The Pocket Ellen G. White Dictionary: A Review

This new book fulfills the need to create a simple and ready reference work about the life and writings of Ellen G. White.

The first part of the book gives a brief and very informative overview of the life of Ellen G. White and the second part of the book is a dictionary of unusual words or phrases that Ellen White used which may not be so easily understood 100 plus years since they were written.

I found the book very enlightening to my understanding of Ellen White.

Please click here for more information on this book and also to read the first chapter from this book on line for free.

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: A Review

This is one of the most amazing stories I have ever read. William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer tell William’s story.

William Kamkwamba was born in Malawi a country where magic ruled and modern science was mystery. It was also a land withered by drought and hunger. But William had read about windmills, and he dreamed of building one that would bring to his small village a set of luxuries that only 2 percent of Malawians could enjoy: electricity and running water. His neighbors called him misala-crazy-but William refused to let go of his dreams. With a small pile of once-forgotten science textbooks: some scrap metal, tractor parts, and bicycle halves; and an armory of curiosity and determination, he embarked on a daring plan to forge an unlikely contraption and small miracle that would change the lives around him.

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind is a remarkable true story about human inventiveness and its power to overcome crippling adversity. It will inspire anyone who doubts the power of one individual’s ability to change his community and better the lives of those around him.

As a young teenager, William had to drop out of school. However, he went to the library and got books to read. He had seen on a bicycle a light that shone when the bicycle was pedaled and he thought how could I make light and power to pump water so we can read books in the evening and get water in our fields so we will not have a drought? William, a school dropout read books and build a windmill which generated electricity.

He is now a graduate of Dartmouth College and his inventions have been displayed at Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry. The Moving Windmills Project was inspired by the work of William. Their motto is “African Solutions to African Problems.” Rather than invest in top-down, externally imposed agendas, Moving Windmills works with local leaders to determine, organize, and implement the appropriate solutions. Areas of focus include: food, clothing, shelter, sanitation, health, education, clean water, and community building.

To learn more about Moving Windmills, click here.

And for a pictorial YOUTUBE of the children’s version of this story click here.

Mightier Than a Lion: A Review

I enjoyed this collection of 34 true stories taken from the popular Guide magazine, a weekly magazine especially meant for young people 10-14 years of age. Some of us who are quite a few years older than that enjoy them too.

Young people make decisions every day. Some decisions are big. Others are huge. Most seem so small you barely even think about them. The kids in these true stories relied on Jesus to help them make the right decisions. Jesus will help you too!

I was inspired by all stories in this book, but one story really spoke to me. This is a story about a young lady Kendra whose legs were paralyzed as the result of an accident. When she came home from the hospital in a wheelchair, her parents were very tense and worried about the whole situation.

“This is no way to live,” Kendra announced one morning, and both parents winced.

“I’m so sorry, honey,” her mom said, “I don’t know why God has allowed you to be paralyzed.”

“I’m not talking about my legs not working, Mom,” Kendra said, holding her head high, “I’m talking about us being sad about it. This is my life now. I’m going to make it awesome.”

The story goes on to tell about how she learned to cope and was a happy, successful person who  encouraged others to be all that they could be.

You can read the first chapter of this awesome book on line for free click here

The Book of Revelation: A Review

Author Ranko Stefanovic’s new book on Revelation, the Apocalypse, is one of the most recent titles to be published on the subjects included in the bible’s book of Revelation.

There are 13 chapters in this book one for each of the 1^st thirteen weeks of 2019. It is specially recommended as a companion book to the Adult Bible Study Guide and covers the main topics of the book of Revelation. An excellent study guide for use in studying the book of Revelation whether one is following the Adult Bible Study Guide or not.

My favorite chapter in this book is chapter 13 which is entitled “I Make All Things New.”

The book of Revelation closes with a benediction: “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all” (verse 21). This phrase is more than just a customary benediction. It is God’s assurance that people’s only hope is in Christ’s grace. Christ is the answer to all human hopes and longings amid the enigmas and uncertainties of life. The future may look frightening and gloomy, but God will be with His people until the very end (Matthew 28:20). He holds the future in His hands. His grace is promised to all who take the messages of the Apocalypse seriously, and He will equip His people to endure the tumultuous times of the final crisis. It is through Christ’s grace that Revelation’s promises become reality. Soon He will return, claim His faithful people, and usher them into their eternal home.

It is exciting to be reminded that God has been working on His plan to be finished with the struggles and trials of this sinful world.

You can read the first chapter of this new book on line for free. Click here.

Vision in the Storm-Stories from Adventist History: A Review

The author Rachel Whitaker Cabose has written 19 stories of early Adventists, many of them young people who were instrumental in the formation and growth of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Beginning with Captain William Miller who was a Captain in the war of 1812 and later studied the Bible in which he found his Savior and the truth that Jesus is coming soon. From the people who accepted the message that Jesus is coming soon grew the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The soon second-coming of Jesus Christ is at the core of Seventh-day Adventist beliefs.

Then there was Captain Joseph Bates who was a sea captain. After accepting Jesus as his Savior, he made strict rules of no swearing and no alcohol on his ship. Many of the sailors appreciated that and were sorry when he decided to retire as a sea captain.

Others whose stories are told in this well written book include Ellen G White, James White, Annie and Uriah Smith, John Andrews and several others.

It is especially interesting to read these stories and see how God led in the past in the formation of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. You can read the first  chapter from this book for free on line by clicking here

Beyond Ashes A True Story of Survival and Triumph: A Review

Biographies are one of my favorite books I enjoy reading, especially those that inspire as much as this one does. Beyond Ashes is the story of Marlyn Olsen Vistaunet who was born to Seventh-day Adventist missionaries in Mexico. She tells her story with honesty and clarity. She was kidnapped as a three year old in Mexico, lost a brother after a house fire, was drugged and raped as an adult and has been able to use these traumas and disappointments of the past as stepping-stones, preparing her for a love relationship with Christ and a life of service to His cause.

It is a fascinating story with lots of good and bad things happening to Maryln but overall one gets to see in reading this biography how wonderful it is to see God leading Maryln through and out of so many  trials.

You can read the first chapter on line—click here.

God’s Character and the Last Generation: A Review

When I first got this book I wondered how “heavy” a read it was going to be. I was pleasantly pleased to find that while it is covering a deep theological subject, it is easily readable.

The book is authored by 12 different Andrews University professors.

In Word from the Editors Jiri Moskala & John C. Peckham state;

It is our prayer and hope that you will find in this book solid and edifying material, which will encourage you in your walk with the Lord and will give you assurance of your salvation in Jesus Christ, faith in His leadership and providence, lasting inner joy, and satisfying answers to some of your perplexing questions. When our self-confidence and assumptions are challenged, we may be able to find more solid ground for our faith and understanding of the truth. Let’s remember that even our best formulations and expressions of truth are rudimentary, because only God, who is the ultimate Judge, has the last word. May our gracious, caring, holy, and awesome Lord inspire each reader to follow the path of truth in this complicated world in which we live as we serve and await the glorious coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Definitely this book helped me to think through these issues and I would encourage you to read the first chapter at the following this link  and that will help you decide if this is a book you want to own.