Author Archive

God’s Promises

January 8, 2009 at 1:01 pm · Filed under Christianity, just for moms ·Tagged , ,

Our country is in a state of economic uncertainty . Every daily news report features another established company or small business going under. Unemployment rates are at an all time high and the future looks bleak. I know not one person who hasn’t been affected by the dismal economy. As Christians, it is easy to praise God when we are living life abundantly. It is not so easy to do when we are walking through the desert. If anyone knows about suffering and trial it would be Job. Even when everything Job had was lost he never lost in faith in God. In chapter 1 of Job he says, ” The Lord gave and the Lord takes away; may the name of the Lord is praised.” Where did Job draw his strength from ?  Even his wife told him to curse God. Job knew that God is who he says He is. He never changes and always keeps his promises. There are many of us going through trials and difficulties right now. I think it is important to remember what God promises for us who believe. Here are some verses that have helped me when I’ve been walking in the desert.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in prayer and petition, present your requests to God and the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Phillipians 4 :6-7

Blessed is than man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who believe. James 1: 12

So do not fear for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16:33

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5: 6 -7

And the one that I think sums it all up for us:

…….because God has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you So we say with confidence. “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me ? “.Hebrews 13:5-6

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From a Grateful Heart

November 26, 2008 at 12:18 pm · Filed under Christianity

Two are better than one. Because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. Ecclesiastes 4:9 -10.

I have always been in awe of the way God meets my needs, especially the ones I never knew I had. Making friends has not been difficult for me. Sustaining and growing friendships, however, is my weakness. In the last year God has blessed my life abundantly by surrounding me with true Christian women who have filled a tremendous need in my life. These are women from all walks of life, different age groups, in different stages of a their walk with Christ. They have taught me intimacy and how to be open and vulnerable. They have encouraged me in my marriage and with my children. They have guided me and instructed me in God’s Holy Word. Oswald Chamber’s says in his book , My Utmost for His Highest, “True friendship is rare on earth. It means identifying with someone in thought, heart and spirit.”. This Thanksgiving I want to thank all those women who have offered their true friendship to me. Your advice, wisdom, compassion and love mean more than you can ever know.

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Novel Review: The Shack

October 24, 2008 at 6:40 pm · Filed under Christianity, Novel book reviews

Title: The Shack                                                                        

Author: William P. Young

Summary: From Amazon.com

Mackenzie Allen Philips’ youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later in the midst of his Great Sadness, Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend. Against his better judgment he arrives at the shack on a wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change Mack’s world forever. In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant “The Shack” wrestles with the timeless question, “Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?” The answers Mack gets will astound you and perhaps transform you as much as it did him. You’ll want everyone you know to read this book!

Positive Elements: This is a wonderfully descriptive and vivid story of the relationship between one man and his heavenly father. Mack endures through one of the most horrific tragedies imaginable to a parent: the loss of a child. During his grieving he has given up on God, church and all things associated with religion. In the story God reveals himself to Mack in many ways on many different levels. Simply, He shares in Mack’s pain and then brings him comfort.  This story is a reminder that God does not like it when bad things happen to us but that he can purpose good out of it for those who love him. (Romans 8:28).  With God’s restoration, Mack was even able to do something unimaginable to many of us; forgiving his daughter’s perpetrator. The burden of bitterness was lifted and Mack was able to have a life fulfilled. I am reminded of the verse in Isaiah 40:31 which says, But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not be weary; they will walk and not faint.  Even in the midst of our suffering we can make a choice. We can flee and let bitterness, anger and doubt seep in, as it did in Mack prior to his meeting at the shack. Or we can embrace it and put our hope in the Lord that he will work it out for His will and purpose.

Sexual Content: None

Violent Content: The premise of the story revolves around the kidnapping and subsequent murder of a young girl. While not graphic in detail, the topic itself can be uncomfortable for many.

Profanity: None

Drug Content: None

Conclusion: I believe that this story provided an amazing insight into the restoration God provides us in our suffering. His hand is always at work in our lives. One of the verses that comes to mind is James 1:2-4 which says, Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trial of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. Mack certainly did not find joy in his suffering but God was faithful to him and joy came to him as he persevered through his trial.  I do have some issues with some of the theology presented in the book. Particularly with respect to the trinity. At one point Mack notices nail prints in God’s hand. I don’t believe there is biblical evidence for this to be possible. In one scene, Jesus tells Mack with regards to his followers that he had no desire to make them Christians. Christian by definition means follower of Christ and his teachings. I would urge every reader of The Shack to keep your Bible handy while reading as to reference any theological discrepancies.

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Review: The Invisible Wall

September 17, 2008 at 1:18 pm · Filed under Novel book reviews

Title: The Invisible Wall

Author: Harry Bernstein

Summary: From Amazon.com

“There are places that I have never forgotten. A little cobbled street in a smoky mill town in the North of England has haunted me for the greater part of my life. It was inevitable that I should write about it and the people who lived on both sides of its ‘Invisible Wall.’ ”
The narrow street where Harry Bernstein grew up, in a small English mill town, was seemingly unremarkable. It was identical to countless other streets in countless other working-class neighborhoods of the early 1900s, except for the “invisible wall” that ran down its center, dividing Jewish families on one side from Christian families on the other. Only a few feet of cobblestones separated Jews from Gentiles, but socially, it they were miles apart.
On the eve of World War I, Harry’s family struggles to make ends meet. His father earns little money at the Jewish tailoring shop and brings home even less, preferring to spend his wages drinking and gambling. Harry’s mother, devoted to her children and fiercely resilient, survives on her dreams: new shoes that might secure Harry’s admission to a fancy school; that her daughter might marry the local rabbi; that the entire family might one day be whisked off to the paradise of America.
Then Harry’s older sister, Lily, does the unthinkable: She falls in love with Arthur, a Christian boy from across the street.
When Harry unwittingly discovers their secret affair, he must choose between the morals he’s been taught all his life, his loyalty to his selfless mother, and what he knows to be true in his own heart.
A wonderfully charming memoir written when the author was ninety-three, The Invisible Wall vibrantly brings to life an all-but-forgotten time and place. It is a moving tale of working-class life, and of the boundaries that can be overcome by love.

Positive Elements: This book is a beautifully written memoir of world many of us know nothing about. The story begins with the author recalling his childhood from age 4. The details and landscape of his everyday life are vivid and engrossing. On the surface it would appear that Harry Bernstein did not have a happy childhood. His father was emotionally and most of the time physically absent. He was often teased and harrassed walking to and from school because of his Jewish faith. Harry’s mother was perhaps the most memorable character in the book. What an amazing woman. She sacrificed her self in every way for her children. She truly is an inspiration to everyone. This memoir is a testament to the resiliency of children. It was also a real look into the divisive world of Jews and Christians. Bernstein realizes that whether Jew or Christian, underneath we are all have the same emotions and hope and dream of the same things. It took a tragedy then a celebration to bring the two cultures together.

Sexual Content: None

Violent Content:There are several situations of domestic violence in the story. However these situations are not too graphic. There are also several instances of children fighting.

Profanity: Some negative connotations and slurs referring to Jews and Christians

Drug Content: None

Conclusion: I loved reading this book. Bernstein faced so much adversity in his childhood. History has always informed of us of the tension and bitterness between Jews and Christians. I have never read a book that brought it to a reader from such a personal persepective. The lively characters from Bernstein’s childhood will make you laugh, want to cry and smile at the small victories. What a triumph for him to pen his first book at 93. I am looking forward to reading the sequel The Dream.

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Review: It’s All About Him

July 25, 2008 at 8:11 am · Filed under Novel book reviews ·Tagged , , ,

Title: It’s All About Him

Author: Denise Jackson

Summary: From Christian Book Distributors

Take an inspiring behind-the-scenes glimpse at one of country music’s most famous couples. Learn about Alan and Denise’s struggles and success, their love story and the near-failure of their marriage—and how rediscovering their faith dramatically shaped their lives. Includes an exclusive CD featuring their wedding song and Alan’s new composition about their shared journey. 256 pages, hardcover from Nelson.

Positive Elements: Mrs. Jackson takes readers inside an honest and poignant journey of the struggles she faces in a celebrity marriage. The Him in the title refers to God and not her famous husband. If you think that you will be getting an inside scoop on Alan Jackson’s personal life you will be dissapointed. Though raised in a Christian home, Denise’s child-like understanding of God failed to comfort her during several major life crisis, including the separation from her husband. When every attempt to console herself during crisis failed, Denise decided to renew her relationship with God. She surrounded herself with Christian women, participated in Bible studies and sought counsel from godly men and women. Matthew 7:7 says, ” Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you.” I find that in my own walk with God that when you desire Him and His will doors are opened. I was pleased to see that Mrs. Jackson focused on her self and her own spiritual growth instead of opting to fix her husband’s flaws. She makes comments that she is no scholar of the Bible yet Scripture is referenced throughout the book in an encouraging manner. To me this reinforces the idea that God and His word are open and available to all of us and are applicable to our everyday walk with its struggles and triumphs.

Sexual Content: None

Violent Content: None

Profanity: None

Drug Content: None

Conclusion: Finally a celebrity couple who really gets who God is and what he can do. It seems everywhere these days celebrities are endorsing this faith or that, dabbling in mysticism or some other New Age religion on the path to happiness. The Jacksons have discovered what so many in their industry have not found: that pure happiness and contentmen comes from our Lord. Denise makes it clear how easy it was for her to be enticed by wordly things when she lost sight of God. I admire her honesty in the book. Admitting personal failures is always taking a risk with your readers . I applaud this couple at their desire to restore their marriage and for doing the hard work to keep their family together. Mrs. Jackson does unecessarily include many references to her material possessions and extravagant wealth. I suppose she does this to provide the readers with a complete picture of the lack of fullfillment she felt despite “having it all.”

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