Book Review: "Plan B" by Pete Wilson

What is a "Plan B?" A Plan B is a time in your life when things don't turn out the way you planned. A Plan B is a time when things just turn out plain badly for you or those you love. A Plan B is a time when the world seems to be at its darkest and you feel completely alone. We all go through these times. We may hide them and we may deny them, but we all go through them.

How do you explain when bad things happen to good people? How do you reconcile the love of God compared to the terrible things which can happen to us in this life? I don't have the answers to those difficult and very relevant questions. Neither does Pete Wilson.

What Pete does in this book is explain very eloquently that while bad things do, indeed, happen around us and to us, God is ever-present and there to help us through those times of disappointment and crisis. Using examples from his own life (some of which are laugh-out-loud funny), the lives of people he knows and the lives of Biblical characters, Pete shows us while our lives may not follow the "primrose path" we may have laid out, God still brings about all thing for the good of those who love and trust in Him.

I think the biggest benefit to this book is Pete encouraging us to be honest about some things:

• That we are broken people
• That we don't have all the answers
• That God, not us, is in control

It's in this place of honest reflection where we learn that God wants to and does bring out the best of any and all situations. Things may not go the way we envision them, but His ways will always work out best for us in the end.

I highly recommend this book to everyone, because we have all gone through or will go through a "Plan B" where we will need to understand that it is those situations where we need to be open and willing to learn that we don't have all the answers but we can learn to lean on the One who really does.

Disclaimer: I am a member of Thomas Nelson's Booksneeze Blogger program. Although Thomas Nelson Publishing provided the book at no cost to me, this review is my honest opinion of the work.

Book Review: "Winston Churchill" Christian Encounters Series by John Perry

Sir Winston Churchill is, no doubt, one of the leading figures of the 20th Century. His place in history as a great leader is without question. I had never considered that Churchill might be a man of faith, at least not how I've traditionally thought one might be.

In this book, John Perry does show Sir Winston to be a man of faith, though not in a way one might consider. He was very introspective and firmly believed he had been born and taken along a path which led to his eventual landing in the Prime Minister's office at just the right time in history to lead the free world to victory against Nazi tyranny in World War II.

That he believed in God is without question. Whether his belief qualifies as a "Christian Encounter" is quite something else. While Perry's effort is an excellent, well written and well documented short biography of Churchill's life, I'm not quite convinced it belongs in this type of series. Still, I'm glad I read it.

My favorite quote from the book: "I am ready to meet my maker, but whether my maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter." Churchill said this towards the end of his life. It illustrates the wit of this great man.

If you've never read an account of Sir Winston's life, then this book is certainly for you. It whet my appetite for more reading on the life of this inspiring and storied man. For that reason I recommend it highly.

Disclaimer: I am a member of Thomas Nelson's Book Review Blogger program. Although Thomas Nelson Publishing provided the book at no cost to me, this review is my honest opinion of the work.

Book Review: "The White Horse King" by Benjamin Merkle

"The White Horse King - The Life of Alfred The Great" is an excellent biography of the Anglo-Saxon King of Wessex and Mercia. Alfred is the only English king be called "The Great" and the title is well earned.


Alfred was a wise man who took education and learning quite seriously. He became king during a tumultuous time for his country and led his people in success and excellence. His ascent to the throne coincided with terrible war against Danish Viking invaders bent on conquest and pillage. Although unable to completely drive the Danes from the British Isles, his military reforms set the stage so that his grandson, King Aethelstan, would be finally able to do so.


Alfred was a bit of a Renaissance man, valuing education not only for himself, but also for his people. His efforts to encourage literacy was quite progressive for 9th century Europe. He was also responsible for a renewed interest in literature, leadership development and Christian studies. He commissioned the translation of many great works of the time from Latin into the Anglo-Saxon tongue and was even personally responsible for translating part of the Bible's Book of Psalms into his native language; this being hundreds of years before The Protestant Reformers or King James would create their translations.


But it was Alfred's military campaigns against the Danes which really set him apart. The book tells the story of a man who studied his enemies and looked for weaknesses to exploit. He learned from his mistakes and sought not to repeat them. He also was not afraid to look at his own forces to look for ways to improve how they functioned. His ability to gather people around him and inspire them to loyalty and greatness makes him an example excellence in leadership.


If you have an interest in history, English history in particular, then this book is for you. Benjamin Merkle does an excellent job of bringing to life one of the great kings of history. He makes the story interesting and compelling while keeping it factual and not a piece of "hero worship."


Disclaimer: I am a member of Thomas Nelson's Book Review Blogger program. Although Thomas Nelson Publishing provided the book at no cost to me, this review is my honest opinion of the work