Love DOES!

Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World by Bob Goff
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've been telling so many of my friends the stories that Goff shares in his wonderful book "Love Does". In fact, once I start sharing it's hard to stop, because they are so funny and fabulous. They hardly even need to read the book once I get done!

I find the way Goff talks about loving Jesus and honoring Him with our lives so engaging and inviting. I do not have his personality, so I find his, "why plan, just do stuff" (an oversimplification) way of living a little daunting . . . but yet . . . he has so much energy, and has such a passion for loving people. It's actually quite wonderful.

I'm having a hard time deciding which story I should entice you with . . . should I share about how when his kids turn 10 they can choose the adventure they want on their birthday? The filming of National Treasure 2? How he snagged his wife? But no, I think I'll choose the September 11 story.

I'm going to give you a very synthesized down version - it's September 11,2001. Goff gets his family together, and he asks his kids - what could we do so something like this doesn't happen again? The solution? We need to have relationships with each other. How do we make that happen? As a result of this family meeting, his children wrote letters to foreign dignitaries all over the world, sharing their idea and asking if they could come visit to talk it over. Guess what - many said yes. Their family traveled to visit the "yes" people and had great conversations. They gave each person they visited a key to their home and said, anytime you want to come see us, just give us a call. As a wonderful follow up, someone did come visit them at their home. Isn't that great! The book is worth the price for this story alone, and don't worry I didn't spoil anything - there is way more to the story than my synthesized version.

I borrowed this book from the library, but am planning on buying multiple copies to gift to my friends. It is a quick, funny, engaging and convicting read.

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Thought Provoking!

The Blue Parakeet: Rethinking How You Read the Bible by Scot McKnight
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've been recommending this book to many of my friends--I found it to be thought provoking and think it would make worthwhile discussions with both Christians and non-Christians.

This is how the author starts:

"One: We believe everything the Bible says, therefore. . .
Two: We practice whatever the Bible says.
Three: Hogwash!"

The author posits that no-one can believe the Bible literally - it's just not possible. We all take verses or passages and put our own spin on them. He reminds us that the Bible is relevant for every generation.
The author further states that God spoke to each generation in that generation's ways, and the Bible is always relevant for whatever generation we are in. The author says:

"Our task is to take the timely timelessness of the Bible and make it timely timeliness for our world."

"God gave the Bible so we could live it, so we could be mastered by it."

The chapters on Eikon (being created in God's image) and the story of Adam and Eve are especially profound for me. God created Adam in His Eikon (and remember, it is three in one: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit), and then to assuage Adam's loneliness He split him in two, "into an Ish (man) and Ishah (woman). The man and the woman come together to form one flesh. The author states:

"God wanted 'The Adam' to enjoy what the trinity had eternally enjoyed and what the Trinity continues to enjoy: perfect communion and mutuality with an equal. . . God wants the Adam to be two in order to experience the glories of communion with love and mutuality".

The author further says:

"God is a Trinity, three equal persons in one(ness). God designs Eikons for oneness in love. God makes 'The Adam', who isn't one with an equal. So, God splits 'The Adam' into two so Adam and Eve can enjoy oneness."

"When Eikons are at one with God, self, others, and the world, the glory of the One God illuminates all of life."

Sin, of course, "distorts oneness because the Eikon is now cracked . . . Oneness has becomes otherness".

As you go deeper into the book the author states:

"The fall turned the woman to seek dominance over the man, and the fall turned the man to seek dominance over the woman. A life of struggling for control is the way of life for the fallen"

Then the author states: "The church has too often perpetuated the fall as a permanent condition."

Okay stop,and think about this - do you think it's true? When you think about your marriage in terms of the oneness like in the Trinity, does it stop you in your tracks? It kind of does for me. And the statement of the struggle for dominance between men and women, instead of lives of oneness! It's a lot to think about.

The whole book has this kind of thought provoking narrative in it. It would be a great small group study, or just good information to talk about with friends. You should definitely add it to your booklist.

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For Mature Readers

Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life by Richard Rohr
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ha! I thought the title of this post might get your attention. This book really will resonate more with a person in their second half of life.

I borrowed this book from the library--it is now overdue (my apologies to the next person on the hold list)!

You can't read this book quickly. It took a while to wrap my head around some of the concepts that Rohr shared. There was much I liked, and much I still need to think about. For this reason I most likely will end up buying "Falling Upward".

Some ideas I liked:

In talking about the hero or heroine's journey, and how the task he or she undertakes is really to help them to discover "his or her real self". . .

"Most people confuse their life situation with their actual life, which is an underlying flow beneath the everyday events. This deeper discovery is largely what religious people mean by 'finding their soul'"

"Every time God forgives us, God is saying that God's own rules do not matter as much as the relationship that God wants to create with us."

In talking about Homer's "Odyssey" and his coming home, Rohr says "He is free to stop his human doing and can at last enjoy his human being". This is something I should learn - stop all this crazy business, all this doing, and learn to just enjoy, well, everything!

I love this statement about the apostles:

"They barely ever got the point, and seem as thoroughly foolish as we are; but God still used them, because like all of us they were little children too."

Lovely bit from Augustine's "Confessions":

"You were within, but I was without. You were with me, but I was not with you. So you called, you shouted, you broke through my deafness, you flared, blazed and banished my blindness, you lavished your fragrance, and I gasped."

I think we forget that God is always ready to lavish His love on us. . . scripture is always telling us about God lavishly supplying us with the Holy Spirit, with His love.

In Chapter 13, Rohr says:

"God will always give you exactly what you truly want and desire. So make sure you desire, desire deeply, desire yourself, desire God, desire everything good, true, and beautiful. All the emptying out is only for the sake of a Great Outpouring. God, like nature, abohors all vacuums, and rushes to fill them."

I also loved this: "The true Gospel is always fresh air and spacious breathing room".

Chapter 11 is very interesting, talking about our shadow selves. . . "Your shadow is what you refuse to see about yourself, and what you do not want others to see". This chapter is one I have to think about a bit.

I felt, sometimes, that I wasn't smart enough for this book. I really do need time to wrap my head around some of his ideas. It's a good "thinking" book, and if you like solitude and reflection it will resonate with you.

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Talking and Listening to God

66 Love Letters: A Conversation With God That Invites You Into His Story by Larry Crabb
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really love this book, and began reading it without following the author's intent, which is to read the book in the Bible first. As always, I am too eager to find out if I'm going to like a book or not.

Each chapter in "66 Love Letters" deals with a chapter in the Bible, beginning in Genesis and ending Revelation. The intent is for the reader to read the chapter in the Bible, and then read the corresponding love letter, or conversation with God. As stated previous, I was eager to get into this book, without getting into THE Book. What I have found, as I'm moving along, is that "66 Love Letters" makes me want to get into God's book, so I can have the deeper understanding that the author is going for. Therefore, I am starting over and will begin again, reading my Bible chapter before reading the "Love Letter" chapter.

I will tell you, the conversations in the book are written with such love,and they feel so authentic to me, feelings I myself may have, and responses from God that are so encouraging that I can highly recommend this book to you.


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No Room

It's Christ-mas, and I barely have given Him the attention He deserves. Despite the fact that I've been enjoying advent devotions, despite the fact that I pray, despite the fact that I know I can't survive without Him, He hasn't been receiving my full attention.

Truth to be told, I'm about three days behind in The Christ of Christmas, which I'm using for my advent reading. No good excuse, just too busy with a kitchen remodel project and work deadlines.

Normally, I start the day with God, both devotions and prayer. But today I got up early and walked with a friend. I had to be at work by 7:30 and didn't have time for God. My solution was to take my devotional with me, so I could take a moment after getting a meeting room ready. I do know if I don't have God in the day, my heart feels lonely for time with Him, so I decided to "fit" Him in my schedule.

The Bible reading was from Luke 2:4-7, where we hear how it was time for Jesus to be born, but there was no place for Him--no room at the Inn. It hit me then, that this was me. I've been so caught up in the daily grind, that there is "no room" for Him. Oh sure, I know He's there, but I'm fitting Him in my schedule, instead of fitting my schedule to Him. How many more of us are there right now, and maybe even everyday, who have no room for Him. No room for Jesus to transform us into His love?

A paragraph from the devotion for December 16:

We often look for Him in the roar and the trumpet, in the earthquake and the fire. Then we discover that He came to earth in a way that was most beautiful: He walked through our midst in felted fields and whispered to a few people that He was in the neighborhood.

Is that me, I wonder? Do people know God's in my neighborhood? Are my neighbors seeing God made flesh in me? That's what we are, isn't it? We have these human bodies, and God has promised to tabernacle with us, to live in our hearts. Is my flesh reflecting God's glory to my neighbors?

Another paragraph:

Most of Bethlehem didn't know God was in town. Some people there may still not know it or at least not think much of it. Sometimes God comes so quietly, you have to listen closely to know He's even there.

I wonder if people know God is in town when they visit with me?

My wish would be that I become a person that does provide a "room" for everyone who crosses my path, and that they recognize God is living in me. I love the prayer that ends Day 16:

May my life bring Christ quietly into the circle of human need so those who need You will not be frightened by Your presence but enveloped in it.

As good a way to end the day, as to start it!

He Cares About You Affectionately

Lately I've been keep track of two eagle nests via ustream. I've just been fascinated by how the eagle parents are taking care of their babies.

I began watching the first nest some weeks after the babies were born. I'm not sure how old they are, but they have been cracking me up lately. Although they don't fly yet, they've discovered they have wings. It's often very windy up in their nest, and they'll stretch out their wings and let the wind ruffle their under-feathers, then they take a short run and hop up and down with all their might. Practicing I guess, for the big day. I really hope I get to see them take their first flight. I imagine it will be exhilarating for them. I suppose eagles don't really feel, but if you subscribe to any Narnia imaginings at all, I would think they would be first scared, then surprised, and then, oh, such fun!

In the second nest I'm watching, the babies are just born. I saw the parents sitting on the eggs, and then sitting on the babies once they were born. They took turns with the sitting, and it was fascinating to me to see how carefully they maneuvered their talons around the eggs, and then the babies. Then they would hunker down, rocking back and forth, until the eggs/babies were totally protected. The same thing is true for when they are feeding their babies. These huge beaks, powerful enough to tear the flesh off fish, and yet carefully feeding the eaglets tiny bites of their meal.

The interesting thing about the AEF Ustream is that there are different camera views. One of the cameras is positioned above the nest, others are positioned evenly with the nest. I've been loving the view above the nest, and here's why. If you look at the views with the camera even with the nest, it looks like the eaglets are vulnerable and exposed. But, when you look at the view above the nest, you see one or both of the parents watching over them from the edge of the nest. They are constantly looking into the distance and around them, protecting their family.

It's just been reminding me so much of God. How sometimes we feel all alone, and like He's stepped out of our sphere. But He's right there watching over us. We might think He's not there, but we're wrong.

In 1 Peter 5:7 we read this (from the Amplified version): "Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully." (Italics mine).

 For me, that above the nest camera view is a perfect picture of God watching over me. In my human-ness, I don't always see Him, but that's because I'm not using the eyes of my heart. God has promised that what He says is true, and the eagles remind me that He cares for me.



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Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss

I love this book! I am fortunate to have a copyrighted 1880 hardcover copy that includes a sketch of the author that my mom bought somewhere for 75 cents.

This is a sweet old fashioned story of a young girl, Katy, and her struggles to accept God's love. The circumstances of her life are told in journal format, and her story charmed me.

For me, this book is real - I resonate with her feelings of wanting to be a God honoring person, and my own selfish desires. I struggle with letting go of what I want and leaning into the life that God wants just like Katy. It is clear, as the book continues, that God uses Katy's struggles to mold her into a God honoring, unselfish woman. As she works through life's disappointments, or perhaps I should say just life in general, she becomes a person who can accept with peace the circumstances of her life. Someday, I hope to get to this place myself.

It was through this book that I learned about "The Imitation of Christ" by Thomas a Kempis.

You know, it is not often that I read a book about being a good person, and the fact that it doesn't just happen naturally. It is a struggle to let go of selfishness and take hold of self-lessness. It really cannot happen without, as Katy would say, "flying to God" to tell Him about it and accepting His help. A life for God really does go against what the world is about--self gratification.

Although the book is old-fashioned by the world's standards, it is still so real. I don't know about you, but every day I can get sucked more and more into the world and farther and farther away from God. There is a sweetness in flying to Him, and a strength that comes from spending time with Him. Someone, somewhere, recently said that this world is not our home, but we have a way to visit our home, and it is through prayer. This book is a picture of what it means to journey into being at home with God.

Wanting . . . What?

I have decided that I really don't like my 50's. I'm thinking of this stage of my life as the years of discontent. I can't seem to feel settled and at peace in my life at home or at work. I often feel bored, bored, bored, and how can my mundane life matter at all to anyone?

Is this a product of my age? Of the sense that now is the time to consider what is real, true, lovely and important? Of the sense that yes, I'm 53, and the time to grab hold of whatever it is I want to grab hold of better be happening sooner rather than later? I feel like a two year old . . . wanting . . . something . . . what. . .is. . .it?!

I feel like there really is a something. That God's preparing me for something, but I can't see what it is. Could it be that I'm living the something? That the people I see and encourage are what God has for me. I just don't know.

It frustrates me.

I recently read an author who said to God - "I want to know the how. How to go about this or that, how to live like I've been set free. How to be who God created me to be." God's answer was - "let go of the how, you need to drink my milk and eat my food--that's what's important. The answers will come later" (66 Love Letters). I like that, and think I have to let go of my "what is it You have for me to do", but . . . it's hard.

For a number of months now, I've had this quote on my desk: "What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?" I've been pondering it, but haven't come up with an answer. I'm trying to drink the milk and eat the food . . .but failing.

Then at Leadership Summit, the theme - Action Trumps Everything. (Lee Schlesinger) Does it? How do you know when to act, and if the time to act is now. . . Lee would say step up, take action. How do you know unless you try. . . but what if you don't know what it is you want to try? Still working at drinking the milk and eating the food . . .

Another theme of the summit - tough callings. I already wrote about Mama Maggie. She had a clear call. She is at peace. Jeremiah the prophet had a tough call. God called him to preach and he did, although he was beat up a lot for his obedience. God finally told him to tell the people, if they didn't obey they would be broken into pieces like the clay pot he was to throw on the ground. Jeremiah obeyed God, and got beat up for his trouble once again . . . not sure I want to get beat up, but. . . what passion he had for God.

Each of the Summit participants received a shard of a clay pot, and quiet time to consider what our piece of clay might be saying to us. On one side, I wrote, what am I afraid of. On the other side, break my heart with what is breaking Your (God's) heart, a challenge from Brenda Salter McNeil.

I feel jealous of these folks who know who they are and what they are called to do. Frustrated, as I feel lost. Guess for now I keep drinking the milk and eating the food. . .

Mama Maggie

I attended the Willow Creek Leadership summit simulcast at Christ Memorial this past week. There are a number of contemplations rolling through my brain, but for right now, I'll concentrate on Mama Maggie.

I am struck first by the countenance of Mama Maggie. She is a woman who looks peaceful and content--she actually looks holy to me.

Mama Maggie gave up a cultured, elegant life to work with the children and people who live in literal garbage dumps in India. Children sleep in the garbage. They eat the garbage. . .

When she spoke about this choice, she spoke in a humble, unassuming way. Yet her first words, about the first thing to do, which is sell everything are powerful to me. I understand that not all of us are called to this extreme, yet part of me wonders, is that really true? This is after all what Christ asks of us when He says, follow me. . .

Some of my favorite bits from her talk:

• If you want to be a hero, do what God wants you to do
• Forgiveness is not between you and the other, it's between you and God . . He holds the account

and my favorite bit, about silence - she says "silence is the step to getting all the treasures . . . it is there we experience eternity". This is what she said:

1. Silence your body to listen to your words
2. Silence your tongue to listen to your thoughts
3. Silence your thoughts to list to your heart beating
4. Silence your heart to listen to your spirit
5. Silence your spirit to listen to HIS Spirit
6. You silence all to listen to the One.

This seems beautiful and desirable to me - but how to get there?

I think you must have to sell everything, including your husband and children if you have them. How else can you even get to silence?

As I was trying to have a little time of contemplation to write down these thoughts my husband (and I don't even have children at home anymore) kept bothering me - where are my shorts, what about that plant, etc. Right now I feel about as far from hearing God's Spirit as I can be, and I know there is no way I'm looking holy. . .

To support Mama Maggie's work, please visit the Stephen's Children site.

The Story Above All Stories

King's Cross by Timothy Keller

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I cannot recommend "King's Cross" highly enough. There were so many parts that spoke to me, that brought me to new awareness of the gift of Jesus to the World.

How can it be that we have lost the urgency, the joy, the passion that is the real and true story of Jesus. Like C.S. Lewis, Timothy Keller opens my brain to new pathways of understanding of just how significant the death of Jesus on the cross is.

I know this seems weird to say. I'm a Christian - one would think I'm feeling this all the time. But, I'm not. Honestly, sometimes I think I am more worried about hurting a person's feelings, or offending a person by sharing the story of Jesus. Keller explains gospel means "news that brings great joy"--why in the world wouldn't I be eager to share that with someone?

How have we lost that? How have we let the world convince us that sharing Jesus' news of great joy is not a good thing?

I'd like to entice you with excerpts, but I practically have to quote the whole book! I'll give you some pictures of the essence.

In Chapter 1, we learn that the Trinity (the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit) are

"each centering on the others, adoring and serving them . . . this makes God infinitely, profoundly happy . . . if it's true that this world has been created by the Triune God, then ultimate reality is a dance . . . if this world was made by a Triune God, relationships of love are what life is really about . . . He must have created us not to get joy, but to give it".

The author then goes on to the story of Jesus temptation in the wilderness. He explains the wilderness is a battleground, and Satan is wanting to tempt us away from the dance. Using the story of Adam, Keller explains that God said to Adam:

"because you love me, don't eat from the tree--just because I say so. . . Obey me about the tree and you will live".

We know that Adam didn't live up to his end of the bargain.

Now Satan goes to Jesus in the wilderness - Satan comes to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane:

"the ultimate antigarden to the Garden of Eden. . .God said to Jesus, 'Obey me about the tree',--only this time the tree was a cross--and you will die. And Jesus did. He has gone before you into the heart of a very real battle to draw you into the ultimate reality of the dance. What He has enjoyed from all eternity, he has come to offer to you".

In the afterward of the book, Keller tells us that:

"Steven Spielberg was refused any Oscars until he stopped making movies with only happy endings, yet his fairy tale-ending movies are his most popular. . . critics observe this and scowl that, of course, "escapist" stories will always be popular".

He (Keller) goes on to say that Tolkien argues:

"people sense that such stories point to some underlying Reality. As we read or watch them, we are being told that the world is certainly filled with danger . . . nonetheless there is a meaning to things, there is a difference between good and evil, and above all there will be a final defeat of evil . . .the gospel story of Jesus is the underlying Reality to which all the stories point. . . it is the true story; it happened".

Keller also shares the words of theologian Robert W. Jensen:

"our culture is in crisis because the modern world has lost it's story. We once thought that life had a purpose, that there was something to live for, and that there was hope for a resolution to the sufferings of the world. Now, many say, none of these things are true".

What a sad statement.

If ever there was a time for sharing "news of great joy", it is now, don't you think? I'm a Christian. I have the antidote. Guess what, the antidote is a story. I love stories, and this one is true. I need to be as eager to share this story as I am to share the stories of the novels I read.

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Hope for Prodigals

Out of a Far Country: A Gay Son's Journey to God. A Broken Mother's Search for Hope. by Christopher Yuan

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Thank you to Waterbrook Multnomah for my free copy of "Out of a Far Country".

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, but found it to be interesting, informative, sad, and hopeful.

The book is actually two stories in one. The mother's journey to Christ, healed marriage and unconditional love, and the son's journey from rebellion into a relationship with Christ, and healing and reconciliation with his own family.

I honestly don't know if I as a mother could have exhibited the grace that Christopher's mother exhibited towards him. His lifestyle of same sex relationships, drugs, and journey to self destruction would be enough to kill any hope one might have for reconciliation and wholeness. Chris was blind to the risks involved in his choices--it is actually surprising that he's still alive today. It is amazing to see how God uses our brokenness to bring us back to Him. Thank goodness He does.

One thing that was missing for me. Christopher has a brother Steven. Although Steven is mentioned early in the book,we don't get to hear what happened with Steven once his parents and brother became Christians.

I also liked Christopher's reasoning of Holy Sexuality. How many of us don't use sex, whether heterosexual or homosexual, as a replacement for living a holy life for God. Or, take away sex, just any covetousness, or idol, to fill our emptiness other than God.

To learn about Christopher Yuan's ministry, you can visit his website christopheryuan.com.

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Love Wins

Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived by Rob Bell

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I must be honest. I have been more fascinated by the controversy surrounding "Love Wins" than the book itself. It is arousing such passion in so many people, and the debate is not always kind.

You'll have noticed I only gave a 3 star rating--nothing to do with the controversy, merely the fact that the book didn't resonate with me.

There is a part of me that thinks a better title would be: Love Won. If Jesus had not died for you and me on the cross, then what's the point? We cannot possibly love anyone with a Christlike (self-surrendering, self-sacrificial) love without the cross paving the way, family pictures notwithstanding. . .

Love Wins also talks about people being accepted by Christ (ie: into Heaven) even if they don't know His name. I have to confess, there's a part of me that finds this attractive. But then again, God knows our names, He even has a secret name for each of us (Revelation 2:17), and He has our names written on His hands (Isaiah 49:16). The Amplified Version of Isaiah says

"Behold, I have indelibly printed (tattooed a picture of) you on the palm of each of my hands".

God tells us our ways are not His ways, and our thoughts not His thoughts, so thankfully we can let Him take care of that bit. When He knows me so intimately though, I should be falling all over myself to make sure other people do know His name!

I have heard the teaching on 'Heaven on Earth' in a Ray VanderLaan series, so this was not new to me. I feel like I have an unfair advantage over readers who didn't have this teaching. You can't capture the richness of Heaven on earth (chaos to shalom) in a chapter (consider that Ray taught it over the course of six or seven sections). Ray taught us that where-ever God's will is done, there is Shalom. Shalom means everything is as God intended it to be. Then he (Ray) asks us, "are you willing to address the evil in your heart and life? Will you allow God to use you to bring Shalom?" I feel like those questions, that passion, didn't come through in Love Wins. The same would be true for chapter six, 'There are Rocks Everywhere'. I've heard the Exodus 17 story taught by two separate biblical scholars, and the richness of the water coming out of the rock was not captured (in one of the teachings it was portrayed as the first Easter, and I wish I had the words to describe it all, but I don't).

The books about God I love are the ones that make me aware of His power and how that can change me into being that shalom-bearer. In no particular order, my favorites are:

Fresh Wind Fresh Fire

The Christian's Secret To a Happy Life
Hinds Feet in High Places
Radical and Radical Together
The Hole in the Gospel

As mention previously, I have been fascinated by the controversy and spent some time reading multiple reviewers. My favorite, both for it's graciousness and it's thoroughness is Dr. Ben Witherington's blog. The link will bring you to chapter 8, which sums up his thoughts on the book and on Rob Bell (he believes he writes from a poet's perspective), but you can read his posts on each chapter if you want to take the time.

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Do I Unleash God's Power?

Radical Together: Unleashing the People of God for the Purpose of God by David Platt

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If you enjoyed "Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From the American Dream" as I did, then this book is for you. Once again, Platt does not allow you to become complacent in your walk with God. He challenges us to really follow the faith practices that Jesus modeled for us while here on earth.

He reminds us

"Don't sit in a classroom; share your lives. Don't build extravagant places; build extraordinary people. Make disciples who will make disciples who will make disciples, and together multiply this gospel to all peoples."

Platt has a passion for igniting people to really take the Bible and God's message seriously. He uses God's word to convict us of the message of God (go and make disciples) and bring it to all people. He brought to my attention a verse that I had not considered before. Matthew 24:14

"This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." (emphasis mine)

Platt explains that the original word for "nations" in the New Testament is "ethne" and refers to all the ethnic peoples of the world. What Jesus is telling us in the Bible is that

"the end of the age will come when people from every single ethnic group have come to Christ."

Platt tells us there are eleven thousand people groups in the workd and more than six thousand of them are still "unreached". This is an awesome responsibility that God has given us, and one that I personally need to grow in.

In the beginning of the book, Platt shares a story of a man who had spent most of his adult life involved in programs and serving on committees in his church. When he began to become active in discipling and leading others to God he realized that

"I have spent my life doing all the stuff in the church that I thought I was supposed to do. But I'm realizing that I have missed the most important thing: making disciples".

Isn't that just true for most of us? We do all the "right things" from a world point of view, but are we really following God's commandment to "make disciples".

This book will make you wonder - am I fully surrendered to God. It will make you ask - God, what do you want me to do.

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Rethink Food!

The Spirit of Food: 34 Writers on Feasting and Fasting toward God by Leslie Leyland Fields

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I just really loved this book. As noted in the title, 34 writers submitted an essay about food, and at the end of most chapters a recipe is included. I seriously just want to start inviting people over to dinner.

It seems to me that eating has just become a task that we do. We feed our bodies in order to live, we feed our families because that's what we are supposed to do. But sharing a meal together is really a time of consecration.

This book will make you slow down, and really consider what sharing a meal is about. It's about God, who provided this earth and all that grows in it to sustain our bodies. Because He's God, He doesn't just provide us with boring sustenance, of course not! Our God is a lavishly loving God, and He gives us choices that satisfy our hearts and our bodies. We can create lovely pasta dinners, enjoy that tomato right out of the garden, make delicious breads and choose from a variety of meat choices (if we are so inclined).

I really appreciated that many of the authors pointed out, we need to start saying grace to God as soon as we start preparing our meals. We also need to thank and appreciate Him for the people who work so hard to provide those meals for us. We need to consider the choices we make when we buy our food. Are we buying food from people who are making responsible choices about the land and the animals that become the food on our table? Are we remembering that there are many people who do not have enough food to eat? Are we thankful when we eat, or are we just shoveling food into our mouths?

I don't think there was an essay I didn't like, but one of my favorite essays was "A Way of Loving" by Stephan and Karen Baldwin. They share the story of how they created an Italian meal from scratch, and how their daughter's friends were disoriented to see a meal created that was not out of a box. Not only that, but these teens didn't even know how to set a table. This meal became a gift of love and a lesson in dining for these kids. Karen and her family created a feast that included the little touches that dress up a table, like putting bread in a basket lined with a napkin. She endeavored to create a tone that said "this is a place to linger". I like that.

I also enjoyed "The Communion of Saints" by Jeanne Murray Walker. She writes about her visits to her local farmer's market and how it became a place of healing, or sanctuary for her.

This book is really about so much more than food. It's about creating communities of grace around our tables. In our fast paced society, this book will make you rethink food, and the companions that you share that food with.

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God's Words of Love

I am so pleased to be able to review Ruth Myer's "31 Days of Drawing Near to God: Resting Securely in His Delight". After receiving the book I realized that I already had read it, although under a different title ("The Satisfied Heart"). This book then, will become a gift for someone special.

Many years ago my sister gave me Ruth Myer's "31 Days of Praise". I have gone through those 31 days so often that it is falling apart. Although the Praise book remains my favorite, Drawing Near to God is not far behind.

If you are a woman who has a lonely heart; a heart that longs for something more; or a heart that doesn't believe that God could possibly love you, no matter what, then I invite you to purchase this book and fall deeper into a love relationship with God.

We cannot love God and be in a deep and intimate relationship with Him if we don't put Him first. But, how can you fall in love with God if you don't know His words of love for you? You will find those words of love at the end of each day's devotion reading.

Each of the 31 days focuses on one of the many ways in which God loves us: Day 1: I Must Have Love; Day 2: He Can More than Satisfy Me; Day 7: I Am His Treasure; Day 13: Everything About Him Says Something About Me. Those words of love come at the end of the day in question, in the form of scripture readings. God uses people like Ruth Myer to talk to us and encourage us, but the best words are His words. The author knows this and her devotions and scripture illumine God's love for us.

Don't wait! God is calling you to Him, He longs to be in relationship with you. Listen to this quote from Hudson Taylor that is included in "Drawing Near to God"

"Who does not thirst? Who has not mind thirsts or heart-thirsts, soul-thirsts or body-thirsts? Well, no matter which, or whether I have them all, Come unto Me and . . . remain thirsty? Ah no! Come Unto Me and drink! What? Can Jesus meet my need? Yes, and more than meet it. No matter how intricate my path, how difficult my service; not matter how sad my bereavement, how far away my loved ones; no matter how helpless I am, how deep are my soul yearnings; Jesus can meet all--all, and more than meet."

The following are some of God's Words of Love from Day 2: He Can More Than Satisfy Me
John 7:37; Psalms 37:3-8, Psalms 52:8; Psalms 89:14-16; Psalms 103:1-5; 1 John 4:9-10

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Life, In Spite of Me

Life, In Spite of Me by Kristen Jane Anderson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was interested to read this book as my husband had heard the story on a Focus on the Family radio program. He had told me that it moved him to tears. Because of this I had pretty high expectations. I thought that the story was really going to capture my emotions. Instead, for the first half of the book, although Kristen was sharing details, I felt as though it was just a factual type story, and although very sad, it wasn't really capturing my heart. I actually put it down and started reading another book the next day. However, I picked it up again today, and have to say that I found the last half of the book very powerful. Kristen's yielding of her life to God, her trusting Him with all the details of her life, and the way God used the people He put in her life to prove His faithfulness were inspiring. Her willingness to be totally vulnerable, share her story, and to use that story to encourage and make a difference in other people's lives is a testament to her faith. I wonder if the first half of the book wasn't so meaningful to me because I didn't have the sort of life experiences that Kristen had? At any rate, once you read the end you will definitely find a young woman who desires to give her life to God and to submit to His plan for her.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.



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The Gold Dress

I've recently returned from a cruise to the Caribbean. Other than Canada, which is vastly different from the Caribbean, my husband and I had never been out of the states before. First time for a passport, first time for a cruise, first time we've spent so much money on a vacation. All our previous vacations were pretty thrifty, we hiked, we looked for good deals on vrbo (vacation rental by owner), we often made our own meals. This year we splurged for two reasons: 1) a friend lost his wife unexpectedly. I wanted my husband and I to do something special before it was too late for us, and 2) basically, I felt I deserved a great vacation like this. I have had some struggles, and, it's time for my reward.

Our seven night cruise had two formal nights. Being a woman, I naturally felt I needed a new dress for this occasion, not only to show off my tan, but because we reached a milestone 30 years in our marriage.

A funny thing happened as we prepared for our vacation though, and it's basically all because of a book and that gold dress.

In an earlier post I shared that I read Radical by David Platt. I started not feeling so good about spending all that money on a vacation when I could be using that money for God. I could go to Africa, India, or China. I could donate my dollars to the mission, a needy family, the church. And, no excusing not doing any of those things because I deserve a good vacation. There is no-where in the Bible where God says, "feed the widow, but, take your vacation first".

Also, my dress, which I made, wasn't coming along so smoothly. The pattern isn't actually made for altering, and, being 6'1", it needed to be altered. Got that figured out, and then I just couldn't quite understand how the lining was supposed to work. Took it apart about 4 times before I finally got it right. Then, I tried it on, and the invisible zipper looked more like an "S" curve than the straight line it was supposed to be, and it was hanging all crookedy on me. Frustration! About this time I'm thinking to myself that I really didn't need a new dress, I had some perfectly good dressy clothes that would be fine for formal night. Stubbornly I kept on, and was finally successful. The gold, lined, designer dress, that would have cost me $350 plus in the store, I made for $55 and a lot of frustration.

I think God must feel a lot about me like I felt about that dress. He remains faithful to me, while I'm altering His plan and trying about 6 different ways other than the way He's been prompting me to go. I show the world "Barb in the gold dress", and He sees me in the crookedy dress and still loves me. He is stubborn about me too--He's not going to give up on making me into the Holy woman He created me to be (even though I may fight Him at every turn).

What about that vacation though? I still went on the cruise, and had a fabulous time. It was great to be pampered and be waited on hand and foot, never have to even think about making a meal, or where to go to eat. It was very decadent--you leave your room and when you come back, your bed is made up. You can eat 24 hours a day. All you really have to do is think how you will spend your time and the crew does the rest. I'd like to tell you I was ready to get back to real life on my return, but sadly, that would not be true.

I do want to think more deeply about how I'm using my money. When I consider what I do in my life, or where I vacation I want to ask God first for His leading. I want to honor Him in all my decisions, and I want to somehow promote and support more justice for people who have not been as blessed as I am financially, and who do not have spiritual freedom. I would like to surrender more of myself to God--actually, I would like to fully surrender myself to God. Just saying that out loud feels risky.

Do you know the song "Healing Rain" by Michael W. Smith? Well, in the chorus it says:

Healing rain, it comes with fire,
so let it fall and take us higher,
Healing rain I'm not afraid,
to be washed in Heaven's rain

I've been thinking about this song, and wondering about that sentence "healing rain, I'm not afraid". At first blush you think, why would we be afraid of healing rain? But here's the why. God really does want all of me. He doesn't mince words in His book - He says "leave your family and follow me". He says, "leave your friends and come to My banquet table". He says "take up your cross and follow me". That calls for complete surrender. That calls for the willingness to be healed (give up that temptation that you're hiding in secret, love that neighbor you can't stand). That calls for passionate followers of Christ. Let's face it, that calls for sacrifice.

This is on my heart a lot lately. Am I willing?

There is a part of me that is afraid. What will He ask? I think He is close to asking me something. Will I hear? How will I know it's Him? Will I obey? Will I accept His passport to the life He wants to give me? (Isaiah 35:8)

Trusting God to Turn Me into Me - A Review of Soul Print

I have to be honest - I wasn't thrilled with the "Blogging for Books" book picks this time. The main reason I choose this book "SoulPrint: Discovering Your Divine Destiny", was the publish date of 1/18/2011. I figured it was new enough that I might as well check it out. From the book description, I was expecting a self-help sort of book, and was prepared to be disappointed. Boy was I wrong! Right from the start the author lets us know that this isn't about me helping me, but about God molding me.

"It's not just who you are, present tense. It's who you are destined to become, future tense. It's not just who others see when they look at you from the outside in. It's who God has destined you to become from the inside out . . . so while you live your life forward, God works backward. The Omniscient One always starts with the end in mind."

My problem is, I want to know the end NOW!

I was so pleased to find out how Bible based this book was. The author focuses on the life of David for his illustrations, and scripture is sprinkled throughout. We are reminded that nothing is accidental in our lives, but that God has a purpose and plan to turn us into the men and women He created us to be.

Chapter two focuses on 'lifesymbols'. Batterson says:

"Lifesymbols are all about seeing the purposes of God in our past circumstances . . . our memories can either empower us to live by faith or imprison us to live by fear".

We need to examine our pasts so we can remember God's faithfulness--trusting God through this type of remembering can help us to be at peace and trust Him with our present circumstances.

Another chapter that appealed to me was chapter 4 on 'alter ego'. We need to be authentic, and that means being vulnerable, and that feels like risk. Batterson reminds us:

"The church ought to be a place where we can confess our deepest doubts, worst sins, and wildest dreams. It ought to be a place where we can reveal who we really are--the good, the bad, and the ugly. Unfortunately church is often a place where we act like everything is okay even though it isn't okay. And that lack of authenticity forces everyone to hide behind their royal robes. But what if it were a place where people had the courage to disrobe?"

What a great question! Wouldn't the church look different if we all did just that?

This book has me pondering my past and present circumstances. I intend to remember God's faithfulness through my past, and possibly even create some sort of lifesymbol art to remind me that only He is God. As I continue my struggle to find my place in this world, I will trust that He is showing me the way, even though I cannot see it.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

There is No Plan B

I have just finished reading "Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream" by David Platt (the link will take you to an excerpt of the 1st chapter). I'm not quite sure how to start--for me, this book creates a feeling in me similar to The Hole in our Gospel by Richard Stearns and Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire by Jim Cymbala. I don't know how you can read any of these books, and not have some sort of fire lit within you.

Platt has written a no holds barred book about what Jesus has called us to do--as he says in chapter seven

We are the plan of God, and there is no Plan B

Really think about that a minute. We are the plan of God, there is no Plan B. Are we really living as though what we say and do is critical to God's plan for the world? The premise of the book is that churches, both the buildings themselves and us, the people who make the church, have succumbed to the American Dream that stuff equals happiness, that large and full churches equals fulfilling the gospel plan, that marketing equals sharing the gospel. We have watered down God to church attendance and Bible Study attendance. We have limited God's purpose for the world by our complacency, and Platt wants to open our eyes wide to what it really means to be a follower of Jesus. What does it mean? Look to chapter 4:

Meanwhile, Jesus commands us to go. He has created each of us to take the gospel to the ends of the earth, and I propose that anything less than radical devotion to this purpose is unbiblical Christianity

Wow, those are strong words, but, I have to agree that is what Jesus tells us to do, "Go and make disciples of the nations". I have to ask myself, am I doing that, in even a small way? And, the message seems so large, and well, radical. Yet, that is what God asks us to do, isn't it? To live for Him in a radical way. He did tell us we would be strangers in this world - am I living as though I am a stranger in this world? Am I living as though Heaven is my real world, and not earth? Am I, even in small ways at work and home, fulfilling God's mission for this world? I like that Platt doesn't just leave us hanging, he gives us some practical ways to begin. I also like that he doesn't leave any excuses for not making a beginning, and that he awakens a desire in you to be the man or woman God created us to be.

Platt leaves us with a one year challenge, a challenge to become more of who God created us to be:

1. Pray for the entire world;
2. Read through the entire Word;
3. sacrifice your money for a specific purpose;
4. spend your time in another context (impact communities, nations, world for the glory of Christ);
5. commit your life to a multiplying community (join a community of faith, take up your cross and follow Him)

I once heard a story about a nun who had a vision of Jesus. If I remember correctly she saw Jesus in a church, His hands were tied behind His back, and He was weeping. I don't want to be a person who leaves Jesus ineffective in my world. I want my words and actions to honor Him. I want your words and actions to honor Him. I want to encourage you, and I want you to encourage me. This is what Radical will propel you towards. So friends (you know who you are), if you end up reading this, please call me so we can have book club and talk about how we can allow the Holy Spirit to radically change us to fulfill God's plan.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review

The Sound of Many Waters

We were at a wedding this past weekend in a very unique venue. The bride and groom were married at Meijer Gardens in what I believe is one of the butterfly rooms. The temperature was tropical, the plants were lush, small birds occasionally flitted by, and there was a small waterfall that gurgled during the ceremony. It was difficult to hear the preacher, you had to listen really hard to hear her voice over the water. She spoke about the hard work of marriage, being each others strength, and the fact that as Jesus was at the wedding where he performed the first miracle, turning the water into wine, and turning disaster into joy, so He is here with us at this wedding. I was reminded about how much of marriage is about forgiveness and grace, and what a challenge it is to actually live what Jesus calls us to live. Sometimes, every day is a starting over. I'm always so grateful that God remembers that we are dust, and that we who are believers have passed from judgment into life.

As we left the wedding the thing that most stuck in my head was how difficult it had been to hear the message due to the waterfall. It wasn't a large waterfall at all, probably 3 to 4 feet high. In fact it was more like water falling over rocks in multiple trickles than an actual waterfall. It made me think of Revelation 1:15, where God's voice is described as the sound of many running waters. I always pictured God's voice as being a Niagara Falls type voice, but now, I'm not so sure. I had to listen really hard to hear the preacher at all. The falling water, although beautiful, became annoying and distracting to me. Perhaps "the sound of many waters" just means that when God speaks all other sounds will disappear. His voice will be so compelling that we will desire to hear Him and nothing else. Then the noise that we currently live in, and flow toward, will take it's rightful place as an annoyance and distraction from God. We will physically walk in the garden with God as our friend and companion, He will call us "Beloved" and we will be at peace.