What better way to close out the year than with a book review. I received this book as we headed into the craziest time of the year with the commitment to review it before the year was up. I completely realize that I was three short hours from not keeping that commitment.
The book is “The Greatest Words Ever Spoken” by Steven K. Scott. This is not what I would consider a book to just sit down and read, but more of a reference work. Scott has gone through the entire New Testament and collected all the words of Christ. Then, he has grouped the sayings by topic. This is where the book’s value begins to shine. The back of the book contains a subject index. Curious about what Christ has to say concerning anxiety, turn to pages 190-193. Wondering if Christ ever talked about sickness? Check the index and then turn to pages 395-396. This is powerful when you are facing an issue and would like to know Christ’s thoughts on the matter.
I think it’s a worthwhile book to have as a resource. Below I’m going to post the publisher’s description of the book and a link if you should choose to purchase it.
Haven’t you wished you could ask Jesus any question and get his immediate help with the biggest problems you face? Now you can.
For the first time ever, all of the statements Jesus made in the New Testament have been brought together and organized under more than 200 topics. When you want to know his will in a specific area of life, or you’re seeking the answer to a perplexing question, or you are desperate for his encouragement, comfort, or wisdom–you can easily find the help you need.
The moment you turn to the appropriate topic heading, you will have access to the breadth of Jesus’ teaching on that subject. You can also use this book as a guide for studying Jesus’ wisdom on any topic of interest, such as prayer, forgiveness, eternity, anger, temptation, relationships, grace, or knowing God.
As you immerse yourself in Jesus’ words, your life and relationships will be transformed, and your faith and spiritual passion will be renewed. Let the greatest words ever spoken bring new vision, power, and joy into your life–one statement at a time.
Buy it here at Amazon.
December 31, 2008
December 24, 2008
Merry Christmas
My pastor had a great quote this past Sunday. I tried to jot it down after the fact, but I know what I’m writing is a paraphrase at best.
“People spend a lot of time preparing to celebrate Christ’s first coming, and often spend so little time preparing for his second coming.”
May your Christmas celebrations tonight and tomorrow be filled with Christ’s presence and the knowledge that his return is getting closer than ever.
“People spend a lot of time preparing to celebrate Christ’s first coming, and often spend so little time preparing for his second coming.”
May your Christmas celebrations tonight and tomorrow be filled with Christ’s presence and the knowledge that his return is getting closer than ever.
December 12, 2008
Book Review - When the Soul Mends
This is a review by Kelly.
I really enjoyed reading “When the Soul Mends” by Cindy Woodsmall. It is the third and final book in the Sisters of the Quilt series. I was able to get the first two books to read after I began reading this book. I read few pages and wanted to know more about Hannah and where she was coming from and what her life was like prior to the beginning of this story. I would recommend getting the first two books before trying to read this one. When the Soul Mends does give a bit of back story in the first few chapters but it is best to read the others first. It is worth taking the time to read the first two books.
I enjoyed reading all three of these books. I loved the story. I was easily caught up in the story. I could hardly put the books down because I wanted to know what was going to happen next.
Summary:
After receiving a desperate and confusing call from her sister, Hannah Lapp reluctantly returns to the Old Order Amish community of her Pennsylvania childhood.
Having fled in disgrace two years earlier, she finally has found a satisfying role in the Englischer world, as well as love with Martin Palmer, a man with whom she can safely entrust her heart. But almost immediately after her arrival in Owl’s Perch, the disapproval of those who ostracized her reopens old wounds.
As Hannah is thrown together with former fiancé Paul Waddell to work for her sister Sarah’s mental health, unexpected truths surface about the events during Hannah’s absence, and she faces an agonizing decision. Will she choose the Englischerworld and the man who restored her hope, or will she heed the call to return to the Plain Life―and perhaps to her first love?
This intriguing final novel in the Sisters of the Quilt series is richly textured with authentic details drawn from the author’s real-life connections with Amish Mennonite and Old Order Amish families.
Cindy Woodsmall is a best-selling author, who has garnered strong praise for the first two novels in the Sisters of the Quilt series. When the Heart Cries was a finalist for the ECPA Novel of the Year in 2007 and received the Reviewer’s Choice Award from the Road to Romance website. When the Morning Comes was named among the Best Books of 2007 for Crossings Book Club. Cindy lives in Georgia with her husband of thirty years.
There is one copy of this book to give away. We’ll pick the winner Friday, December 19. Just leave a comment to this post to be entered.
I really enjoyed reading “When the Soul Mends” by Cindy Woodsmall. It is the third and final book in the Sisters of the Quilt series. I was able to get the first two books to read after I began reading this book. I read few pages and wanted to know more about Hannah and where she was coming from and what her life was like prior to the beginning of this story. I would recommend getting the first two books before trying to read this one. When the Soul Mends does give a bit of back story in the first few chapters but it is best to read the others first. It is worth taking the time to read the first two books.
I enjoyed reading all three of these books. I loved the story. I was easily caught up in the story. I could hardly put the books down because I wanted to know what was going to happen next.
Summary:
After receiving a desperate and confusing call from her sister, Hannah Lapp reluctantly returns to the Old Order Amish community of her Pennsylvania childhood.
Having fled in disgrace two years earlier, she finally has found a satisfying role in the Englischer world, as well as love with Martin Palmer, a man with whom she can safely entrust her heart. But almost immediately after her arrival in Owl’s Perch, the disapproval of those who ostracized her reopens old wounds.
As Hannah is thrown together with former fiancé Paul Waddell to work for her sister Sarah’s mental health, unexpected truths surface about the events during Hannah’s absence, and she faces an agonizing decision. Will she choose the Englischerworld and the man who restored her hope, or will she heed the call to return to the Plain Life―and perhaps to her first love?
This intriguing final novel in the Sisters of the Quilt series is richly textured with authentic details drawn from the author’s real-life connections with Amish Mennonite and Old Order Amish families.
Cindy Woodsmall is a best-selling author, who has garnered strong praise for the first two novels in the Sisters of the Quilt series. When the Heart Cries was a finalist for the ECPA Novel of the Year in 2007 and received the Reviewer’s Choice Award from the Road to Romance website. When the Morning Comes was named among the Best Books of 2007 for Crossings Book Club. Cindy lives in Georgia with her husband of thirty years.
There is one copy of this book to give away. We’ll pick the winner Friday, December 19. Just leave a comment to this post to be entered.
December 10, 2008
General Tso's in the Microwave
About 45 minutes ago I finished my lunch. The box proclaimed it was delicious General Tso’s Chicken with rice. I bought it at Save-A-Lot, a local generics store similar to Aldi’s. I’ll admit that it surprised me. It wasn’t terrible. I’d actually buy it again someday. Even though it was okay, in no way can it be compared to good General Tso’s from a Chinese restaurant. Crispy chicken, extremely spicy sauce, fluffy white rice, and bright green steamed broccoli is how it’s supposed to be done.
Now that wonderful spiritual leap. I have to ask how often we settle for just “okay” in our walk with Christ? Do we feel okay as long as our walk resembles at least a little the deep relationship we really should have with our Lord? Sometimes we prefer Microwave Christianity because it’s a thousand times simpler and cheaper than having the authentic item.
Real faith will always cost something.
Now that wonderful spiritual leap. I have to ask how often we settle for just “okay” in our walk with Christ? Do we feel okay as long as our walk resembles at least a little the deep relationship we really should have with our Lord? Sometimes we prefer Microwave Christianity because it’s a thousand times simpler and cheaper than having the authentic item.
Real faith will always cost something.
December 8, 2008
Better Design
I really enjoy design work. I’m not saying I’m good at it, but I do like it. I’ve made some minor tweaks to this site’s design, and I’ve made a complete overhaul of my youth group’s website. Why not open it up in a new window and view some of the changes I describe below. Pursuit Youth Ministries Website.
I kept the same design ideas, but I eliminated a lot of pages that we had that were really pointless. I narrowed the pages which I think really freed up the site. This happens because I no longer have to fill up a wide space with useless filler. I designed some crisper headers for the top (different ones will show up occasionally). And, drumroll please, I completely eliminated the sidebar that we use to have. Basically, this was a waste of space that only proclaimed that we met on Tuesdays at 7. Also, only one section has true sub-pages that appear in the menu.
The site is much easier to navigate and I think more pleasing to the eye. I really tried to simplify the design as much as possible. I’m trying to incorporate some of the same idea into the overhaul of my church’s website that I have been working on for far too long.
I’d love some feedback on the youth site. Remember, it’s designed to be a somewhat static webpage. It is not intended to be updated on a daily basis.
I kept the same design ideas, but I eliminated a lot of pages that we had that were really pointless. I narrowed the pages which I think really freed up the site. This happens because I no longer have to fill up a wide space with useless filler. I designed some crisper headers for the top (different ones will show up occasionally). And, drumroll please, I completely eliminated the sidebar that we use to have. Basically, this was a waste of space that only proclaimed that we met on Tuesdays at 7. Also, only one section has true sub-pages that appear in the menu.
The site is much easier to navigate and I think more pleasing to the eye. I really tried to simplify the design as much as possible. I’m trying to incorporate some of the same idea into the overhaul of my church’s website that I have been working on for far too long.
I’d love some feedback on the youth site. Remember, it’s designed to be a somewhat static webpage. It is not intended to be updated on a daily basis.
December 4, 2008
Wrestling With God 2
An incredible passage of Scripture is found in Genesis 32. Jacob his heading back to meet his brother after years of being away. The brother that he schemed against and cheated. He’s rightfully nervous. He sends lavish gifts ahead of him to soften his brother’s heart. Then, in the midst of this story, we are told that Jacob was alone and a man came and wrestled with him all night. Later, Jacob recounts that he had seen God and face to face yet his life was spared. Jacob wrestled with God.
The crazy thing is that God allowed Jacob to wrestle with Him. God could have just blessed him. God could have just changed his name in another way. Yet, I think God wanted to see Jacob wrestle. By that I mean this, God wanted to know if Jacob wanted God more than anything. Was Jacob willing to pay a price to have all that God wanted for him?
It speaks to me because it feels like a lot of people simply want God’s blessing and aren’t willing to “wrestle” with Him to get it. Their Christian walk is practically devoid of God, yet they expect to have His blessing. God wants people that are willing to wrestle in prayer. God wants people that will wrestle with His Word. If you haven’t come across something in the Word that challenges you, convicts you, confuses you, or even angers you, maybe you’re not really wrestling with God.
Is it worth it? I believe so. It may be painful, it may be hard, and He might even throw our hip out of joint, but in the end we will find ourselves closer to God.
The crazy thing is that God allowed Jacob to wrestle with Him. God could have just blessed him. God could have just changed his name in another way. Yet, I think God wanted to see Jacob wrestle. By that I mean this, God wanted to know if Jacob wanted God more than anything. Was Jacob willing to pay a price to have all that God wanted for him?
It speaks to me because it feels like a lot of people simply want God’s blessing and aren’t willing to “wrestle” with Him to get it. Their Christian walk is practically devoid of God, yet they expect to have His blessing. God wants people that are willing to wrestle in prayer. God wants people that will wrestle with His Word. If you haven’t come across something in the Word that challenges you, convicts you, confuses you, or even angers you, maybe you’re not really wrestling with God.
Is it worth it? I believe so. It may be painful, it may be hard, and He might even throw our hip out of joint, but in the end we will find ourselves closer to God.
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