The Butterfly Effect by Andy Andrews

The Butterfly Effect by Andy Andrews is an incredibly motivating book packed into a small package. This book takes you through several different stories and explains how each story has a big impact. Though the story in itself may seem small or insignificant, when viewed along with the bigger picture you see how the small story has changed the bigger event and even helped to change the world. The author implores us, "Everything you do matters. Every move you make, every action you take matters." The book is easy to read and loaded with visually stimulating backgrounds. This book would make a wonderful gift for graduates or others who need to be motivated and brought to the realization that their life matters. For instance the author points out that a man named Norman Borlaug was responsible for developing a disease resistant corn and wheat that was able to save countless lives from dying of starvation. But he was influenced by Henry Wallace, former Vice President of the United States, but Henry Wallace was influenced by George Washington Carver and George Washington Carver's life was saved when he was young, and you get the picture.
This is a wonderful book and I would highly recommend it for personal reading or as a gift.

The Voice of the Psalms, Thomas Nelson Inc.

A great read and wonderful for devotionals.
The Voice of the Psalms is a contemporary reading of the book of Psalms along with some incredible thoughts for most of the Psalms. These thoughts, for further reflection on the Psalm, were written by a unique team from fiction authors, poets, pastors, scholars and more. This unique collection also includes several different reading plans designed to take you through the Psalms with different topics in mind, including: "Praise and Worship" and "Seeking Help from God."
This is a wonderful read! It puts the Psalms into a modern read and I found the additional thoughts very insightful. I would recommend this book for anyone who would like a devotional on the Psalms. It is an easy read and gives you some further insight into what you are reading.

Love and Respect by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs

Love and Respect by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs is not just a typical marriage help book, it is much deeper than that. This book's subtitle summarizes the book well: "The love she most desires, the respect he desperately needs." Throughout this book Dr. Eggerichs uses both scripture and practical experience to drive home his message. The core message of this book is taken from Ephesians 5:33 "Each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband". This is the key element Dr. Eggerichs suggests is missing from most marriages.
As I read this book I was struck with both the depth yet simplicity of the message. It was like a light bulb went off as I read. For example, Dr. Eggerichs describes the vicious circle most marriages are stuck in: 1. Without love - she reacts - without respect - he reacts, and round it goes. As I continued through this book I was encouraged by the personal stories and examples from other couples who were struggling with these issues of love and respect. I appreciated this book and the help it will be to many marriages.