Step into the Light
A while back I was in someone’s office and I noticed the following verse hanging on the wall… John 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
It made me think about the times during my Christian walk that I’ve experienced periods of darkness. More often than not because I was follow Jesus.
I think that’s why we continue to experience at least spots of darkness at times, because we never completely follow Jesus. Even the strongest believer and straightest follower gets lost along the way at times.
Now, I don’t mean that God is punishing us for not obeying Him but that we are not receiving the blessings we could because we have not been obedient to Him in the first place.
When we step out of the light we are in darkness and the further we stray from the light the darker it gets. It seems so simple yet, sooner or later, one way or another, we always seem get there…
Call To Duty
As I’m sure it is with many others, Memorial Day brings out a spirit of thanks in me. I thank all of those that have given their time, effort and lives in the service of our country. I too am a veteran. I served in Desert Shield, Desert Storm, and Operation Provide Comfort in 1990-1991.
I’m not sure how other veterans feel about it while they are serving but at the time I did not fully realize what I was a part of. It wasn’t for recognition or fanfare. It wasn’t even for some over-spilling sense of honor and pride. While I had sworn to make it my duty to protect my country, to me I was simply doing my job.
Now don’t get me wrong I’m not trying to down play the honor it is to serve our country. There are few things that rival the feeling one gets from having served this great nation we live in. I have discovered one though. It is serving God.
As I look back at the similarities, I can see a path that has been formed in my life. Whether we accept it or not we were all created to serve. To serve God and to serve others. I see the characteristics of servanthood in so many people, most don’t even realize it in themselves. All jobs no matter what the skill level or education involved ultimately serve someone else. When we work the product created or service provided benefits another. After 35 years of life I came to this realization and the pieces of the puzzle finally came together for me. In June of 2006 I gave my life to Christ. I understand now that much of what I had been looking for and longing for could only be fulfilled with the in service to Him.
To that point I had done many things to serve others. I spent six years serving the people of our country in the U.S. Army. I spent six years as a carpenter building and repairing homes for others. From 1998 to the present I have been a Licensed Massage Therapist, caring for the needs of others. My life was filled with the call to serve others but until 2006 I did not understand the reason behind that call. Until that point I had not realized the biggest part missing from my call to duty was serving God.
I truly believe we all feel this call to some extent. A desire to help others, a yearning to be a part of something that is making a difference in others lives. That, my dear friends, is what a life dedicated to Jesus Christ is really all about. It’s not about rules and regulations, the accumulation of knowledge, the judgment or condemnation of others. It is about serving God and others.
I urge you today to look at the example of others before us. Then, look deep inside yourselves. It’s there, trust me. We are all creations of God and 1 Peter 4:10 says it best “Each of you has been blessed with one of God’s many wonderful gifts to be used in the service of others. So use your gift well.” Through that service you too can better understand God. So, go… find your call to duty.
FREE BOOK…
No, sorry it’s not that kind of free. It’s Free Book by Brian Tome. When you pull a book from my shelves you can usually tell how much I got out of it by the number of sticky tabs I have placed in the pages. Well, this book is loaded.
I’ve always considered myself a patriot. I have had the privilege to serve our country in the US Army. Through this service I have been had the opportunity to travel to and live in foreign countries and observe life under the rule of different types of government. This has given me an appreciation for the freedoms we have. Unfortunately, I feel we have allowed these freedoms to be distorted and to breed a “me, my, I” type of culture instead of the “HE, HIS, HIM” lives we are called to live. Of course, this attitude has been fed by the enemy of God and has grown into the free-for-all “I know what’s best for me” society we now live in.
In Free Book we explore true freedom. The kind of freedom afforded to one that is all-in with Jesus. One who has submitted to the authority of God. Most of us believe we are free when we are actually held captive by our fears. In 1 Peter 3:14 Peter tells us “But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. ‘Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.’” Whether it’s taking the next step in your faith walk or simply looking into the claims of this guy they call Jesus, we all have things that keep us from our full potential and therefore keep us from being truly free. These “strongholds” vary in all of us but they all have one thing in common, they keep us from becoming the Spirit-filled free spirit we can all be.
Brian has a very normal and common way of explaining things. This book has opened my eyes more to the freedoms I have been given by our God and how I need to exercise those freedoms to show others the life they can have through Him. 1 John 4:18 says “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” This is what is being offered to each and every one of us, a perfect love from a perfect God. Somewhere to cast our fears and in return receive love… and it’s all free, you just have to accept it.
Thank you Brian, for your time, dedication and obedience to Him in writing this book.
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.”
Valuable vs. Expensive
This week I learned a lesson. On one hand it was an expensive lesson. I made decision to commit to something that took me away from a job that could have paid between $300 and $600 for a day. I’m self employed with a daughter getting ready to head to college and a car that is not running at the moment and that money certainly could have come in handy.
The commitment I made was to sing at church. We were putting together an a cappella version of Crazy Train by Ozzy Ozbourne. All the instruments as well as the vocals were to be performed vocally. Don’t ask. It was for a specific message, and at the time seemed likes an interesting and creative idea. Once the parts were figured out they were recorded to mp3 and sent out for those involved to rehearse.
Now, I’m a big Ozzy fan from back in the day so I’m very familiar with his songs and Crazy Train was no exception. As soon as I listened to the recordings and tried to do my part, which was probably the easiest out of the group, the lead vocals, I determined there was a problem. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t find or keep the right key. I have a slight case of OCD so the other sounds were distracting and confusing. Immediately, I had serious doubts about being able to perform this song this way. I also had doubts about whether it would even work anyway. Whether the audience would get it or even recognize it. I voiced that opinion some but not strongly enough or soon enough to the right people.
The day of group rehearsal and the first day we were supposed to do this song came around, yesterday, and it was quite apparent very early that this was not working. I guess I hoped that once we were all together it would all fall into place and work itself out. That did not happen. So the decision was made to cut the song.
So, here I am with nothing to do and out a decent amount of money. That’s where the valuable lesson comes in though. I tend to have a good sense for what I can and can’t accomplish. So, I don’t tend to stray into uncharted territory unless I know I will succeed. What often appears as confidence is often simply a surety that I can do something. This philosophy has led me to and through many successes and few failures. I do believe whole heartedly that one learns more from their failures than from their successes however I still tend to avoid things that I sense I will fail at. Well, I feel that God had a different plan in this case. This was an embarrassing and expensive lesson but far more valuable than the money lost. I’ve certainly gained some humility and during the time I would have been rehearsing and performing I made some connections with some people that I might not have otherwise made. Thank you Lord, for presenting this lesson and for seeing me through it.
Blue Moon…
…the moon and stars to govern the night; His love endures forever.
-Psalm 136:9
The term “blue moon” generally refers to the second full moon in a month and occurs just once every 2.7 years. The last blue moon to shine on New Year’s Eve was 19 years ago, in 1990.
At that moment in time I found myself utterly alone in a sea of soldiers. It was my second wedding anniversary and I was sitting alone on the shores of the Persian Gulf and my bride was not there to share it with me. In fact, due to my military service, we had only been able to share together, less than 320 days of the last 730 we had been married. But there I sat under the largest brightest view of the moon I had ever and have since seen. I can still see it when I close my eyes and I am still in awe of the beauty of this object that our creator placed there for us to wonder over.
That moon got me through a lot that night and many more. To know that she was safe somewhere under that same moon, being watched over by a loving, caring, gracious God. Even then as a “non-believer” I prayed for her and her safety. I prayed for God to get us through this and bring us back together. He came through on that promise and we are still married after 21 years.
Now, I would be lying if I said it was easy and hard even seems like an understatement at times but He came through on that prayer and so many others over the years. I am still in awe of and ever so grateful for the patience and grace God has instilled in my wife.
Even now there are times when I feel alone in my life but I rest in the comfort that we have a God that watches over each one of us. One that answers our prayers in more ways than we can even imagine. Thank You Lord and thank you Jenni.
Father, I pray for the safety of all people tonight. As we gather to celebrate yet another year You have given us on this earth I ask that You keep us safe and warm in Your love and care. Please Father, bless this New Year and use it to use us to further build Your Kingdom. In Jesus holy name we pray, Amen.
Stray Affections
Book review post by Jenni Phillips
Stray Affections by Charlene Ann Baumbich is a unique book in that it combines the love of animals, love of family and friends, and love of God in one intertwining story. It has three unique perspectives from two adult women who have been best friends since childhood and one of their mothers. It was a very compelling story and kept my interest throughout the book. There were some elements of surprise and mystery piquing your desire to try and figure out what would happen next. Because of this, it was a very hard book to put down. I would highly recommend this novel to someone who is looking for a quick read, but also one that shows how feelings can be misconstrued and misinterpreted, but that above all forgiveness and love for one another can triumph through Him. You can view a video about the book here. You may purchase this book by visiting here.
Author Bio:
Charlene Ann Baumbich is a popular author and speaker and an award-winning journalist. In addition to her Dearest Dorothy series of novels, she has written seven nonfiction books of humor and inspiration. A bungee-jumping, once motorcycle-owning grandma and unabashed dog lover, Charlene lives with her husband and rescued dog Kornflake in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. She loves telling stories, laughing whenever possible, and considers herself a Wild Child of God.
Why Twitter?
Over the last year or so I’ve caught a little flack from my family and friends about my using Twitter (one less since I got my wife @jenniphillips hooked on it). I was going to write about why I liked and used Twitter but then I saw a blog by Michael Hyatt, CEO of Thomas Nelson Inc. and I figure “hey he hit the nail on te head! I’ll just repost it. You can follow him on Twitter here @michaelhyatt. You can follow me on Twitter here @rickphillips.
Don’t know what Twittering is? Read my original post on this topic. If you want to know how to get started, read my Beginner’s Guide to Twitter.>
If you are wondering why in the world you should consider it, here are twelve reasons:
- It will enable you to experience social networking first-hand. One of my pet peeves is people who pontificate on new technologies but have never actually used them. This is particularly annoying—but common—among CEOs. Real users can always tell the difference. There is no substitute for personal experience.
- It will make you a better writer. Twitter only allows you to post 140 characters at a time. As a result, you are forced to be concise. In my opinion, this is one of the hallmarks of good writing. Short messages. Short paragraphs. Short sentences.
- It will help you stay connected to people you care about. This is one of the few technologies I’ve found that actually contributes to community-building. In today’s busy world, it’s difficult to keep up with others. Twitter makes it easy—and fun.
- It will help you see a new side of your friends. In an odd sort of way, Twitter “humanizes” people and provides a context for better understanding them. If you follow me on Twitter, for example, you’ll quickly see that I get excited, bored, frustrated, and confused—sometimes all in the same day. You’ll also learn what is important to me and what drives me crazy.
- It will introduce you to new friends. I have now met several new people via Twitter. These have contributed to my life in small but significant ways. Gail and I have even had dinner with a couple that we met via Twitter.
- It is faster than text-messaging. In a sense Twitter is a universal text messaging system. You can broadcast to all of your “followers” (i.e., people who subscribe to your Twitter feed) or send a direct message to just one. As a result, I have almost completely stopped text messaging. The only time I use it is to reply to someone who messages me outside of Twitter.
- It will make you think about your life. As you answer the question, “What am I doing?” you start to see your life through the lens of the people following you. Interestingly, it has made me more intentional and thoughtful about my life.
- It will help you keep up with what people are talking about. Via Twitter, I have learned about hot books, cool software, breaking news, and even great restaurants. Because the information is coming from real people who care enough to Twitter about it, I have found it more valuable and authentic.
- It can create traffic for your blog or Website. I have noticed a 30% uptick in my blog traffic in the last 30 days. It may be related to the fact that I have been in the news more or have been writing on more controversial posts. However, I also think it is related to the fact that I am Twittering every time I post a new blog entry. This seems to have a viral effect.
- It requires a very small investment. Twitter itself is a free service. In terms of my time, I probably invest less than 20 minutes a day. Since “tweets” (i.e., posts) are limited to 140 charters or less, you can scan them in a second or two. Writing them usually takes less than 30 seconds.
- It can help build your personal “brand.” When people hear your name, what comes to mind? What is your reputation? What is the “brand promise”? Brands are built incrementally, one interaction at a time. Twitter gives you one more way to build your brand, one tweet at a time.
- It is fun! Twitter is just plain entertaining. Following your family and friends is kind of like watching reality TV. The difference is that you know the people and actually care about them. In this sense, it is even more fun, because you know more about the people from other contexts. Don’t believe me? Give it a try.
I’m sure there are some downsides to Twitter that I am either ignoring or don’t recognize. But I would rather jump into the fray and shape the future of social networks rather than sit on the sidelines and throw stones.
Rick and Bubba’s Guide to the Almost Perfect Marriage
“Rick and Bubba’s Guide to the Almost Perfect Marriage” is a look at the ups and downs of marriage. I’ve never heard the radio show of Rick and Bubba so I’m not sure how it compares with this book but I have to say I was not very entertained by it. While I can appreciate the attempt it just didn’t work for me. Maybe it was just the translation from radio show to book or maybe it was the fact that the material was based on the too often clique complaints/jokes about husbands and wives but unless you are avid fans of theirs I wouldn’t really recommend this one. I tend to have what I would consider an above average sense of humor but I really didn’t find this book very amusing. Sorry guys, better luck next time.
Show Me the Money…
“All the church ever wants is my money”. How many times have you heard that? I’ve never heard anyone say “all SuperMart wants is my money” or “all the IRS wants is my money”. But that is all they want. All the church wants, hopefully, is for us to be be obedient in our worship to God.
I think since there is generally an immediate exchange of goods or services we don’t think about giving up our money at a store. But this exchange of money from us to the church doesn’t provide an instant or visible return. But there is a huge profit for the store and the church is just trying to keep in operation. The church needs to be able to reach out and provide for those in need. To do this they need money. Pastors and staff are expected to perform certain duties. They need to be compensated for this. We wouldn’t show up to our jobs and perform very well or at all if we weren’t getting paid for it. Why should we expect that from them? They have families and needs to provide for too.
God doesn’t need or even want our money. What He does want is for His people to be obedient, worship Him and care for His house. Do I think some churches are a little too extravagant? Sure. Do they not always spend their money wisely? Sure. But on the other hand we don’t bat an eye at putting too much money into our cars or homes or at the marble columns or ornate glass and steel that decorate our malls. Why shouldn’t we honor our God with a nice place to worship Him?
All we have is given to us by God. The earth, the air, water, food and even our jobs. He has blessed us with everything we have. In thanks for that we are asked to give back. A tithe (10%) is mentioned in the Old Testament numerous times. I think this is a good starting point if you’re comfortable with it. It should probably be your minimum goal as you mature spiritually.
As commissions go 90% is pretty good. Remember it was all His in the first place. He just let us have it. 2 Corinthians 9:7 says: “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” That’s right, a cheerful giver. That means we should happy and thankful in giving back a portion to God what He gave us. This is simply an act of worship and obedience.
This is actually something I struggled with for a long time and still do occasionally. I didn’t start out giving 10 % but as I experimented with giving more and more God blessed me for my obedience and I learned to trust in Him. Even though I shouldn’t be I’m still amazed when I place Him first in my finances and He always provides more so I can get by.
Over Yonder…
A lot of my family is from Kentucky and I grew up hearing the word “yonder”. I’m not totally sure what that word means. I’ve heard “up yonder, over yonder (left or right) and down yonder.” I’ve heard “get in yonder” and even “Yonder Ho!” Anyway, if you have any insight into this word and it’s origin I would be curious to hear it but for now just know that I am writing over yonder this week.
Where did it all go so wrong???
Hi I’m Rick and I’m an addict… I started out with pagers when I was younger. I thought I could handle it and all. Then I got my first cell phone… I just used it a little back then to keep the wife informed and stuff like that. But it was never enough… I kept it at phone calls for a long time but then I started texting just last year and man was it sweet! I really thought I had it all under control. It was just a simple little Razor phone and again I was just trying to keep my wife updated and occasionally talk with my teenage daughter .. Sure I’d get on the web every once in a while but only for movie listings and the occasional peak at Twitter. “I could handle it!!” Then I tried my first Blackberry! I fought it for years. I’d see my friends with them and think “I’m ok with my phone I don’t need all those apps and other stuff like a full qwerty keypad and unlimited texting and maps and mobile email ooohhhh… Then one day in a moment of weakness I did it… I got one… I had it all under control for about half a day or so then, the Facebook app and the Twitter app they called me and ooohhh they were. Who would have thought how it could be… And then I discovered the WordPress mobile page and here I am laying in bed typing this blog… And to think it all started so innocently (but doesn’t it always) Curse you Verizon and Blackberry!!! Curse you!!! I want my life back!!!
Name Change…
As you may have noticed (if anyone is even reading this) I have changed the name of my blog.
There are a few reasons one being that www.affectivecommunication.net was getting ready to expire and was alot to type and a mouth full to say.
So, why “I’m Used”? first of all it’s shorter to say and type and easier to remember. But mainly because it’s something I love to be. I absolutely love to be used by God. I try to always allow myself to be used when, where and however He may choose to. I wish I could say I am obedient enough that it happens every day but I mess it all up a lot of the time. But when it all works out it can be an amazing thing. I hope you have or do experience what it’s like to be used.
New Favorite Band
I just heard “Death of Me” from Red. What an amazing sound and the video for the song is a punch in the chest!!! Thanks Pete for posting about them. Check it out here:
The message in the video is such an amazing representation of how we really are. The chorus says:
You tear me down and then you pick me up,
You take it all and still it’s not enough,
You try to tell me you can heal me,
But I’m still bleeding and you’ll be
The death of me!
This is exactly what we do to ourselves left to our own devices. With out the guidance and instruction through Christ we will be the death of ourselves.
A Sight To See…
I got to witness an awesome thing this past weekend. I got to see this guy get baptized. His name is Eddie. We’ve known each other for a long time. We went to school together but weren’t really what you would call friends. Eddie and I have led similar lives though. We both are former military and proud to have served our country. We also did a lot of things we are not proud of in our lives. We both came to know the Lord later in life. I remember seeing Eddie when he first started coming to the Ridge. I sympathized with him and his uncertainty, the same way I felt when I first started attending. I remember the day he made the decision and pray to accept Christ. I had prayed for him to reach that point and was very overcome with emotion when I found out about his decision. Now we are not only friends but we are brothers. Brothers in Christ. I have had the priveledge of working with Eddie over the past month or so and have seen him grow leaps and bounds in his trust and faith in Jesus Christ. He’s on fire and it’s awesome. Please join me in prayer for him to keep that fire ignited.
What a bunch of crap!!
Here’s a post I just had to share from Perry Noble I love it!!! You Rock, Perry!
Before reading this post and getting angry with me that I used an illustration with “crap” in it…take a look at Deuteronomy 23:12-14 where God tells the Israelites to get the crap out of the camp…MIGHT be a message out of this text in the future!)
Saturday morning is date morning…and when Charisse and I first began…we had an “interesting” ritual EVERY Saturday morning.
I would go upstairs to wake her up, change her diaper and then bring her downstairs to feed her (either Cheerios or a cereal bar and some fruit.)
After she ate (which took a while) we would then go upstairs, get her dressed and go outside or on a “car ride.”
BUT…not before she pooped.
Seriously, she always used to have an after breakfast poop…and if she wasn’t done pooping after she ate then we would just sit around and wait…
WHICH sometimes bothered me because I wanted to take her somewhere. I wanted her to experience new things. I wanted to see her go to places she had never gone before…
BUT…we could not moved until she got the crap out of her!!! Sometimes it took awhile…sometimes it happened immediately…but we didn’t move until she did her deal!
The same could be said with us and our walk with God…He is amazing, He is the perfect Father and wants to take us places in life that will absolutely blow our minds. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us His plans are awesome.
I say this often and people ask, “Then why do I feel stuck where I am?”
Could it be that He is waiting on you to get the crap out of your life?
Seriously, is there something in your life that you might call a bad habit or an “issue” that He would flat out call “crap” and tell you that you are staying where you are until you get it out of your life?
What is crap anyway? It is the stuff that our body has deemed wasteful and does not need. If God is asking you to get rid of something/quit something…then He knows that what He’s calling you to get rid of is wasteful…and you do not need it!
AND…if crap somehow gets into your bloodsteam…it can be toxic. The reason God wants the crap out of our lives isn’t because He doesn’t love it…but rather BECAUSE He loves us. He knows the damage it will do long term.
Sin, from God’s point of view…is CRAP! It is what caused Jesus to have to give His life on the cross. It’s the grossest thing in His sight…and instead of us forming groups in the church to talk about the crap in our lives and affirm our crappiness…He would rather us confess it and repent of it!!!
So…question…is there anything in your life that God would say is “crappy” and needs to go?
Just a thought!
Thanks Perry that is some awesome crap!
What I want for my daughter…
This is my daughter, Marissa. I know things can’t be perfect for her all her life. But if I can do anything to protect or prepare her for troubled times I desperately want to do that. She recently started driving which I am excited about for her but at the same time it scares the crap out of me. She has begun to look at colleges and is exploring her options of career choices. Again, a very exciting time to share with her but it means time is short. Have I given her my all? Is she ready for what lies ahead? Although I’m sure I wasn’t the father she deserved at times. I hope and pray I have been the best father I could be and that she can forgive me for the rest. I want her to always know, as long as I hold breath in my body, I am here for her, no matter what. There is nothing she can’t bring to me or ask me.
There are certain things I want for her in her life.
- I want her to pursue Christ… I want her to live a Godly life and never stop following Christ and reaching others for Him.
- I want her to know she is beautiful… We are all created in God’s image and that makes us all beautiful, so many women never hear enough, how beautiful they really are.
- I want her to make the most of her life… That may sound corny but I want her to have as few regrets as possible in her life and I want her to hear those words “well done My good and faithful servant”.
- I want her to never know a stranger… She can be the sweetest person I know, when she wants to be, I want her to use that to touch as many lives as she can.
- I want her to never settle… To always do her very best and never settle for good enough in school, work, love or life.
- I want her to fall in love (in the far future) with a certain kind of man…
- He needs to love God… I want him to be the spiritual leader she needs to guide her, lead her and protect her.
- He needs to love her… I want him to love her with all the passion and attention she wants, needs and deserves.
- He needs to make her happy… Not with material things but with what her heart truly desires.
- He needs to make her laugh… Marissa has an infectious laugh that needs to be heard as often as possible.
- (guys if you’re not up to these tasks don’t even bother)
Finally, I want her to know how important she is to me… I have not done well providing, supporting or emphasizing the things listed above for Marissa. I am praying that God will help me to see and sieze each and every moment that I can use to prepare her for what ever He has for her. Please keep me in prayer that I will do better in the future. Marissa, please forgive me my shortcomings, I love you Boo.
We must have ticked him off…
This past Saturday was an awesome day at the Ridge. We had our single parents car winterization where those serving worked on 79 cars, cut hair for 32 people, gave away tons of stuff and met a lot of new people and showed them the love of Christ. Then, at about 5:00pm Saturday our computer that runs our video and powerpoint for our messages fried it’s power supply. We have a service that starts at 5:15. Ruh-Roh! Due to the quick thinking of our awesome IT guys we got a temporary fix up and running for the powerpoint display at least but alas no video. Sunday arrived and we we had great plan and aspirations but still fought the enemy for the first service and again no video. The second service we got the video going with some struggles and the third went like clock work. Whew!!! Evidently satan did not want this stuff to be seen and celebrated but through prayer and faith in Christ we overcame. Now, the video is something the Lord gave me the idea for a while back for this message series. Little did I know our awesome and expensive camera would be in the shop. I shot it on my cheapo handi-cam and Geoff Justice, editor extrodinaire, doctored it up as best he could. But all’s well that ends well. I had a few comments from those that did see it seemed to have spoken to them. I take no credit what-so-ever for any of it. This was one of those God things, not just the idea for the video but the story in the video too. You can check it out here. Be sure to check back next week and view Dave’s video. We shot it Monday and it blew my mind. The Lord really has His hand on this one I think.
I also promise the few readers out there and for those poor, bored, unfortunate souls that stumble upon this blog, I will attempt to post more frequently in the future.
Me, Myself & I AM
Me, Myself & I AM
Created by Matthew Peters in partnership with Elisa Stanford
This book is a terrific exploration into the past, present and future of ones spiritual journey. It is a great method for performing a check-up on your spiritual health. While I found some of the questions uncomfortable and difficult to answer I feel that, through that, God was able to reveal things to me I either have not seen or I have chosen to ignore for too long also, to remind me of where He lead me from. I would recommend this book to any and all Christians for remembering your spiritual roots and for challenging you in the next steps of your journey with Him.
Pick up a copy for yourself at any of the sites below:
- www.Amazon.com
- www.ChristianBook.com
- www.FamilyChristian.com
The Shape of Mercy
Guest blogger: Marissa Phillips
Reviewing Shape of Mercy by Susan Meissner
Available at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1400074568
“‘I’m so small!’” I gaped at the vastness that lay below us.
He laughed and shook his head like I had missed the point completely. ‘The world is so big!’”
This short quote captures the theme of this amazing book perfectly. It is about three very different, yet similar women who learn how to make sacrifices for the people that they love. The Shape of Mercy is about twenty-year-old college student, Lauren Durough who has led a privileged life being the only daughter to a couple who desperately wanted a son to keep the family name and business alive. In an attempt to prove a point to her father, she takes a low-paying part-time job transcribing a diary for Abigail Boyles, an elderly former librarian. But this is no ordinary diary. It belonged to a young woman named Mercy who lived and died during the Salem Witch Trials, one of the many accused witches. As Lauren gets emotionally involved both with the diary and with Abigail, she begins to re-evaluate her outlook on life.
The Shape of Mercy was one of those books that I just couldn’t put down. From the moment I started reading I couldn’t wait to read just one more chapter. Like any book, it had its slow parts, but overall, it was extremely interesting. I was so into Mercy’s diary that I actually researched the Salem Witch Trials online. Almost each chapter starts with an excerpt from Mercy’s diary that Lauren edits and I found myself reading ahead just to find out more of her story. It was a fairly quick read but when I was nearing the end I just wanted it to last a little bit longer. However, it tried to follow three different women’s lives so it ends up being confusing at times. The Shape of Mercy can’t really be defined as a Christian book but certainly has undertones of faith in God, especially from Mercy’s diary. If you’re looking for a good love story (romantic, friendship, and family love) then The Shape of Mercy is the book for you.
Author Bio: From early school-day projects to becoming editor of a local newspaper in Minnesota, Susan Meissner’s love for writing has been apparent her entire life. The Shape of Mercy is her latest novel in a string of books that delve into the deeper issues of life. She is the author of nine novels and lives with her family in San Diego, California. Find out more about her at www.susanmeissner.com.
I’m over here…
I’m over here this week.
Fireproof
Earlier this week we went with a group to see the movie Fireproof. What a movie!! I’m not a huge Kirk Cameron fan except when it comes to Mike Seiver in “Growing Pains” but I have to say he was awesome in his role in this movie. The ironic part was after seeing this amazing movie about relationships my wife and I got into an argument. It wasn’t a bad one and it ended in a great conversation and our working through some small problems we have been having. I just found it a little humorous (not at the time though). I highly recommend this flick to any and all couples, singles, singles that are considering becoming couples and especially couples that are considering becoming singles. It was so refreshing to see a movie without being concerned about any of the content or language. One interesting thing was how they portrayed the dangers of internet pornography. Possibly the first time I have ever seen or heard of this happening. This is such an over looked subject and one of the most detrimental to relationships these days. Anyway, check it out. You won’t be disappointed.
Innovate 08
Well, let me say that Innovate 08 did not disappoint last week. Man what an awesome time. It was inspirational, educational, motivational and many, many other ationals.
These guys rocked the house:
- Tim Stevens great insight on leveraging pop culture in the church
- Rob Wegner always super energetic definitely keeps you awake and on your toes
- Mark Beeson a wonderful opening and tremendous recap and closing
- Shawn Wood great presentation. His book helped me sort through some things in my walk.
- Steven Furtick his message spoke volumes. He was totally off the hook!
The over-all theme “Stop Talking and Start Doing” something I think we need to apply more often in all aspects of our lives and especially in our churches. I sat in on a break out session with Kem Meyer. It was about using “social networking” to better relate and communicate with your friends, family, church, ministry team. As always she nailed it. I also met a new friend, Tim Schraeder I had been following his blog for a while and had taken some advice from his writings in the past. Thanks Tim.
All-in-all a wonderful experience. Thank you Granger Community Church for your always amazing hospitality and guidance.
The Excitement Builds!
I’m so excited!!! I am at Granger Community Church in northern Indiana for the next few days at Innovate 08. On one hand I’m excited to be here for the conference itself and what God has in store for us to learn but more importantly I’m super excited to be here with three of the best friends I have Brian Wright, Darrel Schick & Rollie Rench. These guys are three Godly men that always keep me challenged, in line and on my toes. They ROCK!!! I’ll keep you posted as the days unfold. Knowing the four of us I’m sure it will be fun and interesting. (yes dear, we’ll try and stay out of trouble)
What the heck was that?!?!
Well, any of you that live in the path of that windstorm/hurricane are probably still realing from the effects. Living in Ohio I never in a million years would have been worried about being struck or even adveresly affected by Ike or any other hurricane for that matter. Boy, was I wrong in that line of thinking. We are on day 3 at my house with no power. I have a well also, which means, you guessed it, no water either. The first night was no big deal really. I got the sleep I so much needed from a previous few busy days. I woke up Monday morning and fired up the ol’ gas grill and fixed breakfast. That was a little fun. But, last night it got old. I resorted to surfing the net a little on my phone just to feel in touch again. They are saying it could be days before everyone gets their power back. However, the blessing in disguise is that I have been in the word more than ussual the past few days and God has been revealing more and more to me. I am also getting a lesson in compassion. What we are going through is nothing compared to those actually on a coastline when one of these bad boys hits. I’m getting depressed after just a few days without my normal routine and all. I keep thinking, how in the world do they do it? I feel that God is really using this time to expand my heart (which some may say was needed) and feel more love and concern for those in crisis. Thank you Heavenly Father for this.
But seriously problems in Ohio?!?!
