I have to admit, I was over the moon excited when I was accepted into BookLook Bloggers Gold Team.   Doesn’t it make your heart flutter just a bit when you know you’re moving up the ranks just one step?  A few days after joining that team, I received an email asking me if I would want to review the inScribed Collection.  Of course I was exstatic, checking the mail every day until they arrived.  Oh mylanta, I was not disappointed.  They are AMAZING y’all!  

The inScribed series is a collection of studies by women inspired by Proverbs 3:3. Each title in the collection focuses on a specific subject matter unique to the needs and issues that women face daily. Since there are four books to cover I am going to write my review differently. I am going to share with your the books I received with their descriptions and share my thoughts after each book. I plan to keep my reviews short since there is so much to share.

Leaving Ordinary

by Donna Gaines

The deepest longing of the human heart is to know and be known by God. God longs for an intimate relationship with us as well. But how do we develop that kind of relationship with a holy God? It is one thing to long for such a relationship, but quite another to experience intimacy with Him. In Leaving Ordinary, Donna Gaines shares from her personal experience how prayer can become the channel that links the believer’s heart to the heart of God.

God gave the pattern of the tabernacle to the Israelites. It was a temporary and portable dwelling for His glory. Through it God taught them how to approach and worship Him before He led them to their reward—the promised land. Using the tabernacle and its articles as a guide, Donna teaches readers how to interact with God in that secret place of true intimacy that leads to worship. Your ordinary daily practice of prayer can become an extraordinary encounter with the living Lord. Leaving Ordinary is essential reading for anyone who desires to enter into and experience the reality of God’s presence.

This book on the tabernacle came right after we started a ladies Sunday School class on the tabernacle!  Isn’t it so cool how He does that.  This book is super amazing, especially if you want to dig into the tabernacle and how to apply it to your daily life.  Definitely a great read.

Dive Deeper 

by Jenifer Jernigan

Equip yourself to fall deeply in love with God’s Word through this unique, interactive Bible study. Delving into the book of Ephesians, Dive Deeper is a tool for women—those who might be satisfied and content with their Bible study and for those who find themselves fearful or numb—to dive deeper into the living and active Word of God.

Dive Deeper comes from Jenifer Jernigan’s heart. As a preacher’s daughter, she grew up with some pretty heavy expectations to live up to. Jenifer found herself becoming numb to the things of God because the Bible stories were all too familiar. She longed to break through the serene surface of her safe place and dive deeper into scripture. She wanted to fall in love with the stories she knew so well. Over time, Jenifer learned to do just that. Her unique methods are shared in this one-of-a-kind study. Dive Deeper takes readers by the hand and jumps with them into the exhilarating waters of Bible study.

This book is a great study to help you basically learn how to DIVE…D (divine) I (investigate) V (verify) E (embrace)…into studying your Bible.  It’s a great technique that can be carried on long after you finish this study.  

Amazed and Confused 

by Heather Zempel

Most people have prayed for something or someone in earnest, seeking God’s will, only to be left confused by God’s response. Sometimes we ask, “Why would a good God allow bad things to happen to good people?” In Amazed and Confused, Heather Zempel tackles this question head-on by exploring the book of Habakkuk.

When the prophet Habakkuk prayed that God would bring change to the backsliding nation of Israel, this issue came to the forefront. Habakkuk begged God for revival and that He would turn the hearts of faithless people back to Him.

God’s answer to Habakkuk was, “Take a look at the nations and watch what happens! You will be shocked and amazed” (1:5, The Voice). The vision God gave Habakkuk was one of warfare and exile. How do you respond when God answers your prayers in a way that seems out of line with his character and promises?

Amazed and Confused proceeds systematically through the book of Habakkuk, exploring the prophet’s prayer, God’s response, and the prophet’s journey from confusion to worship. This interactive Bible study is the perfect choice for those who are hurting and confused about God’s responses to their prayers.

Wow.  How many of us have prayed for a specific request only to have God’s answer not what we thought it should be?  Yeah, this girl has too.  Hurt, confused or angry by His response?  Then this book is the one for you girlfriend.  

Living “So That” 

by Wendy Blight

In today’s world, it’s tough to make everyday decisions, let alone decisions that honor God. Our culture is increasingly driven by selfish desires. However, as Christians, our lives should not be self-centered and static; they should be others-centered and active, making a difference for the Kingdom of God.

Living “So That” is a fresh approach to understanding God’s Word, focusing on many of the powerful “so that” verses in Scripture, including Jesus Came So That. . .; God Spoke So That. . .; Pray So That. . .; Trials Come So That. . . . Through her approachable style, personal examples, and biblical teaching, Wendy equips readers to take what they study in the Word of God and practically live it out in order to impact the world around them. The result is a renewed appreciation for the power and applicability of Scripture. Through practical examples and biblical truths, Wendy helps readers gain a new perspective on daily living, equipping them to apply these biblical truths to present-day decision-making.

This would be a great book for a small group study. Hint hint ladies. This book has a lot of questions and room to write your answers right there in the book, so when you sit down with this one you will want to have a pen and Bible handy.

These books were provided to me free of charge by Book Look in return for my honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Haven’t you wished you could ask Jesus any question and get his immediate help with the biggest problems you face? Now you can.

For the first time ever, all of the statements Jesus made in the New Testament have been brought together and organized under more than 200 topics. When you want to know his will in a specific area of life, or you’re seeking the answer to a perplexing question, or you are desperate for his encouragement, comfort, or wisdom–you can easily find the help you need.
The moment you turn to the appropriate topic heading, you will have access to the breadth of Jesus’ teaching on that subject. You can also use this book as a guide for studying Jesus’ wisdom on any topic of interest, such as prayer, forgiveness, eternity, anger, temptation, relationships, grace, or knowing God. 

As you immerse yourself in Jesus’ words, your life and relationships will be transformed, and your faith and spiritual passion will be renewed. Let the greatest words ever spoken bring new vision, power, and joy into your life–one statement at a time.

How do you review a book that is basically filled with Jesus’ spoken words? Yeah, that’s feeling like quite an undertaking here.

Let me start off by saying this…I have found this book a tremendous asset and accompaniment to my daily devotions. In fact, I carry it right along with my Bible. This is an amazing tool to have in your library. I absolutely LOVE that I can look up verses based on God’s character, desires, fears, love, mercy, prayers, suffering and so so so much more. You can look up a subject and within seconds hear what Jesus said about it. I also loved that you can also look up verses by Chapter as well.

This is a must have on your book shelf. This is a must have if you blog. This is a must have to take to your Bible study. It speaks on God’s greatest words ever spoken.

WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group provided this book to me for free in exchange for this honest review as part of their Blogging for Books program.

About the book:

Six million Jews dead. The monstrosity of Adolph Hitler’s ‘Third Reich’ remains a stunning chapter in the pages of history. Although the power by which he hypnotized an entire nation is legendary, one question in particular begs an answer: Where was the church of Christ? Seduced by the satanic majesty of the Fuhrer, church leaders throughout Germany allowed the swastika a prominent place alongside the Christian cross in their sanctuaries. Nationalistic pride replaced the call of God to purity, and with few exceptions, the German church looked away while Adolph Hitler implemented the ‘Final Solution’ to his Jewish problem. How did this happen? 

In Hitler’s Cross, Erwin W. Lutzer examines the dangers of confusing “church and state,” how the German church lost its focus, the role of God in human tragedy, the parameters of Satan’s freedom, the faithfulness of God to His people who suffer for Him, and America’s hidden cross-her dangerous trends. Hitler’s Cross is the story of a nation whose church forgot its primary call and discovered its own failure after it was too late.

I have a boy and a husband that love history.  Like super duper love it.  And I knew they would SO love reading this book!

It’s always amazed me that Germany was so deceived by a mad man.  How could no one see his madness?  How did he speak so sweetly that his lies were believable?  How could such a large segment of the population be so deceived by such an unknown? I mean, hello, he was the Time Man of the Year in 1938.  That still leaves me shaking my head.  And where was the body of Christ? Why weren’t they protesting loudly? This book reveals the answers to those questions. 

Basically, the Church slowly allowed the philosophy of Hitler to enter into their local churches one speech at a time. Instead of going to the Word of God for truth, the Church listened to Hitler’s lies. They were enamored by a “new theology” that they enjoyed more than God’s Word. They were excited by Hitler’s promises to prosper, conquer, and succeed. They liked what they heard and they followed.
Is history repeating itself?  Have we learned from our past?  Is America following in Germany’s footsteps?  Does the Church allow national leaders to speak for the Body of Christ?  When there is clearly an injustice, does The Body protest the loudest?  Or do we conform, not wanting to offend anyone?  The parallels are eerily similar and very frightening.  

I was given this book by Moody Publishers for the purpose of this review.