Beyond Bandages & Kisses: First Aid Care for Children by Marilyn G. Hatch (Lakeside Productions)
What new parent doesn’t worry about every cough, sneeze and high temperature? And moms and dads never cease concern for their children. Registered Nurse Marilyn Hatch prepared Beyond Bandages & Kisses: First Aid Care for Children as a guide for handling ailments, illnesses and accidents. But more important, the certified emergency nurse gives common-sense advice on when to contact the doctor, make a dash to the ER or call 911.
Hatch divides the book alphabetically by topic, ranging from “abrasions” to “whooping cough.” Entries such as the one on “fever” list age-appropriate actions. A detailed symptom index points the reader to problems like itching that may be covered in several topics.
An appendix offers tips on bandaging, clear fluid diets and first aid supplies to keep at home. The mother of five adds forms to be personalized such as medicines recommended by my doctor and a babysitting checklist. “Ow-wee,” a kid’s 29-piece first aid kit, comes with the book.
I wish Nurse Hatch had written Beyond Bandages & Kisses: First Aid Care for Children when I was a young mom, but I’m glad it’s available for my grandson.
Kathy Robinson Hillman, former president
Woman’s Missionary Union of Texas
Waco
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Know Your Story and Lead with It: The Power of Narrative in Clergy Leadership by Richard L. Hester and Kelli Walker-Jones (Alban)
This is a book for ministers. Their lives in ministry are not easy. Clergy often report feelings of loneliness, the lack of intimate friendships, the strain of emotional burdens and the pressure to succeed as stressors of their vocation. Know Your Story and Lead with It attempts to address these, and other, problem areas by creating a safe environment where ministers can talk, including sharing with a group that is outside the minister’s own church, peer group, and denomination.
The book is a “how-to” manual. Its foundation is in the story-counseling method, and it provides the necessary details for leading a clergy support group using this method. While it might be helpful to have a professional counselor as a facilitator in such a group, there is enough detail, and step-by-step-instruction, any group of clergy committed to following the book should be able to do so. The book follows a progression of topics that would encourage sharing, including how to create a warm fellowship, teaching the purpose and practices of the group, agreeing to a group covenant, sharing more difficult subject matter, learning to not be the “savior” or “fixer” at church, learning not to do other’s work at church and learning one doesn’t have to always have all the answers at church.
The last chapter is a quick, clear summary of the entire book, without the earlier interesting and readable anecdotes. It is followed by an appendix that has the necessary resources material—handouts, questions, sample material, etc.—for leading a narrative-style clergy group.
Karl F. Fickling
Director, Pastorless Church Team, BGCT
The Strand Study Bible by Brad Strand (Rood Scholar Press)
Brad Strand shares his 32-year love for and study of God’s word. This is a massive project that provides the student, pastor or general reader a virtual library of information in a single volume.
There are many features that will be helpful, such as a simple outline review of the Bible as it affected the world empires from the Egyptians to the Romans; outlines preceding each book; finding Christ in each book; aerial maps noting the historical site and information; age-graded lessons on subjects growing out of the text; and Bible helps in an alphabetical list. Other features are all references to the Godhead are boxed, with color codes for references to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, footnotes and doctrinal notes.
This is a good study Bible and well put together for the serious student.
Leo Smith
Executive Director
Texas Baptist Men
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