Book Review: How Good is Good Enough? by Andy Stanley

This book gives a message that I encourage everyone to read and learn.
How Good Is Good Enough?
by Andy Stanley

Paperback: 96 pages
Publisher: Multnomah; Ppk edition (February 17, 2009)
ISBN-13: 978-1601422507
Genre: Christian, Salvation Theory
My Rating: 5.0 of 5.0

Surely there's more than one way to get to heaven? Bestselling author Andy Stanley addresses this popular belief held even among Christians. But believing that all good people go to heaven raises major problems, Stanley reveals. Is goodness not rewarded, then? Is Christianity not fair? Maybe not, he says. Readers will find out why Jesus taught that goodness is not even a requirement to enter heaven - and why Christianity is beyond fair. Andy Stanley leads believers and skeptics alike to a grateful awareness of God's enormous grace and mercy.
Good People Go to Heaven...Don’t They?
Sure they do. It only makes sense.
Actually, it doesn’t really make any sense at all. Smart, educated, accomplished men and women everywhere are banking their eternities on a theory that doesn’t hold water. Chances are, you’ve never really thought it through. But you owe it to yourself to do so.
Find out now what’s wrong with the most popular theory about heaven—and what it really takes to get there.

Review:
I decided to share this on Easter as it is fitting.  I encourage everyone, even firm believers, to read this short gem. Andy Stanley is a pastor and teacher for the world we live in today. His many teachings are Biblically sound and presented in a straight forward, down to earth manner that simple men and women can understand.

This short book reminds us that being good is not the way to get into heaven as many religions promote. Have you ever asked someone why they will or should go to heaven, and had them reply: “Because I try to be good, and I help others”? That is lovely, but good deeds, or being good, won’t get you into heaven.

This book reminds us how we can never be good enough to earn our way into heaven. Even the righteous leaders are not good enough. Matthew 5:20. Even some bad people go to heaven – like the thief who was hung beside Jesus. Luke 23:43.

At some point we each are faced with the question: Who do I say Jesus is? He either is who He claimed to be (the Lamb and sacrifice for the sins of the world), or He is not.

Life is not fair and Christianity is not fair. Why do we have to pay for the sins of Adam and Eve? (See the Easter message 4/16/17.) But, “Thanks be to God”, we do not get the punishment we deserve. Only by the Grace of God are we forgiven and made heirs of a heavenly Kingdom.

I encourage you to find one of these little books and read it. Buy a six pack if you need to – keep one to read and re-read and pass the others to loved ones and strangers!

Our church has these available to share. I wanted to read it and put one at my office.

HAPPY EASTER! Sunday Words of Encouragement April 16, 2017

HAPPY EASTER! - HE is Risen - HE is Risen Indeed!

This morning was a beautiful day to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord. Our church shared ‘goodies’ in the narthex before the service and a candy hunt for the little ones after.

Pastor started a new series titled “Broken”. The world is broken; all lives are broken. We are so broken we question everything: “Who am I? When is a fetus a ‘being’?

In our world things break.  Sadly we are accustomed to it. Can you imagine how you would have felt on Friday as Christ, an innocent, was hung on the cross?

When God created the world it was as it should be. Adam and Eve in the garden; they were naked yet knew no shame. They walked and talked with God. Genesis 2:8-9, 15-17, 21-25.

Then Satan tempted Eve saying “Did God really say you would die? He knows if you eat of the tree you will be wise like Him.” What Satan said was true but see how he twisted it? Eve ate and shared the fruit with Adam who also ate. At that moment the perfection of creationwas Broken.

Everything we experience is the result of sin. But God has an answer!God  always has a plan. He planned a solution. The serpent was cursed with a prophesy of victory. Genesis 3:14-15. “He will strike your head, and you will strike his heal.”

Jesus cancelled the brokenness of the world in the moment he died on the cross.

Sermon Point: Where sin left us broken, we are restored at the cross.

Some people try to be good enough but they will always fail. Every relationship has failure. Someone must forgive. Jesus brings forgiveness.

We are all guilty and have all been convicted to the punishment of death. But those who accept Christ have a mediator… and more-- a savior who takes took our punishment. 1 Timothy 2:3-7.

The Hope of the believer is in forgiveness and new life through the RISEN LORD. 1 Corinthians 15:19-22. Surrender yourself to Jesus and accept new life. He says "I forgive you."

This is a song we have been signing this past month. I saved it for today.

No wonder we call Him savior!

Verses for Today:
1 Corinthians 15:19-22
19 And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world.
20 But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.
21 So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. 22 Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life.

Sharing Beyond Books #299 Comment Giveaway April 15, 2017

Hello again and Welcome to Sharing Beyond Books, SBB!

Thanks to everyone who commented last week.

Four of us consider sleeping our only way to unwind other than reading. Two walk, one exercises, two work in the garden, one knits, another crafts, others play games, do puzzles, soak in the tub or watch TV. And I like Sue's method: cuddling with her pets.

~~~~~

The Winner from SBB #298 comments is: #3 bn100 who can make a GC choice if international or book choice from the Updated (**Finally!) ARC/Review titles or (recently updated) Love and Christmas titles - all linked near the end of the post.

**NOTE: I did post an Updated ARC and Other books for Giveaways. I have to go back and list the titles. 
Please let me know your choice by completing the WINNER FORM.

WEEK #299

(One Question.)

Nikki asks: Are there any book/movie characters or even celebrities whose names made you LIKE a certain name??

I'm not sure I have seen the name "Eustacia" in use but I liked it as a pen name after seeing Anastasia. My husband has always loved the name "Shane" from the cowboy movie with Alan Ladd. We also like "Zane" from author Zane Grey. Those are the ones that come to mind.

 
This book fits the topic!
Image found at Amazon through Google Search..

Thanks to those who are sending in Questions. DON'T BE SHY! Surely everyone has a Q or two you'd like to ask. Input suggestions in this Suggested Question Form. At the end of each month I draw from the suggestions I used during the month and that person will get a book choice or GC. I thank everyone for submitting questions. Thanks for sending in questions! The supply of questions is dwindling so share some if you think of any -- even if they are duplicates I'll weed through or try to modify.

Your turn to share: Nikki asks: Are there any book/movie characters or even celebrities whose names made you LIKE a certain name??

SBB Comment Winners can choose a selection from the Updated ARC and Other books, including the "Love" and Christmas titles all in one post.

SBB Rules:
a) Must be a follower.
b) Share a comment on the question above.
Open internationally and an international winner may get a smaller book or a $5.00 GC if I decide the mailing is too much.
I will pick a Comment winner from all comments made through Saturday April 23, 2017 at 5 PM central.

September 2021 - Updated ARC and Other Books for Giveaways

9-18-2021 I have added a new image of books in a box. Most of these do not have reviews. Sorry I have not done a list for the last two boxes.
7-30-16 I have to update this list soon. I think I have marked out chosen titles through August 2021.
THIS IS NOT A GIVEAWAY POST but a list of titles available to select from for winners from Sharing Beyond Books weekly comment giveaway and occasionally other comment giveaways.
2017 - I have taken NEW pictures of the ARC and review boxes which are now in three groups. Christian and 'clean' titles and other Mixed Genre titles.
(If you want to see the older pictures, in case they seem clearer to you, they are at the old Updated ARC post linked HERE (July 2012 updated to May 2013), HERE (June 2013 updated to May 2015). and HERE February 2015.

Newer Images :
Christian Titles

An ** means I reviewed it and you can do a Search on my blog from the left hand side bar. I will link all titles as I get the chance. (Don't hold your breath for that since it has been two years.)
1.**Love in Disguise SBB April 2017
2. Unexpected Love
3. Rhode Island Weddings SBB November 2017
4. **A Match Made in Heaven SBB July 2017
5. **Goodbye to Yesterday by Wanda Brunstetter (small book on top)
6. **His Love Endures Forever by Beth Wiseman SBB July 2017
7. **The Last Christian by David Gregory SBB April 2017
8. **Lonestar Secrets by Colleen Coble (found another copy) SBB August 2017
9.  New Mexico Weddings  Anthology
10. **Nipped in the Bud by Sleeman [SBB May 2018 1/2 CR]
11.**The Perfect Match by Hanna SBB
12. Sword of Silence by Carol D. Slama 
13.**Unwilling Warrior by Andrea Boeshaar SBB June 2019
14.  Race to the Altar Anthology 
15.**Paper Angels
16.**Between Sundays [SBB April 2018 1/2 CR]
17. **Hood by Stephen Lawhead  SBB Sept 2019
18.**Every Skull Tells a Story SBB Oct 2017

Christian and other "Clean" titles

1. **Illuminations of the Heart by Joyce DiPastena SBB November 2017
2.**Dying to Read SBB August Comment 2017
3.  The Silent Gift by Landon & Kelley SBB November 2017
4.**Falling to Pieces SBB July 2018
5. Lost Mission  SBB April 2017
6. Heaven's Road
7. The Princess by Lori Wick
8.**Arena
9. **Flight of the Raven SBB July 2017
10. Broken Arrow (one still available)
11. **Seattle Cinderella SBB June 2017
12. Eye of the God
13. Sin, Salvation and Shadowmancer
14. -Not sure I'll have to check title as it is tucked in. A Fool for Love I think
15. Broken Arrow SBB November 2017 Comment
16. The Silent Gift
17.  New Mexico
18. Jennifer by Dee Henderson (smaller book on top) SBB June 2017

Mixed Genres, Many Mysteries Box 3

Forever Knight SBB
Coming Back
Deadly Codes SBB June 2020
Alex Cross's Trial
Death Mill Mansion
The Woman He Loved Before SBB
Talon
Spinning Forward SBB
Russian Roulette SBB
Tween Heaven and Hell  January SBB 2016
Synarchy Book 2
Circle of Souls
Eureka Point SBB
We Are the Destroyers
Hilltop Sunset
Severed Thread

 Romance Titles

All of these have been reviewed and can be found through search on my blog or through the title link.
I will have to go back and look to determine which were ARC or review. [A = ARC; otherwise it was a Review Book]:
I have to list the books on the left; the books to the right are:

1. Angels Landing by Rochelle Alers SBB July 2020
   
2. Never a Gentleman (The Drake's Rakes Series) by Eileen Dryer SBB May 2017
3. A - Two Lethal Lies by Annie Solomon (1 ARC) SBB Sept 2017
4. A- Accidentally Married to...A Vampire? by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff  SBB August 2017
5. A - I Own the Dawn by M.L. Buchman  SBB Oct 2017

These are some of the Love and Christmas Titles which I will list later.

Remaining:

A - What in God's Name

AND I moved the other Love and Christmas picture here so all the pictures would be in one post.

Christmas Cookie Murder SBB April 2017
A Highlander for Christmas SBB June 2017
Shepherds Abiding
To Marry at Christmas SBBApril 2019
Scrooge Wore Spurs SBB January 2019
Deck the Halls SBB December 2017
Snow Angel SBB May 2018

Added 11-28-2020

I'll add names soon.
Shrouds of Holly picked, SBB Feb 2021
Blackout picked SBB Nov 2020 but I have another.
Olivia Twist picked SBB (comment 2x) Dec 2020.

9-18-2021 A New Box paper and hardbacks:

Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway April 14, 2017

Happy Friday!
This has been a good week. I didn't have any court hearings and not too many appointments. This worked out well as I finished and filed an appeal brief and worked on taxes.

I sent Amazon Gift Card wins out and have two or three people to email with their balances.

Our weather has been in the 80s during the day and 60s at night so pretty nice.

TO ENTER FRIDAY PICK

US Entrants: Leave a comment and tell me WHICH BOOK you would like to get from the Friday Pick lists.
INTERNATIONAL: Leave a comment indicating "Gift Card" (see further comments near the end of the post.)

CUT OFF TIME IS THURSDAY NIGHTS AT 9:00 PM CENTRAL so I do not have to stay up too late to do the winner post! I will randomly pick two winners to announce Friday mornings with the next Pick post.

Thank you to all who entered the April 6 Pick. There were two automatic wins this week. Automatic wins are those who requested the book four times without other people asking for that book during those weeks. There was one title blocked this week.
Carol NW gets The Old Silent Cassette Tapes
and
SueF gets Rattlesnake Crossing

CONGRATULATIONS
to Random.org picked Winners from April 6 Pick:
BECKY gets The Silenced (through the block)
and
LESLEY gets a GC

All winners please fill in the Winner's Acceptance Form or email me to confirm your win, send your snail mail address information and let me know if you would like bookmarks - sensual, sexy or sweet bookmarks. {The form is new because Google changed their forms and the old one wasn't letting me print out the responses.}

Read some Poetry this month!
Image found at The Writer's Almanac Bookshelf.

New Book Group #71 March 10, 2017
Mysteries and Thrillers
PAIR:
Matthew Reilly: Temple and Area 7
SINGLES:
Deception on His Mind by Elizabeth George
‘E’ is for Evidence by Sue Grafton
In Plain Sight by C.J. Box
Keepers by Gary A. Braunbeck
Lullaby and Goodnight by Wendy Corsi Staub
One Dark Night by Kevin F. McMurray
Rattlesnake Crossing by J.A. Jance
The Cat Who Sang for the Birds by Lillian Jackson Braun
The Panic Zone by Rick Mofina
The Silenced by Heather Graham
The Tale of Cuckoo Brow Wood by Susan Wittig Albert
Total Exposure by Tori Carrington
There Was A Little Girl by Ed McBain (Audio Cassettes)
The Old Silent by Martha Grimes (Audio Cassettes)


New Book Group #70 January 27, 2017
Thought I’d share some romances for February:
PAIRS:
Betty Neels: The Girl With Green Eyes and the Damsel in Green
Linda Howard: The Touch of Fire and Loving Forever
SINGLES:
The Devilish Pleasures of a Duke by Jillian Hunter
Kissed by Shadows (Get Connected Romances) by Jane Feather
Love's Brazen Fire by Betina Krahn
Love Letters From a Duke (The Bachelor Chronicles Book 3) by Elizabeth Boyle
Love Wild and Fair by Bertrice Small
Only With Your Love (Vallerands Book 2) by Lisa Kleypas
Scandalous Love by Brenda Joyce
Someone to Love by Jude Deveraux
Valentine by Jane Feather
A Visit From Sir Nicholas (Effington Family Book 9) by Victoria Alexander
Winter Fire by Jo Beverly


New Book Group #69 November 18, 2016
(I'll post a picture and links later)
Some books for Christmas
Mistletoe Marriage by Jessica Hart
Jingle Bell Blessings by Bonnie K. Winn
Snowbound with Mr. Right by Judy Christenberry
The Christmas Cowboy by Michele Dunaway
All I Want for Christmas by Gina Wilkins
All She Wants for Christmas by Stacy Connelly


New Book Group #68 October 28, 2016
SINGLE:
The Seventh Tower, Book One by Garth Nix
Plan of Attack by Dan Brown
Critical by Robin Cook


New Book Group #67 September 9, 2016

(*Three more very old books from my Gothics box.)
SINGLES:
*The Man in the Garden by Paule Mason (1969 - yellowed)


New Book Group #66 June 25, 2016

(I will post a picture later. *Four of these books are very old; pulled from a box of gothic novels I have had for many years. They may not be wanted by anyone and if so, I will donate elsewhere in time.)
SINGLES:
*Maggie – Her Marriage by Taylor Caldwell (1953 very old, yellowed pages, some stain damage doesn't effect reading)
Fire Dancer by Ann Maxwell


New Book Group #65 April 29, 2016

SINGLES:
The Champion by Heather Grothaus


New Book Group #64 March 4, 2016
SINGLES:
First Things First by Stephen R. Covey- Audio Cassette

New Book Group #63 January 22, 2016 -- All Gone

New Book Group #62 November 6, 2015 -- All Gone

New Book Group #61 October 30, 2015
SINGLES:
Border Bride by Deborah Hale

New Book Group #60 September 18, 2015
A set of "haunting" tales and a few mysteries for October!

SINGLES:
The Shadowing by Joan Overfield
Trilogy Of Mysteries Audio Book Shadow Prey, There Was A Little Girl, Smokescreen Audio Cassettes (NOT CDs)

New Book Group #59 July 31, 2015 -- All Gone

New Book Group #58 June 26, 2015 -- All Gone

New Book Group #57 May 1, 2015 -- All Gone

New Book Group #56 March 20, 2015
SINGLES:
The Sweetheart Dance by Patti Ann Colt
Raintree Haunted by Linda Winstead Jones (spine creases)

New Book Group #55 February 5, 2015 -- All Gone

New Book Group #54 December 26, 2014 -- All Gone

BOX 4 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 47-53)

The Hidden Truth of Cytech's Randall Forty by Vickie Kennedy
Jezebel by Katherine Sutcliff
Undateable by Ellen Rakieten & Anne Coyle


BOX 3 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 39- 47)

Shetland Summer by Janet Lynnford
Breakfast in Bed by Sandra Brown - Audio Cassette Tapes (link is for mass media version)
Sweet Talking Man by Betina Krain


BOX 2 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 24- 38)

Thinner by Stephen King
Foundation (Foundation Novels) by Isaac Asimov
Magic: The Gathering Distant Planes, An Anthology
The Willful Widow by Valerie King (spine wear)
An Honorable Man by Rosemary Rogers (spine creases)
A Courtesans Guide to Getting Your Man by Susan Donovan and Celeste Bradley -- NOTE This book has dog bite damage; it is missing half back cover and the edges of pages in the back third of the book... it does not effect the text but I will understand if no one wants this one
The Trailsman: Texas Lead Slingers by Jon Sharpe
Anthology: Something Borrowed, Something Blue - this book has spine creases and minor water damage...I thought I had read it and liked it but now I realize it was another anthology I read with Elaine Barbier.


BOX #1 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 1- 23)

Alien Chronicles - The Crimson Claw by Deborah Chester
Ghost Writer (Shivers #3) by M.D. Spenser

If you saw the pictures posted of my bookshelves and boxes you know I do have lots of books! And that doesn't include the other eight or so boxes at my office!! And more books as I find deals too good to pass up! I am sharing my book bounty by these Friday Pick Giveaways.

I started Friday Pick on November 27, 2009 and in almost seven years I have posted 68 groups of 16 (1,088) books to find new homes! (as of November 4, 2016).

I am happy to say that so far about 1,052+ books have found new homes! YAY. I have to update my print out to check the exact number sent out - a few were never claimed. I periodically update the lists - deleting those won. You can still go to the Friday Pick list link to see older posts and the older lists book pictures if you want!

Note rules here regarding international entries.

Because postage to overseas can be prohibitive I am willing to give a $5.00 book certificate to international winners - Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, ARe, TWRP, ClassAct Books, eTreasures, Desert Breeze, etc....you tell me where and I'll set it up. So for my overseas visitors your comment may indicate a smaller book and I'll check postage or note your choice of gift card.

I learned that The Book Depository does not ship to everywhere. The postage for some of the books to far away places runs between $7.00 and $10.00 and up. Since I would award $5.00 for The Book Depository to an international winner, as an alternative you may choose a smaller book and we will hope the postage will not exceed $6.00. If the postage is more, or if you want to pick a larger book and you are willing to pay any extra postage beyond the $6.00 I will work with you on that. This may not make a difference to many but if it helps one or two of you to give one of my books a home that will make me happy too. :o)

Repeating this helpful blog tip: You can right click on a link and you will be given the choice to open the link in a new window or tab so you do not navigate away from the screen you are on!! I use this all the time!