Review: Write Better

In Write Better: A Lifelong Editor on Craft, Art, and Spirituality (IVP, 2019), lifelong writer and editor Andrew T. Le Peau reveals the secrets of efficient writing. For Le Peau, writing itself does not get easier, but the process can become easier. He attends to three major areas: the craft of writing, the art of writing, and the spirituality of writing. Regarding the craft of writing, Le Peau describes the technical areas of good writing: crafting an opening, making a persuasive argument, rewriting well, and forming good titles and endings. In the art of writing, he moves to more abstract areas, such as creativity, tone, and metaphor. In his final section, which is his unique contribution, Le Peau discusses the spiritually formative aspects of writing. Writing about ourselves changes us, as it did Augustine, and self-doubt can be removed when we have the courage to be creative.

In this book, Le Peau ensures that writing does not remain a useless creative endeavor but spiritually forms us into the image of God. This necessary truth remains missing in most books on writing—even from a Christian perspective—which focus on how to be the best writer in order to be the most successful writer. Le Peau challenges writers to instead hone their craft to maximize their God-given gifts and realize their potential. His many appendices cover the practical matters of working with publishers, editors, and copyright, so he provides a well-rounded approach to writing. Nonetheless, the focus of his book climaxes in his discussion of the spiritually formative potential of writing. To this matter all writers (and readers) should attend.

A complimentary review copy was given in exchange for an honest review.

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Product Review: LL Bean Extra-Large Rolling Adventure Duffle

Overview When adventure strikes, the right bag makes all the difference. Too often, however, luggage bags are either large, ponderous suitcases or small, flimsy duffle bags. I have traveled to Central and South America multiple times with terribly large suitcases. It added extra complication to my trip—especially lugging the bag up the steps! This is the problem which LL Bean seeks to rectify in the LL Bean Extra-Large Rolling Adventure Duffle. With a 137-liter capacity, this duffel is able to hold the items of the biggest pack-rat while being easy to transport. It features a telescoping handle, smooth-gliding wheels, and cinch straps. Specifications Capacity: Approx. 8,350 cu. in., 137 L. Weight: 9 lb. 3 oz. Dimensions: 17"H x 34"W x 15"D. Highlights This bag is sturdy. Not only is it capable of holding many items, but it is incredibly durable. It has a reinforced nylon bottom and a thick plastic frame so that the bag does not sag or become weak.

Review: Pastoral and Spiritual Care in a Digital Age

The advancements of technology and social media are changing what it means to be human, yet religious studies rarely tend to intersect with technological and neurological sciences. In Pastoral and Spiritual Care in a Digital Age: The Future is Now (Lexington Books, 2018), Kirk A. Bingaman ventures into how technology informs spiritual care. Himself a professor of pastoral care, Bingaman claims that humans are becoming techno sapiens. Rather than retreating from technology, Bingaman sees the unavoidable development of technology as part of God's ongoing work of "doing a new thing." Consequently, he sees positive means for artificial intelligence that can be embraced in pastoral care. For Bingaman, pastoral and spiritual care in a digital age requires preserving humanity through contemplative spiritual practices, preventing technology from overtaking human identity. Bingaman's book is important for many reasons. First, he asserts that technological change is unav

Review: The Four Pages of the Sermon, Revised and Updated

Paul Scott Wilson's celebrated preaching text, The Four Pages of the Sermon (Abingdon, 2018) is now available in a revised and updated edition, with additions that reflect advancements in homiletical scholarship and cultural dynamics. First published in 1999, Wilson challenged the New Homiletic movement to emphasize God's gracious activity within the text and to let it saturate the entirety of the sermon—not to use the Gospel as a tantalizing treat at the end of a well-crafted plot. Today, this text stands as one of the most respected and accessible works for preachers at all stages in their ministry. Wilson argues that there are four main moves, or "pages," in a sermon: the problem in the text, the problem in the world, the grace in the text, and the grace in the world. Like Eugene Lowry's "homiletical plot," Wilson's sermon upsets the listener by exposing a human need and then moves toward resolution through the power of the Gospel. These page

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