20 Oct 2014

Read This: Christ in the Chaos (Kimm Crandall)

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Christ in the Chaos

Sometimes it may take me a while to get to a book, but God knows why he had me pick it up at that moment.  I’ve had this book for a while, and just really picked it up in earnest this weekend. As you can see by this review – I’m done with it and it has many underlines and !!! sections!

Kimm Crandall is a mommy of four – and a funny one at that – and one who knows her weaknesses and is steeped in the Gospel.  And even though she has written a helpful and gracious book, she would probably tell you herself that she needs to practice and rehearse the gospel every day (even after she wrote the chapter on rehearsing the gospel).

I liked this book because she shared stories I could relate to – even though her kids are definitely older than mine.  She pointed me not to my mistakes and where I fail every day as a Mom, but instead she pointed me to Jesus – who is perfect in every way and intercedes for me as my Great High Priest.

I liked it because it was short and practical – two things I need as a Mom to two active toddler boys.

I liked it because she encouraged women to be honest with other women – and to use wisdom in sharing – but not to hold on to this idea of perfection that we seem to do so well in many of our churches.

I would recommend this book to any mom but especially ones who are :

1.  Like me, in the throws of teaching two boys what it means for mommy and daddy to have authority and how they won’t get everything they want just because they throw a temper tantrum.

2.  Like me, who loves their to do lists and hates it when everything isn’t marked off by the end of the day.

3.  Like me, who knows the Gospel but still needs help in accepting it every day and also passing along that acceptance to their husbands and children.  Oh, ladies – how I struggle with that.  Teaching my boys to obey and listen and accept authority – and doing it with the love of Christ in my actions, words, and tone of voice.

Here are some of my favorites from the book:

“God’s faithfulness is not measured by tangible blessings.  It’s measured by his character and his promises to us.” (22)

“God’s grace leaves us with nothing of ourselves but all of Jesus.” (32)

“Grace is a mystery so disturbing I can’t bring myself to look away.” (44)

“When you know you are being pursued by a merciful admirer, the lure of sins’ crude pleasure loses it’s sparkle.” (51)

“Take off the strong mother mask and embrace your weakness.  Stop hiding the very inadequacy God wants to use to display the Gospel.” (61)

“Everything in Scripture points, not to our obligations, but to our Redeemer,” (67)

When you live in light of the Gospel – you are set free from your incessant need for approval.” (93)

Live in light of these truths – grounded in the Word and the Gospel.

(Thanks Kimm for providing me with a copy of this to read.  All comments and thoughts are my own.)

 

10 Sep 2014

Read This: Bread & Wine (Shauna Niequist)

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Bread & Wine

I’ve always been told if you want to learn how to write…then read authors you want to write like.  For that to be true in my life: I need to read Elyse Fitzpatrick and Shauna Niequist.

So, I supposed the same is true if you want to photograph, cook, design, create, etc…be inspired by people you want to emulate.  Not copy them – but look at their work, and learn from their craft.  We all need mentors in the area we want to be better in – so pick good ones!

Bread & Wine was given to me (2 copies actually) by sweet friends at our former church.  I loved getting the little brown book boxes on our Rainwood front porch.  Surprise!  And I was then able to mail off a sweet happy package to a sweet dear old friend who loves family, wine, and food just as much as I do.  That always makes me happy.

The cover of this book alone makes me want to read it  – and that is a great thing.  Why have a boring book cover?  Don’t you want people to open it and devour its contents?  I would.  And Shauna’s cover makes you want to pull up in a comfy chair, have a chilled glass of wine, and settle in for the night.

This book was written – not so everyone can copy Shauna’s life, love, and pursuit of the table – but so that they can dream a little bit of their own: to happy family dinners, to good meals cooked for one – or 10, to life whether good times or bad – but learning how faith, family, and food (and maybe some wine or beer) interacts with that.  One of the criticisms I read about Bread & Wine was that not many people can have the charmed life of Shauna and she seems to flaunt it.  Well, can’t the same be true of Mark Twain and the Adventures of Huck Finn?  Who wouldn’t want a carefree life of being always an adventure?  Or can’t we say the same thing of every cookbook – thinking that every meal is going to turn out photo worthy and perfectly tasty and never burnt?  Plateau status was not Shauna’s desire with this book – and nor should we be envious of any other life.  God has given us our life to live, and I’m sure we never know everything about everyone else’s life.

Many of her chapters come along with delicious recipes.  Here are some I want to try:

Blueberry Crisp (but I can’t keep them in the house long enough without Elijah eating them all)

Breakfast Cookies (always looking for quick breakfasts for the boys)

Goat Cheese Biscuits (hmmm, I do have goat cheese in the fridge)

Green Well Salad

Maple Balsamic Pork Tenderloin

Simplest Dark Chocolate Mousse

This book, while I didn’t agree with everything from the theology perspective, gave me many great things to think about.  Here are some of my favorites:

“I feel honored to create a place around my table, a place for laughing and crying, for being seen and heard, for telling stories and creating memories.” (251)

“A heart of hospitality is creating space for these moments, protecting that fragile bubble of vulnerability and truth and love.  It’s all too rare that we tell the people we love exactly why we love them – what they bring to our lives, why our lives are richer because they’re in it.” (176)

“Soup…it’s the cardigan with elbow patches.” (LOVE THIS QUOTE, 161)

So, go pull up a favorite glass, and enjoy this book. I look forward to reading more of Shauna’s writings.

2 Jun 2014

Read This: Dream Devotional (Renee Fisher)

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renee

Do you live a life in a glass bubble where everything is rosey and lively and romantic, free of trials, every day?  Since when do we not know of hardship, trials, anger, feelings of worthlessness or just mad at what others have done to you or what you have done to others?

God doesn’t promise his children the perfect life.  But, He has promised to always walk with us.  That is a treasure in hard times.  Life, in these almost three years of marriage (and Renee and I got married in the same month) have not been perfectly photographed and stages.  My husband and I have had the greatest joys of our life (children) and some of the greatest hardships of either of our lives (dealing with personal sin and then the dealings of other sins to us).  It has been a marriage of joy and hand-holding, and months of tears and hard conversations.  I wouldn’t trade my husband for anything in the world and am so glad I said yes to him almost 3 years ago (Thursday, to be exact).

Hardships are real.  If you know any of that, then you want to pick up Renee’s Kindle devotional: Dream Devotional.

What I like about Dream Devotional:

1.  Renee is real.  I love being a real friend and person.  Sometimes, that has come back to bite me, but I hate being artificial and fake.

2.  Its free until June 5.  Amazon. Kindle.  Thank you!

3.  Readability.  You find yourself in the stories and thoughts that Renee shares and you can find hope in the truths that she finds hope in.  And they are short.  When you are a mother – you don’t have time to read long chapters – so I like short ones!

4.  Hope.  We are not stuck in our hardships.  We are not stuck where the going gets tough.  God uses hardships to grow us more like Christ.  And we all need that.

 

22 May 2014

Read This: Jim Hamilton’s What is Biblical Theology?

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If you check any seminary bookstore – you will find a plethora of theology books.  I suppose that is a good thing because we need to study theology and most of us, like me, love to have help in that department.

I remember being in seminary at Southeastern, I was asked to read Erickson’s for my theology class, and Thomas Oden.  But, when I got out of seminary and started teaching a college girl’s bible study, I wanted to read Grudem’s Bible Doctrines.

I like a theology book to be solid and based on the gospel – of course.  But, I also want it to readable for the every-day person – meaning a person who doesn’t have seminary background necessarily and they can still understand it.  And I also want to know something of the author and know that he is applying this study of theology to his own life.  I remember working at SBTS where Dr. Hamilton is a professor, seeing him walk down the hall, interact with students and colleagues, and witness a humility that can only come from studying the Scripture and knowing the God of the Bible.

Hamilton’s What is Biblical Theology isn’t going to be a starter theology book – I would highly recommend Grudem’s that I mentioned above.  However, it will take you to a deeper love and trust and knowledge of your Bible if you dare go there.  Especially as a writer, Dr. Hamilton points out the Bibles literary pieces and bigger themes.  God was the writer that we should all strive to be!  You can trust this book.  You can learn from it.  And Psalm 119 tells us that knowing the Word of God is a blessed way to live a life that pleases God!

 

31 Mar 2014

W&BT: Found in Him (finale)

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We are truly alive!

This is going down as a very engaging, life-changing book.  It is that good.  I’ve always loved the grace impetus that Elyse Fitzpatrick has in her writing – and this one is no different.

Here are my thoughts on the last two chapters.

One of the most hope-full sentences in the entire book is found in chapter 9 – “No matter how you’ve sinned or been sinned against – your identity is that of a beloved, pure bride.” Often in this world, we are categorized by our sin.  Think of all the “self-help programs” or even in our churches when people know you have committed a sin – that’s what our minds shift to when we see that person in the hall or in Sunday School.  Not so.  This should not be.  We should look at other Blood-bought Christians as Christ would – through His blood.

“We are truly alive.  We are free and no longer enslaved to sin or the law.” (183)  If this is true in our standing in front of a holy God – can it ever be true in the local church?  How can we love each other even though we see their sin – they see our sin – how do we display Christ to ourselves and others?

“What would your life look like if you knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that you were loved and that there was nothing you could do to spoil that reality?”  Oh what glorious truth!  How can we again live this out in the local church – in our small groups, in our play dates with other mommies, or in our ministry teams?

“I am free to serve my neighbor because I don’t need to demand to be loved – I have already been fully loved in Christ.  I am free to serve my neighbor because I don’t need to be respected – Jesus knows exactly who I am.” – How much of our lives are lived in front of others, so others will see us, so that we can look good and climb ladders or get pats on the backs?  This is not how the Christian life should be lived.  We are who we are in Christ.  Let us live there – in that reality – not keeping score or a list of things we have done.  Good book on this topic: When People are Big and God is Small – by Ed Welch.

“Idolatry is crushed beneath true worship.”  Oh how true.  If we are focused on the gospel, sin will grow so faint (idolatry is sin).

27 Mar 2014

Read This: White Jacket Required

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White Jacket Required

One of my favorite genres of books is biographical.  Here’s why:

1.  It makes me know I’m not alone.

2.  It helps you know other people.

3.  It spurs you on to do things bigger than yourself.

4.  It encourages you in the journey.

I’ve been reading Eat Live Run for about 6 years now.  I knew Jenna, the author, was from my neck of the woods and then moved to an area with a great job (winery work) in an area I have wanted to visit and spend more time in.  I loved her recipes and she was into running and yoga.

So, I finally saw this book at my local library and devoured it in one day.  (Disclaimer: my boys napped a lot those hours because we were all feeling sickly).

I loved it.  That’s all I can say.  And I look forward to making the recipes.  It makes me understand her blogs much more.  Her style of writing is very personal and like you are sitting with her, having a cup of coffee, or sipping a glass of wine.

Thank you Jenna for writing your adventure – and you are about to embark on a new adventure in motherhood to a little boy.

 

4 Mar 2014

W&BT: Found in Him

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Wedding Dress

I think I love this book more and more – the further I get in it. Thank you Elyse!

“The glorious incarnation that we’ve been considering means that we will never be alone, never separated from God.” (155)  This is such amazing truth.  When our sin separates us from others: family, friends, spouses – know that because of the grace and the cross of Jesus – we can never again be separated from the One who saved us.

Ephesians 5: we had this passage preached in our wedding by our pastor Andy Davis.  It was an amazing sermon.  You would think I would know it by now – but each time I read it something else amazes me by it.  Here is what stood out to me in this reading.  Listen to how it starts: Christ loved the church.  Do we live by love or by law?  Do we live by grace or by “do this”?

There is a song by the Gettys “Beneath the Cross of Jesus” (that may or may not be the title)… and one of my favorite lyrics: “how great the joy before us to be his perfect bride.”  Every time I’ve heard that song and especially that line I think, man, I want to live a more holy life, more according to the Word of God.  How erroneous of my thoughts to start there.

I have to start where this passage in Ephesians 5 starts: Christ loved the church.  It is Christ’s love that makes me His perfect Bride – not my good works.

“We are Christ’s trophy wife now.” (160).  I’m by no means a trophy wife to Eric. I’m not a size 6.  I’m not the perfect mother for our boys.  I burn food sometimes.  There is dust everywhere in our home.  But, the joy to know is that Christ has made me HIS trophy wife – by the blood – and is continually sanctifying me!

This was a packed chapter.  What did you get out of it?

25 Feb 2014

Read This: Matt Chandler’s Explicit Gospel

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Riches of God

“Vaster still are the riches of God.” (Chandler)

Are you looking at a way to encourage your understanding of old, famous truths of the God of the universe? Are you interested in learning more about the God you serve? Are you wondering what this Christian thing is that people around you are talking about?  Are you wondering how the gospel looks when it is plugged into the local church and in the society at large?

Matt Chandler, lead pastor of the Village Church out of Texas, wrote a book called the Explicit Gospel. When I started reading it, I thought it would be ______. It wasn’t. It was somthing totally different.

Chandler looks at the basic tenants of the gospel. If you think you don’t need this book because you read scholars and dead authors, think again. If you think you don’t need this book because you already know everything Chandler is going to say, think again. Just pick it up. Reading what you already know is sometimes a good thing.  Chandler hits on main topics that have been in the news or on the mainstream conservative blogs the past few years.  He does make you think.  This is what his sermons do for you too.  As in all things – take everything ANYONE says and put it against the TRUTHS of Scripture.  What I do like about the Explicit Gospel is that there is so much Scripture in it!

Chandler ends the book by talking about the dangers of knowing the gospel. You know – knowing the gospel but not really experiencing the God of the Gospel. We, as Christians, can not just know the Gospel and be able to spout it off – we have to dwell in it, take a bath in it, marinate in it – whatever word you want to use to SATURATE yourself in this good news.

 

24 Feb 2014

W&BT: Found in Him: Truths to Help Counsel Women

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The Smile of God(Tu

Here is where she gets into the main point of her book – our position in Christ is one of the most IMPORTANT truths we have to believe as Christians.  If we don’t believe this – than our hope is not in the Gospel.

1.  God bought us back from our bondage to sin (pg 138)  He created us to be in a relationship with Him.  Yes we chose and freely choose every day to seek and find comfort in sin rather than seeking Christ.  I’ve been focusing on freedom in my life in Christ lately.  That focus has led me to think about slavery.  Why would a slave, who was freed, return to a harsh master?  When there is a joyous Master waiting, why would that slave willingly return to Bondage.  Is it because of fear of failure, is it to only stick with what you’ve known.  Oh, but the joys of the Father are so much better than the narrow slave relationship and the shackles on your wrist.

2.  Every sin that we have ever or will ever commit has already been paid for, not because of our good works or resolution to do better but because we were in Christ when he died in payment for our sin. (pg 139).  No matter what sin we ever commit – if we trust and hope and ground ourselves in Christ and his finished work on the cross – that sin is paid for.  It doesn’t make it any less heinous of a sin – or less hurtful to God – but it is paid for.  Jesus Paid it All – is true – ALL!  All is a great term.  It is a comforting word.  Let’s believe it!  Don’t live in shame and don’t keep sinning.

3.  I think this statement needs to be preached to every single woman in all of our lives: churched, unchurched, saved, lost, etc.  Read this: Believe it.  Preach it.  Allow the hope to sink in!  “We now stand before God alive, not dead, cleansed, not vile, whole, not shattered, and welcomed, not sent away.  We stand in complete righteousness and holiness no longer dead in our trespasses but completely and eternally alive in him.” (pg 140)  How can we lead ourselves and the ladies we minister to to believe this and walk in this truth?

4.  We have been given Christ’s perfect record of always having obeyed, and second, we have been given a new heart, a heart like his, one that desires to obey out of love. (pg 143).  If we tell ourselves or tell others that we obey out of law – than we are leading them astray. The only thing the law does, or legalism, is to prove that we are sinners.  We will fail.  And mostly likely we will live in that failure and continue the cycle of trying and failing, trying and failing.

This is a pivotal chapter in how we counsel our own souls and how we counsel other women.  We can’t let them believe the lies that the enemy tells them – that they have to be perfect – that we have to be perfect.  We will never measure up.  But – we have and serve and love and our loved by one who measured up perfectly.  Let’s always tell our women that truth!