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Thoughts on the Christian life in a fallen world

Friday, March 23, 2012

God Loves Broken People - Sheila Walsh

(And those who pretend they're not) is the the latest book from author Sheila Walsh.  I can remember when the author was on tour with the likes of Steve Taylor in the 80's and was known more for her singing than speaking and being an author. Recently, she has been involved with Women of Faith and speaking engagements. Through these 13 chapters, she points out that It's OKay Not to Be OKay, as she says in the introduction. Some of the titles of chapters are interesting in themselves, I'm Not Waving, I'm Drowning, Hiding, Pretending, and Other Escapes, and Only the Wounded Can Serve. Sheila points out that we are all broken, and in need of a Savior.
Through her own personal  suffering and using others as examples, she makes the point that God is always with us and some of the reasons for our brokenness. None of us have all the answers this side of heaven, but Sheila uses scripture and examples of some of the heroes of our faith and how they too, were broken people that God made whole again, and were mightily used by Him.
I would recommend this book to anyone who thinks they need to clean up their act before they come before God, and be reminded that we are all broken and sinful, even if we don't want to admit it.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

The Call To Wonder - R.C. Sproul Jr.

Loving God Like A Child. This book is based on Matthew 18:3 in which Jesus instructs us to be like like little children. The author states his purpose in the introduction is to "recover the childlike virtues you may have lost and that you'll respond to His call to become like little children."
What does it mean to be childlike in our faith? This book covers the answer to that question and others, such as what is our response to God's creation? and How do I love my children and wife like Jesus loves the church?
Particularly striking was his explanation of God's "strong right arm." He explains that it is not only strength, but how that strength functions: it protects, provides, and comforts.
This is an easily readable account of the author's journey on how to become childlike. Also moving is the chapter in which he describes caring for his children.  In The Call to Joy he describes how much he learns from his own children, and how we can all learn from our own.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to capture that childlike wonder and amazement of God and loving Him as a child, and to those that have lost it to re-capture it.
This book has been provided to me by Tyndale free of charge for review.