In the Heart of the World by Mother Teresa

I found this little book, In the Heart of the World by Mother Teresa, at the library yesterday and read it quite quickly. It may have few pages, but they pack much wisdom and compassion. Basically it is a book of stories, thoughts and prayers that help us focus on meeting the needs of others, thereby meeting the needs of Jesus in (many times) a distressing disguise.

"It may happen that a mere smile, a short visit, the lighting of a lamp, writing a letter for a blind man, carrying a bucket of charcoal, offering a pair of sandals, reading the newspaper for someone – something small, very small – may, in fact, be our love of God in action. Listening, when no one else volunteers to listen, is no doubt a very noble thing."

I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to be challenged and encouraged to serve and love others.

How to Read the Bible So It Changes Your Life by Aletha Hinthorn

My Pastor's wife (Thanks Mary!) always has a new book in her hands and one day last fall, she had this one - How to Read the Bible So It Changes Your Life by Aletha Hinthorne. I checked our public library to find out if they had it in their collection, but they didn't so I requested that they purchase it and they did!

Its an easy to read, yet challenging book.

The back cover says:

Is God's Word Changing your life? or...

* Are you having trouble developing the discipline to get into His Word regularly?

* Are demands on your time squeezing out the time you spend with Him?

* Have you been ignoring God's still, small voice calling your to fellowship with Him?

In How to Read the Bible So It Changes Your Life, Aletha Hinthorn teaches you to read the Bible so that your daily life is impacted. Her insights bring God's Word to life in the mundane, everyday world you live in.

Whether you're on the mountaintop or in the valley, you can learn to turn to God along every step of life's journey.

How to Read the Bible So It Changes Your Life gives you the solid foundation you need to discern what God has to say to you today!

At the end of the book there is a two year Daily Lectionary that is arranged according to the church year so you are reading about the birth of Christ at Christmas and the crucifixion at Easter, etc. I recommend to this book to anyone who wants to get more out of their Bible reading time.

Justice in the Burbs: Being the Hands of Jesus Wherever You Live by Will and Lisa Samson

Wow! Justice in the Burbs already feels like a keeper and I'm only on the second chapter. Will and Lisa Samson have united their talents and taken a creative approach at sharing a story and a challenge. Each of the twelve chapters are divided into three sections. The first section is a story written by Lisa about fictional characters, Matt and Christine Marshall, a suburban couple who are taking an emotional and life-changing journey by asking themselves the hard questions. Will tackles the second section which is a discussion of issues related to Lisa's narrative. Finally each chapter ends with a meditation in response to the story.


This book reminds me some of one of Lisa's other novels, which I enjoyed tremendously, Quaker Summer. If you get a chance, I'd recommend that you read it also.

The back cover of Justice in the Burbs says:

In the suburban world of nice homes, neat lawns, and new cars, it can be easy to forget about social justice. Life keeps us busy, and the poor and disenfranchised of our world are invisible as we go from our garage to our workplace and back again. But suburbanites can be a force for social justice in the world.

In this unique book, you will take a journey with a young couple from the burbs as they learn to notice and act on the issues of justice that abound everywhere. This engaging narrative will help you kiss apathy and ignorance good-bye in favor of a life of concern and action.

For more info and reader reviews check out the Justice in the Burbs Blog. For some thought provoking quotes go to Think on This.

Are you up for a challenge? Are you ready to let go of the status quo? If so check your local library or bookstore or here for this enlightening book, Justice in the Burbs: Being the Hands of Jesus Wherever You Live.

Justice in the Burbs Video Promo

They Saw Only Feet by Dean Nelson

I finished reading one of the missionary books put out by my church today, They Saw Only Feet by Dean Nelson. The call of a missionary often means sacrifice and surrender. Nobody knows that better than their children. Yet as the missionary kids in this book will tell you, God is faithful to care for His own. Between these pages you’ll meet men and women whose life experiences on the field changed them forever. Listen to their hearts, and let your own faith be strengthened as you do.

It is a book that details experiences and lessons learned of five missionary kids (MKs) stationed all over the world. What they shared was humorous, interesting and profound. One story in particular really encouraged me. Anita Birchard Reglin shared that her grandparents preached and played the organ in an empty building (church) for a full year. How discouraging that could have been, but they saw feet outside the building and continued following God's call on their lives. So often I tend to judge the results NOW, but in God's economy we are not the judge of effectiveness. We are just called to obedience.

Ted Esselstyn shared about the death of his brother Jimmy while on the mission field in Africa. Ted described that tragedy as a miracle. "God was at work. We forget sometimes that God performs more than miracles of healing; He performs miracles of transformation. And the greatest of all those mireacles is when He let His own Son die for us. Jesus died, enabling our own transformation." Pray for transformation in the lives of all Christians as we strive to become more like Jesus.

At the end of the book a Call to Action is given:

After reading this book, please consider doing one or more of the following:

1. Pray for missionaries serving around the world, that God will protect, guide, and sustain them.

2. Talk with your pastor or missionary president about how your congregation can provide better support for missionaries who might have special ties to your church.

3. Pray specifically for the children of missionaries, that the Lord will protect them and use their unique experiences to draw them closer to himself.

4. Find ways to "adopt" a missionary kid (MK) in college. Support him or her with prayer and small gifts throughout the year.

5. Pray for those who shared their stories in this book that God will continue to bless them and honor their faithfulness.

Teaching Your Child about Sex by Grace Ketterman

I just happened to come across a blog - Bold and Free this evening that I am going to put in my favorites so I can check in often.

Jan is running a contest and will give a free copy of Teaching Your Child About Sex by Grace Ketterman, MD to the winner. It is a book that helps parents teach their children about sex. See her blog entries regarding the contest here and the book here.

I don't know much about the book, but its definitely a topic that all parents will have to discuss with their children at some point. I found this description at Christian Book Distributors:

Unsure about how or when to discuss "the birds and the bees" with your children? In her updated classic, renowned expert Dr. Ketterman equips you with the perfect words to explain the physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of sex in age-specific increments - from infancy through adolescence. Now includes chapters on current issues such as sexually transmitted diseases and homosexuality.

River Rising by Athol Dickson

River Rising is an excellent book that I highly recommend. Many books can be figured out in the first few chapters, but River Rising is not among them. You can look at this novel on multiple levels. Simply put you can consider it historical fiction from an isolated Louisiana town on the Mississippi River in 1927 or you can take it to a deeper level and view it as an allegory that at minimum encourages the reader to acknowledge some thought provoking questions that need to be answered. If you are looking for a simple story with a crisis and resolution or crime and justice this isn’t the story for you – in many ways it’s disturbing, yet it leaves the reader with hope for a better tomorrow. We might find ourselves identifying with one (or more) of the characters which can help us address issues in our lives.

For a great review of River Rising check out Kay's blog or go to Athol Dickson's blog for more background info and study questions. SPOILER ALERT - don't go to the study questions until after you have read the book.

The Shack - Part 2

I sent an email with a question and comments to William Paul Young and he replied...

My question was: I'm wondering from reading the book, do you think that all people will be in heaven? Do you believe that all people will come to relationship with God at some point and make it to heaven?

He said it would be okay to post his reply on my blog...

Hey Robin,

Thank you soooo much for taking the time to drop me a note and for the warm and encouraging words...much appreciated. I am grateful that the book has touched your life in a way that breathes grace into your heart. Just like Sarayu to do that. Thanks too for the blog review and whatever you choose to do in the future...much appreciated.

As to your specific question, let me answer it as best I can, with the caveat that I don't want this particular issue to become the 'reason' I wrote the book...it is not. I wrote the book to express to my children what I believe about the One who I love so much that there really are no words adequate to describe.

Having said that, this is such a great question and is currently being highly debated in Christian circles. Let me tell you what I do believe, understanding that like all of us, we are all in a process of understanding the heart of the One who knows us best and loves us most. I do believe in Hell, that it must be spiritual in nature (since it was created for the devil and his angels). I also believe that everything that Papa does or creates, including Hell, has a purpose and that its purpose is motivated by love. I also believe that when all is said and done, Papa will win, completely...without violating anyone and in fact by burning away from each life that which inhibits the freedom to run to his embrace. How that all looks as it is all worked out...don't know. I love the Timothy passage that says, "This is a statement true and worthy of full acceptance, that Jesus Christ is the savior of all mankind, especially of believers." I firmly believe that it is what Papa did in Jesus that saves us, and that not even our limited ability to choose independence will ultimately be a rival to his purposes. I think that we must choose what exactly saves us, and the choice is between Jesus and our ability to choose. I firmly believe that only Jesus saves us.

Blessings on your day and all the surprises of grace that await you,

Paul ('willie')

The Shack by William P. Young

Someone at Naznet recommended "The Shack" by William P. Young some weeks ago and it sounded intriguing, so I requested that my public library purchase it for me and they did! All the reviews (here is a particularly informative review) I've read entice me and I can't wait to get started on it. I will post again once I've read the book or sooner if so inclined.

The back cover of the book says:

"If anything matters then everything matters. Because you are important, everything you do is important. Every time you forgive, the universe changes; every time you reach out and touch a heart or a life, the world changes; with every kindness and service, seen or unseen, my purposes are accomplished and nothing will ever be the same again."

~ William P. Young in The Shack

Ana's Story: A Journey of Hope by Jenna Bush

World AIDS Day - December 1 is a day dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of the HIV infection. On December 1 and beyond, I urge you to pray for all the victims of this disease and to lift in prayer those who minister to AIDS victims.

Jenna Bush wrote a book for young adults called Anna's Story: A Journey of Hope based on her work with Unicef and specifically time spent with a seventeen year old girl who was infected with HIV at birth. Ms. Bush has a section at the back of her book with ideas on how we can be involved in helping those who live with HIV/AIDS as well as information and websites to educate youth. Go here to find out more about Ana's Story.

My church also put out a missions book dealing with AIDS that was quite moving - Africa’s Soul Hope: The AIDS crisis and the church **by Ellen Decker.

Meeting Jesus by Keith Schwanz

I'm reading an interesting missions book called Meeting Jesus by Keith Schwanz. The book is about taking the Jesus Film to various third world locations. The author begins each chapter with Scripture from the book of Luke and continues writing as if the story of taking the Jesus Film into the world was continuing the gospel of Luke. Mr. Schwanz isn't adding to the Bible of course, but he helps us to realize that what we do with our time on earth does matter and has eternal significance. He gave me reason to pause and ask myself how I am fulfilling the great commission...

Christmas Reading

If you are looking for some tender, Christmas books, I have a few suggestions. The ladies at the library check-out counter will tell you that when I say a few it doesn't necessarily mean a few... I will update here as I read more. Some of the books listed below were read last year, others I just discovered this year on my public library's current release shelf.

The books in no particular order:

~ The Christmas Story: Luke 2, Matthew 1:18-25; 2:1-23

~ An Irish Christmas by Melody Carlson - A mother and her young adult son each have secrets, set in the 1960's.

~ Till Morning is NIGH by Leisha Kelly - A story that will help you to focus on the true meaning of Christmas. Commercialism is far from the families represented in this book who barely have enough to survive, yet they do because of their faith in God, creativity, and by sharing their resources.

~ The Special Guest: A Christmas Story by Lee and Donna Hall - The authors wrote the book for their children, but it's a short story with a beautiful message that can be enjoyed by all ages at Christmas and throughout the year.

~ The Christmas Candle by Richard Paul Evans - A children's book that I recommend reading aloud with children under 10 to make sure they understand what the author is attempting to teach to those with eyes to see. The book can be read in minutes, but the discussion that follows can help your children discover the true meaning of loving as Jesus loves and loving others as if they were Jesus especially at Christmas time.

~ The Christmas Box by Richard Paul Evans - A story of a widow and young family who moves in with her. Together they learn what Christmas is truly about.

~ The Gift by Richard Paul Evans - heart wrenching yet beautiful at the same time, story of a young boy's sacrifice and love.

The Red Glove Series by Karen Kingsbury (the next four books listed below).

~ Gideon's Gift by Karen Kingsbury - a story of sacrifice and unconditional love.

~ Maggie’s Miracle by Karen Kingsbury - predictable, but beautiful story of an 8 year old boy and his mother who is a widow. (Karen Kingsbury includes several suggestions for "Red Gloves" service projects to aid children at the end of the book.)

~ Sarah’s Song by Karen Kingsbury - a life changing story shared in a nursing home.

~ Hannah’s Hope by Karen Kingsbury - a sentimental Christmas story of a 15 year old girl whose only wish is to be held by the father she never knew.

~ A Carol for Christmas by Robin Lee Hatcher - two people discover the true essence of Christmas.

~ Christmas Vows $5.00 Extra by Lori Copeland - Discover the joy of Christmas in this endearing tale of a desperate father stranded with his three young children and an eccentric old woman they met by accident.

~ Christmas Jars by Jason F. Wright - Beautiful Christmas story that has the potential to transform lives.

~ Boo Humbug by Rene Gutteridge - quirky and fun, "A Christmas Carol" with a twist. An attempt to get a town to embrace the true meaning of Christmas.

~ The Christmas Candle by Max Lucado - every 25 years an angel visits a candle shop and touches a candle - whoever receives that candle gets a miracle...

365 Things to Do with Your Kids...

I just finished a cute, little book by Bill Adler, Jr. 365 Things to Do with Your Kids: Before They're Too Old to Enjoy Them. Basically he comes up with an idea and expands and describes it. I already do many of his ideas and plan to try others. Some of my favorites I've listed below:

# 34 Play Imaginary Stock Market

# 66 Create a continuing story with your kids.

# 137 Sit around thinking up "what ifs"

# 214 Every year on their birthdays write your children a letter telling them how much you love them

# 219 Celebrate a half birthday

# 226 Make wave bottles using colored water and oil and other liquids.

# 227 Make hand prints in plaster on paper plates; then paint and hang from ribbons

# 234 Have a family scavenger hunt

# 297 Play a memory game

# 352 Talk about what you would do if you had one hundred million dollars

# 353 Talk about all the great things you would still have if you didn't have any money at all.

# 355 Write a contract with your child over something important

# 365 Think up your own ideas for things you'd like to do together before your children are too old to enjoy them.

Four Seasons Series

I'm reading a neat series co-authored by Gary Chapman (author of "The Five Love Languages") and Catherine Palmer. The books are fiction based on Gary Chapman's love languages and four seasons of marriage non-fiction works. Mr. Chapman says that "marriages are always moving from one season to another."

The titles of the four novels are:

It Happens Every Spring
Summer Breeze
Falling for You Again
Winter Turns to Sping.

He describes the four seasons:

"Winter - discouraged, detached, and dissatisfied
Spring - openness, hope, and anticipation
Summer - comfortable, relaxed, and enjoying life
Fall - uncertainty, negligence, and apprehension"

He says that "the cycle repeats itself many times throughout the life of a marraige, just as the seasons repeat themselves in nature." If you want more information on the Four Seasons of marriage check out his book - The Four Seasons of Marriage.

Regardless of the season that your marriage is in at this time you will find helpful advice and encouragement in story form. Enjoy!

The politics of Jesus : rediscovering the true revolutionary nature of the teachings of Jesus and how they have been corrupted

I was puruzing through the book review section of an online forum that I'm a member of and came across a book that sounds intriquing - "The politics of Jesus : rediscovering the true revolutionary nature of the teachings of Jesus and how they have been corrupted" by Obery M. Hendricks. My library has the book, so I'm adding it to my list of books to read. For a summary check here.

Of course this book is written by a man who has his set of beliefs and life experiences that may differ from the readers. We each have to take God's Word and determine for ourselves how HE wants us to live this life. We only get one chance and as Randy Alcorn says in one of his books, Safely Home “One moment after men die, they know exactly how they should have lived. But then it is too late to go back and live their lives over again. Too late for the unbeliever, in the jaws of hell. But also too late for the believer, who cannot relive his life, remake his choices, this time following his King more faithfully.”

So many people with different political stances claim to be following Jesus and doing His work. I wonder what Jesus thinks of it all?

Hinds' Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard

Some years ago I read this allegory "Hinds' Feet on High Places." It dramatizes the journey each of us must take before we can live life in the high places. The first chapter was a bit of a challenge, but once I got past it and got into the main character's head I wanted to take the journey along side "Much Afraid." Much Afraid had some interesting traveling companions and had to face many issues that are easier left in a back drawer somewhere. BUT when those issues are tackled we are able to climb higher and bask in HIS love.

Habakkuk 3:19 is the Scripture the book is based on...

"The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like Hinds' Feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine High Places."