Andrew Smith's Blog

My name is Andrew. Come and have a look inside my life and watch me share what is on my heart.

Pursue Patience: She’ll Save Your Soul By Don Eugene Brown Book Review


Don Eugene Brown has written an excellent debut book entitled Pursue Patience. The book included many personal stories from his life and his struggles with dealing with patience. Don Eugene Brown has served in the military many different times throughout his life. He felt like God was calling him to a higher existence and in order to get there he had to ask God for what most of us are afraid to ask for. Before he left for a military mission in Germany, he decided to follow God’s prompting and pray for the virtue of patience. A key note to remember is when you pray for patience, you have better get prepared to be tested in this difficult and challenging area. Patience is remaining calm through the storms of life, she doesn’t hurry up when we are attempting to make things happen in our own strength and in our timing, and she won’t reveal everything at once. It’s important to rely on the word of God and His perfect timing for completion for our dreams to come to pass, and strength and guidance in the storms of life.  Patience is a critical aspect that must be enacted. The book included dramatic Biblical examples, including Abraham’s faith and standing on what God has promised until it came to pass to encourage readers on pursuing patience.

 

One part of the book that immensely benefited me was when Brown shared a vulnerable story to his pastor and his brotherhood of friends. He stated that he wanted to be like Paul and he didn’t believe he would ever marry. Eventually his desires changed and he later met his wife when he stopped looking for her. I personally have witnessed my own desires change over the past two years. I have always thought the same that I wouldn’t marry, especially since the rate of divorce is 50%, and I’m wondering how many couples are truly happy and fulfilled, and I wouldn’t have children because if you look at the world I just see a lot of conflict, danger, and trouble. I’m currently now twenty-two years old and this past year, my desires have changed. I actually want to settle down, marry, and have children someday.  Before I would have said no way! God had to slowly change me. Brown encouraged me to stop looking around for a spouse and when it’s time for us to meet God will lead the way and direct our paths. Now he isn’t saying to give up on marriage, he’s only saying to have patience. Patience has to be a chosen decision because trying to make relationships happen could lead me places that I don’t want to travel and my bag of regrets to accompany me. I must also display patience in not falling into sexual temptation before marriage. This one is very complicated to maintain when our hormones and our bodies are demanding go ahead and have sex and make love. Patience and waiting until marriage is the safe way to have the marriages God has intended, and much heartache would be saved if we waited on patience.

  

This is the author’s first book and I can’t wait to see what other best-selling books he writes! This book will bless you with learning about patience! I would recommend this life changing book to anyone who is struggling to endure trials and curve balls that life can throw our way. If you’re trying to move ahead of God in certain situations, then you need to read this book on patience! The waiting stage of life can sometimes be long, and you may be tempted to become discouraged but take heart, one spoken word and God can turn anything around. Delayed gratification isn’t often what many of us consider thrilling because our flesh tends to want the whole thing now!

 

As a society, we have become more and more of a generation of people who want and are demanding everything to happen now when we want it to occur. We want to our marriage partner to come across our path this exact moment (today, please), the slow automobiles to move out of our lane or go faster, our perfect career to manifest right now, our children to obey our house rules, when I say do it, you better do it and no talking back, the long lines checking out at the stores, and purchasing whatever goods we want but don’t truly need.

 

This book will guide you into chasing after patience in your life but be warned that when you pray for patience get ready for the tests to come! Reading this book has shown me, I have to have patience behind slow drivers which is a battlefield for me, especially when my favorite driving song comes on and I want to cruise. And what’s really bad is when it’s a praise song and if the car in front of me heard it, well let’s be honest it would hurt my Christian walk. This book has assisted me in waiting on God’s timing for my wife to come into my life. Whatever areas you have to deal with concerning patience, this book will immeasurably make you reach into your very soul and activate the virtue of patience that God wants to bring forth into you. Your harvest will come! Go after patience!

 

“I received this E-Book free from the author for this book review. I wasn’t required to write a positive review.”         

 

If you would like to purchase an E-Book copy of Pursue Patience By Don Eugene Brown check it out on Amazon.com:


 

You can also purchase an E-Book copy of Pursue Patience on Smashwords:


 

Check out Don Eugene Brown Website:

http://donaldbrownbugle.com/



Follow Don Eugene Brown on Twitter:


Rules of Engagement: Preparing for Your Role in the Spiritual Battle By Derek Prince Updated and Expanded Edition Book Review


 
Derek Prince is a well known Bible teaching and author. He passed away in 2003, at the age of 88 years old. The publisher has decided to rerelease this book with new teachings he has written before he passed. Rules of Engagement is written to strengthen believers into facing and enduring until the final battle between Jesus and satan’s demonic forces. Every person has to encounter testing times and chastening from our sins sometime in their lives. Chastening occurs when we have committed sins and have been disobedient and God is calling us to repent and turn from them. Testing means we’re growing in our character while having to undergo difficult times. Trusting in God and His faithfulness is a key aspect in coming out stronger in our testing times. Derek Prince had a wonderful point about how people are willing to trust a banker with their money than trusting that God will bring them out of their current circumstances that they are dealing with.

 
The book also encourages readers to worship and praise the Lord who died for our many sins and mistakes. Worship is considered to be an attitude of thanksgiving and we’re supposed to bow our head or bow down on our knees with our hands raised worshiping our Creator. Derek Prince personally believed that worship is a time of resting in God’s holy presence. I have to admit that I haven’t considered worship to be a state of resting, breathing, and listening to His voice. In my church, we identify worship as singing and dancing, not being still and resting. But Prince looks as worship and praise as two separate things that we can do to honor our Heavenly Father.  Praise is the element of singing and dancing about the goodness of God during a church service or even a home service. There are times when we need to shout with a voice of triumph about how thankful we are to be saved, loved, protected, provided for, healed, made whole, and forgiven. Another facet is remembering that praise and saying the name of Jesus makes the enemy tremble and shake! He has to flee!

 

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn about how to conquer our enemy with praising and worshiping our Savior.  This book will guide readers into applying the word of God and how to put on the full armor of God against attacks from satan.  This book taught be a lot about enduring to the final battle and holding on until Christ’s glorious return. If you’re looking to grow in your faith and trusting in God’s all power then this book will benefit you. Satan wants you to live in fear and doubt but always remember that he is the one who is really afraid of our Jesus!

 
 

“I received this book free from the publisher through the Bethany House Publishers/ Chosen book review bloggers program.”   
 
If you would like to purchase a copy of Rules of Engagement then check it out on Amazon.com: 
 
 

Nick Vujicic - New Book Unstoppable Out October 2nd!!!

Check out the video trailer for Nick Vujicic 's New Book called Unstoppable!!

The book will be available in most bookstores and online on October 2nd!!






Read First Chapter Excerpt:




Unstoppable by Nick Vujicic (Chapter 1 Excerpt)


http://waterbrookmultnomah.us1.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=b2d1ed69311affedd82b5702e&id=603a0ee578&e=6b7ba741f3


Read Chapter Three Excerpt (This chapter is about how he found his wife) If you're afraid, doubting, and you are thinking about giving up on love and wondering if you can ever find a marriage partner, then this book is written just for you! Be encouraged!





Unstoppable Love Story (Excerpt from Chapter 3) http://www.scribd.com/doc/101881318/Unstoppable-Love-Story-Excerpt-from-Chapter-3



If you would like to purchase a copy of Unstoppable check it out on Amazon.com:


http://www.amazon.com/Unstoppable-Incredible-Power-Faith-Action/dp/0307730883/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1348110731&sr=1-3&keywords=Nick+Vujicic

When A Woman You Love Was Abused: A Husband’s Guide to Helping Her Overcome Childhood Sexual Molestation By Dawn Scott Jones Blog Tour and Book Review


 
My Thoughts:

When A Woman You Love Was Abused is written to direct husband’s on how to deal with and help their wife triumph over sexual abuse. The book proved and supported the heartbreaking facts with statistics that were very eye-opening. “One in three girls have encountered sexual abuse.  For boys, the statistics are vague. Some estimates reflect numbers as high as one in three boys to one in seven boys encountering sexual abuse or unwanted sexual contact. The generally accepted figure for boys is one in six” (Page 31). It made me realized that every single day, I am most likely passing by strangers who are carrying the heavy load of sexual abuse, and I could even be friends with someone that they were victim of sexual molestation, and I had no idea of the pain they are in.

 

The book is written by Dawn Scott Jones and she knows firsthand the affects of being abused. Her own father molested her and he said, “I want to teach you what to do that someday you’ll be able to do this for your husband” (Page 22). She was also taught how to get a Kleenex and clean up. Reading her story was shocking, unbelievable, and I can’t imagine how someone could do that to their own daughter.

 

I would recommend this book to anybody who was sexual abused. The book is geared more towards assisting the husband’s to comprehend what their wife has experienced through sexual molestation. But husband and wife should undeniably work through this book together. This book has the impact of helping marriages to vastly improve and heal if these lessons are put into practices. I am currently only 22 years old, I’m not married, and I don’t have any children. I choose to review this book for three reasons. One reason was to understand how to help marriages heal after sexual abuse and the second reason was to have guidance and understanding of the throbbing pain of their childhood molestation they were going through. I also read it just in case my wife was sexual abused by someone. I pray to God that hasn’t happened to my future wife and I pray it doesn’t happen to anyone else! But knowledge helps me to prepare for marriage and whatever she might have had to face in her life. So if you’re like me and wanted to read this book to be prepared to help someone else then this book will benefit you too!

 

This book is an excellence resource for husband’s to understand what their wife is going through and why she struggles with healing from the past haunting memories of her abuser.  It’s extremely imperative to listen to her and keep reminding her that what her abuser did to her wasn’t her fault and she didn’t deserve to be inappropriately touched sexual or raped. Remind her that you still love her, and you always will, and tell her that you will protect her, and you will be right there by her side. Also most victims of molestation suffer from loving their bodies because they feel betrayed and taken advantage of. Because let’s face it they were treated unfairly and they didn’t deserve it! It’s vital for husband’s to repeatedly tell their wife’s that they are beautiful and you love her smile, eyes, and describe a character trait that you love that she possesses.

 

Another aspect that I thought was helpful was letting husband’s know that it’s difficult for her to enjoy sexual love making experiences in a marriage. It takes time of her to heal and a touch can easily bring back a painful flashback. It doesn’t mean she hates you if she says not tonight or she withdraws from you when you touch her. Most of the time she’s trying to protect herself from her abuser and the painful memories. Men, you may begin to take it as rejection when you’re wife get depressed and hides from you and you will likely get mad at her abuser from destroying your wife’s self-esteem. The book goes through what the woman you love is experiencing and it also addresses what men are feeling.  Always remember you’re not alone there’s a lot of people that are going through sexual abuse aftermaths and they are survivors.  If you need help or someone you know needs help with overcoming sexual abuse, I encourage you to read this book!

 

“I received this book for free from Litfuse Publicity Group/ Kregel Publications for this review”.

 

 

About the Book:

 

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that 80 percent of childhood abuse victims later suffer from at least one abuse-induced psychological disorder. It's proven that the effects of childhood abuse follow women into adulthood. Yet few men are prepared to deal with those effects, even when their own wife is the one who is suffering. And their wife's suffering becomes their own suffering as their needs aren't being met by a wife who is powerless to control her inner turmoil.

 

 

Author, pastor, and survivor Dawn Scott Jones candidly shares her own abuse experience to help husbands understand the varied emotions, fears, distorted thoughts, and triggers that hold their wives captive. In practical and accessible language, Jones explains the stages of the healing journey (processing denial, asking for help, grieving, expressing anger, learning to forgive, and finding resolution). Building on that knowledge, Jones then moves to an honest discussion of what husbands can do to help. Whether it's creating a healing environment, understanding the need for control, building trust, or even just praying for healing, a husband plays an active role in helping his wife survive and thrive despite her past abuse.

 

Offering hope for a healthy marriage relationship, When a Woman You Love Was Abused answers the questions men have and offers the advice they need to help their wives finally find peace.

 

 

 

Meet Dawn:

 

 

For over twenty years God has graciously used Dawn to touch the lives of people through her affecting personal testimony, her humor, and her writing. Dawn’s past challenges have deepened and enriched her ministry; enabling her to truly understand and relate to what others are going through.

 

Dawn is an Ordained Minister with the Assemblies of God. She has served in various capacities including Executive Team Pastor, Small Groups Pastor, and Woman’s Ministry Director. Dawn travels Nation-wide speaking, training and consulting.

 

 

Find out more about Dawn Scott at http://www.dawnjones.org/

 

Blog Tour Schedule:

 


 

Link to buy the book:

 


 

About the Live Webcast:

 

 

In coordination with the launch of their fall releases, Kregel will be hosting a live webcast event on September 20 at 8 PM EDT featuring authors Kim Ketola (Cradle My Heart), Teske Drake (Hope for Today, Promises for Tomorrow), and Dawn Scott Jones (When a Woman You Love Was Abused). The webcast will allow women to come together to share their struggles and fears in order to move toward healing and hope. Women will able to support one another and discuss shared experiences in a non-threatening, open and loving environment.

 

Cat Hoort of Kregel says, ""We are seeking to provide safe means for Christian women to be vulnerable with each other, to seek help and guidance from authors and counselors, and to find encouragement from those who have shared similar experiences. Our hope is that the Women Redeemed webcast will become a forum for hurting women as well as for those who can help. Kim, Teske, and Dawn are all survivors and their stories will surely inspire and equip other women to move toward healing and hope."

 

To register for the event, just click here.

Discerning the Voice of God: How to Recognize When God is Speaking By Priscilla Shirer Book Review



Discerning the Voice of God is written to guide readers into how to hear and listen to God speak the messages he is trying to convey to you. Many of us are desperately wanting God to answer and guide us on who to marry, what career do you want me to work in, how to deal with our wayward sons and daughters,  and major decisions we are having to make. Many times we dismiss and pass messages and events as being only coincidence and we perceive that they can’t be from God. God can communicate through other spiritual people, pastor’s sermons, songs, bible studies, and any other way he seems fit to. He spoke to Moses through a burning bush, to Daniel when he had to endure being thrown into the lion’s den, to Jonah when he was living in the belly of a large whale, and many other Biblical examples. It’s people who put the limits on our God! The most vital aspect to remember is that the words and messages we receive must line up with God’s written word. God can’t violate and contradict what he has promised and written. He always fulfills what he has spoken into existence. Priscilla Shirer points out that when God speaks and tells us to do something He will always provide peace and that’s one sign that we know where and what God is leading us to.

 

The book contains tons of scriptures to convince readers that God can and still does speak to His people today. One of my favorite scriptures that was an immensely encouragement was Habakkuk 2:3. This versed helped me to realize that God has an appointed time to bring His messages to me and I don’t have to worry about missing them or if one of his promises will come to pass. He repeats with a persistence to make sure His people don’t miss what he is trying to teach them.

 

I would recommend this excellence book to anyone who is longing to figure out the ways in which God speaks to believers and how to know you’re hearing from Him correctly. This book has endowed with me with the awareness of resting and letting God have the necessity time to converse with me. I don’t have to feel rushed and pressured to hear His direction for my life. I have realized that many times when I pray I don’t give Him enough time to answer me! I am saying amen before he can even respond. We wouldn’t cut off and interrupt our spouse, children, parents, best friends, when they are pouring out their aching hearts to us. We would listen intently and eagerly! This book addressed this issue and the magnitude of stopping and letting God have the time to move. In order for me to hear from God this book has shown me I have to be actively resting in His presence and give Him the time to speak! I have to expect and believe that God is going to speak and come through for me!

 

"I received this book free from the publisher through the Moody Publishers book review bloggers program."

  

 

If you would like to purchase a copy of Discerning the Voice of God check it out on Amazon.com or ChristianBook.com:
 

 

 
 

Nothing to Hide: A Roland March Mystery By J. Mark Bertand Book Review




In Nothing to Hide, Roland March is a Houston detective who discovered a man who had his head sadistically removed and the skin on his hands was de-skinned as well. The killer committed manslaughter with hope and belief that the police wouldn’t be able to identity who the victim was and who killed him. The FBI had to get involved in the case and they claim that the victim was a secret representative working undercover. The agent was assisting and trying to put an end to the Mexican cartels.  Roland is insisted in finding out the truth and the identity of the victim. The FBI is supplying him with a made up cover story to protect the other surreptitiously agents working towards bringing down the Mexican cartels. They are persuading him to stop digging up the truth and the facts and accept the lies they are telling him. Roland will be tested beyond his limits to search for the hidden darkness.

 

I would recommend this mystery novel to anyone who enjoys reading and investigating the life of a detective and a gigantic cover up with deceptions lurking around every corner. I immensely found interesting is that the author based his book on actual parts of events that occurred. I felt I was living through the pages of this book and I wanted to cease the Mexican cartels along side Roland. He was a likeable character who had the odds stacked up against him and he also was a loner who needed support and a team to back him up. He had to numerous times stand in opposition to injustice that surrounded him, wherever he seemed to travel. He fought for the truth to be revealed and the captives to be caught and charged by the justice system.  The Mexican cartels resisted him and tried to attack him but he still fought the good fight. If you enjoy a magnificent packed filled mystery novel then this is the series to devout to reading!

  

“I received this book free from the publisher through the Bethany House Publishers book review bloggers program.”    

 
 

If you would like to purchase a copy of Nothing to Hide then check it out on Amazon.com: