Finding God in the Bible by Darren Wilson

I enjoyed this writer, Darren Wilson, his work is laid back and has a hippie twist. The News Boys meet Willie Nelson, in musical terms! Its a softback, a fast read and he offers good insights into seeing that ours is truly the only LIVING God, the only real God. Its a wonderful book and the dvd is great! Wilson is a very good articulator. He has a hippie come to God approach; like Jimmy Buffett meets Rick Warren or The News Boys meets Willie Nelson. He puts spin on his take of how to develop a relationship with God, how to see where God was in the past so you can see where God is in the present and where God will be in the future (hint) the answer is here. I received a free copy from the publisher, Bethany House in exchange for writing a review; however that did not earn the book a good review! I saw a bumper sticker one time that read, 'Gods original plan was to hang out in a garden with some naked people'. I loved it! I think Darren Wilson would love it also because it sums up the feel I have for his writing. He focuses on with this book an aspect of seeing God as a friend, not an ice cold ruler. Wilson has kind of a hippie approach, love God and give God a chance; talk to God just like you talk to any close friend. This is a great book to help someone get a deeper friendship with God and not take such a stoic approach that keeps us distant from God. We don't need to see God as distant but as here with us and approachable. That seems to be the focus of this work. Also the DVD, Father of Lights is great!! It drives home Wilsons point: God loves us and wants to be friends with all of us, not deity and creation but friends.

Unfinished by Richard Sterns

I was looking forward to reading this book because I really enjoyed Sterns previous work, 'A Hole In The Gospel'. This book is a wonderful read and carrys a challenge for all Christians to advance the Kingdom.
I posted this review on May 19 as an initial statement that I have not received the book - it finally arrived and i was delighted to delve into the work !
The over all effect of the book is that once you become a Christian, once you BELIEVE - what should be your next step? Stern speaks to his audience to motivate us to action on behalf of Gods will. So many times Christians just sit on the sidelines or on the pews Sunday morning then go home and forget about God until the next pew sitting Sunday. God does not call us to go through the motions but to actively seek to do His good work!
Many Christians want to do for God, especially new Christians but we do not know how. Churches should focus on training us up in doing Gods works and we need to be receptive and ambitious and make a real ongoing effort all our lives to work to advance Gods will!!
I found the voice of this book inviting, invigorating and motivating! I also believe we are called to action not mere attendance and Stern says it so beautifully in this work.
If you are not familiar with the authors life; it might help to know a little about him as he was a major player in a very successful business career who gave it all up to answer the call of God in his life to become a third world missionary. Stern backs up what he promotes by living the way he believes God intends in his own life. His honesty comes across in the book and it is highly motivating to read about the different stories of peoples Stern has encountered and how they responded to God after they believed God was real.
This is a wonderful read full of direction, example and motivation! I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for a review through the book sneeze program.

Insourcing by Randy Pope

I normally enjoy reviewing books, but not this time. This book reads like the author read a book by Rick Warren, Churched, and then riped off Warrens content.
The idea is that churches are failing to make disciples of members. Valid points were brought up; but the book just reads like a ripoff of Warrens work to me and I dont think a lot of people will catch that because Warrens book is very thick and I dont think most people will have read it to see all the commonalities and contents that are too similar in my opinion to coincidence. I just dont feel good about this book being the work of the author.

Ask For The Impossible or Stay In The Boat

This is not my standard book review, just a blog moment about a recent event in my life.

Recently I began working out and made nutritional changes. When we eat better we feel better and we move better so I decided to see how fast I could make an elliptical trainer measure one day in March. Got it up to 8.5 mph and kept it there for 3 minutes and I was pretty pleased about that BUT then ' it' happened! I thought the pain was a hernia at first, but it became more intense. Finally, late one Friday night I  went  to the emergency room in my pajamas (as the pain was unbearable).
Long story short, the ER doctor did a lot of X-rays and CT scans and blood work and some other testing and concluded it was my gall bladder. She also made sure that it had not yet ruptured and neither had anything else. After 2 oral pain pills that did not work and then 3 full injections of morphine that only dulled the pain, I did at least feel relief and the doctor felt I should see my doctor for follow-up on Monday. The ER doctor did not want to do an ultra sound at that time since it was 3am and it was the Friday before Easter and there was no one on duty to perform the test. The doctor did however offer me the decision as to calling in someone to do an ultra sound right then. The doctor was sure I would not die immediately from the gall bladder and I could not see asking someone to come in at such an hour and not on Easter weekend. I made the decision to trust the doctor - after all; that IS why I went to the emergency room in the first place. The doctor was/is trained, skilled and experienced; only the best of the doctors are allowed to work the ER due to the nature.
So, the day of the surgery arrived and I was very relieved and happy to see my deacon arrive on schedule to pray with me before the operation. It was my first operation. I had been in a lot of pain for a very long time. Relief was on the horizon. But any operation carries risk of death.
I was very happy to see my deacon because only the best of men in a baptist church get to work as deacons, due to the nature of the job. I was delighted to have him come and pray with me, because above all else, I trust God. What a great feeling it was to have a man who is strong in his faith, skilled and experienced; to lead me in a prayer before the surgery.
Afterwards, the surgeon, Dr Hayden, came into my recovery room. He said the gall bladder was very scarred and the stones were very big and there was a lot of them and that he had complications and it was a lot of work for him and that he almost had to cut me open - but all had gone well and that I had responded amazingly well while under the anesthesia. This was not common among first time patients, he explained. My deacon came in and said a prayer with me before the operation so I was not worried at all going into the operation. So it was easy for me to be relaxed while sedated because I trust God. My unconscious state told on me. I was calm because I knew God had been advised of the pending operation before hand and I had my whole church praying for me and my deacon had stood right there beside my bed and prayed with me - making certain that God was called upon. If you set your electric alarm clock for a major event you still have to worry due to the possibility of a power outage. But when I take something to God I do not stop taking it to Him until I know that He has heard me. Once He has heard me and I know it- there is nothing to worry about. So, I looked up at the surgeon, smiled and rubbed his arm and told him that I was not worried because I knew God had been asked make sure everything went well.
The truth is the truth; where we put our trust will eventually show. When we are afraid, over whelmed, grief stricken or a number of other moments in our lives - our true beliefs will show in-spite of our attempts to hide who we really are, most of the time from most of the people. Today, we are still as foolish as Adam and Eve were when they were thinking they could hide behind fig leaves.
Maybe sometimes bad things happen to give us an opportunity to see who we really stand behind.
I am certain to my core that God will do 2 things in the future of my life; one of them, is that God will restore me to a dream job. The other, will be even more spectacular. Both, will be compound gifts because like Thomas, when I ask God to do something, I make certain it would be impossible for a person or people to do it because God gets the glory when it is clear to everyone that only He could have done something. Like when that one prophet had the firewood soaked with tons of water and God made the wood ignite in massive flames burning way above the Kings pile of wood( sorry I can not remember which prophet that was)- only God could have, so there was no mistaking that the glory was Gods alone.
 Where we often fail, I think; is that we are afraid to ask God to do impossible things. Like Peter, most of us start out on top and then sink.

Simply Delicious Amish Cooking by Thomas Nelson Publishers

I have always had a love for the Amish, Mennonites, Quakers, and other cultures who live a simple life in a complicated world. I wonder sometimes if they are the only ones living proper among us as we are surely influenced, know it or not, by all the media we allow into our lives. Say what you will, if it comes on TV it is either controlled information or fictional and we are not the better for its influence and that only hinges the other subtle influences we allow. Yes, we can still be devoted Christians and watch tv but you can have just as much fun putting together a puzzle or gardening. My point, is that we over indulge in tv and it makes it easy for us to get distracted - not all of us, but many. 'Feed my sheep' said the Lord to Peter, 'if love for me you keep' and that is why we are duty bound to try and keep each other on the narrow path. God, sometimes it is a brutal calling. I have know missionaries in the ghettos, and third world Countries where they were in jeopardy daily. It seems important to me, that a person get where God intends them post haste so they can save the world. You know? Life is hard and a good meal makes it seems a little easier. This cook book is filled with fantastic recipes and nourishment for the body is important for the soul. The cook book caught my eye because I felt like a culture rich in the history of making things from scratch might have a lot of new ideas to offer. I was correct. The donut recipe sounds as delicious as any Krispy Kreme. The photos are excellent and the book while spiral bound has an over laped front cover producing a spine so you can see the name of the book from the shelf and thats a rare gem for a cook book. There are many wonderful recipes and I am very happy with the book. Concerning the Word, Matthew shows the way. Concerning fine foods; this cook book is an excellent resource. I enjoyed the insights into the Amish li festyle

Beyond Heaven's Door by Max Lucado

You can NEVER go wrong with Lucado, and this book does not disappoint. It is an easy one day read. Hard bound and lovely, in gift book formatting. The book is broken down into 20 easy reader chapters. The feel for the book is this: since the sacrifice of Jesus, we no longer have to go to the temple to be with God because when we accept salvation, God sends the Holy Spirit into us. We become one with God, we become like a bag toting God around (ok, thats not an ideal metaphor). Lucado emphaes that we should remember that we are carrying God around with us. We should talk to God and act like He is with us. We are saits acting like criminals and hoping noone will know. We hunt excuses and blame our selves for our short comings and cheat God out of His glory. Lucado is inspirational as always and pulls people back to the good news with hope. If you are a little down, this is a great read and inspiration. You can never go wrong with a Lucado book.

Lifted by Angels

The problem with a book about angels is upon realizing the existance, some will accidentally fall to hero worship and let their focus drift from God. The benefit is that so many people just wander through life without getting that God is real..and turning those people on to the existance of angels might help them to see God. Having been a Christian all my life, I enjoyed the book. I enjoy hearing about the history of angels and their roles and responsibilities. Biblically, imagine what it was like to stand on that hill and have the eyes opened to be able to see an army of angels gathered all around...yet we forget God is the same yesterday today and tomorrow: there is an army of angels around all of us also. Just as there was in 'those days'. The author looks at the role angels played in the formation of the aearly church. Talks about angels escorting us to heaven..I totally get what this author is saying. He wrote an inspirational book. If you know someone who is struggling with an anxiety issue this book could be areal comfort to them! I received this book from Thomas Nelson in exchange for a review. If you think that garnered a good review then go to my blog where you will find many reviews that have not been favorable.