The Case for Hope {book review}

I didn’t expect a book by a legal editor to be so beautiful
Lee Strobel may have spent the first part of his career chasing newsworthy stories,
but his focus now is sharing ugly-beautiful stories of redemption

  

From the first page, the hope the author knows
was evident and inviting
The experience only became better as I continued to read

Strobel weaves together sayings and stories
to craft a precious gift of encouragement
that will touch the heart of the reader

He takes true stories of utter darkness
and combines them with scripture
allowing the light of hope to overcome the dark

The physical elements of the book – cover, typography, etc. –
package the contents in such a way
that it truly makes a wonderful gift

A precious gift of encouragement for a believer,
grounding him in the “hope that does not disappoint,”
as well as for the unbeliever, presenting hope as a gift he may have too

I have meditated long and hard on the subject of hope
– it was my “word for the year” in 2013 –
and I must say, Strobel did the topic justice

Note:
I received this book free from the publisher through BookLook
I was not required to write a positive review
The opinions I have expressed are my own

Framing Faith {book review}

In Framing Faith, Matt Knisely puts life in perspective
the metaphor is photography

each part of the book – FOCUS, CAPTURE, DEVELOP – applies not only to photography
but also to life

For me, each photo I take needs to say something very clearly. The message and the meaning cannot be ambiguous. The images shape my half-articulated feelings, casting light into my inner depths and exposing my deepest, truest self.

The way I process my work is a reflection of how I process life.

~Matt Knisely in Framing Faith

I read the book because my sister and my dad are photographers
in fact, I got the book for my sister
but wanted to read and review it before giving it to her
I didn’t think it would be very applicable to me personally
but I was wrong
because the images expressed on the pages of this book
reveal the truth about every art form
photography, writing . . . and simply doing life

[Writers] write with detailed precision in an attempt to make sure every word counts, so that only the backspace key knows the true work that has been put into a sentence.

~Matt Knisely in Framing Faith

I recommend this book to artists of all kinds
that they may gain a deeper understanding of the art of making art
as well as the art of life

And I recommend this book to those who don’t think they are artists
that they may find that they too create art
in their everyday lives

Note:
I received this book free from the publisher through BookLook
I was not required to write a positive review
The opinions I have expressed are my own