Review: Max On Life by Max Lucado

Title: Max On Life
Author: Max Lucado
Category: Christian living
Publisher: Thomas Nelson, 2011
Page count: 256
Source: review copy from the publisher
Star rating: 2 out of 5

Max Lucado is one of those superstars in Christian culture. His books sell by the truckload, he’s often quoted in blogs, on Twitter, and on Christian radio, and he’s a sought-after author and speaker. I’m instantly suspect of anything or anyone so widely popular. Maybe I’m just a cynical old Reformed chick, but I’m naturally a little wary of big names.

Lucado breaks this book into categories:

• Hope
• Hurt
• Help
• Him/Her
• Home
• Haves/Have-Nots
• Hereafter

Each section contains letters Max has received through the years, asking questions on the listed topics. Max sets about answering these questions in each chapter. The book is touted to be aimed at new and mature Christians alike, but while there’s nothing inherently wrong with what Lucado says, the book surely won’t be particularly helpful for mature Christians. Let’s face it: You know what you’re getting with Max Lucado. Inoffensive, gentle, humorous advice, but not exactly earth-shattering or hard-hitting. He loves the Lord, and he loves people, but he’s not a great theologian or a tell-it-like-it-is kind of guy like John Piper or Al Mohler. If you want to be shaken, convicted, and edified, just go read Piper or Mohler or a host of other writers.

In fact, if I had things my way, we’d see somebody like Piper or Mohler, or Tim Keller or D.A. Carson, write a book like this. Now that’s something I could wholeheartedly recommend.

Disclosure: I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson’s book blogger program, Booksneeze, with the expectation of a review. All thoughts are my own and were not in any way influenced by the publisher.

Review: Johann Sebastian Bach by Rick Marschall

Title: Johann Sebastian Bach
Author: Rick Marschall
Category: biography
Publisher: Thomas Nelson, 2011
Page count: 145
Source: review copy from the publisher
Star rating: 3 out of 5

My childhood was full of good music. My father knows more about classical music than anyone else I’ve ever known, and our house was always full of it (plus jazz, Broadway, country, pop – I heard it all). Early on, I knew one of his favorite composers was Bach, and it wasn’t just because of the glorious and beautiful music he wrote. It also had a lot to do with Bach’s faith, a faith we share with him. He began every composition with the words “Jesu, Juva” (Jesus, help me) and ended each with “Soli Deo Gloria” (to God alone be the glory). And now, as an adult, I’m privileged to be in a church choir that still sings the important works of important composers such as Bach. There’s nothing like singing his music; you can feel the praise in every note and ever word.

This book is another installment of Thomas Nelson’s “Christian Encounters” series. Each slim volume presents biographical information about its subject, giving chronologies of childhoods and upbringings, shedding light on how each came to be such a unique and important person in world history. (I reviewed another Christian Encounters edition, on Winston Churchill, here.)

If anyone had a right to feel prideful about his enormous gift for music, it would be Bach, but Marschall shows the composer’s humility through quotes and anecdotes. Always, Bach’s goal of glorifying God comes through in his words. Take, for example, this quote: “The aim and final reason of all music should be none else but the glory of God and refreshing the soul.” Bach took Soli Deo Gloria to heart and lived it.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking to be inspired by a fellow Christian who achieved the pinnacle of worldly accolades while doing it all for God’s glory. Anyone involved in church music would find this especially interesting. There probably isn’t anything new for people who are highly knowledgeable about classical music or Bach himself, but for the novice or someone needing a history refresher, this book would do the trick.

Disclosure: I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson’s book blogger program, Booksneeze, with the expectation of a review. All thoughts are my own and were not in any way influenced by the publisher.

Independence Day Gratitude

I don’t know about you, but Independence Day fills me with thanks. I’m thankful for my Savior; for my family; for my country; for good food and hard work and fireworks and togetherness. I had a whole lot to be thankful for this Fourth of July.

I’m thankful for hard work that allows us to own a home where we can proudly display our nation’s beautiful flag.

I’m thankful for pretty geraniums blooming on my front porch.

Today I was really thankful for delicious holiday food. I’m convinced one way God shows His love for us is through food!

Ribs and corn on the grill…

Perfectly-cooked fried green tomatoes…

Peach cobbler made from scratch with Chilton County, Alabama, peaches.

I’m thankful for a healthy, smart, silly boy who loves Jesus and eats his vegetables. (Oh, and this is “Baby,” his ever-present companion.
I don’t know who would cry more if we lost Baby, him or me.)

I’m thankful for the hard work John and I did to prime our bathroom.
No more bland and boring beige walls!
A nice, light sage green is coming this weekend.

I’m thankful for sweet holiday arts and crafts from Mother’s Morning Out.

And I’m thankful for the fireworks we got. They made us all three very happy.

I know Thanksgiving is the traditional time to express thanks, but the Fourth of July puts me in a much more pronounced mood of gratitude. What a blessed life I lead. Thank You, Lord, for the blessings of my family and my nation. May I be worthy.