Category Archives: Faith

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Holy Ghost Girl

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2tLGUVFAOKk/TryCpK3CTmI/AAAAAAAAAy4/fh54aMHn_Co/s400/holy%2Bghost%2Bgirl.jpgI just finished this fascinating memoir of a childhood spent on the road with a revival ministry.  I appreciate the non-judgmental tone of the author. The detailed descriptions of the services that she sat through night after night provided a glimpse of this slice of American history.

I was reminded that things are seldom black and white.  On one hand Johnson witnesses miracles and exorcisms.  On the other hand bigotry and adultery by the evangelist.

I would have been tempted to comment on this inconsistency.  And I will!  I was reminded that appearances are deceiving.  There is a lot in this book that reminds me of Charismatics I have encountered.  The difference for me has been that as an adult I can walk away.  The author of this book didn’t have that option.

I would recommend this book for book clubs. I would have enjoyed discussing some of the themes in it with a group.  I would love to hear from anyone who has read it.  We can discuss it here.

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Vision

This past few weeks I’ve been revisiting some material on the topic of vision.  We talk a lot about visionary leaders and yet it surprises me how difficult it can be to clearly articulate a vision for ourselves or our organizations.

In preparing a workshop on personal transformation I keep coming back to the idea that in order to change we need to have a clearly defined picture in mind of where we want to go.

A book that I revisit from time to time is Dallas Willard’s book Renovation of the Heart. Willard writes, “if the vision is clear and strong, it will very likely pull everything else required along with it.”

What is your vision for your life?  Who would you be?  Who would you be without fear, anger, unforgiveness, lust, anxiety or doubt?

Who would you be if you were made whole?

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Stability – A Great Idea!

I watched the trailer for this new book called The Wisdom of Stability.   I love what the author says. It is a philosophy we’ve tried to live by in our family.  I haven’t said much here about our current journey.  Being uprooted (to keep with the image of the book cover) has been tough for us.  Not everyone embraces the wisdom of stability.   We live in a world where the sparkle of the new can be a relentless temptation.  We want new leaders, new visions, new cars, new furniture and new clothes.

We lose so much though when we walk away (or push away) prematurely.  The physical, emotional and spiritual waste pollutes our external and internal landscapes. Damaged relationships can be like toxic landfill sites – out of sight and out of mind.

We are staying put where we are until we know with certainty that it is the right time to move. Our small community of faithful friends and family are walking with us providing us with a sense of stability during this time of transition.

I’ve ordered this book and I will write about it when I’ve finished reading it.  Meanwhile – stay put.

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Most Inspiring Book of 2009?

Do you spend much time in reflection?  Not just on the big stuff of life but on the experiences you have had, the way you have spent your time and the lessons you have learned along the way.  It is a good way to learn, in fact, it is a critical part of learning.

Experience, reflection, generalization and action are all part of the learning cycle.   Of course, experience draws us in a lot easier than reflection.  And action?  Does that involve change?  That can be unsettling.

So, how about taking some baby steps in reflection?  What book inspired you the most in 2010?  What was it that inspired you? What principles were you able to pull out and use in your life?  And what action did you take as a result?

You might want to keep the last questions private.  However, if a book has inspired you enough to take action I’d love to hear about it!

I’ll let you know mine after some reflection!

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It’s Story Time

I was eager to read Donald Miller’s latest book A Million Miles in a Thousand Years because like many people I am a fan of Blue Like Jazz. I had tried to get an advance copy to review but was unable to get one because of the demand.  I was delighted to be offered a copy through another source and immediately started to read.

My first impression of the book (besides the awkward title that I can never remember!) was that he sounded like Andy Rooney.  I don’t mind Andy Rooney and I can’t really pinpoint why that was my first impression but I think it had something to do with the style of writing.  I almost put it down but I decided to push through it a bit more.   I recognize that I may have had some preconceived ideas and I needed to put them aside and let the book speak for itself.

Somewhere along the way I began to really enjoy the book. I loved the stories although at times the self deprecating tone wore thin.  Most of us would be delighted to live even half of the experiences Donald Miller has chosen to enter into.

But let me tell you what I loved about this book.  I have heard so many people talk about story and narrative especially in the context of post-modernism.   This book really helped me to see what they were talking about.  About half way through I think I started to get it.  I got excited about story and my story and the story I am telling.

I love the Victor Frankl quote at the end of the book,

We had to learn ourselves and, furthermore, we had to teach the despairing men, that it did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us.  We needed to stop asking about the meaning of life, and instead think of ourselves as those who were being questioned by life – daily and hourly.  Our answer must exist, not in talk and meditation, but in right action and right conduct.  Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answers to problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets before each individual.

I’m realizing that every day is story time.