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The Real Win By Colt McCoy and Matt Carter

About the book: Prepare for a paradigm-shifting view of biblical manhood.

Every man wants to succeed. But for so many, life seems to get in the way. We all have friends—good men, followers of Christ even—who start out well but before long, they’re failing at relationships, bending ethical standards, or driving themselves so hard at work they’re losing the hearts of their wife and kids.

In The Real Win, Colt McCoy and Matt Carter wrestle deeply and personally with this challenge, then deliver down-to-earth, biblical answers.

Review: The Real Win by Colt McCoy and Matt Carter is an excellent book for men of all walks of life. Young men could read this book to help them prepare for life. Adult men can find advice and help for every area and stage of their lives. The book covers topics that have to do with the home, the workplace, personal character, and leaving a worthy legacy behind. Any man seeking to better himself will find guidance through this book.

The beginning of the book introduces these two authors to us. Colt McCoy is currently the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. Matt Carter is the pastor of Austin Stone Community Church. Both of these men offer wide perspectives from their very different lives. The premise of this book has to do with the fact that often we see men who are successful according to the world’s standards, but then fail in areas of life that we all consider to be valuable: marriage, family, integrity, etc. The main source for these problems is one of idolatry.

The next section of the book deals with the home. The authors give eight sin traps that men are prone to fall into and how to avoid them. They proceed to show how the husband/wife relationship is second in importance to our relationships with our wives. Men must understand how to love their wives. Finally, the authors explain the father’s role as spiritual leader within the home. The man must make sure his relationship with God is right, then lead his wife in her relationship to God, and finally see that his children have a right relationship to God.

The next section of the book explains the man’s role in the workplace. The authors present several idols that many men place before God in their desire to be successful at work. They encourage men to follow the principles of God’s Word in conducting business. This attitude starts when we realize that God has sovereignty placed us in our work, so He is our true “boss.’ We should work in an excellent way so as to please Him in all we do. This will also dictate our relationships with co-workers of the opposite sex.

The final section of the book centers on personal character. The authors explain why we face trials and what our attitude and outlook should be as we go through trials. They also demonstrate what it means to leave a legacy of whole-hearted service to the Lord. We can do this as we live a life that obviously shows what God is doing in our hearts, remaining faithful to our wives and families, and by being courageous to fulfill the calling that God has placed on each of our lives.

This book was wonderful and easy to read. The end of the book also includes a study guide that goes along with each chapter of the book. So, this book would be great for a person to read alone, or for a group of men to study and encourage each other together. (Critique by Bobby Lyles)

Read an Excerpt DISCLOSURE: A complimentary copy of The Real Win was provided by the book review program of Multnomah in exchange for our honest review. Opinions expressed are solely those of the reviewer. No compensation was received for this review.

"Ring the Bell" (movie review)

"Disclosure of Material Connection: We received one or more of the products or services mentioned below for free in hope that we would mention it on this blog. Regardless, we only recommend products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

DVD $19.99

About Ring the Bell:     Ring The Bell shares the story of a slick, big city sports agent Rob Decker who seems to have it all. But on his latest mission to sign a high school baseball superstar, Rob becomes stranded in a small town where the simplicity of life—and the faith of the people—stand in stark contrast to his own fast-paced, win-at-all-costs mindset. Torn between these two worlds, will Rob have the courage to let faith transform his life? This heartwarming story of redemption is sure to entertain and inspire the whole family.

Ring The Bell features a host of well-known Christian music artists, such as Mark Hall along with his band Casting Crowns, Steven Curtis Chapman, and Matthew West, all who play a role in this inspirational drama. Several former and current Major League Baseball all-stars are also featured in the film: ESPN analysts John Kruk and Rick Sutcliffe (a former Cy Young Award winner), along with Ben Zobrist.
 

This family-friendly movie was produced by Mark Miller, Beach Street Records' founder and Casting Crowns’ producer. Miller, who is also the lead singer and founder of country music group Sawyer Brown, co-wrote the script with Thomas Weber and Weber directed the production.

Review:  “Ring the Bell” is a good family movie.  It has a good storyline and is awesome in its clear presentation of the gospel.  While I enjoyed the movie, I did feel that it was a bit slow at times – not a whole lot of action.  The story centers around Rod Decker, the owner of a sports agency, who wants to sign a high school baseball player from the small town of Middletown to a pro baseball contract.  Upon arrival in Middletown, Rod discovers that the people there have a very different life from his city life and they seem far more content than he ever has.  He encounters a brother and sister team who have opened their home to troubled youth.  On the farm, there is a dinner bell that only gets chimed when a person has accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior.  Rod sees something in these people that he knows he doesn’t have and wonders is it real. 

While there is not a lot of “action” in this movie, I really enjoyed “Ring the Bell” and can easily recommend it.  It is a family-friendly movie with absolutely no inappropriate language or situations.  So very refreshing to be able to sit down and watch with your family and children a movie that is clean. (rev. P.Howard)

"A Bride's Dilemma in Friendship, Tennessee" by Diana Lesire Brandmeyer

About the book: Journey to Tennessee at the end of the Civil War. Heaven Wharton has been left in charge of her father’s farm, but weeks of facing marauders has finally taken its toll. Meaning to fire into the air, she accidently shoots a man charging the house. Shocked, she and her sister Angel drag the semi-conscious man into the house and nurse him back to health. As Travis recovers he finds his heart turning to the possibilities of love. But can he and Heaven learn to accept God’s plan, however it unfolds? (amazon.com)

Review: A delightful read.  I found this book very engaging, entertaining, and easy to read.  The author has given us characters that we can relate to and cheer on in their quest to find the right answers for their situation and then follow through with doing the right thing while seeking God's ultimate direction.  The author's descriptions easily allowed me to visualize the story and I found myself smiling quite often.  "A Bride's Dilemma" is well suited for middle school and older readers. 

DISCLOSURE: A copy of this book was given to the library by a friend. Opinions expressed are solely those of the reviewer.