Blog Archives
Leaping Faith
My husband teases me for keeping a red pen near when I read novels. Yes, sometimes that crimson friend is for marking missed errors that will be compiled into an email to the editor. More often, however, that pen is for noting things of significance. Good fiction can cut right to the heart more efficiently and in a more memorable way than most nonfiction. Those are the lines that I mark. Those are the paragraphs I want to remember.
I recently read a novel by Tessa Afshar. A sweet friend recommended it to me. I’m so glad she did.
Pearl in the Sand (Moody Publishers, September 2010), a fictionalized account of Rahab from the Bible, is filled with multi-faceted characters and profound truths about God and faith. There are many parts I found absolutely fascinating, sections that challenged me to look deeper into the Scriptural account. Other chapters urged me to evaluate my faith and commitment to God. It is one such scene that I want to share with you today. Read the rest of this entry
The Shadow of Your Smile (and a giveaway!)
Susan May Warren is the contemporary author I recommend most and most freely. Every one one of her books not only entertains, but also inspires me to investigate myself. My husband teases me about underlining text in novels. I do! But it’s because I learn something about God and something about myself in every single one of her books. I don’t want to forget those lessons. She is a tremendous writer, a beautiful tool used by God.
Her latest book, The Shadow of Your Smile, is another in the Deep Haven series. (I believe this is the fifth.) As always, she features new characters far enough removed from the last that you feel still the cozy familiarity of a series, but without redundancy or direct tie-ins. Each book can stand on its own. This series can be read out of order.
About the book:
After twenty-five years of marriage, Noelle and Eli Hueston are contemplating divorce. They’ve been through a lot together, but instead of growing closer, they’ve gone separate ways. They both have secrets. When an accident erases part of Noelle’s memory, she wakes without any memory of Eli, their children, or the tragedy that has ripped their family apart. In fact, she believes she’s still a college co-ed, incredulous that this is her body, her husband, her life. Why did nothing turn out like she dreamed? As she tries to regain her memory and slowly steps into her role as a wife and mother, Eli helps her readjust to daily life with sometimes-funny, sometimes-heartwarming results. But can she fall in love again with a man she can’t remember? Read the rest of this entry
You don’t have time to read the Bible.
Don’t have time to read your Bible? Yeah, me neither … ALL IN ONE SITTING! But it’s important. Like, crazy life-changing important. That’s why we MAKE time to read it.
I know it’s intimidating and we all have excuses. Think about it. How books have you read that exceed 1000 pages? Personally, I can’t think of a single one. In fact, this is the very reason I’ve yet to finish Bonhoeffer’s biography. I simply can’t wrap my mind around the task. I can, however, think of several series that I’ve complete which, if all the pages are totaled, well surpass that size.
Let’s see … there were the Baxter books (beginning with the Redemption Series) by Karen Kingsbury. Each book was around 275 pages; multiply that times 15 books … yup. I could have read the Bible front to back THREE times in the hours I spent immersing myself in that family’s melodrama. Then, of course, I read Alex Haley’s Roots at least four times. That plus the two sequels … Yup. There’s another three or four times. The Mark of Lion series by Francine Rivers. Those were amazing books! Read each of them at least four times.
Maybe we just need to break this huge task into more manageable pieces. Don’t look at it like War and Peace. It’s simply 66 little books, many of which can be completed in just a few minutes. For example, while waiting for the bus. Or waiting for the next step while cooking dinner. Or waiting for your doctor appointment. Or waiting for the kids to finish their piano lessons. We do a lot of waiting, don’t we?
I wonder, if we picked up the Bible instead of Angry Birds or that silly waiting room magazine, how far we would get this year?
Your turn: When and where do you like to read the Bible?
Recovering Joy (and a giveaway!)
Have you been attacked by Hafftoos?
Some days I really don’t want to be an adult. Responsibility is great and all, but enough is enough. I don’t like having too many people depend on me because — What if I fail? What if I can’t make everyone happy? What if I don’t fail and then they expect even more? Can I give more? Maybe I’m not giving enough. All this can make life seem like a lot of work. I mean a LOT of work. And then what I always wanted can feel like a burden. Not because I’ve changed my wants, but because I’ve changed my perspective.
I love having a clean house. Not because I enjoy cleaning; I actually hate cleaning. But I love having a home where my family feels comfortable and safe and happy. Cleaning is less a chore when I remember that I want the results.
No little girl enthusiastically proclaims that she wants to change poopy diapers when she grows up. That’s absurd! But almost every little girl dreams of being a mama. We put up with the dirty diapers, the piles of laundry, the stressful job, all because we want what comes with it — a healthy child, a welcoming home, a successful career. Hafftoos want us to focus on how much we hate the task rather than how much we want what comes with it.
In my little fairy tale, the Father tells the princess to “Seek and remember.” That may mean different things to different people. Maybe you need to seek the Father. Maybe you need to seek a new job or a tangible solution to a problem you face. Maybe you need to remember why you’re doing what you’re doing. Maybe you need to remember how much you love your family or your responsibilities or even just the results of the chores you dislike. I don’t know what it means to you, but I know that God wants His children to experience joy. If we seek Him, He will be found. If we remember all He’s done for us, we cannot help but be overwhelmed by His love for us. And therein we find joy.
Sally Clarkson is a wonderful writer. You may know her as the author of The Mission of Motherhood. She has a new book titled Dancing with My Father that addresses this exact issue. How, when we’ve been worn down by life and burdened by both hurts and blessings, can we rekindle our first awe of God, that inextinguishable joy we possessed as new believers? Through biblical insights and real-life stories Read the rest of this entry
A Book Review: Angels by David Jeremiah
Do you believe in angels? Everybody kind of believes in angels. The real question is whether our beliefs in angels or spirit messengers or guardians matches truth. Are our perceptions accurate? Do they align with Scripture?
We’ve all heard stories of angel encounters. Jungle natives come to Christ because soldiers in shiny uniforms protected the missionaries the tribe had planned to murder. Someone is pulled from a burning car by fearless men who instantly disappear once the victim is safe. A whole family sleeps peacefully while a fatal gang fight rages literally on their front porch. I’ve shared a story of my own here on this blog.
Do we believe the stories? Are they really angels or is it our simple way of explaining what we don’t understand?
I’ve been reading David Jeremiah’s book on this subject and must say it is an excellent resource. Angels does exactly what the subtitle suggests; it lays out “what the Bible reveals.”
Now, the Bible doesn’t tell us a lot, but it reveals much. Let me explain what I mean. The Bible contains over three hundred direct reference to angels, but it doesn’t have a specific book or passage that explains exactly how angels work or why God uses them. It doesn’t even expound upon the relationship or responsibilities between us and them. There are clues. There are stories. There are glimpses. David Jeremiah pieces all these together to offer an accurate picture in a condense and approachable package.
The content includes discussion about:
- What angels are
- God’s relationship with angels
- How they work
- How they worship
- Jesus’ relationship with angels
- When they appear
- Our relationship with angels
- Famous angels (and lesser known ones)
- Fallen angels and Satan
- Eternity with angels
There are several things I like about this book. The conversational, easy-to-read nature is one, but two attributes stand above the rest.
It is flooded with Scripture. Bookstores contain hundreds of books about angels, miraculous sightings and spiritual encounters. Experience is valuable, but its interpretation is subjective. I want to know the truth and the only way to know that is to study God’s Word. This book does contain relevant stories, but its focus is more on what Scripture teaches us about these heavenly beings.
Its purpose is to glorify God. From the very beginning through the middle and into the end of this book the author repeatedly shines the focus on God. Let me prove this with a few quotes from the book.
“The writer of Psalm 73 shows the right heart when he tells God ‘Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.’ Besides God there is no one on earth and no one in heaven — not even angels — who can give your soul true fulfillment.” (p. 23)
“That, in fact, is the only sufficient aim in a study of angels: that you might draw closer to God. If you study angels and the result is anything less — if you build up only a file of information about angels or a fascination with them or even a supposed relationship with one, but haven’t encountered at least a tug toward humble submission to the Almighty God … you’ve totally missed what angels are all about.” (p. 25)
“Angels can help lift our eyes from this troubled and temporal earth. But they are meant to draw our gaze to the Lord, not to themselves. All glory is due to God, and he has no intention of sharing it with angels … as we go honestly and carefully into a deeper study of angels, our spirits cannot help but experience the desire to worship. If you remember any words at all that you’ve heard angels speak in Scripture, remember especially these two: Worship God!” (p. 56)
“God’s angels always point us to God … [Ezekiel] isn’t being shown this vision just to learn about cherubim, but rather to hear a word from the Lord.” (p. 145)
“Again and again in Scripture we see this pattern: Those who are given the privilege of a direct visible or audible ministry from angels are those with mature hearts who want to encounter God — not angels. … No one got excited about seeing angels. They were excited about what the angels said.” (p. 192)
You can currently purchase the book from Amazon.com for $10.19. It’s a great read, one I highly recommend.
Please note this is a 2009 repackaging of Dr. Jeremiah’s book What the Bible Says About Angels, published in 1996. This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.
Dug Down Deep
Do you remember the first time you saw a 3-D movie?
I think I was eight. Our family went to Orlando for a week. We sat in this giant theater at one of the parks. Somebody gave us the flimsy little red and blue glasses with the big white frames. I refused to put them on. My older brother (he was sixteen) kept telling me “Just do it. Just do it! Put ‘em on!”
I didn’t want to. I insisted I already knew how to watch a movie, and sliding these weird-looking things over my already goofy eyeglasses was not part of the deal.
When the movie started, I could see the screen, but it wasn’t right. Bright colors vibrated around familiar shapes, but instead of being entertaining, it was annoying, blurry and visually too loud.
Finally I slunk down in my seat, made sure my bossy brother wasn’t watching me, then slid on the glasses. WOW. It was like nothing I’d ever experienced! Instead of being a bystander, I became part of the movie. It swirled toward and around me, inviting me further and further into the life the filmmakers created for me.
That experience — the moment seeing-but-not-seeing turns into something unbelievably tangible and beautiful and right — that’s what Joshua Harris’s newest book is like. Dug Down Deep takes the seemingly abstract subject of doctrine and reveals it in it’s full form. Instead of blurry images of old men arguing irrelevant details, it becomes clearly seen as the absolute foundation to living a Christian life. Instead of boasting intellectualism void of action, it becomes evident as the catalyst toward compassionate evangelism and social responsibility.
He writes: “It matters not because we want to impress people, but because what we know about God shapes the way we think and live. Theology matters because if we get it wrong then our whole life will be wrong.“
If you’re already a student of theology, much of this book may be review for you. However, the personal narrative, the ease of application, and the simple flow of this book make it a great read for any Christian, regardless of where they are in their spiritual training.
In the over two hundred pages, one part struck me more than the rest. Toward the beginning of the book Harris talks about the wise and foolish builders. I’ve read that story hundreds of times; I’ve even taught about it, but his perspective has haunted me ever since that first reading. The “rock” in the story isn’t Jesus; it’s solid theology. You may already know that Jesus told this parable believers about believers. The story doesn’t contrast Christians with non-Christians; it contrasts those who follow Jesus’ instructions with those who don’t. But the wise man who dug down deep to find the rock, dug to make sure his life was founded on solid, accurate teachings. Both worked to build a life that would honor Christ. Only one made sure he started with the right foundation.
Do we live this Christian life because it’s what we’ve always known? Because it makes us happy? Because we like the culture or the people in it?
That’s why I like this book. It urges believers to (as the subtitle suggests) unearth what we believe. It reminds us why what we believe is so very important to our everyday life.
About the Author:
Joshua Harris is senior pastor of Covenant Life in Gaithersburg, Maryland, which belongs to the Sovereign Grace network of local churches. A passionate speaker with a gift for making theological truth easy to understand, Joshua is perhaps best known for his runaway bestseller, I Kissed Dating Goodbye, which he wrote at the age of twenty-one. His later books include Boy Meets Girl, Sex Is Not the Problem (Lust Is), and Stop Dating the Church. The founder of the NEXT conferences for young adults, Joshua is committed to seeing the gospel transferred to a new generation of Christians. He and his wife, Shannon, have three children.
My Thoughts on Three Books (and a giveaway)
God Gave Us Love clearly reiterates one theme: all love comes from God. There are different kinds of love — one between mamas and daddies, another between friends and siblings. When we share love with family, friends and neighbors, we share God’s love.
God Gave Us Christmas (pictured below) is a perfect story for the season. In it Little Cub wonders if Santa invented Christmas. Her mama assures her that God gave us Christmas, and He’s way more important than Santa or presents or anything else. The two then travel in search of God and find Him and the story of Christmas all around in creation.
Treasured: Knowing God by the Things He Keeps (pictured below) was written by Leigh McLeroy. A small, nonfiction volume, this book encourages readers to consider tangible reminders of God’s active presence and guides us toward discovering evidence of Him in our own lives. One endorsement accurately explains it mixes “sweet memories, profound observations, sharp insights and exquisite words into a delicious narrative.” It includes a guide for individual study and group discussion.
My personal thoughts:
Honestly, God Gave Us Love didn’t live up to my expectations. I’ve read a number of books by Ms. Bergren and have always been delighted. This one fell short for me. The explanations seemed vague and incomplete. The illustrations were wonderful, as always, but the text seemed rushed. Click here to see a full review at my other site: Christian Children’s Book Review.
In contrast, God Gave Us Christmas far exceeded my expectations!
We don’t “do” Santa in our house. We talk about Saint Nicholas, but only as a historical figure that some families like to pretend is still alive and part of the holidays. We emphasize that Santa is pretend.
This book talks about Santa neither as real nor pretend — which satisfies our family without offending others who do teach a belief in Santa. The best part, though is this: the book consistently redirects focus to what is truly important: God. In it Mama doesn’t skirt Little Bear’s questions, but she does point her toward the true meaning of Christmas, the true existence of God, and the glory of God in nature. She shares the Nativity story as well as solid theological truths about Jesus. She affirms that “Santa Claus reminds us about many good things like generosity and care. But it is God and Jesus that we celebrate most … We always want to thank God for giving us Christmas.” (a direct quote from the book) I love this book!
Follow this link to read a review posted by another mom at CCBR.
And Treasured … Well, I had originally planned to give this away to one of you, but I’ve chosen to be selfish and keep it for myself. 
It’s a FANTASTIC book!
If you’ve followed my blog for any length of time, you know I delight in finding God in the dailies, in the little details of seemingly mundane lives. That’s what this book is about, but it takes it one step further. It finds God in the mundane details of biblical lives first, then applies those lessons to our lives today. Noah, Hagar, Rahab, Ezekiel, Abraham and Isaac — These lives have grand details and seemingly irrelevant ones. Leigh McLeroy focuses on the mundane details (we too often overlook) to reveal vast truths about our God. It’s — well, it’s so good I HAVE to give one away!
In the comments section of this post tell me about your favorite “little” detail of Scripture. I’ll draw a name randomly and announce a winner on Sunday.
ALSO: CCBR is hosting a giveaway for the other two books! Visit that post to enter. The deadline is noon today PST/ 3PM EST.
Disclosure Note: These books were provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.Stretch Marks
I haven’t officially done Mama Loves in a couple weeks, so today (Yes, I know it’s Wednesday and not Tuesday.) you’re getting a double — no, TRIPLE dose!
Mama loves good books.
Mama loves giveaways.
Mama loves Kimberly Stuart.
I am giving away a great book by Kimberly Stuart! Aren’t you excited? If you’ve not yet been introduced to the terrific KS, let me do the honors.
She’s funny, witty, intelligent and … well, there’s nothing not to love about her! She’s a write-at-home mom who loves her life and the God who gave it to her. Her blog is hysterical, and her books are Christian-infused without being preachy. In one word: she’s AUTHENTIC.
I mean, c’mon. How many other authors honesty write about mucous plugs in dialog or leaky boobs in the grocery store? Okay, so maybe there are thousands of pregnancy and parenting books. But how many write about those things in inspirational novels with a healthy sense of humor? I know of one: Kimberly Stuart.
Her latest book is called Stretch Marks.
Mia and her mother, Babs, could not differ more. Mia dresses retro, cares about the energy crisis, goes to yoga religiously and lives a pure vegetarian lifestyle in Chicago. Her mother, while morally conservative, sports plastic surgery, works as a social director on a Caribbean cruise ship and is passionate about steak. They drive each other crazy!
But when Mia gets pregnant, her live-in freeloader boyfriend jumps ship. Actually, he kinda slithers off into the night. Babs to the rescue. She drops everything and moves into Mia’s apartment building to “help.” Can anything can bring these opposites together? The promise of a new baby, one they both already adore, may be their only hope.
Delightful characters fill this book! From Frankie, the librarian with technicolor hair (Mia’s best friend), to Silas, the mysterious gentleman who lives downstairs, and Adam, the hottie who runs the local grocery store. Each contributes their own charm to the story. You’ll love it — I promise.
And so does the publisher. If you don’t like the book, you can send it to them under their “Good Read Guarantee!” But you won’t do that, because you’ll love the story so much you’ll want to share it with all your friends.
Leave a comment on this post and I’ll enter your name in the drawing. A winner will be announced on Saturday!
If you can’t wait that long, head over to Amazon to purchase the book today.
Or visit Kim’s blog to get to know her a little better.
O2: Breathing New Life Into Faith
Your physical body needs oxygen in order to survive. Inhale, exhale … one leads naturally to the other. Inhale too long and you feel as if your lungs will burst. Exhale too long and you get light-headed.
The premise of Richard Dahlstrom’s new book is that the same rhythm is essential in the life of faith. You inhale life-giving strength from God through things like prayer, study, solitude, and silence. You exhale generosity, hospitality, and service to the poor. If you try to do one without the other, you won’t last very long.
The author is Senior Pastor of Bethany Community Church in Seattle, WA, in the heart of the city, among university students, young professionals, families, the homeless, and the elderly. He wrote this book after recognizing an unfortunate pattern within the Christian community. People would accept Christ with enthusiasm, then quickly get burnt out for one reason or another. Others would continue saying all the right things, but little of God’s Truth actually sank into their hearts. The author wants to revive these people by showing them the tools to balance the receiving with the giving, the quiet with the active, the inhaling with the exhaling.
This fresh perspective on the classic disciplines of the faith empowers readers to reflect the life of Jesus and keep their faith growing stronger.
Leave a comment on this post and you’ll be entered in a drawing to receive O2 for free! I’ll draw a name this Saturday.
Visit the author’s website: http://raincitypastor.blogspot.com/
Read the first chapter: http://www.conversantlife.com/files/resource_downloads/O2.pdf
What My Children Are Reading
Today I’m hosting The Well-Read Child‘s weekly meme. (Be sure to click on that link to check out her blog!) Here are the books we’ve been reading the most around here. If you’re visiting, please note I have a four-year-old son (total boy!) and a five-year-old daughter (complete with blond ringlets).
The Big Green Book of Beginner Books
by Dr. Seuss
This collection, originally compiled in 1997 and re-released this year, includes six popular titles for early readers. The titles include I Am Not Going to Get Up Today!, Wacky Wednesday, Would You Rather Be a Bullfrog?, Maybe You Should Fly a Jet!, I Wish That I Had Duck Feet, and Great Day for Up. All of these are adorable, imaginative stories! While all are written by Dr. Seuss, none are illustrated by him. It’s a wonderful collection for reading to or with kids. Zach enjoys the silliness of the stories and Ellie likes showing off her budding reading skills with such a big book.
ISBN: 0375858075; Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers, 8/11/2009; Source: BJs Wholesale Club ($10.99)
The Wackiest, Wildest, Weirdest Animals in the World
by Jungle Jack Hanna
Which furry omnivore smells like popcorn? What sea monster has three hearts? How did the blue-footed booby get its name? Filled with large, full-color glossy photos, this book explores some of the lesser-known creatures in the animal kingdom. The format offers facts at a glance, longer story boxes and text bubbles with funny details. This makes it perfect for parents of children with short or varied attention spans. You can choose what and how much to read without feeling like you’re missing large chunks of content. Bonus: the book comes with a DVD of bloopers from Jack Hanna’s show. My kids love both the book and the video!
ISBN: 1400311403; Publisher: Thomas Nelson, 6/9/2009; Source: Review copy from publisher via Amazon Vine
Zac the Tax Man and Jonah’s Story
both written and illustrated by Andrew McDonough
Part of the Cecil & Friends series, these books re-tell the biblical stories of Jonah and Zacchaeus. Both are funny and colorful. They make the stories kid-friendly by modernizing the stories with clever details and filling the pages with bright, cartoon-like illustrations. At the back of the book, parents 
will find the full Biblical text with references and tips for helping children understand the point of the story. My only complaint: the characters are interchangeable. They all kinda look the same. My kids noticed this, too, but they still enjoy the books and want to read them again and again.
Zac: ISBN: 0310719496; Publisher: ZonderKidz, 10/1/2009; Source: Review copy from publisher
Jonah: ISBN: 0310719488; Publisher: ZonderKidz, 10/1/2009; Source: Review copy from publisher
What are your kids reading this week?
