The Faith of Ronald Reagan Book Review

Overview:
The Faith of Ronald Reagan is designed to be the untold portion of America’s 40th President’s life. While many authors have written about the man and the politics of Ronald Reagan, they have found him hard to understand and the author argues that is because the secular world hasn’t paused to consider how Reagan’s faith factored into his life and his presidency.

Although this book would appear to new, it is really a re-titled and re-published version of the 2004 book entitled Hand of Providence: The Strong and Quiet Faith of Ronald Reagan.

My Opinion:
Ronald Reagan was President when I was born and I have always grown up hearing about all the great things he did when I was only a small child. I knew that Reagan was supposed to have been a Christian but knew little else about him. Therefore, I chose to read The Faith of Ronald Reagan to find out more about the man, the President, and his faith in God. I was not disappointed with all the details and stories told about his life and faith. However, I found the book hard to get through. I don’t know if it was the way the book was organized or the writing style of the author, Mary Beth Brown. I found it informative but I just didn’t find it enjoyable. I am thankful that this book was provided to me by Thomas Nelson publishing so that I could review it because I would not have purchased it on my own. However, others may have no issue with reading the book. It is only my opinion after all.

If you are fascinated by Presidents or Ronald Reagan and have no problem reading autobiographies then you will probably enjoy this book. However, if you only have a minor curiosity and prefer to read mainly non-fiction, I would not recommend this book for you.

This book was a free copy provided to me by Thomas Nelson Publishing for review purposes.

Walking with God

In my quiet time today, I read a fact that intrigued me. The word "walk" appears over 380 times in the Bible ("Voices of the Faithful: Book 2" p 12). In those 380 times that it appears it has many different uses and subsequent meanings. Sometimes, it is the description of physically walking--as in "he was walking in the garden"(Gen. 3:8). Other times it has a much deeper meaning--"Walk in obedience to all that the LORD your God has commanded you"(Deut. 5:33).

I want to focus on the second kind of walk. So many times you hear about people, especially in the USA, who claim to be Christians but you couldn't tell it by their lifestyle. The Bible speaks about these individuals in Titus and 1 John...

"They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good." Titus 1:16


"Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth." 1 John 3:18

Sometimes God calls us to physically walk around and share His word or to do something for Him, but He always calls us to spiritually walk with Him. Are you walking with God today? Are you walking in His word? Are your actions telling people that you love God and that He is the Lord of your life? I pray that each of us will use this year to have a closer walk with the Lord that people may know we are Christians not only by the words that we say but also by the walk we are living.

Walking thru the Bible:

Walk Faithfully	Gen. 5:22,24; Gen. 6:9; Gen. 17:1; Gen. 24:20; Gen. 48:15; 1 Kings 2:4; 1 Kings 8:25; 1 Kings 9:4; 2 Kings 20:3
Walk in Obedience	Deut. 5:33; Deut. 8:6; Deut. 11:22; Deut. 19:9; Deut. 26:17; Deut. 28:9; Deut. 30:16; Joshua 22:5; 1 Kings 2:3; 1 Kings 3:14; 1 Kings 8:58; 1 Kings 11:38; 2 Chronicles 6:31; Ps. 128:1
Walk in Godly Instruction	1 Kings 3:3; 1 Kings 3:14; 2 Chronicles 7:17
Walk in Integrity	1 Kings 9:4; Prov. 10:9
Walk in Fear of the Lord	Nehemiah 5:9; Prov. 14:2
Walk in Righteousness	Ps. 1:1; Ps. 15:2; Prov. 8:20; Isa. 33:15
Walk Blamelessly	Ps. 84:11; Ps. 101:6; Prov. 2:7; Prov. 19:1; Prov. 28:6; Prov. 28:18
Walk in the Light	Ps. 89:15; Isa. 2:5
Walk in Wisdom	Prov. 28:26

There are many, many more ways that the word "walk" is used in the Bible. If you have some that speak to you particularly or that you would simply like to share, please tell us about it in the comments section.

May you walk in Grace and Peace today.

2010 in Ten Words or Less

I was reading a blog on January 1st that another minister’s wife had written. It was only ten words long but it spoke to me. It wasn’t a poem or a sentence. It was a list. A list of ten words encapsulated this woman’s experiences in 2010. It gave me pause. If I were to sum up my year in ten words or less, what words would I choose? Would we have any words in common? Would they be more positive than negative or vice versa? What memories and experiences stick out and determine the words I choose? Could I even do it—limit myself to ten words?

In the end, I still haven’t made my list. However, I have spent time praying about the things that I have seen and done in 2010 and the things that I would like to do or to do differently in 2011. It has helped me to focus my attention in a few measureable and achievable New Year’s Resolutions. Who knew that 10 simple words could have such depth?

How would you summarize your 2010 experience in 10 words or less?

Dealing with Weight Issues & Food Addictions

Yesterday, I started reading "Idol Eyes" by Mandisa. For anyone who doesn't know, Mandisa is an AMAZING Christian music artist. She has the most beautiful voice and even better than that she is a beautiful person inside and out. Like most people I was introduced to Madisa through the TV show American Idol. Although Mandisa didn't win, she was a very well known contestant for 3 reasons. #1 She was an outspoken Christian witness. #2 She rocked her vocals almost every week she performed. #3 After she left her audition, Simon made comments about her weight.



In reading her book, I am beginning to understand a little more about her world and her struggles with eating and being overweight. These are not things that are foreign concepts to me. I know exactly where she is coming from. Although I don't look it, I am just over 100lbs over my healthy weight range (although I really hate the whole BMI scale because it doesn't take into account build and muscle mass). Also, my husband, Jimmy, deals with major weight issues.

For the past 19 months, Jimmy and I have been making major life adjustments when it comes to eating and exercising. I have to admit that Jimmy is doing much better than I am. When it comes to food I find that I cave WAY too easily. Mandisa would say that we are both "addicted to food" and it's true. It's not that I eat when I am stressed. I eat when I am bored and when I socialize. Unfortunately those two things happen often which makes temptation great. The question is...

How do you overcome an addiction to food?

The only true solution is to trust God and work really hard to overcome it with His help. Does that make it easy? No way! To believe that just because you asked for God's help your struggles are automatically going to go away is naive. God equips us to "do all things through Christ who gives [us] strength." (Phil. 4:13)

Practical Tips for Overcoming a Food Addiction:

1. Eliminate Easy Access

If you are a snacker, throw away all your junk food. Get it out of the house, apartment, office, car, or other snacking locations. If you really must have something try replacing it with healthier foods.

2. Find a Support Network

You need people who support you and will pray for you as you try to make lifestyle habits that will help you overcome your food addictions and weight problems. If there isn't anyone to ask you the hard questions then what's to stop you from falling right back into your bad habits?

3. Make a Plan

If you fail to plan then you plan to fail. Create a food plan. Know what foods and how much of them are okay to eat. Plan to exercise. Plan to report in to your support network. Plan your benchmarks and goals. Plan to succeed.

4. Pray and Memorize Scripture

This really could be number one but I like to list this hear because by the time you do the other three steps you will have more specific prayer needs and you will know what kinds of weaknesses you need to memorize scripture to help you with.

Although it won't be easy, you can succeed. You might mess up but it you get up and get back on track then you can keep going. God wants you to succeed. He wants you to find freedom in Him. He will give you the tools. Just ask Him. That's a great place to start!