The Power of a Half Hour by Tommy Barnett Book Review (Blogging for Books)

Disclaimer: This post contains Amazon Affiliate Links



I read The Power of a Half Hour: Take Back Your Life Thirty Minutes at a Time by Tommy Barnett, in exchange for honest review from Blogging for Books. I was provided a hardback copy and e-copy for review.

Barnett discusses how we can use 30 minutes to change lives. In 30 minutes, we can read the bible, check Facebook, or watch TV. Maybe we can serve food to the homeless or visit a sick relative in the hospital. Barnett said God has a unique plan for our lives. An unique vision. An unique passion. But God has to trust we will follow through with the passion and vision, which means we have to set aside time.




The chapters are written to be completed in 30 minute segments. Time is a gift from God. You can't get time back. We honor God when we use time well. When we serve him, using the best use of our time.

One of the first things, which stood out to me, was in Part 2, Chapter 3:

"God created every person to do a special thing that he need done on earth; and if a particular person fails to do that one thing, then it will never be done exactly the way God intended"


Another one of my favorite passages  was in Chapter 6, make a regular connection.

"Other people abandon God because they think they've done such bad stuff in their lives that he would never accept them. That's not true either. That's the reason Jesus died on the cross: to forgive sinners like you and me of all the rotten things we've done that offend him."

I feel that way sometimes.

The book is a good read. I been reading a little at time, while waiting for Brad's bus to arrive each morning. He has a 30 minute window for the bus to arrive. Trying to use the 30 minutes, if possible, to read a book or the bible or both.

The book teaches us we can serve God; strengthen our relationship with God; by starting with a simple 30 minute routine. 30 minutes to pray. 30 minutes to read. 30 minutes to serve others and allowing His light to shine.

The book is available on Amazon in Kindle, Paperback (pre-order), Hardcover, CD, or Audible format.

For more resources about the book, including a chapter excerpt, click here

Crash the Chatterbox by Steven Futick Review (Blogging for Books)

Disclaimer: This post contains Amazon Affiliate Links.

I read Crash the Chatterbox: Hearing God's Voice Above All Others, in exchange for honest review from Blogging for Books. The book was written by Steven Furtick and published by Water Brook Multnomah. I received a kindle and hardback edition for review.

I wanted to read the book because my mind wanders all the time--from positive to negative thoughts. Some days are worse than others.


The book teaches us how to allow God to work within us,  but first, we need to do something with those pesky thoughts. The author said "The Chatterbox is my way to representing the lies we believe and keep us from accurately and actively hearing God's voice."

One of the first things, which stood out was: (All passages was highlighted in the Kindle, since it arrived first).

"I wish I had a little devil on my left shoulder. I could flick him off and tell him to go to hell. THen, I could fist-bump the angel sitting on my right shoulder and get on with doing all the things God has called me to do."

"God has given us the ability to choose the dialogue we believe and respond to. And once we learn how, we can switch from lies to truth as deliberately as we can choose the Beatles over Miley Cyrus on satellite radio....It is the key to pressing ahead and doing God's will anyway, even as you are bombarded with thoughts, feelings, and even facts about why you can't do it."

The book will be in the Kindle's carousel for a while. I have a long way to go when it comes to thoughts. I have a lot of negative thoughts about why I can not do something, psyching myself out before I even begin, especially when it comes to school or kids. What I believe determines my future.

I also loved the beginning of chapter two, where Futick discussed the Voice. On the Voice, the judges determine talent sight unseen. It is a good feeling, when a judge chooses you because you are apart of the competition. You have a chance to win. It is another thing when all four judges choose you. On the other hand, the scene changes when no one chooses you. No one likes your voice. Maybe you simply are not ready for a higher level of competition such as the Voice or Idol. The contestants want the judges to turn around in the chairs to choose them. It's not Idol where the bad singers sing for our amusement, on purpose,  during the auditions. The beauty of the passage was even though people will reject us for one reason or another, God will never reject us when we seek his name.

The book was a great read.

Stacie