Resources Books

What it comes to Christian mothering help (with the right touch of humor) Jean Stockdale is by far the BEST! Biblical principals, much needed empathy, and large doses of humor make her entire teachning series a hit with me. I'm on my 2nd teaching book and I actually enjoy & look forward to doing my homework. I have learned so much.

I did this Bible study with a group of women from my church. Every one of our lives were transformed by it! Jean Stockdale is an incredible Bible teacher, but it was her message that was so dynamic - become a student of God's Word. This study was challenging as well as encouraging!

Jean Stockdale has truly changed my life and the way that I mother my two girls. She has so much wisdom and provides so much insight on how to raise Godly children. She is also very practical on how to handle such things as sibling rivalry, discipline, and releasing your children one day to go into the real world. I have learned so much from her. I recommend this book VERY much. You will be blessed.

WOW! This is really an insightful Bible study taught by a very gifted Bible teacher. I have studied under Jean for a couple of years now and can see how God has used the Biblical insight taught through her studies to cultivate a love for God's word in my life.
This study was one of my favorites because the weekly lessons teach on wisdom, friendship, importance of our words, anger, discipline, and integrity through an indepth study of Proverbs. This is an excellent resource to do as a group or individually. You will find the biblical teaching to be doctrinally sound and from the heart of a mom who has trully cherished the gift of mothering!

I have had the pleasure of being a part of the Moms Ministry at Bellevue Baptist Church, where Jean teaches, for a couple of years now. We actually completed this Bible Study last semester and it is excellent. Jean's lessons are full of wit, maternal wisdom, and most importantly- the word of God.

I am very selective and find most Bible Studies to simply skim the surface, but I have been very encouraged and challenged by each of Jean's studies. They are appropriate for both the new beleiver as well as the more mature Christian and will be beneficial to moms of children of all ages.

I definitely recommend this to anyone who wants to learn good Biblical principles and be a better mom (and wife if applicable). I should also mention that the study is not geared toward any denominational slant, so whether you are Lutheran, Baptist or Catholic you will learn valuable lessons from God's word told through a Mother's Heart.

Not at the level for me of Tales of Old-time Texas but still an excellent collection of stories from J. Frank Dobie. This collection is focused, as the title should tell you, on buried treasure, treasure maps and things of that nature. The book is still a joy to read and I don't understand why more of the country doesn't know about Mr. Dobie.

The author, a premier folklorist from Texas, writes about the Southwest and the type of treasure with which nature consoles the seeker -- "shadows for want of substantials." Unlike Coronado, the author seeks the treasure that emanates from the heart and mind. This is a fine book written seven decades ago and improves with each reading.

Dobie talks about this land of shadows where we meet Alice Henderson, who faced down fifty cow thieves; Don Milton Favor, who built his own fort while making treaties with hostile Indians; and Cheetwah, a mystic Indian chief who vanished into the mountains to keep vigil over hidden treasures. These and other characters spring from the pages of Dobie's book with a vigor and purpose that makes the heart sing.

The Texas of the Big Bend country is where Dobie's prose satisfies, "Outlandish pictures painted down the sides of caves by aborigines which no white man can now decipher...a jagged and gashed land where legend has placed a lost canyon, its broad floor carpeted with grass that is always green and watered by gushing springs, its palisaded walls imprisoning a herd of buffalo...somewhere in this land credulity has fixed a petrified forest with tree trunks seven hundred feet long."

The author claims, "After I hear a tale I do all I can to improve it," and this is an understatement. Readers who possess a sense of wonder will enjoy this book. History often cloaks personages with dusty trappings, stuffy sayings, and mixed motives so time has faded the awe that Drake, Cortez, Raleigh, and Coronado experienced. Dobie illuminates the wonder of the children of Coronado as they chase their dreams and draws us into their world of enchantment.

Francisco Coronado never found his golden riches or the fabled Seven Cities of Cibola during his time in the Southwest. When he returned in 1542, and told the truth about his barren search, he wasn't believed. One person who did believe said, "Granted he did not find the riches of which he had been told -- he found instead a place in which to search for them."

And the search continues. For centuries Coronado's vision of wealth has lured countless thousnads to the Southwest where tradition and myth have marked mountains, rivers, and ancient ruins with boundless treasures. This book follows long forgotten Spanihs trails, buffalo trails, cow trails, and areas where there are no trails as searchers dig for riches which eludes their grasp. Others, rather than searching, have sat and told stories of lost mines, buried treasure and of ghostly patrones who guard the treasures -- adding layers to the myths that abound in the land of Coronado.

This book lovingly describes Spanish influence and tradition on the Sountwest and combines a terrific cast of characters, interesting situations, and Dobie's unmatched skill at weaving a tale. The author's footnotes are at the end of the text and are filled with tales and legends of lost mines and treasures. There's an interesting section on the elaborate Code of Treasure Symbols used by the Spaniards. An excellent glossary of idioms used in the Southwest follows that section.

There is more to the American West than gunfighters, farmers, bankers, cowboys, and miners. The author has given us the realm of the dreamers.

J. Frank Dobie was a folklorist of Texas and "Coronado's Children" may be his best and most famous book. He was born in 1888 and bridged the old west and modern times. CC was written in 1930 when many of the old timers, who knew how to spin a yarn, were still around. Dobie sought them out and recorded their stories of lost gold and buried treasure. He was also a serious scholar who rummaged through Spanish and American archives to give authenticity to his stories -- and he was not adverse to saddling up a horse and doing a little on-the-ground research.

"Coronado's Children" has inspired thousands of otherwise normal people to pick up a shovel and head off to some god-forsaken wasteland to dig in the ground looking for the "Lost San Saba Mine," the booty of pirate Jean Lafitte, or the $2 million the James boys supposedly buried in the Wichita mountains of Oklahoma. These are the kind of stories that dreams are made of -- and who knows? Some of them might be true.

Dobie has collected nineteen tales in CC and he tells them beautifully in prose that is conversational and colorful. He has enormous respect for the land and the Indians, the Mexicans, and the Anglos who live in the harsh, dry country of the southwest. An oft-used adjective to describe his stories is "magical" and so they are. "Coronado's Children" is an American classic.

Smallchief

Perhaps the best folklore book ever written about lost mines and buried treasure, caves full of gold bars, and Spanish silver. As in most of Dobie's writings, this is not straight history but Dobie's version of other people stories with a large dose of Dobie in all of them. A Texas classic.

I read this book 30 years ago. I am now 75, and I rank it as one of the most fascinating books of my lifetime. It opened up a whole world of places and things that are long gone, but which deserve to be remembered. I believe that I have since read almost everything that Frank Dobie has written, but believe this is still the best.

This book offers great insight into these valuable assets--- our MVPs. The practical advise on how to manage MVPs is a extremely important for the HR community in supporting the organizations they work with. The authors research an area of leadership that is critical in these challenging times.

There are just so many business books, and most of them are one-dimensional--taking a single theory and stretching it into a cure-all. Butterris and Roiter offer something different and refreshing here...a framework for how to think about the people around you, and how to build strong individuals and teams. The specific stories are great... I highly recommend this for one's senior staff.

The authors tell a tale of business success that has been recently repopularized by Jim Collins in his book, Good to Great: hire good people and nurture them to success. In corporate MVPs, the entire thesis is to find and support your biggest assets. I found the authors' perspective refreshing and bold. I thought their tips on how to ID and exalt your corp MVPs to be common sensical, yet not obvious. This is a very good how to book for managers who have accepted the fact that recruiting talent is a wise career move. This is not to be confused with the presidential situation where the DUMB are hiring loyal DUMBERs, so as not to be threatened.

This book provides new research into the whole concept of the few people that create the most value for an organization.

The concepts are clear and practical and are enhanced by the stories from the people interviewed

A business friend told me of this book and suggested it to me when one of my most important employees was thinking of leaving.

I run a decent sized company (1200 people) and I know that a precious few employees make up the heart of my business. If these 3 or 4 people left I would be up the creek. We have a good program to manage our talented people but have not felt that we really had a handle on how to manage these "MVP"s. Corporate MVPs really helped me to think about these people and what makes them tick. I now appreciate them more than ever, and now I am pretty comfortable that I know how to manage them. I am less on edge about my MVPs leaving.

Corporate MVPs is a good companion to one of my favorite business books "Good to Great". Good to Great looks at how organizations can move from good to great. Corporate MVPs looks at how individuals can move from good to MVP status.


I found the Chapter on "Managing the MVP" to be especially helpful. I have followed its advice and I have seen great results with my 5 MVPs. I also really liked the anecdotes and ideas from many successful business people that are scattered throughout the book. It adds a real life business feel to the research.

I have given the book to a number of my promising people so they could read "How to Become an MVP". It has created some very interesting discussions in my staff meetings on how we can all find ways to improve.

I have also found the chapters on recruiting MVPs and on managing difficult MVPs to be timely and extremely useful.

I have bought copies for my HR Director and for all my direct reports. Once read it becomes a good reference book as the needs arise.

This book is a wonderful read. I highly recommend this to pastors, teachers, and leaders!

Dr. Jones' book is a welcome addition to the field of Christian counseling. Without proof-texting or shallow explanations, he gives a clear picture of what Christian counseling can and should look like.

Excellent book! It is academic and practical. I've used it in class as well as in personal ministry. Dr. Jone's practical applications and illustrations of Biblical truth and Psychological theory are right on target. I highly recommend this book, especially to those in ministry.

In "The Counsel of Heaven on Earth," professor Ian Jones outlines the essential features of biblical counseling. He clearly demonstrates how from cover to cover, the Bible provides Christian counselors with the blueprint for developing an effective counseling ministry.

His primary model, not surprisingly, is Jesus, the Counselor of heaven on earth. In particular, he highlight's Jesus greatest commandment(s): to love God and others. This guiding commandment of redemption builds upon an understanding of creation (the starting place for biblical counseling), and the fall (lostness and the human condition). Jones fleshes out his CFR (Creation, Fall, Redemption) model through personal illustrations, counseling narratives, and descriptions of counseling in the local church.

This is a valued addition to the field of biblical counseling that is well-balanced, practical, and theologically-sound.

Reviewer: Robert W. Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of Soul Physicians: A Theology of Soul Care And Spiritual Direction, Spiritual Friends: A Methodology of Soul Care And Spiritual Direction, Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction , "Biblical Psychology," and "Martin Luther's Counseling."

Dr. Jones does a wonderful job of presenting a form of counseling that is modeled after the ultimate counselor, Jesus Christ. It is a well written book with illustrations and good explanations. In a time of too many debates of the difference between biblical and Christian counseling, Dr. Jones gets it right. He presents the representation of a counselor who counsels with a Christian worldview, in accordance with the Bible and counsels in the most beneficial way for the client. The counselor is to find the client's "location" and meet them there, as Christ has met us.

This book has all the major policies and considerations for an employee handbook. I appreciate its clear concise language. It points out the policy considerations in choosing between options. It is current. (Laws change enough each year that I wouldn't suggest anyone buy a legal text over 5 years old or even a couple of years old in some cases.) The CD is easy to use. I'm a lawyer and was curious about it so I bought it. I was pleased with its thoroughness. If you are in a unionized environment remember that you can't just implement many of the policies therein without negotiating with your union. It would, however, give you language to discuss and the pros and cons of the alternatives.

I used the book for a class and found it full of a lot of helpful and useful information.

This is a complete kit for making your company's own employee handbook. There is legal information, state specific information, resources to follow for your specific needs, and then, the best part of all, there is CD that comes with this that has everything you need already typed for you. All you have to do is insert the CD and save the files, which are in MS Word, and voila - you have it. The only thing you have to do is decide which policies you want for your company, fill in a few blanks, change the TOC and you are ready to print it out! A very practical and easy way to create your own employee handbook! I was quite impressed.

I am very pleased with this book. I was placed in charge of writing an employee handbook for a small office and this book (and accompanying CD-ROM) made my job very easy. The CD-ROM allows you to easily cut and paste most of the general verbage of the handbook - and customize to your needs. It is also very helpful in educating on laws. I highly recommend this for anyone taking on the task of creating an employee handbook.

When my boss asked me to write an employee handbook I freaked. I had no idea where to start. This book gave me everything I needed to get what my boss wanted. Everyone was happy. This is the book you need.

I liked reading it. Was simple to understand. I got a lot of info. on starting a web page. The only thing is it shows you how to use a program to get a web page going but its only 2 programs so if you don't have the programs that it helps you with than don't buy this book.
The programs are Macromedia Dreamweaver MX 2004 and Microsoft FrontPage. It also helps you learn about some basics about photo editing and some graphics. I got some good use out of it. I just wish that it had the info. on my program I have. Other than that its a great book very informative about the basics of running your own web page.

i generally have found the for dummies series to be helpful, and this book is no exception -- you can sit down, thumb through it, and create a photo album online quickly without having to wade through any technical jargon or fluff. i'm no slouch in the web development department and even i found lots to like about this book -- it has helped me explain certain concepts and steps to my less technical family members. i'm including it with my standard baby shower package from now on (which also includes an aromatherapy relaxation candle, lip moisturizer, charmin-to-go, dove facial cleansing wipes, hand sanitizer, and other small items that new moms appreciate).

What a lot of helpful information, and it's written so average folks like me can understand it! My family is having fun sharing photos from our family reunion, and this book made it so much easier. Other books I've seen assume I know things I don't know. If you want to create a Web site but aren't sure how, I recommend this book.

If you've ever been bugged for photos from the family reunion, or wanted to show off your new kid/cat/car, this book actually makes it seem easy. I know, I know, putting up your own website has a reputation like dragging all your neighbors in and making them sit through your vacation slides used to. But this book shows you how you can still show off a little, without boring everyone to tears. Actually, you can do some pretty neat stuff, which can be really fun when your family is scattered all over, and you don't feel like running up the long-distance bills just so you can keep up on current events.

Very highly recommended.

As with the other For Dummies books, this book is intended for beginners and absolutely minimizes the jargon. At the most basic level the book provides a series of templates that can be used with a fill in the blank approach to get a site up and running quickly. Then it branches out to increasing the creativity by designing your own pages. At this level there is almost no mention of dynamic database driven sites. This is building a static web site with pictures and text. This is a book to get you started.

Most of the book is on showing you how to do things using Microsoft's Front Page. But on the CD is a trial version (30 Day limit) of Dreamweaver MX 2004. In addition, the CD includes:

Family Tree Maker
Contribute
Fetch, and
WS_FTP.

If you're a complete beginner to web design and programming, here's a good way to get started.

Great and informative book. Puts a lot of the problems now faced in the west into their context. Covers a lot of land history in the west not generally covered in school, but definately not a dry read!

A very though look at the major issues dividing westerners today. Looks at ranching, water, and logging in a very readable style. Do not loan this one out because it NEVER get returned. The only downfall is that this book is already dated because of the rise of the Wise Use movement.

An excellent rendition of how western law had transformend the American West into a land for humans, filled with dam after dam. Wild salmon have no where to go. Laws seem to be more powerful than Nature!

Wilkinson offers a balanced account of the forces that created the law and policy of the American West, and also of the forces that keep those outdated policies active in a very different West. As a native of Colorado, it was apparent that Wilkenson has spent a great deal of time in the American West and truly understands the complex issues that the region faces today. Very well researched, very easy to read.

A very scholarly, but accessible, history of the development of the West and the social/political/economic structures that shaped land, water and resource rights there. In particular, Wilkinson is addressing the notorious Hardrock Mining Act of 1872 (still in effect), the distribution of land and grazing rights, the fisheries of the Pacific Northwest, and the timber industry. His analysis of the Lords of Yesterday - his term for the antiquated statutes that govern those industries - is very convincing. The book's only weakness is that this is a 1992 text (presumably researched in the decade previous) that doesn't reflect changes in the laws and political pressures over the past decade. It would benefit from a new edition.

Understanding that comes from this book is very helpful. You can then see that ADD victims don't need to be told "your a problem" - rather we can work with ADD victims to maximize their tremendous and actually unique potential.

It was a very helpful book. I would like to have seen suggestions about who to see about getting someone tested. Overall, a very informative book.

This is an eye opening book into my husband's heart. It reminded me of his true strength's and helped me to see the reality of how God created him. We've learned better coping skills, especially for day to day and our relationship. This book holds so much hope for the future. My husband now knows that he is loved and accepted.
This is a must read for anyone in relationship with an ADD person.

I always knew my husband was ADD, and tried to do things to help him. The book and authors really helped me to understand, and APPRECIATE my husband. He is my best friend and when he hurts I hurt. It is great to find a book that encourages and gives couples and families help. It gives them a way to deal with everyone else's negative view of ADD. Practical tips on how to help make their lives easier.
This book is a great positive resource to anyone's library. It is a book and audio tape that you will want to give to other people to read and listen to. Even if you have a bookshelf full of ADD books, and you think you know everything about ADD, this book will SHOCK you with new insight and help give you a better and uplifting view of ADD.
GET IT & READ it, the information has saved marriages and made marriages better.

An incredible resource! Based on over a decade of research and their own experience of living with A.D.D. This is a book of hope and it clearly provides answers and validation to those who have had to struggle with A.D.D.
Through this series, you will find that you are not alone-whether you are the one who has A.D.D. or the spouse, family member, or friend of an A.D.D. individual. A true glimpse into the world of somebody who is "Affectionately Designed Differently".

Go ahead - try some fun in worship! There is enough here to delight all ages and involve all levels of worshippers.

I love this book! Packed with resources and real life stories, it leads the reader to consider ways to faithfully and sensitively lead the congregation into experiencing the word authentically and engaging with each other in ways that will build community and hope. Also check out their other book, Talking Faith, which is similarly well written and full of useful ideas.

This book is filled with fantastic ideas that will have you thinking about your church's worship in new and different ways. There is true depth to this pool--"Dare to Dive In" dares preachers and worship leaders to go into the deep end of encounter with an unpredictable God. The authors challenge those of us who usher others into the presence of God on Sunday mornings to engage mind and body, left brain and right brain, as we present our worship. There are terrific ideas here, presented with deeply faithful rationale. Let yourself be inspired by this book to find a new freshness in worship.

How can we communicate the message of our Christian faith in ways that can be deeply heard by all generations of people? Dare to Dive In answers this question by utilizing creative ideas for the parish that will both excite children AND engage adults. As a pastor of a small congregation, I understand the difficulty of communicating the word of God in a way that can be understood by all ages of people. This resource provides a creative and intergenerational approach to worship. It is neither "contemporary" nor "traditional" but simply "creative." Once again, the authors -- both pastors themselves -- have come through with ideas to invite all ages of congregants into worship. I highly recommend this book for pastors and worship leaders who are ready for a change.

Think of this as an idea book for worship planning. Dare to Dive In is exactly what's needed by worship leaders who want to lead experiential worship services. The authors are creative powerhouses and their book is packed with one great suggestion after another. Whether you're looking for liturgical season planning ideas or ideas for special worship services, this book is a great resource. Best of all, reading Dare to Dive In spurred my own imagination and creative thinking for worship.

I must say that this book came right alone side of some other material I have been studying. I have develop a series of sermons
and to have had this book at this time, was comfirmation for me, that I was is God Will, as I address the concerns at our pastorate. Which allowed me and my congregation to be enhance and to expand our understanding of ministry as it concerns our needs and God's Will. Thanks again for being use of the Lord!

No other book has motivated me to plan ahead and strategize more than this one. Both in personal life and in my ministry, this book points me to accomplishing what needs to be done. This book is invaluable. IT is worth ten times the money. Get it for yourself and see.

Malphus joins the growing ranks of authors whose goal is to help bring renewal to the church by teaching pastors how to develop a vision for ministry. In this, Malphurs was very successful. The author presents a six-step process to help pastors develop and implement a vision in the local church

Being a small church pastor I appreciate his emphasis on the small church. The use of the fictional Pastor Bob was an excellent tool of identification. It allowed the author to bring in the human element of discouragement, frustration and antagonism in a way that every pastor can identify with. Malphurs dealt adequately with the idea of opposition. The Deacon Bill character is a man we call can identify with.

His advice on how to obtain a vision was excellent, it was pragmatic and easy to use. This is in direct contrast with Barna's The Power of Vision (pgs. 81-1-84) that promulgated a process so tedious that only the most tenacious pastor would ever work his way through. His insight that vision will become a dividing rod in the congregation rings true- those who buy into it stay, those who do not, leave.

This was a pretty powerful book, but it was not without some weaknesses. It assumed that some of Pastor Bobs board were visionary people. In far too many churches, the maintenance mind-set is firmly entrenched in the power structure and visionary people are excluded. It is not unusual to have no men of vision on a church board, what then? Although he did not neglect the opposition to vision within the church, I think he did underestimate it. Peter Drucker makes it very clear that the people who have the most to lose by vision are the people who have invested the most into the organization. Barna's insight into the nature of opposition in his excellent book Turn Around Churches was far more realistic.

This book was packed full of helpful advice. I especially appreciated the distinction the author makes between leadership and management and that both are necessary in growing churches. Churches cannot grow without leadership and they cannot deal with the problems caused by growth without management. Thus the pastor must wear both hats.

Yes, this is a must read dealing with issues concerning vision that are not adequately covered in other books on the subject.

Like most ministers, I have read several books on vision. Some titles were very inspiring, other titles were very confusing. The vast majority however, were not very enlightening. This book by Malphurs moves beyond establishing the need for vision and helps the reader grasp, communicate, and implement a vision.

Malphurs follows an easy-to-understand process beginning with the definition of a ministry vision and ending with the preservation of that vision. I recommend this book highly to all ministry professionals, especially pastors.

In a world of religion where many churches seem to simply "exist" without much understanding of their own purpose, the answer time and time again of "Why?" comes back to a people perishing because of no Vision. Aubrey Malphurs skillfully weaves together wisdom and experience with practical application of a much used and little understood term: Vision. With fresh, illuminating spiritual insight, he guides us upon a journey of discovery and awareness. This voyage exposes the snapshot which has been impressed upon the film of your spirit, and through the "light-room" of the Holy Spirit, brings forth a full blown picture of what God wants the ministry He has given you to look like, ready to battle, in the 21st Century. If you would not be ignorant of the wiles of the devil, this book is a must read!