Book Review: Love Does by Bob Goff

The subtitle, “Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World,” pretty much sums up what Goff appears to be doing here.  He wants readers to stop spending so much time thinking or planning what we may or may not do and actually get to doing it.  He’s clear about that.  However, the mercurial nature of this book left me scratching my head at times as to why or for whom we should be “doing”.

Love Does is a collection of essays drawn from both Goff’s life and his philosophy of life.  Unfortunately, book publicity emphasizes the incredible things that Goff has done, making it seem like he’s campaigning to be Dos Equis beer's next “most interesting man in the world”. 

The essays begin with a touching story about Bob’s teenage encounter with friendship and his discovery that some Christians just don’t fit “the mold”. However, some of the essays delved dangerously into self-promotion:  see how much time I spend at Disneyland, see how I got into law school,  see how I play expensive practical jokes,  see how I got picked to be consul for Uganda, see how I can afford to take my kids on trips.  I thought I’d been lured into a riff on the prosperity gospel.  Live a carefree, laid-back life and God will reward you with goodies.

I almost put the book down. 

But I kept reading and discovered some wonderful, touching, inspiring essays where Goff tells stories about taking time to connect with people and about following Jesus’ example to serve others. The essays “Jeepology” (do you leak Jesus?), “Friends, Welcome Home”, “Jailbreak”, and “Two Bunk John” will stay with me.

Love Does is an uneven book: Goff scoffs at “religious people” but is just as rigid that his way of doing things is the only good way.  Some of the writing is magnificent, some just show-offy.  I desperately wished that Goff had spoken more about his work in Uganda (and earlier in the book) or given a tip of the hat to people who Do Love without so much whimsy (or money).  I think the book would have been stronger if there had been less emphasis on how interesting Goff's life is and more about people who are Doing Love to achieve justice or care for others--hence my 3-star review on Amazon.

All in all, this is a book worth reading, but read it all the way to the end.

I received a copy of this book from Thomas Nelson in return for an honest review.

Encouragement for Tired Moms

I've been really tired lately.  It could be the change in weather and increase in pollen.  It could be the stress of stretching our budget.  It could also be the fact that some days my kids will only answer me in riddles, rhymes, and funny noises.

Me:  Where are your shoes?
#1 Son:  Did you sing the blues?
#2 Son: Ka-boing!!

I have given birth to the Marx brothers.

Anyway,  in the middle of a notebook filled with 3-year-old committee meeting notes and scribbles for a writing project I found a page titled, "Encouragement for Tired Moms."  Based on the margin notes these were verses my Facebook friends sent me when I needed some encouragement a couple of years ago. 

They're still good today. In fact, they're timeless.  Here are the verses that really gave me a boost. I'll share them with you.

In the day of my trouble I will call on you, for you will answer me.  (Psalm 86:7 NIV)

I will lift up my eyes to the hills-- From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. (Psalm 121:1-3 NKJV)

I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.  (Jer. 31:25 NIV) Thanks, Cat 

He gives power to those who are tired and worn out; he offers strength to the weak. Even youths will become exhausted, and young men will give up. But those who wait on the LORD will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. (Isa. 40:29-31 NLT)


Pile your troubles on God's shoulders - he'll carry your load, he'll help you out. He'll never let good people topple into ruin. (Psalm 55:22 The Message)

Shalom, y'all.

Instead of Worrying, Pray

A few days ago I received a review copy of  a side-by-side Bible comparing the NIV, NKJV, NLT, and The Message. These happen to be the four translations* that I usually use to pull Scripture for the Jesus Boat Facebook page.   It's good to be a reviewer!

I've been thinking about my effort to really focus on the positive and on joy during this Lenten season.  So I was delighted to see that this week's daily scripture readings for Lent 2012 included Philippians 4:1-9 (Friday) and 4:10-20 (Saturday).  Having a comparative Bible has slowed down my reading, but enabled the Spirit to speak to me in fresh new ways.

I love this paraphrase of Philippians 4:4-7 from The Message:

"Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you're on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute! 

Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life."

Shalom y'all!

*technically a paraphrase

Beautiful Weather

Chambers of Commerce all over Florida must be in high spirits this winter. We've had weeks of daytime temperatures in the upper 70's along the coast. We're loving it because we haven't had to run our heat but twice all winter (and our AC twice--mostly to pull out the humidity).

School was out today so we took a welcome trip over to Lakeland to visit my folks.  Since it's still too cold for the pool, we took a drive down to Lake Morton to visit the beautiful Lakeland Public Library then stopped for a picnic across from the Methodist Church.  The wind was blowing so hard that the seagulls hovered like kites over the lakeshore. The brisk wind didn't stop us from visiting Lakeland's famous swans.

While we were sitting in the children's section of the library I read the boys On Beyond Zebra, and I Had Trouble in Getting to Solla Sollew. I'd forgotten what a great book that is.  I think it's time to give my troubles some trouble too.

I added a new "frugal joy" over at the Frugal Family Friend.  Yesterday's was "coffee"; today is "public libraries".

Bless This Mess

Credit: Vincelli Designs  http://vincellidesigns.com

I rarely see this phrase anymore, but it was big in the 1970’s. It seemed like every mom had a kitchen wall plaque reading “Bless This Mess”.  Were we an incredibly untidy generation of kids? Or did this sentiment address feelings about the mess our country was in: the last big recession? 

I’m feeling deep in the midst of a mess right now.  The current recession has hit my family hard and we’re looking at some tough choices this year.  Things are getting messy and I approached Ash Wednesday with a heart loaded down with worry.

But something else has been tickling the back of my mind.  Over at the Jesus Boat Blog we’ve been writing about the Psalms this month.  Our bloggers come from different backgrounds, but several of us are battling the economy.  The Psalms are teaching us that God is our stronghold in the midst of trouble.  The Psalmists lay out their troubles (and they are many) but never fail to give praise to God.  It’s an incredible act of defiance against trouble. 

I’m going to try here (and over at my Frugal Family Friend blog) to consciously look for and write about things to praise during the Lenten season.  I need to fix my eyes and thoughts on something other than the ever present bottom line.

To my surprise and delight, one of today’s daily readings was from Habakkuk.  I needed this today and that’s my first praise:  God speaks to us through his word.  He comes to us where we are, as we are, and lifts us up.

Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vine;
even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren;
even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty,
yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation.
The Sovereign LORD is my strength!
He will make me as surefooted as a deer and bring me safely over the mountains.
(Habakkuk 3:17-19)

Books I Like

I have no memory of not being able to read.  According to my family I started in early and never quit.  We didn't have a tremendous number of books in the house, but my mom and I made frequent trips to the library, usually on Monday nights when Dad worked late and we went out for what we now call a "girls night out."

The best part of our library trips was the freedom to browse the children's section all by myself.  Now I'm a mom and I just realized that my mom was probably enjoying browsing the adult section all by herself.  But I digress...  The worst part was when I didn't check out enough books to make it until the next trip. Dang.

The last big book I read was Les Miserables by Victor Hugo.  It took the better part of my first pregnancy and I frequently discussed the finer points of the book with my unborn son. Now I read all the time, but the books usually contain a fast talking pigeon or Jedi Knight.  I miss having the time to absorb an entire novel at a few sittings.  Most of my adult reading falls under the excuse of "book review."

Still there are Books I Like. There's no pattern here and it's by no means a complete list.  But these are books that resonated somehow.  I've either read them multiple times or think about them as the door to which a genre opened.  They're a mixed bunch: Pride and Prejudice,  Fahrenheit 451,  A Christmas Carol, Ender's Game, Time and Again, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, This Present Darkness...

On a shelf of our bookcase sits a collection of children's Books I Like:  The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe; From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler; Alice in Wonderland;  The Phantom Tollbooth.  They're "newer" books; my childhood copies are long worn away by repeated page turning, so these replaced them in college. Old friends--and I look forward to the day when my kids can meet them too.

Book Review: Then Sings My Soul, Book 3

I’ve purchased copies of Robert J. Morgan’s books as gifts in the past, but I’ve never sat down and read one. Until now.  Morgan’s third volume in the series focuses on the history of Christian music and the development of western hymns.  He still includes the familiar stories behind the hymns, but this time he places them more directly into their historical context.

It’s fascinating to read about the historical struggle the church has had with music.  The early church sang “psalms, hymns and spiritual songs” until music was taken from congregation and given to the clergy.  But Christians kept on singing outside of church and a thousand years later hymns began to find their way back into worship services.  There were the early “worship wars” between Psalm-only hymns and inspired poetry and a strained relationship between popular tunes and traditional forms.  Many of today’s beloved “traditional hymns” were not intended for Sunday morning services, but for camp meetings and revivals.  Morgan celebrates tradition, but reminds us that Christian music is always evolving.

One section worth reading are the “Six Hymn Stories I Love to Tell” where Morgan provides the longer version of the story behind “It is Well with My Soul” and the story of the sisters who wrote the most famous childrens’ hymn: “Jesus Loves Me.”  Morgan makes a good case for reviving the hymnal as a devotional book and for embracing interwoven worship where old and new songs meet.  I heartily agree.

I thoroughly enjoyed Morgan’s book and highly recommend it.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book through Thomas Nelson’s BookSneeze program. 

Book Review: A Year with Jesus by R. P. Nettelhorst

The subtitle of this book is “Daily Reflections and Readings on Jesus’ Own Words” and this 1-year devotional book is just that.  A Year with Jesus focuses on the words of Jesus: his sermons, parables, miracles, and interactions with his disciples and Second Temple Jewish leadership.  The text is divided into 365 daily devotionals; each one takes about 5 minutes to read. The first half of each devotional is a scripture passage taken from a different translation (i.e, NIV, NKJV) or paraphrase (The Message).  The second half of each devo includes a personal reflection or application.  Nettelhorst divides the year’s readings into 10 groups to allow readers to contemplate Jesus’ teachings on the following topics: Love and Hate, Truth and Lies, Arrogance and Humility, Friends and Enemies, Belief and Disbelief, Patience and Impatience, Deserved and Undeserved, Good and Evil, Fidelity and Treachery, and Life and Death.

What struck me most about these devotions is their attention to the Jewish roots of Christianity.  Nettelhorst places some readings in the context of Jewish holidays and reminds readers of the Messianic expectations of Jesus’ time.  I did a little research and discovered that the author not only spent time in Israel (working on a kibbutz) he also did graduate work in Semitic languages.  A Year with Jesus is not “scholarly’--it’s very readable and accessible--but it is intelligent, which gives it a plus in my book.

Since I’m reviewing this close to Christmas, I think this would make a great gift for a family member, friend, or Bible study teacher.  It’s a little big to be completely portable and won’t fit into a purse or glove compartment (if you’re looking for that sort of book) But I’m thankful that Thomas Nelson valued content over size for this volume.  

Highly recommended.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book through Thomas Nelson’s BookSneeze program. 

Book Review: The Peace That God Promises

Book jacket photo from Amazon.com

It's not easy to classify Ann Spangler's book "The Peace That God Promises".  It's not a how-to book, though the author shares practical advice. It's not a self-help book, though it provides counsel on living well. It's not a Bible study, though it's filled with insights and verses from Scripture.

What Spangler has written is an insightful and intelligent guide to be read, highlighted, discussed, and read again.

Spangler opens the book with two concepts culled from her own personal study, namely that the stories we tell ourselves have an effect on the peace we experience in our lives and how we choose to remember our lives--and whether we're truthful with ourselves-- has an impact on our sense of peace. 

If our lives are filled with falsehood, we have difficulty finding and experiencing peace.  Each chapter addresses one aspect of finding peace and Spangler encourages the reader to develop and nurture a peace-filled life through many avenues:
* Forgiving enemies
* Following Christ
* Repentance
* Learning to live in community with others
* Practicing simplicity
* Eliminating hurry
* Observing a day of rest
* Cultivating a life of prayer
* Being mindful of what we say and how we say it

This would be an excellent book for individual or group study.  It would also make an appropriate gift for a friend or family member struggling with anxiety.  Contains questions to use for individual journaling or discussion in a reading group.

I received a free copy of this book to review through the Amazon Vine program.

Book Review: Smack-Dab in the Middle of God’s Love

Authors Brennan Manning and John Blase welcome children to learn what it’s like to be  Smack-Dab in the Middle of God’s Love. This is a gentle story of a couple “smack-dab in the middle of their years”. Willie Juan and Ana have no children of their own, but all the children in town gravitate toward them because of their easy nature, their open hearts, and Ana’s honey-wonderful sopapillas.

One evening Willie Juan asks the children, “Little friends, someday, when you are in heaven, what do you think Abba will ask you?”  (Willie Juan uses the familiar Hebrew, Abba, just as Jesus did)  From this question comes a discussion about what it means to be smack-dab in the middle of God’s love.

This is a lovely book.  Nicole Tadgell’s illustrations are vibrant and lively with bold yellows and pinks and a rainbow of skin colors. The characters' faces are kindly and the book gently addresses some childhood fears when confronted with a God who is both overwhelmingly big and intimately loving.

Despite it’s good qualities, this book did not bear up to a 2nd reading in my household.  It’s a wonderful book for grownups to read, but not very exciting for kids drawn to more action based books.  It is quite wordy and repetitive in a way that repeats the message rather than repeats a refrain, as do many books for young children.  It wasn’t always very clear what the story was about from page to page.  My own children respected this book, but did not enjoy it. Your mileage may vary.

I received a free copy of this book from Thomas Nelson.

Book Review: Managing God's Money by Randy Alcorn

Does God care how we spend money? How can we apply Biblical teaching to our current financial situation?

Randy Alcorn’s latest book, Managing God’s Money: A Biblical Guide, is a fairly comprehensive overview of Biblical teaching on stewardship.  Alcorn’s book is not a “how-to” guide to financial planning. Rather, the first half focuses on developing a scriptural attitude toward money, while the second half provides general guidance on making decisions about handling money in light of the Bible’s teaching.

Alcorn allocates chapters to getting out of debt, teaching children to be good stewards of money and the difference between “grace giving” and tithing. A substantial portion of his book addresses materialism and how it’s gotten Western society into the financial mess we find ourselves in today.

The question and answer format of each chapter made the text easy to follow and the table of contents is handy for browsing through topics of interest.  Alcorn’s style is friendly, yet direct and uncompromising, as a good advisor should be. It’s filled with Scripture references and would make an excellent small group or family study. 

Recommended for pastors, newlyweds, parents, college students and recent graduates,  and those looking to understand the Biblical worldview on handling money.

Tyndale House Publishers provided me with a complementary copy of this book.

Book Review: Money Secrets of the Amish by Lorilee Craker

I usually review books in this blog, but my latest review is over at my other blog, Frugal Family Friend.  The book is called Money Secrets of the Amish: Finding True Abundance in Simplicity, Sharing, and Saving.

I haven't been too impressed with the latest "frugal living" books that have appeared in the bookstores.  (Woman discovers coupons!) However, I'm pretty enthusaistic about this one, mostly because it's packed with plenty of practical tips, some of which I'll be sharing on my own frugal living blog.

I'm also hoping to give away this book (reluctantly, because I love it so) at Frugal Family Friend once I'm done taking notes.  If you haven't seen my new blog, come on over for a visit.

Shalom, y'all.

Book Review: The Happiness of Pursuit

The Tour de France is just around the corner and, in my household, the month of July means three solid weeks of cycling on TV.  That's why I jumped at the chance to review Davis Phinney's new book, The Happiness of Pursuit, for Amazon Vine.

I'm posting my review here as well. While Phinney's story is not the usual Christian-themed book I typically review on this blog, I found his story to be inspiring and admire the co-writers for "bleeping out" any foul language.  I feel pretty secure recommending this to the high school athletes I know.

*****************

The Joy is in the Journey

The Happiness of Pursuit is a multi-layered story.  It’s the story of Davis Phinney’s cycling career. It’s the story of his relationship with father, Damon Phinney.  It’s the story of his love of family and of getting to see son Taylor compete in the Beijing Olympics.  It’s the story of Phinney’s experiences with early onset Parkinson’s Disease.  Above all, this book is a collection of stories that reflect Phinney’s never-give-up attitude, which served him well as a cyclist and which he relies on in his battle with Parkinson’s.

Readers looking for a “tell-all” cycling memoir this summer should look elsewhere.  Phinney and co-writer Austin Murphy have given us a glimpse into the difficult work and choices that cyclists make in their career. But the point of the story is not the prize at the end nor fame nor fortune, but about celebrating life’s everyday victories whether they be barely hanging on to compete another day of racing or merely getting oneself out of bed.

Though some of the people mentioned in this book will be unfamiliar to those who don't follow professional cycling, even non-fans will find Phinney's story inspirational and engaging. A terrific fathers and sons story that will appeal to older teens and adults alike.

Royal Wedding

Videotaped the ceremony.  Didn't want to wake the kids up.  I'm sure glad the ceremony went a little better than this.  Very funny.

Book Review: Max on Life by Max Lucado

Readers have questions and Max has answers.  Max on Life is a collection of questions that Lucado has fielded as a pastor, a husband, a father, and an author.  The book files questions under categories of Hope, Hurt, Help, Him/Her, Home, Haves/Have-Nots, and Hereafter.

More specifically Max Lucado tackles 172 questions that involve prayer life, discerning God’s calling, dating, disagreements, sex, money, heaven and more.  I’ll admit to thumbing through the book looking for answers to the “big questions” and Max does address some, but the book is aimed more at practical advice for Christians, not the theological puzzles that won’t be answered this side of heaven.

Sample questions:
#14: How can I get free of the fear that God might not forgive me?
#64: I’ve asked God to heal me from cancer. He healed my friend from cancer, but so far he hasn’t helped me. My friend says I should pray with more faith. Is she right?
#144: I was born to worry. What advice do you have for us fretters?
#170: ...”How could a loving God send people to Hell?”...Can you help me answer my friend’s question?

Max on Life is a collection of gleanings from Lucado’s years in the ministry and some of his books. Lucado’s answers are brief and pithy, supported by Scripture, and salted with experience.  I’d recommend this book to Lucado’s fans, seminarians, pastors, counselors, or anyone involved in a church ministry.  Somehow, somewhere, many of these questions are going to crop up.

Max may not have all the answers, but he knows the One who does.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255  : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Half the Church by Carolyn Custis James: Book Review

Carolyn Custis James is concerned about women.  While God intends women to “thrive, mature, gain wisdom, hone their gifts, and contribute to his vast purposes in our world” (p. 76),  other voices relegate women to, at best, a soft ghetto of second class status, or worse, outright dismissal and horrific abuse.

James has become the voice of a generation of women who desire authentic Christian living that moves beyond platitudes into meaningful action,  in which women (and men) live up to their role as God’s image bearers.  Half the Church for women to roll up their sleeves and get to work on behalf of the Kingdom.

Have Western interpretations made the gospel message relevant only to white, middle class, married women with children?  Or do Jesus’ words and actions have meaning for every woman: the unmarried woman, the widow, the childless, the woman forced into sex trafficking, the Third World child-bride?  James’s answer in Half the Church is a resounding yes--and she has both the Scripture and the skills to back it up.

Half the Church will challenge, inspire, possibly provoke, but it will not leave you feeling unmoved.  Discussion questions follow each chapter.  Note and citations at the end of the book.

I will definitely be passing this one around to friends.

Half the Church: Recapturing God's Global Vision for Women
Carolyn Custis James
Zondervan
2010

Disclaimer:  I received a copy of this book free from Amazon.com as part of the Amazon Vine program.

Time with God for Mothers by Jack Countryman: Book Review

Time with God for Mothers by Jack Countryman is a collection of some 90 brief devotions based on verses from the New King James Version.  Sprinkled throughout the text are jeweled flowers and butterflies as if to equate Mother with a precious jewel.  The devotions are in no particular order or grouping and apply to all mothers, whether they be newly minted moms hauling a diaper bag, or the matriarch of a grown family.


Devotion titles include:

• Encouragement Changes Everything
• The Joy of a Mother’s Faith
• What is Your God-Given Talent?

Appendices include:

• Mother’s Prayers in the Bible (think Hannah, Naomi, Mary)
• Index to verses about the responsibilities of motherhood (compassion, discipline) 
• Index to verses about the promises of motherhood (fruitfulness, grace)
• A place for notes

I’ve reviewed books by Countryman before and am impressed at how he writes so tenderly for women.  The primary mood of these devotions is encouragement and these words of encouragement could easily have come from a son reflecting on what a godly mother taught him.  This is a lovely volume containing powerful Scripture and easy to read devotions that would make a great gift for your own Mom, a new mom, or a friend who’s a mom.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255  : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Eat Your Peas for Mom: Book Review

Today’s mail packet contained a small volume that’s part of the “Eat Your Peas” series of books by Cheryl Karpen.  Eat Your Peas for Mom is subtitled Simple Truths and Happy Insights.  The “eat your peas” part comes from Karpen’s own mother’s advice and this book contains something the author calls “nutrients for your heart.”

I love the cover design, but as I began flipping through the pages of this book I thought, “Oh dear. This one’s going to be glurgy.”  Call me a cynical child of the 1980‘s, but I’m not a fan of overly sentimental collections of phrases and this one does have a few.  [Maybe I’ve had one too many sappy emails in my in-box?]

Yet, when I sat down and went through the pages in order I could see a beautiful progression of sentiments that seemed to capture a woman’s thoughts about mother that range from:

• You reassured me as a child
• You put up with me as a teen and young adult
• The things you did now start to make sense to me
• I am who I am because of you
• I’ll always need you--but right now I want you to get out there and do the things you put off when you had children

Part apology, part head-smacking “why didn’t I appreciate you sooner,” there are some lovely thoughts expressed here that'll warm mom's heart.  But if this book really captures your feelings toward mom, use some of the ample white space on the left-side pages and write her a personal note. Otherwise, it’s just a book.

So, I'm of mixed feelings about this book.  It's definitely a "gift book" and it really depends on the giver and receiver as to whether or not this will make a good gift.  The spring release of Eat Your Peas for Mom is just in time to order for Mother’s Day on May 8th.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255  : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Renew Your Strength

The inspiration for this week's Jesus Boat Blog post came from a Scripture verse I saw at my son's Tae Kwon Do class.  Master Perri and instructor Karen both have Zech. 4:6 on their black belts. (and that is so cool)

So, of course I had to look it up:

So he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.  Zechariah 4:6 NIV

I thought that a post talking about Tae Kwon Do might sound strange coming from a blog out of Israel (I could be wrong) so I changed the sport to weightlifting.

Here's this week's post:

Renew Your Strength


The man plants his feet on the mat and steadies his legs.  He bends his knees and grips a steel bar firmly with both hands.  His face twists into a grimace as he straightens his legs and hoists the weighted barbell high above his head.  He releases the weight and raises muscled arms in triumph: a new world record.

Athletes who perform feats of amazing strength are easy to identify by their muscular arms and legs.  Less obvious to the eye are the ordinary strongmen around us: those who shoulder heavy burdens and endure uncommon difficulties.  From where do they get their strength? How do we gain that strength?

Read the rest at The Jesus Boat Blog

A Path Through the Legos--Monday Manna

Today I’m joining in Monday Manna over at Vonnie Blake’s blog, My Back Door.  The purpose of Monday Manna is to get to know God’s word a little better by meditating on a selected verse, then writing about it and linking up with fellow bloggers.

This week’s verse is Psalm 18:36 --
“Thou hast enlarged my steps under me,  that my feet did not slip.” (KJV)




Living in a house inhabited by boys, the first image that sprang to mind was of carefully navigating the minefield of Legos, Hot Wheels, and Star Wars figurines that emerges in our living room every day after school.  You don't step on the Legos (ouch); you stick to the uncluttered path (wherever that might be).

The smooth path is the better way.

The NIV gives a different translation, “You provide a broad path for my feet, so that my ankles do not give way.”  The HCSB translates the verse, “You widen [a place] beneath me for my steps, and my ankles do not give way.”

One of my favorite classes in seminary was the “maps class”: Historical Geography of the Bible.  For an entire semester we traced the paths the Israelites took as they traveled to and through the Promised Land.  The Psalmist was quite familiar with the difference between the wide and narrow paths. The best roads to travel were between mountains and across the wide, flat plains. These became the highways that merchants, kings, and armies used.  It’s possible to travel over the mountains, but you need nimble feet and steady ankles.

The smooth path is the better way.

The New Century Version translates, “You give me a better way to live, so I live as you want me to.”

You have to navigate through life's problems and dangers, they come to the believer as well as the unbeliever.   Walk in the way of the world (be this thin, buy this car, earn this much, you can do it--just think positive) and you're likely to wind up with a foot full of Legos.  Walk in The Way of Jesus and he will enlarge your steps:  “For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matt. 11:30)

Let Jesus be your guide. His smooth path is the better way.

You clear the way for me, and now I won't stumble. (CEV)