Their names are two of the most well known in Christian writing today. Both have authored books aimed at their own gender, diving into what the Bible has to say about why we are created so differently and how it is that God brings us together. Two unique sexes each with their own purpose.

It is in their new collaborative work–Love & War–that John and Stasi Eldredge discuss how men and women operate in marriage offer their advice on how to find “the marriage you’ve dreamed of.” I usually go into books like this with a critical eye because I’m not sure that anyone has it figured out, but I am always up for listening to wisdom from those who have been married for many years. The Eldredges have a good track record and more than likely I would have bought this book on my own had I not be offered the opportunity to review it before I had the chance to get to the bookstore.

There is so much to learn from this book. There’s no way I could cover it all in this review and I won’t begin to try. What I will tell you is that I love the way these two write together. It flows, isn’t choppy, and doesn’t feel like a constant narration of other people’s stories (which “Christian living” titles are wont to do).

One of my favorite parts of the book was at the beginning, when they brought up something that came up again and again throughout the rest of the text. In the first chapter they discuss how our marriages are a part of a much larger story–one that God has written. To quote them, “The Bible begins with a marriage, and ends with a marriage.” Like them, I’m not sure that I had ever noticed that before. The Bible is a story of love, devotion, and redemption. There are so many parallels to be drawn there and the Eldredges do a fabulous job of captivating the reader, drawing us into the story they weave, and telling us how, in their experience, the marriage of our dreams is possible. Not to say that it will be without the bumps in the road and various struggles that plague all human relationships. But with the love of Christ in our hearts we can learn to give ourselves fully and in turn experience a connection far beyond the fairy tales of childhood dreams.

At 222 pages it is a quick read and one that I will be going back through very soon.

This was book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah.

Forgive me. My eyes are so tired in this video. The day felt long and exhausting. I’m not even sure why. Could it be that I was spoiled being out of school six days in a row?

Also, I call it “Episode 2,” but it’s Episode 3 – “What Kate Does.” Enjoy and share your thoughts on the episode!

I don’t make a habit of keeping secrets from my husband. Or doing things behind his back. Honesty and communication are two huge parts of a working marriage. Everyone’s got a squeaky wheel from time to time, but I really think that if you are communicating and being truthful with one another you can work through almost anything.

There is one thing though that my husband just plain does not approve of. I’ve known it from the start. I kept away from it the entire time we were dating and engaged. Well, wait. I might have had one slip, but that’s all. I promise. My respect for his opinion is much higher than my need want for this. All through college this was a major player in my life. I partook…a lot. He did, too, in his early days, but…

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. – 1 Corinthians 13:11

And for the most part, once we got married and were in such close quarters (with him living in what had been my domain and mine alone), I thought I would give it up to.

Then there was Friday. He had some things to do after school. A student was testing and then he wanted to get some things arranged in his room.

I’ve got time.

Hours, maybe. As I drove home, I developed a plan. He would be out of the house for a while. I could get by with it. I knew I could. Even though I knew that later that night I would be admitting it to Kevin. The smell would stay on me. And the smell is unmistakable.

I pulled into the parking lot, ran inside, and emerged with my spoils. I wondered how my clandestine activities might have appeared to anyone watching, but once I was home, what other people thought was the last thing on my mind.

I dug into the paperbag. Here I was. Home. In private. No one could see me. And in my hand was the thing I had been missing for so long.

I thought about my husband. He has his reasons for wanting to stay away from it. It was in abundance in college. Literally at our fingertips wherever we went at OU. Always available. A little on the trashy side, maybe. Poor quality, there’s no doubt. But there is something about it that reminds me of high school. Of being behind the bleachers during a football game. The taste…

Mmm.

I know it’s not respectable. I’m not sure what it says about me that in a moment of weakness this is what I turn to. I thought I had broken the habit.

You know what my addiction is, don’t you?

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.

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Friday night, for the first time in years, I enjoyed the cheap, canned cheese taste of a Classic Nacho and a greasy Crunchy Taco (and later, a refrigerated one, as I was taught) from Taco Mayo.

EDIT: Apparently, searching for the terms “closet taco” will land you here now. Mission accomplished.

This was a refreshing read and I have to be honest with you: I can’t wait to get back in it, do more studying, and glean as much as I can from it. Angels by Dr. David Jeremiah is a definite win.

I come from a religious background that really emphasizes spiritual experiences and it always struck me as odd that angels weren’t often included. Dr. Jeremiah’s book is a great bit of wisdom for those wondering how angels come into play in our daily lives, how God uses them, and how some people abuse the term “angel” and distort what the being truly is.

I was impressed with the amount of research the author put in and believe that you can trust the conclusions he comes to. There are plenty of references to the passages he uses from the Bible, along with a number of anecdotes he employs to show both sides of where most people stand on angels — including anecdotes featuring those that misuse the beings for the most part. It’s interesting because he brings up the fact that they are either telling a falsehood or that they are being betrayed. And I think we all know who the betrayer is here.

This book was such an interesting read. I would recommend to anyone who has ever wondered about angels and what their roles are — in Heaven and on Earth.

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

When my youngest cousin was little, she would run through my great-grandmother’s house saying, “Nannie, morningtime! It’s Tuesday and you’re in Ternell!” The last bit was because at this point our dear Nannie was slipping and about every 15 minutes she would ask where she was, what day of the week it was, and if she could please have her purse. And “Ternell” was my little cousin’s way of pronouncing Pernell, the town that I grew up in.

Coffee. Have to make the coffee.

I think this thought at least 10 times before I get up out of my spot on the couch and do it. The morning is my favorite time of day. It’s when I have my quiet time and all in the house is still. I try my best to make as little noise as possible, so as not to wake the husband or the dog. No matter what though, even when she’s in the garage, puppy knows as soon as I turn on a lamp in the living room. I hear her yawn and shake, jingling her collar.

Coffee.

It is calm. I prefer it when the house is clean, but even when it’s a wreck this is the time of day when I can just be. This comes from a girl who never really had any use for mornings. I don’t know what changed me. Maybe it was 2 years ago when I worked an hour away from home and would have to get up as early as possible if I wanted any time to myself.

Morning. With a little rain, barely a sunrise. A house to be warm in. A soft place to sit and watch the day unfold. I am so thankful that I am learning to appreciate it early in my life. There is a time for sleep, but I must confess I prefer the waking.

I was so excited to read this. I mean, it’s got two things that I love: the Gospel and LOST. Where could it go wrong?

A lot of places, as it turns out. Without getting into all of the theological concerns I had about the book, it just wasn’t the spectacular read I was expecting. It is interesting, but most likely only for those who have a pedestrian knowledge of the series and who haven’t thought very deeply about the meaning of some of the symbolism. What Seay gives us is a very basic look at some of the Biblical symbols used in the series as well as examples of how redemption is a main theme.

I think I got that from the first season of the series, how about you?

The difficulty here is knowing who he is aiming this book at. Clearly, you must have some knowledge of the series before going in, but not too much or he’s going to lose your interest pretty quickly. Maybe this would be good for someone who is in the middle of Season 1 and who doesn’t know much about what’s going on. Then again, it’s riddled with spoilers and it is easy to see that the author put the finishing touches on right after Season 5 concluded. It doesn’t appear that the book will be relevant at all after the beginning of Season 6 (tonight, folks!), much less after the series has concluded.

One thing I hope I don’t see is this book in a religious section of a book store. It is a light commentary on some of the Biblical symbols as they are presented in the series. In no way does it make the deep connections that I believe may be possible to draw between what the creators of this series are doing and the Bible. There just isn’t a lot of quality material here.

Save your $14.99 and do the research yourself. Breaking out your Bible and employing a working knowledge of very basic Sunday School curriculum will provide you with a much deeper understanding of what the author is trying to get at than what he does himself.

A complimentary copy of this book was provided for me by Thomas Nelson.

*Thought about this after posting. There is a big football game in a week. I’m talking about poultry, birds, flying things. Ya know. In case there was any confusion.

If this lady can do one thing, it’s roast a chicken. A few years ago I decided to try out a recipe from Real Simple on Aaryn, on one of our Gilmore Girls nights. The recipe was for a roasted bird with lemon, honey, and olives (never mind that the skin was a little burned) and I was sold. It was easy (as long as you thawed the thing through before throwing it in…noted) and so downright tasty. The ease of a quick prep job beforehand and throwing it in the oven without much more of a thought is something I can really get behind.

Not long after that, I was in our local supermarket when they announced a markdown on their rotisserie chickens. The yummy birds were marked down from what was usually between $7 and $14 (depending on size) to $1.50. I had been in the store to get some chicken and other ingredients for soup anyway, so the markdown on the chicken in the deli was just one less step for me once I got home. And so I began my delicious foray into the world of chicken soup and all its variations.

However, chicken is chicken and it can get old. My husband likes to find something he enjoys and stick with it, so I don’t want to mess with things too much, but I would really like to try some new chicken recipes. Preferably things that focus on the bird itself and not casseroles, etc.

What is your favorite roasted chicken recipe? Do you like to stuff it with something? Have a rub that makes it magical? Is there something you anoint yours with halfway through that sends it over the edge? Do tell!