-
23 Books Reviewed in 23 Minutes
“The love of learning, the sequestered nooks, And all the sweet serenity of books” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. “A book lying idle on a shelf is wasted ammunition” – Henry Miller. Here is my exhaustive review of all but one of the books I read in 2014. Skim the list to see if something piques your interest. Peruse as you please. Skip what does not interest you. For my reading list reviews for the past few years click on any of the following: 2011, 2012, or 2013. Now here we go, set your timer to 23 minutes. Go! 1. “Save Me From Myself” subtitled “How I found God, quit…
-
Rest Amidst Stress
I took another drink of coffee and braced myself. After a week off on vacation, I knew the day would bring a flurry of emails, reports, errands, and chores. Have you ever noticed how much harder Monday feels after being away? In my mind, I started making my lists. But then my eyes settled onto these familiar words: "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" (Ps. 46:10). I've read those words—even memorized them—countless times before. But now I needed to know what they meant. Was God really calling me to sit while life swirled? I…
-
The Power of an Expert Speaking as a Fellow Traveler: Phillip Johnson
When my husband Jack was in seminary he was taught to speak as the expert from a posture of strength. If you talk about weakness, struggle or failure, speak in hindsight from the place of victory won. It’s not always safe to talk about your weaknesses. You don’t want to give your detractors or enemies ammunition. (Especially in churches.) In today's culture that mindset is changing. But, If you are an expert, why would you want to try to speak as a fellow-traveler? What might be the benefits of exposing your weaknesses, speaking of your struggles, or even failures? In the academy? In churches? Phillip Johnson, the father of…
-
Lessons from Francis I
As a non-Catholic follower of Christ, I am intrigued by Pope Francis. He seems to have little interest in the trappings of power and wealth that have characterized his position for centuries. A Pope carrying his own suitcase seems out of place. The Vicar of Rome beginning his tenure by asking for prayer for himself is abnormal. The leader of the Catholic Church wearing simple garments looks out of place. He reminds me more of Mother Theresa than any of the previous Popes I have observed. I wonder how a man who lives simply and humbly will change the character of the papacy, not only during his time as Pope…
-
When God Shows Off
For the past several years I’ve been challenged to grow in my understanding of grace. John Ortberg says it’s “the flow of God’s power and presence and favor in your life, moment by moment, that enables you to do whatever it is God has for you to do.” So what does God’s grace look like when it is released in our puny little human lives? I got another taste of it recently. My dear friend Ricky Chelette of Living Hope Ministries and I were privileged to speak at conferences in three Australian cities on a redemptive view of homosexuality, ministering to strugglers, their parents, and ministry workers. The first leg…
-
Zap the Lies, Hug the Truth
As the scriptures tell us that King Saul stood head and shoulders above everybody else, there is one aspect of the spiritual growth process that seems to stand head and shoulders above the rest: identifying and renouncing the lies that hold us in bondage, and embracing God’s truth which sets us free. Recently, I have been blessed by the experiences of two dear friends, both dealing with the fallout of trauma, as Jesus lovingly takes them through this process. One of them is a college student whose parents wisely equipped her in how to think through negative thoughts and feelings: 1. Is ______ the truth? [No.] 2. That makes it…
-
On the Use and Abuse of Power
Some years ago I took a course in the historical books of the Bible. One of my assignments was to make a chart of the kings of Israel and Judah. I listed whether they were good or bad and in what ways they were weak. With only a handful of exceptions, I noticed that even kings who started out great usually fell hard later. Hezekiah served the Lord faithfully, but at the end of his life, he bragged about the treasury. David felt like he needed a fling while all the warriors were out working, and he spent months hanging on to unconfessed sin. Solomon was beloved of God, but…
-
Dangerous Liaisons: Ministry, Power, and Sex
I picked up the phone and heard the strain in my friend’s voice: “I messed up with a married fellow-worker, so the church fired us both.” My heart sank. She obviously recognized her wrongdoing and it took guts to admit what she’d done, yet picturing the devastation to a church and two marriages brought a wave of nausea. “You don’t have to say anything,” she said before I found words. “And you should know—it’s not that I don’t love my husband. It’s less about my marriage than it is about my failure to fear God. Can you recommend a good counselor?” Sadly, her story—used with permission—is common. While headline news describes…