Sermonsnacks
Help, Hope and Encouragement for Today
People from all walks of life have been brought peace and understanding by the Holy Scripture when facing crises in their lives. The Psalms can bring comfort to believers and nonbelievers alike when circumstances around them are difficult. First-time author Don Collette, a pastor and former chaplain, shares some of his observations about these moments in Sermonsnacks.
The book is divided into eight topics, including work, finances, family, marriage, faith-building, and loneliness. Each snack begins with a passage from the New International Version Bible, with the scripture in bold print. Commentary from Collette follows each quotation. Most of the snacks are complete on a single page and none is longer than two pages. The commentary is thought-provoking but simple. There is no deep theology here. This devotional guide would be especially appropriate for senior centers where the population varies in religious experience.
The author is a husband, father, and grandfather. He has served as a pastor in the military and a chaplain in a nursing home. These experiences have given him the background to present God’s word to readers through this simple devotional for troubled times.
Passages of scripture are quoted from the New International Version of the Bible, giving all readers an opportunity to understand the simple messages. From Psalm 71, the reader is told that God will restore your life again. One verse from this Psalm and sixty words from this author will bring comfort and strength to the suffering believer, and hope to the unbeliever. The snack titled “The Kitchen Table” reminds readers that many relationship problems within a family can be solved simply by sitting down to eat an evening meal together. The opportunity to share one’s activities and feelings is vital to family unity.
While some errors are to be expected in a first work, additional editing assistance is needed to eliminate the grammatical and typographical errors that abound. While not of great significance in the body of the material the errors, specifically extraneous commas, are distracting.
Sermonsnacks is simple enough for the newest of believers seeking a devotional guide. However, those whose beliefs are well-grounded would do well to pursue other avenues.
Reviewed by
Joyce Rice
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
