think! (philippians 4:8)

When I transferred to Grace twelve years ago (how is that even possible?), the theme verse for the year was Philippians 4:8. "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things" (ESV). Honestly, there are many times when I've tried not to think of this verse ... because it can be horribly convicting.

I woke up this morning with a yearning to reconnect with the Lord. In the chaos of speech season (which consumes nearly every evening and seven Saturdays in a row), work, and book reviewing, I haven't taken much time at all to read the Bible, pray, or spend time with God. And it's showing in my life. It shows in my attitude, in my thoughts, and in what I choose to do in my free time.

So I didn't go to church this morning. Instead, I made some coffee, pulled out my prayer journal, and opened my Bible. I went to Romans (my favorite book) and started reading. Romans 2:16 gave me pause: "And this is the message I proclaim—that the day is coming when God, through Christ Jesus, will judge everyone’s secret life" (NLT). I know that I am forgiven and will not face eternal judgement ... but this verse served to remind me that God knows everything I do, say, and think—even the things that I would be horribly ashamed of if they came to light. And that's what caused me to remember the "think" verse.

My biggest area of weakness is media—books, movies, and TV shows. Recently, there have been several things I've watched and read that I know wouldn't pass through the Philippians 4:8 filter; it's not even debatable. So I've set up some guidelines for myself that I will only be able to stick to with the Lord's help. It will be difficult. But in the light of eternity, does it really matter if I know what happens on Scandal?

I've also asked someone I trust if she will help me be accountable about my media consumption and encourage me to spend time with God. It's far too easy for me to rationalize things when I know no one else needs to know about it.

So that's what I've been thinking about today. I'm so thankful that God never gives up on me!

free fiction: "unleavened"

Last fall, I had the privilege of being one of the first people to read a draft of Peter Dudek's new novel, Unleavened. Peter has just released it as an eBook via Amazon, and you can get it free through tomorrow, April 22. After that, it will be $3.99—still a pretty good deal for a book!

Here's the synopsis of the book from Peter's website:

A widowed father. 

A homosexual son. 

Brad Miller, small-town newspaper writer, is numb to the sensation of love. Since his wife died, his once thriving relationship with God has degraded to a distant acquaintance. The only solace he finds is writing anonymously at his blog, a place where invisible readers offer him a safe sounding board to express his detached emotions. 

But after he finds out his son is homosexual, he is forced to ask himself, and his readers, how can homosexuality be reconciled within the Christian faith? Mixed advice from two very distinct church cultures makes him a central point for division among his Christian brothers and sisters. Confusion and distrust abound. 

To save his relationship with his son, Brad must surface his long hidden wounds and emotions and make himself vulnerable to both his church family, and to God.

Here's a bit of what Dudek has to say about his subject matter (for more, see his blog):

Homosexuality is one of the primary “sins” preached against in the Christian church. It is a very taboo topic, but it is not one that should be considered through one-dimensional glasses. Any issue of sexuality is deeply complex and emotional. Christians should realize that even people with whom they hold disagreements are still real people with real hurts, wounds, fears, needs and joys.

I think we can agree that those of us who claim to be Christ followers are often adept at "hating the sin" but struggle with "loving the sinner," and Dudek does a great job of addressing this topic through fiction.

Unleavened will push some buttons. You probably won't agree with every point Dudek makes. (I didn't.) You might even squirm a little. (I did.) This is not an easy, fun read like most of the books I talk about on this blog. But one thing this book will do is force you to think—I finished the book four months ago, and I still find myself thinking about it from time to time.

If you'd like to read it, you can get it here. (And remember, you can also get Dudek's fantasy novel City of Prophecy—which I loved—for just $2.99.)

are you better or bitter?

I had the opportunity to attend a Beth Moore conference in Lincoln last weekend. The topic was "Knowing Better," and she split her teaching into two sections: "When 'better' is 'bitter'" and "When 'better' is 'better.'" I've dealt with bitterness in my life (and even blogged about it before, though I didn't really explain at the time that I was dealing with it), and I thought that was something I'd "overcome." God must have chuckled and shaken His head when I had that thought!

Two of Beth's four points on bitterness really hit home for me. They're perhaps not bitterness in the traditional sense of the word (I can still recall how it felt to be bitter--that ball of bile in the pit of my stomach, the tension whenever the subject I was bitter about came up--and that's certainly not how I feel in regard to these things), but left unchecked, they could certainly lead to a deep, debilitating bitterness.

1. When better is before. Beth made a great point here when she said we tend to romanticize the past. While I certainly had the most fun of my life in college, I know it wasn't the perfect time--but all I remember are the good things. So it's easy to look back and say, "I wish I could go back!" This definitely applies to my church experience. I attended an amazing church in college. When I left Indiana, I mourned leaving Christ's Covenant behind. For the first time in my life, I had actually anticipated going to church! Not so when I arrived home. For four years, I attended two churches at various times, and I wasn't really happy at either of them. Finally, after I prayed about it, I felt God leading me to my current church. It's not perfect--and there are still aspects of Christ's Covenant that I miss--but I'm confident I am where God wants me to be. So confident, in fact, that I just became a member! So this point for me was more of a reminder of where I've been ... and a reminder not to go back there.
2. When better is someone besides me. Beth spent much of Friday night camped out on this point ... and with good reason, as she was speaking to a group of women! We're known for comparing ourselves to each other. While this isn't an area I have much trouble with, one thing Beth said really stuck out to me: "True humility is wrapped in security." False humility--saying, "Oh, it was nothing," when praised in an effort to get the other person to reaffirm us--is actually a twisted form of pride. I'd heard this before, but it was a good reminder.
3. When better is the route I didn't take. Ouch! This one screams "Becky!" all over it. It's wrapped up in the idea of "if only." If only I'd accepted the offer to stay on at the publishing company where I interned in college. If only I'd gone through with my plans of getting my library science degree. If only I'd pursued another job after paying off my loans. If only, if only, if only. Here's the thing--I am basically happy with my life. Of course there are things I wish were different, but over all, it's good. I like my job. I love my students. I enjoy being able to see my family all the time. But when I start dwelling on the "if onlys," I become discontent so quickly.
4. When better is what you should have known. Can I get an "amen"? "I should have known better than to ..." Or how about this one: "I did know better, and I did it anyway!" I could completely identify with this, as I tend to continue to beat myself up over things I've done or said--sometimes even years after the fact! Here, Beth pointed out the difference between regret and repentance: regret looks back, while repentance moves on! 

God used this conference to point out areas in my life I need to work on, as well as to show me how far I've come in other areas. It was a wonderful time, and I'm so glad I was able to experience it with my mom!

"radical" by david platt

I almost didn't read Radical. When I got the invitation to review it, I let the email sit in my inbox for a couple days. I'd rather read and review fiction. Fiction is easy to read. I knew that Radical would be hard. I knew that it would challenge me.

I'm so thankful I sent a "yes" response. I was right--Radical wasn't easy to read. It did challenge me. And I think that ultimately it will change me.

Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream by David Platt is a book that I believe every Christian should read. I read with a pen close by, and I may well have underlined more in this book than in any other I've read. Everything Platt has to say is thought provoking and at times cringe inducing. There's no way to cover everything, so I'll just hit on a few points that struck me:

• Platt challenges our Americanized view of Jesus, a Jesus who we think wouldn't really ask us to give up our jobs, our families, or our possessions, saying, "We are giving in to the dangerous temptation to take the Jesus of the Bible and twist him into a version of Jesus we are more comfortable with ... But do you and I realize what we are doing at this point? We are molding Jesus into our image" (p. 13).
• Platt completely blew out of the water my main objection to foreign missions: I'm not called. WRONG! The Great Commission isn't a suggestion. It's a command. That doesn't mean that I have to pack up and move to Timbuktu, but it does mean that I'm supposed to share the gospel ... and not just in my own backyard (though that's a great place to start)!
• In chapter seven, Platt very logically lays out why we need to share the gospel, going beyond the command itself. I've heard people question why God would send someone who has never heard about Jesus to Hell, and using Romans as a basis for his arguments, Platt basically shoots their protestations down. Taking that question to the extreme, Platt says that if that were true, then evangelism would be stupid. He gives the example of a foreign exchange student who arrives in America never having heard of God or Jesus. If not having heard of God would give a person a free pass to Heaven, then it would be logical to tell that student that "If anyone tries to tell you about Jesus, just put your hands on your ears, start yelling very loudly, and run away!" (p. 149). Ridiculous! As someone who teaches international students, some of whom have never heard of Jesus prior to arriving on our doorstep, I can't imagine doing that! 
• Platt also tackles the question of finding God's will for our lives. This is something I've struggled with many times, but Platt says that's the wrong question to be asking. Rather, in the grand scheme of things, we know what God wants us to do: go share the gospel. So instead, we should ask ourselves if we're willing to obey God's will.
• At the end of the book, Platt introduces "The Radical Experiment." This is a challenge to the reader--something to commit to for one year. Platt asks the reader to do five things: Pray for the entire world; read through the entire Word; sacrifice money for a specific purpose, spend time in another context, and commit to a multiplying community. I intend to take the challenge, and I hope you will, too. More information on the experiment can be found here.

Along with Radical, I also received The Radical Question, a small booklet adapted from Radical. It's an excellent introduction to Platt's ideas, and I think that had I read it first, I would have been even more excited to read Radical. The best part about it is it's free! You can request your free copy here.

Should you read it? Without a doubt!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah. 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.”

prepare to dig down deep!

I've been a fan of Josh Harris's writing for a long time. Like many other Christian girls in my generation, I read I Kissed Dating Goodbye, and it made a lot of sense, though its application was purely theoretical, as I'd never dated in the first place! In college, I read Not Even a Hint (which has since been re-released as Sex Is Not the Problem (Lust Is)), and a couple years ago I purchased and partially read Stop Dating the Church. (The reason I didn't make it through the book had little to do with Harris and much to do with my virtual inability to finish reading a non-fiction book. I'm getting better at it now!) Harris's next book, Dug Down Deep, doesn't release until next year, but the first chapter is available now. I'm really looking forward to this book, and after you read the first chapter, I bet you will be, too!
Dug Down Deep-Chapter 1 by Joshua Harris

sleep? who needs it!

• I should be sleeping. In fact, an hour ago I was dozing on the couch. But then I got up to get a drink, and now I'm completely awake!
• At what point does a fever become a fever? If I'm at, say, 98.9, should I stay home, even though I feel fine? My normal temp is 97.9 (at least according to my digital thermometer). With the flu going around, is one degree considered dangerous and/or contagious?
• Why would Amazon offer me a deal on something I bought from them last week? Every day, Amazon has these "gold box" deals where they offer items for quite a bit less than the normal price. (This is how I got Dr. Quinn last year.) If you have an Amazon account, they'll also personalize some offers based on your purchase and browsing history. These deals aren't too exciting, as they usually knock about a dollar off the regular price. I've often seen deals on things I already have--especially books--but never on something I actually purchased from Amazon. Why would they think I'd want to buy another???
• After all my talk (just ask my sister) about how it's so much better to download from Amazon than iTunes, I went and downloaded Michael Bublé's Crazy Love from iTunes. I got sucked in by the promise of a video for "Haven't Met You Yet." I assumed it would be the official video. Nope--it's the promo video. So save your money, buy the Amazon MP3 Exclusive Version, and just download the instrumental version of "Haven't Met You Yet" from iTunes. (Trust me, you'll want it.)
• One of the coolest aspects of my job is being able to have a front row seat to see how God transforms the lives of some of the students. Just yesterday, a girl who I had to discipline last week came up to me, threw her arms around my neck, and said, "Miss Becky, I'm so sorry!" This is a girl who, less than a year ago, would have either held a grudge against me or would have apologized without really meaning it. But yesterday, I knew she was sincerely remorseful and wanted to repair our relationship. And that change could only have come about through the power of God!
• I'm getting another free book to read--and this time, it's not a book review blogger book! It's Colleen Coble's The Lightkeeper's Daughter. I'm anxious to read it and review it.
  
• My alarm is going off in six hours. Must. Sleep. Now.
  
  

fearless by max lucado

What if I never get married?
What if that lump is cancer?
What if I don't score high enough on the GRE to get into the grad school I want?
What if someone breaks into the house while I'm home alone?
What if, what if, what if???

Imagine Your Life Without Fear

That's the tag line for Max Lucado's new book, Fearless, which releases today. I am well acquainted with fear. When I was young, I worried about practically everything--my mom's pregnancies, spelling tests, getting left behind in the rapture. As I got older, I conquered my fears ... until another friend got married, I found a funky-looking mole, or I stayed alone in my grandma's farmhouse.

Lucado addresses each of my fears, and probably each of yours, in Fearless. He dedicates each chapter to a different type of fear: not mattering, disappointing God, violence, worst case scenarios, etc. Through each chapter, he gives practical advice for removing fear's foothold in your life, backing his words up with Scripture.

My favorite chapter, "Woe, Be Gone," deals with worry. In this chapter, Lucado gives eight practical steps for stopping worry, and I plan to use them. As Lucado says on pg. 45, "Worry accomplishes nothing." (How I wish my nine-year-old self could have understood that!)

What I appreciate most about this book is the wealth of Scripture utilized. It's one thing to say, "This is what Max Lucado thinks about fear," and it's quite another to say, "This is what God says about fear." In this book, Lucado communicates the truth of the Bible in a very compelling and understandable package. I highly recommend it!

(I received a copy of Fearless as part of Thomas Nelson's book review blogger program.)

faith & pop culture

How does pop culture fit in with our faith? That's a question that many Christians find themselves asking, and it is directly to that question that the Christianity Today Study Series speaks in the book Faith & Pop Culture.

This book is meant to be a study guide used in a small group setting. Comprised of eight chapters, each one speaks to a different aspect of pop culture and how it relates to faith. This book poses many questions but does not attempt to answer them. Rather, it invites the reader to use Scripture as a guide to think through the issues.

I found all the chapters to be interesting and thought provoking, save one. Chapter 3, the sports chapter, suggests that we actually don't take sports seriously enough. As someone whose athletic experience didn't extend past junior high, I really couldn't relate to much of what was said in the chapter.

Overall, I thought this book was quite interesting, and I would highly recommend it for group study. I think I'd really enjoy being part of a small group that used this book. However, it might not be so interesting for someone who has no interest in pop culture!

it's free!

This month, you can use the online version of the ESV Study Bible for free! I mentioned before that I absolutely love my ESV Study Bible, and I highly recommend you check it out. Go here to sign up.