I passed up the opportunity to review this book once already. I wasn't sure what the "hole" could possibly be in our gospel. That title could have so many meanings. So let me clear it up for you. The hole in our gospel is quite simply the fact that we all too often pass by the beggar at the gate rather than stop to help the man. We argue that we don't have money, or time, or means to help the man and that someone else should help him who is better equipped.
But, Stearns points out throughout the book that the job is ours and not someone else's. We as Christians are to do what Jesus would do. Jesus would not pass by the man, but help him in whatever way he could at that moment.
Richard Stearns is the President of World Vision. You hear about World Vision a lot throughout the book, and at some points feel your are being sold on World Vision, but the sales pitch isn't to donate to World Vision. The sales pitch is to listen to and follow the calling God lays on our heart, no matter what that may be. Stearns uses his experiences throughout his life and as President of World Vision to highlight exactly what he means. His stories are poignant, and I was reaching for tissues on more than one occasion.
The stories are of individuals living in the situation that he is writing about whether that be about disease, lack of water, or poverty. The stories, as he explains, are meant to break down the statistics that make it so hard for us to comprehend the plight of those in South America or Africa. The stories do just that. They tear at the heart strings and make you ask yourself, "why didn't I know this before."
The last half of the book is about ways in which you can make the world a better place. He talks about ways other churches and individuals have worked together and on their own to achieve the calling God placed on their heart. In many cases, it did not mean packing up and heading to Africa. These people made a difference in the jobs and from their homes. But, they heeded the calling.
And the last chapter, gives you step by step instructions on how to get involved and how to get others involved. You are not left empty handed.
In the last chapters, Stearns talks about the calling of missionaries and equates it to becoming a radioactive Christian. The radioactivity builds to a point that is boils over, meaning that God's calling reaches a fervent pitch and you pack up your belongings and take the Gospel elsewhere. I found myself asking if I am a radioactive Christian. But, even more importantly I found myself asking if those who I sit next to in church are radioactive Christians. I am proud to say that while I may not yet be radioactive, I am working that direction. And those I sit with in church are on the same patch as I am. A radioactive nightmare for Satan is brewing in our small town. I can't wait to see what happens when it explodes!!
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Book Review: The Sacred Journey by Charles Foster
Foster warns in the preface of Sacred Journey that we will not agree with everything he writes. He was very correct in that assumption. While I found myself agreeing with certain ideas, others were completely lost on me. Part of that is because I went into this book expecting the idea of a journey to be metaphorical and not realistic. Foster is not speaking of a metaphorical pilgrimage but an actual pilgrimage, an actual walk to
All throughout the book he quotes individuals who actually set out on foot on a journey or pilgrimage to find something. Different people are looking for different things. For the most part, they are discovering the true meaning of their lives and learning to appreciate the things around them. He explains on page 31, “The pilgrim will be given new eyes for the suffering. He’ll see a limp in a passerby that he wouldn’t have seen on a
While I totally agree that this is the way to see the world, I don’t think a literal pilgrimage is necessary. I think a mission trip to another city or even within one’s own city can open a person’s eyes in the same way.
No where does Foster talk about missions, he merely focuses on walking. He talks a lot about walking and the advantages thereof. His argument being that God wanted us to walk which is why the Israelites walked in the desert. I could easily argue that the Israelites walked because cars had not yet been invented. But, alas, I digress.
Foster makes many interesting points that are quite thought provoking. And while, the text itself is written on a higher level than the average book that I would read, I found it challenging to grapple with his complex thought process.
A reader looking for a book to challenge his reasoning and force him to really contemplate the writing will enjoy this book. One must think while reading this book and not merely read it for enjoyment. This book is work! And unless you are interested in the history of pilgrimage as well as the reasons to go on a pilgrimage, you might also find it a bit boring.
I did not enjoy this book, and found myself having to really work to finish it.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Quest for Acceptance: We are Flawed!
We are flawed! While that doesn't seem like a revelation, it really is. Stop and think about it. How many times have we been disapointed in ourselves for not succeeding or for something not being perfect or perhaps for not doing as good a job as someone else? How many times have we judged others for not doing a good job at something? We gauge ourselves on a standard that would require perfection to achieve and that is just not possible.
While cleaning out my closets, I discovered just how much of a perfectionist I am. I have dozens of projects half-finished because they were too flawed for me to even spend the time finishing them. I would toss it aside with the others in hopes of correcting the flaws at a later date or even starting over and making the next project flawless. Thus my flaw is my perfectionism.
But, my desire for perfection doesn't stop with craft projects but extends to motherhood. I expected so much of myself before becoming a mother. I had a long list of things I was going to do and a tall pile of books to teach me how to do them. None of those ideas worked, and no amount of books would provide me with a child who slept or who would stop crying from the pain of acid reflux.
My quest to be the perfect mom was flawed from the beginning, and it just went downhill from there. My other pre-baby idea was that all babies were born perfect. That's what we always hear. "He's perfect. Ten toes, ten fingers." "She's perfect and beautiful." My baby had a swollen eye that was completely closed. He was slightly jaundiced and not perfect.
But, before you chastise, acceptance begins with the realization that we are not perfect, not even as infants. We are not perfect physically or spiritually. We are born with the blood of our fathers polluted with the sins of Adam and Eve. Our bodies are just as flawed. If we weren't flawed, we certainly wouldn't need the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ or the help of a gracious God.
In my pursuit of perfection, I certainly would not have found any need to call on God for help if I had had a perfectly healthy child, who slept through the night, and did not have acid reflux. I certainly would not have called on God for provision if we had not found ourselves in a situation in which we could not provide for our son and his medical needs.
I've received some backlash for focusing on my son's health issues and speech delays, but in truth, I am realizing that by focusing on his imperfections, I am seeing God working in miraculous ways. By accepting that life is not perfect, that my son is not perfect, that I am not perfect, and that our situation is not perfect, I am admitting that our life is a perfect place for God to show his handiwork.
Thus, I am, as a non-professional, suggesting that the first step to acceptance is accepting that we are all flawed, physically and spiritually, and that we need a God that is greater than our flaws and more gracious than we deserve. But, most importantly, because of our flaws and imperfections, we must rely on God to get us through, to provide for us, and to give us the strength in the tough times.
While cleaning out my closets, I discovered just how much of a perfectionist I am. I have dozens of projects half-finished because they were too flawed for me to even spend the time finishing them. I would toss it aside with the others in hopes of correcting the flaws at a later date or even starting over and making the next project flawless. Thus my flaw is my perfectionism.
But, my desire for perfection doesn't stop with craft projects but extends to motherhood. I expected so much of myself before becoming a mother. I had a long list of things I was going to do and a tall pile of books to teach me how to do them. None of those ideas worked, and no amount of books would provide me with a child who slept or who would stop crying from the pain of acid reflux.
My quest to be the perfect mom was flawed from the beginning, and it just went downhill from there. My other pre-baby idea was that all babies were born perfect. That's what we always hear. "He's perfect. Ten toes, ten fingers." "She's perfect and beautiful." My baby had a swollen eye that was completely closed. He was slightly jaundiced and not perfect.
But, before you chastise, acceptance begins with the realization that we are not perfect, not even as infants. We are not perfect physically or spiritually. We are born with the blood of our fathers polluted with the sins of Adam and Eve. Our bodies are just as flawed. If we weren't flawed, we certainly wouldn't need the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ or the help of a gracious God.
In my pursuit of perfection, I certainly would not have found any need to call on God for help if I had had a perfectly healthy child, who slept through the night, and did not have acid reflux. I certainly would not have called on God for provision if we had not found ourselves in a situation in which we could not provide for our son and his medical needs.
I've received some backlash for focusing on my son's health issues and speech delays, but in truth, I am realizing that by focusing on his imperfections, I am seeing God working in miraculous ways. By accepting that life is not perfect, that my son is not perfect, that I am not perfect, and that our situation is not perfect, I am admitting that our life is a perfect place for God to show his handiwork.
Thus, I am, as a non-professional, suggesting that the first step to acceptance is accepting that we are all flawed, physically and spiritually, and that we need a God that is greater than our flaws and more gracious than we deserve. But, most importantly, because of our flaws and imperfections, we must rely on God to get us through, to provide for us, and to give us the strength in the tough times.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Operation: Clean Up Your Messy House
The unpublicized quest to clean my house of all the clutter actually began last year. Oprah had a challenge where you could sign-up for the challenge and her cleaning guru would send you monthly instructions with the goal of having a clutter free home in 5-6 months. It sounded like a good idea, so I signed up for the monthly newsletters. But, low and behold, reading newsletters doesn't get a house clean.
I had every intention of cleaning my house and ridding us of all the clutter but about the same time, we had two car accidents in two days and my son was diagnosed with 7q11.23 duplication. My focus turned to him and to putting our lives back together after so much chaos knocked all our socks off.
This January, I took up the cause again! Actually, it was the last week of December. I made a plan to clean one room and one closet each week. I stuck to it, and am proud to say that as of Monday, I have accomplished the task of cleaning up my messy house. The clutter is still here, as I have dreams of a garage sale once all the snow melts and the weather warms. I would love a little extra cash from all that clutter. It would sure seem like it was all worth keeping.
While I am overjoyed to have clean closets and a clutter-free house, I found myself dealing with a lot of emotional baggage while discarding so much junk. I was astonished by the shear magnitude of stuff that we had collected, hung on-to, and refused to simply let go of. Letting go became the theme for the 6 weeks that it took to clean everything. There's a reason for all that junk. There's a reason for hanging onto the junk. But to see the reason, one must be willing to look beyond the mess into one's own heart and mind. And, that's exactly what I did.
I discovered a great deal about myself while looking at items that had a purpose but were never used for that purpose. I don't want to unload what I discovered, but know that I know far more about myself after having cleaned out my closets than I ever knew before.
I would challenge anyone surrounded by clutter whether it be at your office, in your closet or somewhere in your house to clean up your mess, and in the process, examine why the clutter exists, and what you can learn about yourself by clearing it out. It is an incredible process, and while painful in the moment, well worth it in the end.
I had every intention of cleaning my house and ridding us of all the clutter but about the same time, we had two car accidents in two days and my son was diagnosed with 7q11.23 duplication. My focus turned to him and to putting our lives back together after so much chaos knocked all our socks off.
This January, I took up the cause again! Actually, it was the last week of December. I made a plan to clean one room and one closet each week. I stuck to it, and am proud to say that as of Monday, I have accomplished the task of cleaning up my messy house. The clutter is still here, as I have dreams of a garage sale once all the snow melts and the weather warms. I would love a little extra cash from all that clutter. It would sure seem like it was all worth keeping.
While I am overjoyed to have clean closets and a clutter-free house, I found myself dealing with a lot of emotional baggage while discarding so much junk. I was astonished by the shear magnitude of stuff that we had collected, hung on-to, and refused to simply let go of. Letting go became the theme for the 6 weeks that it took to clean everything. There's a reason for all that junk. There's a reason for hanging onto the junk. But to see the reason, one must be willing to look beyond the mess into one's own heart and mind. And, that's exactly what I did.
I discovered a great deal about myself while looking at items that had a purpose but were never used for that purpose. I don't want to unload what I discovered, but know that I know far more about myself after having cleaned out my closets than I ever knew before.
I would challenge anyone surrounded by clutter whether it be at your office, in your closet or somewhere in your house to clean up your mess, and in the process, examine why the clutter exists, and what you can learn about yourself by clearing it out. It is an incredible process, and while painful in the moment, well worth it in the end.
Book Review: Mom's Bible with Notes by Bobbie Wolgemuth
I haven't had time to read much lately, but have been determined to stick to my Read Through the Bible challenge. So what little reading I have done has been Bible reading. Which is why when Thomas Nelson had a new Bible up for review I jumped on the opportunity.
The Mom's Bible: God's Wisdom for Mothers with Notes by Bobbie Wolgemuth is written in the New Century Version. I had never heard of NCV until I saw this Bible. I am by no means a scholar of translations but did some research and learned that the NCV began as a Bible written for the deaf, leaving out the common theological terms that they would not have heard or be familiar and simplifying the text to make it easier to understand. The NCV is not the same version, but the text is nevertheless quite simplified and reads a bit like a Reader's Digest version of the Bible. Theological terms that we have come to understand are replaced with simpler words. For instance, covenant is replaced with agreement. Tabernacle is replaced with tent of meeting. In my opinion, these changes take away from the meaning of the text.
With that said, I would like to say that the Mom's Bible is a great Bible for quick reads. If you need a moment to remind yourself that someone is in your corner while all the kids are in their corner, then this Bible is for you. This Bible is fast food for the Biblically hungry. I was able to read three chapters from Numbers while my son watched Sesame Street. Fast food or not, I felt much better after having spent some time reading the Bible. This Bible is not the best for in-depth studies, but for those quick reads while eating breakfast, this one will do the job.
The notes are written by Bobbie Wolgemuth and four other busy moms. I found the notes to be very insightful and thought provoking. They are not long and also make for a quick read. They are a bit like mini-studies over a couple of chapters.
The Bible itself is a great mom-tool as well. It is hard-backed with thicker pages than the normal Bible. This is good because, as I found out from experience, blueberry muffin wipes off fairly easily. My NIV study Bible would have immediately been ruined with muffin soaking through multiple onion-skin pages. The text is a bit small, but this allows the book itself to be thinner which in turn allows a person, even with small hands, to hold the book with one hand while spooning oatmeal with the other.
I would give this book 3 stars only because of my dislike for changing such important words in the text. As a fast food source, I would give it 4 stars. Every mom needs a source of fast food nearby for those occasions when gourmet just won't do.
The Mom's Bible: God's Wisdom for Mothers with Notes by Bobbie Wolgemuth is written in the New Century Version. I had never heard of NCV until I saw this Bible. I am by no means a scholar of translations but did some research and learned that the NCV began as a Bible written for the deaf, leaving out the common theological terms that they would not have heard or be familiar and simplifying the text to make it easier to understand. The NCV is not the same version, but the text is nevertheless quite simplified and reads a bit like a Reader's Digest version of the Bible. Theological terms that we have come to understand are replaced with simpler words. For instance, covenant is replaced with agreement. Tabernacle is replaced with tent of meeting. In my opinion, these changes take away from the meaning of the text.
With that said, I would like to say that the Mom's Bible is a great Bible for quick reads. If you need a moment to remind yourself that someone is in your corner while all the kids are in their corner, then this Bible is for you. This Bible is fast food for the Biblically hungry. I was able to read three chapters from Numbers while my son watched Sesame Street. Fast food or not, I felt much better after having spent some time reading the Bible. This Bible is not the best for in-depth studies, but for those quick reads while eating breakfast, this one will do the job.
The notes are written by Bobbie Wolgemuth and four other busy moms. I found the notes to be very insightful and thought provoking. They are not long and also make for a quick read. They are a bit like mini-studies over a couple of chapters.
The Bible itself is a great mom-tool as well. It is hard-backed with thicker pages than the normal Bible. This is good because, as I found out from experience, blueberry muffin wipes off fairly easily. My NIV study Bible would have immediately been ruined with muffin soaking through multiple onion-skin pages. The text is a bit small, but this allows the book itself to be thinner which in turn allows a person, even with small hands, to hold the book with one hand while spooning oatmeal with the other.
I would give this book 3 stars only because of my dislike for changing such important words in the text. As a fast food source, I would give it 4 stars. Every mom needs a source of fast food nearby for those occasions when gourmet just won't do.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Quest for Acceptance: Conversation
Since first posting about my quest for acceptance, I have been thrilled and relieved at the conversations that have begun. Conversations about what is "special needs" to what is "normal" to what is "acceptance" have all been discussed with great sincerity. I have been pleasantly surprised by people's willingness to discuss these subjects and even to set aside any feelings of judgment.
The openness of the conversations makes me wonder what would we learn if we were willing to set aside prejudices and judgment and have open, honest conversations about taboo subjects such as teen pregnancy and contraception, and debt and finances? What could we learn if we were willing to admit that we have faults and need help and advice from those who have gone before us?
The only thing that keeps me, personally, from admitting my weaknesses is the fear of being judged, and the fear of being told that my feelings are not legitimate. What would happen if we accepted the fact that not everyone is happy and successful in every situation?
What if we set aside judgments and criticisms and accepted that each person is an individual who deserves to be heard?
Thank you to everyone who have opened their hearts and minds and listened with such sincerity. It encourages me to be more open and honest with all of you and in that I live more authentically.
There will be more posts to come on Acceptance, but it may be a little while in coming. This quest will be ongoing for quite some time.
The openness of the conversations makes me wonder what would we learn if we were willing to set aside prejudices and judgment and have open, honest conversations about taboo subjects such as teen pregnancy and contraception, and debt and finances? What could we learn if we were willing to admit that we have faults and need help and advice from those who have gone before us?
The only thing that keeps me, personally, from admitting my weaknesses is the fear of being judged, and the fear of being told that my feelings are not legitimate. What would happen if we accepted the fact that not everyone is happy and successful in every situation?
What if we set aside judgments and criticisms and accepted that each person is an individual who deserves to be heard?
Thank you to everyone who have opened their hearts and minds and listened with such sincerity. It encourages me to be more open and honest with all of you and in that I live more authentically.
There will be more posts to come on Acceptance, but it may be a little while in coming. This quest will be ongoing for quite some time.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Quest for Acceptance: Cliff Jumping
Cliff jumping is the sport of jumping off a cliff into a deep pool of water. The thought of cliff jumping sounds like quite rush! Free falling through the air and hitting the cool water below sounds exciting. But then...I rememeber....I can't swim! Yes, literally. I can tread water, but swimming from one end of the pool to the other...no. Thus, once I hit the water, those with me would have to jump in to save me, dragging out my flailing body and ruining the fun for everyone! So, cliff jumping is completely disregarded as a possible sport for me.
Yesterday's post seemed a bit on the heavy side, so to ensure my friends and readers that I am not considering cliff jumping, I wanted to share a little more today.
While cliff jumping is a good metaphor for acceptance, bungee jumping is probably a better. In cliff jumping you have no one to catch you at the bottom; no one holding the rope if you will. In bungee jumping you have people there and a very nice, heavy bungee rope to catch you before you hit the bottom and bring you back up to safety.
It has been a little over 12 hours since my last post, and already, I have had several great, thought provoking comments, and two wonderful conversations. I realized today that those friends and family with whom I have already spoken to are the ones at the top of the bungee looking out for me and encouraging me. While I feel like I am cliff jumping with no support and no one to catch me or rescue, the truth is I have friends all around me who are a greater support than I realized.
I remember the Sunday after my son's diagnosis when my friend, Liz, said to me, "You two are a perfect match." She was talking about my son and I, but other than that I was clueless to understand what she meant. I asked myself, "what does she know about me, that I don't know?" The answer is a LOT! Even though, I am not good about sharing my feelings, my friends see who I really am and strive to understand me. I don't hide my true self from them. Why? Because they don't judge me, and they encourage me! Even not knowing the full extent of a situation, God uses our friendships to encourage us. Liz's statement has stuck in my mind and remained a constant source of encouragement to me. But, it is all to God's glory because he put her in my life to be one of several who will watch the rope as I bungee jump... or who would jump in after me should I choose to Cliff Jump!
I would be remiss if I did not encourage the anonymous person who stumbles across this post, to go out and live authentically and make some true friends and allow God to encourage you through them.
Yesterday's post seemed a bit on the heavy side, so to ensure my friends and readers that I am not considering cliff jumping, I wanted to share a little more today.
While cliff jumping is a good metaphor for acceptance, bungee jumping is probably a better. In cliff jumping you have no one to catch you at the bottom; no one holding the rope if you will. In bungee jumping you have people there and a very nice, heavy bungee rope to catch you before you hit the bottom and bring you back up to safety.
It has been a little over 12 hours since my last post, and already, I have had several great, thought provoking comments, and two wonderful conversations. I realized today that those friends and family with whom I have already spoken to are the ones at the top of the bungee looking out for me and encouraging me. While I feel like I am cliff jumping with no support and no one to catch me or rescue, the truth is I have friends all around me who are a greater support than I realized.
I remember the Sunday after my son's diagnosis when my friend, Liz, said to me, "You two are a perfect match." She was talking about my son and I, but other than that I was clueless to understand what she meant. I asked myself, "what does she know about me, that I don't know?" The answer is a LOT! Even though, I am not good about sharing my feelings, my friends see who I really am and strive to understand me. I don't hide my true self from them. Why? Because they don't judge me, and they encourage me! Even not knowing the full extent of a situation, God uses our friendships to encourage us. Liz's statement has stuck in my mind and remained a constant source of encouragement to me. But, it is all to God's glory because he put her in my life to be one of several who will watch the rope as I bungee jump... or who would jump in after me should I choose to Cliff Jump!
I would be remiss if I did not encourage the anonymous person who stumbles across this post, to go out and live authentically and make some true friends and allow God to encourage you through them.
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