So Close to Amazing by KariAnne Wood With a humorous bent and an infectiously creative attitude, DIY expert and writer KariAnne Wood comes to her new book, So Close to Amazing , with a keen sense of purpose. The great thing about the book is KariAnne doesn't have it all figured out and yet she is able to laugh at her foibles and mess-ups, with the grace to keep moving on toward another goal. Early on in the book she writes, "I'm the one who brings slice and bake cookies to a potluck. Not baked, of course. Only sliced....That's me - following a dream without much of a plan." Something extraordinary happens in the midst of the ordinary, at least for the Wood family. We find in the book a vision of taking over a small town pharmacy, moving from Texas all the way to small town Kentucky with her children. The picturesque house turns into a swirling place to raise a family, and to engage in DIY projects while seeking to run a business. Remod...
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A Force So Swift: Mao, Truman, and the Birth of Modern China, 1949 by Kevin Peraino The rise of modern China is due to many factors, not least of which was a tumult going on in the country itself, with respect to its leaders. Warring factions, two powerful leaders, and the threat of war were all factors that led to the China we see today. Kevin Peraino in his new book, A Force So Swift, draws on the history of China with a sharp focus on Mao and his rise, Truman and his coming to serve as President and the harrowing decisions he had to make in the face of great danger. One of the more fascinating parts of the book for me was the focus on Madame Chiang Kai-Shek. As the wife of Kai-Shek, she was relentless is pursuing the United States as an ally to help the people of China and her husband. Brazen, not afraid of political wrangling and pulling up a seat at the table of men. Kevin writes, "She told Chiang that she had been busily lobbying Americans from "a...
Gospel Fluency Handbook by Jeff Vanderstelt and Ben Connelly Two pastors get together to write a book about a much needed topic, and what happens is a stunning display of God's grace for all to view. Pastors Jeff Vanderstelt and Ben Connelly, part of the Soma Family of churches have put together a resource to guide people from unbelief to belief by resting on the central concept of the gospel. Yet, this book although packing a punch theologically is very practical in all the ways someone new to the church would have so many questions that need good answers. We all at times have an unwilling heart that wants to believe God's word at times and at others to go the road of the religion of me. There are aspects of everyone's life that we don't believe God. The authors writes, "There are spaces where we don't trust his word and don't believe that what he accomplished in Jesus Christ is enough to deal with our past or what we are facing in this mom...
Vindicating the Vixens: Revisiting Sexualized, Vilified, and Marginalized Women of the Bible , Edited by Sandra Glahn For quite a long and drawn out title, this book really packs a punch. The contributors to this volume span a wide range from seminary professors to ministry and pastoral leaders, to bloggers and writers. The book’s title Vindicating the Vixens, gives us a glimpse at the main thrust of the message, we have simply not understood the women of the bible and recapturing and honoring their place in the biblical record helps us see the multi-faceted nature of their lives. The story of Ruth captures the imagination and focus of its readers with an unparalleled story of redemption. Many times we hone in on the way that Boaz takes Ruth under his wings and marries her amidst the peculiar customs of the time. Yet, as Marnie Legaspi points out, Ruth is committed to her mother-in-law but also to great sacrifice. Marnie p...
Frame by Frame: Notes on John Frame’s Systematic Theology: An Introduction Chapter 1: What is Theology Theology is replete with definitions, anything from justification to Christ’s second coming. Definitions are rarely found in scripture of theology or theological concepts. We grapple with Scripture and this wrestling in human form are less than adequate to describe the ways the Bible deals with language, narratives, and teaching. Theologians and scholars of the Bible come up with various definitions. Frame mentions effectual calling “God’s sovereign summons that actually draws a person into union with Christ.” (3) But calling also has referent points to “name giving, invitation, request for someone’s attention.” The point here is that one definition is simply too narrow to encompass all that Scripture states about a particular theological concept. Our theological definitions must be measured by Scripture, they must not go be...
The Action Storybook Bible This graphic illustrated Bible (done by Sergio Cariello) with text from the NIV and Catherine DeVries, gives the reader a real sense of the narrative of the Bible and the characters involved in the various stories. The book highlights fifteen key stories or episodes in the Bible and provides beautiful illustrations that highlight the facial expressions, activity, and geography of the biblical passages that the authors are engaging. Overall, the book has an alarming effect of drawing the reader into the story, calling readers to read the stories in the Bible in their entirety and learning the message of God's redemption in Christ. In the message of Jonah, the authors and illustrator give us a picture of what it meant for God to call Jonah to Nineveh and his response. The comment, "When God talks to a person and tells him to do something, don't you think he would go ahead and do it? Not Jonah!" The grimace on Jonah's face i...
Sacred Dying Journal by Megory Anderson and The Sacred Dying Foundation This journal deals with a very important theme in life, the end of life. Megory, a scholar, educator, and end of life writer has been down the road of understanding death and its coming to every person on this earth well. The journal is designed for those nearing the end of their life or those who want to get a better grasp on thinking through the questions surrounding end of life issues and journaling about them. The purpose is to get people to think through difficult moments, not feeling constrained to answer every question in order but to wrestle with issues such as ways to heal, belief in afterlife, the kinds of activities you want people to engage in while your dying such as reading, music, talking. One of the most significant things about the journal was not just its engaging the big philosophical and religious issues surrounding death like the afterlife, God, and our ete...