Book Review: Jesus and the Beanstalk by Lori Stanley Roeleveld

About the Book: What if a fairy tale and ten Bible verses could free you to live an effective, fruitful life in Christ?

We live in unsettling, challenging times. Everywhere we look, we see giant problems: giant obstacles to sharing faith, giant barriers to peaceful lives, giant strongholds of fear. But what if you knew eight small secrets to unlocking a strength big enough to overcome whatever obstacle life may bring?

Using allegory and a bit of humor, Jesus and the Beanstalk explores a passage in 2 Peter 1 to uncover eight truths that will help you unleash a larger-than-life faith:

-Faith

-Goodness

-Knowledge

-Self-control

-Perseverance

-Godliness

-Affection for others

-Love

In this creative, refreshing perspective on spiritual growth, you will discover an unyielding strength when you tap the power of a God who is stronger than any beanstalk and bigger than your biggest giants.

Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/2dcnopJ

My Thoughts:  Roeleveld employs a very personable writing style as she provides insights into how to topple the giant challenges in our lives.  It may be a quirky title and an enjoyable read, but it's far from a fluffy fair tale.  Indeed, this book is full of substance and I really enjoyed how Roeleveld tackled the subject matter, and often had insightful things to say in a way I hadn't heard before - her thoughts about Uriah the Hittite, and Martha (sister of Mary and Lazarus) come to mind.

A quote... "When you hear the whisper, Bathsheba can be yours and it won't hurt a soul, I want you to think about Uriah the Hittite."

I particularly enjoyed Lori's "One Stone for Your Sling" at the end of each chapter, where she summarized or reviewed its key point. 

Here are just a couple of them....

• I have regrets; the cross testifies to that. But it also testifies to the truth that my regrets don't need to own me because Jesus Christ does.
• Jesus didn't want Martha to become Mary; he wanted her to be a Martha who paid attention to him.

At the end, Lori gives instructions on how to use the book for individual study, for one on one discipleship study, for small group study, and even for a retreat.  

I really appreciated this book!

Thank you to Litfuse Publicity for organizing this tour and providing me with a complimentary review copy.