A Cloud by Day, a Fire by Night: Finding and Following God's Will for You by A.W. Tozer, edited by James L Snyder
176 pages; Bethany House Publishers, March 2019
review copy via NetGalley, thank you

How can I know God's will for me, personally? It's a question that haunts us all at times--maybe when we're looking for the right job, thinking about moving to a new city, or deciding whether or not to get married. At every stage we have difficult decisions to make, and we long for God's direction and his warm reassurance that we're heading the right way.

A Cloud by Day, a Fire by Night captures Tozer's teaching on the will of God taken from sermons he preached just before he left his successful church in Chicago. Tozer was no stranger to facing difficult decisions, and his wisdom and biblical insight will help guide you in decisions of your own. The title comes from the story of God leading his people out of Egypt into the promised land. In the same way, let this book help reveal where he is leading and reassure you that he will be by your side every step of the way.

I have heard my pastor quote from A. W. Tozer a few times in the last year so when I was given the opportunity to review this book that is coming out Spring of 2019 I was excited to try it. While Tozer himself is no longer on this earth his classic and encouraging words remain. The book is actually set up so that it could be read a chapter a day similar to a devotional. It is a quick 176 pages (paperback version) divided into 23 chapters, each beginning with a simple but relevant prayer or poem.

In today's modern world of distractions and endless responsibilities dragging us farther and farther away from how God wishes we would live, Tozer's message remains clear and focused, reminding us of the truths of God's love for us through His almighty power and attributes. Sample chapter titles are "Coming against our enemy", "Blessings and Battles" and "The Curse of Delayed Blessings".

A favorite and timely quote: "There are weeds of unbelief choking our belief. Our job is to find them and uproot them from our lives. The Angel before me will faithfully lead me away from all elements of unbelief hiding within my life."

The way in which Tozer reminded myself of the many enemies I have (myself being the greatest) but recognizing the enemies such as temper, inferiority complexes and of course facets of other people in general is a valuable reminder of obedience and turning those into weapons for the kingdom of God.

As you go throughout your day making your simple decisions and then perhaps your tougher decisions, are you remembering God's will? Do you struggle with finding what God's will means for you? Through Tozer's own inspired words in A Cloud by Day, a Fire by Night you may find a little more clarity in recognizing paths of rebellion and ambition and instead better yourself by leading in the path of graciousness. Tozer himself writes "I am where I am today because of the wisdom of God in opening up the right doors at the right time."

I really enjoyed this book and will continue to do so. Its message is timeless and can be used as a daily tool to remind yourself which binoculars to use as you are choosing paths all the while cultivating the presence of God.

I turned off commenting long ago on the blog but I welcome comments at the Facebook page here.

I turned off commenting long ago on the blog but I welcome comments at the Facebook page here.

Sarah Koontz, Living By Design

BEFORE I GO is the name of an upcoming bible study presented by a very inspiring lady Sarah Koontz that I wanted to share with you. Some of you may or may not know that at some point over the last year I have found a new hobby for bible journaling and it was through online sharing on Facebook that I found the loveliest of ladies Sarah Koontz. Someone had posted about a bible study coming from Sarah focusing on Solomon's Wisdom  which I was able to focus on during my lunch breaks (in the car!). That study was so eye opening for me and perhaps it was because I felt she was talking to me! Her audio commentary spoke to my heart in such an exceptional way I could not help but want to follow more of her devotionals. I've studied each of her studies after that and recently participated as a launch team member for the brand new study Before I Go through the Living By Design Ministries.


And while the name of this blog is Burton Book Review I realize the book in question here, the bible, may not be your thing for so many personal reasons. I want to say that I respect you for that. I also implore to try out this study of Jesus's last words from the book of John. A fun fact I learned through this study is that John uses the word BELIEVE ninety-eight times in his gospel. One simple action, believe! Why should you follow Jesus? This study will show you how worth it it is!

All you need to complete this free online Bible study is 15 minutes per day, an open mind and your mobile device (or your computer).

The Before I Go study will offer you an email full of engaging content each morning including a few days of rest on the weekend with an emailed goodie like a cellphone wallpaper to keep your mind creatively inspired, continually aiding in your reflection. Perhaps you will be inspired to create in your bible journal!

The 21 day study will focus on John 14-17. You may have been told Jesus is the way and you doubtfully ponder this context for our modern lives. Let Sarah help you apply Jesus's teachings found in these three very important chapters of John's gospel. There are so many ways this study will help you apply some of Jesus's teachings to your everyday life. This could help you deal with work issues, your relationships and bring you to a greater understanding of God's truth.

This is an invitation to show you who Jesus really is! What a glorious opportunity to see Jesus Christ through the eyes of one of His closest friends, John.

visit this site to enter your email address and you're in!

Each day will focus on a key verse from the scripture alongside the commentary from Sarah to help put things in a new perspective.
There will be action points. Things to ponder.
There is a discussion question if you choose to follow along on the daily facebook thread.
There are references to other resources to help us find more truths because even Sarah knows that even she can use some back up.

My favorite feature is the link that will be in each emailed devotional to her Audio Commentary! You can listen to her devotional at any time by just clicking on her link to the audio. The Bible can be confusing and Sarah really hones in on the scripture and examines what God really wants us to do, and you don't need to do anything but sit back and listen (or read)! You do need to register with your email address so that she can send you her goodies starting on October 15th. I do hope you will join me using the #BeforeIGo hashtag for discussions.

We are celebrating the release of this powerful new study with weekly giveaways at LivingbyDesign.org and other collaborating blogs. Each handcrafted giveaway item is inspired by the beautiful truths in John 14-17 and we are so grateful for our talented creative partners who have donated these items to support the study.

This week’s giveaway bundle is worth more than $122. It features handcrafted items from Drift Design Co, AE Lettering Co, Evy Letters, and Copperhead Jewelry. Enter below for your chance to win!


In addition to this fantastic giveaway, everyone who pre-registers for the study by October 14 will be entered to win a custom handpainted Bible from Wheat and Honey Co.

THIS STUDY IS FREE! There is no reason you cannot pre-register today! Please feel free to reach out to me to ask any questions.

I turned off commenting long ago on the blog but I welcome comments at the Facebook page here.

Draw the Circle: The 40 Day Prayer Challenge By Mark Batterson
Published by Zondervan, December 2012
240 pages Paperback, available on Kindle
Free Review copy provided via booksneeze
Life and prayer lessons to remember! Fantastic inspirational tool

Do you pray as often and as boldly as you want to? There is a way to experience a deeper, more passionate, persistent, and intimate prayer life.

Drawing from forty days of true stories, Mark Batterson applies the principles of his New York Times bestselling book The Circle Maker to teach us a new way to pray. As thousands of readers quickly became many tens of thousands, true stories of miraculous and inspiring answers to prayer began to pour in, and as those stories were shared, others were bolstered in their faith to pray with even more boldness.

In Draw the Circle, through forty true, faith-building stories of God’s answers to prayer, daily scriptures and prayer prompts, Batterson inspires you to pray and keep praying like never before. Begin a lifetime of watching God work. Believe in the God who can do all things. Experience the power of bold prayer and even bolder faith in Draw the Circle.

I had seen this book mentioned quite a few times so I was eager to snap up a copy of my own. There are times when I'm wanting to "be" or "feel" closer to God, and just reading the bible sometimes doesn't cut it. I wanted to try out a devotional, and learn how to feel like I am accomplishing something when I am praying to God. The first sentence sold me on the book, and the other rave reviews helped seal the deal.

And so my first experience with a 'Prayer Devotional' shall begin with Mark Batterson's Draw the Circle. What I expect from the book is a bit of guidance on getting organized with my prayer requests, and to learn how to formulate a prayer request in my mind without stumbling over my words. Based on the synopsis, I should draw inspiration from 40 stories that will inspire me to be more bold in my prayers.

The book reads swiftly, with mini-anecdotes to illustrate the point of each chapter. Most memorable are when he writes of hitting his knees in the airport, something that I turned into an easy to remember 'stop, drop and pray' mantra. When is it okay to pray? Obviously, whenever, and however you can manage it. It's a reminder that hey, God is everywhere, and He is listening.

Topics covered include persistence in prayer, and having the ability to act on your prayer. Sometimes just waiting for God to answer your prayers isn't good enough, God wants to see you want to work for it, too. And what if you are very persistent, and you are praying, and yet there is nothing fulfilling? Maybe you are looking at it the wrong way. Maybe you need to do it differently.

Think of George Washington Carver, and peanuts, and then UNICEF and peanut based nutrients for the impoverished of the world, as not such a good idea as it is a God-idea. And a seed.. that single seed and how much life it holds in its tiny existence, yet so full of promise: Day 12: Sowing a Seed made me cry. Perhaps you will find a different chapter that will be your spark of recognition for God's love for you, but this book will help you find some solace. And it will bring new meaning to your prayers, when you pray and how you feel about it.

 Thank you to Zondervan and Booksneeze for my free review copy, for which I am still reading and will use it as an inspirational tool in the future as well..

Give you and your kiddos a step in the right direction with this inspirational book!

I Love You to God and Back by Amanda Lamb
Published by Thomas Nelson April 17, 2012
Spiritual Growth & Christian Thought
Paperback, 272 pages
978-1400203918
Review copy provided by Thomas Nelson, thank you!
Burton Book Review Rating: 4 stars

A Mother and Child Can Find Faith and Love Through Bedtime Prayers

Whimisical. Simple. Thankful. Profound.

One day at a time, one prayer at a time, a busy working mother and playful six-year-old daughter transformed their bedtime prayers. They started rushed and tired. Distracted, "It's late. Let's go."

And then, gradually, something happened. A thank you here. A vulnerable moment there. The perfunctory prayers became . . . opportunities.

Like a window into their relationship their prayers and reflections let us witness the growth, enjoy the childlikeness, and learn from their winsome faith. Discover how you and your child can find connection, humor, and a deeper understanding of God in the quiet last few minutes of each day.

This inspirational book by Amanda Lamb captured my interest with the description of a harried mother that is quite similar to myself. Busy, Distracted and Frustrated. Time to sit back and smell the roses and instill some peace into my family life. What better way than to bring God into a young child's routine with prayers, love and compassion. And to some, just doing that might seem like a chore. But taking baby steps, like starting with this book, you can achieve a brighter outlook.

At first glance, I had hoped this was a book I could share with one of my children, but instead it is a more of a self-help book that details the author's journey. And as one that shies away from self-help, I was disappointed. However, the author's non-condescending tone quickly drew me in. She writes simply, as she writes in diary fashion of her youngest daughter's prayer. It is heartwarming, and makes you wish you could hug young Chloe. She is an inspiration...to the reader and to the author, as the author thinks about the words her daughter is saying and spins them into a small lesson learned. She uses this quiet time with her daughter as a glimpse into her daughter's world, seeing the world through her eyes, and sharing with us the encouraging experience. And quite frankly, I feel like Amanda is my new best friend, she writes honestly and without overdoing the finer points on parenting.

As a working mother myself, I know I don't take enough time to fully comprehend the magnitude of the little things that occur in my children's lives. This book is an easy refresher course on how to take it one day at a time and incorporate the love of God into your routine in small ways, and you will be rewarded with a sense of well-being. I never really thought of the importance of daily prayers for my children, and because of this book I have mended my ways. I feel more in touch with myself, and now my children pray to God and Jesus just like Chloe does. I especially loved the format of the book, knowing that I can easily jump around from one entry to another and bookmark those of Chloe's prayers that were the most inspiring so I could go back to it and read for five minutes and take in that breath of fresh air. The book definitely exceeded its purpose to  create a brighter spark of meaning into this thing we call life.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson and for the first BookSneeze book that I requested in a few years!