This is Your Brain in Love by Dr. Earl Hensin

I recently read "This is Your Brain in Love" by Dr. Earl Hensin for BookSneeze. I really enjoyed reading the book, as I am fascinated by how God's creation works. I love learning about the human brain, so this was right up my alley. :)The real-life stories and short foray into Jewish customs were fun to read. The quizzes to help a person figure out his particular tendencies as a "lover" were helpful and helped me to gain clarity. The appendices are also helpful and give a lot of good information. I was surprised at the focus on ADD, but enjoyed reading about it. This book may not have been about what I thought it would be, but it was nice to be wrong!

Jesus Lives by Sarah Young

Jesus Lives by Sarah Young is a thoughtful, beautiful, Biblically sound devotional. I have not read Jesus Calling, the book to which this is a companion piece. This book is visually appealing, well-made, and pretty enough to give as a gift. It is small enough to carry in a purse or briefcase, with a lovely crimson ribbon to helpfully mark your place. The color scheme is simple and elegant, as is the art work. Don't let the diminutive size mislead you. This devotional is packed full of Scripture and Biblically sound life applications. Written as though Jesus is speaking directly to the reader, the format is two pages per devotional topic. The first page is the main idea and the words that Ms. Young envisions Jesus writing to His child, while the opposite page highlights the Scripture verses that served as inspiration. The underlying theme of this devotional is trusting in the promise that nothing can separate the believer from Jesus' love. Ms. Young successfully communicates this promise with Jesus Calling in an inspiring, comforting, and truthful manner. I am a member of Thomas Nelson's Book Review Blogger program. Find details at: http://brb.thomasnelson.com/

The Sacred Meal by Nora Gallagher

The Sacred Meal by Nora Gallagher purports to take the reader on a historical journey to delve into the mystery of Communion. The reader searching for a true Biblical and historical viewpoint on this topic will be sorely disappointed. The anecdotal writing style was great for another type of book, just not one in "The Ancient Practices Series." The style of Ms. Gallagher's writing was not the problem for me; however, the content and substance were. I do not discount Ms. Gallagher's talent as a writer, just her questionable handling of this topic. I enjoy reading about people's experiences, especially within the faith community. This said, the focus was more on the author's personal experience than anything else. My expectation for a book of this nature is scholarly research backing up a well presented and Biblically accurate work on a fascinating topic. That the slant was Episcopalian, and not a general Christian one or at least an overview of the major Christian groups, was frustrating. The procedures and practice of modern Episcopalian Communion tell me nothing about "the ancient practices" of Communion. In light of the title and intention of the series, it seems to me that this work missed the mark entirely. If you are interested in a well-written personal opinion story about how an ancient practice makes the writer feel more connected to her fellow man, this is the book for you. If you are interested in a Biblically sound examination of the practice of Communion both in historical and modern contexts, this work is not recommended. I am a member of Thomas Nelson's Book Review Blogger program. Find details at: http://brb.thomasnelson.com/

I am a blogger

I am doing this. I am blogging. As soon as blogging crossed my radar, I found the practice fascinating. I cannot explain why reading about someone else's life is so interesting. I sometimes find myself following link after link to read blog after blog...mostly from people I do not even know!

Maybe this curiosity comes from the innate need to reconnect with other humans in this hectic and often disconnected(from real people, that is) world. The more "connected" I become(in terms of technology), the less time I spend with actual people. Maybe just knowing that there is a real person behind the words and pictures on the computer screen makes up for all the voice-automated systems and pre-recorded sales calls with which we are daily barraged.

Whatever the reason, I have heeded the call of technology. I am a blogger.