After several weeks of procrastinating, I am finally getting around to writing about a few books.
First was Experiencing the Spirit. Henry and Melvin Blackaby have penned this little volume/gift book that talks about the significance of the Holy Spirit in our everyday lives. As I read it, I was impressed by all the things God is doing around us that we miss because we aren't looking. Perhaps the most poignant point of this book is that we have created the notion that if it isn't my spiritual gift, I shouldn't bother to do it. This mentality is wrong at the most basic level. If it's not my talent, that's all the more reason why I SHOULD do it: it gives the Spirit a chance to work through me because I'm humble enough to realize His role in the whole thing. Here's the phrase that got me: "The result of this approach is that we don't need or rely on the Holy Spirit, because we're confident in our abilities. We're under the delusion that we have everything under control. THe world therefore, looks at the church and sees good people doing good things for God, bt they don't see the power of God working through His people to accomplish what only He can do (italics theirs). Definitely worth reading.
Next up: The Friends We Keep by Sarah Zacharias Davis. If you're familiar with much from the Christian circle, you'll recognize her middle name. She's the daughter of renowned evangelist Ravi Zacharias. In this book, we follow Davis' right of passage in discovering the nuances of female friendships. I have to admit, I kept hoping this book would get better. It was mainly a string of revelations she had about how emotions ebb and flow in our interactions.
I also scoped out a pair of Kay Arthur devotionals. Advertised as 40-minute, no homework studies, the two I tried were "How do you walk the walk you talk?"(Ephesians excerpts) and "Rising to the call of leadership" (Samuel, Eli, David, and Saul). These are great, digestible studies for someone who's wanted to try precepts but been intimidated by the depth. Highly recommended...
Last, but definitely not least, was Hero by Fred and Jasen Stoeker. You may recognize their names from the "Every Man's Battle" series. This father and son use this book as a call to action for young men facing temptations to be more like the world. I'm sure you're wondering why a girl would ever crack this one. Well, I'm getting married in a couple months, and I thought it might give me some insight into the battle waging in my fiance's bones right now. I didn't expect to like it, but I found myself drawn like a moth to the flame by the wisdom of a man who's loved and lost (his purity over and over) and the son he raised who CHOSE (of his own accord) to refrain from dating, kissing, and premarital sex. There are even a few key words from the son's wife. I learned a lot about watching the way I portray myself or speak. If you've read "I Kissed Dating Goodbye" by Josh Harris, you may think you won't get anything from the book. But, the comparison ends there. The Stoekers offer a perspective, a groundedness, and a boldness you won't find anywhere else. Guys are crazy to pass this up. Moms of boys are crazy to pass this up. And girls dreaming of prince charming are crazy to miss it too.
Enjoy!
