Review: Primal

I was privileged enough to receive an advanced copy of Mark Batterson’s new book, Primal: A Quest for the Lost Soul of Christianity, to review.

With a name like Primal, and with the cover art the way it is, I went in with a preconceived notion of what I’d be reading. It wasn’t quite what I was expecting, but I was pleasantly surprised non-the-less. This book talks about origins, but it is also chock full of visionary and contemporary insights.

Mark takes us on a journey to help get us back to the cornerstones of Christianity. A common theme throughout the book is the breaking of our hearts for the things that break the heart of God. In an attempt to do that we are encouraged to get back to the basics. Building off of the Great Commandment of loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, Mark describes the basics as Compassion, Wonder, Curiosity, and Energy. Throughout the book he goes into more detail as to why each are cornerstones of Christianity, and how we might be able to get back to them.

This is a quick reading book that would be a great first read of the year.

Our generation needs a reformation.
But a single person won’t lead it.
A single event won’t define it.
Our reformation will be a movement of reformers living creatively, compassionately, courageously for the cause of Christ.

This reformation will not be born of a new discovery. It will be the rediscovery of something old, something ancient.

Something primal.

—Mark Batterson, Primal

Filed under: Books, Reviews

Review: The Expanded Bible

I decided to read the entire New Testament in the month of September, so I was excited to see this new Expanded Bible available as part of the Thomas Nelson Book Review Bloggers program. Much to my dismay, this is not a bible you would want to use when reading through the New Testament in a month. So while I read through The Message, I utilized The Expanded Bible as a reference, and for that it was great.

Based on the New Century Version, The Expanded Bible: New Testament reads exactly like The Amplified Bible by “expanding” the meaning of certain key words and offering alternatives. However, different in this bible is that the expanded text lies right in-line with the text. The original text is in bold, and the expanded meanings are in [brackets] in a standard weight. Another very helpful addition to this bible is the topic notes on the sidebars with text references for other places you can find that subject in the New Testament.

While I would never use this to read lengthy text, it’s a great resource for use in studying the bible, and a happy addition to my bookshelf!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program.

Filed under: Bible, Books, Reviews

November Debrief

• Tommy turns 30.
• Jason turns 28 (he’s still in his 20′s?!?).
• Date night! Escanaba at the Purple Rose Theater.
• New Moon w/ Amy!
• Michigan vs. Ohio State = dud
• Purchased tickets to 89x Stole Christmas in Detroit.
• Purchased tickets to my first ever U2 concert.
• Tanner loses his two front teeth.
• 2nd Annual Turkey Trot in Ann Arbor w/ dad.
• THANKSGIVING! (Mom’s cooking rocks!)
• Got a little upgrade in my television (Thanks Tonia!).

Books Read in November:
Killing Cockroaches by Tony Morgan

Movies Watched in November:
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire – 4/5
The Taking of Pelham 123 – 3/5
Smokey and the Bandit – 5/5
Swordfish – 3/5
The Fifth Element – 3/5
Smokey and the Bandit 2 – 2/5
Food Inc. – 5/5
Will Ferrell: You’re Welcome America – 4/5
Wonder Boys – 3/5
The Big Kahuna – 5/5
Pray The Devil Back To Hell – 4/5
Taking Chance- 3/5
Astro Boy – 3/5
Primal Fear – 4/5
Merry Gentlemen – 4/5
The Jerk – 3/5
Is Anybody There? – 3/5
The Hunted – 3/5
The Twilight Saga: New Moon – 4/5
The X Files: I Want To Believe – 3/5
Predator – 4/5
Boiler Room – 4/5
The Way of the Gun – 3/5
Planet 51 – 4/5
Funny People – 4/5
Ninja Assassin – 3/5

Previous Months:
January 2009
February 2009
March 2009
April 2009
May 2009
June 2009
July 2009
August 2009
September 2009
October 2009

Filed under: 2009, Books, Movies, November