Author Bethel Grove
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Books in Review: Beyond Betrayal

6/8/2023

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This was a book that I didn’t realize how much I needed it. I first heard about this book when I got a free download of the audiobook from Christian Audio a few years ago. It wasn’t until I did some self-reflection that I realized how much I needed to read a book like this. So I quickly tracked down a gently used copy. I eventually had the whole book read in a single day. This type of book turned out to be exactly what I needed to read. This book allowed to wrap my head around the number of betrayals I have experienced, start the journey of processing them, and help me get on track to healing. I wish I had this book 5 or 6 years ago. If you have experienced any sort of betrayal, this is a book that I cannot recommend enough ~ Bethel

Betrayal is a scary and often painful word. Sadly, most of us are all too familiar with the pain that is associated with this word. Some betrayals are small, while others are life-altering. The more we trusted them before it happened, the most deeply we are wounded by their actions. Once we’ve experienced it, it has the ability to change the way we see everything, but many of us want to pretend like it means nothing. Yet we find ourselves stuck in a cycle of hurt and mistrust that we are unsure how to get out of not matter how her we try. It makes us ask the question: how can we heal and trust again after we’ve been betrayed?
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​In his book Beyond Betrayal, author Phil Waldrep teaches his audience a biblical perspective on handling and processing betrayal. Sharing from his own experience of being betrayed by a friend and employee, Waldrep reveals how real and devastating the pain of a betrayal can be, as well as the unfortunate consequences if we choose to suppress our emotions from betrayal and refuse to deal with them. He reveals what can be learned about the nature of betrayal by one of the most famous betrayals of all time – Judas. He walks us through many of the emotions that come at the different stages of processing and healing from betrayal, including shock, anger, isolation, forgiveness, and more. Each chapter concludes with practical advice for implementing the concepts discussed. Through it all, you will find hope for healing and evidence through the author’s story of how God can redeem any pain or hurt we experience for His glory. This book speaks with incredible wisdom and insight into a topic that is not discussed often enough. This is a book I highly recommend to anyone who has ever experienced a betrayal.

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Teen Rating. As long as your teen is mature enough to read about the nature of Judas’ death, then I think they can read this with no problem. I personally recommend it for those 15 and older
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Personal Rating. This book is a powerful one that has helped me in more ways than one. I can’t recommend it enough
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Books in Review: Please Sorry Thanks

4/4/2023

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​ I was excited to hear that Mark Batterson was releasing another book. However, I was admittedly surprised to discover what it was about. Having written dozens of books, many of which have multiple variations of the same core material, this book was one, at least at first glance, I don’t think I would have expected to have been written by him. However, once I got into the book, it was easy to see that this book was written in his style of speaking and challenging the reader that has become more familiar to me as I read more of his books. While it initially seemed strange, I found this book to be just as inspiring as his other titles that I have read, on a subject that is incredibly relevant to my life. It was also an honor to be a part of the launch team for this release. Whether this is your first Batterson book or your 12th, this book is one I definitely recommend ~ Bethel

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​In his book, Please Sorry Thanks, bestselling author Mark Batterson explains the life-giving and life-changing qualities of these words and the far-reaching implications of choosing to adapt them to our lives and relationships. Breaking down each of these words into three parts of the book, Batterson explores each of them in a way that connects with his readers. We learn in the “Psychology of Please” how our willingness to be polite and humble can open hearts, minds, and even opportunities. Through the “Science of Sorry”, we learn that willingly admitting when you do wrong or expressing compassion for someone who’s struggling can restore broken relationships. In the “Theology of Thanks”, we discover how learning to have a spirit of gratitude and thankfulness can change the way we see the people and world around us. Through all this, we are reminded that choosing to put the power of all three of these common words together can change our hearts and relationships more than we can imagine. Batterson does all of this in his unique style of writing, full of fun and relatable stories and illustrations, that makes you feel you are speaking with a friend. This book is a creative and inspiring approach to common words that we can tend to take for granted. It’s one that every Christian should read. Get your copy today!

* I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review

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Singles-Friendly Rating. My only issue with the book is that some of the illustrations spoke strictly to marriage and/or families. While I was able to figure out ways to relate, I wish there were a few illustrations that also spoke to singles instead of just married people. There is also an illustration that mentioned testosterone in such a way that it was only speaking to men, but this reference was not clarified to be only for men reading the book. It was kind of confusing as a woman.
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Personal Rating. Aside from these minor issues, this is a great book, as are all the books I’ve read from Mark Batterson so far. I look forward to reading more.

Make sure to check my reviews of my other books by Mark Batterson:
In A Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day
Chase the Lion
Circle Maker
Draw the Circle
Win the Day
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Books in Review: Safe All Along

3/28/2023

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​I was so excited to hear that Katie was releasing another book. Her first book Kisses from Katie was a very influential book in my first few years after I graduated college. I was also on the launch team for her last book Daring to Hope. So I jumped at the opportunity to read an advanced copy and join the launch team. I discovered a book that, much like her two previous books, was exactly what I needed to read in this season of my life. The continuation of her story is not what I expected it would be, but it is still a tale full of God’s love, faithfulness, and provision. She even taught me something new about the biblical story from which my name originates. If you have read either of Katie’s previous books or you struggle to trust God to be your Prince of Peace, then this is a book you definitely want to read ~ Bethel

Safe is a word that describes how many of us long to feel. But it’s also true that it’s a feeling that too many of us struggle to maintain. When we don’t feel safe, we tend to feel worried and afraid. We get caught in anxious mental spirals of “what-ifs” and “if-only's” that steal the joy of the present from us. Especially in the aftermath of a global pandemic, people in our world seem to be struggling to find their peace. As Christians, we know God is there, but we struggle to fully rest in His love, grace, and provision. It makes us ask the question: can we ever feel safe again?
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In her book, Safe All Along, bestselling author Katie Davis Majors walks her readers through the struggles of overcoming anxiety so that they can realize that she did that we have been safe all along. She begins the book by describing a story of swimming in the Nile River with her daughter in a place with fast rapids. When they both got caught in the rapids, Katie thought her daughter would get swept away. When they both came out alright, Katie’s husband took her to a higher vantage point, where she could see that there were several places along the river where her daughter could have swam to safety. This illustration sets up the whole book, encouraging readers to realize that in Christ, we are safe all along. This is hard-earned wisdom for Katie, as she experienced serious anxiety over the last several years between the weight of worrying for her family and loved ones, a global pandemic, and a difficult move from her beloved country of Uganda to the United States. While she has chosen to see a therapist and medication to help with her struggle, Katie has also chosen to process her struggles and anxieties through the lens of Scripture and help her readers do the same. The first half of the book lays the foundation for overcoming the spiritual aspect of anxiety and worry by sharing Scriptures and part of the story of her emotional roller coaster of the last few years. The second half of the book lays out 10 practices based on Scripture that can help readers in their own journey toward finding biblical shalom.
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This book is honest, relatable, and full of powerful biblical truth. Katie continues to speak with wisdom beyond her years and a vulnerability that allows readers to find a place in which they relate to her journey. This is a great book that I highly recommend. Get your copy today!

*I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review

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Singles-Friendly Rating. One of my only criticisms of the book is that, from the perspective of a single person, I wish that more attempts had been made to relate to singles in some of the illustrations the author used. When all the illustrations refer to marriage, it can leave single people feeling left out. While the topics were relatable, I wish that more effort was made to speak to single people.
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Personal Rating. My other criticism is that while, as someone who struggles with anxiety, I could relate to a lot of the author’s anxieties, I could not relate to all of them. Especially as a single woman, I couldn’t relate to the author’s struggles with being anxious about the future of her children. But it is a reminder that when it comes to worries and anxieties, each person’s struggles are unique to their mind. I still found so much wisdom, grace, and hope in these pages. This is a book I highly recommend.


​Check out my reviews of Katie's previous titles:
Daring to Hope
Kisses from Katie

​I am also running a giveaway through Simple Youth Ministry for a Free PDF package of my book Are You Ready to Be Baptized?
For more information, check out my Facebook post:   
http://tiny.cc/okp5vz
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Books in Review: Heaven Rules

12/21/2022

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When I heard about this book, I wasn’t totally sure what to expect based on the title alone. I knew that I enjoyed several of Nancy’s other titles, but this one seemed a little different. When I finally got around to reading it, I was pleasantly surprised by the contents. This book represents both Nancy’s worldview and a powerful study into the book of Daniel. She even tackles some of the prophetic parts that many other Christian authors are scared to touch in a way that is relevant to modern audiences. This book is another great treasure among the wisdom shared by Nancy in her writings ~ Bethel

 This world can be a scary place to live, especially in the times we live in today. It’s hard enough at times for us to keep our heads above the water as we juggle the trials and struggles of our daily lives, especially when we find ourselves amid crises that we did not expect. But then the struggles of our personal lives become compounded by the tumultuous social and political times we live in. It’s no wonder that we have a mental health crisis on the rise and it seems to only be getting worse. For those of us that are Christians, we want to find peace and hope, but the sounds of the chaos in our lives and world tend to drown out the peace we find. It makes us ask the question: how do we find peace when we don’t always know what the future holds?
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​In her book Heaven Rules, Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth shares how choosing to take to heart the two-word phrase of the book’s title is the key to calming our fears and finding our courage amid a chaotic world. Nancy teaches her readers that “Heaven Rules” (sometimes abbreviated as “HR”) can become a powerful mantra that can keep us anchored to the truth of God’s word, reminding us that God has control over the micro (the tiny details of our personal circumstances) and the macro (the big picture of what’s happening in your life or even the world). By walking through the book of Daniel, we learn about the prominence of this theme through the book, as well as the consequences when even the mightiest of earthly rulers choose to ignore Heaven’s rule. She even tackles the prophetic half of the book in a way that is contemporary but also biblically sound. 

However, I have a few minor criticisms that are unrelated to the content of the book:
1) I don’t understand why this book does not mention the book of Daniel in its subtitle. I believe this to be an unwise marketing choice, because people browsing for the book have no idea that the author is reflecting on the book of Daniel unless they read the book’s description online or the flap of the inside cover. That is a detail that should be included in the subtitle and the back cover so there is no confusion.
2) This small hardcover book is an awkward size. To get a hardcover book with a dustjacket on this relatively short book, they have to make it a smaller trim size that makes it uncomfortable to hold for long periods of time. I had to take the dustjacket off to read it, and even then it was still uncomfortable to hold for too long. I have never had that problem with a physical book before, so it was quite frustrating. Given its short length, this book would have been better suited as a thin paperback. I recommend reading the eBook version for this reason.

Despite these issues, this book is inspirational, as it challenges its readers to use “Heaven rules” as the lens through which they view and interact with the world. It has the power to calm our worst fears and anxieties, give hope to those who feel hopeless, and inspire courage in the fearful. With these powerful and biblical sound teaching at the forefront, this is a book that I highly recommend. Get your copy today!

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review
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Personal Rating. The content of the book is spot on and I would highly recommend it to practically anyone. The only reason I am marking it down is because of the title confusion and awkward size.


To read my review of a classic fiction about heaven,
The Great Divorce, click here
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To read reviews of other books by
Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth, click here
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Books in Review: Good Boundaries and Goodbyes

11/7/2022

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I have been looking forward to this book since I first heard about it. Although truthfully, I wish it was a book that Lysa didn’t have to write and that I didn’t need its message. Many of her last several books have come out of a place of struggle and pain from trials she has endured. To see that those trials have continued is difficult for those of us who follow her. However, many of these last several books have been messages I needed to hear at the time I needed to hear them. As I have continued to process some of my trials, many of them have come back to boundaries that should have been drawn or goodbyes that were incomplete. This book has helped me comprehend some of the hard things that have happened in different relationships in my life through a biblical lens. I know that this book can help others do the same. That’s why it was an honor to be on the launch team for this book ~ Bethel

The topic of boundaries is largely underappreciated or misunderstood in our world today. This is because many of us struggle to understand that we only have the capacity to handle so much emotionally, and that if we don’t set boundaries, people can and will exhaust our emotional resources until we have nothing left for ourselves. Unfortunately, this seems to be an even greatest struggle for some Christians, who have bought into the lie that setting boundaries is unbiblical. This often leads to “boundaries bullying” where someone wants to insist that they have unlimited access to you, even quoting misinterpreted Scriptures to prove their point. This puts us in a difficult position of having to choose between maintaining that relationship and our emotional well-being. It makes us ask the question: is there a way for us to love others without losing the best of ourselves?
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In her new book Good Boundaries and Goodbyes, bestselling author Lysa TerKeurst helps her readers develop a biblically-grounded view of setting boundaries and walking away from unhealthy relationships. Through her own story of struggles in her marriage and some friendships, she walks alongside her audience in the process of learning how to love others without losing themselves. After many years of counseling and intense theological study, Lysa learned that boundaries are a biblical idea, going back to the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve first sinned, and that we have to know ourselves well enough to know our own emotional capacity so we can set boundaries to prevent someone from taking away our emotional capacity. She gives five key factors to remember when setting boundaries as well as insights into Scriptures that are misinterpreted to call boundaries into question. She also gives tools to help you determine when a relationship has become destructive enough that it’s time to walk away and advice on how to make peace when it’s time to say goodbye, whether the separation is for a time or is permanent. There is also practical advice at the end of most of the chapter from Lysa’s counselor Jim Cress with more tools on your journey to understanding boundaries. This book is very honest and practical as it speaks from Lysa’s hard-earned wisdom on a difficult topic. The biblical ideas and tools here are essential concepts for Christian women who desire to maintain both relational and emotional health. This is a book I highly recommend. 

* I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review

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Teen Rating. There are a lot of great concepts that teen girls could absorb, even if some of the examples are talking to married adult women.
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Male Friendly Rating. While Lysa speaks more directly to adult women (especially married women) there is still a lot of great material that men could benefit from. I wouldn’t be afraid to recommend this to men.
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Singles Friendly Rating. This book is one that Christian single women should read before they get married. After reading this, I am convinced that understanding boundaries before you get married is essential to having a healthy marriage. But all the concepts are applicable even if you aren’t married.
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Personal Rating. This is probably Lysa’s best book yet. I cannot recommend it enough.

To read a review of a book about finding hope in difficult seasons, click here
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To read reviews of more books by Lysa TerKeurst, click here
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    Lion's Eyes Reviews is a blog dedicated to reviews of Christian books, most of which are non-fiction, but may also occasionally review movies and musicals. It will also feature the work Bethel does to help launch and promote the works of Christian authors.

    The name is derived from one of Bethel's favorite books, Through the Eyes of a Lion by Levi Lusko. Through these reviews, Bethel hope to give Christians the tools they need to look at the world "through the eyes of a lion" so they can find the courage to "run toward the roar". 

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​Bethel Grove is a Christian young woman who loves to read and write, eat Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Blizzards, and disciple teen girls as a youth leader. What started as a hobby of writing book reviews and doing deep biblical studies eventually led her down the path of self-publishing and helping other Christian authors launch their books. She hopes to someday be a vocational youth minister and well-known author.
​Learn more

Bethel's Books

Redeeming the Beast
Beyond Your Wardrobe

Are You Ready to Be Baptized?
Other Books

Lion Eyes Reviews

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