A few Books I have read...

Warning... don't read them unless you want your life to be challenged, convicted, and perhaps worst of all... more Conformed into the Image of Christ...! (Oh MY!) 

Made to Crave

I have yet to finish this book. It is not one I will be able to plow through as easily as a piece of Raspberry White Chocolate Cheesecake and a Tall Chai Latte. It is one that I need to really have a chisel, hammer, pick axe, and a nut cracker to thoroughly get all I should out of it. Well, perhaps I dont need those implemts, but I need to let God use hem on me as He wants. The title intrugued me... the first chapter terrified me. I am not quoting here, but one point she makes is we spend so much time and energy building up walls around our selves, that it seems so wasteful to just tear them down. I mean all of that work and energy for nothing! Instead of tearing them down and chucking them into some landfill of our minds, repurpose every brick and build a pathway of faith and belief to God. Let the labor of healing from some very wrong thinking patterns create hope through the truths of the Word of God, which alone has the power to transform our minds. Very challenging read! 

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One Thing You Can't Do In Heaven

 Another one that is more important than the previous is this book. It is more important because it has lasting impact on the sould of people that will surely drop off into eternity into one of two destinations. I talked to a young guy of 17 who said, "It is a terrible book!! I finished reading it at 11:30 at night, and couldn't sit in my house any longer! I had to get some tracts and go out and tell someone about Jesus!" 

That is exactly the same feeling I had. Compelling, convicting and challenging! 

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Under the Overpass

This book was just given to my husband yeaterday, and I finished it today. Wow! It is not that I should do what these two young men did, but I should be more aware that I need to follow what the Lord tells me to do!! 

I vividly recall an evening not very long ago, when we were traveling in Florida on deputation. We were going into a dollar store, it was nearly closing time, and outside the store there were two young people sitting on the concrete near the grocery carts. They looked to be "travelers" ... or homeless. Something inside me wanted to buy them some milk and some "good" snacks in the store to give to them. It would have not changed my day whatsoever to do that... a few spent dollars would not mean I couldn't eat or feed my children, but I never followed through on my thought. I say my thought, but  truth be told, I know it was the Lord speaking in his still small voice. 

I ignored him, giving (lame) excuses that I had my children with me. Yes, how horrible would it be for my kids to see me showing compassion on some young people? That would have been terrible. I then thought it was so close to closing... did I really want to go back into the store? Were they really homeless? Maybe they were just young kids hanging out. Blah... blah... blah. Whatever they were, I walked away and did not act on my thought, impulse, nudging from the Lord... whatever it was. And now, several months later, I regret it. 

Through reading this book, I began to think that the way I may view a homeless person is nothing compared to what the Lord sees when he looks at me. Truly my sin and filth that I live with and tolerate every day is more sickening to Him, and yet he loves me with an unending, uncomprehendible love. I can only marvel at His goodness. 

"No Reserve, No Retreat, No Regret" 

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Radical

We read this a while in the van while we traveled on deputation. It gives some real every day examples of people and ways to live for the Lord in a radical, turn-your-world upside down on purpose for the Lord, and begin to live for the eternal, and not for the temporal. It was a wonderful read, and certainly timely as it was the week after we moved out of our rental house and then had an accident that totaled our trailer... which was to be our home. We felt a little radical about then. And certifiably something, we just didn't quite know what yet! I posted on some of the thoughts and emotions we went through that week, and now when I look back on that time I am thankful for the test, blessed by God's provision, and amazed with His undeserved and endless grace. Truly what we may call "radical" is nothing more than a real understanding on Romans 12:1.... it is reasonable! thank you GOD! 

I hope you have a chance to read one ... or all of these books! Would love to know how they affect you... and better yet, the effect they have on you!