Gaining a heart of wisdom
In times of danger and disaster throughout history, true believers have made their mark by running toward the darkness. Whether it was a plague in second century Rome or a twenty-first century hurricane in America's deep south, if we follow Mr. Rogers's advice and "look for the helpers," we might be surprised by how many… Continue reading Run Toward the Darkness with Borrowed Light
I did not set out to live at the same address for 25 years, and, technically, I suppose my deep roots in this country hill may disqualify me from reviewing a book entitled Born to Wander: Recovering the Value of Our Pilgrim Identity. At the outset, I actually thought I had been born to wander,… Continue reading Reclaiming Our Pilgrim Identity
Starting in the book of Acts, the history of missions is characterized by controversy. It may have begun when Paul and company set out with freshly-minted instructions from the Jerusalem Council, defining the parameters of the message they were sharing. It was certainly evident when the citizens of Lystra decided to fold Paul and Barnabas… Continue reading The Missionary Experience: A Path of Faith in the Midst of Paradox
Amy Simpson noticed early on that the tidy claims of Christianity were not lining up with the reality she was living at home. Suffering from the impact of her mother's serious and debilitating mental illness, her family was certainly not strolling toward heaven with all their needs met and a smile on their faces. In… Continue reading 8 Blessings of the Unsatisfied Life
"What we want, if men become Christians at all, is to keep them in the state of mind I call, 'Christianity And.' If they must be Christians, let them at least be Christians with a difference. Substitute for the faith itself some Fashion with a Christian coloring." Screwtape In Part One of Jesus Outside… Continue reading Tired of Taking Sides?
Not a Chance -- God, Science, and the Revolt against Reason by R.C. Sproul and Keith Mathison: A Book Review R.C. Sproul has not written a small-minded, fear-mongering diatribe against science. His purpose in Not a Chance is to point out the precipitous slide into fiction that occurs when the brilliant minds that discover and… Continue reading The Edges of His Ways
A Mom's Prayers for Her Son by Rob & Joanna Teigen: A Book Review There's nothing like becoming a mother to ratchet up the frequency, sincerity, and desperation of one's prayer life. My husband and I had four boys in eight years, and I was horrified to realize that a new blender comes with more instructions than… Continue reading The Most Important Thing You Can Do for Your Son
Deceived by Irene Hannon: A Book Review With Deceived there is no deception when it comes to Irene Hannon's portrayal of her main characters. Kate Marshall, a young widow, still grieving the three-year-old sorrow of losing both her husband and son in a boating accident, glimpses a boy who looks and sounds remarkably like her son. Her… Continue reading The Creation of a Protagonist
Unshockable Love by John Burke: A Book Review John Burke is a pastor with the heart of an evangelist. He has endeavored to pattern his ministry after Jesus' three-year stint on this planet. Jesus saw the masterpiece, the exquisite work of art, within everyone He encountered. Their sin was foreign matter -- mud -- obscuring the value of their true… Continue reading On Mission with Jesus, Seeing through His Eyes
The River by Beverly Lewis: A Book Review Beverly Lewis transports her readers to the world of her Amish characters where everyone wakes up in the cozy bedroom of a sunny farmhouse with birdsong and the smell of bacon in the air. The dinner tables are set with fresh-baked bread and a hearty dinner that surely includes gravy and mashed potatoes,… Continue reading Family Tension and Reconciliation — Amish Style
