Primal December 23, 2009

Wow! Wow and wow!  I just finished the book Primal:A Quest for the Lost Soul of Christianity by Mark Batterson.  I have been anxiously anticipating this book for months and was so excited when I learned I would have the opportunity to review it.  I have read Batterson’s other two books, In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day and Wild Goose Chase. My husband and I both read the In a Pit book during a very low time in our lives and it truly transformed our view and attitudes toward the Church and our future in the Kingdom.  I also heard Batterson speak at the Catalyst conference and I am so impressed with him as a pastor, a father and a Christ-follower.

He is so down-to-earth and in person very unimpressive in the best sense.  He is not pretentious and completely approachable.  He is a voracious reader and will blow you away with his scientific knowledge.  I love that!!! I have followed his blog over the past two years and I have learned so much from his insights into parenting.  He has shared quite a bit from his book on his blog and I have been constantly amazed at the spiritual nuggets he shares.  So now that many of those are now in this book, I love that I can pass Primal on to people with all of those amazing truths.

One of the last paragraphs of the book summarizes well the mission of Primal:

This book is an invitation to be part of something that is bigger than you, more important than you, and longer lasting than you. It’s an invitation to be part of the next reformation. It’s an invitation to be part of a primal movement that traces its origins all the way back to ancient catacombs where our spiritual ancestors were martyred because they loved God more than they loved life.

Yeah, I know!! Does that motivate you or what? Batterson reminds us of the Greatest Commandment where the Lord says we are to

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all our mind and with all your strength.” Mark 12:30

Which translates that we are to love God with compassion, wonder, curiosity and energy. He discusses what that looks like and how we each have our own natural spiritual love language but we are called to develop and utilize all of them.

I cannot say enough good about this book. I want to read it again in a few months after I have chewed on some of what I have learned. This is definitely a book that will motivate a believer, challenge some stagnant thinking and even provide a good, swift kick in the pants. If you know a believer that needs some renewal, some hope, a fire lit under them….this would be a great, great gift. I know you can purchase it at your local bookseller but you can also find it online at

http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?isbn=9781601421319

and you can even buy it for someone to put on their kindle or iphone/itouch. (If you need a last minute gift and the hard copy happens to be out of stock:)

Batterson did it again and I give this book a definite 5 stars. I LOVED it!!  I have included below a summary of the book and some author information as well.

This was book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah.

Book: Primal

Author: Mark Batterson

Summary:

Be Astonished Again

We have a tendency to complicate Christianity. Jesus simplified it: Love God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength. If we are to live out the essence of Christianity, we must commit to being great at this Great Commandment.

In Primal, Mark Batterson explores the four elements of Great Commandment Christianity: compassion, wonder, curiosity, and power. Along the way, he calls you to be a part of God’s reformation, starting in your own life.

As Mark writes, “Is there a place in your past where you met God and God met you? A place where your heart broke for the things that break the heart of God? Maybe it was a sermon that became more than a sermon. Maybe it was a mission trip or retreat. Maybe it was a vow you made at an altar. In that moment, God birthed something supernatural in your spirit. You knew you’d never be the same again. My prayer is that this book would take you back to that burning bush—and reignite a primal faith.”

Primal will help you live in light of what matters most and discover what it means to love God. It will help you become great at the Great Commandment.

Cover art:

Author Bio:

The author of Wild Goose Chase and In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day, Mark Batterson serves as lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington, D.C. One church with nine services in five locations, NCC is focused on reaching emerging generations and meets in movie theaters at metro stops throughout the D.C. area. Mark has two Masters degrees from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Chicago. He and his wife, Lora, live on Capitol Hill with their three children. www.markbatterson.com

Let’s be honest December 17, 2009

Giving you some more link love today.  Lots going on in these parts as I scurry around creating Christmas for my family while trying to experience it myself.  Good stuff, some bad stuff.  Today I was blessed to be a part of a shoe giveaway through Newspring Church.  We put brand new shoes and socks on 431 students feet.  So fun and such a blessing to me.  We did it fairly namelessly which is cool too, if that makes any sense.  Prayin’ Jesus gets all that glory.  Lots of little kid smiles.

Certainly made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.  I’m needing that right now.  I have a couple of friends that are really hurting right now and as tough as I am, I hurt along with them.  Wrestling with how to truly love and deal with compromise.  I tend to see things pretty black and white/right and wrong.  How that translates to relationships that include brokenness and sin and accountability and truth…I don’t know.

Read this verse today that was encouraging though.

All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. (The Message) 2 Cor. 1:3-4

And then had a few minutes to read blogs and came upon this.  I appreciated it and thought you might too.  So here you go… meet Sarah Markley.  She has an incredible story that she tells here in transparency with brave, brute honesty.

Some more LL December 12, 2009

Got some more link love for you.  I serve in Kidspring (our church, Newspring’s name for the children’s ministry) with a really neat gal Lindsay Haselden.  She has such a servant’s heart and she and her husband, Travis, are silent servers.  They do a TON for church and other people but they do it without ever drawing attention to themselves.  I have had the opportunity to get to know them just a smidge and I hope I get more chances.  Lindsay recently started blogging which I love because it allows me a chance to peek into her amazing head.  She posted recently about something the Lord is teaching her and I loved her analogy.  So hop on over and give a listen.  Tell her I said hey:)

I’m back December 11, 2009

Yes, I know that I have been gone a long time.  But really people life is crazy round these parts!  We’ve had a wonderful Thanksgiving, lots of festivities, lots of fun family visits, a trip to the mountains to cut down a Christmas tree, a fun hoedown in the mountains (remind me to blog more about that later, such a blast!), a nasty staph infection (Haig) and two parents with nasty sinus infections.  All that to say I’ve been a a little busy and unfortunately I am desperately trying to slow down and enjoy this season of hope without becoming completely overwhelmed with all the details…life, shopping, doctor’s appts, school activities,…okay I am getting overwhelmed.  So I’m maxed but having fun.

In the meantime I came across this fun blog and this post spoke to me.  I thought it would probably speak to most of you my sweet 3 maybe 4 faithful readers:)  So go check out Andi Hawkins at The Running Mama and her take on Wingman.  I just know you’ll love it:)  I’ll be back before Christmas, I promise!

Treasured December 3, 2009

I am finishing up a sweet book called Treasured by Lisa McLeroy.  The summary is below, but each chapter reflects on one item from the Bible that if God kept a memory box He might have saved.  The items are not ones you would automatically choose and name.  McLeroy weaves stories and illustrations from her own life throughout and does an amazing job at making the characters from the Bible come alive as well.  The book is not very long and small in size so it would make a great Christmas gift for someone that might be kind of hard to buy for.  It is a book rich with meaning but not difficult to read nor theologically overwhelming.  I have thoroughly enjoyed it!

The two children’s books by Lisa Twan Bergren are God Gave us Love and God Gave Us Christmas.  Both share sweet dialogue between a little bear and her family member.  They share God’s Truths about love and Christmas.  Both concepts can be challenging to explain to preschoolers.  The books do a good job taking a heavy subject and making it understandable.  I personally preferred the illustrations and content of the Christmas book more than the other.  These would be great keepsakes for a child or grandchild.  Check out the link where you can buy one of these books below and the summaries and author info.  Hope you find something you will enjoy!

These books were provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

ttp://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781400071753

Book: Treasured, God Gave Us Love, God Gave Us Christmas

Author: Leigh McLeroy, Lisa Tawn Bergren

Summary

In Treasured, Leigh McLeroy considers tangible reminders of God’s active presence and guides readers in discovering evidence in their own lives of his attentive love.

“The idea for the book came from a cigar box filled with odds and ends of my grandfather’s life that arrived a few months after his death. Sifting through the objects in the box, I experienced him in a fresh new way. This made me wonder what treasures might be tucked away in Scripture that could frame God for me in an equally intimate, tangible way. This process also helped me uncover my own “treasures” of my walk with the Lord: objects that remind me of my history with him and his faithfulness to me,” says McLeroy.

Drawn from the pages of Scripture, the author considers twelve such treasures and personalizes their meaning for readers, such as a green olive branch that offers  proof of God’s “new every morning” mercy and a scarlet cord that demonstrates his willingness to adopt “strays” of every sort.

Weaving these treasures together with scenes from her personal history, Leigh McLeroy invites readers to discover God’s heart for them and embrace their unique role in his redemptive story. Treasured offers readers a guided experience of God’s love and character and invites them to consider their own treasures that point to their part in God’s ongoing story.

In God Gave Us Love, Little Cub and Grampa Bear’s fishing adventure is interrupted by mischievous otters, and the young polar bear begins to ask questions like why must we love others . . . even the seemingly unlovable? Why is it easier to love those we like? Where does love come from? And why does God love her so much?

Grampa Bear patiently addresses each one of Little Cub’s curiosities by explaining the different kinds of love we can share: the love between friends, the love between families, the love between moms and dads, and the love for God.

He also assured Little Cub that because of the love God has given her through his Son, there’s nothing she can do to make God love her any more or any less. Through Grampa Bear’s encouraging Little Cub to love others with a “God-sized love,” children will be inspired to love others and to be patient, gentle and kind, so that in every way, they too can demonstrate God’s love.

In God Gave Us Christmas, as Little Cub and her family prepare to celebrate the most special day of the year, the curious young polar bear has something on her mind: “Who invented Christmas?” she asks. “Is God more important than Santa?”

Her questions reflect the confusion of so many children during the holiday season. And this heartwarming story takes them on a wonderful journey of discovery—right to the heart of Christmas.

Through Mama’s gentle guidance, Little Cub learns that God loves her and everyone— polar bear, moose, or human—so much that he gave us Jesus, the very best gift of all.

Cover art:

Author Bios:

Leigh McLeroy is the author of The Beautiful Ache and The Sacred Ordinary.  An avid collector and recorder of everyday moments, words, and wonders, Leigh’s keen eye for God’s presence in ordinary life infuses her writing and living with a deep, insistent joy.  A frequent conference and event speaker, the author makes her home in Houston, Texas, and posts often on www.leighmcleroy.com and www.wednesdaywords.com.

Lisa Tawn Bergren is the award-winning author of nearly thirty titles, totaling more than 1.5 million books in print. She writes in a broad range of genres, from adult fiction to devotional. God Gave Us Love follows in Lisa’s classic tradition of the best-selling God Gave Us You. She lives in Colorado, with her husband, Tim, and their children, Olivia, Emma, and Jack.

White Picket Fences November 16, 2009

I need to post about a book that I am enjoying but haven’t quite finished.  If you haven’t figured this out about me yet, I have a nasty habit of biting off more than I can chew:)  Yes I am admitting it friends.  Well, I am in the midst of another season of this.  So I loved the last Susan Meissner book that I read, The Shape of Mercy, and I am enjoying this one so far….however, I haven’t had much time to read.  So I will include below the summary for White Picket Fences as well as an author bio.  I have cut back on my book reviews because I want to be able to enjoy them and not feel like I am in 9th grade English Lit and I have to finish it this weekend so I can make a stupid shoebox diorama by Wed.  Did you ever make those?  I LOVED reading but HATED book reports.  Anyways check out the book:)  I won’t steer you wrong.  No I haven’t finished it but Meissner is a solid win.  Keeps it interesting, great character development and not predictable.  Also digs into the tough issues, not just happy feely.  I like that!

You can pick up a copy from this online site:

http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781400074570&ref=externallink_wbp_whitepicketfences_sec_0916_01

TOUR INFORMATION

Book: White Picket Fences

Author: Susan Meissner

Summary:

Amanda Janvier’s idyllic home seems the perfect place for her niece Tally to stay while her vagabond brother is in Europe, but the white picket fence life Amanda wants to provide is a mere illusion. Amanda’s husband Neil refuses to admit their teenage son Chase, is haunted by the horrific fire he survived when he was four, and their marriage is crumbling while each looks the other way.

Tally and Chase bond as they interview two Holocaust survivors for a sociology project, and become startlingly aware that the whole family is grappling with hidden secrets, with the echoes of the past, and with the realization that ignoring tragic situations won’t make them go away.

Readers of emotional dramas that are willing to explore the lies that families tell each other for protection and comfort will love White Picket Fences. The novel is ideal for those who appreciate exploring questions like: what type of honesty do children need from their parents, or how can one move beyond a past that isn’t acknowledged or understood? Is there hope and forgiveness for the tragedies of our past and a way to abundant grace?

Cover art:

Author Bio:

Susan Meissner cannot remember a time when she wasn’t driven to put her thoughts down on paper. Her novel The Shape of Mercy was a Publishers Weekly pick for best religious fiction of 2008 and a Christian Book Award finalist. Susan and her husband live in Southern California, where he is a pastor and a chaplain in the Air Force Reserves. They are the parents of four grown children.

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

Do you have any blogger friends who might like to participate in this or any other blog tours? Please direct them to the official WaterBrook Multnomah Blogging for Books site page at http://www.randomhouse.com/waterbrook/bloggingforbooks/.

Living it out November 6, 2009

I am going to think out loud here for a minute.  We are really processing the concept of moderation and need vs want in our own lives.  We are trying to make some wise decisions not only financially but in philosophy in how we live and the messages we are teaching out children.  Over the past year plus Mark and I have been challenged with the needs of people around us and how that compares to the excess with which we daily live.

So what does that look like?  Well last month we spent over $30 on coffee, donuts, etc.  Wow!  All our little trips to Krispy Kreme and Starbucks really adds up.  That is almost what it costs to sponsor a Compassion child each month.  So we have started making some cut backs and changes in our monthly spending.  Some of these changes are kind of a bummer because they might affect our “comfort” and our children’s “comfort” a little bit but they haven’t affected our needs.  We have over and above what we need.

It has made me realize just how selfish I am about my own comfort.  This also affects other choices though.  And this is where I am struggling and praying for discernment.  Areas where I normally would just spend money because that is “what you do”  I am now trying to really pray and evaluate what is wise and if that purchase really is helping us achieve our larger goal.  Over and over the Bible commands us to “do good”. Here and here and here are just a few of the places.  God keeps bringing Scriptures across my path that point to His emphasis on doing good.  Apparently it is pretty important to Him, because He mentions it a lot:)

So this week we are facing school pictures and the book fair.  Oh how I love books and pictures of my kids.  But I have LOTS of both of those, and while it kind of bums my kids (and me) out a bit to pass on this time around….the reality is that is a chunk of change that could be used for many other wise things.  We are trying to live out and teach our kids how to be deliberate about where our money goes.  And while some of that saved money might be used for an afterschool sport or some family fun, we also want to be deliberate about using it to “do good” and teach our kids the joy of helping those in our community and around the world.  We are learning though that helping the poor is not something we do just because we are blessed or because it is nice or because it feels good.  It is something we are commanded to do by the Father of all good things.   It needs to be part of my lifestyle.

We are focusing on certain reputable charities as well as looking for ways to reach out to the people that the Lord has cross our path.  Over the next couple of weeks I will highlight some really amazing organizations that help us obey the command to do good.  How about you?  Can you share some of the ways you are fleshing out this lesson personally or with your kids?  I would love suggestions of ways to teach my boys how to “do good” as well as other organizations that have a history of integrity.  Please share:)

Rotten strawberries, Ezekiel and Watchmen November 2, 2009

Do you ever come across a Scripture that stands out to you because it correlates with something the Lord has begun to teach you…but it makes you groan a big UGH! Because you know that this lesson is not going to be fun?  I know that sounds complicated and possibly something you totally can’t relate to but this has been going on in my life.  So bear with me and if you remotely care I will explain.

A few weeks ago I found a great sale on strawberries, which is hard to come by this time of year, so I bought 5 quarts of berries.  I set about washing them and cutting them up to store in Rubbermaid containers in the frig.  I noticed that the first few strawberries on the top of each quart were all shiny and red.  And when I looked at the bottom of each package in the store before I bought them I was sure to pick out only the containers that looked like they held strawberries free of mold and mushiness.  Unfortunately what I found in each package was that between the top and bottom layers the middle strawberries held a different story.

Nice pretty strawberries

For after I took off the top few in each package I found below one or two strawberries that had large spots of nasty, green, fuzzy mold.  To my dismay each moldy area that touched a neighboring strawberry spread the mold around.  So inside the package I ended up with between 3-6 moldy strawberries in each quart.  I was bummed.  I was able to cut the yucky spots off of a few of the strawberries and save some of the good, ripe juicy areas.

How sad that although I thought I investigated thoroughly,  every container held within it one or two very sick strawberries.  Now if I had purchased those quarts early enough and removed that one moldy strawberry  the mold may have stayed contained, or better yet if I found that little sick strawberry early enough in the rotting process I may have been able to cut off that single moldy spot and saved not only the quart but most of that little strawberry itself!

Yucky moldy strawberries

Mold spreads, quickly.  Unless it is cut off it will destroy the strawberry and the berries that are surrounding it and touching it.  That poor little strawberry doesn’t mean to spread the mold that is destroying it.  And certainly it would rather be enjoyed in a nice strawberry shortcake, rather than tossed in the garbage as useless.

 

You have to know where I am going with this:)  There have been times in my life when I have allowed some mold to attach itself to me.  It may have been a negative attitude, an ungrateful heart, gossip left unchecked, a complaining spirit toward my husband, a bent toward laziness or some kind of unconfessed sin.  I could give many personal examples.  If left to itself that mold would grow and take over many other areas in my heart and life.  It would start internally but before long it would manifest itself externally.  Before long it would begin to affect those around me…my children, my husband, my friends, their children, people at school, at church, and on and on.  The poisonous mold that was rotting my character, relationship with Christ, witness to others would begin to seep into other people’s lives and begin to slowly destroy them too.

Now a couple things can happen.  The Lord could get my attention through His Word, a sermon or maybe a friend with caring loving words could point out to me this area in need of Christ’s wise paring knife.  Hopefully I would ask him to cut off that decaying area so the rest of my “berry” could be useful.  Or if I do not heed the Lord’s warning that decaying mess could not only render me useless and rotten but it would also begin to destroy those around me.  By not submitting to the Lord’s correction in my life I could unintentionally be hurting those I love.  Without even realizing it I could be poisoning my family and friends.  My decay and disobedience and sin could lead to their unholy habits, disrespectful attitudes and hardened hearts.

Big breath…I want to be aware of what the Lord might be wanting to remove from my heart and life.  If I have mold, please Lord cut it out and help me to stay open to your correction!  This, of course, I do believe is part of what the Lord wanted to teach me and keep me on my face in humility asking Him to keep me clean of the sin that would destroy me.  Then for some crazy reason I decided to read through Ezekiel.  I try to alternate between the Old and New Testaments and it was Ezekiel’s turn.  This book is interesting to say the least.  This dude was trippin’.  You think I am joking?

Well, check this out…

“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.  When I say to a wicked man, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his life, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood.  But if you do warn the wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his evil ways, he will die for his sin; but you will have saved yourself.

Again when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, and I put a stumbling block before him, he will die.  Since you did not warn him, he will die for his sin.  The righteous things he did will not be remembered, and I will hold you accountable for his blood.  But if you do warn the righteous man not to sin and he does not sin, he will surely live because he took warning, and you will have saved yourself.”

Ezekiel 3:16-21

Okay, wow!  Did you catch that?  I know it is Old school and all but I feel pretty strongly that speaks out to a responsibility on my part to holding others accountable.  And to me it says I have a responsibility to those that are righteous and those that aren’t.  No I don’t have all the answers as to who I am obligated to warn and when I need to be politically correct and certainly I struggle with being non-judgmental.  What I do know is that when God places people in my life that I know He cares for and I see them doing things that hurt themselves and others…I need to speak out.  Does this mean I am now the moral police?   Heck no!

Are you kidding me?  You and I have relationships with certain people though that are placed in our lives for a purpose.  And our purpose in their lives may be as a “watchman.”  Do I like that thought?  Not particularly.  I would rather go out with a friend for coffee and talk about Christmas shopping instead of asking her hard questions, like is she hiding an eating disorder, or is she having an inappropriate internet relationship or if she is hiding her shopping addiction from her husband.  Do we have that role in every friendship?  I certainly hope not.

But I tell you what,  I want and need a watchman or two in my life.  I know that I have at least two girlfriends that would risk our friendship over asking those kind of hard questions.  I know they care too much about me and my marriage and my relationship with Christ to let me rot without them interceding and doing whatever they can to get my attention and turn from my sin.  Those last few verses above in Ezekiel take my breath away.

It says if I see a righteous man doing evil…and pause here.  I don’t believe it is talking about a random gossip or disrespecting our husband every now or then.  I get the impression he is talking about major sin that leads to destruction.  Something that affects lives and families and futures.  Certainly some of those small things unaddressed though can lead to a lifestyle of destruction.  Okay back to the righteous man doing evil…and if I turn away and ignore it.  God will put a stumbling block in their path and they will die.  And I will be held responsible.  Me!  Heavens to Betsy!  This call to accountability involves you and me.

I need a watchman to get in my way, stand in the path that I am headed down to destruction and say STOP!  LOOK WHERE YOU ARE GOING! DON’T YOU REALIZE YOU ARE HEADED TO DESTRUCTION! TURN AROUND RIGHT NOW! If I choose to step around them or push them out of my way then I may die in my own sin.  And did you catch the part that says, “the righteous things he did will not be remembered”?  I can’t live on the good deeds from my past to counterbalance the sin I am now choosing to live in.

Neither scenario is easy or fun.  It sucks if I am living in a way that requires someone I care about to have to come to me to say stop!  But I have needed a watchman in the past and if I need one again, Lord please allow me to be teachable and heed the warning.  Also not fun is the thought of being a watchman in someone else’s life.  A watchman needs to be bold, brave, honest and strong.  A good thought though is that my understanding is watchmen have to take shifts.  They can’t stand on guard 24/7.  Which means hopefully we will be asked to be watchmen in people’s lives for seasons.  That sounds a little less intimidating to me.

Do you have relationships with people that would allow this kind of brutal honesty and transparency?  It means relationship, openness and trust.  It means time and commitment and getting messy in each other’s lives.  We don’t seem to see a lot of that these days.  If you don’t have at least two people of the same sex in your life that would be a watchman for you then I challenge you to begin to diligently ask the Father to bring these someone’s into your life.  That means you need to be watching and looking for Him to answer that prayer and then for you to step out and develop those relationships.  And then the next tough question, is He asking you to step up and be a watchman for someone right now?

Okay that is enough for us all to think about for awhile, whew!  Yes, all from some rotten strawberries:)

Wisdom Hunter October 28, 2009

I have two more books to share with you today.  I was very hesitant to take part in this book blog tour because one book, Shadow Government by Grant Jeffrey,  seemed so far out of my normal reading style, however…the other book that was offered with it is amazing.  I read the book Wisdom Hunter by Randall Arthur almost 10 years ago and Mark read it as well and it truly changed our perspective on church in general.  The book follows the journey of a pastor Jason Faircloth as he experiences incredible difficulty within his family that leads him to a crisis of belief and a hunt all over the globe for his granddaughter.  This book examines legalism and traditions within the church.

It caused Mark and I to wrestle through some incredibly hard issues regarding why we believe certain things and why we practice certain traditions.  It was tremendous in our growth ten years ago and it has been great revisiting it.  It is action packed and full of adventure, drama but also draws the reader into great personal reflection.  Mark actually had the chance to meet the author years ago and that meant a lot to him.  I would recommend any believer to read this book.  It is a quick read because you don’t want to put it down, but it keeps you thinking long after you are done.  It would also be a great read for someone skeptical about the church and a relationship with the Lord.  I truly cannot say enough good about it.

Now Shadow Government on the other hand… it truly may be a great book but I have not been able to get through the 2nd chapter.  It is so full of details and history regarding past and present political events and how the government is tracking us.  I just don’t care.  Call me awful, but I don’t.  I have many things that I am concerned with and aim to hopefully make a difference in the world around me but I just can’t wrap my mind around what the book is talking about.  So there you have it.  I can think of a few people, history buffs, government groupies that may LOVE this book.  If you want it email me and later than sooner I will get it to you:)

Check out more details on the books and the authors below.  You can purchase the books online here:

http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781601422996&ref=externallink_mlt_wisdomhunter_sec_0908_01

http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781400074426&ref=externallink_wbp_shadowgovernment_sec_0908_01

These Books were provided for review purposes by Random House and Water Brook Multnomah publishers.

Book: Shadow Government

Author: Grant Jeffrey

Summary:

Security cameras, surveillance of private financial transactions, radio frequency spy chips hidden in consumer products, eavesdropping on e-mail correspondence and phone calls, and Internet tracking. No one is protected, and privacy is a thing of the past.

An ultra-secret global elite, functioning as a very real shadow government, controls technology, finance, international law, world trade, political power, and vast military capabilities. These unnamed, unrivaled leaders answer to no earthly authority, and they won’t stop until they control the world.

In Shadow Government, prophecy expert Grant Jeffrey removes the screen that, up to now, has hidden the work of these diabolical agents. Jeffrey reveals the biblical description of Satan’s global conquest and identifies the tools of technology that the Antichrist will use to rule the world.

Readers will have their eyes opened to the real power that is working behind the scenes to destroy America and merge it into the coming global government. Armed with this knowledge, readers will be equipped to face spiritual darkness with the light of prophetic truth.

Cover art:

Author Bio:

Grant R. Jeffrey is the internationally known prophecy researcher, Mideast expert, and author of Countdown to the Apocalypse, The New Temple and the Second Coming, The Next World War, and twenty other best-selling books. He is also the editor of the Prophecy Study Bible. His popular television program, Bible Prophecy Revealed, airs weekly on TBN. Jeffrey earned his master’s and PhD degrees from Louisiana Baptist University. He and his wife, Kaye, live in Toronto.

Book: Wisdom Hunter

Author: Randall Arthur

Dates: October 26^th-30^th

Summary:

Pastor Jason Faircloth knows what he believes. His clear faith, in fact, is why he is one of the most prominent pastors in Atlanta. He relies on it to discipline his daughter, his wife, his church. He prays daily that others would come to see God’s ways as he does.

And it is about to cost him everything.

Groping for answers in the face of tragedy, Jason begins a search for the only family he has left: the granddaughter kept hidden from him. Soon he finds himself on an international adventure that will take him straight into the depths of his soul. He is determined not to fail again.

A fast-paced suspense novel rich in spiritual depth, Wisdom Hunter explores what it means to break free of Christian legalism—and discover why grace can mean the difference between life and death.

Cover art:

Author Bio:

Randall Arthur is the bestselling author of Jordan’s Crossing and Brotherhood of Betrayal. He and his wife have served as missionaries to Europe for over thirty years. From 1976 till 1998, he lived in Norway and Germany as a church planter. Since 2000, he has taken numerous missions teams from the United States on trips all over Europe. Arthur is also the founder of the AOK (Acts of Kindness) Bikers’ Fellowship, a group of men who enjoy the sport of motorcycling. He and his family live in Atlanta, Georgia.

Island Express October 25, 2009

I am not ashamed to say that on this blog recently I am a thief:)  I am stealing what I read and what touches me to share with you …and be honest, you like it!

A few summers in college I was part of a super fun and amazing team of summer missionaries called Island Express.  We spent 10 weeks on Hilton Head Island (I know, poor kids:) sharing Jesus with tourists and locals in a myriad of ways.  Some weeks we were counselors at a children’s daycamp, we taught sessions at a teen missions camp, we performed interpretive movement and vaudeville routines in the harbors on the Island and then would go into the crowd to witness to those watching, we visited lifeguards weekly bringing them cold drinks during the day and then hosting a barbecue once a week to establish relationships and invite them to attend a Bible study with us, we manned and performed at a Christian coffeehouse right on the beach during the weekends, the list goes on and on.  In the midst of tremendous busyness though we grew in the Lord, had a BLAST and formed some amazing lifelong friendships.  I was blessed to meet some truly incredible Christian young people from all over the country.

Well one of them is Amy Liddle and I have reconnected with her recently through Facebook and following her blog.  She recently gave birth to her fourth little one and she shares about True Love.  Isn’t it neat to see how God grows and develops people through the years?  When I new Amy we were both so young and fresh.  She was amazing then but I LOVE seeing her maturity and wisdom and sincerity as she has grown into a mother of four.  In this post Amy talks about the risks that loving requires us to take.  It can be scary sometimes.  Very real and refreshing.  So go check out this true and sincere take on love at www.amyliddle.blogspot.com .  And I must warn you, her new, sweet little Evan just might give you a touch of baby fever:)