by Candace Cameron Bure with Darlene Schacht
B&H Publishing Group, 2011
Sharing personal experience and advice from Scripture, Candace (of Full House fame) encourages the reader to get physically and spiritually fit. In fact, she says that physical fitness depends on spiritual fitness, and that a robust faith life precedes weight loss and healthy living.
Over the course of eighteen chapters, Candace describes her own journey to physical and spiritual well-being, offers practical tips that help readers achieve their personal goals in these areas, responds to fan mail, shares inspiring quotes from Scripture and elsewhere, and provides healthy recipes from her home kitchen. Along the way, you'll learn more about Candace and her family, and glean some helpful parenting and Christian living ideas as well.
The book is easy to read and well laid out, and I highly recommend it for purchase. Though some of the information is repetitious, those of us on the path to fitness often need to hear the same thing said over and over again before we get it!
Showing posts with label Christian living. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christian living. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Too Small to Ignore: Why Children are the Next Big Thing
by Dr. Wess Stafford,
Waterbrook Press, 2007
Waterbrook Press, 2007
Over the years I’ve had a variety of experiences with children. I started off as one, as we all do; babysat them as a teenager; took children’s literature courses in library school; had two children of my own; and wrote the text for several as-yet-unpublished picture books. Yet I don’t think I ever really thought about children – except in the sense of enjoying them, engaging them through library programs, or parenting them to the best of my ability (with liberal doses of heavenly guidance, to be sure). That is, until I read Dr. Wess Stafford’s book, Too Small to Ignore: Why Children are the Next Big Thing. This book turned my beliefs about children upside-down.
Too Small to Ignore should be required reading by church leaders, children’s advocates, parents, and Christian adults. Stafford, the president of Compassion International, is a humble, yet passionate proponent for children around the world. It’s his goal in this book to prompt a paradigm shift in the rest of us, that we too would see the value and importance of children and be motivated to change our actions (more often thoughtless than malevolent – though sadly, the latter can also be true) toward them.
Stafford’s premise is that children matter to God. He supports this with a number of Scripture references. Of course, if children matter to God, they also matter to Satan, whose absolute hatred of the Almighty motivates him to attack that which is closest to God’s heart. Children have no power, no voice in this world, and so Stafford reminds us that, if we call ourselves believers, it is our duty to take up their cry, work for the betterment of their world, and protect them from preventable pain. And even if our own resources or mobility are limited, we can still do something for the children within our sphere. We can get down on their level, make eye contact and smile; we can offer a kind word, prophecy into their lives, or talk to them about Jesus.
This book contains far more than I can tell you in a few short paragraphs. I hope you will read it. Before you do, pray that God will use it to change your heart, your attitude, your thinking toward children. Pray that He will show you what to do with this newfound information. I truly believe that if we all acted on its principles, we could create a ripple effect that would change not only ourselves, but our church, our community, and the world, to make it a better place for “the least of these” on planet earth.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God
by Francis Chan,
David C. Cook, 2008
In this perspective-changing life-changing book, Chan argues that Christians have a wrong view of God, and consequently, of ourselves. In the first three chapters, the reader comes to truly understand and appreciate that God is holy, eternal, all-knowing, all-powerful, fair and just. We are reminded that He wants us and that our time on earth is short. The final seven chapters warn against being spiritually lukewarm and serving God leftovers. Chan advises us of our high calling and purpose and urges the reader to surrender completely to the God who loves us. He gives powerful examples of those who have lived a radical, love-motivated life and exhorts us to follow suit.
Read this book once, then read it again with your highlighter in hand (make sure it's not a library copy!). Let its truths guide your life and make your time on earth time well spent, so that when you face your Heavenly Father, you will hear those longed-for words - "well done, good and faithful servant."
David C. Cook, 2008
In this perspective-changing life-changing book, Chan argues that Christians have a wrong view of God, and consequently, of ourselves. In the first three chapters, the reader comes to truly understand and appreciate that God is holy, eternal, all-knowing, all-powerful, fair and just. We are reminded that He wants us and that our time on earth is short. The final seven chapters warn against being spiritually lukewarm and serving God leftovers. Chan advises us of our high calling and purpose and urges the reader to surrender completely to the God who loves us. He gives powerful examples of those who have lived a radical, love-motivated life and exhorts us to follow suit.
Read this book once, then read it again with your highlighter in hand (make sure it's not a library copy!). Let its truths guide your life and make your time on earth time well spent, so that when you face your Heavenly Father, you will hear those longed-for words - "well done, good and faithful servant."
Monday, February 21, 2011
They Boy Who Came Back from Heaven: a True Story
by Kevin and Alex Malarkey
Tyndale House Publishers, 2010
On a November morning in 2004 Kevin Malarkey was travelling home from church with his son, Alex, when they were involved in a horrific accident. Alex, who defied all medical and human expectations for his survival, was airlifted to Children's Hospital for emergency surgery. While he remains a paraplegic in a wheelchair to this day, his recovery has exceeded the predictions of his surgical team, and he and his family remain firm in their faith that with God's help, Alex will walk again someday.
This book tells the story of the accident, Alex's hospitalization, and what happened during his time of unconsciousness, including a period in which he was comatose. Alex went to Heaven where he spent time with God, Jesus and angels, and he is able to tell us many things about his experiences with them, both in Heaven itself and on earth. It is an amazing story and is shared, not to draw attention to Alex, but to glorify God and give hope to people.
Although the family has an unfortunate last name, I completely believe the truth that is shared with us here, and look forward to the day when I, too, might see my real home with my own eyes.
This is exciting stuff, folks! Let's keep this boy and his family in our prayers and join with them in believing Alex will walk again during his earthly lifetime. They have an amazing attitude that is inspiring to others.
Tyndale House Publishers, 2010
On a November morning in 2004 Kevin Malarkey was travelling home from church with his son, Alex, when they were involved in a horrific accident. Alex, who defied all medical and human expectations for his survival, was airlifted to Children's Hospital for emergency surgery. While he remains a paraplegic in a wheelchair to this day, his recovery has exceeded the predictions of his surgical team, and he and his family remain firm in their faith that with God's help, Alex will walk again someday.
This book tells the story of the accident, Alex's hospitalization, and what happened during his time of unconsciousness, including a period in which he was comatose. Alex went to Heaven where he spent time with God, Jesus and angels, and he is able to tell us many things about his experiences with them, both in Heaven itself and on earth. It is an amazing story and is shared, not to draw attention to Alex, but to glorify God and give hope to people.
Although the family has an unfortunate last name, I completely believe the truth that is shared with us here, and look forward to the day when I, too, might see my real home with my own eyes.
This is exciting stuff, folks! Let's keep this boy and his family in our prayers and join with them in believing Alex will walk again during his earthly lifetime. They have an amazing attitude that is inspiring to others.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Faith Like Potatoes: the Story of a Farmer who Risked Everything for God
by Angus Buchan
Monarch Books, 2009
Recently released as a movie as well, Faith Like Potatoes, tells the story of Angus Buchan, his wife Jill, and their ministry, Shalom.
Of Scottish descent, but originally from Zambia, Angus and Jill accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour two years after settling in Greytown, South Africa in 1979. Ten years later they felt God calling them to full-time ministry, with Angus preaching and training others in evangelism, and Jill providing aid to orphans and widows. They also felt it was important that they not ask for financial support, but that their farm operations sustain the ministry.
While the movie is inspiring, it is also a good lead-in to the book, which provides many more stories of God's faithfulness and miracle-working power. Angus describes himself as an "ordinary" person, but through him many extraordinary things have been accomplished to the glory of God. After reading this book, I am encouraged to be a better Christ-follower, more often found in prayer and in God's Word, and living out more fully the love of one of His servants.
Recommended reading for all who want to be serious about their faith.
Monarch Books, 2009
Recently released as a movie as well, Faith Like Potatoes, tells the story of Angus Buchan, his wife Jill, and their ministry, Shalom.
Of Scottish descent, but originally from Zambia, Angus and Jill accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour two years after settling in Greytown, South Africa in 1979. Ten years later they felt God calling them to full-time ministry, with Angus preaching and training others in evangelism, and Jill providing aid to orphans and widows. They also felt it was important that they not ask for financial support, but that their farm operations sustain the ministry.
While the movie is inspiring, it is also a good lead-in to the book, which provides many more stories of God's faithfulness and miracle-working power. Angus describes himself as an "ordinary" person, but through him many extraordinary things have been accomplished to the glory of God. After reading this book, I am encouraged to be a better Christ-follower, more often found in prayer and in God's Word, and living out more fully the love of one of His servants.
Recommended reading for all who want to be serious about their faith.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Same Kind of Different as Me
by Ron Hall and Denver Moore,
W Publishing Group, 2006
One of my co-workers suggested this book to me, and loaned me her copy. She was uncertain of her own response (somewhat manipulated?), and wanted someone to discuss it with. What could I do but read it? :)
The story is told in alternating points of view: the homeless Denver Moore, and the wealthy Ron Hall. We learn about Denver's growing up on a sharecropping plantation, his escape from that life to one of homelessness and violence, and finally what happens when he encounters Ron and Debbie Hall at a mission to the homeless in San Antonio, Texas. We learn about Ron Hall's early life, his marriage to Deborah and their life together, his climb to prosperity, and his unlikely friendship with Denver. While Hall initially sees himself as Denver's benefactor, it turns out that the homeless man has much to teach him about friendship, love, and even faith. When Debbie is diagnosed with cancer, they all travel the valley of death together. Even as faith is tested and tried, friendship and affection are deepened.
At first I found this book quite easy to set aside in favour of other reading. The alternating points of view were disruptive, and the story read almost as fiction. But somewhere around its middle, and for reasons I can't define, the book came alive. From that point on, it was difficult to put down; I was held in its grip.
If you can get beyond the slow start, you'll be rewarded with a satisfying read. Did I feel as manipulated as my colleague? No. But I did come to feel more compassion for the disenfranchised, and a stirring to do something more, out of an authentic faith that expresses itself in love and service.
W Publishing Group, 2006
One of my co-workers suggested this book to me, and loaned me her copy. She was uncertain of her own response (somewhat manipulated?), and wanted someone to discuss it with. What could I do but read it? :)
The story is told in alternating points of view: the homeless Denver Moore, and the wealthy Ron Hall. We learn about Denver's growing up on a sharecropping plantation, his escape from that life to one of homelessness and violence, and finally what happens when he encounters Ron and Debbie Hall at a mission to the homeless in San Antonio, Texas. We learn about Ron Hall's early life, his marriage to Deborah and their life together, his climb to prosperity, and his unlikely friendship with Denver. While Hall initially sees himself as Denver's benefactor, it turns out that the homeless man has much to teach him about friendship, love, and even faith. When Debbie is diagnosed with cancer, they all travel the valley of death together. Even as faith is tested and tried, friendship and affection are deepened.
At first I found this book quite easy to set aside in favour of other reading. The alternating points of view were disruptive, and the story read almost as fiction. But somewhere around its middle, and for reasons I can't define, the book came alive. From that point on, it was difficult to put down; I was held in its grip.
If you can get beyond the slow start, you'll be rewarded with a satisfying read. Did I feel as manipulated as my colleague? No. But I did come to feel more compassion for the disenfranchised, and a stirring to do something more, out of an authentic faith that expresses itself in love and service.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Start Here: Doing Hard Things Right Where You Are
by Alex & Brett Harris, with Elisa Stanford
Multnomah Books, 2010
Do start here - or better yet, start with the authors' first book, Do Hard Things: a Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations. I wish both titles had been available when I was in high school. As the subtitle for Do Hard Things (DHT) indicates, society's expectations of its youth are quite low, but the writers point out that historically and biblically the teen years are about preparation, about growing into "mature, competent, and responsible men and women who know when and how to have fun." Start Here picks up where DHT leaves off, and deals with getting started, keeping first things first, persisting in the face of challenges, etc. It is also peppered with personal stories from teens who have caught the fire of "rebelution." I found the writing superior and accessible, and was impressed by the authors' evident spiritual depth as well as by the variety of projects and issues teens were tackling. Oops, I guess my low expectations are showing... I stand corrected.
I highly recommend this book and encourage you to visit the authors' website - The Rebelution as well. Get inspired to do hard things for God. Doing so isn't necessarily easy (that's why it's called "hard things"!), but taking the initiative is changing teens' lives, and could just as easily improve yours and cause you to rethink the future - in a good way. I intend to pass my copy along to my teenage daughter, who I am sure will take its contents to heart. You can purchase your own copy by visiting http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781601422705&ref=externallink_mlt_starthere_sec_0127_01 Also makes a great gift for that special teen in your life!
This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.
Multnomah Books, 2010
Do start here - or better yet, start with the authors' first book, Do Hard Things: a Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations. I wish both titles had been available when I was in high school. As the subtitle for Do Hard Things (DHT) indicates, society's expectations of its youth are quite low, but the writers point out that historically and biblically the teen years are about preparation, about growing into "mature, competent, and responsible men and women who know when and how to have fun." Start Here picks up where DHT leaves off, and deals with getting started, keeping first things first, persisting in the face of challenges, etc. It is also peppered with personal stories from teens who have caught the fire of "rebelution." I found the writing superior and accessible, and was impressed by the authors' evident spiritual depth as well as by the variety of projects and issues teens were tackling. Oops, I guess my low expectations are showing... I stand corrected.
I highly recommend this book and encourage you to visit the authors' website - The Rebelution as well. Get inspired to do hard things for God. Doing so isn't necessarily easy (that's why it's called "hard things"!), but taking the initiative is changing teens' lives, and could just as easily improve yours and cause you to rethink the future - in a good way. I intend to pass my copy along to my teenage daughter, who I am sure will take its contents to heart. You can purchase your own copy by visiting http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781601422705&ref=externallink_mlt_starthere_sec_0127_01 Also makes a great gift for that special teen in your life!
This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Grown-up girlfriends : finding and keeping real friends in the real world
by Erin Smalley and Carrie Oliver,
Tyndale House, 2007
Now this is a book worth reading on the subject of female friendship. Much better than the book I reviewed last August. Co-written by friends, Erin and Carrie, the book tackles a variety of subjects, including:
Tyndale House, 2007
Now this is a book worth reading on the subject of female friendship. Much better than the book I reviewed last August. Co-written by friends, Erin and Carrie, the book tackles a variety of subjects, including:
- levels of intimacy
- self-knowledge
- boundaries
- differences
- communication
- forgiveness
- letting go, and
- growing up
Along the way, each author shares personal stories of friendship successes, challenges, and failures, and each chapter concludes with questions for reflection.
A few highlights:
- I found it helpful to think of the "basket system" of friendship - not all friendships are of equal depth, and once one determines which "basket" a particular friendship belongs in, one better understands its limitations and/ or the expectations one can reasonably have within it.
- Most women have fears, and we all certainly have buttons that others can push. The authors show us how the fear dance works, our own roles within it, and how participating in the dance is unhelpful if we truly want to make and keep our friends.
- The section on conflict and confrontation is particularly helpful for those of us who prefer to avoid either at all costs. Successfully working through conflicts strengthens friendships and enables them to grow deeper.
I highly recommend this book to all women, but especially those who may feel lonely or friendless. It is possible to find friends, keep them, and be enriched through them. Smalley and Oliver show us how.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Christianish: What if We're Not Really Following Jesus at All?
by Mark Steele,David C. Cook, 2009
According to wiktionary, the adverb 'ish' is used to express doubt about the complete accuracy or truth of what precedes it. Thus, 'Christianish' suggests 'somewhat or fairly Christian' - not Christian at all really, because there is no acceptable halfway to following Jesus. God says in Revelation 3:16 that 'because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.' Middle of the road is not a good or safe place to be.
In Christianish: What if We’re Not Really Following Jesus at All?, author Mark Steele encourages the reader to move away from this mediocre Christianity and to live the real deal. He admits his own failures and tells of his personal journey to living a life that’s centered on Christ. “Somewhere along the road, I stopped being a ‘little Christ’ and instead began filling out the application that I had labeled ‘Christian.’ It was not a definition based on the actual namesake but, rather, on those who frequent the clubhouse. I allowed Jesus to seep into my church world—but not my relational world, my romance world, my business world, my creative world, my habits, my mouth. I had become Christianish.”
Christianish may feel like authentic faith. Yet it’s often easy to settle for the souvenir t-shirt—the appearance of a transformed heart—instead of taking the actual trip through true life-change. We find ourselves being contented with a personal faith that’s been polluted by culture and diluted by other people’s take on spirituality.
In Christianish, Mark details the tell-tale symptoms of being Christian-like and revisits the words and life of Christ to deliver a compelling look at what authentic faith is all about. Each chapter begins with a personal story that is often humorous, and follows up with a piercing truth about the life we are called to live in Christ. The book concludes that "There is only one way for us to discover the right way to travel the right road. The way is not church. The way is not an ideology. The way is not Christian. The way is Jesus.”
Here are a couple of my favourite passages from the book:
"Conviction without love is just an angry opinion. Conviction with love proves that what is true is also alive. That it is not only a code, but a transformative power. Conviction alone needs desperately to be proven accurate at all costs. In short, it only survives when it wins. And unfortunately for our opinion, Christ has called us to be losers." (p. 158)
"To this end we have begrudged and distanced ourselves. From God. From faith. From one another. And as we do, the Enemy wins. Because he has been able to distract us away from the very core idea of following Jesus: that we only truly gain when gain is not what we are after, and we only find answers for ourselves when we are being the answers for someone else." (p. 172)
Author Bio
Mark Steele is the president and executive creative of Steelehouse Productions, a group that creates art for business and ministry through the mediums of film, stage, and animation. He is also the author of Flashbang: How I Got Over Myself and Half-Life/Die Already and is a regular contributor to Collide Magazine and Relevant Magazine.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Not So Fast: Slow-Down Solutions for Frenzied Families
by Ann Kroeker,David C. Cook, 2009
Today’s families find themselves in a high-speed, fast-paced, goal-oriented society. We race from first and second jobs to appointments, lessons, practices, games, and clubs. How do we counterbalance our overcommitted culture? Replenish our depleted selves? Restore our rushed relationships?
For readers whose every hour is rush hour, Ann Kroeker explores the jarring effects of our culture and offers refreshing alternatives. Bypassing the fast lane, Kroeker urges families to discover how simplifying and slowing down can help restore strained relationships…and souls.
“We’re raising our kids in a high-speed, high-pressured, 24/7 world,” says Kroeker. “Pushing children to get ahead, we cram everything possible into our days to maximize their chance at success. We’re overloaded, overextended, overcommitted, and over-caffeinated. And we’re paying a price: Our relationships are anemic; our health, in jeopardy. Half-awake and half-hearted, we can’t sustain this pace.”
In Not So Fast, Kroeker relates her own story of how embracing a slower everyday pace has resulted in a richer, fuller, and more meaningful family and spiritual life. With practical ideas and insights that will spark creativity and personal reflection, Kroeker offers hope that families can discover the rejuvenating power of an unrushed life —a life that makes room for knowing and loving God and people. At the close of each chapter, the “Slow Notes” section offers slow-down solutions to apply immediately. In “Live from the Slow Zone,” readers will hear inspirational stories from those who have learned to reap the rewards of life in the slow lane.
“For everyone who yearns for the benefits of a slower life, I want to point to Jesus and say, ‘Start here. Start with the One who offers true and lasting peace. Look to His Word. Meditate on that. Learn from Him, for His yoke is easy and His burden is light,’” writes Kroeker. “I wish we could see that the root of meaning and peace that we’re seeking is found not in a yoga pose or a mind-emptying meditation session, but in a rich relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Author Bio
Mother of four children and author of The Contemplative Mom, Ann Kroeker is committed to encouraging and inspiring families as they face the demands of daily living. A contributor to the award-winning Experiencing the Passion of Jesus, she has written for numerous corporations and her articles have appeared in a variety of publications.
For readers whose every hour is rush hour, Ann Kroeker explores the jarring effects of our culture and offers refreshing alternatives. Bypassing the fast lane, Kroeker urges families to discover how simplifying and slowing down can help restore strained relationships…and souls.
“We’re raising our kids in a high-speed, high-pressured, 24/7 world,” says Kroeker. “Pushing children to get ahead, we cram everything possible into our days to maximize their chance at success. We’re overloaded, overextended, overcommitted, and over-caffeinated. And we’re paying a price: Our relationships are anemic; our health, in jeopardy. Half-awake and half-hearted, we can’t sustain this pace.”
In Not So Fast, Kroeker relates her own story of how embracing a slower everyday pace has resulted in a richer, fuller, and more meaningful family and spiritual life. With practical ideas and insights that will spark creativity and personal reflection, Kroeker offers hope that families can discover the rejuvenating power of an unrushed life —a life that makes room for knowing and loving God and people. At the close of each chapter, the “Slow Notes” section offers slow-down solutions to apply immediately. In “Live from the Slow Zone,” readers will hear inspirational stories from those who have learned to reap the rewards of life in the slow lane.
“For everyone who yearns for the benefits of a slower life, I want to point to Jesus and say, ‘Start here. Start with the One who offers true and lasting peace. Look to His Word. Meditate on that. Learn from Him, for His yoke is easy and His burden is light,’” writes Kroeker. “I wish we could see that the root of meaning and peace that we’re seeking is found not in a yoga pose or a mind-emptying meditation session, but in a rich relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Author Bio
Mother of four children and author of The Contemplative Mom, Ann Kroeker is committed to encouraging and inspiring families as they face the demands of daily living. A contributor to the award-winning Experiencing the Passion of Jesus, she has written for numerous corporations and her articles have appeared in a variety of publications.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
The Buzzards are Circling, But God's Not Finished With Me Yet
by Stan Toler,David C. Cook, 2001
On the landscape of life, buzzards are inevitable—those challenging events and situations that encircle us, eye us as prey and swoop down to cause hurt and heartache. A late-night phone call delivering bad news. Loss of a job. Bankruptcy. Whatever form these buzzards take, the pain is excruciating.
In The Buzzards Are Circling, But God’s Not Finished With Me Yet, Toler takes a lighthearted look at some of life’s more serious subjects. Drawing from his own personal struggles, Toler offers a generous dose of encouragement for the troubled heart, helping readers find hope, joy, and peace, even in the most trying of circumstances. In chapters such as “When the Fountain of Youth Has Rusted” and “I Know I’m Lost, but the Scenery Is Spectacular,” readers will find the strength they need to face life’s difficulties knowing that God is in control.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Hope Unleashed: Serving God Through Words and Actions
by Andy Hawthorne,
David C. Cook, 2009
In Hope Unleashed: Serving God through Words and Actions, Hawthorne inspires Christians to serve others through acts of kindness without compromising the gospel message.
“The famous words of Francis of Assisi are being bandied around everywhere: ‘Preach the gospel at all times, and if necessary use words,’” writes Hawthorne. “The only problem is, I don’t really feel that this quote from the great man describes the heart of what we should be doing at all. A much better way of describing evangelism to me would be: ‘Preach the gospel at all times with your actions and with your words.’”
As a young man committed to bringing the Christian message to youth in his hometown of Manchester, England, Andy Hawthorne was shocked when a missions partner told him he shouldn’t just preach the gospel but also engage in community projects. What did washing someone’s car have to do with the gospel? But Hawthorne enacted the idea and today his mission organization, Message Trust, has been praised internationally as bringing hope and change to the roughest, poorest neighborhoods of Manchester.
“It’s right that you can’t get a ten-ton truck across a one-ton bridge, and that if we try and bring our great juggernaut of gospel proclamation into the community without any bridge maintenance, it’s all going to collapse,” Hawthorne says. “However, it’s equally true that if we build a beautiful, highly polished bridge of kindness, service, and generosity, and yet never bring the truck across the bridge, we haven’t got the job done either. For me, the secret to success in any ministry is to genuinely combine the two.”
Written in a warm, passionate, nonreligious style, Hope Unleashed is filled with practical ideas and strategies for Christian missions based on word and deed. While sharing inspiring stories from his own experiences in ministry, Andy draws principles from Scripture that will both inform our actions and keep us mindful of the need to “give a reason for the hope that is within us.”
Monday, July 20, 2009
The Cross: 38,102 miles. 38 years. 1 mission.
by Arthur Blessitt,
Authentic, 2008
Blessitt tells an incredible story, a true story, his own story. Accepting Jesus as his personal Saviour and Lord at the tender age of seven, he learned early in life to listen for, and obey, Jesus' voice. This led to his special calling when he was about 29 years old - to carry the cross into all the nations of the world that others might see and hear the message of the cross, and know that God loves them and wants to save them.
By the year 2000, Blessitt had spent 38 years cross-walking through the world. He travelled 38, 102 miles, and God opened the doors to every country, including places that would not normally welcome the cross, such as Saudi Arabia and North Korea. In this book, Blessitt shares many of his extraordinary experiences - among them meeting Yasser Arafat, sleeping in a prince's abode, facing a firing squad, and chipping pieces from the Berlin Wall as it was torn down. What moved me the most were Blessitt's stories of God's healing touch on people he encountered while carrying the cross. What saddened me most was the rejection of the cross by church leaders in Montreal, part of my own country.
Blessitt writes this book not only to share the true tales of an intrepid adventurer, but to encourage Christians everywhere to heed God's call on their lives, to share the good gospel news with others, and to be passionate about their faith and the cause of Christ.
A fascinating read.
Authentic, 2008
Blessitt tells an incredible story, a true story, his own story. Accepting Jesus as his personal Saviour and Lord at the tender age of seven, he learned early in life to listen for, and obey, Jesus' voice. This led to his special calling when he was about 29 years old - to carry the cross into all the nations of the world that others might see and hear the message of the cross, and know that God loves them and wants to save them.
By the year 2000, Blessitt had spent 38 years cross-walking through the world. He travelled 38, 102 miles, and God opened the doors to every country, including places that would not normally welcome the cross, such as Saudi Arabia and North Korea. In this book, Blessitt shares many of his extraordinary experiences - among them meeting Yasser Arafat, sleeping in a prince's abode, facing a firing squad, and chipping pieces from the Berlin Wall as it was torn down. What moved me the most were Blessitt's stories of God's healing touch on people he encountered while carrying the cross. What saddened me most was the rejection of the cross by church leaders in Montreal, part of my own country.
Blessitt writes this book not only to share the true tales of an intrepid adventurer, but to encourage Christians everywhere to heed God's call on their lives, to share the good gospel news with others, and to be passionate about their faith and the cause of Christ.
A fascinating read.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Eyes Wide Open: See and Live the Real You
by Jud Wilhite with Bill Taaffe,
Multnomah, 2009
Having your eyes wide open means understanding who God is, and recognizing your true position and identity in Christ, as one who is loved and forgiven. It is this real you that Jud Wilhite invites you to discover in Eyes Wide Open .
Fluently written, the book is a kind of travel guide through real spirituality. Stories about following God in the messes of life, about broken pasts and our lifelong need for grace are relevant and inspiring. I know that I will have to read it multiple times in order to recall and retain all the valuable points that are made. Surprisingly simple cover art belies the importance and beauty of the contents within.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
The Hole in Our Gospel
by Richard Stearns
Thomas Nelson, 2009
(includes a study guide)
Richard Stearns is the current president of World Vision U.S, a Christian non-profit organization. He did not seek this position, but accepted it reluctantly as God's will for his life, after much objection and delay. Since joining the charity in 1999, he has seen and experienced much, and was encouraged to write this book to people of faith in order to communicate a message of vital importance.
So, what does he want to say to us? What 'hole' does he refer to? The cover of the book gives us some idea by posing the question, "What does God expect of us?" The answer he found "changed [his] life and might just change the world". His basic assertion is that Christians, -particularly those of us living in the west - have accepted a partial gospel, and that we need to instead embrace the "whole" gospel of Jesus Christ. This gospel remembers Jesus' concern and compassion for the poor, the sick and infirm, the widowed and orphaned, the disenfranchised and distressed. It is not insular and tight-fisted, but reaches out beyond four walls, with the time, talent, and treasure that God has entrusted us with. God does not bless us so that we might enjoy, but so that we might in turn bless others and, in so doing, glorify Him.
The Hole in Our Gospel challenges the reader with the realities that exist in our world today. In many parts, AIDS is taking a huge toll, clean water is lacking, people are suffering and dying needlessly. Stearns provides information, statistics, and compelling stories to open our eyes, and uses Scripture effectively to remind us of what Jesus had to say about our responsibility to serve and help others. He argues that the western Church has become too comfortable, apathetic, and self-serving, and rebukes us individually and collectively for neglecting a significant part of the gospel of Christ. Ultimately, he challenges the reader to ask, "What am I going to do now?" We cannot claim a lack of awareness, access, or ability as generations before us may have been able to do. Therefore, we must do what we can do. Faith without works is dead (James 2:17).
It is a disturbing fact that Christians are no longer viewed favourably in North America. Nonbelievers look at us and see a disconnect between how Jesus lived and what motivated Him and how we are living and what compels us. "God's name is defiled when His people willingly and apathetically accept the status quo, lacking the vision to lift up God's holiness, goodness and justice in a crumbling world," says Stearns. He encourages us to capture the vision of rebuilding what is broken and lifting up God's righteousness. "If each child of God does his or her doable part, then collectively we can set aright a topsy-turvy world."
"Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?" Jesus asked. God doesn't expect you to act alone in your own strength, but provides what you need in order to get the job done - all He needs is your willing heart.
Stearns' book met me at the right time in my life. My heart is willing to follow up with action, so that with Mother Theresa I might say, "I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." If you need a push to be able to say the same thing, read this book, think deeply about what it says, then do.
Note: at the author's request, all royalties due the author will go to benefit World Vision's work with children in need.
Thomas Nelson, 2009
(includes a study guide)
Richard Stearns is the current president of World Vision U.S, a Christian non-profit organization. He did not seek this position, but accepted it reluctantly as God's will for his life, after much objection and delay. Since joining the charity in 1999, he has seen and experienced much, and was encouraged to write this book to people of faith in order to communicate a message of vital importance.
So, what does he want to say to us? What 'hole' does he refer to? The cover of the book gives us some idea by posing the question, "What does God expect of us?" The answer he found "changed [his] life and might just change the world". His basic assertion is that Christians, -particularly those of us living in the west - have accepted a partial gospel, and that we need to instead embrace the "whole" gospel of Jesus Christ. This gospel remembers Jesus' concern and compassion for the poor, the sick and infirm, the widowed and orphaned, the disenfranchised and distressed. It is not insular and tight-fisted, but reaches out beyond four walls, with the time, talent, and treasure that God has entrusted us with. God does not bless us so that we might enjoy, but so that we might in turn bless others and, in so doing, glorify Him.
The Hole in Our Gospel challenges the reader with the realities that exist in our world today. In many parts, AIDS is taking a huge toll, clean water is lacking, people are suffering and dying needlessly. Stearns provides information, statistics, and compelling stories to open our eyes, and uses Scripture effectively to remind us of what Jesus had to say about our responsibility to serve and help others. He argues that the western Church has become too comfortable, apathetic, and self-serving, and rebukes us individually and collectively for neglecting a significant part of the gospel of Christ. Ultimately, he challenges the reader to ask, "What am I going to do now?" We cannot claim a lack of awareness, access, or ability as generations before us may have been able to do. Therefore, we must do what we can do. Faith without works is dead (James 2:17).
It is a disturbing fact that Christians are no longer viewed favourably in North America. Nonbelievers look at us and see a disconnect between how Jesus lived and what motivated Him and how we are living and what compels us. "God's name is defiled when His people willingly and apathetically accept the status quo, lacking the vision to lift up God's holiness, goodness and justice in a crumbling world," says Stearns. He encourages us to capture the vision of rebuilding what is broken and lifting up God's righteousness. "If each child of God does his or her doable part, then collectively we can set aright a topsy-turvy world."
"Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?" Jesus asked. God doesn't expect you to act alone in your own strength, but provides what you need in order to get the job done - all He needs is your willing heart.
Stearns' book met me at the right time in my life. My heart is willing to follow up with action, so that with Mother Theresa I might say, "I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." If you need a push to be able to say the same thing, read this book, think deeply about what it says, then do.
Note: at the author's request, all royalties due the author will go to benefit World Vision's work with children in need.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
I Would Die For You: One Student's Story of Passion, Service and Faith
By Brent and Deanna Higgins
Revell, 2008
Brent Allen Higgins, Jr. (BJ, for short) "got" the Christian message at the age of 8, and from then on had a passion to know his Saviour better through prayer and the reading of His word. He understood completely that it wasn't all about him - it was all about Him, and he took every opportunity to share his faith with others.
In 2004, BJ went on his first short term missions trip to Peru with Awe Star Ministries. There, he saw the hand of God at work as many came to know the Lord. In 2005, he returned to Peru to continue sharing the love of Jesus with the people there. His journal and blog entries demonstrate the concern he had for lost souls and his sense that the time was short.
Back home, BJ's health, attacked during the Peru trip, worsened. It wasn't long before he was hospitalized. Medical practitioners could not identify the illness, but worked hard to care for him. Throughout this, BJ put others above himself, and his family gave glory to God in all things. Many lives were touched and eternally transformed.
BJ's fight for life ended on September 26, 2005, but his legacy lives on. By writing this book and sharing his story, his parents honour their son, draw others to Christ and encourage the church body to go forward with passion and commitment in BJ's place. His story inspired Mercy Me to write Bring the Rain and I Would Die for You. Awe Star Ministries now offer's BJ's Hope Scholarship for young people interested in going on the mission field.
Read this book and be changed.
Revell, 2008
Brent Allen Higgins, Jr. (BJ, for short) "got" the Christian message at the age of 8, and from then on had a passion to know his Saviour better through prayer and the reading of His word. He understood completely that it wasn't all about him - it was all about Him, and he took every opportunity to share his faith with others.
In 2004, BJ went on his first short term missions trip to Peru with Awe Star Ministries. There, he saw the hand of God at work as many came to know the Lord. In 2005, he returned to Peru to continue sharing the love of Jesus with the people there. His journal and blog entries demonstrate the concern he had for lost souls and his sense that the time was short.
Back home, BJ's health, attacked during the Peru trip, worsened. It wasn't long before he was hospitalized. Medical practitioners could not identify the illness, but worked hard to care for him. Throughout this, BJ put others above himself, and his family gave glory to God in all things. Many lives were touched and eternally transformed.
BJ's fight for life ended on September 26, 2005, but his legacy lives on. By writing this book and sharing his story, his parents honour their son, draw others to Christ and encourage the church body to go forward with passion and commitment in BJ's place. His story inspired Mercy Me to write Bring the Rain and I Would Die for You. Awe Star Ministries now offer's BJ's Hope Scholarship for young people interested in going on the mission field.
Read this book and be changed.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Knit Together
Discover God's Pattern for Your Life
by Debbie Macomber
FaithWords, 2007
Popular and prolific fiction author, Debbie Macomber, presents her first work of nonfiction. Here she puts forth twelve things that we were created for, including success, relationships, gratitude, and worship. Debbie talks openly about her faith and how it shapes her life, and uses real-life experiences to support her thesis. Occasionally a concept from knitting, a craft Debbie passionately pursues, will illustrate a point.
I found this book full of practical wisdom that I can apply to my own life. While the copy I read was borrowed from my local library, I intend to purchase my own so that I can highlight key ideas and make notes in the margins. It's a great book to purchase as a gift for the new high school or college graduate or for fans of the author.
by Debbie Macomber
FaithWords, 2007
Popular and prolific fiction author, Debbie Macomber, presents her first work of nonfiction. Here she puts forth twelve things that we were created for, including success, relationships, gratitude, and worship. Debbie talks openly about her faith and how it shapes her life, and uses real-life experiences to support her thesis. Occasionally a concept from knitting, a craft Debbie passionately pursues, will illustrate a point.
I found this book full of practical wisdom that I can apply to my own life. While the copy I read was borrowed from my local library, I intend to purchase my own so that I can highlight key ideas and make notes in the margins. It's a great book to purchase as a gift for the new high school or college graduate or for fans of the author.
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