what grace means.
    But do we really understand it?  Have we settled for wimpy grace?  It politely occupies a phrase in a hymn, fits nicely on a church sign.  Never causes trouble or demands a response.  When asked, "Do you believe in grace?" who could say no?
     Max Lucado asks a deeper question:  Have you been changed by grace?  Shaped by grace?  Strengthened by grace?  Emboldened by grace?  Softened by grace?  Snatched by the nape of your neck and shaken to your senses by grace?
     God's grace has a drenching about it.  A wildness about it.  A white-water, riptide, turn-you-upside-downness about it.  Grace comes after you.  It rewires you.  From insecure to God secure.  From regret-riddled to better-because-of-it.  From afraid-to-die to ready-to-fly.
     Grace is the voice that calls us to change and then gives us the power to pull it off.
     Let's make certain grace gets you.

REVIEW:  This review has been one of my hardest to write.  In typical Max Lucado fashion, he takes a difficult and very deep subject and makes it easier to understand, interjecting stories and using examples to show how grace works. But, trying to explain the intricacies of the meaning of grace without retelling the whole book is proving difficult.
      One story that sticks with me that shows this wonderful attribute of God is the story about Heather Sample and her father Kyle Sheets.  They were treating AIDS patients in Zimbabwe when Kyle was exposed.  The treatment to prevent HIV infection was life threatening and made him violently ill.  On the flight home, Kyle took a turn for the worse and Heather convinced the pilots to take the fastest flight home to the States.  Heather was praying for help and crying when four passengers asked if they could help.  They were just a few of the 100 other doctors on board.  One of the physicians was an infectious disease doctor top in his field.  They offered to watch her father and pray for him while Heather got some rest.  When she woke up, her father was still very sick but much stronger and standing and talking to the other doctors.  Heather saw God's hand at work by placing them with the right people and on the right plane at just the right time.  God knew their need and met them there with grace.  Just like He knows your needs and will meet you with grace, wherever you are.
     This is an outstanding book that I recommend for anyone and everyone looking to fully understand the whole concept and idea of grace.

This book was provided by Booksneeze/Thomas Nelson Publishers for review without compensation.

 Max Lucado is one of America's favorite writers with more than 100 million products in print.  He serves the Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas, where he lives with his wife, Denalyn, and a sweet but misbehaving mutt, Andy.

Great Day Every Day Book Review

Navigating Life's Challenges with Promise and Purpose

SUMMARY:  Have you traded the majestic for mundane, the splendid for so-so?  Somewhere along this journey we call life, have you given up on a day here and another one there?  Have you decided divorce days, final-exam days and surgery days just don't pass muster?

     Maybe you need a new prescription.

     It's not a pill to pop or drink to down.  It won't make you lose weight or erase your wrinkles.  It won't make your boss give you a raise, find your lost luggage, or help you meet that deadline.

     This prescription does so much more.  It offers a divine purpose and promise for every day - even the tough ones.

     Tempted to toss today aside?  Why not give it a chance?  You may just find that injecting your day with a dose of God-given power and purpose makes it better than bearable.  In fact, it could be great.

     Imagine following the same prescription tomorrow.  And the next day too.  Soon your toss-away days will become treasures.  And you can have a great day.  Every day.

REVIEW:  Max Lucado hit it out of the park again with this book.  Written in short, easy-to-read chapters, this book offers you a way to make the most of every day by helping you remember that it is a day God made and we should rejoice and be glad in it.  He offers wonderful stories and illustrations to help you look at your day differently.  At the end of each chapter, there is a Daily Compass to help you accomplish your goal and change your way of thinking.  Also included in the book is a Discussion Guide and a Thirty-Day Journey to help you "Change Your Day, Change Your Life."  This is a wonderful book which I highly recommend.

This book was provided by Booksneeze, a division of Thomas Nelson Publishers, for review without compensation.

 

With more than 100 million products in print, Max Lucado is one of America's most widely read authors.  He and his wife, Denalyn, live in San Antonio, Texas, where he serves the Oak Hills Church.  Visit his website at MaxLucado.com.

No Wonder They Call Him The Savior Book Review

Discover Hope in the Unlikeliest Place

SUMMARY:  The Cross.

It rests on the timeline of history like a compelling diamond ...

its tragedy summons all sufferers ...

its absurdity attracts all cynics ...

its hope lures all searchers ...

Far more than a gold-plated symbol of religious belief, the cross is the centerpiece of the Christian faith - the meeting place of time and eternity, where God and man encounter each other.

     Max Lucado leads you through the drama of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ ... bringing to life Peter's denial, Pilate's hesitancy, and John's loyalty.  Relive the events leading up to Jesus' crucifixion, from the foggy garden of Gethsemane to the incandescent room of the resurrection. 

     Jesus' darkest hours.  Mankind's highest hope.  They hang together on the cross for all eternity, leaving no doubt why they call him the Savior.

REVIEW:  Max Lucado has hit the ball out of the ballpark again.  I have the gift book copy of this book and was interested in the complete novel.  Infusing humor, seriousness, and stories that help you comprehend even the most complex ideas and problems, the author makes the cross and all its complexities easier to understand. He helps you make sense of why Jesus endured this horrible death and how those who followed Him found grace, hope and mercy when they failed miserably.  Get this book!!!  You will NOT be disappointed!!

This book was originally released by Multnomah Books in 1996 and has been re-released by Thomas Nelson Publishers.

This book was provided by Thomas Nelson Publishers (Booksneeze) for review without compensation.

With more than 100 million books in print, Max Lucado is one of America's most widely read authors.  He and his wife, Denalyn, live in San Antonio, Texas, where he serves the Oak Hills Church.  Visit his website at MaxLucado.com. 

Max on Life Book Review

SUMMARY:  We have questions.  Real, important, and challenging questions.  Questions about sex, finances, and forgiveness.  Unsettling questions regarding illness, suicide, and eternity.  Don't we crave answers to these queries that tug on the deepest parts of our hearts?

Do angels really walk among us?

How should I discipline my kids?

Any advice for my struggling marriage?

Why do I worry so much?

How do I know what God's will for me really is?

     In Max on Life, one of the most trusted pastors and authors of our time takes on life's most important questions.  Max Lucado has received thousands of questions and wrestled with plenty of his own.  Here's hoping that his answers to the questions of others will help you find answers to yours.

REVIEW:  Max Lucado's newest book Max on Life - Answers and Insights to Your Most Important Questions does not disappoint.  There were only a couple of answers that I thought missed the mark in answering the questions.  But, in usual easy to understand Max-fashion, the rest of his answers and insights hit it out of the ball park.  He uses scripture in different translations to make it easier to see what God says about a particular situation or to answer a difficult question.  Whether you have been a Christian for years or are searching Christianity to see if it is something you want to pursue, I think you will not be disappointed. 

This book was provided by Thomas Nelson Publishers/BookSneeze for review without compensation.

Max Lucado has more than 100 million products in print and is one of America's most widely read authors.  He and his wife, Denalyn, live in San Antonio, Texas, where he serves the Oak Hills Church.  Visit his website at MaxLucado.com.