Just Thinking Outloud

That would make a really great name for a blog…but alas I’m happy with the one I have. Although I’ve thought I really should have named my blog, “Another dumb girl”, which was my first nickname…I guess.

You see when I was born my uncle was in the second grade. As the story goes, the day after I was born was show and tell day for that particular second grade class. The teacher stood there before her students and asked my uncle, “Do you have anything for show-and-tell today?”

My uncle stood, feet spread far apart, fists jammed into his pockets, and said, “Yeah, I got summthin’ ta say, my sister had another dumb girl.”

Of course he denies it to this day, but the teacher was so touched (probably by the sheer silliness of it all) remembered it and told my grandmother.  Now that I think about it, this is the same uncle who many years later would drop a 10-pound weight on my head.  But that is another story for another day.

This morning I was reading a devotional (that I promise has nothing to do a dumb girl, or dropping weights on heads of dumb girls) and one of the verses they recommend reading was Genesis 50:20. You’re familiar, I’m sure, with the back story. Joseph has been sold into slavery, his brothers go to Egypt to get food because they are starving to death. Joseph eventually reveals to them that he is Joseph. In Genesis 50, Jacob had died and the brothers were still fearful of Joseph and wanted to be sure he let them live a nice long life.

In verse 20, Joseph says, “What you meant for harm, God meant for good.”

I got hung up by the words “God meant”. I stopped and began pondering what those mean. God meant…

God meant it for good. Does that mean “God caused it”? Or does it mean more like Romans 8:28 that God used it for good?

Now I know God is sovereign and nothing happens to His children without His permission, I guess my question this morning is this:

Did God cause the brothers to sell Joseph into slavery so good would be the result? Or did God merely allow them to sell him because He could make good come from it?

Maybe it’s all just semantics and really it’s both.

I think when someone meant to do something they intended all along for it to happen. It was their plan. But when they use something that happened for another purpose I think it’s different. They didn’t mean for it to happen it just did.

So did God mean for Joseph to be sold for good, or was Joesph sold into slavery and God used it for good? I know God knew from before time immemorial that Joseph would be sold and it wasn’t a surprise at all.

I was hoping by the time I reached this part of my outloud thinking, I would have thought my way into an answer…but alas I haven’t.  I’m no closer to knowing which one it was, but I do know it really doesn’t matter and my curious mind will have to let it rest.

Beginning Prayer by John Killinger

from barnesandnoble.com

Prayer is probably my biggest difficulty in the Christian life. Yes, I struggle with sin. But communing with God is difficult. When I saw the book Beginning Prayer by John Killinger I knew I had to read it.

Published by Upper Room Ministries (which as far as I can tell through research is a division of the United Methodist Church), Beginning Prayer is an easy read book, the flavor almost reminds me of an old book. It is written in an almost conversational tone, or at least like a college lecture with your favorite professor.

It doesn’t matter at all in the grand scheme of things but at times I wasn’t sure if it was written by/to Catholics or by/to Protestants.  It could work very well with either group.  It lends itself to be very liturgical in nature.

The only thing I did not like about the book was he talks about chanting our prayers like one chants a mantra. Just a word or phrase over and over. He tells the story of one man who was given the task of praying “the prayer of Jesus” over and over, at first having to say it 30,000 times in a day. Within it week it was nearly tripled. Now he spends hours a day just chanting that one phrase.  He also talked of prayer in silence and said we need to “rid our mind of everything.” That to me sounds a little too much like transcendental meditation. Which I’m not interested in at all.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of review.

 

The Fourth Fisherman by Joe Kissack

from http://www.barnesandnoble.com

In 2005, 5 fishermen set sail from San Blas, Mexico for what they believed would be a regular job of net fishing. When a storm blew in and they lost their net, the captain would not return to port for rest and more fuel. He wanted that net, worth over $1000, and refused to rest until it was found. They crisscrossed the area until they ran short of fuel. Soon they were adrift.

Joe Kissack spent most of his adult life struggling to please his earthly father. He quickly rose in the ranks of television syndication.  He bought fast cars, fancy houses and still felt incredibly empty. He turned to alcohol and drugs and watched as his life unraveled.

The Fourth Fisherman is the story of both, Joe Kissack and the three remaining Mexican fishermen.  It is also the story of faith in God who pursues us.

The three fishermen spent 9 months adrift, floating out of control for 5,500 miles. They were found off the shores of Taiwan.  For almost all that time the only thing they had was each other and their faith in God. When Joe lost all his “gods” and discovered the only God he really needed, he found that God to be enough.

Joe tells the story will candor and a little humor. You will be captivated by both stories. I know I was. I liked the whole book, from the front cover to the back cover, with one exception. I did not like the way he treated his wife. He wasn’t abusive per  se but he did  not keep his promises and it didn’t seem to bother him. His wife went through a lot for him and because of him.

If you’re looking for a good story about unwavering faith in God, read this book!

 

I received a free copy of this book for the purpose of review.

 

Life

For the first time in a long, long time I have no book reviews to do. At least I don’t think I do. I am reading a book or two or fifty, but I’m in the process of reading them. I have learned that publishers generally want you to read the book before you have read the book.

But since I have no book reviews you’re stuck with the thoughts in my head.  I don’t know whether to tell you to check your twitter account, facebook, the stock market, or stay here and suffer the consequences.

Well with a thought like that how could you possibly leave?

On Sunday our pastor used Ephesians 5. He reminded us we are to walk in light and also to walk in wisdom.  He brought out that we are to walk in light because we were once darkness but now we are light. We aren’t THE light, that is Jesus. But we are light. We are to shine our light brightly and not hide it under a bushel basket. We aren’t supposed to attempt to put it out. We are supposed to live in such a way that our light shines and when people see us they really see Jesus.  When we do that we’ll have to be prepared to give an answer for the hope we have or the light we spread.

But that isn’t all we supposed to do. We are also supposed to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. We are supposed to have no fellowship with them; we are to expose them and we are not to speak of them.

So, why do we?

We not only fellowship with them, we refuse to expose them and we speak of them loud and long.  Why?

I have noticed a movement in the church that says we are not supposed to ever tell anyone what they are doing is wrong. Why? Is that not exposing the unfruitful deeds (works) of darkness?  Im Florida, failure to tell your neighbor his house is on fire is illegal. Why would you not tell your neighbor that? It’s a pretty important thing to tell your neighbor, especially if he is inside his house.

Why do we not tell people what sin is and what the cure is? Hell is a lot more dangerous than just your house being on fire. But if we don’t tell others we are condemning them to a life apart from God forever. And forever is a very long time.

We also aren’t even to speak of them. We aren’t to name the things people do. Why? Because it’s shameful. For many of us, not only are we speaking of it, we’re practicing the very same things. People, this should not be! Have we no shame? Have we really forgotten how to blush?

I am not at all saying we are to let the world “go to hell in a handbasket“. Not at all! I am saying we are to be light, exposing dark places. Those dark places inside of us and in the world. Now we aren’t to beat the world over the head, “You’re a dirty rotten sinner and you’re going to hell!” We are to walk in love, in light and in wisdom.  We are to be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks us about the hope we have. We are not to keep it to ourselves. Light was meant to be shared!

So go share your light today!

What’s Your Mark by Jeremy Cowart

This is a great book!!!

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today’s Wild Card author is:

Jeremy Cowart

and the book:

What’s Your Mark?

 Zondervan; Special edition (March 19, 2013)

***Special thanks to Rick Roberson for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Award-winning photographer Jeremy Cowart has traveled the globe photographing some of the biggest names in the music and entertainment industries. With boundless energy, indomitable faith and a mind ever-flowing with creative ideas, Cowart appears utterly tireless and rarely stops. There is always something unique and interesting going on in his world, whether it’s starring in an episode of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, raising money to fight poverty through his Twitter feed, teaching photography online or taking the cover shot for Tim Tebow‘s best-selling autobiography.

Born in Nashville, Cowart continues to make Music City his home. Here in the comfort of familiar surroundings he draws continual inspiration from his wife, Shannon, and their two beautiful children, Aidler and Eisley, ages five and seven. Though he clearly considers his craft a labor of joy, when not holding a camera he has time for his favorite pastime which is doing anything that involves his children, and much to his delight, joy around the Cowart home is about to increase as the family is in the process of adopting two children from Haiti.
Visit the author’s website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

What do an actor, a TV producer, a businessman, and a leader in social justice causes have in common? They’re all making their mark on the world because their lives have been eternally marked by Jesus. You’ll be captivated, challenged, and changed as you read their stories in this full-color, fully illustrated softcover book created by celebrity photographer Jeremy Cowart. With text from the Gospel of Mark, you are invited to ask—and answer—the question “What mark am I making?”

Product Details:

List Price: $14.99

Paperback: 120 pages

Publisher: Zondervan; Special edition (March 19, 2013)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0310411092

ISBN-13: 978-0310411093

AND NOW…A SNEAK PEEK. CLICK ON IMAGES TO VIEW THEM LARGER:

Get Back Up by Sheryl Giesbrecht

Sometimes life knocks us down. We get bloodied, bruised, and dirty. So often when this happens we feel unfit for service, we feel we are a broken pot not fit for anything. We take ourselves out of ministry. That might not be God’s desire, not His plan. His plan is restoration.

Sheryl Giesbrecht knows what it means to let God pick her up, dust her off, heal her wounds and use her for increased ministry. She shares her story in Get Back Up, Trusting God when Life Knocks You Down. 

She gives a list of questions for the reader to answer at the end of each chapter. My only “trouble” with this was some of the questions seemed to me to be too focused on the “bad” thing that happened and not the grace and love of God. I’d rather focus on Him and how He can heal, than whatever issue I might have experienced. If we focus on the things of life that are hard that is all we can see. But when we focus not on troubles but on Jesus that is when we find true healing.

If you are struggling with some of life’s hard knocks, this might be a book for you. It’s an easy read and mostly biblically sound. I did find a few places she took a few liberties with the Bible, and we know I’m not a fan of that at all, but for the most part it’s Scriptural.

For me the book didn’t really teach anything. (and I shudder to say that.) It almost seemed more a list of “this happened to me and God did…..”. Which is good! I love hearing how God works in other people’s lives. I was expecting a more hands-on approach to trusting God when life knocks me down than I found in the pages.  She does give some very practical suggestions and does encourage the reader to focus on Jesus. Which is a VERY GOOD thing!

I received a free copy of this book for the purpose of review.

Permission Granted by Margot Starbuck

Permission Granted by Margot Starbuck is an interesting read. I believe the premise of the book is to give Christians permission to love others as Jesus loves. I’m not sure we need permission. In fact, I’m  not sure we’re not already doing that. To be sure we could always do more but to say we’re not doing it at all is not true.

I’ve posted before about people in my town reaching out across denominational lines to be Jesus to  people. There is more to be done and there is more being done.

In Permission Granted, Margot led me to believe if I am not going into strip clubs, attending Gay Pride Parades (without being asked) or attending Porn conventions, I am not loving and being Jesus to the world.

I read over and over how sinners loved Jesus, they flocked to Him. And it’s true, they did. However, a look further into it reveals why they did. Did they flock to Him because they loved Him and wanted to be with Him? Some yes. But the majority flocked to Him because He healed them, He fed them. They flocked to Him because of what He could do for them. And when He refused to be a puppet on a string for them, when He required something from them, they simply stopped following Him. They stayed only long enough to get their needs met and when confronted with their own selfish desires and the need to choose, they choose to walk away.

I read in Permission Granted that Jesus attended “raucous parties” given by sinners. I do not read that in Scripture. He did eat with sinners, that I can find. I can find no real mention of raucous parties at all. I also rediscovered He ate with Pharisees as well.

It was re-cemented in my mind that if I am living  and loving and obeying Jesus, my life will stand out in a good way. People will naturally be curious. I will have to as 1 Peter 3:15 says:

but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

I don’t need permission for that.

The examples Margot uses (attending a Gay Pride Parade, visiting a strip club, attending a porn convention…and really why do they have those?) and many she doesn’t, is not a good idea. We are called to be separate, to make a difference by being different. We are told in Scripture in dealing with fellow believers who are caught in any sin to be careful and mature about restoring. Why? So we don’t fall into the same temptation. Is it, or should it be any different when we deal with the world? No. Now I’m not saying we should beat them over the head with “you’re a sinner. Change your ways or fry!” Not at all. I’m saying we are not to partake, we are in fact to avoid ALL appearance of evil.

We are also to be careful not to offend our fellow Christians, we are not to cause one of them to stumble. And I can see very much how this behaviour touted in the book as the “way to love like Jesus” would do that very thing.  We can’t violate one command in the Bible to fulfill another. Yes, there are those who will be offended no matter what we do however, I have found that to be more true of the world than fellow Christians.

All in all, the book a fairly easy read. Parts of it are biblically sound, other parts are not.  I can’t say I recommend the book which to me is sad, because I really really wanted to love this book. Please, let’s remember if we are living our lives in obedience to Jesus, living and loving so He is glorified, we will make a difference, we will reach the “sinners” (special or not) of this world with the love of Jesus, lives will  be changed, He will be glorified and the world will wonder what hit them.

 

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of review.

Get Off Your Donkey by Reggie McNeal

We all know we need to help others. We know that there are those less fortunate than us that need our help. We also know it doesn’t matter where we are economically speaking, there are those who are in need of our help. We know that.

We know we need to get up and help them. We know that. And for many of us we are doing that. But for others, we just don’t. Maybe we expect someone else to do. We claim we don’t have time. We “gave at the office”. We don’t know what to do. So we do nothing.

Get Off Your Donkey by Reggie McNeal addresses this issue. If you’re thinking this is play on words, substituting “donkey” for the King James version of “donkey”, you’d be right.

This book is a hard-hitting, pull-no-punches book. That can be both a good thing and a bad thing. You might want to read it for yourself to know which you think it is.

I had a few problems with this book. First, it seemed to be written with the mindset that no one is doing anything. Which is completely false and I’m sure is not at all what Reggie McNeal intended.  Second, it came across to me as very harsh. He mentioned in the book that he has learned a few things about himself. One being the very way he talks often drives people away. He said he has learned to add “sensitivity (on occasion)”. This book was not one of those occasions. Third, he states at the end of the book the “reason” we are to help those less fortunate, so they will have a better life. Not so they will have eternal life, or the abundant life Jesus promises, but a good life. So America will be turned around. So there will be no more “gloom and doom” forecasted for this country. In my opinion if we are only helping others so they will have a better life, we’re missing the boat entirely.  If we’re helping those less fortunate by saying in essence, “I’m okay, you’re okay”. We’re helping Jesus right out of the equation. And fourthly (or lastly), I did not like the title. I know it seems petty. But honestly, I don’t think it’s funny. I find it rather offensive. Why do we think it’s okay to talk like this world’s culture by changing a few words, and giggling like school girls because “we’re saying something bad? If the author intended to say “Get off your ass” then he should have said that and not used a “more acceptable” word. But that is my opinion and yours might be different.

 

(I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of review.)

The Poor

I’ve been reading a lot of books about helping the poor. It’s a good thing. We are commanded in Scripture to help the poor, the widows and orphans. In my reading one question keeps coming to mind repeatedly.

Who are the poor?

Now it might sound like I’m asking the same question the rich young man asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” But trust me, I’m not. I’m not looking for loopholes. I’m not looking for ways around the command. I think we first need to define the poor so we can know how to help them.

Some think the poor are only those like this:

from http://www.lancegold.blogspot.com

Black skinned and in dire need of food. Yes, they are poor, the live every day in abject poverty. They go to bed hungry, they wake up hungry. They aren’t able to go to school because they don’t have food, school supplies and might be needed to carry a heavy workload at home. To many people, this is the poor people.

But what about people like this?

from http://www.forbes.com

Could this man be poor? He obviously isn’t lacking in financial resources. He looks like he has every thing he needs. If we look only on the surface of things though.

The poor are not only those lacking in financial resources. I contend every single person alive on planet earth are in some way, shape or form poor.  With that in mind, I believe our focus on helping the poor, meaning those living in poverty, is too narrow.

If we broaden our focus to see that all men are poor and work to help them in whatever their needs are we are fulfilling the command.

It is very easy to see the poor as only those lacking financial resources because it’s easy to throw a few dollars into a collection plate or give to an organization that works to eradicate the poor. It’s a little harder to actually get our hands dirty investing in someone else’s life. It’s not easy to get involved with those who are needy.

We are all needy. We all have the cure for someone else’s need. Those of us who love and serve Jesus have exactly what someone else needs. Are we sharing it? Are we helping the poor if we leave Jesus out of the equation?

I contend that we aren’t. If we merely help the poor and ignore the needs of those who don’t look poor around us, we aren’t really doing what Jesus commanded.  If we help but don’t share the great love of Jesus, we aren’t doing enough.

I’m not at all saying we have to be “doing” all the time. I am saying when we realize the great gift we have, that Jesus alones meets all our needs, and we don’t share Him with others we aren’t helping. We’re keeping our lamp under a bushel basket.

I know there are some who are steeped in a legalistic gospel based on what we do. I’m not doing that. I’m saying our love for Jesus should extend to His people and the people of this world. Out of our love for Him should naturally outpour good works for Him. Not because it’s legislated from a pulpit, or the pages of a book or even this blog.

So how about if we start praying for eyes to see the needs in others? Even if they look “rich” in our eyes. Even if they don’t look like they need anything. Maybe what they just need is someone to notice them. To befriend them. To talk to them. To pray with them.

And yes, let’s not forget those who are starving for food. But so many are starving for something.

The Whole Gospel

I just finished Richard Stearns‘ book, The Hole In Our Gospel. Richard is the president of World Vision.  His background is in business and to say he wasn’t thrilled with the possibility of leaving a well-paying job to go to work for World Vision would be an understatement. But he listened to the call of God and did just that. Even though he, like so many of us, argued a bit with God by arguing with His people first.

I have had the book for a few years and just felt the time was right for reading it. I think really it was just God‘s timing. I don’t normally keep books for 4 years before reading them. I tend to devour books as soon as they are in my hot, grubby little hands.  I don’t yet know the reason I waited 4 years to read the book and it really doesn’t matter.

I can’t say I loved the book; I liked it but love might be a bit too strong. At times I found myself saying “YES! Exactly!” and other times I was wanting to throw it against a wall. I found myself at times agreeing and other times disagreeing. I found myself liking the book and hating the book.

Early on in my reading I told Mr. FullCup the hardest thing for me was I could not relate to the man at all. He was talking about driving a Jaguar to work, making a 6-figure salary and questioning becoming the president of a mission organization a position he did not seek out for himself. I can’t relate to that…from a financial viewpoint anyway. We have done some things for God that the world, and our fellow believers said was crazy. So I can relate that way.

Richard Stearns is very passionate about the poor of the world, especially those in developing

from http://thinkloud65.wordpress.com

countries. His passion comes through loud and clear in the book.

I think though his focus might be a bit narrow. I got the impression from the book that if one is not working to eradicate hunger, poverty, disease from developing countries, one just isn’t using the whole gospel, instead one has a “hole in the gospel”.

I live in a small, rural area of America. And in my town of a little under 20,000 we have abject poverty. We have the poor living sometimes a block from the wealthy similar to how it is described in developing countries of the world. Right here in my town, that hasn’t been hit yet with the huge economic crisis of the rest of the nation, we have abject poverty, we have homeless, we have AIDS/HIV positive(or infected) people. We don’t have the diseases other places in the world do, but we have everything else.

We also have groups of believers reaching across denominational lines to meet these needs. On any day of the week, there are those who are sacrificially making food for the hungry. Every day. Every week. Every month. All year. One group hosts a “Diaper Depot” every month. The “poor” can come and get packages of diapers for free. A group of pastors have banded together and operate a mobile food pantry the last Friday of the month. People from their congregations donate non-perishable food and also help serve those in need.  A group of knitters and crocheters have come together, both believers and non-believers, to knit for charity. They have made chemo caps for cancer victims, hats, scarves, mittens for those affected by wildfires in our area, Linus  blankets for children in need. They are contemplating making sweaters for World Vision.

from http://www.untaintedliving.com

I think it is horrific that all the “state-run” aid places in my town make you prove your need before being helped. If you don’t qualify for their help, you don’t receive anything. Even if you do qualify you often have to wait weeks if not a month to receive anything. With the people/places I mentioned above, there is no “prove your need first”. There is just “you have a need, we have a way to meet it.” Isn’t that what the church should be doing?

While reading I had a thought I had to mull over a bit, really I mauled it over in my mind; if Americans reached out to end poverty in America, our reach would stretch around the world. I might work to stamp out poverty in my town, the person I help might work to stamp out poverty in the county, the person they help might work to stamp out poverty in our state, that person might work to stamp out poverty in our country, that person might work to stamp out poverty in our world. It’s the old “if each one, reach one” mentality. It’s making a difference for one person, who makes a difference for one more and on and on it goes.

If we only focus on meeting the needs of the poor living on the continent of Africa and ignore the poor in our own neighborhoods, we have a hole in our gospel.  We cannot meet the needs of one group while ignoring the same needs in someone else. It shouldn’t matter your geographical location.  I think it is very short-sighted and wrong to say if one is not working to eradicate poverty and hunger in developing countries, one isn’t doing anything.

This book left me inspired to do more. I am sure that was Richard’s desire, to move, to motive those who can do do more, to give more. To be Jesus hands and feet wherever they are geographically.

 

(This is a book review of sorts. I purchased the book however and did not receive a free copy from the publisher for this purpose.)