A Quote from the Most Recent Read

I'm just finishing up a neat book by Jud Wilhite, pastor of Central Christian Church in Las Vegas, NV. (Yes, they have churches in Vegas.) The book, Stripped: Uncensored Grace on the Sreets of Vegas, is made up primarily of the stories of real people touched by the grace of God. The way God reaches us never ceases to amaze!

In a chapter called, of all things, A Place to Belong, Jud shares the following statement...

"As the most spiritually mature person to ever live, Jesus stands as the model for what a spiritual life looks like. He remained approachable to outsiders and the hurting. His life reveals that the more spiritually mature I am, the more approachable I am to people who feel far from God. As spiritual maturity increases, approachability increases. It is a sad indictment that many outside the faith don't feel like they can approach Christians. In Jesus' day, some of the least approachable people were the religious leaders. They reeked of self-righteousness and judgment. Yet Jesus' life should give us pause: Am I truly approachable to all kinds of people? Do I have the compassion of Jesus for those who are hurting or disillusioned? Is that compassion evident to others?"

Something to think about.

Quote of the Day

"Act just once in such a manner that your action expresses that you fear God alone and man not at all -- you will immediately in some measure cause a scandal." (Soren Kierkegaard)

Think About It

Saw this pic on another blog today. Worth thinking about. The quote is attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt.

Book of the Month

I Became A Christian and All I Got was This Lousy T-shirt
I've had this book on my shelf for quite a while, but like so many it was pushed to the back, patiently waiting its turn. After hearing the author, Vince Antonucci, speak at DNow I ran straight to the shelf and starting reading.

"Raised by a Jewish mother, abused and abandoned by his professional poker-playing father, Vince Antonucci found Jesus at age twenty after studying the Bible. When he finally started experiencing churches and Christians, he was disappointed to discover a 'boring, stale religion.' Many of us can relate. Faith feels disconnected, sucked up by Sunday pep rallies and chitzy spiritual souvenirs. Through provocative storytelling and gut-level honesty, Antonucci unearths the life Jesus lived and wants us to experience, challenging us to move past spiritual boredom into faith that's exciting, beautiful, and powerful."

Throughout the book the author attempts to convey what it means to live life with Jesus (abiding in him) and what it means to live the life of Jesus (abounding in him).

This book has made it onto my top twenty list. Go get a copy today. Hurry!

Friends and Straight Leg Jeans

So yesterday I go to the mall during lunch to try and find a belt. (A white, leather belt with double prongs to be exact.) Well, I don't find the belt but I end up running in to some friends. One of them I met like a year ago, the other I've known since we moved here. We talk about lots of random stuff, we laugh, and we discuss the advantages of straight leg jeans versus boot cut jeans. All in all, we hang out for almost an hour. SO COOL! Then as I'm leaving the mall, someone whistles at me. (No, not like that!) Two more friends are there eating lunch. We end up doing the same thing, talking, laughing, etc. (Well, not quite as long but with the same effect.) When I finally leave the mall I don't have the belt I went looking for, but I do have a big smile on my face, a full heart, and some really cool straight leg jeans.

Don't you just love friends?!