Book Reviews

What I love about this book?

I’ve often found that most books about Revelation are more confusing than the book itself — not this one! It’s clear, engaging, warm, practical and personal. It’s not intimidating at all! It’s SO accessible!

This book takes you through the whole revelation to John and helps you see
Christ clearly and adore him more.  It keeps the main thing THE MAIN THING! Rather than focussing on peripheral debates or theories, Christ is at the centre.

This book sharpened my perspective — this world is temporary and it’ll recalibrated my focus to the eternal. Nancy helps us see how Revelation speaks to our lives today. I promise, you’ll change things as a result. I love that it helps us follow Christ in the present.

Who should read it?

• Anyone who is intimidated or confused by Revelation.
• Bible Study leaders/​Bible teachers
• Anyone who wants to grow in confidence in reading apocayptic prophecy genre
• Anyone who wants to feel blessed by the gospel all over again!

Review by Anne Eckermann

What I love about this book?

This book is full of gospel joy! I’m not sure when the last time was that you danced, wept or felt excited about the gospel, but this book will help you do it!

It’s steeped in scripture and core gospel truths, as all good books should be.  It’s written specifically for women, so the illustrations are really relatable. Natalie has a great sense of humour — it’s like having a conversation with a FRIEND. It’s accessible, simple and genuine.

Mostly, I love that it made me want to dance for joy again as Natalie and I lingered at the cross together and gazed at Christ! It’s a special book that will help you fall at King Jesus’ feet all over again and fill your heart with affection for Him.

It also has excellent extras — discussion questions for each chapter at the end of the book.

Who should read it?

• Anyone who wants to be a gospel reveller!
• Anyone who’s forgotten the JOY of your salvation (if the gospel doesn’t make your heart sing or smile like it should or like it used to).
• Those who want to know or be reminded of CORE GOSPEL TRUTHS.
  Anyone tempted to rely on works, ​’be worthy’ of salvation or to perform for approval.
• If you’ve forgotten grace or need to rediscover the freedom found in the grace of the gospel of Christ, this one is for you!

Review by Anne Eckermann

What I love about this book?

Tim Keller had a way of making God’s Word LIVE to the reader. His writing is always theologically rich, clear, profound and practical. This, his first devotional, is no different. He takes you through the whole of psalms — verse by verse. It’s refreshingly scripture focused.

Because the psalms express every mood — joy, grief, frustration, praise, fear, etc. — there’s always something to relate to. And, wonderfully,  the psalms not only lead us to prayer, but they teach us to pray! They’re like God’s ready-made devotional!

These devotions are really short (bite-sized) and you get as much out of them as you want:

• read them as they are (it’ll take you around 10 minutes)
• look up additional references to go deeper
• journal alongside it (ESV have journalling psalms which would complement this book well)

Who should read it?

• Everyone! Men, women, old and young
• Families — this is a great devotional to do together as a family if you have older kids.
• Those who want deep wisdom and insight as Tim brings the psalter to life and helps us see truth for today.
• Anyone who needs their heart/​mind recalibrated.

Review by Anne Eckermann

What I love about this book?

If you’ve ever felt dry and cold towards God and/​or His people, you’ll know it’s an awful, scary place to be. This book is saturated in grace…grace-saturated compassion, grace-filled warnings and grace-filled encouragement.

On every page, you can tell that Natalie has been there too. She’s like a friend coming alongside you when you need it most. She’s honest, raw, compassionate and straight-shooting.

It’s biblical faithful and anchored in Scripture. It’s short, just when you need it to be! It’s practical and Natalie even sets you a very do-able task at the end of each chapter.
Mostly, I love that she gets it!! There is hope in the wilderness, my friend. Let Natalie take you just where you need to be… BACK TO THE CROSS.

Who should read it?

• Those struggling with spiritual apathy, a dry /​cold heart.
• Those drifting from God, or drifting from God’s people.
• For all who have forgotten the amazingness of grace, forgotten Christ, forgotten their first love.
• Those who are scared by what they don’t feel in their relationship with God.

Review by Anne Eckermann

What I love about this book?

I was attracted to the subtitle of this book… ​“let your restless heart meet the reign of Christ”. Yes please! But this book surprised me! I’ve never thought of myself as a control freak — I’m pretty relaxed and laid back. But it turns out, l am! I suspect all of us are control freaks to some degree — whether we’re closet control freaks or overt ones!

This book helped me examine my heart and reminded me of who God is in a way that made me want to surrender afresh to His good sovereignty.  It’s real, honest, relatable and funny. I didn’t even know how much I needed this. Also, if you’re someone who generally skips introductions and appendices, don’t do that with this book! The appendix is a really helpful read.

Who should read it?

• Anyone who says they believe in God’s good sovereignty, but your life tells a different story.
• Anyone who struggles with things outside of your control.
• If you find you get really angry when things don’t go as you planned (even if it’s traffic or things other people do!).
• If you constantly feel vulnerable or insecure and you can’t trust others.
• If you want TRUE SECURITY and you want REST.

Review by Anne Eckermann

What I love about this book?

I love learning about heaven and all that awaits us. That’s what I expected this book to be… and it was, BUT I didn’t expect it to reorientate my day to day life like it did!

He really clearly shows how the hope of heaven reframes and impacts:

• dissatisfaction
• feelings of inadequacy
• our battle with sin and anxiety
• suffering and grief
• church and mission

Matthew’s writing reminded me a bit of CS Lewis in that he’s very culturally astute, philosophical and anchored in Scripture. At times this book made me uncomfortable because it challenged me culturally and took me out of my comfort zone. When a book is biblically faithful like this one, that challenge is a good thing because when it rubs, I know I’m on to something that needs to be challenged or changed! It’s a really important read. Be deeply encouraged, nourished and sustained.

Who should read it?

• Anyone feeling dissatisfied or inadequate
• Anyone battling sin or anxiety
• If you’re suffering or grieving
• If you’re distracted from our mission as Christians
• Anyone who wants to cheer their heart up!
• Every Christian

Review by Anne Eckermann

What I love about this book?

You HAVE to read this book! Mark Vroegop knows what it is to suffer and you know you’re in good hands as he walks alongside you on a broken, hard road. He explores 4 elements of lament — TURN, COMPLAIN, ASK and TRUST.  This book will help you:

• turn towards God
• focus on the ​‘who’ instead of they why
• choose to trust.

It’s important, steeped in Scripture, honest raw and winsome. At times it gave a voice to things I was feeling but couldn’t express — I was like, ​‘yes! That’s what I wanted to say’.

This book is for those who are at the bottom, because God can meet you there. If you’re overwhelmed, confused, angry, depressed, whatever you’re experiencing in your pain… you don’t have to pretend with this book. Mark Vroegop will help you do something good with every feeling, every question. He’ll guide you through God’s word to a place where you can find HOPE.

Take your time in this one…there are super helpful, insightful and challenging reflection questions at the end of each chapter. It’s God honouring and literally life changing.

Who should read it?

• Those who are deeply grieving unthinkable losses or situations.
• Those whose experiences are the more ​‘ordinary’ grief of life.
• Those who want to know what to do when pain and sorrow DOES come.
• Those who have never even thought about lament and those who have a lifetime of experience in it.
• Team or Bible study leaders
• Pastors
• Counsellors
• Every Christian

You will never be the same again — in the best way!

Review by Anne Eckermann

What I love about this book?

In deep sorrow and disappointment, everything we believe can be called into question. That can be scary. We want to find assurance but sometimes we’re so shell-shocked or down or even angry that we don’t quite know where to start. If that’s you, let me invite you to start here because you won’t find any trite, sugar frosting answers — you’ll find deep, real answers to the most challenging questions as Nancy takes you through 11 statements Jesus made that change everything about the darkest places.

It’s really challenging in its brutal honesty. She speaks TRUTH from God’s word and tells us what we NEED to hear, even though at times, it hurts to hear it. It’s really honest.

But it’s also deeply comforting in that she shows how Jesus understands the loneliness of pain and sorrow. He knows what it feels like to be at the lowest point of life and find that some of those you thought would be there are not there for you. You won’t be invisible anymore.

At the end of the book is a great discussion guide for each chapter of the book — so helpful.  You’ll be deeply challenged but also deeply encouraged.

Who should read it?

• Anyone living with sorrow.
• Anyone who knows life isn’t perfect and one day, they will face sorrow.
• Anyone with unanswered questions about your pain, grief and disappointment.
• Those who are so wounded, they are struggling to believe what we say we believe.

Review by Anne Eckermann

What I love about this book?

Isn’t waiting the worst?!  From the everyday, incidental waiting — like waiting in traffic or waiting for a package to arrive — to the harrowing waiting — like waiting for the test results or waiting with an unrealised desire.  It’s one of life’s certainties… at some point, we WILL be waiting.  So the issue becomes HOW we wait.  Enter this game-changing book… 

It gives a biblical framework for how we wait as Christians — it’s practical, honest and relational and I promise you, it’ll change how you look at waiting.  Waiting so difficult because it feels like you’re not doing anything.  You have no power.  But that’s the point.  You’re not doing anything, but God is.  You don’t have power, but God does.  And it’ll change HOW you wait.  You’ll start to see waiting as an invitation and opportunity to ​“intentionally live on what we know to be true about God when we don’t know what’s true about our lives”.  Waiting is NOT a waste!

As all good books should be, it’s steeped in Scripture — we don’t need human wisdom… we need God’s wisdom!  It has helpful reflection questions at the end of each chapter and even a worksheet to map God’s faithfulness.  It’s so practical and helpful.

Who should read it?

• Everyone who hates waiting!
• Young women, more used to instant gratification than any generation before them, who might not be so good at waiting.
• Anyone who wants to discover the limited edition gifts that are to be found in waiitng.
• Every Christian — because every Christian will wait, so every Christian needs to know how to wait like a Christian.

Review by Anne Eckermann

What I love about this book?

This book will help you pray for people who are suffering. It’s solidly grounded in God’s Word and so it helps you pray in accordance with his will. And it’s not something you just read, it’s something you use — there are QR codes with each prayer so that you can easily send a message to your friend to let them know you’re praying and what you’re praying.

As necessary and helpful as that is, I’m actually recommending it for a different, cheeky reason. Because God’s word is the foundation and driver of what Nancy writes, I’ve found this book to be an excellent go-to for thinking biblically about really hard elements of suffering — what should shape my thinking:

• When the Lord won’t take away my pain?
• When discouragement is threatening to overwhelm me?
• When I feel like God has abandoned me?
• When my suffering feels pointless?

I run through the table of contents, find the situation, then look at where Nancy points me to in God’s Word and learn from her short, solid gold reflections on the passage.  It’s really helped shaped my thinking and therefore my heart.  It’s not what she wrote it for, but I’ve honestly found it so helpful  — yes, to pray, but also as a ready reckoner for how God wants to shape my thinking about hard things.

Who should read it?

• Everyone who wants to pray more deliberately for those who are suffering and wants to intentionally encourage them.
• Everyone who wants a clear biblical framework for how to think about hard things in a way that honours God.

Review by Anne Eckermann

What I love about this book?

LITERALLY, EVERYTHING!! It’s one of my all-time favourites and I’ll be revisiting it year after year. It’s a must read for every woman!

This book is short, warm, clear, winsome and straight to the point. Natalie is calling all Christian women to be women with ​‘gospel  guts’ who know and love the deep things of God. It’s a reminder that God has made us to learn, live, love and pass on good theology — I promise you, this book will light a fire in you to realise or remember that we’re all theologians and you’re going to want to dig deeper and deeper into God’s word — she even gives you some suggestions of which resources can help you get started.

It’s a challenging, encouraging, inspiring, joyful read.  It’s like an iron infusion for your heart, mind and soul.

There are also excellent discussion and reflection questions at the end of each chapter.

Who should read it?

• Every Christian woman.  Your mother, your daughter, your sister, your friend.
• Older women who want to teach younger women.
• Young women who want to become women with gospel guts.
• Bible study leaders, ministry leaders, trainers and trainees, one-to-one.
• Everyone will enjoy it!

Review by Anne Eckermann

What I love about this book?

If you’ve been hurt in life and really want some solid hope each day this is for you.  It may be that you’ve suffered deep loss or maybe you’re overwhelmed by everyday disappointments — either way this collection of daily reflections are full of grace, comfort and encouragement.  But it’s not because Nancy Guthrie is a great writer (although she is) or because she’s suffered great loss herself (which she has), but it’s because she writes from God’s Word.  Every day you’ll get reminded of God’s promises and his compassion.  It’s real and doesn’t shy away from the hard things.  This devotional is deeply rooted in God’s word and there are questions for reflection and directed prayer, which is wonderful for when you don’t know what to pray.

Who should read it?

• Anyone who is hurting, grieving or living with disappointment.
• Anyone who needs help to draw closer to God in hard times.

Review by Anne Eckermann

What I love about this book?

If you’ve been feeling uneasy about how the world is changing (feeling like it’s more and more opposed to God’s rule), you’re not alone.  You may be really anxious about what it’ll be like to live as a Christian in the next few decades or even tempted to keep your head down.  This book is for you!  Alistair Begg helpfully takes us through Daniel 1 – 7, because Daniel knew what it was like to live for God in world that opposed him.  Importantly, Alistair Begg doesn’t point us to Daniel and say, ​‘be brave like him’.  Instead, he points us to Daniel’s God who is sovereign and all powerful and worthy of trust.  Everyone I’ve recommended it to has loved it, no matter what their age or stage.

Who should read it?

• Anyone who is feeling anxious about living for Jesus in the years to come.
• Anyone who has forgotten where our gaze should be fixed — not on our circumstances or our abilities, but on our God (Daniel’s God).

Review by Anne Eckermann

What I love about this book?

This book looks at Jesus in the context of the gospels — Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  Rebecca looks at 9 truths about who Jesus was and is that will leave you amazed by Jesus all over again.  This book can strengthen and deepen your faith as you see Jesus more clearly.  There’s also a study guide and video study that you can purchase to do with small groups.  Rebecca’s writing is accessible, youthful and energetic — great if you like a fairly fast paced journey that covers a lot of ground.

Who should read it?

• Seekers and anyone with questions: anyone who wants to explore who Jesus is and why he matters — the gospels will do it best, but Rebecca can take you on a guided tour. 
• Any Christian: anyone who needs a reminder of eyewitness testimony about Jesus and who he really is.  If you want to be amazed by Jesus all over again, you should read it.
• I think younger readers will particularly like this but it’d be great for anyone.

Review by Anne Eckermann

What I love about this book?

It’s written really honestly about Shona’s experience of burnout and exhaustion and everything that went with it.   I’m often wary of books that address these sorts of issues because I’ve found they can tend to either over-spiritualise everything, or they focus only on the physical or medical side of things — which, in my opinion, both extremes are unhelpful because we’re souls in physical bodies, so surely, we should be caring for both.  I think this book has a pretty balanced approached.  It realises that we’re finite beings and that the brokenness of this world impacts our bodies in real ways, but also that we don’t want to care for ourselves in self-centred way that’s all about my happiness — we want to care for ourselves in a way that honours God and helps us better serve the people who are under our care.  It speaks practical biblical wisdom that I think we’d do well to consider, whether we’re actually experiencing burnout, or whether we’re just re-evaluating how we’re going and how our lives look.

Who should read it?

• Women who feel ongoing exhaustion or busyness.
• Women in a busy stage of life.
• Women who want to re-evaluate how they’re going both spiritually and physically.

Review by Anne Eckermann

What I love about this book?

I love the practical discussion about REAL rest that’s anchored in God — that’s actually all about Him and my place in His story.  It’s a pretty humorous book, mostly because Adam’s naturally a really hard worker who isn’t good at stopping, and it’s really helped me with making space for relationships and tackling self-reliance.  I really found this book and the ​‘Refresh’ book helpful to read like a set — both are practical and God-honouring, and both are rooted in Scripture.

Who should read it?

• All Christians!
• Anyone who feels like they’d like to understand rest and sabbath more.
• Those who feel like their ​‘rest’ isn’t deeply refreshing.

Review by Anne Eckermann

What I love about this book?

I love a great devotional book, even though reading someone else’s reflections on God’s word isn’t the same thing as reading God’s word itself — it’s no substitute.  But if we’re taking care to read God’s word for ourselves, then a good daily devotion like this one can be solid gold.  Alistair Begg is one of my favourite authors because he handles Scripture so carefully, as he should, and he has really practical insights and wisdom that challenges and sharpens.  The daily readings are a good length, they’re Christ-centred and they’re practical and encouraging.  I highly recommend it.

Who should read it?

• Anyone who needs a little guidance in starting each day with God’s word and wants to think deeply about big truths throughout the day.
• Those who like to meditate on ​‘bite size’ but profound truths, all anchored firmly in God’s word.
• Individuals, couples and families with older kids would all benefit from reading this together or separately.

Review by Anne Eckermann

What I love about this book?

This book is all about Jesus’ heart for sufferers and sinners, and it’s grounded in Scripture.  It challenged me from the start because I feel like I often reflect naturally on what Jesus has done, but sometimes I miss the heart of who he is — he himself said he’s gentle and lowly.  I’m someone who can be tempted to feel like God probably looks at me and rolls his eyes, but this book brought me comfort and challenge by helping me understand better that the Lord DELIGHTS in showing mercy to me, and helping me understand God’s tenderness and love for me in a deeper way.  Keep in mind that this book isn’t trying to give a complete picture of the perfect character of God, but rather focusses on deeply exploring Jesus’ heart for sinners and sufferers.  And I love how Dane writes with such gentleness, sensitivity and compassion — ​‘Gentle & Lowly’ really is balm for the downcast soul.

Who should read it?

• Anyone who is feeling bruised or weary.
• Anyone who needs a trustworthy refuge.
• Those wondering if they’re too far-gone to be saved.
• People who want to know Jesus better by understanding more of who he is.

Review by Anne Eckermann

What I love about this book?

This book is so easy to read and it’s steeped in Scripture.  Nancy Guthrie always writes with such compassion and wisdom, which is good because she always deals with such heavy issues!  This book helped me understand that when God looks at the ​‘emptiness’ in my life (pretty much all the things I wish were different!), he sees his greatest opportunity to fill that emptiness with himself.  
Nancy doesn’t just offer a feel-good pep talk through well-turned phrases, but instead offers real hope because she shows us God’s work to fill up emptiness as it’s revealed in the Bible.  Full disclosure — I never really trust books written about deep suffering unless they’re written by people who have deeply suffered… but Nancy has deeply suffered and her hope is real.  This book is a game changer for hurting people who need to trust the promises of God, and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Who should read it?

• Anyone who feels empty in some way — whether it’s unrealised hopes or dreams, disappointing relationships, wounds, loneliness, grief… all the heavy things.
• Those who need to trust the promises of God in hard times..

Review by Anne Eckermann

What I love about this book?

Christian women want to know God better and be imitators of Christ.  We know we need to actively study him, as he’s revealed himself in his Word.  Jen Wilkin knows this.  She said ​“we will not wake up ten years from now and find we have passively taken on the character of God”.

But we sometimes find it hard, so we allow sermons, podcasts, books, the notes in our study Bibles, or blogs to be our primary source of intake for the Bible.  But God means for you and me to actively engage in his Word with the help of His Holy Spirit.

This book helps us learn how to do it.  Its practical, real, and relatable.  You’ll be challenged and convicted but also encouraged, inspired and equipped.  There’s real help in this book.  She shows you HOW to study the Bible with purpose, perspective, patience, process and prayer.

Who should read it?

• Everyone wanting to engage well with God’s word for themselves and know God better.
• Anyone who teaches the Bible to someone else.
• Women’s workers.
• Anyone who reads one-to-one.
• Bible study leaders.
• Mums with daughters.

Review by Anne Eckermann

What I love about this book?

Parenting advice by experts can be really helpful.  But at some point every parent realises there are no simplistic formulas or fail-safe methods.  We actually need wisdom from God’s Word to parent.  As a parent, the greatest desire I have for my kids is that they wholeheartedly take hold of Christ and grow in Him.  But that’s also my greatest desire for myself, and for my family and friends.

This book is gold.  Nancy Guthrie weaves together biblical wisdom and insight for each day’s reading, but I found it wasn’t just good for my parenting — although it’s been priceless for that.  It was good for me!  My desires and aspirations for myself and my kids were becoming shaped more by Scripture than by the culture around me.

There are profound prayers at the end of each daily reading which you insert your kids names into, but I inserted my own name or the names of my friends too — it’s a game changer.

Who should read it?

• Every parent.
• Anyone who has kids in their lives (nieces, nephews, grandchildren, youth groups).
• Anyone who wants to worry less and pray more.
• Anyone who wants a daily dose of biblical perspective, hope and grace.

Review by Anne Eckermann

What I love about this book?

If you’ve ever tried to read a commentary and found it a bit tedious or boring, rest assured there’s nothing dry or hard to understand about ​‘James for You’.  I love Sam Allberry’s writing — he’s candid and writes with empathy about how God’s wisdom lands in our homes, in our workplaces, our churches and our communities.

This book is simple and clear.  It’s insightful, convicting, encouraging and accessible.

Who should read it?

• Anyone who wants to understand James better and see how what it means for your everyday life.
• Anyone who teaches the Bible to others.
• Bible study leaders.
• Ministry workers.
• Everyone.

Review by Anne Eckermann