Real Marriage

You may be questioning why I am reading a book on the topic of marriage. I am single and not even dating anyone.... But I truly believe in learning as much as I can about marriage before actually BEING married. This book has a super honest tone to it since Mark and Grace Driscoll share openly about some struggles in their own marriage, especially early in their marriage. Like many couples, Mark and Grace are complete opposites, which led to many obstacles for them in marriage.

They are not afraid of this subject, which is refreshing for someone like myself who grew up in the church and rarely heard these subjects discussed with such openness.

The book is divided into three sections: Marriage, Sex, and the Last Day. In the first section, they talk about some of their own baggage they brought into the marriage. It is important to know that matters of the heart do not heal themselves and you need to speak openly about what you are bringing to the table. In the second sections, they cover everything from what is permissible in marriage to pornography to abuse. The third section might be the most applicable and important section because it is basically a list of questions to discuss with your spouse about how you want the end of your life to be. From that goal you work backwards to where you are at this moment and how to get to where you want to be.

Some of my favorite quotes are:

"Marriage is about friendship. All the talk about spending time together, doing life together, making memories, being a good listener, growing old and taking care of each other, being honest, having the long view of things, repenting and forgiving can be summed up in one word -- friendship" (23).

"Married life can seems as if it's only five days long. The first day you meet, the second day you marry, the third day you raise your children, the fourth day you meet your grandchildren, and the fifth day you die first or bury your spouse to go home alone for the first time in many years" (35-36).

"[Y]our standard of beauty is your spouse" (109).

The following quote is why I believe it is ESSENTIAL for churches to approach the subject in middle school rather than just in high school (if at all): "A staggering 90 percent of children between the ages of eight and sixteen have viewed pornography on the Internet, in most cases unintentionally  The average age of first Internet exposure to pornography is eleven. The largest consumer category of Internet pornography is boys ages twelve to seventeen" (113).

"When someone stalks you, is obsessed with you, and threatens you, it's psychological abuse, and it changes you drastically" (125). Hello, TWILIGHT! Media has an important part in what we consider acceptable...

"Marriage is for our holiness before our happiness" (159).

"Researchers have estimated that sexual assault occurs in 10-14 percent of all marriages.... Under no circumstances is sexual assault of any sort acceptable in marriage" (202). I found that statistic very surprising and saddening.

I know this is the longest book review post I've done, but I can't tell you how much I enjoyed reading this book. Obviously I could put up more quotes, but you'll just have to read the book (you can do it -- it's only 220 pages).

So Long, Insecurity

Beth Moore is a great author. While I am more familiar with her Bible studies than regular books, I could not shake the feeling I needed to read her book, So Long, Insecurity.

The thing I like most about her style of writing is that she lets the reader know she's right there with us. "I’m a common woman sharing common problems seeking common solutions on a journey with an uncommon Savior" (13).

"Insecurity refers to a profound sense of self-doubt—a deep feeling of uncertainty about our basic worth and our place in the world" (17). I don't know anyone who has NOT felt those feelings at some point in life.

The awesome thing about this is that we KNOW where we can find true security: in Christ. "Let Him bring you peace. Let Him tell you you’re worth wanting, loving, even liking, pursuing, fighting for, and, yes, beloved, keeping" (77).

Moore includes a prayer that would be a great reminder to hang up somewhere. "Make me the kind of woman a little girl could follow to dignity and security" (174).

Moore knows that women are not the only ones who sturggle with insecurity. "Generally speaking, men withdraw when they feel insecure—and women cling. Men give off the don’t-mess-with-me vibe. Women give off the please-mess-with-me vibe" (195).

"In Christ, you are so much stronger than you think you are" (258).

I don't know about you, but I really needed to hear the message that was contained in this book. I own it on my Kindle if anyone wants to borrow it.

Best Question Ever

I really like Andy Stanley's style  of writing. His books are easy to read (not always as easy to APPLY) and straight to the point. He uses personal examples that lets the reader know Stanley's right alongside us in our struggles to do what's right.

"What's morally and culturally permissible is often not what's best for us" (32).

"I don't know too many adults who are living their dream.... We rob ourselves when we make decisions in the moment with no thought of how these decisions will impact our future" (53).

"You are not the only one affected by your choices" (156).

"Private decisions have public consequences" (157).

Throughout the book, Stanley dares you to ask one simple question: "What is the wise thing for me to do" (179)? Based on your past, present, and future hopes and dreams, is the relationship/career/financial decision wise? In addition to asking yourself, he challenges you to seek counsel from a few wise friends and to bring the question before God.

Like Stanley, I am sure that this simple question will forever change how I make life decisions. Thankful for his book.

I reviewed this book for Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers Blogging for Books. I received this book for free in exchange for a review of the book.

Spark: Transform Your World One Small Risk at a Time

The first thing I noticed as I opened the book was that the font was not Times New Romans! Good choice. As I read the book, I laughed a lot. That does not mean I did not think about and evaluate where I am in life right now. Jason Jaggard is highly relateable through his writings. I would like to think that if we were to meet face to face, we would be friends.

 

The main question Jaggard asks throughout the book is "'What's one risk I can take this week to make the world a better place?'... 'What's one way I can serve others?'... 'How can we reflect the character and impact of God' (52)?

 

"You can spend years talking about risks, but your life won't change until you start taking risks. It's not enough to know the information. It's not enough to have the conversation. You have to move on to application" (68). 

 

My favorite chapter was eleven. I relate to the girl he mentioned in a story who said "I just don't feel like I have anything to offer" (129). He proceeded to list several things that made her unique. His challenge is to use what you have.

 

Jaggard, about speaking in front of thousands of people, said, "I wanted the opportunity, but I was afraid I wasn't capable.... There's a tendency in many of us to just stay where it's safe to avoid opportunities that would demand something from us that we're not sure we can give. And that, if anything, defines a life without God -- a life that doesn't need Him to exist" (167).

 

After telling a story about a jr. high overnight retreat, Jaggard says, “Sometimes people need just a little bit of hope. They need to have someone believe that their lives can be better tomorrow than they are today. That they can be better tomorrow than they were today (203).
 

I really needed this book... and chances are someone else does too! I highly recommend it.

 

I reviewed this book for Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers Blogging for Books. I received this book for free in exchange for a review of the book.

fiesty missionary

I read this book the week before I turned 28. What was the rush? Mary Slessor was 27 when she prayed to God to become a missionary. I love reading these books... they are for young teens, but I enjoy the story as if we were actually right alongside these amazing people. 

Mary was a fiesty young Scottish woman who loved people in Africa. She was a trailblazer for sure and like Gladys Aylward had her fair share of struggles.

Mary was actually engaged for a bit of time, but because she was expected to move to a different city and work with other people than who she felt called to, she broke off the engagement.

These women encourage me in my life. I may not know what God is up to these days, but I definitely sense that he has a plan for me. The two people groups I feel called to are Italians and middle school kids. I would be fine working with either and have had the opportunity to interact with both. 

So thankful to God for a great cloud of witnesses and their testimonies of how God worked in their lives. 

Unstoppable

Nick is at it again. This book is a book of hope. It reminds people that they have a life purpose and meaning. 

"I've found that when I'm most confused about God's plan for me, when I'm seriously struggling to figure out what I should do to serve His purpose, He will place someone in my path or create a situation to reveal that purpose or to test whether I walk the talk" (19).

I like that Nick was real about his own struggles and wanting to help others get back on track. "If you feel yourself sliding into despair, drained of energy, and depleted of faith, ask yourself, 'What matters most to me? What gives me joy? What drives me and gives my life meaning? How can I get that back" (46)?

"When God calls you to do something, you may not understand or be enthusiastic at first. But you should always be passionate about Him, which means you will do anything for Him" (80).

I really liked reading about how Nick met his wife in chapter three. He shared his own insecurities about finding true love and it is so beautiful to read about how God planned it all out for him and Kanae. 

I am thankful for the testimony Nick Vujicic continues to share through his ministries and books.

I reviewed this book for Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers Blogging for Books. I received this book for free in exchange for a review of the book.

Unstoppable:Preview

I just got the book Unstoppable by Nick Vujicic and I am super excited to read it! My review will come soon, but I wanted to show you where to read chapter one for free and a short clip about the book.

You might be discouraged right now, but this man gives me hope.

Review coming soon. Book will be out October 2, 2012!

Summer Chick Lit

I don't know what it is, but occasionally, I cannot get enough of reading! It has been like that for the past few weeks. Even though I have mountains of unread books at home, I can't help browsing the libraries around town in hopes of a good read. In one such adventure, I came across Kate Klise's In the Bag. 

A story of two single parents and their teenagers traveling in Europe and their interactions with each other. Interesting enough story line, I guess. Very simple chick lit, but I liked the setting of the book and she wrote it from four different perspectives, switching people each chapter. 

Heart of the Matter was not as good as Giffin's other books, but I have to say I like her style of writing. She writes in first person and like Klise, switches perspectives with every new chapter. I like that Giffin is not afraid to write about real life: the good, the bad, and the ugly. She has approached subjects, such as not wanting to have kids in today's culture and how we view such couples, martial affairs, adoption, single parenthood. Given that, her books do have sexual content and language (one reason I prefer young adult fiction to adult fiction). But I really do like her books for the most part. Her earlier books were better, possibly because her style was so refreshing. These two books by Giffin I recently read felt a little long. 

I really like that in both of these books, Giffin makes connections from her previous books. Some of the major characters from previous works are secondary characters in these books. It was fun to recognize them! 

Where We Belong just came out at the end of July. I finished it last night. One of my favorite characters was the main character's dad, Jim. Maybe it was something about the way she wrote about Marian and Jim's interactions that remind me of my own dad. He is just a very likable man. Anyway, yea for summer chick lit. 

When Bad Christians Happen to Good People

I really appreciated Dave Burchett's authenticity throughout the book. I could relate to him on so many levels as being the one wounded by other Christians as well as inflicting pain. He was honest and shared personal examples from his own life.

My favorite chapter was Chapter 15: Blindsided by God -- Never Saw it Comin'.

Burchett divided the book into three parts:
 1. Silencing the Lambs: The Indefensible Things We Do to One Another
 2. Why Won't Those Heathens Listen? Thoughts on How We Lost Our Audience
 3. Reality-Based Faith for Survivors: Being Real in an Artificial World

Having had a few conversations with friends lately, I have realized what a huge problem other Christians can present in blocking others to God's grace. It saddens me to see once-strong Christians bitter about the Church.

"Relationships exclusively outside the faith might not be the best for your spiritual health. But believe me, relationships exclusively within the faith will put you in violation of the Great Commission (Matthew 28.18-20)" (56).

"I have never... caught a fish without going to the water where the fish were located.... [Y]ou cannot fish for people without going to where they are located. But understand that sometimes they will be in polluted water" (125).

"If you are tired enough, discouraged enough, and wounded enough, maybe you are not ready to scream, 'I can't do this anymore!' And if you are, then I have good news: you are ready for grace" (211).

I could keep adding my favorite quotes, but I'll just let you read the book... and I highly recommend that you do.

Three Philosophies of Life: Peter Kreeft

You may remember my post on the stack of books to read in 2012. One I decided was just too boring to read (The Girl Who Could Fly), and I have read five others, so we are down to fourteen books by the end of the year. This is the second book I have read this year that I received from my friend, David Joe.

I admit that ever since college I rarely read books that challenge my thinking in deep philosophical ways. This book was short, but it was really powerful in the way it made me think about deeper life issues. The subtitle is: Ecclesiastes--Life as Vanity, Job--Life as Suffering, Song of Songs--Life as Love.

Each section was interesting to me, but Ecclesiastes meant a lot to me at this point in life. I have been through the Job part of life and look forward to someday living in the Song of Songs part of life.

"Our world is full of thousands of little things, which keep us diverted from the one big thing. We are kepy so busy that we have no time to think" (33).

"Life is a quest for love and a quest for God, and there is no car or plane for this trip. It is an old-fashioned quest made on our own two feet" (110).

Thank you, David Joe, for another great read.

The Circle Maker



Batterson never fails to amaze me with the ways he connects with his readers.

This book is about Prayer. Not being afraid to ask God for big things, for big dreams, and consistently for a long time (because we all know God's timetable is rarely ours).

It never fails that Batterson hits on life goals in his books. It is a reality check every time I read his own life goals and realize what I have already accomplished and what I still hope to accomplish in life.

"If you aren't willing to put yourself in 'this is crazy' situations, you'll never experience 'this is awesome' moments" (50-51).

"Everything we see and hear is priming us in a positive or negative way. That's one reason I believe in starting the day in God's Word" (154). That was definitely something I have been struggling with lately and I needed to hear/see this.

I highly recomment this book. You can read a sample chapter and learn more about the book/DVD series here.

Book vs. Movie

Part 1: The Vow

I went to the library a few weeks ago. I picked up The Vow.  I have not really been paying attention to movies, so I really had no idea what it was about, but I thought it would be a cheesy Nicholas Sparks romance type book. Throughout the book, I was captivated by these two people's faithfulness to each other and to God. It is truly a beautiful and refreshing story that people take their marriage vow seriously. I highly recommend the book over the movie. Check out the youtube clip below. It does a pretty good job of an overview of their story.

vs

Part 2: One for the Money

My roommate has a very colorful stack of books that I have been eyeing for when I have time to read. I finally went to the library to check out the first book in the Stephanie Plum series, One for the Money. It recently became a movie with Katherine Heigl, who I really like, so I was excited to read the book before seeing the movie.

I really enjoyed the book. It was fast paced and I read it in two days. The movie did a pretty good job for the most part. The ending was totally different, and I did not think they needed to change anything -- should have gone straight from the book. The only thing the movie did was improve the language, which was surprising! Finally a movie that IMPROVES the language of a book instead of spewing F bombs.

Still think the books were better than the movies. Surprise, surprise.

The Girl's Still Got It

Ruth. My favorite book of the Bible.

It's no wonder when given a chance to read a book about her life, I snatched it up.

Liz Curtis Higgs' book, The Girl's Still Got It, is going to be released July 10, 2012.

I have never read any of Higgs' books before. Higgs goes into depth about what it might have been like for Ruth and the other characters in her story. The book includes discussion questions and a study guide. I also saw that there is a DVD available for purchase. It seems like this book would be fitting for a women's Bible study group.

Ruth continues to be my favorite book in the Bible. I appreciated Higgs' statement about the overall purpose of Ruth: "The book of Ruth is a crash course in Soverignty 101, with God whispering all through it, 'Trust me!'" (2).

Higgs does a great job of knowing the background of the culture.

This book was good, but I did not connect with her writing style very well.

I reviewed this book for Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers Blogging for Books. I received this book for free in exchange for a review of the book.

I just got back from Haiti on Thursday. I had bought this book at the local library book sale this spring and found that I was drawn to this story more now because I had just experienced the adventures of a missionary life for a week.

She was 27 when she was dismissed from a missionary school. She was seen as too old and not good enough for the missionary lifestyle. Had she listened to them, thousands of people in China would have missed out on the Good News. She cared for almost two hundred orphan children.

Gladys Alyward's life is inspiring to me. She was a very strong woman who handled life difficulties gracefully. God was truly at work throughout her life.

Towards the beginning of the book, Gladys had taken a job in Wales rescuing girls on the street. "As much as she loved the job, though, something was missing. Yes, she was doing very useful work, but she wasn't doing it in China, where she knew God wanted her to be" (23).

Chazown

Craig Groeschel writes an easy-to-read book about discovering your purpose. The chapters are perfect for our Twitter-trained brains. Short chapters make it easy to take a break if you need to.

I read a book that was similar in the theme of finding purpose by Mark Batterson. I liked Batterson’s style of writing better, but that does not mean that others won’t connect with Groeschel’s style.

Groeschel’s book was a good reminder of Proverbs 29.18 KJV: Where there is no vision, the people perish.

“Are you willing to let God disturb you with dreams so big that you don’t know how they’ll be accomplished” (15)? That was a very challenging question for me. I am still pondering it.

“He sends you where you don’t want to go to learn what you thought you already knew” (21).

“Setbacks are often setups for God to act” (23).

Given where I am currently at in life, these few quotes from the book were really powerful to me.

I like that there was an online component that complimented the book. I took a spiritual gifts test online and it was really interesting to me to confirm how God has made me.

I would recommend this book.

I reviewed this book for Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers Blogging for Books. I received this book for free in exchange for a review of the book.

Radical

I started reading this book months ago. I picked it back up last week and finished it last night. It is not for the weak-hearted. If you are needing to be challenged in life, this is a great book.

Platt exposes the heart in a way to call into question our life choices. Are we seeing our abundance as a blessing and a chance to bless others? Are we giving away only what we can spare?

The American Dream is not necessarily bad, but Platt does call us to ask ourselves a few questions.

"This is how God works. He puts his people in positions where they are desperate for his power, and then he shows his provision in ways that display his greatness" (48).

"We take Jesus' command in Matthew 28 to make disciples of all nations, and we say, 'That means other people.' But we look at Jesus' command in Matthew 11.28, 'Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest,' and we say, 'Now, that means me.' We take Jesus' promise in Acts 1.8 that the Spirit will lead us to the ends of the earth, and we say, 'That means some people.' But we take Jesus' promise in John 10.10 that we will have abundant life, and we say, 'That means me.'" (73)

"To everyone wanting a safe, untroubled, comfortable life free from danger, stay away from Jesus" (165).

http://www.radicalthebook.com/

Relationships Unfiltered

This is a quick, easy read, but it also packs a powerful punch.

Chapter four was helpful for me because it contrasted Justin and Jan. "Justin could go into a school and attract kids to an event, but Jan could open her person to adolescents and invite them to be cared for in the love of Christ she represented with her presence" (66).

Chapter five talked about suffering. "It may be that we work with kids who've had every opportunity and advantage in life, but this doesn't mean they have not known suggering, they have not questioned their existence, or they have not felt (or been) betrayed, abandoned, or lost. We all have suffered" (87).

"A major element of our vocation is to suffer" (91). Ouch. Not words you really want to hear, but it is so true. Something they probably need to share more at Christian colleges preparing young people for ministry.

"Our job isn't to discover the next hot thing or craft our personalities to be hip but to watch for God's activity in our lives and to articulate it. This is being a theologian; it is to be deeply with others as we seek" (140).

Andrew Root is a former Young Life leader, so he addresses the invention of "relational ministry" and what that has become. It is a really interesting book that has challenged me to think deeper. There is a difference between relationship and connection. We can connect with a lot of kids without being in relationship with them. Root is definitely challenging us to get into their lives (life's ups and downs).

Definitely recommend this book to those in ministry.

Quiet...

Pros:
This is the third book I have read in the past couple of years on introversion. I am excited that it is a worthy subject for books. I am always interested to know more about how God has wired me as an introvert.

I appreciated Susan Cain's use of well-known historical figures to make her points. Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosa Parks, and Ghandi were all introverts and discussed in Cain's book.

Cain addressed some large issues, such as environments in the workplace and school. America has an extrovert ideal, which I have seen not only written into job descriptions but also in the ways kids are forced to work together on almost every assignment.

My favorite chapter was Chapter 10: The Communication Gap. I am convinced that if people understood introversion/extroversion better, they would have better relationships. "This was a painfully common dynamic... the introverts desperately craving downtime and understanding from their partners, the extrovery longing for company, and resentful that others seemed to benefit from their partners' 'best' selves" (228).

Cons:
Cain addressed the 2008 stockmarket crash, one of the only chapters I was not really interested in reading. Maybe it was that I did not have anything invested that it did not capture my attention as much as the rest of the book, but it made the middle section of the book drag on for me.

I do not like it when authors constantly say "coming up in chapter xx", which Cain did quite a bit. Maybe it is my own personal displeasure, but I just want people to come out and say what they mean when they mean to say it.

Overall:
If you don't want to read it all, at least read Chapter 10 and the Conclusion. But I do recommend it for everyone. It will be insightful for both introverts and extroverts.

I reviewed this book for Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers Blogging for Books. I received this book for free in exchange for a review of the book.

To whet your appetite for the book/author: a TED talk by Susan Cain.

Pride and Prejudice

Pride and Prejudice is not my favorite book by Austen, but I did read it earlier in March. I think I have watched the Kierra Knightley version of that book hundreds of times. I am not a P&P snob thinking that the BBC version is better (I don't know that I have ever seen it, but I am perfectly happy with the 2 hour version).

I recently had a conversation with a friend about marriage. Usually it is either for love or money. Charlotte definitely chose a secure home over love. Very practical woman. I do not know if I could ever do that. Both Jane and Lizzie win out on this issue -- getting both the money and love of their lives.

I saw this commercial recently. Did not really make the connection until now that it is kind of like this story.

Reading this book made me want to go to England again. I love the Motherland. :)

reading fail

I just can't do it.

The Hunger Games don't capture my attention like the rest of the nation.

I've attempted this book twice. Once I got 40 pages in and stopped. This time I got to 180. But I just can't do it. It's kind of like the torture of watching New Moon. What a waste of two hours of my life.

Reading through the book I noticed some errors (and other errors were caught while listening to the cd -- they actually spoke different words than those in the book like lie vs. lay... i vs. me).

I went to see the movie last weekend with my stepbrother and his friend. I just wanted to see what all the hype is about. I know the premise is good that kids are realizing this is wrong, the lengths people go to in "reality tv". But I think it's morbid watching teens kill each other. I wanted to throw up watching the movie and even reading the book.

So there you have it.
My honest review of a book I read halfway.

I know this does not count as a book, but I recently went to the library and came home with a few treasures. I have not studied or read anything about Catherine the Great since sixth grade. What a fascinating (and sometimes depressing) story of what goes on in royal families. She was a strong woman. I was reading a book about Catherine I, and how she and Peter the Great started transforming St. Petersburg into what it is today. They started building it in the 1700's, which is newer than I would have thought for a Russian city. It makes me happy that my library has great information on historical figures.

Keeping with the biographical theme, I picked up two books about Corrie ten Boom. This book is written by Corrie, but it is more about her father, Casper ten Boom. The ten Booms were a family who, during WWII, hid Jews in their house. Corrie's father, sister, brother, and nephew all died shortly after being arrested. But reading about this great man of God was an encouragement to my faith. It seems that Corrie's Father and Mother were made for each other and a great team. It is so insightful to read about where she came from in her family history as I read the biography of her now.

"Every single person is so important in God's eyes. In the eyes of God, it could be that what you are doing now is the

most important work in the whole world" (84). ~Casper ten Boom

The Jesus Mission

I had never heard of Steven K. Scott. I was hesitant to pick this book due to the narrowness of the title that Jesus's mission could be confined to a number.

Scott "spent two years doing what no other person had done before -- [he] organized all of Jesus' statements (more than nineteen hundred) into 225 topics and made them available in" The Greatest Words Ever Spoken.

Had I read The Greatest Words Ever Spoken first I might have appreciated this book more. I found it long and while I am sure other people might connect with his style of writing better, it was not for me.

I appreciate his studious efforts in making this available, and I can tell that his intention is to make sure that people truly KNOW Jesus. I liked that he gave action steps to his principles.

I reviewed this book for Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers Blogging for Books. I received this book for free in exchange for a review of the book.

When Work and Family Collide

Andy Stanley always impresses me. He is a man who knows how to put into words how to apply Scripture. This book is no different. I like Stanley as a speaker AND an author, which is a great accomplishment.

This short yet powerful book causes the reader to evaluate how they've been spending time. "In effect, you pledge your allegiance to the person or thing that receives your time" (76).

"Whereas work is task focused, the family is relationship focused.... In one environment we find our worth through accomplishment. In the other we find our value simply by who our relatives are" (22).

I recommend this book, especially to businessmen who think that work is their entire life. One day they will come home and not recognize the people in the own house. It is time to make some changes in order to save your family.

I reviewed this book for Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers Blogging for Books. I received this book for free in exchange for a review of the book.

January books

I read five books in January.
Besides Dug Down Deep:

Jonathan Livingston Seagull -- I got this book from Lucy. It was a quick, easy read and a good story.

Working the Angles by Eugene Peterson -- this was in my stack of books to read for the year. I got it from a friend in KY. I really appreciated the effort to check in on people in ministry. Just because we are seen as "professional Christians" does not always mean we are very good at reading Scripture and praying. It also helped me remember the importance of REST/SABBATH!

The Giver by Lois Lowry -- my BFF from HS said she read this book in HS. I did not, so I read it and LOVED IT! Apparently it's similar to the Hunger Games series, which I did not like my first time trying to read (only got 20-40 pages into it... I'll try again with book + cd).

Waking the Dead by John Eldredge -- also recommended by a friend. It helped me remember the importance of taking care of your heart, knowing that as a Christian, your heart is GOOD. I always like Eldredge and the way he ties things together.

I also had a book on my list that I decided to donate to the library instead. It was The Girl Who Could Fly. My mom got it free in the mail, but I just feel like giving it away instead. And if I ever have the desire to read it, I know which library to go to. haha...

 

I was a little hesitant about reviewing this book based on my love/hate of his first book, I Kissed Dating Goodbye. I appreciated his straight-forward unapologetic approach in clarifying theology. It sometimes felt long and drawn out, but overall he did a good job of explaining "churchy" words.

 

Theology matters "because what we know about God shapes the way we think and live" (10).

 

A point he made that I wish more student ministries got was "I didn't need to be entertained.... I needed to know God (26). Last summer at camp, I had students ask me theological questions about angels, demons, the Trinity, and other topics. Students want to know Truth! The end all is not if they had fun, but did they walk away knowing a little bit more about God? "We don't want to study Jesus. We want to experience him" (85). Ouch. Now if we could just realize the beautiful combination of head and heart love of God.

 

It was challenging and reminds me of the few simple questions I ask myself when reading the Bible:
~What do these verses say about God?

~What do these verses say about me/humans in general?

~How can I apply what I learned?

 

Overall this was an ok book. It challenged me to think on a deeper level, so in that aspect, it succeeded.

 

I reviewed this book for Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers Blogging for Books. I received this book for free in exchange for a review of the book.