Nelson Books

"Inside the Adoption Agency" provides an informative description of the unique processes, challenges, and systems which influence international adoption. Her use of real life stories from around the globe illustrate important points and yield an engaging treatment of her subject matter.

Cristi Hillis, The CoMission for Children at Risk

This book is an excellent resource for anyone interested in international adoption-prospective adoptive parents and professionals alike. Written by Jean Nelson Erichsen, the cofounder of the first international adoption agency in Texas, it gives the reader a clear understanding of the history of international adoption, how international adoption agencies work, and the challenges they face on a day-to-day basis. One point that comes through loud and clear is the difficulty these agencies have dealing with the whims of foreign governments. The anecdotal stories that are added throughout the book to illustrate key issues help keep the reader's interest. The last chapter, Predicting the Future of International Adoption, is extremeley informative for anyone considering international adoption today. Its explanation of the Hague Convention, how it came about, and what its impact will be on future adoptions will give prospective adoptive parents a better understanding of where international adoption is going and what they may face on their journey to adopt their child.

This book is a concise, yet detailed book into the world of international adoption. The author does a magnificent job of outlining what prospective adoptive parents (PAPs) can expect...and what NOT to expect. She also provides tips/hints to avoid the traps set by unethical agencies (such as baiting parents with photolistings of adorable babies.)

I wish I read this book BEFORE we started our adoption journey in April 2006. We ended up loving and losing three sons by using a fraud in the adoption industry. The co-owner of the agency, Orson Mozes, has feld the country and is charged with 62 felonies. His wife and co-owner of the agency, Christen Brown, although not charged criminally is facing civil litigation(RICO).

You can read about our adoption nightmare [...]. I also have a blog devoted to fighting adoption fraud and there are many well-known advocates who are contributing writers on the blog: [...]

Well done! A MUST read for EVERY PAP!

I found this book very informative and easy to read. It provides a good insight into the adoption practice from all angles start to finish as well as historical information into organized adoption. We are adding this book to our new employee orientation as well as use their other book "How to Adopt Internationally". Inside the Adoption Agency provides information on the new Hague regulations. I highly recommend both books to families considering international adoption as well as agencies seeking training materials for staff.

Jean Nelson Erichsen has written a terrific book that is a must read for prospective adoptive parents and adoption professions alike. This short and clear writing is both a tool of education on the history of adoption and the long road that adoption supporters have traveled to provide for the world's children through adoption. It is also an accurate glimpse into the world of the adoption agency and the role that government's and media play in the process. This book provides excellent foundational information for prospective adoption parents as well. It is a reminder to all of us of the standard of practice that we must continue to raise the bar on so that children can continue to find loving homes and families of their own. Adoptive parents need education prior to beginning an adoption- this book is a great place to start. Grab a cup of coffee and sit down for a read that combines personal stories, humor, and factual information on what goes on behind the scenes of adoption.

I found this to be an excellent study tool. Max Lucado does not give a commentary on the verses. Instead he gives a life application lesson with the scriptures and a devotional thought. XCELLENT!!!!!

I purchased this Bible over 3 years ago and was so appreciative of the book as a whole. It was informative and the illustrations on the side gave me hope each and every day. Unfortunately, the Bible was stolen because it was in the driver's seat of my vehicle that was stolen in July of 1997. I have not found a Bible that has so much to offer as well as inform. I really love the way Max Lucado illustrates the Word.

I love the Inspirational Study Bible, mine is NKJV. It has truly opened the word up to me as never before. I love reading and studying from it. It helps me understand a lot more of what was going on at the times the books were written. Mostly it helps me apply the Word to my own life. It has spoiled me, I have hunted several times for it in leather bound, I sure wish they would make it. I would get 1 for every member of my family.
Mary A.

Max Lucado is such a gifted writer. He is truly blessed by God. This bible made such a difference in my life when I needed it the most. It was clear, concise, and most importantly, portrayed Jesus to me in a way that I could truly understand. The summing up of the text and the highlights were very thorough. Definitely a keeper.

I really love my Max Lucado Inspirational NKJV Study Bible. It's a wonderful study bible with many sidebars of life lessons of Lucado's teaching guides. This the only one I use because it helps me to have a better understanding of the Scriptures. Each Book of the Old and New Testaments are laid out in an instruction manual style. All chapters are boldly titled to explain the situation for each one. The Life Lessons examines more closely the situation, makes observations, gives inspiration, makes application and gives further explorations of other scriptures throughout the Bible. It's chalkful of footnotes of many reliable references. Throughout this study gem are more inspirational ancedotes from Grace, Forgiveness, Suffering and Victory to God's Love, Hope, Prayer and Faith. And many more worthwhile inspirations that will bless your life. Even more, it has one hundred greatest thoughts, an index to selected readings, a dictionary with topical concordance, acknowledgments from many great references from the most notable names in Christianity. There's even a place in the back to add your own notes. I'm sure this is the only study bible you'll ever use. I find it to be the most comprehensive, enriching masterpiece of the Holy Bible yet. I would definitely give this as a nice gift.

The tools we discovered in this book helped my husband and I overcome and build a great marriage for 16 years now. It changed our marriage to discover how to "remove each other's aloneness" and provide for the intimacy needs of each other. We now use it to counsel other couples. It is a real gem and a classic to have in your library.

My husband and I studied this book in a home group from our church. It helped us beyond imagination. It helps you to lay down a firm, unbreakable foundation for your marriage whether you've been married for a week or 25 years.

This workbook is a great tool for couples to delve into intimacy issues and deepen the bonds in their relationship. It has made a tremendously positive impact on my own marriage and that of others I know who have used the book. If your spouse is not particularly interested, you can still benefit greatly by doing the exercises yourself and it is also a wonderful resource for groups of couples who desire to work on the intimacy issues in their relationship. The format allows for both personal reflection and interpersonal interaction and includes some great ideas on how to put what you have learned into action. I highly recommend this book both for married couples and for those contemplating marriage!!

This book is designed to lead a group of married couples through some of the real-life issues faced in marriage. I found it to be well written and uses illustrations that any couple could relate to. We use it in a Church marriage class setting and it works very well.

My wife and I have taken the materials from this great book and taught from it in several couples classes of 8-12 couples. We've also developed additional materials that complement the chapters in the book. The book comes at the issue of improving intimacy and communication from several different approaches. While the chapters do not necessarily fit smoothly together, in total they offer multiple options to improve your intimacy. The results for us have been dramatic. Several marriages on the rocks have improved using the skills and lessons. Everyone experiences improved communication in marriages and new hope. PS. They offer videos, but we found the video tapes were not as well received.

This book challenged me to examine my prayer life and put forth the effort to go deeper with God. After reading it myself I bought 3 additional copies for friends. The four of us have begun meeting weekly to study scripture together and practice intercessory prayer.

Vintage Rhodes...her best work, in my opinion, since Contemplating the Cross. It is SO important to come to these faith "ah ha's" on our own...during quiet moments with God, in prayer, in peaceful conversation with HIm...and Tricia is a master of facilitating these opportunities....Don't be afraid of it if you are a first time Rhodes reader...you will have a great time!

Tricia McCary Rhodes shares this vision of intercession with readers in Intimate Intercession. She defines intercession as "to stand in the gap between God and needy people, our hearts bonded to theirs as we plead their cases in prayer, regardless of what they have done or haven't done to deserve His intervention." (8)

After defining intercession, Rhodes discusses the calling to be an intercessor, the relationship between God and the intercessor, the importance of faith, the role of obstacles, abiding in Christ as the root of successful intercession, and the heavenly vision. Rhodes uses personal anecdotes, stories, and quotations to get her message across in a friendly conversational style. She ends each chapter with a biblical prayer and a prayer by a Christian leader, such as Saint Patrick, Mother Theresa, or Charles Wesley.

Rhodes offers much wisdom and encouragement on intercession. However, a few times her using her own stories comes across as almost "holier-than-thou," such as one account where God revealed to her how He sees a friend of hers that she considered not spiritually balanced. God showed her a vision of how differently He sees her friend. When she shared with her friend what God had shown her, their relationship was healed. Rhodes goes on, "Intercession that does not spring from this kind of intimacy with God will lack both power and joy." (56) Her points are good and true, but the average reader will think, "Yeah, like God shows me this type of thing. I might as well as hang it up."

The book may appeal more to charismatic reader than to others because of its emphasis on spiritual warfare, but it offers many important ideas to ponder. I especially enjoyed the biblical and historical prayers she includes. -- Debbie W. Wilson, Christian Book Previews.com

Pastor's wife and author Tricia McCary Rhodes opens her text on the discipline of intercession with a statement both thoughtfully profound and utterly simplistic. "Intercession is a spiritual discipline fraught with paradox." She goes a step further and describes what many praying Christians give pause to wonder at: "...the cornerstone of intercession is the act of pleading someone else's case before God in prayer." Rhodes understands that the art of intercession has been too often positioned far and above most believers' confidence levels, so they retreat from this significant act of service feeling inadequate for the task. And there's the whole issue of God's sovereignty: where exactly does prayer enter in if God is already controlling events past, present and future?

Understandably, there are those intimidating stories of Christian "saints" and mystics who seem to commune with God on a higher plane than most. Yet Rhodes's call for prayer is persuasive and her argument compelling as she unveils the mysteries of intercession, creating both a desire and joy to bow before God's throne to plead for the well-being of another soul. Writes Rhodes, "If you are a Christian, you are, by your very nature, an intercessor. When God saved you, He filled you with the life of Christ who is always interceding."

Rhodes calls fellow Christians to willingly and enthusiastically "stand in the gap" and pray fervently for others. She includes poignant prayers within each chapter and encourages readers to "practice prayer" by reading them first silently, then aloud, journaling key thoughts and writing one's own prayer before offering it aloud to the Lord. The author eases readers into this spiritual discipline with good, common, everyday examples from her own life --- both the successes and the struggles --- that help to amplify the nitty-gritty of praying from one's heart and soul.

Specifically, readers will learn more about the holy calling as apprentices to the school of prayer --- drawing closer to Christ as believers lift up the needs of others, gaining insight into life as an intercessor, praying from the trenches of pain and heartache, enduring and persisting in prayer until answers come (or when they don't), and developing a mindset focused on eternity and God's heavenly kingdom.

One of the most powerful pictures of the importance of intercession that Rhodes presents in her text is mirrored by Christ's own example where the book of Hebrews states, "Christ ever lives to make intercession for us." Rhodes offers this wondrous truth to fledgling, untried intercessors and seasoned pray-ers alike. Christians are never more like Christ than when they carry another's burdens in prayer, begging God to bring his "kindness to bear on the disrepair in their lives."

Rhodes's entire primer on intercession is lovely, inspiringly presented, and all the more palatable because of its plucky honesty. Intercession is not for the weak-kneed --- but then again, maybe it is.


--- Reviewed by Michele Howe

I've enjoyed every one of Tricia Rhodes' books and Intimate Intercession: the Sacred Joy of Praying for Others was no exception. Like At the Name of Jesus and Contemplating the Cross, it has a level of depth and passion that I often find lacking in popular Christian books.

Like many believers I have been intimidated in the past, by the idea of interceding for others in prayer. There's just something about the word "intercession" that insinuates the need for a special theology degree or audible calling from God Himself. But Tricia's book reminded me that not only are all believers equipped to be intercessors for other, but that it is a privilege and a joy.

The book filled me with a renewed appreciation for the gift of prayer; the God of the universe not only hears me, but He wants to hear from me. Through prayer we are able to part of His eternal plan. What an amazing thought! I was drawn to approach the throne more often for the needs of others and the world as a whole instead of my own. Examples from the author's personal experiences with both answered prayer, and times when God seemed to have her on hold, encouraged me to reflect on similar experiences in my own life.

Intimate Intercession covers the definition of intercessory prayer, the calling on believers to pray, and experiences on the journey of prayer. As she typically does in her books, the author includes a section in each chapter that encourages reflection, journaling, and prayer. However this time there are few or no Scripture passages to look up. Instead she concludes each chapter with a printed prayer from Scripture and the prayer of a believer from the past (such as Augustine and St. Patrick), a touch that I really enjoyed.

I highly recommend this unique book on prayer. I may very well change your prayer life.

the best book being: In the Footsteps of Jesus, by Bruce Marchiano....these two books are LIFE CHANGING!

Sherwood Wirt translated Augustine's "Confessions" into modern language, producing one of the English language's most beautiful volumes. Search for it here on Amazon; there are still some used copies available.

Wirt was also the last journalist to interview C.S. Lewis before his death. From this encounter Wirt has written useful articles and constructed materials for several courses on Lewis and his writings.

Here, in "Jesus" Wirt is at his best: elegant prose, his ideas expressed with a clarity and simplicity of language that is a joy to read. Anyone wanting a fuller picture of the "Man of Sorrows" will find it here, in this vibrantly written picture of the joyous heart of God's own Son.

Recommended Reading --- as is any volume by this gifted author!

Dr. David Frisbie
The Center for Marriage & Family Studies
Author of Happily Remarried: *Making Decisions Together *Blending Families Successfully* Building a Love That Will Last

Or maybe because we have never been told about it. This book takes all our misconceptions about Jesus' personality and throws them out the window. If you want to imagine a real, human Savior who knew how to love and enjoy life, read this book and see a Jesus you were never taught about. Thanks!

I really enjoyed this book, after all, Sherwood Wirt is the ultimate expert on JOY! Bruce's introduction was just as wonderful.

What a life-changing read! Sherwood Wirt stirs the hunger and passion in your heart with the LOVE and JOY that comes from getting to know JESUS, and clearly unveils the secret so long hidden.

For me, it has been hard to find a commentary that goes beyond the traditional expositional style. As I read this commentary, I gain the sense that this is inspired by a man's immersion in the Word for many years of growth. And because of that, it makes me desire that.

Jon has been blessed with a wonderful gift to teach the Word of God. I have all of his Commentaries and his teaching MP3 set. Best investment I have ever made next to my Bible itself.

This is an excellent way to study the Bible - this verse by verse commentary. It teaches so much and helps the understanding immensely. I recommend it to everyone who wants to study "line on line" and truly dig in.

His commentaries bring the bible to life along with inserting helpful hebrew and greek.

Jon Courson has a way of writing that makes the bible come alive in a personal way. Many times I have stopped and prayed while I was reading the Bible and commentary sections, to ask for the Lord's help and guidance in my walk and conduct.
If I had to have any book(s)other than the Bible, the Courson commentaries would be my choice.
I have been in full time ministry for more than 15 years and these commentaries have still been a great help.
Of course, I don't agree with everything Jon teaches, but it is overwhelmingly solid teaching.

I agree with all the other reviewers - this book is quite amazing! How they created each of those scenes is just spectacular, and you can spend forever just pouring over each page.

However, I did discover one error in the book. On page 3, the author writes:
"God said, 'Take a boat to Ninevah...'"

The problem is that Ninevah is landlocked in Persia, and you cannot take a boat there. To get there, he would have had to travel by caravan. Tarshish was in the opposite direction, in what is now Spain, and was at the very end of the world as they knew it at that time, across the Mediterranean, hence would require a boat to get there.

So many children's books are just junk. This one is too, but for once that's a compliment. My 4 year-old picked this out, and now it's one of our favorites. The illustrations are so detailed that we can spend ten minutes just pointing out different things on one page, and this is the neatest retelling of the Jonah story I've ever seen. I always talk to my daughter as we read, and it was clear she understood the point exactly.

Unlike other retellings of the story of Jonah, this charming book focuses not on the point that Jonah tried to run from God and couldn't--but rather on the fact that though Jonah (God's chosen messenger, no less!) thought the people of Nineveh were bad, and therefore unworthy of God's love and mercy, GOD thought they were good and was determined to show His love to them. A powerful message for adults and the children they read along wtih. The illustrations are so imaginative, as well! I highly recommend this book!

My kids love this book, and they choose it over and over again to be read to them. They also love to scour the pages for all the hidden items they need to find. The unique illustrations keeps them alert and interested while listening to one of the best Bible stories for children.

This book is not only a fun re-telling of the story of Jonah, but the most imaginative re-telling you've ever seen. Illustrated completely with trash, your children will have hours of fun looking for things like goldfish, candy, popcycle sticks and more in the pictures. Each full color spread also features "seek and find" elements to add more to the fun. You'll love it!

I thought this book was about preparing to die. Instead, I found Dr. Bright gives great ideas on how to live one day at a time.

I'd highly recommend it not only to someone going through a terminal illness but for any Christian facing their own trials in life.

In 2003 I saw my uncle die suddenly of a heart attack, and for a long time afterward I was anxious about dying. Even though I am a Christian and have accepted Christ, thinking about dying seemed sort of like waiting in a dentist's lobby before having a painful tooth drilling, and I was frequently haunted by anxiety and worry about what dying will be like.

Reading this book was very helpful to me. The author, a well-known Christian evangelist, receives a terminal diagnosis and this book is his story as he faces his own death. He is genuine and open, taking you along through the thoughts and things he faces, and how he comes to grips with the knowledge. The book goes from his first diagnosis, through his progressive failing health, and his final chapter, written in his last days, where he says goodbye to the reader. An epilogue written by his wife describes his final hours as he passed away, which helps the reader to see the end of the journey being completed as he goes to be with Jesus.

We will all face death, and will all have to go through this experience. Even if we are Christians, the prospect of death disturbs us. This book is a great help and a comfort to anyone who has lost someone, or who is facing their own death.

This is one of those books where the minute you pick it up and read the first page, you had to finish it. Bill Bright is truly one of God's faithful servants; choosing to live a life that is selfless and full of integrity as a "slave" of God. The book gives you a glimpse into the last few years of his life as he battled pulmonary fibrosis. He finished his work on earth with the utmost joy and no one can capture what he went through better than the man himself. The book also sheds light into his wife, his children, and his ministry.

It's amazing that not more people know about Bill Bright. He started the Campus Crusade for Christ ministry and has made several films including the JESUS film which has been seem by over 5.5 billion people. He also came up with the 4 spiritual laws gospel among other outreach materials. Through Bill's ministry, millions of people have come to accept Christ. I didn't know about Bill Bright either until this year as I was going through my own struggles in life. Reading his book and seeing how he finished his life with joy and the blessing he left to those around him brought so much hope and encouragement to my life. It also showed me a better picture of who God really is and how He blesses the life of those who love Him. You must give this book a read.

I am just half way through this book and already find it a very uplifting book. It gives you more of a looking forward to Heaven than a fear of death. It is so good to see someone not just live his faith, but also bring God glory through, must be one of the hardest times in one's life, his knowing death is near.

I read this book and recieved so much peace from this mans journey to Heaven, but what I have also done is adopt his daily principles for living and I have shared the book with my son who is Autistic and incarcerated. It has changed both our lives!

This is wonderfully written. My 3 yr old son loves saying, "But Bob is very red." (a repeated line in the book) In my particular book, the small board book, the blue color looks more purple than blue, but, other than that, this book is fantastic. It gets read a lot in our house.

Little kids love this book that stars Junior Asparagus. Junior opens his color box and with a little help from his friends, shows his favorite colors. This book is more interesting and entertaining than many color books. It also provides some laughs (even for adults) and has a lesson about God. Great book for kids three and younger.

My son (age 2) loves this book! And it really is helping him learn his colors! We read it over and over... he's constantly bringing me "Crayon Story" for another reading. It has the 3R's of children's books... rhythm, rhyme, and repetition, as well as humor and story. Also, it's gentle reminder that God made the world has gotten us talking about Creation in general.

When I ask my 14-month-old to go get a book for Mommy to read, more often than not he comes back with Junior's Colors. I don't know what it is about the book, but when he gets to the last page ("But Bob is very RED") he just giggles! I guess a red tomato with a big grin on his face is kind of funny to a toddler. I definitely recommend all of the VeggieTales books. And, as with all Veggie books, God is subtly present. ("When God made the world, he used all sorts of colors...")

My 2 year old LOVES this book. It's right up there with Winnie the Pooh. When she gets whiney, I ask her to go get Junior's colors & she eagerly gets it. She even asks for it while sitting in the car. It's possibly the vibrant colors & the familiarity of "the veggies". She already knows all her colors, but it is a great reinforcement in her learning.

The Andersons did a great job melding the myths and legends of Europe into this epic. You will need 2 bookmarks for this book -- it includes a very thourough and interesting appendix of factual historical notes about the characters, events, etc. Anyone with an interest in dark ages history or religious history will love it. Much more than just another fantasy epic.

This is a stunning series. It has a wonderfully complex plot that weaves actual late-Roman Empire events with Breton myth, but one of its greatest attributes is the way the characters are brought to life. By the end of the books, what you remember most isn't the plot but the emotional struggle of the main character, Gratillonius, as he loses everything that was ever dear to him, and has to go on. The final scene is only a few pages long but is gut-wrenching because you feel every bit of pain it brings him. I normally don't enjoy fantasy because many books seem like a pale attempt to imitate Tolkein. This series is completely different but yet has the same ability to pull you into the story until you feel like these events actually happened. A word of warning: like the Lord of the Rings, it is written in slightly stilted, 'epic' English, which may bother some readers.

I usually don't care for fantasy, but this is certainly an exception. The story, like most of Anderson's, starts slow, but by the time you get to Book 3: Dahut, you will see the horrible events coming but will be unable to put the book down. Not only fantasy, but possibly also a classic of horror literature.

A superbly researched and written book. Anderson transports the reader to a historical period with wholly plausible possiblities. A should-read for any who appreciate a well written book with the ability to grab and hold one's interest with an iron grip. A must-read for any who enjoy historical-fiction/fantasy

_The King of Ys_ enchanted me. It started as one of the very best fantasy series I've ever read. The setting is historical and meticulously detailed, containing a wealth of both magical and mundane details. Heck; the Andersons actually include an extensive collection of endnotes to each chapter detailing the factual elements of their story. In every way, this is a real world.

These people are not modern people stuck into a fantasy setting. They have the values of 4th-and-5th century people, exactly as they should. The gods aren't wimpy, ever-loving, beneficent friends; they're savage and demand obedience brutally. Bad things can happen to good people.

That's how I felt for the first three books, anyway. The fourth is kind of a letdown. The elements above are kept, but... I don't know. I can't go into exactly *why* it's a letdown, because I don't want to spoil the plot, but the story loses cohesion and really falls apart, if you ask me.

However, I still have to give it a "9" because, even though the last quarter was a disappointment, the first three quarters kept me riveted as few books have. Highly reccommended. And heck, you might even find more of worth in the end than I did.