Gray Matter ~ by David Levy, MD with Joel Kilpatrick

 When I first received this book, I read the back cover, and set it aside. It didn't appear that it would be the type of book that I would be interested in, so I decided to hold off on reviewing it for a while. I finally picked it up and began to read one cold, stormy evening, and I haven't been the same since.

No other book about spiritual journeys, or relationships with God have ever touched me as deeply as this book. I read it, with the full expectation that it would be a decent read, and perhaps I would learn a bit about the personal struggles of a neurosurgeon. The book definitely deals with the personal struggles, but it is so much more than that. This book literally touched my soul.

Dr. Levy begins by sharing his desire to get to know his patient's in a deeper way then their diagnosis. He feels that by delving into their lives on a spiritual level, he can treat them as whole people, rather than merely a medical problem needing surgery. His idea ~ to pray with his patients before and after their surgery. "To say that praying out loud with a patient before surgery would put me out on a limb is putting it mildly. It would catapult me out of the tree." Once he finally finds the courage to take the first step and pray with a patient, his life changes. The simple act of saying a prayer with his patient Mrs. Jones has a profound effect on him and her. They part and prepare for surgery in a cloud of peace.

Not all of his patients are receptive to the idea of praying with Dr. Levy. Some are downright hostile. But the ones that he shares the intimate spiritual moment with are forever changed. As the narrative continues, Dr. Levy explores deeper spiritual awakenings with his patients, from finding forgiveness and breaking free of bitterness and anger. Not all of his surgeries have the outcome he desires, some fail miserably, but the journey is nonetheless deeply moving and triumphantly inspiring.

I found myself in tears after several of the stories, and had to put the book down for moments in order to let the weight of them sink in. I was completely taken in by Dr. Levy's honesty about some of the more difficult cases, his occasion struggle with his own faith, and how he found his way back each time. "...if you want to do something well, you have to be willing to do it poorly at first."

This book was an amazing read. Throughout the narrative, I would stop and contemplate Dr. Levy's message. I found myself forgiving those who have harmed me in the past, letting go of bitterness that has been festering in my soul for far too long. I felt closer to finding my way down my own spiritual path, and it felt wonderful. This book has deeply affected me, more so than any devotional I have ever read. I highly recommend reading Gray Matter. It may not change your life, but it will certainly make you stop and think, even if just for a moment.

I received an ARC (advanced reader copy) of this book from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for an honest review.

Max Lucado's Hermie and Friends ~ A Bug Collection

I was on of the 50 lucky people to receive the DVD Box Set of Max Lucado's Hermie and Friends A Bug Collection. This particular selection was in high demand on the BookSneeze program. I was very excited to receive my DVD's and to show them to my children, ages 5 1/2 and almost 3.

The DVD contains three separate disks, each containing an episode of Hermie and Friends. Each episode is introduced by Max Lucado and Hermis, who discuss some of the themes of the story to come. Some of the voice talents in this series include Tim Conway, Richard Kind, and Victoria Jackson.

The first DVD was "Milo, the Mantis Who Wouldn't Pray ~ It's About Prayer". In this episode, Milo the Mantis' Snack Shack is struck by a storm, and Milo is devastated. He struggles to find a way to express his sadness, but refuses to pray about it, or ask for help from God.

The second DVD was "Buzby and the Grumble Bees ~ It's About Bee-having." In this episode, Buzby has some trouble with his niece and nephew misbehaving and everyone sets out to teach them a lesson.

The third DVD was "Hailey and Bailey's Silly Fight ~ It's About Getting Along." Ladybugs Hailey and Bailey, who usually get along, have a huge fight in the garden and everyone else is forced to take sides. They struggle to make up before the good deeds that they set out to do get ruined by their bad mood.

The stories are deeply rooted in the bible, which is to be expected, considering they are a Tommy Nelson publication, however, I was expecting an almost sugar coated Bible story; what I got was some pretty intense lessons on God and how God expects us to live our lives, and how we should behave according to the Bible. I wasn't prepared for the heavy religious lessons, anticipating instead a sort of Veggie Tales storyline with a sprinkling of Christian values and morals. I'll admit, we aren't a religious family in the sense that we discuss God, Jesus and the Bible in explanation for everything that we do or don't do. I have taught my children about God and Jesus, and have read them Bible stories. However, I felt that the Hermie and Friends episodes were a bit too religious for us. I enjoyed the ladybugs, and thought the animation was well done, and Hermie is adorable; but Buzby the Elvis impersonating bee was too much, and the stories as a whole did not capture my children's attention. I know many families that would enjoy these DVD's, but they just weren't the best fit for us.

Flight of Shadows ~ A Novel by Sigmund Brouwer

  

I’ll admit, I’m not much of a Speculative Science Fiction enthusiast, but I was intrigued by Brouwer’s vision of the future. Unfortunately, having missed the first novel in the series, it took some effort (especially not having a grasp on futuristic fiction) to figure out the way the world in this novel worked.  The characters kept me going, though, I was engaged by them just enough to care about what may or may not happen to them. 

The story is set in the not so distant future, in an America that looks nothing like what we know today (or maybe it does, if you look beneath the surface, ironically) where social class is differentiated clearly and there is no chance of a shift of position. Influentials rule this world. They live the high life of luxury living and fancy clothing, and have the ability to enslave those beneath them.  The Industrials, what would equate to the middle class, have it hard. They are tattooed on their faces to identify them, and work day in and day out for the Influentials. They live outside of the cities in shantytowns and clusters of beaten down communities. Outside even further are the Illegals, the folks that are allowed no entry into the world of the other two, and are forced to scrape a living however they can. Amongst them are the Invisible, those that have no real ties to any class; those that have escaped from the trappings of Appalachia. Appalachia? In this world, Appalachia is its own nation, ruled with an iron fist of fundamentalist religion, where many of the characters have made a desperate escape.

The lead character is Caitlyn Brown, a young woman with a mysterious past and an awful secret. She hides her deformity with loose clothing and hides in the darkness, trying, without success to not be noticed. But, the problem lies in her past, in her creation. She is the result of a genetic experiment and many dangerous people want to harm her. She is wanted by a bounty hunter, who has escaped Appalachia to hunt her down. She is wanted by the government who want to harvest her DNA. She is wanted by her dearest friends, who wish to help her escape out West. She is wanted by the police for trumped up charges. Everyone who discovers her secret wants her for one reason or another, and not many of them are good.

While it took me a while to decipher all of the ins and outs of the world in which Caitlyn lives, once I had sorted out the classes and where everyone fit in, I was able to root for Caitlyn and Razor, her unlikely hero. Would they escape the maniacal clutches of Mason? Was Razor to be trusted at all? And the Doctor that Caitlyn waffles about visiting, the one who had promised her father that he could fix her deformity, will he be all that he seems? Will any of the questions that arise throughout Caitlyn’s terrifying adventure be answered? Will Caitlyn find the peace she desperately seeks? Perhaps. Perhaps not. If Science Fiction is your thing, you will definitely enjoy this novel.

I received this book free in exchange for my honest review ~ from Blogging For Books. If you would like to get your free books, too, please click the Blogging For Books link to the right.