Reading, Writing & Pondering

Yes, as Max Lucado phrases it, I believe much of the time, I have settled for "wimpy grace." This is the kind of grace "that occupies a phrase in a hymn, fits nicely on a church sing, never causes trouble, or demands a response."Grace in my mind has been elusive and abstract. . .or something to say before a meal. I've been a Christian since my mid-twenties but it still has been difficult for me to understand. I grew up with the teaching that if you did something bad, you had a "come-uppance" coming. . .and I have struggled to think differently since. I knew I was saved by the grace of God when I accepted him but to really internalize hasn't been easy. Max Lucado's latest book, Grace: More Than We Deserve, Greater Than We Imagine, has been a tool to help me see myself as someone that God could lavish Grace upon. . .and you are that someone too. Max Lucado's mixture of prose and Bible verses can help you see grace more clearly. Accordin...

The River is where it all begins. Gabriel Clarke witnesses a terrible event at The River in the Colorado Rockies when he is 5 years old. It was an event that rocks his world and changes his life forever. Soon afterwards, Gabriel moves from The River to Kansas. While he is surrounded by people who love him there, he is also full of fear and resentment related to that terrible event and he struggles to "do life." Then one day a friend offers Gabriel an opportunity to return to The River in Colorado. After some initial hesitation, he takes it and steps away from his life in Kansas to have this adventure. After all of the years away, something comes alive again within Gabriel at The River. More importantly, he is finally able to release his fears and anger to claim his true destiny--a wonderful, adventurous destiny that he was created for. I read this book in one day. It is easy reading prose. . .but that doesn't mean there aren't deep truths to ponder within the ...

The Reason, a debut novel, by William Sirls made me smile. . .and it made me weep in my Kleenex. I requested this book because I am wrestling with some questions about my own faith right now. I have faced several challenges these past few years and many times of waiting. . .I was interested in seeing how Sirls' characters addressed those issues and what they had to teach me, if anything. This first novel by Sirls is a fascinating tale of some strange happenings in a small Michigan town. James Lindy is the blind pastor of St. Thomas Church. In the opening pages of the story, a storm rolls in to the area and lightning strikes the large wooden cross at the church. . .living it splintered in two. To the local people who look at the cross, it looks like it is beyond repair. . .until a young carpenter named Kenneth comes along. Kenneth does what seems impossible and the locals see how "all things are possible." Along with the pastor, we meet Alex and his single mom, Brook...

Fully Alive: A Journey That Will Change Your Life by Ken Davis is one of the best books I've read this year. How do I know? As I read Fully Alive, I laughed, I cried and I reflected, all while being entertained. I've enjoyed Ken Davis for years as an entertainer, although I have never had the pleasure of seeing him live, but this is the first book of his that I have read. If possible, I think this printed work touched me even more than his performances have. This is a book that, if you take his words to heart, will help you to do just what the title says and live your life more fully alive in just about every area of your life--in your family life with your children, your marriage, your job, your spiritual life, life with friends, and improving your physical and emotional health. Ken Davis touches on all of those things with a mix of his humorous stories, encouraging words, advice from a few experts and Scripture. While the book is written by someone who is a Baby Boomer, ...

Tough Guys and Drama Queens by Mark Gregston offers today's parents a manual to go through the teenage and pre-teen years.This book is full of insights and advice on how to guide your child(ren)through their teenage years. The author, Mark Gregston, is the founder of Heartlight Ministries, a Christian residential counseling center, and has worked with teenagers for 38 years. Gregston has 2 adult children of his own and 3 grandchildren besides all of the young people that he has worked with through the years. He puts abundant experience and knowledge into this "how-to" book with techniques and wisdom to help you guide your children. This book is divided into 3 sections. The first section talks about today's culture and the unique challenges that many of today's young people face. The second part talks about parenting practices to avoid. The third part talks about parenting practices that really work. Additionally, 2 appendixes are included. The first...

Love does. It sounds so simple and not all that profound. When I think of "love," I usually think of it as just mushy thoughts and feeling. Putting action with love puts a different spin on things. I was drawn to this book with the subtitle, "Discover a secretly incredible life in an ordinary world." As I read Love Does by Bob Goff I was mesmerized by Bob's sense of adventure in living the Christian life. He did DO things but he didn't just "do." He did things with passion and incredible heart. I was mesmerized by all the "doing" he has done in his life. Each chapter in the book shares various life stories--How he took his kids on a world tour to eat ice cream with heads of state; How he made friends in Uganda, and they liked him so much he became the Ugandan consul; and How he got into law school through sitting on a bench outside the Dean’s office for seven days until they finally let him enroll and then he used his law career to h...

Dave Stone writes a book that feels like a personal conversation with a warm, family loving pastor. I enjoyed Dave's personal stories backed up with Scripture on real-life topics sure to strengthen any family that would take them to heart. The book starts out by encouraging families to create a family mission statement. I didn't grow up in a Christian home but we want to have a close family that lives for Christ. We had never thought about doing this but I can see where it would help unify the family and clarify everyone's directions in daily life. What a great idea!. . .My family is in the process of creating ours. Developing a mission statement helps companies and organizations succeed so Stone reasons that a mission statement can also help families form a clear vision and succeed. He recommends that everyone be involved in the process instead of just imposing a mission statement on your kids. "Everyone takes ownership. Everyone is invested in the outcome,...