Book Review: On This Day in Christian History (and Giveaway Contest!)

I recently discovered a website - BookSneeze.com - that gives away free books to, really, anyone who will blog and post a book review online.

Count me in.

So, my first book is the one pictured above - On This Day in Christian History by Robert Morgan. Morgan is a pastor in Nashville and an established author, and in this project, he has created a terrific devotional work.

It seems that On This Day is better suited to accompany one's daily devotions than to be read through, but either way, it's a valuable tome. What Morgan has done is capture the lives of Christian heroes, martyrs, and more than one completely unknown character, and to tell encouraging stories of faith, hope, accomplishment, and devotion.

Some characters I knew already, and their familiar stories were uplifting and encouraging. Others I didn't, and I was challenged by the faith and devotion of the unknown Christian heroes.

On This Day is an easy book to read, the stories are only a page long, and are terrific introductions to people who have carried the Christian message through the years and across the world.

This book is a terrific resource for teachers or preachers, providing sermon starters, illustrations, and stories of encouragement to tie in that last point perfectly. If you haven't, check out this book at Amazon.com.

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I'm giving this book, which was free for me, away to one of my readers. If you would like my copy of this book, just post a link to this blog on Twitter, Facebook, or on your blog. If you post it on your blog or Facebook, send me an email and if you mention it on Twitter, just mention me (@bltitus) in the tweet. For each mention, post, or tweet, you'll receive one entry into a drawing. I'll draw the name at the end of January and announce the winner then. Good luck!

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the 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.”

exodus

My feet ache. I’ve been running for two days, stopping only for moments to eat. I haven't slept since I left because the king is chasing me. I can hear the thunder of the horses and the rumble of chariots growing closer and louder with each passing hour. I’ve brought nothing with me, save a few golden trinkets from my neighbors. I have the clothes on my back, the shoes on my feet, and a dream. A dream of freedom, of a land where I can raise my children and they can run and play without fear. A dream of a land where I can set up a small crop farm, or maybe develop a craft, and make a living for myself. A dream of a place where I can worship my God freely, and sacrifice, and live according to His commandments and His law.

My legs burn, my feet hurt, and my heart is racing. I stop for a breath, and I can hear the pounding of the horses closer than ever before. I look back to see the dust raising. Ahead is a river, so I begin to run to the left, only to find that it turns back towards the king. I turn and run to the right and see the chariots and the army flanking me.

I can smell the horses now; I can hear the obscenities being hurled at me by the army. I’m facing the army and back up as they close in on my, drawing closer and closer to the river. Looking over my shoulder, I see that the water is twenty yards behind me. I turn and run, watching the mass of humanity begin to charge. As I run frantically towards the water, I cry out to God. "Save me."

I never take my eyes from the king as he leads the charge towards me. I keep running towards the water, hoping to swim to safety. Any moment now, I’ll reach the water and dive for safety. A wind begins to blow from behind me, giving me an additional boost of energy beyond the rush of adrenaline that is flowing through my veins. This next step and I should be at the water. My feet don't seem to be working, because I never reach the shore. I finally look ahead, and see the water rolling back with each step. I’m ten yards into the riverbed, twenty yards, thirty yards, and as I keep running, I can see the shore on the other side. Another gust of wind from behind gives me an additional burst of speed, and I hear a crashing and screaming behind me. I look over my shoulder to see the water crashing down over the king and his chariots. A giant wave is closing in on me as I frantically run to the shore.

"How ironic," I think to myself. "To escape the king's wrath, only to suffer the same death as he." I continue to push myself, but my legs can't carry me any farther. I drop the sack of the golden trinkets and with my last ounce of strength, I dive forward, face-first into the sand. As I close my eyes and weep, I brace for the impact of the water. I feel it gently lap over my feet, and I look back to see the river - calm, peaceful, as if nothing had ever happened. The waves lap and the sack of trinkets washes ashore at my feet. Around me, the ground is covered in white excess, and there are quails sitting and watching me. The white excess is falling from the sky, and as one touches gently on my lips, I taste the sweet, honey wafer and feel refreshed.

I’m free.