I was excited to read this book because of what I have heard about it. I have also watched a couple of the *Sun Stand Still* messages from Steven Furtick online. But this book surpassed even all of my high expectations.
In the chapter entitled Wave Jumper, I especially liked the analogy about God lifting us up in the middle of the heavy waves. "He only requires that we have the faith to wade in as deep as he leads and keep reaching up to him." Steven Furtick has lots of examples in his book that back this statement up.
He does not just give advice on how to live with audacious faith... he lives it himself.
The segment "The Ramen Noodle Revival" was very moving. God took something seemingly small, food, and turned it into something great. Just like the loaves and the fishes. This was the point in the book that I started believing that God could use me for something great. In fact, I laughed, I cried, and I read it aloud to my husband.
Furtick is also realistic in his chapter "When the Sun Goes Down." So many of us watch as the sun goes down on our dreams, and we get to a place where we don't want to dream again. He mentions how all of our favorite plots of stories have conflict, but we wouldn't want our own stories to be written that way. However, "It doesn't work that way. It can't work that way. Because you'd never see how strong God is if there were no oppponent for him to overcome in your life."
And then, "The process is the point."
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for God, to anyone looking to boost their faith and move forward in the direction God's plan will take them... for anyone who has been disappointed and hurt and disillusioned with the church. This book points people back to the person of Jesus Christ. He is the one who is able to do all of the things that we hope for in this life.
I want a faith like Joshua. I want that Audacious Faith.
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
Tuesdays With Morrie
I have been wanting to read this book for a long time. And when I saw it at the library the other day, I quickly grabbed it off the shelf and placed it in my already large stack of books to read.
This is another example of a book that encourages us to live life to its fullest extent. Morrie was dying of ALS, and he could have just given up to the disease, but he didn't. He was a teacher by trade, and he continued teaching up until the last day of his life. He may not have been in a traditional classroom, but that didn't matter.
It also showed the importance of younger people taking an interest in older people. They have a lot to teach, a lot of experiences that need to be shared and a lifetime of knowledge and wisdom that we will never know about if we don't take the time to get to know them.
This story is a true story, and it's very touching and real. I think it's a great book, and I'm looking forward to reading more of Mitch Albom's books.
This is another example of a book that encourages us to live life to its fullest extent. Morrie was dying of ALS, and he could have just given up to the disease, but he didn't. He was a teacher by trade, and he continued teaching up until the last day of his life. He may not have been in a traditional classroom, but that didn't matter.
It also showed the importance of younger people taking an interest in older people. They have a lot to teach, a lot of experiences that need to be shared and a lifetime of knowledge and wisdom that we will never know about if we don't take the time to get to know them.
This story is a true story, and it's very touching and real. I think it's a great book, and I'm looking forward to reading more of Mitch Albom's books.
Reba McEntire
When the television series Reba came out in 2001, I was either too busy or too tired to watch it. I had five kids - ages one to six. All I wanted to do in the evenings was to get these kids in bed! I wasn't interested in watching a tv show about someone with more problems than me!
But this year, while having Sciatica for several weeks, I started watching the series on the Lifetime Channel. And, although the theme is definitely for adults, I really liked it. If you want to know more about the show, you can look it up on google.
Now, I am not a country music fan, but there are some people involved in the country music profession that I really admire and like. Reba is one of them. And I have been curious about what would make her go into acting in a show like this one. I still can't find the exact answer I'm looking for about that, but I did read a book she wrote before she had the show. It's called Comfort From a Country Quilt.
Reba tells about her family, her travels and her experiences with life. She talks about losing her band members in a horrific crash, and I don't know if I ever heard of that happening.
I think the most important things I got from the book was that we should live each day to the fullest and to live your life with passion. She is just a girl from an ordinary place living an extraordinary life doing what she loves... singing. We all have the capability to live an extraordinary life. It depends on what you do with what you've got.
I don't think that reading the book will cause me to start listening to country music, but it does let me get to know her a little bit better.
But this year, while having Sciatica for several weeks, I started watching the series on the Lifetime Channel. And, although the theme is definitely for adults, I really liked it. If you want to know more about the show, you can look it up on google.
Now, I am not a country music fan, but there are some people involved in the country music profession that I really admire and like. Reba is one of them. And I have been curious about what would make her go into acting in a show like this one. I still can't find the exact answer I'm looking for about that, but I did read a book she wrote before she had the show. It's called Comfort From a Country Quilt.
Reba tells about her family, her travels and her experiences with life. She talks about losing her band members in a horrific crash, and I don't know if I ever heard of that happening.
I think the most important things I got from the book was that we should live each day to the fullest and to live your life with passion. She is just a girl from an ordinary place living an extraordinary life doing what she loves... singing. We all have the capability to live an extraordinary life. It depends on what you do with what you've got.
I don't think that reading the book will cause me to start listening to country music, but it does let me get to know her a little bit better.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
The Shack
I can now say I have read The Shack. It is an interesting book, to say the least.
I think the thing that really stuck out more than anything was that in this story, God shows up to this man in a way that he can understand... a loving person, which is really the essence of who God really is anyway.
If you are having questions about what has happened in your life, and you don't understand, I cannot tell you that you will understand those things after reading this book. However, if you are looking to find out some attributes of God, you will find some here.
I read it in two days. And I thought it was good.
I think the thing that really stuck out more than anything was that in this story, God shows up to this man in a way that he can understand... a loving person, which is really the essence of who God really is anyway.
If you are having questions about what has happened in your life, and you don't understand, I cannot tell you that you will understand those things after reading this book. However, if you are looking to find out some attributes of God, you will find some here.
I read it in two days. And I thought it was good.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Joyce Meyer
I started reading a book by Joyce Meyer called 100 Ways to Simplify Your Life. WOW! What a great book!
I have decided that I know some people who might be getting a copy of this book for Christmas this year. I have been a little depressed lately, and this book has totally encouraged me. I am so thankful that I found it at the library!
I'm going to buy a copy for myself, too.
I have decided that I know some people who might be getting a copy of this book for Christmas this year. I have been a little depressed lately, and this book has totally encouraged me. I am so thankful that I found it at the library!
I'm going to buy a copy for myself, too.
Amy Grant
We went to the library the other day, and they had a new addition there. It's a book called Mosaic by Amy Grant. Well, I have always loved Amy Grant. Yes, she's been controversial to the Christian faith because of her divorce and subsequent marriage to to Vince Gill. But she is a human being and has a human life... just like the rest of us.
I am only half-way through the book, but so far, it has been great. She has interwoven the lyrics to her songs within the stories she tells, and honestly, some of those songs have given me chills for as long as I remember.
If you need some encouragement in your life, or if you are bored, this book is a good read. And you might walk away from it feeling better than you did when you started reading it.
Oh, and I am going to add that her new song, Better Than a Hallelujah, is one of the best songs I have ever heard in my life. It explains all of our lives in a way that only Amy Grant can.
I am only half-way through the book, but so far, it has been great. She has interwoven the lyrics to her songs within the stories she tells, and honestly, some of those songs have given me chills for as long as I remember.
If you need some encouragement in your life, or if you are bored, this book is a good read. And you might walk away from it feeling better than you did when you started reading it.
Oh, and I am going to add that her new song, Better Than a Hallelujah, is one of the best songs I have ever heard in my life. It explains all of our lives in a way that only Amy Grant can.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Happy Mother's Day - A Little Late
I went to the library last week, and I couldn't find much I was interesting in reading. I finally found two books that I left with that day. I started reading both them, but I have read more of one. It is by T.D. Jakes and is called Mama Made the Difference.
Like many other women, lots of them, I'm guessing, I deal with the perpetual struggle of needing more income and not knowing what to do. Even though my kids are in school, I like being here at home in case they need me. I have worked on and off during the years, but I have carried guilt with both staying home and working. Maybe it's because I don't think I'm good at dividing my time evenly. Maybe it's because I know life is sooooo short, and my kids are growing up. They won't be living with me forever, and I feel that I need to be there as much as I can while they are.
He says on page 3, "You see, I've witnessed a growing apathy toward motherhood. With all of our many advances in technology and corporate culture, women are now expected to excel in the boardroom as well as the kitchen. The woman who doesn't wish to work outside her home is often looked down upon as being old-fashioned or incapable of the immense juggling act that her sisters enact around her." And a little further down, he states, "Women should not have to apologize for being mothers."
Thank you, Bishop Jakes!
I love being a mother. It's the greatest thing that has ever happened to me in my life. I may not be perfect, but God doesn't chose perfect women to be mothers. He chooses us because we are the best fit for the children He gives us. He believes that we can do it!
We have had our share of problems, well, maybe I should call them "opportunities," with our children lately. I have started to wonder whether God knew what He was doing when He gave them to me. I don't have the answers sometimes. Sometimes, I cry because I'm so frustrated that I just don't know what to do. Sometimes, I hear a voice in my ear that tells me I am a failure. Most of the time, I choose not to believe it, but there are sometimes when I am not feeling well, emotionally or physically, that I start to lean towards believing it. I hate that!
But I know this! Mothers are important!
I will write more as I get through this book. So far, I think it's great and encouraging.
Like many other women, lots of them, I'm guessing, I deal with the perpetual struggle of needing more income and not knowing what to do. Even though my kids are in school, I like being here at home in case they need me. I have worked on and off during the years, but I have carried guilt with both staying home and working. Maybe it's because I don't think I'm good at dividing my time evenly. Maybe it's because I know life is sooooo short, and my kids are growing up. They won't be living with me forever, and I feel that I need to be there as much as I can while they are.
He says on page 3, "You see, I've witnessed a growing apathy toward motherhood. With all of our many advances in technology and corporate culture, women are now expected to excel in the boardroom as well as the kitchen. The woman who doesn't wish to work outside her home is often looked down upon as being old-fashioned or incapable of the immense juggling act that her sisters enact around her." And a little further down, he states, "Women should not have to apologize for being mothers."
Thank you, Bishop Jakes!
I love being a mother. It's the greatest thing that has ever happened to me in my life. I may not be perfect, but God doesn't chose perfect women to be mothers. He chooses us because we are the best fit for the children He gives us. He believes that we can do it!
We have had our share of problems, well, maybe I should call them "opportunities," with our children lately. I have started to wonder whether God knew what He was doing when He gave them to me. I don't have the answers sometimes. Sometimes, I cry because I'm so frustrated that I just don't know what to do. Sometimes, I hear a voice in my ear that tells me I am a failure. Most of the time, I choose not to believe it, but there are sometimes when I am not feeling well, emotionally or physically, that I start to lean towards believing it. I hate that!
But I know this! Mothers are important!
I will write more as I get through this book. So far, I think it's great and encouraging.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
"He Still Moves Stones"
This HAS to be my very favorite Max Lucado book. I remember the first time I read it. My husband and I were driving to my home town. It was a short trip, but I get car sick, so my husband was reading to me in the car. We had just been through a very rough patch in our marriage, and had recently gotten back together after a separation. We were so thankful for all that God had done in our lives, and the words of this book moved us to tears almost immediately.
This book encourages us that we are important to God, and even with our deepest problems and trials we face, they are not too big for God. He has everything under control. He Still Moves Stones.
This book encourages us that we are important to God, and even with our deepest problems and trials we face, they are not too big for God. He has everything under control. He Still Moves Stones.
Bullying Isn't Okay!
Have you ever read the book, "Life Strategies for Dealing With Bullies?"
If you know anyone who is dealing with this issue, it is a good book to read. My mother bought this book to read it because my son has been bullied consistently for the last three years. After she read it, she gave it to us, and I read it.
I would definitely suggest it for anyone who is going through it.
If you know anyone who is dealing with this issue, it is a good book to read. My mother bought this book to read it because my son has been bullied consistently for the last three years. After she read it, she gave it to us, and I read it.
I would definitely suggest it for anyone who is going through it.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Shaking Up Your World
Many years ago, I began reading Stormie Omartian's book, "The Power of a Praying Wife." There are 30 chapters in this book...one for each day of the month.
Sometimes, I don't know about you, but we might feel that our prayers are the same old thing... "God, thank you for this day, and please bless...." I know He hears us when we pray, but this book brings up subjects in a man's life that, quite frankly, I had never considered. The first chapter calls for you to pray for his wife, YOU. "Lord, help me to be a good wife." That is the first sentence of the first prayer in the first chapter.
Sometimes, we are on the lookout for something that might help our husbands change. And I found it very interesting that the first chapter focuses on women being the wives they are called to be..not trying to change your husband into the man he's supposed to be. This book helps you rely more on God to do the changing.
The other chapters are about things that are important to men... things they struggle with...work, finances, sexuality, affection, temptations, his mind, fears, purpose, choices, health, protection, trials, integrity, reputation, priorities, relatioships, fatherhood, his past, attitude, marriage, emotions, his walk, talk, repentance, deliverance, obedience, self-image, his faith, and his future.
It is exciting to be a part of praying for your husband in all of these areas of his life and to watch God do miraculous things. I know my husband had a mid-life crisis in the middle of my praying this book over his life in 2001. But God changed some things in his life. And then, I started praying it again in 2009, and God really allowed the rest of what he had been holding onto over his lifetime come to the surface, and in those circumstances, we believe he was healed.
So, if you love your husband, and if you want to learn about praying for him, try this book. You won't be sorry because you will learn a lot about him. Men have to shoulder things in life that I had really never thought of. It made me see my husband in a whole new way.
Sometimes, I don't know about you, but we might feel that our prayers are the same old thing... "God, thank you for this day, and please bless...." I know He hears us when we pray, but this book brings up subjects in a man's life that, quite frankly, I had never considered. The first chapter calls for you to pray for his wife, YOU. "Lord, help me to be a good wife." That is the first sentence of the first prayer in the first chapter.
Sometimes, we are on the lookout for something that might help our husbands change. And I found it very interesting that the first chapter focuses on women being the wives they are called to be..not trying to change your husband into the man he's supposed to be. This book helps you rely more on God to do the changing.
The other chapters are about things that are important to men... things they struggle with...work, finances, sexuality, affection, temptations, his mind, fears, purpose, choices, health, protection, trials, integrity, reputation, priorities, relatioships, fatherhood, his past, attitude, marriage, emotions, his walk, talk, repentance, deliverance, obedience, self-image, his faith, and his future.
It is exciting to be a part of praying for your husband in all of these areas of his life and to watch God do miraculous things. I know my husband had a mid-life crisis in the middle of my praying this book over his life in 2001. But God changed some things in his life. And then, I started praying it again in 2009, and God really allowed the rest of what he had been holding onto over his lifetime come to the surface, and in those circumstances, we believe he was healed.
So, if you love your husband, and if you want to learn about praying for him, try this book. You won't be sorry because you will learn a lot about him. Men have to shoulder things in life that I had really never thought of. It made me see my husband in a whole new way.
Start Reading!
I have to confess... I love to read, and I am a book-a-holic. I love books and magazines! If I have extra time, I read. If I have extra money, I look for new books. If I'm standing in the line to check out at the store, I read every cover (that looks interesting) on the magazines in the rack.
I consider being able to read a huge blessing. I know that I was able to read at a young age, and I remember my mom buying me books from Scholastic when I was in elementary school. Pippi Longstocking, The Trumpet of the Swan, Charlotte's Web... just to name a few. And when I had kids of my own, I bought them books from the same place. And I bought them some of the same books. It's really been great!
There have been several books which have made an impact on me as an adult. I am going to be talking about those books here on my blog. I hope reading about them makes you want to read them!
http://www.amazon.com/ has great book reviews, and you can usually get a great deal on books.
I consider being able to read a huge blessing. I know that I was able to read at a young age, and I remember my mom buying me books from Scholastic when I was in elementary school. Pippi Longstocking, The Trumpet of the Swan, Charlotte's Web... just to name a few. And when I had kids of my own, I bought them books from the same place. And I bought them some of the same books. It's really been great!
There have been several books which have made an impact on me as an adult. I am going to be talking about those books here on my blog. I hope reading about them makes you want to read them!
http://www.amazon.com/ has great book reviews, and you can usually get a great deal on books.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)