The Rest of God, by Mark Buchanan

The subtitle for this book is, Restoring your soul by restoring the Sabbath.
I just finished it last night and just have to say, It is AMAZING! It is very needed, especially in the busy, workaholic culture of America and beyond. Mark Buchanan is a poetic author who writes in an easy, yet deep manner that makes you want to stop and read lines or paragraphs several times over, hoping to maybe absorb some of their beauty. This book will challenge most everything you've ever heard taught about the Sabbath and God's desires for His children concerning it. As Jesus told people, "Man was not made for the Sabbath, Sabbath was made for man." God wants us to be free, to love Him and enjoy Him and do those wonderful things that restore our soul and allow us to rest, then go back to our work with joyful hearts. I am still learning much of what I read, but it is making a difference in the way I think ("renew your minds"), not only about myself, but about God as my Heavenly Father and the people around me, and nature and life. In the chapter entitled, "We're Not in Egypt Anymore," Mark writes, "In some ways, the whole point of the Exodus was Sabbath. 'Let My people go,' became God's rallying cry, 'that they might worship Me.' At the heart of liberty--of being let go--is worship. But at the heart of worship is rest--a stopping from all work, all worry, all scheming, all fleeing--to stand amazed and thankful before God and HIS work. There can be no real worship without true rest." I appreciated especially the "Sabbath Liturgies" at the end of each chapter, which were just a page or two with advice for putting into practice what I just learned.
~Highly recommended!
(W Publishing Group, 2006)

Carry a Big Stick, by George Grant

The subtitle for this little book is The Uncommon Heroism of Theodore Roosevelt. This book is one of a series entitled, "Leaders in Action," focusing on US Presidents, war Generals, etc. Mr. Grant, the writer, is the author of more than two dozen books in the areas of history, biography, politics, literature, and social criticism. He is also a teaching fellow at the Franklin Classical School and the Covenant Classical School.
I read this book during my homeschool years and it caused me to fall in love with Teddy Roosevelt, quite literally. I admired so much the difficult childhood he overcame, filled with physical disabilities, he built himself a home gym and began weight training. When he couldn't play with the other children, he devoured various subjects from botany to animal husbandry, spending his time gathering many insect species, varieties of rocks, bird nests and cocoons. By the age of nine, he'd even begun to learn the process of taxidermy. The Roosevelt clan was a wealthy one, but also very philanthropic. They were world travelers, all the time encouraging their children to learn new things everyday.
Teddy went on to attend Harvard, marry, attend Columbia University Law School--and research and write The Naval War of 1812 while in law school--and began his political ambitions. It would be hard--and quite lengthy--to continue to tell you of Roosevelt's long list of life accomplishments, as well as tragedies. Suffice it to say he led a very full life, doing more than 5 average men could pack into a lifetime. He was the epitome of a multi-tasker. To quote from the book, "Once, Jacob Riis visited Roosevelt at the governor's residence in Albany. He was taken to the basement where the great man was getting a shave and a haircut. In order to keep busy, he was straddling a lap desk across his knees so that he could catch up on his correspondence. Simultaneously, he had three secretaries arrayed around him to whom he was dictating in alternating paragraphs. To one he was composing the final chapters of his biography of Oliver Cromwell; to another he was outlining portions of his upcoming legislative agenda; and to the third he was drafting a speech he would give later in the afternoon. ...Riis asked him how he could possibly do so much at once. Roosevelt shrugged and responded that he was simply trying 'to make the most of the time.' "
This book will not intimidate you, as some of you might think. Rather, you will be inspired!
~~Highly recommended, especially for young people.
(Carry a Big Stick, by George Grant, published by Cumberland House Publishing, 1996)

True to Life! , by Janet Folger

The subtitle is: The incredible story of a young woman who spoke up for the unborn and found herself in the national spotlight.
This is a book I ordered while attending Blinn College in Brenham, TX, being involved in the College Republican Club, and volunteering at a couple different Pregnancy Help Centers in my area. I was very interested in finding out as much as I could the history of abortion, the background of the Roe v. Wade court ruling, and those fighting against the bloodshed of the innocent.
In True to Life, you will read of the journey this young woman embarked upon as God strengthened her to overcome her fear of speaking and become an advocate who lobbied before Congress and was a crusader in helping to get the first "partial-birth abortion" ban passed. I was encouraged to read of Janet's creativity in putting the truth out front in rallies, parades, any event really. She has many stories to tell, some enjoyable when people hear the truth and get excited about it, others are sad to know of those who believe the lies they've been sold regarding the value of every human life, born and healthy or not.
For anyone who does not believe the defense of the unborn child is an important issue, be reminded of what God condemns in Isaiah 59:1-2, 7, "Behold, the Lord's hand is not so short that it cannot save; nor is His ear so dull that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear...Their feet run to evil, and they hasten to shed innocent blood; their thougths are thoughts of iniquity, and an act of violence is in their hands."
~~Highly recommended, especially for someone who wants to do something towards this cause but unsure of how to go about it. As is quoted in the book, Edmund Burke said, "Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little." It is enlightening and Christ-centered. "Ms. Folger is currently the National Director of the Center For Reclaiming America, an outreach rounded by Dr. D. James Kennedy to empower believers to defend and implement the Biblical principles upon which our country was founded." (from the back cover of the book)
(True to Life! , by Janet Folger, published by Loyal Publishing, 2000)