Grace by Max Lucado Review

"We find it easier to trust the miracle of resurrection than the miracle of Grace."

"...We scamper and scurry, trying to please God, collecting merit badges and brownie points..."

Can you relate?

Max Lucado's latest book GRACE is an inspirational read. I started reading this book and couldn't put it down, but forced myself to so as to meditate on what was being presented. Mr. Lucado interwove his thoughts, scripture, and real-life stories causing me to laugh, cry, think...and most importantly, pray.

I was encouraged as I was reminded of how God extends His grace towards us and how wonderful that grace is in our lives.

"Grace is simply another word for God's tumbling, rumbling reservoir of strength and protection. It comes at us not occasionally or miserly but constantly and aggressively, wave upon wave."

This book challenges the reader to question how we have been changed by grace, and how we can make change by grace.

"To accept grace is to accept the vow to give it."

A read that does not condemn, but inspires. The end of this book also contains a "Reader's Guide" that individuals or groups can use to further explore grace in their lives.

This is a book for all, regardless of your experience with grace. I highly recommend it. It would be a great gift for Christmas or a fantastic Bible Study topic to start off the New Year! And as you can see in the picture, it comes in various versions for the young and old, experienced or otherwise.

One last quote (it is full of good ones...another thing I enjoy about this book), 

"You are loved by your Maker not because you try to please Him and succeed, or fail to please Him and apologize, but because He wants to be your Father."

~GRACE~

Book has been provided courtesy of Thomas Nelson and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Thomas Nelson.  

Empty Promises by Pete Wilson

Another great read from Pete Wilson! After Plan B, Pete has come out with another book that hits home to the heart of a struggle that each of us has - several times over - in our lifetime.

We all long for more of something in our lives. In our endless pursuit to feel worth and acceptance we find ourselves sacrificing everything for the promise to be a little more beautiful, a little richer, a little more powerful and successful, a little more loved.  How do we break free from these empty pursuits and start chasing the only Promise that will ever satisfy? How do we uncover the hidden idols that are driving us and turn our devotion toward the one true God?  ...Learn how to replace, and not just relinquish, life's empty promises by turning your focus and worship toward Him.  It is the only thing that will set you absolutely free from the endless pursuit of everything else.

One of the things I enjoy about Pete's writing is how he presents these inspired words in very real, modest, and engaging detail.  Using examples from his own life experiences, Pete discusses such idols as: achievement, approval, power, money, religion, and beauty, and how each of these are only a shadow and a poor substitute of what we truly desire. He provides insight on how to shift our focus onto the true Promise that will bring us into a more satisfying existence in this world.

"We think what we want is a bigger title, better looks, more popularity, larger sums of money, the perfect spouse. However, what we really want is the person we were made for - Jesus - and the place we were made for - heaven."

Not preachy, not a 12-step program...This book is a genuine, heartfelt look at idols that can so easily distract us, and practical strategies to help us refocus.

Get your copy today!


"Empty Promises" by Pete Wilson has been provided courtesy of Thomas Nelson and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Thomas Nelson".

The Realms Thereunder by Ross Lawhead

A homeless man is stalked by a pale, wraithlike creature with a mouthful of needle-sharp teeth. Maimed animals and a host of suicides cluster around a mountain in Scotland. And deep beneath the cobbled streets of Oxford, a malicious hoard besieges a hidden city.

Freya Reynolds is a university student with a touch of OCD and an obsession with myth and folklore. Daniel Tully is living rough on the streets of Oxford, waging a secret war against an enemy only he can identify. Years ago, they found themselves in a world few know is real. They have since gone their separate ways and tried to put that adventure behind them.

But the mythical word is now bleeding into our reality -- a dark spiritual evil that is manifesting itself in forgotten corners of the British Isles. Alex Simpson is a Scottish police officer who specializes in hunting mythical creatures. Together, they must confront the past, the present, and points beyond to defeat the ultimate threat to humanity.

~The Ancient Earth Trilogy, Book 1 - The Realms Thereunder

Ross Lawhead has created a wonderful beginning to his trilogy. The main characters are likeable even with their weaknesses, and it will be interesting to see how Mr. Lawhead will further develop his characters in the next book.

The storyline keeps you turning the pages, and as the past and the present are interwoven, the groundwork for a fantastic adventure is laid. I thoroughly enjoyed Mr. Lawhead's use of real and historical context, making the imaginary become a little more real-to-life, which I think adds to the enjoyment of this read. 

Book 1 was good and I am looking forward to Book 2. Pick up The Realms Thereunder by Ross Lawhead and give it a read! You can buy this book at your local bookstore or online at www.chapters.ca or www.amazon.com

Book has been provided courtesy of Thomas Nelson and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Thomas Nelson.

Everything the Bible Says About Heaven

The title of this book caught my attention. I sometimes wonder about heaven and speculate on what it is really like...Are there really cute baby cherubs strumming harps on clouds?

Thankfully, Everything the Bible Says About Heaven does deny that myth because what you find is a great reference book scripturally documenting heaven from Genesis to Revelation .

Throughout this book, there are very few commentaries on the selected passages, which leaves opportunity for readers meditate on the Word and/or to engage in biblically-based dialogue about heaven.

I would highly recommend this book to be used in a bible study...One can explore what the bible says about heaven in a meaningful way as the editors have compiled the contents of this book with a sense of direction.

Chapter 1 - The Place Where God Dwells: Old Testament Visions of Heaven

Chapter 2 - Many Mansions: New Testament Visions of Heaven

Chapter 3 - Heaven in the Book of Revelation

Chapter 4 - Between Heaven and Earth

Chapter 5 - Answers From Heaven

Chapter 6 - Who Will Go to Heaven?

Like mentioned, this book is a scriptual reference, having little commentary, and leaves opportunity for some fantastic discussion. Check it out for yourself!

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Jesus, My Father, the CIA, And Me - Book Review and Free Give Away

ADD THIS BOOK TO YOUR SUMMER READING LIST!

Skimming across my book choices, this title caught my eye. The content of the book; however, involves a slightly more difficult topic than what one might expect in a "memoir".

Mr. Cron presents a wonderfully witty and laugh-out-loud version of his life...Actually, this is only partly true. Though I did thoroughly enjoy his writing (...and I did laugh out loud at parts), Mr Cron touched my heart with his story.

He starts in his youth, creating a good base for understanding why he did what he did and what lessons he learned along the way. His father, being a significant influence to his choices, offered some wise advice: "Don't write checks against your life that you can't cover." (Good words to heed.)

Delving into the author's struggles, he reflects:

"There were kids in the Bowdoin Fellowship who were C.S.Lewis and Josh McDowell addicts, eager to develop a rational case for the faith so they could defend it against the intellectual objections of pagan professors. I wanted to fit in with them and enjoy discussing apologetics, but it was thin gruel to me. I didn't want to parse God--I wanted to be swept up in his glory. I didn't want to understand the Holy One; I wanted to be consumed in his oceanic love. I yearned for heaven, and as long as it remained beyond my reach, my life was tinged with disappointment.
      How could I know that my growing attachement to drinking was nothing more than a displaced longing for this kind of ecstatic experience of God?
      Besides, what would I have done differently if I'd known? I would have tried to figure out a way to have both Spirit and spirits. How else can I explain a twenty-year-old trying to swim in the depths of God, while clutching a glass of Scotch over his head?"

 From innocent childhood memories to not-so-innocent memories, Mr. Cron allows the reader into a world that many (many) people can relate to and how he managed to navigate through it with, and seemingly without, God.

Jesus, My Father, the CIA, And Me...A Memoir of Sorts by Ian Morgan Cron would be a great addition to your library...And, if you would like a free copy, I have one to give away. Please leave a comment describing your dad - in one word for a chance to win this copy. I will be sending out this book August 1st.

"Jesus, My Father, the CIA, And Me...A Memoir of Sorts has been provided courtesy of Thomas Nelson and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Thomas Nelson".

Your Church is Too Small by John H. Armstrong - Book Review

May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.~John 17:23

The theme of this book is unity and its essentiality to the future of the Church.
 
John Armstrong presents a breakdown of biblical unity in the past, the present, and he engages the reader to consider the possibility of how unity could come about in the future. It is a thought provoking read, in fact, it took me weeks to go through this book, not because it was difficult reading, but because I really wanted to steep myself in some of the concepts he presented.
 
"It is important to recognize that the church is not the sum of the total number of local congregations added together to form one worldwide church made up of thousands of smaller parts. In reality, every single church is a true church in its own place, and at the same time every church is the church catholic. Catholicity is a quality, not an organization. It is a spiritual quality that belongs to every church. The total body of believers can only be found in the universal church, yet a single congregation has every right to call itself a church because it shares in the life and mission of Jesus." p.111

A proponent of missional thinking, Armstrong explores a new paradigm in the ecumenical movement towards true unity.  Pointing out the work of the Holy Spirit through Cardinal Suenens, he quotes, "...In response to a question about reconciliation between the churches,"I (Cardinal Suenens) believe that the solution of ecumenical disunity will not finally be the result of a dialogue between the Church of Rome and the Church of Canterbury or the Church of Moscow. It will not be a dialogue between the churches as such, but a dialogue between Rome and Jesus, Canterbury and Jesus, Moscow and Jesus, so that we can become more and more united in him." Happy is the one who sees the centrality of Jesus, explores the depth of what this truly means, and does this in deep relational fellowship with other Christ-centered Christians."p.173

Armstrong challenges the reader to ask the right questions and to "Arm yourself with insight and prayer."

Each chapter has questions for discussion and reflection which I found helpful in exploring some of the more challenging issues he presented. There is also a glossary and a website listed with recommended resources.

As we grow closer to the Day of the Lord, and as the gap between countries, churches, and individuals becomes smaller and smaller, we need to unify simply for survival, and more importantly so that the world is able to see Jesus Christ through us more clearly as the body of Christ.

UNITY...
CHRIST'S MISSION...
MISSIONAL ECUMENICAL CHURCH...

Your Church is Too Small is definitely a book worth reading...pick it up today!

Your Church is Too Small by John H. Armstrong has been provided courtesy of Graf-Martin Communications, Inc and the author. Available now at your favourite bookseller.

Plan B by Pete Wilson (book review)

We all make plans for our lives...and we all go through times when those plans do not come to fruition and we are required to resort to "Plan B". Pete Wilson takes us through the ups and downs of having to face the reality of letting God work in our situation when our dreams do not go as we initially hoped or intended.  "Your dreams may not be happening, and things aren't turning out the way you expected, but that doesn't mean your life is spinning out of control. It just means you're not in control."


Pete's style of writing is very down-to-earth and authentic as he presents the wisdom of the Bible to experiences both personal and otherwise. It is not difficult for the reader to empathize with the situations that Pete shares, as they are common, everyday occurences.


I really enjoyed Pete's straight-forward presentation of how we all struggle through disappointments and how Pete encourages us beyond our present situation. "At the end of the day, I think that is what so many of us long for. We just want and need to know that God knows what's going on with us, that we haven't been forgotten or abandoned. Even if we don't know what the outcomes of our current circumstances will be, there is a tremendous peace and comfort that comes with that."


This book provides practical advice and includes a Study Guide for anyone who wants to go even deeper to seek clarification and perspective in own their personal situation.


Overall, this book was a great read and I would highly recommend it. Though Plan B doesn't provide all the answers to our disappointments and lost dreams, it does provide excellent perspective, practical advice, and hope.





Plan B by Pete Wilson has been provided courtesy of Thomas Nelson and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available May 2010 at your favourite bookseller.

Sheila Walsh - Beautiful Things Happen When a Woman Trusts God (book review)

When I received "Beautiful Things Happen When a Woman Trusts God" by Sheila Walsh, I was quite excited to read it because I, too, am on a journey of learning to trust God and I was anxious to find any pearls of wisdom that Ms. Walsh had to offer based upon her experiences. I wasn't disappointed.

 Sheila Walsh shares with us a part of her journey where her faith in God and her understanding of her worth in His eyes are transformed.  She challenges us to trust God despite our brokenness. In this book, Shiela continues to tell her story that left off from her previous book Honestly  where she shared how she went from TV hostess and singer to spending time in a mental health institution. It is in this new book that she continues her story of coming out of that dark period realizing that God could use her regardless of what she thought or what she thought others might think, and still fulfill her dreams!

 Sheila uses her experiences interwoven with lessons directly from the Bible to create an interesting and inspirational account of the Lord at work. I also enjoyed the fact that Ms.Walsh didn't just use scripture to support her experience, but she expounded on historical significance where appropriate.

"The Scriptures don't detail Joseph's story between the Sanhedrin events and those after Christ's death, but Mark makes note of something remarkable: As Jesus breathed his last breath, the centurion standing as his executioner announced, "truly this Man was the Son of God" (15:39). And then Joseph goes to Pilate to claim Christ's body.

Do you see the unmistakable mercy here?

At the moment and place of Jesus' deepest pain and shame, he allow sfor a Roman executioner to proclaim trust at his feet, a man who did not speak up when he could have now has the chance to take his life and reputation in his own hands and ask for the battered body of Christ.

That is one of the most powerful effects of Christ's life--how he show us what is in us. You see, Jesus bring all that is good and bad, fearful and courageous, compromised and steady into the light. Then his grace allows us to change, to trust. He never reveals our flaws to sham us, but to redeem us.

Do you see the grace here? Do you see that no matter how often you fail, it is never too late to take your place at Jesus' side, never too late to trust him? Do you see that God's love for us shows up more powerfully in our failures than in any of our greatest successes." (pg.188 hardcover)

Beautiful Things Happen When a Woman Trusts God by Sheila Walsh is a book I would highly recommend! It also includes a free, in-depth Bible Study that is appropriate for individuals and small groups!

You can find Sheila's new book at Amazon, Christianbook .com, and Chapters 
Enjoy!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Books I Am Reading or Re-reading Over the Next 2 Weeks

Finding Divine Inspiration

There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening, that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and will be lost. ~Martha Graham

I am writing this from one of my favourite Cafés on Hunter Street – Black Honey...Check it out if you are ever in town (they have the best scones...coffee is fair trade and good also). My modem has been down for a while (far too long!!) and I have been wanting to blog, but I have been unable to get online for any significant amount of time – thus, I am writing this in Microsoft Word. I am doing what others in my situation do: get creative and make it work through other means.

That being said, I wanted to pass on a good book that some of you may be interested in. Actually, I believe that this book would be a benefit to anybody from the artist-types to leaders and parents. The book is J. Scott McElroy’s Finding Divine Inspiration-Working with the Holy Spirit in Your Creativity.



Mr. McElroy takes us through the concept of partnering with the Holy Spirit in our endeavour to create...whatever “creating” we are called to engage in. He gives the reader practical advice and examples throughout history of partnering with the Holy Spirit and how collaboration has impacted the individual and society. He includes interviews with Thomas Blackshear and Peter Furler among others, and their experiences in deliberately collaborating with the Holy Spirit, which I found very insightful and even familiar to my own experience. Mr. McElroy emphasizes the importance of developing a listening lifestyle. Working with our Creator in our life calling is an exciting, fulfilling journey that can sometimes be surprising, but always meaningful.

We definitely have a part to do in finding divine inspiration. We apply ourselves, develop our skills, grow in our craft. We turn our wills toward Him, discipline ourselves to practice a listening lifestyle and obey what He speaks to us. We stand against the attacks of the enemy and move forward in faith. And God meets us as we move toward Him. He provides the direction on what to do and how to do it. He inspires us with Holy Spirit light and revelation. He opens the doors of opportunity and brings us to the right places in the right timing. And He brings the anointing on the message that gives the work the impact He wants. ~J. Scott McElroy

Desert Prayer

The climate in which monastic prayer flowers is that of the desert, where the comfort of man is absent, where the secure routines of man's city offer no support, and where prayer must be sustained by God in the purity of faith. Even though he may live in a community, the monk is bound to explore the inner waste of his own being as a solitary. The Word of God which is his comfort is also his distress. The liturgy, which is his joy and which reveals to him the glory of God, cannot fill a heart that has not previously been humbled and emptied by dread. Alleluia is the song of the desert.

~Thomas Merton, Contemplative Prayer

the furious longing of God

In the furious longing of God, Brennan Manning spurs the reader into a deeper understanding of God's love for us and he challenges us to receive that love.

"Until the love of God that knows no boundary, limit, or breaking point is internalized through personal decision; until the furious longing of God seizes the imagination; until the heart is conjoined to the mind through sheer grace, nothing happens...The wild, unrestricted love of God is not simply an inspiring idea. When it imposes itself on mind and heart with the stark reality of ontological truth, it determines why and at what time you get up in the morning, how you pass your evenings, how you spend your weekends, what you read, and who you hang with; it affects what breaks your heart, what amazes you, and what makes your heart happy."

Pick up a copy of this book, it is not a long book - 136 pages - yet it is an inspiring read that aptly recognizes that,

"Perhaps the gut issue is not how much theology we have studied or how much Scripture we have memorized. All that really matters is this: Have you experienced the furious longing of God or not?

This very question provoked the brilliant Karl Rahner to prophesy: In the days ahead, you will either be a mystic (one who has experienced God for real) or nothing at all.

In times of persecution, theoretical Christianity will collapse."

The author of The Ragamuffin Gospel and Abba's Child has poured forth his heart once again for us to share in his experiences and understanding. Read the furious longing of God and let me know what you think.

The Unseen War

The Unseen War.

It exists.

It is happening in and around you and to you.

You may not see it or sense it, but you are in a war.

David Kortje writes about this war, how it affects you, and what you can do about it.

Here, read this excerpt:

"I find it interesting that in the midst of a great battle-field such as Gettysburg or Normandy, no one would dream of finding all of the warriors escaping unscathed. Nor would one think him less of a soldier for his scars. Yest somehow, we in Christendom have adopted these strange beliefs about our fight.

I wonder if it is because of threat oft-spoken phrase that if you will just"give your life to Jesus, everything will be OK." Or maybe it is that "Jesus has already won the victory," or that "we are more than conquerors." We have already discussed the strength and intent of our enemy. I am hoping that by now you are coming to a deeper understanding of just what this battlefield that we call the Christian walk is really all about. I trust that you are recognizing the flaming arrows of the evil one being shot at your hearts of faith day and night. I know that you have been hit."

David presents his experiences, the moving of the Holy Spirit, and the Word of God in such a way that, after reading this book, you walk away strengthened, encouraged, and determined to fight the good fight, finish the race, and kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4

Check it out for yourself - The Unseen War - Winning the Fight for Life

Thirst For God

This morning I was doing a devotional with the girls from Michael Warden's Alone with God. The passage we studied was Isaiah 55:1-3a

"Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live."

This passage was a little more difficult to unravel and apply for my girls; however, we decided that one of the ways they could pursue God and quench their thirst for God is to greet Him and seek Him first thing in the morning, even before they get out of bed and to also document what they were thinking and what they felt the Holy Spirit was saying to them. At the end of the week they are to go over their journal and reflect on what they learned about God and about themselves.

This, I pray, will help them develop a habit of seeking out God first. Not just in the morning, but throughout the day in every circumstance - to give thanks, to ask for help, or to simply commune with Jesus. I am also praying this will help them develop the art of keeping a regular journal.

This morning, the Holy Spirit led my family to commit to the above, I challenge you to read the following devotion that Mr. Warden scribed and see where the Holy Spirit leads you as you thirst for God...

"God has created within us a hunger we cannot easily name. It is a tickling thirst at the back of our souls, ever building through the years the longer it goes unquenched. We know it is there, though we cannot name it, and we spend our years doing everything we can imagine to try to fill it. It is God's homing beacon, set right in the core of our hearts. And it is one of the greatest evidences on earth that God is real.

Watch any person long enough and you will begin to see the hunger and thirst of his or her soul expressed. Perhaps he is caught up in the pursuit of worldly success - but why? Because he hopes it will bring him Life. Or perhaps she is killing herself in order to be beautiful - but why? For the same reason. We all crave Life - which is to say we all crave God - so much that we will try nearly anything to get it. Of course, we do not want to believe that it is God we crave. We'd much rather believe that we crave something smaller, something we can control. And Satan is there, ready to offer a whole cafeteria of counterfeit nourishment for our souls.

But it is God we crave, and nothing less will satisfy. All of the counterfeits that Satan offers have one common trait - they lose their appeal over time. But not so with God. The more of Him we taste, the more we desire.

Where are you getting the food for your soul? Your job? Your friends? Your romantic relationships? Ultimately, they will all run dry. They can never quench the hunger deep inside.

You thirst for God."

Till We Have Faces

"The complaint was the answer. To have heard myself making it was to be answered. Lightly men talk of saying what they mean. Often when he was teaching me to write in Greek the Fox would say, "Child, to say the very thing you really mean, the whole of it, nothing more or less or other than what you really mean; that's the whole art and joy of words." A glib saying. When the time comes to you at which you will be forced at last to utter the speech which has lain at the center of you soul for years, which you have, all that time, idiot-like, been saying over and over, you'll not talk about joy of words. I saw well why the gods do not speak to us openly, nor let us answer. Till that word can be dug out of us, why should they hear the babble that we think we mean? How can they meet us face to face till we have faces?"

~C.S. Lewis

Seeds...

Go HERE for more information and a good read...

Sick Reading The Shack

So, I am feeling very ill today, sleeping most of the day away, getting up to change positions, test how well I am feeling, drink some water, and of course check in on the wonderful minds in my blogging community.

For the past few hours, I have been reading The Shack, trying to finish what I started so long ago. It really is a fantastic book that speaks so much truth of how relationship with God is desired from both Him and us.

There have been a few thoughts in the book I thought I would share with you today:

...."Most birds were created to fly. Being grounded for them is a limitation within their ability to fly, not the other way around." She paused to let Mack think about her statement. "You, on the other hand, were created to be loved. So for you to live as if you were unloved is a limitation, not the other way around."

...."You must give up your right to decide what is good and evil on your own terms......evil is a word we use to describe the absence of Good, just as we use the word darkness to describe the absence of Light or death to describe the absence of Life. Both evil and darkness can only be understood in relation to Light and Good; they do not have any actual existence. I am Light and I am Good. I am Love and there is no darkness in me. Light and Good actually exist. So, removing yourself from me will plunge you into darkness. Declaring Independence will result in evil because apart from me, you can only draw upon yourself. That is death because you have separated yourself from me: Life."

...."So many believe that it is love that grows, but it is the knowing that grows and love simply expands to contain it. Love is just the skin of knowing."

I am sure many of my readers have read The Shack and I am finally getting around to finishing it...taking a sick day to do so. If you haven't read it, it is worth picking up...William P. Young creates wonderful imagery and a story that I feel is Holy Spirit inspired. Enjoy.

I am going to lie back down again...this blogging took way more out of me than I anticipated...prayers for healing are coveted...Thank you - Smiles and Blessings to you all.

What Kind of Life Do You Live?

I am recommending this book that I stumbled across not too long ago...I am still processing and I will no doubt read it again...In short, it is about getting to know God better and truly living all out for Him....ALL OUT for Him...Crazy in love...

In this book, Crazy Love, Francis Chan (the author) is interviewed at the end with the question: "Do you think God calls you to live a radical, crazy life?"

His response:

"It's not that this lifestyle should be crazy to us. It should be the only thing that makes sense. Giving up everything and sacrificing everything we can for the afterlife is logical. "Crazy" is living a safe life and storing up things while trying to enjoy our time on earth, knowing that any millisecond God could take your life. To me that is crazy, and that is radical. The crazy ones are the ones who live life like there is no God. To me that is insanity."

Are you Crazy in love with God? If not, what is holding you back?

Give Crazy Love a read, it is a good book that will surely challenge you...enjoy...

What Matters

"We are a non-profit Christian organization. I've never seen our Articles of Incorporation, but I'm told they specify that we are to be run as such, or disbanded. But what does a Christian organization look like in this world of desperate need?

I've seen the staff struggle with their faith - I've been through some difficult moments myself and I'm not the same person as a result. I've seen the staff wrestle with moral issues, with spiritual issues, with reasonable operations decisions that have a profound effect in the life of a client. They juggle work and other concerns in their life, they have families that aren't perfect and they have heartaches and soul pains just like everybody else. They go through the same issues with their co-workers and their workplace as anyone else, all the time surrounded by the unimaginable wreckage of so many lives.

Today I stood beside one of the other staff as he was verbally abused by a client. The invective that was heaped upon him was unbelievable. The bottom line was 'how can you call yourself a Christian'? It seems when the clients really want to strike at the heart of a staffer they attack their faith. It's as if they know that this is the most devastating thing they can say to a Christian staffer, and they save it for the moment they really want to wound deeply.

And it does wound deeply. It is emotionally devastating precisely because it is at the very heart of our motivation for being there: to express God's love. The fact that they recognize this - skewed as this may sound - is actually comforting. Somewhere, deep down inside, that client knew that staffer loved Christ. He picked the sharpest barb in his wit and went for the heart. But here's the point: he knew where his heart was.

Really, that's what matters."

~Excerpt from Today at the Mission by [rhymes with kerouac]

This is book gives wonderful insight to life and struggles in a homeless shelter, seasoned with compassion and humour despite the hardships. To learn more or order the book, click on the book cover on the sidebar. All proceeds from the book go to the shelter. To read more musings by [rhymes with kerouac], click on Today at the Mission in My Blog List.

Waymaker

I was reading Waymaker last night and I came across this paragraph. It spoke straight to my heart and I thought I would share it with you.

"The answers to our deepest questions never come to us in the season we deem best, nor in the respectable ways we imagine they should. Instead they come quietly and out of time, in ways both absurd and offensive to our souls. The true test of the human heart, then, is not in proving we are worthy of the answers we seek, but whether, when they come, we will be humble enough to surrender ourselves to their call. -The Kyrinthan Journals, Musings, Chapter 7, Verse 33-34."

~Excerpt from Michael D. Warden's "Waymaker"

Another excerpt:

"Just then, a rogue gust shot across the bow from the cliffs to the west. The wooden masts creaked heavily under the strain, forcing the ship to heave far to starboard. Aybel grabbed Gideon’s arm to keep from losing her balance, even as she shot a worried glance back toward the cockpit. Gideon’s eyes followed hers. Captain Quigly was not at the helm, but his bondmate was, cursing the wind with a zeal that matched—or perhaps surpassed— her strained determination to hold the wheel on course. Like the captain, she was excessively squat, with a barrel-shaped torso and legs so..."

This book is the second in a trilogy of fantasy called The Pearlsong Refounding. It is about a present day man who ends up in another world where the very words spoken can destroy or heal or otherwise....Mr. Warden has quite a gift for weaving words, and his books are interesting and exciting. The cliffhanger at the end of the first book (Gideon's Dawn) left me begging for more and now it (Waymaker) is available. Click on the link to read more or to buy a book. http://thepearlsongrefounding.com/purchase