A Shot of Faith to the Head - Mitch Stokes, PhD

The cover states, Be a Confident Believer in an age of Cranky Atheists.  The author states that the purpose of this book is to take a few of the most important intellectual weapons, tactics, and strategies from recent Christian philosophy and put them in your hands.  Some may be surprised to realize that philosophy and Christianity can be compatible.  The author has worked in the engineering field, and holds a PhD in philosophy from Notre Dame.
This is a well researched book with notes for each chapter, and an index for quick reference. The book is divided into parts that reflect atheist's so called points titled Belief in God Is Irrational, The art of self defense, Science has shown there is no God, and Evil and Suffering show there is no God.  In each section the author refutes each of these points will well thought out rebuttals, and at the end of each chapter a page titled For Your Arsenal, which reviews the points in the chapter.
I would recommend this book to all Christians, because sooner or later, if not already, you will encounter an atheist who has been using these points for a while, and we must know what to say. 
I have been provided with a complimentary copy of this book for review from Booksneeze.

The Call To Wonder - R.C. Sproul Jr.

Loving God Like A Child. This book is based on Matthew 18:3 in which Jesus instructs us to be like like little children. The author states his purpose in the introduction is to "recover the childlike virtues you may have lost and that you'll respond to His call to become like little children."
What does it mean to be childlike in our faith? This book covers the answer to that question and others, such as what is our response to God's creation? and How do I love my children and wife like Jesus loves the church?
Particularly striking was his explanation of God's "strong right arm." He explains that it is not only strength, but how that strength functions: it protects, provides, and comforts.
This is an easily readable account of the author's journey on how to become childlike. Also moving is the chapter in which he describes caring for his children.  In The Call to Joy he describes how much he learns from his own children, and how we can all learn from our own.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to capture that childlike wonder and amazement of God and loving Him as a child, and to those that have lost it to re-capture it.
This book has been provided to me by Tyndale free of charge for review.

I Am Second - Doug Bender and Dave Sterrett

Real Stories. Changing Lives. This book can be summed up with this quote from the cover - Becoming second means recognizing God is first. This book tells the stories of famous and not so famous people that have been changed by God, and continue to live for Him. People such as Tony Dungy, Brian Welch, Bethany Hamilton and 18 others share their honest and very personal stories. There are also links to videos of each story through smart phone scans in the book, and on the website, iamsecond.com. where you will find information on finding and starting a small group based on I am second.
This is an important book because we all need to know and be reminded of the changing power of God over people's lives.
Sections on the back titled "How do I become second?" and "What Now?" are the shortest, but in my opinion the most important. In it, the authors detail our need for God in our lives, and how to have a personal relationship with His son, Jesus.
The authors are missionaries, church planters, and work with e3 partners, a parent organization.

There is a time for cutting grass, and a time for not cutting grass. Today was not the day.

Last week the grass in my yard needed cut. I intended to do it in the morning on this day, my day off. But, always open for free entertainment, I took our three kids to the free movie that our local theater offers during the summer. We got home around noontime. I then sat outside with my wife and talked for a while.
Then we all came inside and had a nice lunch, and the grass still needed cut.

After lunch my son wanted to show me a new video game and wanted me to play it with him, which I did. After that, my youngest daughter brought me a book and wanted me to read to her. The afternoon was continuing, and the grass still wasn’t cut.

My son and I then played one of his favorite computer games, after which my oldest wanted me to see her website she had just designed and read her latest blog. Then, we all played a few board games as a family. The afternoon turned into evening and my two youngest picked out books, I read to them and put them to bed.

I went to bed that night and the grass still needed cut.

I got thinking that a lot of people would have said that I didn’t accomplish anything that day. However, I would rather have weeds in my yard, then weeds in my family relationships. I have read that people spend the most time on things that are the most important to them. I have known men who clean and polish their cars, but their family is rusting.

Now, there certainly is a time for cutting grass and yardwork, but today was not the day. The grass can wait.

I didn’t think too much more about it until the day after our “family day”, when the neighbor girl asked to come over and wound up staying for supper and playing with our kids. I always wanted our family to be an example to others, but I was unprepared for what happened next. After a few hours at our house, the neighbor girl said “I wish YOU were my brother and sister!.” She was saying “I wish I could live here.”

I know she sensed something different in our home. I am hoping it was love, commitment, security, and a family that loved God and each other. She saw a mother and father who was first and foremost a husband and wife that were committed to God and to each other.

I learned something through all this. I was reminded to invest time where it really matters.

The little neighbor girl wanted to spend time at our house, even though the grass still needs cut!

With - Skye Jethani

Reimagining the way you relate to God. Author also of the Divine Commodity. This book describes the difference between life under, over, from and for God vs. life with God. The purpose of this book is to encourage all of us to start living in communion with God. There are discussion questions and notes on the research materials, including Biblical references. He makes his descriptions very clear, however, some at first may confuse his definition of life under God and how it is different than how some view the United States as "one nation under God." The simple line illustrations throughout the book can be a bit distracting, but I understand his point in including them.
The author is right to start at the beginning to describe the fall of man and how the human condition came to be. I would recommend this book to Christians wanting to have a deeper relationship with God, along with those that are new to Christianinity and want to know more.
The author is the managing editor of Leadership Journal, a respected Christian publication in itself, and also writes a blog SKYEBOX.

Big God - Britt Merrick

Subtitle - What happens when we trust Him. This book is the author's thoughts on Hebrews 11, The hall of faith, with a chapter each on Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Moses and Rahab. Also a chapter on Abraham with Issac is included. The first chapter describes how the author and his wife got through their 5 year old's cancer treatment. He asks, "When crisis hits, where do your heart and mind turn?" As Christians, we need to turn to God and His word. Britt encourages believers to memorize and study God's word.
The author's family is famous in the surfboard community and he has spent several years working in the family business before getting into the ministry full time, and offers a unique perspective to life.
I enjoyed how the author brought to life the Old Testament individuals and related their stories to his own personal life. We have heard about most of these people many times. but there is always something new to learn each time we study them. The Bible is still relevant today. and it is good to read a book that encourages study and trust in a God that is indeed a Big God. This book will be on my recommended books list for 2011.
I was provided a review copy of this book at no charge.