"God is More than Enough" by Tony Evans

 I love to hear Tony Evans preach. I had the opportunity to hear him in person at the Pastor's Conference at First Baptist in Jacksonville, Florida a couple of years ago. And, of course, I've heard him many times on the radio. But this is the first Tony Evans book that I've read. His greatest strength in preaching is also his greatest strength in writing: the ability to illustrate great truths in a simple and understandable way. No doubt about it, the illustrations and stories are the best part of this book.

The book is not long - 90 pages. And Tony Evans does a great job of breaking down Psalm 23 into bite-sized morsels that even the most Bible-illiterate Christians could easily comprehend. That being said, there is really not too much in the book that will knock your socks off. Like I said, the illustrations of truth are excellent, but the average church-going Christian will not be surprised by any of the content. I hate to phrase it this way! It sounds like I'm saying, "Oh, it's the same ol' boring Psalm 23 interpretation."  Trust me, the principles found in Psalm 23 are deep and wondrous, and I really enjoyed the way Tony Evans used the phrase "God is more than enough..." to introduce each new chapter in his book. All I'm saying is, if you are looking for a mind-bending, never-heard-before exposition of Psalm 23, you won't find it here. But then again, it is always good to be reminded of the great truths that we take for granted so easily.

In all, I would give the book 3.5 stars out of 5.

I received this book free from Waterbrook-Multnomah publishers in exchange for my honest review.

"Mondays with my Old Pastor" by José Luis Navajo

This is one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read. Even though the original was written in Spanish (so I cannot speak to the quality of its writing), the English translation contains such rich language and vivid descriptions.

The story centers around a pastor who is on a "mandatory rest" because of feelings of depression and burnout. At his wife's insistence, this pastor goes to visit his former pastor (who is now advanced in age). What follows is a series of meetings on Mondays in which the old wise pastor pours into the younger man all the things that God had taught him through the years of ministry.

It's not just the fifteen principles that make this book so memorable - you could find these same fifteen principles in any "Christian Living" book in the local Christian bookstore. It's the weaving of the stories and experiences into this marvelous tale. It's the power of the grace of God in the life of this pastor - someone we would have never heard of, had the book not been written. It's the almost poetical words that grace every page of the book. These factors combine to make this the most stirring and thought-provoking book I've read in a long time. If nothing else, there are TONS of "sentence sermons" in this book - single sentences that are packed with profound truth. If I made a habit of highlighting in the books I read, then this book would be dripping yellow.

I'm not sure if the book is meant to be a factual relating of events - it reads almost like a novel in some places. And some of the things that happen in the book are fantastic and almost unbelievable. But regardless of whether or not all of the scenarios in the book actually took place, the truth that is boldly proclaimed will keep my heart burning for years and years - I plan on reading it again, as well as giving away a few copies to people that I love. Excellent, EXCELLENT book. I believe every person in ministry should read it.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson publishers in exchange for my honest review.

"And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie

I've been a big fan of Agatha Christie since I was a teenager. Her style of writing fascinates me quite easily. I don't quite know how to explain it, but she creates the perfect "mood" of murder mysteries for her readers.

Even though this is arguably her best story - and by far her best-known - I had read at least a half-dozen of her other books before I ever got to this one. Why did I wait so long? The book was fantastic!

The plot is simple: ten people are lured to an island to be guests of a mysterious host for seven days. The host is nowhere to be found. The first evening, a voice comes out of nowhere and accuses them each in turn and by name of committing murder. The guests then begin to die one by one. They are now trapped on the island with no way off, and they each begin to suspect one another as the murderer. Will any survive the week? And what is the identity of the murderer?

My only complaint with the book was the multiple swear words. There were far more than I remembered from any other of Agatha Christie's books that I have read. But the plot and timing of the book were superb. And the mystery really kept me guessing until (and even AFTER) the murderer was revealed. Even though Christie introduced 10 characters in a short book, she developed their personalities very well. I worried at first about keeping the characters separate in my mind, but it was never a problem.

If you are an Agatha Christie fan, you have probably already read this book. If you are not a fan, I heartily recommend both the author and this book. She is the standard by which all other murder mystery authors are measured.