Courageous Living

I hesitated as I saw the book title sitting in my email.

Courageous Living: Dare To Take A Stand; A book that is a call for men to stand up, fight back for their faith and get involved with their families written by Michael Catt, Pastor of Sherwood Baptist in Albany Georgia.

I’m a lady that stands up for her faith and I am and will always be involved with my family in that my greatest desire is that my children serve the Lord faithfully while my husband and I follow the path set before us.

I admit that I half-heartedly downloaded the book from christianaudio.com. I’m truly glad that I did!

Not only is this book a call for men to “man up” courageously, but ladies, much of it applies to us too.

This book reminds us that we need men to boldly lead the way, following Christ and husbands/dads to hold their family accountable in their actions, owning their mistakes. We need men to courageously stand up for what is right, even if you are standing alone.

The book is filled with example after example of courageous men and women doing what God has called them to do with modern day applications that will encourage the timid, motivate the discouraged and inspire all who read to courageously do more.

Ladies, we are not off the hook here. Much of what is in this book applies to us too. We want men to lead the way, but we resist following them. We use the fact that our husbands don’t go to church to simply stay home because “what’s the use anyway.” We let our children do whatever they want to because it’s such a bother to keep up with them and we wonder why they don’t choose to serve the Lord when they move out. Enough of the excuses…..time to “man up” ladies.

Being a Christian isn’t easy, never has been, but when in your life time have you heard of a stoning in the USA? Sure it’s often not a life of convenience, but neither is anything that is worth having.

Courageous Living is a call to action for each and every one of us.

It’s our choice to boldly stand and choose right courageously. It’s our choice to own up to our responsibilities and make a difference for the Lord. It’s our choice to get involved and be faithful to our local church.

If you don’t like the study groups that are going on, suggest a new one – LEAD a new one, but don’t just be passive about it. DO SOMETHING. Go, be faithful and get involved!

Be courageous….and watch how others around you will gather courage as well.

Will you answer the call? Will you dare to stand?

This book was filled with many lines that I could quote for days.

Get the book and enJOY.

(Ladies, anytime you see the word man or husband – simply replace with woman/wife. WE need this too.)

• We need a new generation of men that don’t look to the corporate as a measure of their success; rather they look into the lives of wives and children.

• We desperately need men who find their significance in faith, family and hard work.

• Greatness is determined by God not by man.

• Life should not be about stuff, it should be about the Savior.

• A life of courage will see what others can’t see and believe what others can’t believe.

• Courage demands a decision.

• The Church can’t resurrect what the family puts to death.

• If fear is contagious then courage is also contagious.

• Fear focuses on obstacles, courage focuses on opportunity. Fear sees with eyes of the flesh, Courage sees with eyes of faith.

• Following Christ should not be multiple choice in your home.

• The faith that once cost people their lives, doesn’t even motivate us to stay faithful to the local church.

• You aren't a man until you take responsibility and live in accountability.

This audio book is read by Maurice England and is extremely easy to listen to as he reads with passion.

I've not seen it as of yet, but I'm sure the movie will be just as good. Watch a trailer of Courageous the Movie here.

Thank you to christianaudio for a complimentary copy of this book via the Reviewers program. I am not required to give a positive review of this book.

Christianaudio has a free audiobook for your downloading pleasure each and every month, as well as gift certificates for the audio book enthusiast in your world.

Sticky Jesus

Does living your faith out loud and online seem like an impossible thing? Think again! Social media has given Christians a wonderful way to expand their ministry into places that I wouldn’t have even thought possible years ago. Many people wonder if it’s worth the time, if it’s all its hyped up to be and should they bother.

I say YES!

You aren’t sure where to start? Then Sticky Jesus is the book for you. Authors, Tami Heim and Toni Birdsong met online and have burst onto the scene with helps, tricks and continued support for those looking to expand their ministry. There are helps via uploads and downloads at the end of each chapter and then the true stories of how social media has made a huge impact in the lives of so many will be refreshing to your soul.

Sticky Jesus will:

• Explore how Christ honored and built relationships and how you can do the same online.
• Give you a practical understanding of the marketing-driven culture online.
• Point to the Holy Spirit as your Power Source.
• Provide personal stories that show God moving and transforming lives through social networking channels.
• Summarize each file with a download and a prayer that are 100 percent retweetable.
• Alert you to the danger zones.
• Demystify the world of social networking with easy instruction on getting started on Facebook, Twitter, blogging, and content gathering (RSS).
• Provide ongoing resources to help you grow beyond this book at http://www.stickyjesus.com/
• Include a glossary in the back of the book to help you along the way

I love living my Faith out loud and am thankful for the heart of these ladies. I encourage you to get a copy and see how your reach can be increased, how you can be a beacon for the Lord online and get to know some wonderful people along the way.

Here is a link to purchasing the book. Let me know if you get it and what your thoughts are.

A few of my favorite blog posts from their site: http://www.stickyjesus.com

50 Promises God Gives you as you step into the digital world

100 Three Word Power Posts

Make sure you follow Tami & Toni and @stickyJesus on twitter for more insite, encouragement and ways to live your faith OUTLOUD.

Tami and Toni inspire me with each new post, they help so many and I’m honored to call them my friends. Social media has made the world a little smaller and I’m thankful for the friends that I have made from all over the world that I would have never met without social media.

Tell me how you’d like to reach more people and the issues you may be facing.

What are your doubts, fears and concerns about Social Media and the online world.

Do you find it all a bit overwhelming?

I was given a free copy of Sticky Jesus by these generous hearts, but will be purchasing a copy to give away! I’m not required to give a positive review

Not A Fan

by Pastor Kyle Idleman

The question is asked – “Are you a follower of Jesus?” Many Christians automatically say yes and then dismiss much of what is to come from that point because they think that they truly are followers when in reality, we simply want to commune with Jesus on “our terms.”

This book isn’t asking if we follow the rules, it is asking if we “follow” Christ.

Right away I loved the style this book is written in. It flows easily and with Idleman’s touch of humor sprinkled through it via some of the personal foot notes, I found myself reading this book in just a few sittings. Idleman warns us that this book isn’t a book about following Jesus on a “comfortable and reassuring path” and he delivers just that.

Pointing out that we have made a decision to believe in Jesus but not committing to follow Jesus, he reminds us that we are nothing more than fans of Jesus. Fans want to be close enough to see the object of their admiration, touch and talk to the one they admire and get the benefits that may come from being in their company but not so close that it requires anything from them.

“Being a secret admirer of Jesus cost him [Nicodemus] nothing, but becoming a follower came with a high price tag. It always does. “

To completely follow Christ can be demanding, difficult and anything but comfortable, but true followers of Christ are willing to risk it. Fans are not. Each chapter has stories of people that are no longer fans, but completely committed followers.

Look at the details of your relationship with Jesus. Are you pursuing Him passionately or are you just there to be noticed in the crowd? Are you willing to take up your cross daily and die to self? Or are you waving from the bleachers trying to be noticed? Are you close enough that you can hear the whisper of your dear Savior?

Are you a fan? Admiring Jesus but not wanting Him to disrupt your daily life? Do you simply want Him to be there when you call, but are never willing to answer when He calls on you? Are you one of the many in the large crowd that wants to be where HE is, to see what He will do next, give next and say next?

Or

Are you a completely committed follower? Willing to go where He leads, do what He says – even if there is nothing “free” in it for you?

Do you want to deepen your commitment to the Lord?

Do you want to be more than a fan?

This book is designed to help you become more than just a fan. It is filled with practical questions to get your heart moving closer to being committed to a daily walk with our Lord.

My name is Marie Wikle, and I am not a fan.

Favorite quotes:

• The biggest threat to the church today is fans who call themselves Christians but aren’t actually interested in following Christ. They want to be close enough to Jesus to get all the benefits, but not so close that it requires anything from them.

• Being filled with the power of the Spirit begins with an honest acknowledgment of our own weakness. The truth is that most of us go to great lengths to disguise our weakness.

• The cross gets covered up. The sermons are often about salvation, about never about surrender. Often about forgiveness, but never about repentance. Often about living but never about dying.

• The song I was singing with my life wasn’t “I surrender all” it was “I surrender some.” I didn’t surrender my pride and I was often motivated more out of a desire to impress people than to glorify god. I didn’t surrender my plans; God was welcome to come along, but I did what I wanted to do.

Thank you to Zondervan for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest opinion. I’m not required to give a positive review.

Permission to Speak Freely

Permission to speak freely by Anne Jackson is an awesome book that talks about how we let our fears stop us from speaking freely about anything. Freely speaking on our thoughts and fears about church, relationships, addictions, depression, family etc. Her single statement “Fear Won” caught my heart. Fear wins out so often over so many things in so many of our lives. This book reminds us that we may never be completely free of fear, but that we can live a courageous life, speaking freely about the issues we have faced or are facing.

Many people struggle with depression and seasons of depression, wondering why they still fight it or are fearful of what others will think about them taking antidepressants etc. She sums it up nicely when talking about seasons of depression saying “feelings of insecurity and worthlessness is a chain I may never be able to break.”

She generously gives the gift of courage by stepping out and speaking out about her addictions, abuse and fear of talking freely about them. She says “something in us begins to come alive in us when we see people overcome fear.” We draw courage from others who, regardless of fear, stand up and speak up.

Sometimes our fears of living our dreams keep up from even taking the first step. Anne puts it this way “Their hearts are fighting for their dreams, yet fear claws away at their spirits, telling them their dreams are impossible.” Sometimes it doesn’t take much more than a single twinge of fear to hold us back.

This book is very uplifting and encouraging. Whether you are fighting seasons of depression, feelings of worthlessness, or anything else that grips your heart in fear, Permission to Speak Freely is sure to encourage you and maybe you’ll find the gift of going 2^nd is something you can give to others by sharing your story.

One of my favorite quotes by Anne:

I had now seen the redemption and freedom that occurs when the darkness is forced into the light, disguised as awkwardly spoken words

The audio book is read by Anne Jackson, the author. I feel that we could actually feel more of what she was feeling as she recounts some of what was going through her mind and heart while she was retelling her story. Very well done.

I’d like to thank Christian Audio for the complimentary copy of this book through their Reviewers’program. Follow Christian Audio on Twitter here. Check their site each month for a free audio book download. Good stuff there!

The Shape of Mercy

The Shape of Mercy written by Susan Meissner is an amazing Novel based on historical facts from the Salem Witch Trials in the late 1600's.

Lauren, a young college student, is hired to transcribe a diary that belongs to Abigail, a mysterious elderly woman who lives alone. The diary belonged to a distant relative of Abigal's - a young woman, Mercy Hayworth, who experienced the horrors of how assumptions and accusations can influence people to the point of changing their way of thinking about a person, place or thing, even to the point of many needless deaths such as in the Salem Witch Trials.

One of my favorite lines from the book is "never let anyone tell you what to think." So many people erroneously assume things just by what kind of clothing is being worn, what vehicle is being driven, or even what school or people you spend time with. The shape of mercy isn't just about kindness being given to those who do not necessarily deserve it, it is also about not judging based on anything other than facts, thus avoiding the "Well you KNOW how those kind of people are" syndrome.



This exciting story of love lost in one generation, yet found in another is filled with example after example of how we make horrible assumptions based on a quick "glance" and the stigma associated with it.

It also reminds us that fear is a powerful emotion. When our hearts are gripped with anguish and our minds are searching for answers, we must be careful not to allow the emotion itself to consume us and allow us to falsely place blame just to satisfy the need to blame.

Mercy showed us our true selves. Beautiful and awful. Deep and Shallow. Marvelous and mortal.

I hope that as you read and/or listen to this book, that when you think of mercy, it will be shaped differently as you see your true self when you examine your thoughts and assumptions on a daily basis.

Mercy reminds us that we have a choice.

The strategic use of actual names from that period in history makes you feel as though you could actually look for and find the diary of Mercy Hayworth. Tavia Gilbert is exceptional at reading the book, capturing the emotions and grabbing your heart as you journey through this wonderful book.

Thank you to christianaudio for a complimentary copy of this book via the Reviewers program. I am not required to give a positive review of this book.

Christianaudio has a free audiobook for your downloading pleasure each and every month, as well as gift certificates for the audio book enthusiast in your world.

A Place of Healing

When I began listening to the audio version of A Place of Healing by Joni Eareckson Tada I listened, knowing that she had an amazing ministry to disabled people. I expected this book to be directed to towards physical healing, but quickly found out that it spoke very loudly to my heart. I have no physical disabilities, but found that healing is necessary, so I listened with an open heart and mind.

Listening to this book from a view point of hurt is painful, regardless of what kind it is; will help you to begin the healing that your heart requires. You may need physical healing and this book can and will speak loudly to you.

You may require other kind of healing, such as healing of your heart that is discouraged, discontent or depressed. You may need healing due to trust issues with someone you love deeply. You may need healing from knowing God’s will for your life and fear has gripped your soul so much so that you are afraid to step out and go forward with the plans that God has in-store for you.

One of my favorite quotes from Joni is:

I pray for strength to bare my pain, grace to benefit from it and devotion to offer it up to God as a sacrifice of praise.

Again, pain – regardless of the “kind of pain” hurts. Joni reminds us that God’s power always shows up in weakness and that pain and trials can lead to a heightened thirst for Christ.

Joni didn’t sugar coat any of the painful truth about living with chronic pain, daily hurts and disappointments and the question of how can this great pain benefit anyone, much less bring glory to the Lord? This book provides an honest look at dealing with any kind of hurt that you may need healing from.

If you are battling wave after wave of pain, hurt, sorrow or just feel like your heart will never sing again, I hope you’ll get this book, listen to it from a standpoint that hurt needs healing, regardless of what kind of hurt it is, and then – let the healing begin as you listen to an honest look at coming to a Place of healing.

This book is read by Joni, which is a treat. It’s very nicely done as she is use to speaking, teaching and talking to large groups of individuals.

Thank you to christianaudio for a complimentary copy of this book via the Reviewers program. I am not required to give a positive review of this book.

Christianaudio has a free audiobook for your downloading pleasure each and every month, as well as gift certificates for the audio book enthusiast in your world.

The Hiding Place

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom is a riveting story of faith, hope and complete trust in the Lord during a time that is nothing short of horrific.

This true account of a family that helped Jews without regards to their own well being, will have you on the edge as you listen to Corrie’s recollection of the events that led up to her family’s imprisonment in a Nazi Concentration camp. Their home was the hub for the underground activities that was responsible for saving the lives of hundreds of Jews.

The grace through the episodes of testing and the miracle of 100 ration cards for food, all under the cover of a small watch shop will remind you that as long as you are willing, God is able.

The Sisters faith and trust as they were “thankful in all things”, including a flea infestation, will walk you through the dark days of World War II. Thinking of others, before, during and after the Concentration Camp imprisonment. Corrie’s detailed memories will have you searching your own heart, looking for all the wonderful blessings that are bestowed upon you each day.

The Narrator, Bernadette Dunne is exceptional! I listened with ease and excitement as I imagined it was Corrie, herself recounting the events over a warm cup of coffee.

I strongly urge you to get this book, listen and let your heart be blessed as you are reminded how living unselfishly, giving what you can, making a difference for others regardless of your circumstances is truly the greatest life of all.

I’d like to thank Christian Audio for the complimentary copy of this book through your Reviewers' program. Follow Christian Audio on Twitter here.

The Shack

When I started reading The Shack in September 2009, it was towards the end of a long battle. Even though I was strong for my family & I trusted and relied on the strength of the Lord and prayers from friends and family, a great sadness enveloped me. My family had literally been through one of the most grievous years I can remember. We battled doctors on behalf of my daughter Meg who could no longer digest solid food, wondered & prayed about employment for my husband Steve and left my only son at college - 15 hours away. I picked up The Shack and read the first chapter. My heart was pounding, the tears were forming as I felt Mack's pain and the terror of his dreams. I think to myself, there is no way I'll ever be at a point where I can finish this book; I, too, was having nightmares so terrible that I desperately tried not to sleep. Just as the great sadness consumed Mack, it consumed me. I closed the book, wondering if I'd ever finish it.

I'm happy to say that I did have the courage to pick it up and continue reading it. This fictional book describes pain, anguish and fear in such detail that you can feel the pain gripping your heart, then, it does something wonderful. It takes you through the healing process.

The author, William Paul Young, does a wonderful job with having the characters asking questions we would typically ask, expressing doubt, anger and fear. He then reminds us that it's of our own free will that develop our relationship with our heavenly Father.

For a fictional book, there were many passages that were full of amazing truth.

"Faith does not grow in the house of certainty"

"Don't ever discount the wonder of your tears. They can be healing waters and a stream of joy. Sometimes they are the best words the heart can speak."

This book has been a source of controversy over doctrinal issues. I suggest you read it, pulling out the powerful truths that are throughout the book while simply enjoying it -- not judging it based on doctrine, not judging at all. Let your heart feel the emotions that Mack is feeling as he is working his way through grief and pain, dealing with the issues of forgiveness and struggling to keep it all together for his family.

Sooner or later, you'll have your own great sadness to deal with, and you'll remember - God is there, through everything...even when you feel He isn't.