disciple making

Review: 7 by Jen Hatmaker

/ heatherhaley07 / Leave a comment

Review: 7 by Jen Hatmaker

Okay, there is conviction… and then there is CONVICTION.  This book has challenged me to study God’s Word to see what it means to truly be a disciple of Jesus Christ.  I have been a believer and follower of Jesus since I was 12 years old.  In many ways, I have been blessed with Godly wisdom to avoid some of the major pitfalls of this life.  However, in many ways the plumb line that I had used against myself was not the Living Word of God, and definitely not the Saviour of the Universe.

Now that I have seen, I am responsible.

I have always struggled with how the Living Word was supposed to scrub up against the life of the a 21st Century American Christian.  This book has caused me to focus on 7 major areas of my life and hold them up against the Word of God.  Those areas are: Clothes, Spending, Waste, Food, Possessions, Media & Stress.  At first glace, you might think, “I do okay in those areas..”.  If you feel like you are good and have accomplished all that Jesus has for you, read this book.  If you feel like you are obedient in most areas of your life, read this book.  If you feel like you have no real understanding of what God says about these areas, read this book (and then become a Berean and study it out).

Jen doesn’t seek to be the end all, be all about these issues mentioned.  My understanding is that she just wants the American Church of Jesus to study out how our lives actually line up with the Word of God.  Our view of Christianity is skewed by an American worldview, and not a Jesus worldview.

If you dare to go and pick this book up, be prepared to be challenged.  Be warned, this book is not for the weary.  Actually, the weary might just be the very one intended to read it!

Happy to you in finding your alter to fall upon with all of your idols!  Get ready!  Don’t say I didn’t warn you… (btw we all have idols).  Remember we have a loving Saviour who is willing to show grace to all, may repentance be near.

seven

Review: Sons of Encouragement by Francine Rivers

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Review: Sons of Encouragement by Francine Rivers

This book.  This book.  Wow.  This book.  Okay, so my girl Francine Rivers has challenged my knowledge of God’s Word once again.  Francine writes a beautifully anointed book in exploring every avenue of scripture.  She doesn’t just focus on the text, but the historical, physical and sociological climate of our scriptures.

This book explores the lives of five men in scripture: The Priest (Aaron), The Warrior (Caleb), The Prince (Jonathon), The Prophet (Amos) & The Scribe (Silas).

These men each faced extraordinary days in walking with the Unseen God of the Hebrews.  These men were placed in positions that no one else had ever faced and were forced to choose- follow Him faithfully & fearlessly OR disobey and walk away from the only peace and truth they’d ever known.

Not only does Francine challenge us with her sanctified imagination of scripture, but she follows up each section with a dive straight into the Living Word of God.  It is always important to decipher between what we actually know from scripture and what is sanctified imagination, but Francine paints crucial pictures for all believers everywhere to study out further.

This book has challenged me in ways I never could’ve dreamed.  It has also taught me how to view each person in our Holy Scriptures: real, sinful people born of the same dust as me.  These people were not super heroes.  These people were common.  These people only accomplished what they did for the Kingdom because the Spirit of the Living God was upon them.  Lord, may I be one who is known as a girl with the Spirit….

 

sons of enc

reading. reading. reading.

/ heatherhaley07 / Leave a comment

So, I had a friend ask me if I remembered what book she was reading when she went to the beach.  I did not go to the beach with her.  How in the world should I know?!  In her defense, we speak of what we are reading to each other all of the time, but her beach trip was a long time ago… months at least.  We quote books to each other or call each other by names of characters that we either want to be or we want to meet.  She was trying to calculate how many books she had read this year…. I think her total was 15!  FIFTEEN BOOKS!  It is only October.  The middle of October at that.  But her conversation got me thinking…. I have read a lot of books this year too.  I have read a lot of personal Christian growth books and a lot of Christian fiction books.  And even the occasional, non Christian fiction…. please don’t condemn me to Hell yet…. But why do I do that?  What’s the big deal with reading… shouldn’t reading the Bible be enough.  Why the extra, what’s the point?

The Lord had shown me many years ago through a great Christian friend and through a book called Spiritual Leadership by Henry Blackaby, that spiritual leaders read.  Why do spiritual leaders read?  And who are spiritual leaders…. pastors?teachers?  Or does scripture say more than that?  Titus 2 says older women lead younger women and the same for men.  So all older women and men are spiritual leaders?  Or does that mean older men and women in the faith?  If that is the case, would I not be a spiritual leader to my 2 year old daughter?  Or the new believer that just joined the family of faith?  I think it is safe to say YES!  I am!  But if I am, so are you!

So my journey has led me to a lot of different books that I received powerful messages from God.  Insert clause here: If you are not reading and studying God’s Word as a daily practice, then you do not need any of these books.  The Word of God must take ultimate authority over your life and your time.  If it doesn’t, focus on that first.  Okay, off of soap box.  Now, if you are spending time in God’s Word and you just can’t get enough and you want more and more and more…. THEN READ!  Over the next few weeks (well, until the Lord tells me to do something different), I am going to be highlighting different books that I have read lately OR over my Christian journey that have impacted my life for the Kingdom.

I will be sharing my thoughts and the messages that the Lord printed on my heart through the works of my brothers and sisters in the Kingdom.  So stay tuned for the multitudes of books about to invade your blog world!!  It’s going to be a fun ride!