If you’re anything like me, when a decision is needed, you want to hurry it along. You want the question or the problem resolved. Sometimes, however, God wants us to wait. Maybe such waiting teaches us to cling to Him? This quote from the daily devotional I’ve been using, Streams in the Desert vol. 1, expresses it well. “‘In fierce storms,’ said an old seaman, ‘we must do one thing; there is only one way: we must put the ship in a certain position and keep her there.’ This, Christian, is what you must do. Sometimes like Paul, you can see neither sun nor stars, and no small tempest lies on you ..read more

This short book explains how religious and other organizations can make decisions through a process of consensus rather than majority vote. One author is a Quaker, a group known for using this method; the other is a Baptist, part of a group (The Evergreen Association of American Baptist Churches) that has also adopted consensus as part of their bylaws. Here is their definition of consensus: “We reach consensus when all of us are ready to live with the decision we are making. We do not have to endorse it wholeheartedly, but we must all be ready to agree not to work or speak against the decisio ..read more

This is the second novel in the Yada Yada Prayer Group series. In it, you will find the same cast of characters, continuing to work on relationships with God and with one another. The diverse group continues to visit one another’s churches where they are exposed to differences in culture and religious traditions. Racial division and personality conflicts threaten to break them apart and a traumatic robbery causes turmoil. Members learn to confront their fears, prejudices and past suffering through prayer and forgiveness. At the end of the book there is a listing of cultural celebrations that ..read more

This book is subtitled, A Christian Guide to Reading Books, and it has many good suggestions about what and how to read. I loved it because I agree with the author on so many levels. I was thrilled to find someone else who reads more than one book at a time! Someone who believes that we can grow in our faith through reading, even reading books that are not specifically Christian! Who writes in the margins of books, and underlines them (the books you own, of course)! Who understands that reading with an e-reader is not the same experience as reading a book! Tony Reinke and I are definitely kin ..read more

Sometimes making a decision requires some research and study. If you’re a Christian, that study may include the Bible and other Christian materials. Whatever your research entails, here’s a bit of advice on how to read for deep understanding. “Remember, it is not hasty reading, but serious meditating upon holy and heavenly truths, that makes them prove sweet and profitable to the soul. It is not the bee’s touching of the flower that gathers honey, but her abiding for a time upon the flower that draws out the sweet. It is not he that reads most, but he that mediates most, that will prove the c ..read more

According to George Barna, founder and president of the Barna Research Group, many who profess to be Christian do not actually have a Christian worldview; and others have a Christian worldview, but never succeed in connecting that worldview to their daily activity. Here’s how he defines a biblical worldview: “(It) … is a means of experiencing, interpreting, and responding to reality in light of biblical perspective. This life lens provides a personal understanding of every idea, opportunity, and experience based on the identification and application of relevant biblical principles so that eve ..read more

If you are a family with young children, and you do daily devotions, this book might be a good choice for use during the weeks leading up to Easter. It contains 40 stories taken from the life of Jesus (including the resurrection but not the crucifixion), each about one page long. Each story includes a prayer and an illustration of the text. Throughout the book, poetry patterned on “Twas the night before Christmas” is interspersed. The stories are biblically accurate, and the illustrations by Elena Selivanova are lovely. My only concern is the age range given (4-8). The stories will be a littl ..read more

This is the second book I’ve read recently written by a missionary. As I read this one, I pondered the assurance this author had in his calling to mission work, and in particular to Mongolia. What is it that makes Hogan, or Jim Eliott, or any other missionary willing to endure all the inconveniences and difficulties of a foreign culture? What gives them the strength to persevere when persecuted, or even sacrifice their life? How can they be so sure that the decisions they are making really are the will of God? Thinking back to the time our congregation went through a program called Fanning th ..read more

This is actually taken from a bookmark I received from the AFLC (Association of Free Lutheran Churches) Home Missions, http://www.aflchomemissions.org. What does Scripture say on the subject? “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy:3:16-17 Consider what your conscience is telling you. “One person esteems one day as better than another; while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind ..read more

Not too long ago I read and reviewed Steven Curtis Chapman’s autobiography (Between Heaven & the Real World by Steven Curtis Chapman — Book Review.) I discovered that his wife, Mary Beth, had also written a book, so I decided to check it out–(literally, from the library)! Like her husband, Mary Beth is very honest in describing the events of her life. She has struggled with depression, loves routine, and never imagined herself living the life of a celebrity spouse. It was interesting, since I read these books close together, to see the same life events described from two different vi ..read more