Reading, Writing & Pondering

    A King Washes Feet by Jessica Claire Bond releases on February 10. This book gives the reader 40 readings for a Lenten read or a Bible study. On the last night of Jesus’s life, He picked up a towel and washed His disciples’ feet–people who would soon betray, deny, and abandon Him–giving an example of what it really means to love and forgive like the King. He clothed Himself in humility, providing for us a picture of what it really means to follow Him. This book is an invitation to sit on the footwashing stool and let Jesus heal you, then kneel with the King and learn how to wash the feet of your friends  and  enemies. We need this picture–and this posture–more than ever. All around us are disappointed, disillusioned, and wounded people, covered with the grime of ambition, jealousy, self-protection, church hurt, broken relationships, and world-weary hearts. Jesus calls us to kneel before them, whether they are friend or foe, to perform acts of love, m...

Anthony B. Thompson's wife was shot on June 17, 2015 at Wednesday evening Bible study in Charleston, South Carolina. How do you forgive someone who kills your spouse and is not even remorseful? Thompson tells his story in Called to Forgive . Called to Forgive is a powerful memoir written by the surviving spouse of someone who was brutally murdered for her skin color. Thompson shares his thoughts and feelings in this book. He also shares the stories of other people who have been involved in shooting or other difficult situations. He tells his story and the stories of others with both compassion and heartfelt details. At the end of the book, he writes a letter to Dylann Roof sharing how and why he forgives. There is also a Bible study that goes along with this book and several appendixes. While Called to Forgive is quite powerful in content, I especially found Appendix 3, The Ten Stages of Biblical Forgiveness, especially helpful in thinking about instances requiring forg...