Rediscover the Beauty that is the Church

My twin three year old girls go to sleep each Saturday night knowing that the next day will bring Sunday, their favorite day of the week. They lay out there dresses that evening and they get their Bibles out and set them next to their outfit. The next morning is usually started with a “YAY! Its Church day!” They have so much passion and excitement. Do you?

Why is Church so important? This book tells us why. Joshua Harris in his book "Why Church Matters," is on point page after page. His challenge? For each of us to find a church that teaches, values, and lives God’s word out in the body. Then, when you have found your home, become passionate and committed to that Church.

This is more of a review of the Heart for me than a book review and I will admit I am guilty. I have been critical. I have had a bad attitude at times. I have understood the importance of Church which is for fellowship and drawing closer to God through word and Spirit. However, at times, I forget the real purpose of the. This book reminded me that Church is the Vehicle that God chose to advance the “Good News of the Gospel.” One who criticizes can’t be in a spiritual state of mind to hear what it is that God is calling them to do. I have taken Sundays for granted. How lucky we are, that God gives us a day of the week to Rest, Fellowship, Worship and have God Speak directly to us!!!! Then we get to encourage and love those around us, to continue the great commission, to go out and tell others what we know!!!!! The church is the only institution created to last forever!

Have you ever asked “Why Church Matters?” This book lovingly confronts any excuse and disputes any defense one may have for not finding, attending, and passionately committing to a church. This book refreshed my soul and stirred up my heart for God’s Church and his purpose for it. This book is a MUST READ. It could be the difference between Sundays that “don’t deliver much a spiritual punch,” and the “Sunday you rediscover the wonder of it all.”

Read an excerpt or to buy now:  "Why Church Matters" by Joshua Harris

http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?isbn=9781601423849&view=excerpt

** Declaimer: This is a complementary book from Multnomah publishing group for reviewing purposes

Did you know that the Church is the only institution that God created to last forever?

This is not any official review of a book. This is a review of the Heart, and I will admit I am guilty. I have been critical. I have had a bad attitude at times. I have understood the importance of Church which is for fellowship and drawing closer to God through word and Spirit. However, at times, I forget the real purpose of the Church which is the Vehicle that God chose to advance the “Good News of the Gospel.” One who criticizes can’t be in a spiritual state of mind to hear what it is that God is calling them to do.

So, I throw up a challenge: Christians, what are you passionate about? What are you committed to? How about the Church? Are you married to the Church or are you dating it?

In his book “Why Church Matter”, Joshua Harris poses this question:

“What does passion for the church look like in a life? It’s not hard to figure out. You and I already have the answer. We already know exactly what being passionate about something involves because we all have our own version- some interest or pursuit that we care deeply about. It might be a hobby or a sport, a career or an education. It might be a preoccupation with technology, your health, a political party, a cause or a relationship.”

Ouch!!!! That stings…. Sometimes, it feels good to pull that band aid off right? It gives you freedom to take moral inventory. Re-set our perspectives.  

If you have found yourself saying that you can worship God just was well at home that in a Church? Or in the mountains, or wherever? While I hope this is true that we worship God while doing any activity, I am calling that theory out. I can’t accept that because one can not do Gods work sitting on the couch. God calls his people to be his hands and his feet. In the words of Casting Crown, “if we are his people, why aren’t his hands moving? Why aren’t his people showing others there is a way?” I dare you to move! I dare you to get your feet wet. Commit to a church family, get involved. Be committed, be passionate. Be there with your whole heart. Give, Serve and Love

Bad Girls = Amazing Book

My review on "Bad Girls of the Bible" by Liz Curtis Higgs

What a novel idea! This book is an unusual take on those women of the Bible that we tend to ignore and write off. This book gives a new perspective at what these “bad girls” did and what we can learn from them.  Ripped right out of the pages of the Bible, these women come to life in a real and relatable way. The Author, Liz Curtis Higgs, has taken these ancient women of old, and re-wrote them into our modern day time.

“I must admit I went into these stories with a bit of pride between my teeth and soon found my jaw hanging slack at the similarities in them and me. How was this possible, Lord? I love you, love your Word, and love your people…. How can I see so much of myself in these sleazy women?”

OUCH! Take your pick…Eve, Jezebel, Delilah, lots wife, Rahab, the women at the well…If it was my need for control, my angry outbursts, lying, manipulation or my un-faithfulness to my God and creator, I found my self performing heart surgery and taking a good hard look inward with every page that I turned. Each chapter brought personality traits out that matched my own that I needed to take inventory of.

This book is overflowing with passages from the Bible showing us that God gives encouragement and instruction to face any adverse personality traits were may have. Liz doesn’t leave us hanging but instead supplied us with “Thought worth considering” at the end of each chapter to lead us in the right direction.

This book is a MUST HAVE for any personal library as well as a great book to use for Women’s Bible study groups. Two thumbs WAY UP!

Read a portion of this book right now: http://multnomahemails.com/wbmlt/pdf/SneakPeekBadGirlsoftheBiblerepack.pdf

 or

Buy now: http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?isbn=9781578561254

** Declaimer: This is a complementary book from Multnomah publishing group for reviewing purposes

Brave. Challenging. Honest.

I recently had the opportunity to review a new book on the forefront of Christian Living. Below is my review as posted for Multnomah Publishing Group.

Fierce Beauty- by Kim Meeder

Brave. Challenging. Honest.

“We are not Christians simply because we call our selves such. For me, being a Christian means turning away from my selfish, self-centered life and turning toward Christ and trusting Him to lead me.”

Fierce Beauty encourages us to face the battles in our lives with faith and courage and to keep our eyes on our King. This book reminds us what the Bible says in Romans 12:2, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.”

As I read, I could feel the authentic, raw emotions that Kim felt during each life experience. I wanted to know more about each person and their lives as she reviled them. I felt each pain, each tear and each victory.  She had a real way of reminding me of my own insecurities and self worth as well as where it should be coming from. Read this book and you will put things back into perspective.

The unfortunately thing is, that as I finished the book, I found my self wanting more. As the mother of four girls and the oldest of four sisters, I see the lie that has entangled humans since the beginning of time. Idol worship. Self worship. Self worth. I felt that this book just skimmed the surface of just how important these topics are. This book hit essential points, but only superficially. I felt the discussion questions in the back where the most helpful and the most challenging to put these things into action in our every day lives. James 1:22 “Don’t just merely listen to the word… Do what it says.”

** Declaimer: This is a complementary book from Multnomah publishing group for reviewing purposes. 

A Retort to “The War on Christmas”

“The War on Christmas” was a Colum written to the Boise Weekly regarding an opinion of one Ted Rall had which was to take religion out of the Calendar. His major complaint was that America claims to be a secular nation, free to celebrate any religion that a person so chooses. Therefore federal “Official expression of a specific religion… are disgusting and inherently repressive.” He continued to state that along with taking Christmas off the National Calendar followed by Thanksgiving and Good Friday, “In God we Trust” should not be on our currency and courts should not use the Bible to swear in witnesses. I wrote a response to his piece. This being a very liberal paper, I doubt it will actually be run. None the less, here is my rebuttal.

Mr. Rall,

You are incorrect by stating that America is a secular nation. America is a Nation Under God. The founding backbone of our nation is that of a Christian basis. I am sorry that it offends you. The truth dose so exasperate at times.

                                                                                   

America was created from just ideas that there could be a country where freedom to practice religion (Primarily Orthodox Christians) could be found. The fact that Ulysses Grant made Christmas a federal holiday in 1870, shows that he was one of these forces. The reason we live in the most amazing Country in the world, is that we are created under God. Our currency states in God we trust, because that is where former Americans put their hope, faith and YES, even their money. The fundamental spine of America is still held in the faith that if God is with us, we will be a blessed nation. Now that same God is slowly being pulled from all areas of the United States. We see God being removed from this Great Country and see it being lost to ignorance and hate. Hate for God. If continued, America will barley resemble that of which our forefathers meant it to be.

Let me pose to you a few questions: “Why do we celebrate Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving? Why is it one nation under God? Why is it that People swear on the Bible and not a copy of Moby Dick? And IF we Christians were just living under some grand delusion that God is the only one true power in which we place our allegiance, our money and our faith and if such things were not true, then it wouldn’t be so offensive!

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Christians are not waging war on Christmas, but we are waging war against powers and principalities from encouraging intolerance against our constitutional forefront. Let it be known that you can remove Christmas from the Calendar; you can take away Easter, and you can delete “In God we Trust” but you will never eliminate God! “Choose you this day whom you will serve. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!”

Merry Christmas!

Momma said there’d be days like this…

Christmas Time. It might be hard for you.
Some day’s it tuff out there. Some days we wanna throw in the towel. Not a lot of things that we can count on in life but a few things that you can is that there will be days like this. The second is that God is with you and he has given us tools to keep us above water…

Just a couple of quick tips during these times:

Trust and Talk to him:

 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledges him and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

This is our assurance for guidance in our lives. If you seek him, you will find him and he will guide your ways. We are able to talk with the Almighty God and have him direct us in EVERYTHING!

In our weakness he is strong:

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”  2 Corinthians 12:9

We have tuff times so that we are able to tap into the AWESOMENESS that is the power of Christ! What an amazing tool!

Victory:

“In this world you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world!”  John 16:33

Today keep your head up knowing that God is in your corner. Talk to him, trust him, and lean on his Power and Strength… No worries!!  You are in the very good, very big, very capable hands of our Father.

Christians

What does it mean to be a Christian? A  mis -conception is that we are a group of religious people who have a higher set of moral rules to follow than others. That we are “better- than” and “holier- than -thou”.  And although we do have a guide line of how we should live and the example of Christ to follow when he lived on the earth, we are truly only human beings. What is Christianity? Are we immuned to issues? Do we not have problems and faults? Common things that are used against us when in a disagreement is that we are “supposed” to be a Christian. It breaks my heart when in the name of Religion; ignorance, hate and pride are thrown into hearts to destroy lives.

However, when I am rejected, I remember that Christ was rejected first. That God was disowned by his own people. By his own creation! I know that God is for me, so who can be against me? That greater is he that is in me, than he that is in the world!!! I take hope and refuge in my creator, in my GOD!

Loves is what the world needs. True, selfless, untainted, -Love. Love that was bought with a price. Love that was paid by the blood of Christ for every person ever created. Love that cries out from within our souls but that only few will choose to listen to. Love that shows us it’s not by OUR WORKS or our GOOD DEEDS which makes us Christians. NO!!! It is the belief in that Love and the acceptance of that truth… (The Love that Is Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior) that makes us acceptable to him... allows us to call ourselves Christians.