same kind of different as me

A dangerous, homeless drifter who grew up picking cotton in virtual slavery.
An upscale art dealer accustomed to the world of Armani and Chanel.

A gutsy woman with a stubborn dream.

A story so incredible no novelist would dare dream it.

It begins outside a burning plantation hut in Louisiana . . .

and an East Texas honky-tonk . . .

and, without a doubt, in the heart of God.

It unfolds in a Hollywood hacienda . . .

an upscale New York gallery . . .

a downtown dumpster . . .

a Texas ranch.

Gritty with pain and betrayal, this true story also shines with an unexpected, life-changing love.

If you're looking for a great read (one that you won't want to put down until you're finished) go out right now and pick up this book!

Same Kind Of Different As Me takes a look inside the hearts and minds of two vastly different men. More than a good read, this story moved me and challenged me to see people with heavenly eyes. Eyes that look beyond the dirt and disaster of addiction, eyes that look for wisdom in the most unlikely places, and eyes that do not make rash judgements based on the appearance of a person.

I was also challenged to step out of my comfort zone. Do the thing that is hard for me. Obey the voice of God and leave the results up to Him. Like Deborah (in the book), pursue the passions that God has placed in my heart...no matter how far fetched they seem.

I would highly recommend this book. It is a heart-warming, convicting, stereo-type destroying book that everyone should own.

if i could ask God anything

The other day Sam and I had "the talk."

No, not that one...Sam's only approaching 5 (although he is fascinated with the human body)

The other one.

The one about heaven and hell.

Yep, that one.

Sam is totally intrigued with spiritual questions. 

Every time we read the Bible I can see his little mind start to spin 

and questions come out like,

"Why did Jesus have to die for us?" 

and

"How does God make thunder?"

and

"How can God be 'God' and Jesus be 'God' too?" 

(ever try to explain the Godhead to a 4 yr old? It's mind-bending.)

So, I knew it was only a matter of time before I had to answer the heaven/hell question. 

Thankfully, I happened to have this little gem on hand.

When I saw it on BookSneeze.com, I jumped at the opportunity to review it. I love reading how other people explain God and the Christian faith to children (mostly because mine asks TONS of questions!) and I sent for it. Written by Kathryn Slattery and distributed by Thomas Nelson Publishers, this 207 page book covers questions like, 

"Do I need to use special words when I pray?"

"Why did Jesus have to die?"

"What is sin?"

"Where did God come from?"

"If God loves people, why do bad things happen?"

Great questions that kids actually ask with simple, straight-forward answers. Each answer has a biblical reference too (which I liked a lot), so that you can take your child directly to God's Word.

Overall, I thought this was a pretty good book. I would recommend it for ages 6 and above, since some of the answers were a little over my (almost) 5 yr old's head. I loved that it covered all the major themes of Christianity and even covered topics like holidays. To that end though, I was a little disappointed with the inclusion of Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and Halloween. I realized that it was a great starting point for some answers, but that I would need to fill in the gaps regarding our specific doctrinal beliefs. I also thought that it over-simplified the love that Christ has for us, without giving equal emphasis to our need for repentance.

All in all, a nice little book though. And I look forward to reviewing other books soon.
If you're interested in receiving books to review, check out BookSneeze here.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”