The Final Summit

I have been wanting to read a book by Andy Andrews since I saw him speak at Women of Faith last fall...What an amazing speaker!!!    Because I did not read the "prequel" to this book, "The Travelers", I wasn't sure if I would really get the most out of it though.  However, he gives plenty of background in his storytelling, so I didn't feel too behind.  What I love about Andy's storytelling is that he finds these precious gems...historical stories that are relatively unknown...and he uncovers them for the world to discover.  I don't want to tell too much to ruin the discovery, but he definitely does that in The Final Summit!  In the process, he also gives several other history lessons, including discussion of what we can learn from the wise and unwise decisions of those who have gone before us.  It was an easy read...finished in 1-2 days, so a great book for light readers and book lovers alike!

Life Without Limbs

I'm very excited to share my most recent read.  I saw this guy on a youtube video a year or two ago, and was just blown away!  Everyone loves a story of someone who is able to overcome obstacles to prove to the world they can, when everyone thinks they can't.  Nick Vujijic is an inspiration to others to live beyond our limitations, whether physical, mental, emotional, financial, or anything else that may hold you back. You cannot possible read one chapter of this book and walk away uninspired to live life to the fullest!  You can't help but get the sense that Nick has tapped into the supernatural ability to live life fully and unhindered by excuses of any kind.  Several times while I was reading, I found myself trying to counter his optimism with my own cynicism...thinking, "But it's just not that easy."  But in light of his story, I would have to come around to, "Well, maybe it is that easy..."  Like Nick says, "I'm ridiculously happy, what's your excuse?"

The Goodness of God

I had never read anything by Randy Alcorn, but the title intrigued me, so I selected The Goodness of God:  Assurance of Purpose in the Midst of Suffering for my most recent read.  And was I ever blessed!  Regardless of whether you are going thru a tremendously difficult trial or just the ordinary struggles of everyday life on this earth, there is so much for you  to take from this book.  The best thing that it has to offer is helping us in the struggle to transition from believing in God to trusting in God, particularly when we encounter times of suffering and our beliefs are challenged.  He takes us through each piece of evidence, proving that God is good (all the time), by looking at such difficult issues as inherited sin, delayed justice, and the "prosperity gospel".  There are so many nuggets of wisdom that I felt compelled to read with a highlighter in hand...here are a couple:
 "God is not only preparing a place for us, he's preparing us for that place, through our suffering   and growth in character."
"Satan intends your suffering for evil; God intends if for good.  Whose purpose in your suffering will prevail?  Whose purposes are you furthering?  Satan attempts to destroy your faith, while God invites you to draw near to him and rely upon his soverign grace to sustain you." 
 I have a feeling that while this book is going on the shelf, it won't stay there long.  I have already been  pulling it out and reading again the highlighted passages.  It has challenged me to continue to be a student of God's Word and to seek first His righteousness in this broken world.

"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."  Romans 8:18

Read and Share: The Ultimate DVD Bible - Volume 2

We have been through a lot of children's Bibles in this family...A LOT!  Mainly because we have visited so many different churches through the years, and it seems we tend to make our donations to them in the form of leaving children's Bibles at each one of them...so we've seen more than our share.  But this one has a different twist...it comes with DVD's that illustrate each of the Bible stories.  The videos are each several minutes long, and they word-for-word match the stories in the book, which is nice for helping your child learn to read.  Even my elementary-age kids liked watching the videos one day...the stories move so quickly from one to the next that it really kept their attention.  My only criticism is that because it came after Volume 1, it's a little random...some OT stories are in Volume 1 and some in Volume 2.  For example, Volume 2 begins with the story of Joseph, because all of the stories from earlier in Genesis are in Volume 1.  If you like a sequential approach, that might bug you.  But, overall, it offers something unique from other children's Bibles, and if your kids are like mine, the DVD will add another great way for them to soak in the treasure of God's Word.  Incidentally, where do you think the Bible is right now?  Why, it's at church, of course!  But only because we used it Sunday in the preschooler children's church for Bible story time...another great way to use this Bible!

Love at Last Sight

If you find yourself snowbound, my latest good read is Love at Last Sight.  In a culture where "love" is all about what makes me feel good, this practical guide on how to really love people is a welcome change.  This book is filled with short chapters, practical action steps, and simple common sense (that is not so common), making it a must-have for anyone seeking to invest in their relationships.  The book gives you four weeks of emphasis: Being All There, Acting Intentionally, Risking Awkwardness, and Letting Go. The only thing missing for me was that I wanted it to take me a little deeper into the scriptural wisdom on this topic.  But I think this book's strength is not in its depth, but that it spells it out so simply that anyone could relate and apply what it says to make real changes in their relationships.

Voices of the Faithful

Well, the New Year has started...time for making resolutions that usually last a week or two...or not.  So if your resolution has anything to do with spending some time reading, here is a worthwhile pick.  Voices of the Faithful is a different kind of devotional book, in that it is a compilation of various writers, all international missionaries, meant to spur you on in your own walk of faith.  The author listed in big print on the cover is Beth Moore, and she does add so much with her introductions to the topic for each month's collections, including God's Character, God's Word, Persecution and Compassion.  However, she is quick to draw the focus to the authors of each daily entry, as her "friends who put their lives on the line for God".  Their stories are inspiring and so interesting to read, as they take me out of my narrow focus on my tiny little corner of the world.  What a great way to start the day and the new year!

Live Well, Live Wisely

I love Christmas...it truly is my favorite time of year.  The singular focus of God coming near in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ...well, I would do better to wonder over that gift all year long! 
But, almost as good, to me, is this week.  The afterglow of Christmas...usually involving a little time off and some time with family, and no return to the hectic pace of life just yet.  It's a time of reflection.  I'm not really one to make "New Years' Resolutions", but I do love the idea of a fresh start, a new beginning.  God knows I need one quite often.  There are many processes that God has begun in my heart to transform me into who He wants me to be.  His Word is my guide in that process, and this passage is another reminder for me from James 3 (The Message).

^"1-2Don't be in any rush to become a teacher, my friends. Teaching is highly responsible work. Teachers are held to the strictest standards. And none of us is perfectly qualified. We get it wrong nearly every time we open our mouths. If you could find someone whose speech was perfectly true, you'd have a perfect person, in perfect control of life.
 ^3-5A bit in the mouth of a horse controls the whole horse. A small rudder on a huge ship in the hands of a skilled captain sets a course in the face of the strongest winds. A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything—or destroy it!
 ^5-6It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell.
 ^7-10This is scary: You can tame a tiger, but you can't tame a tongue—it's never been done. The tongue runs wild, a wanton killer. With our tongues we bless God our Father; with the same tongues we curse the very men and women he made in his image. Curses and blessings out of the same mouth!
 ^10-12My friends, this can't go on. A spring doesn't gush fresh water one day and brackish the next, does it? Apple trees don't bear strawberries, do they? Raspberry bushes don't bear apples, do they? You're not going to dip into a polluted mud hole and get a cup of clear, cool water, are you?
 ^13-16Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here's what you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly. It's the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts. Mean-spirited ambition isn't wisdom. Boasting that you are wise isn't wisdom. Twisting the truth to make yourselves sound wise isn't wisdom. It's the furthest thing from wisdom—it's animal cunning, devilish conniving. Whenever you're trying to look better than others or get the better of others, things fall apart and everyone ends up at the others' throats.
 ^17-18Real wisdom, God's wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor."