If God Is Love Don't Be A Jerk - Book Review

 

Title: If God Is Love Don't Be A Jerk; Finding a Faith That Makes Us Better Humans

Author: John Pavlovitz

Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press

Publication Date: September 28, 2021

Length: 238 Pages

About the Author
John Pavlovitz is a blogger, author, and pastor based in North Carolina. His blog, Stuff That Needs to Be Said, recently surpassed one hundred million views.

We Have One Job; LOVE!
Loving God and neighbor and self is the elemental stuff of Christian prayers, songs, T-shirts, and bumper stickers...and we all know that.

However, there is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path. Love is the path that Jesus laid out for us. This book is about the walking: about imagining what love should or could look like if we take that mandate seriously. 

My Thoughts 
John Pavlovitz has written a powerful book that challenges the reader to really think about the conclusions we hold about the character of God. Our ability to be loving to ourselves and our neighbors is in many ways a product of these conclusions.

"One set of answers will yield a hopeful, compassionate benevolence that continually moves us to welcome others in and to live with an openhanded generosity...and another is likely to construct a scalding, brimstone-laden judgmentalism that leaves us predisposed to exclude and prone to finger wagging."

 The author believes we should be compassionate and empathetic to our fellow human beings. We are all jerks at times...setting out to hurt another person and succeeding. We should ask ourselves, "Am I trying to understand this person, or am I trying to defeat them?" Understanding is a key element in love.

We tend to see the world through the filters of our personal background, culture, and education. It is really difficult to be open-minded and understand the reasons for our preferences and prejudices. We live in our own little world and are mostly ignorant about how the rest of the world is living. This book encourages you to open your mind and your heart. It asks you to really SEE what is going on around you. Your religion is not what you believe, your religion is how you treat people.

Mr. Pavlovitz comes down hard on traditional evangelical churches and challenges them to be "The Church of Not Being Horrible." We have ONE job: LOVE!

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI ~ I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley.

Innocent Man Spends Three Decades on Alabama's Death Row

The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row (Oprah's Book Club Summer 2018 Selection)

Author: Anthony Ray Hinton and Lara Love Hardin

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Publication Date: March 27, 2018

Length: 273 Pages


About the Author
Anthony Ray Hinton spent nearly thirty years on death row for crimes he didn't commit. Released in April 2015, Hinton now speaks widely on prison reform and the power of faith and forgiveness.

Guilty Until Proven Innocent
In 1985, Anthony Ray Hinton was arrested and charged with armed robbery, kidnapping and the murders of two fast food workers in Alabama. He knew that it was a case of mistaken identity and believed that the truth would prove his innocence and ultimately set him free.

But with no money and an unfair system of justice for a poor black man in the South, Hinton was sentenced to death by electrocution.

This is a memoir of Mr. Hinton's experiences on death row and how he was eventually exonerated by the United States Supreme Court. The state of Alabama dropped all charges against him.

My Thoughts
This is the story of blatant and intentional racism and discrimination. Anthony Ray Hinton was charged with murder because of the color of his skin and his inability to hire a competent defense attorney.

"You know, I don't care whether you did or didn't do it. In fact, I believe that you didn't do it. But it doesn't matter. If you didn't do it, one of your brothers did. And you're going to take the rap." Lieutenant Acker of Birmingham Police Department

Mr. Hinton was found guilty of murder by a jury and given a life sentence in prison. A judge overruled the jury and changed the sentence to death by electrocution.

The author spent his first three years on death row in silence. He was a Christian man and could not understand how God could allow something like this to happen. His heart was full of anger and revenge toward the people who had sent an innocent man to death row.

The beautiful thing about this story is how the author eventually became a shining light of hope for the other prisoners on death row. Mr. Hinton started reaching out to other prisoners. He got permission to start a book club and prisoners were allowed to read and discuss books. He tried to keep a positive attitude despite many discouraging years of fighting for freedom in the legal system. 

"I forgive because not to forgive would only hurt me." Anthony Ray Hinton

The author credits his faith in God, his mother's unconditional love, the loyalty of his best friend and an excellent attorney from the Equal Justice Initiative for his eventual exoneration and release from death row.

Anthony Ray Hinton was the 152nd person exonerated from death row in the United States since 1973 and the sixth in the state of Alabama. He is now a poster boy for all that is broken in our criminal justice system. 

Our pledge of allegiance..."one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." That should be our vision for the future. 

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI ~ I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

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A Transplant for the Cure - Finding a Donor

Karen Luehrmen, Janette Luehrman Fuller, Lois Luehrman Crane.
The Cancer Treatment Center of America in Tulsa is in the background.

Many changes were coming in 2014. Karen had been living with CLL/SLL (Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma)  for six years. She decided it was time to leave her job at Joyce Meyer Ministries and move back to our childhood home in Higginsville, Missouri.

She sold her house in St. Louis and completed the move by mid-July. She was feeling good and enjoyed helping our mother on the farm.

In November, Karen was feeling symptoms of the disease and knew that it was back. She decided to make an appointment with a doctor at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Tulsa. Her new doctor strongly encouraged her to consider an allogeneic stem cell transplant.

In March of the next year, Lois and I decided to accompany Karen to her doctor appointment in Tulsa. Even though Karen had not decided to have a transplant, the doctor wanted to have Lois and I tested to see if we were a match. An allogeneic transplant uses cells from a volunteer donor. The chance that any one sibling would be a perfect match (that is, that you both received the same set of HLA antigens from each of your parents) is 1 out of 4.

When the results of the testing came in, Lois was a 50% match and I was a PERFECT MATCH!

I was totally shocked when I heard that I would be a donor for my sister's stem cell transplant. I don't even give blood! At the age of 62, I was unprepared for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to give the gift of life.

However, Karen was still not convinced that a transplant was the right choice for her future treatment. She posted the following message on Facebook the week after we received the results of the donor testing.

Now that you know how my family feels, I would like to speak for myself. I originally received a diagnoses of CLL-SLL in 2008. For the past 7 years, I have had oncologists tell me there is no cure and eventually I will have to die from this. This doctor says a bone morrow transplant will cure the disease but can only offer a 50% chance that it will be successful. The other option is to continue using chemo to attack the disease until it is no longer effective and I die from the disease.
Now, I am not against doctors and medical science but they are NOT God. This is what He (Jesus, my Lord and Savior) has to say about my situation:
Exodus 15:26 "...for I am the Lord that healeth thee".
Ps. 118:8 "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man."
Ps. 103: 2 - 5 "Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all His benefits: Who FORGIVES all your iniquities; who HEALS ALL YOUR DISEASES; who REDEEMS your life from destruction; who CROWNS you with loving kindness and tender mercies; who SATISFYS your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagles".
Is 53:4 - 5 "Surely he hath borne our sicknesses and carried our pains; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But HE WAS WOUNDED for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes WE ARE HEALED".
Matthew 9:35 "And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching...and preaching...and HEALING EVERY sickness and EVERY disease among the people".
I Peter 2:24 "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by who stripes ye WERE HEALED.
Gal. 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by FAITH in the Son of God, who loved me and gave HIMSELF for me.
Col. 1: 13 Jesus HAS delivered me from the power of darkness and translated me into the kingdom of the Son of His love
Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death
Prov. 4:20 - 22 "My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings; do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for THEY ARE MEDICINE to those who find them and HEALTH to ALL their FLESH.
Mark 11:22-23 Have faith in God. For assuredly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, be removed and be cast into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will come to pass, he will have whatever he says.
Mark 9:23 IF you can believe, ALL THINGS are possible to him who believes.
Jesus said the devil comes to steal, kill and destroy. Jesus has already carried my disease in his body and by his stripes, I AM healed. Circumstances come to exalt themselves above the knowledge of God but I will NOT tremble in fear at the lies of the devil. He has already been defeated and I have the victory. Healing is mine and I will NOT allow him to steal it from me.
My request is that you stand on these scriptures with me and pray in agreement with me that the manifestation of my total and complete healing will be verified and documented through medical test by this doctor, that she may come to know the God who brought about this miracle. Gods timing is perfect and He is never late. Praise His holy name! Greater is He who lives in me, than he that is in the world!!

This Facebook message demonstrates the strength of Karen's faith in the healing power of Jesus Christ. The time would soon come when she realized that God uses doctors to assist in His healing work.

Book Review: Get Your Hopes Up! by Joyce Meyer

ONE WORD BOOK REVIEW: HOPE

 Get Your Hopes Up!: Expect Something Good to Happen to You Every Day

 Author: Joyce Meyer

 Publisher: FaithWords

 Publication Date: April 7, 2015

 Length: 197 Pages

About The Author
Joyce Meyer is one of the world's leading practical Bible teachers. Her daily broadcast, Enjoying Everyday Life, airs on hundreds of television networks and radio stations worldwide. Joyce has written nearly 100 inspirational books.

Be A Prisoner Of Hope
Hope isn't something we wait to feel, it is something we decide to have. We can choose hope.

This powerful new book by Joyce Meyer is divided into the following sections:

Section 1: Hope To Go Higher
Your life will go only as high as the level of your expectations.

Section 2: Hope When You Are Hurting
Have a happy anticipation that God is going to show up on the scene, that He won't be late, and that He is going to calm the storm.

Section 3: Hope and Happiness
Whatever unexpected challenge or frustration you may face, decide in advance that you're not going to let it steal your joy.

Section 4: Hope is Here
God wants you to live in hope so that even on days when it seems like everything around you is spinning out of control, you can be firm in your belief that something good is going to happen.

My Thoughts
This is a very inspirational book based on the author's experiences, entertaining and meaningful stories and passages from the Bible.

We all need hope. This book explains how we can find it and make it a lasting influence in our lives. The most important thing is to place our hope in God. We must believe it, meditate on it, speak it, and encourage others who are also facing trials.

Joyce Meyer has written dozens of books and I believe this one is right up there with the best of them. This book will be life-changing if you read the words and hold them close to your heart.

RATING: 5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ I received a digital copy of this book to read and review from NetGalley.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Handmade Vintage Greeting Card With Old Hymnal Page

I made this card to enter in Mo's Make It Vintage Challenge.

This is how I made the card:
(1.) I started with a blank white card that measures 5 1/2" by 8 1/2".
(2.) I took the page "Love Lifted Me" from an old hymnal. I attached the page to the card and then used Smooch Spritz to distress the card. I stamped some scrolls around the edges with black ink.
(3.) I chose the digital stamp "John Praying" from Mo's Digital Pencil. I colored the image with Prismacolor pencils and Copic Sketch markers.
(4.) I die cut the colored image and a black frame for the image.
(5.) I embellished the card with an embossed angel image, a piece of old lace, rhinestones (Bling on a Roll from Recollections) and a pretty cloth flower and leaves (Tulle Flora & Fauna from K & Company).

Thank you for taking a look at my card. Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Children's Book Review: Wonderfully Made by Joyce Meyer

Wonderfully Made (Everyday Zoo)

Author: Joyce Meyer

Publisher: Zonderkidz

Date: May 7, 2013

Series: Everyday Zoo


About The Author
Joyce Meyer is one of the world's leading practical Bible teachers. A #1 New York Times bestselling author, she has written more than ninety inspirational books. Joyce's Enjoying Everyday Life radio and television programs are broadcast around the world, and she travels extensively conducting conferences.

Do I Have A Special Talent?
Haley Hippo is excited to learn about the Everyday Zoo's First Annual Talent Show.

Haley's excitement turns to discouragement when she learns that all her friends have unique talents but she can't think of a single thing to do for the talent show.

Haley thinks that God forgot to give her a talent. She tries to do the same talents as her friends, but nothing seems to work. Haley is so disheartened that she believes that she is terrible at everything!

Haley's friends convince her that she DOES have a special talent and she is very grateful that God blessed her with talent and some very good friends.

My Thoughts
Joyce Meyer has been writing inspirational books for adults for many years. This is the third book in her "Everyday Zoo Series" for children.

This book has an important message for children. We all have special talents. The story emphasizes the importance of discovering and appreciating our unique individual talent instead of comparing our abilities to others.

The animal characters in this book are delightful and the color illustrations add value to the text. Children will identify with Haley and her striving to find her own special talent.

This story has a very joyful ending. God has given us all special talents that we can share with others!

Recommended for children of all ages.

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ I received a complimentary digital copy of this book to read and review from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Book Review: Santa's Tree Topper by Shannon Glen

Title: Santa's Tree Topper

Author: Shannon Glenn

Publisher: Amazon Digital Services

Date: August 19, 2012




About The Author
Shannon Glenn lives in Oklahoma with his wife and two preschool boys. Shannon is passionate about writing children's stories that children will want to read or have read to them. 

The Spirit Of Christmas
Every year there is a huge contest at the North Pole. All of Santa's elves make ornaments for the Christmas tree. Each year the best ornament is chosen by Santa to sit at the top of his tree in the center of the workshop.

Brody is a young elf and Santa asks him to enter an ornament in the contest for the very first time. Brody chooses a simple blue glass bulb to enter in the contest. It is not even a tree topper but Brody knows this ornament is very special. When he stares at the blue ornament, he sees the Christmas star shining within.

Santa sees the true beauty in this simple ornament and reminds the elves that this Star announced the birth of the Creator of the Universe. Brody's ornament expresses the true meaning of Christmas.

The second story in this ebook is "Grandma's Christmas Cookies".  This story tells how Mrs. Claus discovers the secret ingredient in Santa's favorite chocolate chip cookies. The recipe is included at the end of the story.

My Thoughts 
It is the time of year to break out the Christmas books. Many people are so busy that they don't take time to enjoy the wonderful books that are available to enrich and enhance the Christmas season.

"Santa's Tree Topper" was written for children but will be enjoyed by all ages. I really liked the way the author took a story about Santa and his elves and used it to share the real meaning of Christmas. The stories are well written, original and poignant. These are the kind of stories that you will remember and want to pass on to loved ones.

The only illustration that is included in this ebook is the cover. I would encourage the author to connect with a book illustrator and add some pictures to both of these stories. I love the cover illustration and would like to see pictures through-out the story.

This ebook will make a memorable addition to your Christmas book collection.

My Rating: 4 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ I received this ebook as a free download during a special promotion on Amazon.Com. Please check the current price before ordering.

I would love for you to FOLLOW this blog. You may use either the Google Friend Connect or the Networked Blog widget to show your support and encouragement.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.
 

Book Review: Total Abandon; The Powerful True Story of Life Lived in Radical Devotion to God

The Webster's Dictionary defines a martyr as "one who voluntarily suffers death as the penalty of witnessing to and refusing to renounce his religion." "Total Abandon; The Powerful True Story of Life Lived in Radical Devotion to God", by Gary Witherall, is the story of the life and death of Bonnie Witherall.
In surrender to God's calling, Bonnie and Gary Witherall traded the security of life in the U.S. for danger and uncertainty in the war-torn city of Sidon, Lebanon. This is the story of the Witherall's journey to Lebanon and the death of Bonnie at the hands of a terrorist gunman.

About the Author
Gary Witherall is an evangelist and speaker, continuing to travel overseas sharing Christ and challenging God's people to live totally surrendered to Him.

The Story of a Young Martyr
Gary Witherall understands what "total abandon" really means. He tells how he met his future wife, Bonnie Penner, while attending classes at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. They both felt the call of God on their lives to serve in the mission field.

Gary and Bonnie were married in April of 1997. After their marriage, they moved into a comfortable home in Portland, Oregon, and went to work in the debt collection department of a bank. Three years passed and they became supervisors at the bank but they were not fulfilled.

They both felt a burning desire to follow God's call to the Middle East to minister to Muslims in Lebanon. They realized what every missionary must realize: You have to die to yourself.

You have to be willing to say over and over, "Yes, Lord. Any time, any place, whatever you want, including dying." He says, Go. And we go.

Bonnie Witherall was working at a clinic for Palestinian women on the morning of November 21, 2002. She opened the door and a gunman shot her three times in the face. She died at the scene.

My Thoughts
This book is heart-wrenching and poignant but also inspiring and challenging. The Witheralls were passionately on fire for the Lord and followed His leading to the Middle East.

I think the author did an excellent job describing what it is like to be a missionary in a place where you don't know the language, you have no friends and you have to build a life from scratch. Well, they actually did have a friend and that ONE friend made all the difference in the world. The Witheralls were never alone because Jesus Christ was with them.

Mr. Witherall shared the grief that he felt in the days, weeks and months that followed his wife's murder. He has survived the pain and heartache of this tragic event and continues to surrender his life to God's service.

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ The minister of my home church, Pastor Dale Inman, highly recommended this book and let me borrow his personal copy. Pastor Inman has gone on numerous mission trips to the Mideast and continues to be active in this ministry.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.



 

Book Review: Getting To Know God

My Rating: 5 Stars Out of 5

This book provides a rare opportunity to view passages from the private journal of celebrated artist Alice Ann Dobbin. “Getting To Know God; An Artist’s Journey” is an awe-inspiring collection of personal reflections, meditations, prayers and songs of praise to God. The author recognizes that her fears, feelings and thoughts are shared by many. The poignant prose in this book will encourage, inspire and give hope for a better tomorrow.

About The Author
  Alice Ann Dobbin has been drawing and painting since she was old enough to hold a pencil. She was selected to attend special classes for artistically gifted children while still in elementary school.

Ms. Dobbin graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a degree in journalism and advertising. She later obtained her art degree from Washington and Jefferson College where she was awarded the prestigious Beta Scholar designation by the president of the college.

Ms. Dobbin and her husband own the Doddin Art Gallery in Johns Island, South Carolina.  Her art work appears in numerous private, public and corporate collections throughout the United States, Europe and Australia.

The Art Will Touch Your Imagination
“Getting To Know God” includes thirty-five original oil paintings that feature many aspects of nature. Ms. Dobbin portrays the beauty of nature in the most exquisite manner. She uses her God-given talent to highlight the wonder of creation.

The first chapter in the book is titled “Where Would I Be Without the Lord” and the painting “Storm Rising” is used to illustrate this chapter on faith. This painting features huge dark clouds invading the pale blue sky. You can see hints of the sunset on the horizon. This painting brings back vivid memories of hurricanes and tropical storms that I have experienced while living on the Texas Gulf Coast.

Ms. Dobbin does a lovely job painting birds, wildlife, farm animals and pets. She shares a painting of a mother with her baby lamb in the chapter “Being a Parent”.  The painting portrays the vulnerability of the lamb and the protective eye of his mother. The author expresses the challenges and joys of being a parent. She believes the best gifts a parent can give are a happy childhood, a sense of self-esteem and a heart full of faith in God.

Comforting Verses and Sincere Prayer
Alice Dobbin shares many of her favorite verses from the Bible in the chapters of this book. The treasured verses bestow faith, hope, love and peace. These are verses that Alice has reflected on during the most difficult and joyous times of her life. The prayers that are included in this book reflect the close personal relationship that she has with the Lord.  The author believes that “the more we seek the Lord and ways to please him, the more we will learn of different ways to pray”.

Reflection and Meditation
“Getting To Know God” includes a collection of intimate writings, reflections and meditations. The author’s sensitive portrayal of life is a testimony to her strong faith in the Lord. She writes about getting to know God and developing a personal relationship with Him.

Ms. Dobbin declares her thoughts in the following uplifting passages;

“As we commit the work of our hands
And our energy to You,
Small “miracles” begin to happen.”

“The small miracles in our lives
Are the many blessings
God has given us.”

These prayers, meditations and songs of praise were not written with the intent to publish them. The author has decided to share her personal writings with the hope that her readers will draw strength and comfort from them.

My Thoughts
I found reading this book to be a visual and emotional gift. I have always been an artist at heart and I truly enjoyed the beautiful oil paintings that illustrate this book. The author was able to successfully harmonize the content of the paintings with the subject of her prayers and meditations. This made the overall reading experience fulfilling and rewarding.

Alice Dobbin is an authentic woman of faith. This book will take you to higher levels of spiritual development and maturity. It demonstrates that we are not alone. We all need each other and we need God.

I recommend this book for your personal use and to share with loved ones. I think that reading a few chapters from this book at bedtime will provide a peaceful closure to the challenges of the day. I hope this book will inspire others to use their special gifts and talents to bring glory to God. “Getting To Know God” is available from Westbow Press, Amazon and in print and digital format at Barnes & Noble. Get a copy for yourself and another one for a treasured friend.

I want to thank Alice Dobbin for sending me a complimentary digital copy of this book to read and review. If you would like to learn more about the book, please view Getting To Know God [Book Trailer].

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Book Review: Cherished; A Novel of Unconditional Love

Kim Cash Tate has written a powerful Christian fiction book about forgiveness, redemption and restoration.  The women in "Cherished" learn that God loves them and He will forgive them if they turn to Him in repentance.

About The Author
Kim Cash Tate is a Women of Faith speaker and the author of "Faithful", "Heavenly Places", and the memoir "More Christian Than African American". A former practicing attorney, she is also the founder of Colored in Christ Ministries. She and her husband have two children.


Unconditional Love
This is a story about a group of friends and family members who were active in a large church in St. Louis. Kelli has recently returned home to St. Louis after living in Texas for several years. She dreamed of being a Christian singer and songwriter when she was in high school. However, she became romantically involved with her boyfriend and got pregnant. Brian, her boyfriend, refused to accept any responsibility for the situation and Kelli was left to fend for herself. She decided that having an abortion was her only option, but she kept this a secret from her family and friends. She has not seen Brian for many years and she does not think she will ever be able to forgive him.

Heather's  life was shattered when she had an affair with a married man and was forced to leave her beloved church. She then had a one-night stand with a singer in a popular Christian band and was devastated when she found out that he had a girlfriend and he had no desire to have a relationship with her.

These women were confused, lonely and broken. Kelli and Heather became friends and learned that they had value and were worthy of love and redemption. They found that anything was possible when they put their faith in God. They received valuable mentoring and friendship from their Christian sisters at church.  The women learned and accepted the fact that they were cherished as beautiful daughters of Christ. The theme of this book is forgiveness....we learn to accept God's forgiveness, to forgive others and to forgive ourselves.

My Thoughts
I do not read very much fiction, but I found this story very inspiring and comforting. I could feel real empathy for the characters in the book. I was laughing, crying, loving and hating right along with Kelli and Heather.
"Cherished" reminds us that we can always go to Christ and receive forgiveness. We are cherished for who we are, not for what we do or don't do. We have hope for a bright future...no matter what we did in the past. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Christian fiction and is seeking a book that is uplifting and inspiring.

If you would like to learn more about this book, please click HERE to view the "Cherished" video book trailer.

I would like to thank Audra Jennings from B & B Media Group for sending me a complimentary digital copy of this book to read and review.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Book Review: Passion To Action

Do you have a strong desire and passion to serve the Lord and let God use you in extraordinary ways?
This is the true story about a family who decided to sell their home and travel the country doing random acts of kindness. Passion To Action, by Jay and Beth Loecken, is an inspiring story about a family striving to find and fulfill their purpose in life.
The Loeckens were searching for meaning in their lives while living the American dream. They had four children, lived in a large house and drove nice cars...but something was missing. This is a book that describes a journey of passion, faith and taking action to serve others.


About The Authors

Jay and Beth Loecken and their children Ben, Bekah, Abigail, and Noah, originally from Atlanta, have been on the road for more than three years. They’ve been featured in Ladies’ Home Journal and on Good Morning America. Learn more about their ministry of service at Passiontoaction.Org.

 

A Life Of Service

In the summer of 2007, the Loeckens went to Africa on a mission trip with three of their four children. That trip changed their lives. When they returned home to their comfortable lifestyle, they all knew they wanted something more.

 

In April, 2008, the family made the decision to sell their home, purchase an RV, and begin traveling the country serving communities in need. "Their mission is to inspire others, empower them with tools and resources, and mobilize them to put their faith in action".

 

This book tells of the challenges and rewards that come with living on the road. The family learned to live in a much smaller space and to get along with much less "stuff" and money. They learned the joys of performing small tasks to help those less fortunate. Their faith in God has grown tremendously as they have stepped out and broken past their fears.

 

My Thoughts

I found this book to be an inspiring and fascinating read. "Passion To Action" provides the real-life struggles that must be faced when living a life of service. The Loecken family is doing something that many dream about but few have the courage to act on it.

The book is written from both Jay and Beth's point of view. I think this gives the reader an excellent understanding of both a father/husband's concerns and a mother/wife's concerns and joys. Jay is frequently dealing with the challenges of operating the RV and dealing with the family's limited finances. Beth is busy homeschooling the children and building relationships with the people they meet.

 

Do you believe God uses ordinary people in extraordinary ways?  This book will inspire you to take a look at your priorities and lifestyle. Where is God calling you to serve?

 

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Audra Jennings at The B & B Media Group to read and review.

 

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

 

Joyce Meyer Washes Feet

Last night I attended a Joyce Meyer Conference at Lakewood Church in Houson, Texas.  Lakewood Church is a huge megachurch that is housed in the former basketball arena of the Houston Rockets.  There were probably around 10,000 people in attendance.
The evening began with praise music led by Martin Smith, lead singer and song writer from the former Christian rock band Delirious? .  The music was powerful and the audience members were on their feet during the entire 30 minutes of priase and worship.
At the end of the music, Joyce greeted the crowd and made her plea for support for her ministry.  She showed an emotional video of some of the work that the Hand Of Hope World Missions is doing to help the poor and sick people of the world.  It is truly amazing to see the hospitals, clinics, orphanages, schools and shelters that are a result of contributions to the Joyce Meyer Ministries.  A picture is worth a thousand words and the video did a wonderful job illustrating the work that  Joyce's world missions are doing.
The theme of conference was "Others" and Joyce Meyer used Scripture from John 13: 1-17 as the basis of her message.  Jesus washed his diciples's feet and Joyce said that all Christians should be servants.  Joyce took a towel and tied it around her waist and then got a pan of water.  She then acted out the Scripture by washing the feet of Martin Smith, an unknown lady from the audience and Dave Meyer.  It was really touching to see this world-famous Bible teacher down on her knees washing feet.  She made her point very clear ~ If Jesus Christ could humble himself and wash feet then so can we.
I thought it was interesting that Joyce mentioned her book, The Love Revolution, in the message last night.  She said that she considered this one of the best books that she has written but it has sold fewer copies than any of her other books that have been published in recent years.  I am giving away a copy of "The Love Revolution" next week on this blog.  Please enter to win!
I have been attending Joyce Meyer Conferences for the past eight years.  I am always inspired by Joyce's messages and last night was no different.  I have to say that Joyce seemed tired and didn't have the energy and pizazz that I have seen in other years.  She said that they had just returned from a trip to India and it appeared that she was still weary from this long journey. 
May the Lord bless and keep Joyce Meyer and her entire ministry team.

Book Review: Outlive Your Life

 
Outlive Your Life: You Were Made to Make A Difference, by Max Lucado, was sent to me in ebook form from Booksneeze to preview.  I have read several other books by Mr. Lucado, but I believe this book is my favorite.  The purpose of this book is to inspire people to take ACTION and start doing things to help other people.
Max Lucado is a best-selling Christian author and minister at Oak Hills Church  in San Antonio, Texas. Lucado has written more than 50 books with 65 million copies in print.

Near the beginning of this book, Mr. Lucado says that several years ago three disturbing questions rocked his world.  The first two questions were about events in the past so he could no longer respond to these problems.  The third question was about a situation that was very current and real.  The author was asked,

• When your grandchildren discover you lived during a day in which 1.75 billion people were poor and 1 billion were hungry, how will they judge your response?

Mr. Lucado fills his book with stories about how Christians all over the world have gone beyond the call of duty to do good for others.  The story that truly touched my heart was about Kris Hogan, the football coach at Faith Christian High School in Grapevine, Texas.  Coach Hogan's team would soon be playing a team from the Gainsville State School, a correctional facility for young offenders.  Coach Hogan recruited parents and friends from Grapevine to sit on the Gainsville team's bleachers and cheer from them.  The crowd went beyond the call of duty to make these young men feel important.  They truly broke down barriers that separate God's children from each other. We are advised not to let class, race, gender, politics, geography or culture hinder God's work.  When we cross the field and cheer for the other side, everyone wins.

This book will inspire and motivate you to live your faith.  Read this book and then get busy doing God's work!

Book Review: Wild At Heart

When I received this book to review from BookSneeze, I was reading another book so I gave it to my husband and asked him to read it.  The subheading, "Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul", seemed like something my husband might be interested in.   He took the book and spent a long time reading it.  I later learned that the reason it took him so long to read the book is because he found it rather boring.  My husband is a Christian and has read many Christian books so I knew this was not a good thing when he gave the book a thumbs down.

I took the book and read it while sitting in a hospital waiting room.  My father had a heart attack and our family spent many anxious hours in the hospital.  I felt a little uncomfortable reading a book that was written specifically for men.  Mr. Eldredge believes that deep in his heart, every man longs for a battle to fight, an adventure to live, and a beauty to rescue.  He says that most men in the church believe God put them on the earth to be a "good boy".  

Mr. Eldredge believes masculinity is something that is passed between men.  A boy cannot learn masculinity from other boys, and he cannot learn it from the world of women.  There was a segment in the book called "The Father-Wound" that I found especially touching.  A man named Dave remembers his parents were having an argument.  He felt like his dad was being verbally abusive so he took his mom's side.  His dad exploded and yelled, "You are such a mama's boy".   Dave's father took an ax and gave his hardest blow to his young tree.  My husband told me that he once had the same experience.

I didn't find this book inspiring or motivating.  The author made some interesting points and I am sure that some men have found the book helpful but it just wasn't for me. 

Daystar Joni Lamb Christian Book Review

Surrender All: Your Answer to Living with Peace, Power, and Purpose, by Joni Lamb, is an exciting Christian book that teaches readers how to surrender every aspect of life to God.

The book instructs readers to surrender their marriage, children, career, health and daily life to Jesus Christ. Joni uses examples of surrender from her own personal life. She tells about how she was raised in a Christian home but became involved with a young man who did not make Christian values a priority in his life. She eventually met and married a young Christian evangelist named Marcus Lamb. Joni tells how she and Marcus trusted God to provide resources to build several Christian television networks. They launched the Daystar television network in 1997.

Joni Lamb has interviewed many guests on her television program. She uses many true strories about people she has met and befriended in her book. These stories illustrate how people have overcome great obstacles and hardships by surrendering their difficult situations to Jesus Christ. I found these stories very uplifting and inspirational.

The last chapter in this book is entitled, "Surrender That Saved The World." Joni writes about how Jesus Christ surrendered his personal will to the will of his Father God when he went to the cross. She tells about a trip to Israel that she made with her family and the Daystar team. This last chapter of the book really touched my heart and made me realize how much God can do when I just surrender to Him.

As a Christian woman, I found this book very inspiring and encouraging. The book is fresh and the content is original. This book is a real treasure!

What Is The Most Important Quality Of A Good Mate?

I recently asked my friends on Twitter the following question;

If you had to name the single most important quality of a good mate, what would it be?

Here are some of the answers I received from my fellow Tweeps;

@GetOutOfDebtGuy Compatible humor/laughter

@sereneworld4us Hm, that would be honesty!

@Bobby61557 Their huge Bank Account Because unfortunately Money plays a huge roll in relationships.

@IveGotUCovered A mate must put God first in his life. To me, I think that's the most important quality. You need to have that for the proper foundation.

@readergirl fidelity - not just fidelity to each other, but to plans, visions, growing in the same direction.

@formatted_dad Someone who listens.

@mattkirschner Good question. Between humor and ability to be laid back, I'd pick the latter.

@andsarah2 Compatible worldview

@ewellburn kindness

I read these replies and then I thought about my own answer. I am very glad that I have a Christian husband. I agree with @IveGotUCovered - "You need to have that for the proper foundation".

Halftime Is The New Retirement

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Jeremiah 29: 11

Bob Buford is the founder of Halftime, an organization designed to inspire business and professional leaders to embrace God's calling and move from success to significance.

Beyond Halftime®: Practical Wisdom for Your Second Half is the latest in a series of books that Mr. Buford has written about dedicating the second half of your life to making a difference in the world. This book is a wonderful supplement to Halftime; Moving From Success To Significance.

This book encourages you to slow down and take time to listen to that still small voice deep in your heart. One of the most important things to do in halftime is to honestly examine yourself. Beginning in midlife, many people experience some degree of weariness in their accomplishments and begin to desire "something else". Mr. Buford says that most people generally keep "dancing with the gorilla" because they don't want to leave success for something better.

What about retirement? You have worked hard and now you are looking forward to living a life of leisure. Mr. Buford says that most people become bored in less than a year of retirement. You can't make a difference in the world without a plan of action. Halftime is the new retirement.

This book is all about looking forward with hope. I was impressed and inspired by reading this book. I plan on spending some time working on the "Reflection" questions that are listed at the end of each chapter. These questions tend to force me out of my comfort zone. Change is not easy but the rewards will be great. Are you ready to start planning your halftime?

If you could start over, what would you do?

What cause, mission, or adventure is worth betting the next ten years of your life on?

If you were to make a list of fifty things to do before you die in order to leave well, what would be on the list?

Columbine High School Shootings - Ten Years Later

It will soon be ten years since the high school shootings in Columbine, Colorado. It doesn't really seem possible, does it?

Rachel's Tears: 10th Anniversary Edition: The Spiritual Journey of Columbine Martyr Rachel Scott is a book that shares the experiences of the family and friends of Rachel Scott. This book has been updated and re-issued to commemorate the ten-year anniversary of this tragic event. New to this edition is an interview section that shows what Rachel's life and faith mean to people today and how hope can rise out of tragedy.

Rachel Scott's parents wrote this book to share the spiritual life of their daughter. Rachel kept a journal that explained many of her Christian beliefs and attitudes toward life. Rachel was not afraid to "walk the talk". She was very active in her church youth group and was known at Columbine High School for her Christian beliefs.

This book goes into great detail about the terrible events that happened on April 20, 1999. I had to fight back tears many times as I read this book. My own daughter graduated from a large suburban high school in May, 1999. I can't even imagine how I would handle a situation like this. This family has taken a bad experience and used it to change the lives of young people for the good. Rachel did not die in vain.

This book is a true inspiration. A young woman pours out her heart about her struggles in walking out her Christian beliefs. She is murdered by two very disturbed young men but her legacy lives on. I highly recommend this book to teenagers, parents, teachers and pastors.