Review for "Living the Quaker Way" by Philip Gulley

As a Christian reader, "Living the Quaker Way" by Philip Gulley was a disappointment. It seems that being Quaker has little to do with religion or a belief in Christ. It is more of a mindset that embraces traditional Quaker hallmarks: simplicity, peace, integrity, community, and equality. These are admirable qualities that I believe enhance the intentional life. However, separated from real faith they are little more than new-age, humanistic, feel-good mantras. According to Gulley, one can embrace any faith, or even no faith, and still live the "Quaker" way. I can't help but think his Quaker forefathers would be disappointed. Nevertheless, the discussion of the Quaker hallmarks poses some interesting questions and spurs deeper thought about one's way of life. I give the book 2 out of 5 stars. I received a complimentary copy of this book for purposes of review from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing and am not required to give a positive review.

Review for "Runaway Emotions" by Jeff Schreve

Emotions. People try to change them, ignore them, make decisions based on them, believe or disbelieve them. In "Runaway Emotions," author Jeff Schreve makes his case for the proper place of emotions in a Christian's life. Schreve likens emotions to smoke alarms in our life. They alert us that some basic need in our life is "on fire," in other words, threatened. If we pay attention to the underlying cause of our emotions then we can constructively deal with the deeper issues. Shreve dedicates a chapter to each of these emotions: embarrassment, loneliness, frustration, worry, anger, guilt, discontentment, and depression. The book is written to Christians from a biblical perspective. Not technically a "self-help" book, it actually has great potential for the reader to help themselves with emotional problems! The examples are practical and relate real life and scripture. Personal stories help the reader connect his/her own story with the principles shared. The book is well written, an easy read, and a helpful discussion on how to maturely handle emotions in a way that results in personal and spiritual growth. 4 out of 5 stars. I received a complimentary copy of the book for purposes of review from Booksneeze (Thomas Nelson Publishers), and am not required to give a positive review.