Book Review: On This Day in Christian History (and Giveaway Contest!)

I recently discovered a website - BookSneeze.com - that gives away free books to, really, anyone who will blog and post a book review online.

Count me in.

So, my first book is the one pictured above - On This Day in Christian History by Robert Morgan. Morgan is a pastor in Nashville and an established author, and in this project, he has created a terrific devotional work.

It seems that On This Day is better suited to accompany one's daily devotions than to be read through, but either way, it's a valuable tome. What Morgan has done is capture the lives of Christian heroes, martyrs, and more than one completely unknown character, and to tell encouraging stories of faith, hope, accomplishment, and devotion.

Some characters I knew already, and their familiar stories were uplifting and encouraging. Others I didn't, and I was challenged by the faith and devotion of the unknown Christian heroes.

On This Day is an easy book to read, the stories are only a page long, and are terrific introductions to people who have carried the Christian message through the years and across the world.

This book is a terrific resource for teachers or preachers, providing sermon starters, illustrations, and stories of encouragement to tie in that last point perfectly. If you haven't, check out this book at Amazon.com.

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I'm giving this book, which was free for me, away to one of my readers. If you would like my copy of this book, just post a link to this blog on Twitter, Facebook, or on your blog. If you post it on your blog or Facebook, send me an email and if you mention it on Twitter, just mention me (@bltitus) in the tweet. For each mention, post, or tweet, you'll receive one entry into a drawing. I'll draw the name at the end of January and announce the winner then. Good luck!

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. 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: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

QUOTE: What I Believe (or, Your Faith is Too Small)

Madeline L'Engle:

What I believe is so magnificent, so glorious, that it is beyond finite comprehension. To believe that the universe was created by a purposeful, benign Creator is one thing. To believe that this Creator took on human vesture, accepted death and mortality, was tempted, betrayed, broken, and all for love of us, defies reason. It is so wild that it terrifies some Christians who try to dogmatize their fear by lashing out at other Christians, because tidy Christianity with all answers given is easier than one which reaches out to the wild wonder of God's love, a love we don't even have to earn.

I read L'Engle's book A Wrinkle In Time when I was in elementary school, but I feel like I need to rediscover her writings. I know she's somewhat of a universalist, but I think she was a peer and a friend of C. S. Lewis, who is my favorite author of all time.

But I like the quote - and it's a position I've been moving towards lately in some degree. Yes, there are things that we can know, but there is so much about God and eternity and life and creation that are so far beyond our comprehension and imagination ... sometimes we make Christianity too small and tidy. I have more to say on this issue, but it will have to wait for another blog post.

Barnes & Noble: Epic Book Fail

For Christmas, I got a gift card to Barnes & Noble. I appreciate this, because I love books. I've been interested in doing some studying about what the Bible says about things, then developing a set of opinions for politics, economics, et cetera. That seems like the proper order of things.

But I digress.

The massive chain bookstores have replaced local booksellers because, somehow, they are cheaper than the local variety. I have no idea how this is true, because Barnes & Noble is the most ridiculously expensive bookstore in the world. I found a book I wanted to get, but it was $40.00. I looked it up on Amazon.com, and the exact same book was $26.99. Barnes & Noble doesn't do price matching.

So what do I do? I've got this stupid gift card that limits my spending options to one place, so I'm stuck paying too much for a book. I bought some coffee, picked up a collection of Dilbert comics, and left. In the future, I'll just be going to Barnes & Noble to drink coffee and read the books that I bought more cheaply at Amazon.com (or, more likely, something in my Kindle that I bought online for way cheaper than anything in the store).

Seriously, how can a bookseller justify being so expensive? And why don't more people shop at Amazon.com?