When Work and Family Collide

When Work & Family Collide

by Andy Stanley

In today's fast paced world full of extra time wasters like facebook, video games and the like, families often find themselves stretched to the max trying to make it all fit in and still have a family.  Work often takes precedence in a material and want driven world where owning the biggest and best requires debt and ceaseless hours of work to make ends meet.

Stanly presents the idea that many families today are mssing out on God's desires because work often comes first and family gets the leftovers.  He challenges readers to look for areas in life that can be cut out or left alone for a time, such as leaving work an hour early on occasion, skipping a golf outing or leaving dirty dishes, in order to spend time playing with your child or focusing on your spouse.  Easier said than done in many homes, Stanley's suggestions hit home hard and force the reader to take a solid look at their own lives and consider the ultimate cost.  What really matters in the end?

An excellent book filled with life stories, this book is easy to read and challenging with God's love written all over it.  A highly recommended book for every family!

I was provided a free copy of this book for review through Waterbrook Multnomah's Blogging for Books program.  I was in no way compensated for this review nor was I required to write a positive review.

The Grace of God

The Grace of God
by Andy Stanley

Such an familiar word, ingrained in the Christian vocabulary... Grace.  Yet, do we really understand what this powerful little word means?  So few even stop to consider the depth of love behind this word, or it's impact on our lives daily.

Andy Stanley breaks down the concept of Grace, making it understandable and adding value and impact in his newest book.  Throughout this book, he breaks down familiar bible characters, their stories, and the way God shed grace on them, giving them what they did not deserve.  People like Joseph, who started a lowly shepherd and went on to rule a nation; Jonah, who turned his back on God several times; and Adam and Eve, at the start of it all, receiving grace in the midst of complete disobedience.

God's grace is not fair, and Andy Stanley shows how this tilted scale only demonstrates God's love for us all the more.  While not a sit down and read cover to cover book for me, I could take it one chapter a day.  A lot of depth and cause for pause and consideration is required to truly get the full impact.  I truly love this book for it's ability to give me a deeper look into who God is and to help me understand grace in a new light.  A book not for the light reader, but highly recommended for all Christians to read at least once.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”