Secrets of Dynamic Communication: Prepare with Focus, Deliver with Clarity, Speak with Power by Ken Davis

When I was in high school I went to a youth conference and listened to a presentation by Ken Davis and thought he did a great job of having a good message that was entertaining for all audiences. So, when I saw that he had a book on presentations, I had to give it a look. He splits the book into 3 parts, which basically are preparing the presentation using the SCORRE method (Subject, Core Theme, Objective, Rationale and Resources, and Evaluation), making the presentation, and then the advantages of using his system. The book flowed well and gave good information on the different steps of a presentation. He didn’t reinvent the wheel, but gave an insight into what he does that makes him successful. The whole first section is devoted to the SCORRE process which can really help with the preparation of a presentation. I enjoyed the book and thought that it reinforced many of the things that I’ve learned about presentations in the past and reminded me of things that I’m not currently doing. The stories that he mixed in with the information are the same kinds of things that make his live presentations so entertaining. I would recommend this book to any fan of Ken Davis or for anyone who wants tips on making an effective presentation. 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.”

Blessed Child by Ted Dekker and Bill Bright

A few years ago I picked up this book and read a few chapters and then for whatever reason never got back to it, until now.  I’m glad I gave it another chance as there is a lot in this book.

The book centers on Caleb, an orphan from Ethiopia, and the people that are trying to protect him or do him harm.  His orphanage is destroyed and he is brought to the US and begins to show extraordinary abilities.  One group is trying to protect him and another is trying to exploit him.  But, the real question is where does his power come from?  Does he have this power or does it come from somewhere else.  Everyone has an opinion, but only Caleb can reveal it.

I really enjoyed the book and it’s message.  I thought it said a lot about the power of God and walking in the kingdom.  There were some good questions that were asked about the characters, some I’ve had myself, and I thought they were well addressed.  I could have done without the romantic plot-line, but I do see how it worked into the theme of Love in the book.  I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com® <http://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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

NIV Leadership Bible: Leading by The Book published by Zondervan

The NIV Leadership Bible offers 52 weekly studies in leadership using examples from the Bible on different subjects ranging from long-term planning to adapting to change.  It offers quick devotionals for the work week, that take very little time to complete, but offers quick takeaways to think about through the week.  It also includes profiles of leaders in the Bible, and in depth windows into other topics to explore.

When opening up the Bible for the first time, what jumps out is that there is a lot of material jam packed into it.  If you want to read a chapter straight through, it seems like all the extra material might get in the way.  With that said, the extra material is pretty good.  It offers insight from other passages of scripture and from experts highlighting certain areas.  It may be better used as a devotional Bible, rather than one for straight through reading, but that opinion may change with more time going through it. It should provide valuable for a year of great leadership devotions.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com® <http://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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Crescent by Homer Hickam

A trained killer is captured by Crater Trueblood, the hero of Crater, who now does a lot less mining and lot more fighting.  The adventure starts when Crater sees past what she has been trained to do and realizes she is a person like anyone else.  Characters from the last book make appearances and join with Crater to battle mercenaries across the moon and have to rely on each other and Crater’s ingenuity to survive.  It mixes in a little history of the moon, and even some aliens to make a good sci-fi story.

It was an enjoyable book that had some good action scenes, but when the book was finished, it seemed unclear really what all the fighting was about.  There were hired mercenaries trained to kill that wanted to kidnap Maria, but for what purpose?  Ransom?  If money is the endgame, why pay an army to go after her.  It didn’t make sense.  There were good action scenes, but it really wasn’t clear why all that action was taking place.  Some of it was the result of Crater leaving Moontown with Crescent, but the rest of the fighting seemed to take place for no good reason.  It was good, but could have been better if there were some greater purpose.  Maybe the third book will bring it all together.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com® <http://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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Intentional Walk by Rob Rains

Intentional Walk is about the daily struggles that baseball presents and how members of the St. Louis Cardinals use their faith to deal with them.  The book looks at several team members and gives a brief history of their career and their faith.  It also has a section that looks at the 2012 playoff chase and the Cardinals playoff run, ultimately resulting in the loss to the Giants.  A recurring theme is that baseball is really a game filled with ups and downs, like the Cardinals winning the 2011 World Series, and then falling short the next year.  As humans we all fall short and need to rely on God to bring us through, and it’s the same in baseball as it is in life.

I really enjoyed this book as it gave a glimpse into the clubhouse of the Cardinals and the personalities that it includes.  I was surprised at the stories of faith and the humble attitudes that you normally don’t get from athletes.  Each chapter was a mini-biography about the player and their faith.  It was both a baseball book and a book about life and how trusting in God through the good times and the bad will get you through.  I would recommend this book to any baseball fan, as it was an interesting look into one clubhouse and how their faith led them.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com® <http://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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Judgment Stone by Robert Liparulo

This book picks up almost right where The 13^th Tribe leaves off.  Jagger, an immortal, is working to keep his family safe from The Tribe, a group of immortals that feel they can win God’s favor by killing sinners across the world.  The Tribe wants information that his wife, Beth gave to one of their former member, setting him free of his immortality.  In steps The Clan.  They have no interest in earning God’s favor, and want to inflict as much damage to the world as possible, and they’ve found a tool to target the most fervent believers.  Jagger and Owen may be the only ones able to stop them, but will his family ultimately suffer at the hands of the Tribe because of it?

From my review of The 13^th Tribe, I said that I thought the series would be well served to add some more background details for the characters and we got some of that in this book.  There was some background to Nevaeh and her past, which was brief, but helped.  I thought this book contained more action, where the last one was a lot of buildup to it.  I appreciated the 2 separate story lines and the messages that the book brought out.  This book again deals with faith in the unseen and continual communication with God.  I thought the use of the Judgment Stone was interesting and I thought the inclusion of the spiritual world added to the story.  I think this was a great next step in the series and I eagerly anticipate the next installment.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Asylum: The Circeae Tales by Ashley Hodges Bazer

This is a space adventure story focusing around the capture of Captain Chase Leighton’s wife by the Legacy for her involvement with the Ghosts.  It follows Chase and the Ghost’s attempts to rescue her resulting in Chase’s capture and placement on a ship for those with mental problems.  There he encounters his wife who has undergone brain therapy and doesn’t recognize him.  Ultimately it’s a battle to escape the Legacy and get his wife’s memory back.

The story is an intriguing one, but it could have been much better had there been more background.  There is a lot that the reader has to guess at.  Chase is Logia and a Ghost.  The Ghost portion was explained, but all the reader knows about the Logia is that they have special powers.  It is not explained how they get those powers or what the different powers are.  Also, it is unclear why this group is in opposition to the Legacy.  There is reference to the Crown and the Legacy’s opposition to the Crown, but why?  This would have led to a more fully fleshed out story and would have made it more interesting. 

This book would be good for those who enjoy a good sci-fi story, but don’t need a lot of back-story to go with it.  Hopefully if there are more Circeae Tales, some of the gaps will be filled in.

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.”