Max on Life

Like so many others, I have always enjoyed the writings of Max Lucado.  He has a way of making deep spiritual truths relevant and easy to understand.  He speaks and he writes with the heart of a pastor, even with the heart of Jesus, with an obvious desire to see people know and understand all the wonders of God's glory and love.  He uses storytelling and short chapters to make his points, which makes his books easy, even fun, to read.  True to form, Max on Life is a collection of stories, in the form of readers' questions, covering 172 topics from "Who is God?" to "Why me?" to "Is this wrong?"  Many are age-old questions, but many are questions that the church often avoids talking about because the questions are awkward or uncomfortable. This book is written for those who are hungering for answers to life's difficult questions and those who are trying to figure out how to apply God's Word in their everyday lives.  My only criticism is the title and cover...I love Max Lucado and would pick this book because of him, but there are many who would really benefit from reading it, but will never pick it up because they don't know who Max is.  I would hope that they may release a new edition someday with a different title and cover to broaden the appeal to those unfamiliar with his work. 

Radical Together

This is a sequel of sorts to David Platt's first book "Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream".  Whereas "Radical" was addressed to individuals in their personal walks of faith, "Radical Together" is addressed to the local church.  I wish that I could say that the book's contents were not all that radical...I saw nothing in it that was outside of Biblical teaching.  However, the subtitle, "Unleashing the People of God for the Purpose of God" is exactly what the church needs most, but to find it is all too rare.  There are six chapters, each based on a guiding principle for the church to live radically. "1) One of the worst enemies of Christians can be good things in the church. 2) The gospel that saves us from work saves us to work. 3) The Word does the work. 4) Building the right church depends on using all the wrong people. 5) We are living--and longing--for the end of the world.  6) We are selfless followers of a self-centered God." 

If these principles sound like something that you would like to read more about, then you would really enjoy this book.  Even greater, the book would be great for small group study, with a discussion guide at the end with questions and brainstorming ideas to unleash your own local body for the purpose of God! 

Women of Faith

I just won two tickets to the Women of Faith conference this fall!!!  Who wants to go?
More information to follow...

Declaration of Independence: A Spiritual Document?

Well, it's been a while since I have posted anything...What a crazy past couple of months!  Maybe it's about to get crazier with Abby Grace joining us soon, but hopefully the craziness will center around home, sweet home.  It was a great privilege and honor for Makenzie and I to be involved in "Annie Get Your Gun", and so wonderful to get to know some great new people!  While my heart is sad that it is over, my body is glad for the rest.
So rest is what we are doing this holiday weekend.  Well, I am resting while JJ has been hard at work painting the nursery.  And in an effort to communicate the importance of this day to my children, I came across something worth sharing with others.  Although I did try to share it with my children too, but I'm pretty sure they weren't listening...Oh, well...
From what I remember about President ("Silent Cal") Calvin Coolidge from high school history class (Thanks, Mr. Worley!), he was not known for his elaborate speeches.  However, in this speech made to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, he said some words that we would do well to remember today:
              "We live in an age of science and of abounding accumulation of material things.  These did not create our Declaration.  Our Declaration created them.  The things of the Spirit come first.  Unless we cling to that, all our material prosperity, overwhelming though it may appear, will turn to a barren scepter in our grasp.  If we are to maintain the great heritage which has been bequeathed to us, we must be like-minded as the fathers who created it.  We must not sink into a pagan materialism.  We must cultivate the reverance which they had for the things that are holy.  We must follow the spiritual and moral leadership which they showed.  We must keep replenished, that they may glow with a more compelling flame, the altar fires before which they worshiped."


Now that gives greater meaning to our inalienable rights of "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness"!
Happy Independence Day!!!

Daddy Dates

JJ couldn't take it anymore...I was getting all these free books, and he was jealous!  So he finally started his own blog, and will soon be reviewing books too.  So he is "guest reviewer" on my blog today, as he gets his blog up and going.  I got the book "Daddy Dates" by Greg Wright for him, and here's what he thought:

What an incredible book for fathers, not only of daughters but also of sons. This book challenges us as parents to spend time getting to know our kids. Not just hanging out, but really getting to know them--their likes and dislikes, their wants and desires, their fears and dreams. Time is too precious and is fleeting away fast.
Greg Wright does a wonderful job of breaking down the chapters into bite size pieces so that those who aren’t avid readers or those who are simply too busy to read much at one time can chew and digest his thoughts. I enjoyed that he shares his personal struggles and how he had to humbly admit to not having all the skills to communicate properly with his daughters, although his profession is as a communicator. We can all learn a lot from this admission. No matter how much schooling or job skills we have, raising a family is very different. Each child is a little bit different. Each situation has its nuances. I had to admit it got to me a bit emotionally, because I saw my own kids growing up as I read it.

From the encouragement to not allow your daughters to date outside of groups in high school to treating them like royalty when you spend concentrated time with them, I found this book very helpful for me being all there for my daughter, who is nine going on seventeen. Every father should read this book to realize what special person they have in their home. As a parent, God has blessed us with an opportunity to mold the life of a child of God into His image. May we treasure the time we have been given and not waste it.

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?"