Books Are Fun*

Okay, so I am reading a few books right now and I want to suggest them to you as some, dare I say it, phenomenal reading. Now, some of these are just good, and even those worthy of the word “phenomenal” shouldn’t get it because then it may set your expectations far too high so… take it for what its worth.

One of the great things about these, however, is the way they keep weaving together, sometimes bringing things full circle for me.

(In no specific order)
(1) The first is Grace for the Moment II by Max Lucado. I’m a big fan. They are short day-by-day devotionals. The back of the book speaks truth so simply and clearly, “God loves you simply because he has chosen to do so.” (Amen.)

(2) The second is a bible study I am doing on the life of Paul. Its good stuff too. The very day we were talking about some of the cultural barriers of the Germans, I read about Paul facing some similar hardships. It is hard for me to go into this as I cannot do justice in explaining the issue and the reasons for it. So, with grace, stick with me in this inadequate explanation:
The author wrote about the spirit of indifference Paul faced in Athens. In his case, there was open-mindedness to a fault. “Every new idea offered them the opportunity to have a good, healthy debate; and then go away virtually unchanged (Moore, 97).” Beth Moore goes on to talk about praying for the nations. She writes, “Today’s lesson will change the way I pray about the nations. I cannot count the number of times I’ve asked God to crumble the spirit of opposition and persecution in many nations were Christians are a small fighting force. I will still continue to ask God to strengthen and protect those facing opposition and persecution. However, I now find my heart drawn across the map to places where a quieter dragon of perhaps equal force has made his den—the spirit of indifference.”
Germany, in many ways, is one of those nations. The general understanding that God brought to me that day about the people here through some of the leaders here as well as this life lesson from Paul was beautiful.

Here’s where the real recommendations come in. Wow! What great books!

(3) Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller is well… a book of “nonreligious thoughts on Christian spirituality.” May I just say, for the love, read the book! Before this post gets any longer I will leave it at that and most more soon on the book…but that’s the heads up for when I reference it.

(4) Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell is the fourth and final book of the day. (I feel like this is at the end of a Reading Rainbow segment.) We are reading this book as a group. It’s rocking my world in a very good way. Tonight I was asked, “If you could meet any three people, who would they be?” At the top at that list was Rob Bell. Have you seen any of the Nooma video series? I love this guy! I know I don’t know him, but none the less, I am honored to call him my brother in Christ and I think he’s so stinkin’ cool! Again, enough rambling…I will write more very soon…

Seriously though, go to your local library, or book store and at least look at Blue Like Jazz and Velvet Elvis…and then buy and read them. =)

*that’s for you, mom =)