The Kindness Challenge by Shaunti Feldhahn

The Kindness Challenge by Shaunti Feldhahn ISBN-13: 9781601421227 Hardback: 224 pages Publisher: Waterbrook Press Released: Dec. 20, 2016

Source: Bought.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Think of your toughest relationship. Think of a relationship that is good but could be great. Would small actions make that big a difference? Yes!

After years of extensive research, Shaunti Feldhahn has concluded that kindness is a superpower. It can change any relationship, make your life easier and better, and transform our culture. But how does it work? And how can you show kindness when you don’t feel like it?

In The Kindness Challenge, Shaunti explores….
* Three simple acts that make all the difference in any relationship (with a spouse, child, co-worker, brother-in-law…)
* Whether kindness is ever the wrong approach
* The seven ways you may be unkind and never realize it
* Eight types of kindness—and which might be the best fit for you
* Ten sneaky obstacles that get in the way of giving praise
* Practical ways to persevere when kindness is tough

With self-assessments, day-to-day tips, a 30-day challenge, and specific kindness ideas, The Kindness Challenge can make your toughest relationships better and your good relationships great—starting today.


My Review:
The Kindness Challenge looks at how kindness can transform all types of family and work relationships. The author talked about the benefits we receive from being kind and ways you might be unkind to others and ways to be kind to others (some of which you might not have thought of). She provided details about the three actions you are to do each day for the 30-day challenge. At the end, she included prompts for each day--usually a suggestion of a kind act to do. Overall, I thought she made good points which will help with most people.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Less Than Perfect by Ann Spangler

Less Than Perfect by Ann Spangler ISBN-13: 9780310341727 Hardcover: 384 pages Publisher: Zondervan Released: Aug. 7, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through BookLook Bloggers.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
What can the Bible’s most flawed men and women reveal about who God is and how he reaches out to less-than-perfect people? Whether considering the murderous Herodias, the scheming Jacob, or the doubting Sarah, Ann Spangler approaches both familiar and lesser known characters with fresh eyes. We meet each of these individuals again as if for the first time as Spangler offers a dramatic retelling of their lives, insight into the historical and cultural context of their time, and key takeaway points for our lives today. Each chapter includes questions for discussion or reflection, making Less Than Perfect ideal for individual or group Bible study.


My Review:
Less Than Perfect is a Bible study that mainly consisted of a narrative retelling of the lives of 30 people. Each chapter focused on a different person, but sometimes the stories overlapped--like the story of Adam and the one for Eve--and some things were repeated. The facts from the Bible create the bones of the story, but cultural details and potential motives were also woven in as the events are described by the person the chapter is about. Each short story was followed by a few pages describing cultural and historical background facts that provide insights to the events. Finally, there were 3-5 questions to prompt the reader to think about the person, what happened, and how we might act in a similar way. These questions can be used in a group study, but the book reads like a personal study to me.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Love Like That by Les Parrott III

Love Like That by Les Parrott III ISBN-13: 9781400207817 Hardcover: 240 pages Publisher: Thomas Nelson Released: Sept. 4, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through Amazon Vine.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Dr. Les Parrott writes a viable prescription for becoming more loving with family, friends, coworkers, and even strangers. In his trademark approachable style, Dr. Parrott takes the latest findings from psychology and sociology and blends them with biblical teaching to reveal five transformative ways of relating to people demonstrated by Jesus himself: being mindful, approachable, grace-filled, bold, and self-giving. With questions to ponder, self-assessments, and insightful quotations, Love Like That will revolutionize every relationship in your life—especially the ones that matter most.


My Review:
Love Like That is about how Jesus loved others and what stands in the way of our loving like he did. Being focused on achieving our own agenda gets in the way of seeing the needs of others. Pride and the desire to be part of the "in" crowd stands in the way of people feeling like they can approach us. The desire to feel like we're better than others stands in the way of our showing love to those who don't deserve it. Fear and the desire to be accepted stands in the way of our telling the truth and living transparent lives. Selfishness stands in the way of our thinking about others before thinking about ourselves. He ended by explaining that loving like Jesus is impossible in our own effort and how to allow Jesus to love others through us (through the power of the Holy Spirit).

The author described studies that illustrate how people act. He also quoted Scripture (in a paraphrase version) and summarized events in Jesus life to illustrate his points. I didn't like that he sometimes slipped his own speculation about motives and such into his summaries without pointing out that these were his ideas and weren't actually stated in the Bible. However, I would recommend this easy, quick read because his main points were good and useful.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.