My First Book Review - Pearl in the Sand

Until recently I was not a big fan of Christian fiction. I found the genre to be predictable, simple, and not based in reality. Recently this has changed. I have been introduced to many new authors and books by my fellow book lovers Tanya and Leigh Anne and I've truly come to embrace the genre, almost to the exclusion of most other fiction.

For quite some time now I've wanted to review books and I think that "Pearl in the Sand" is the perfect one to start with. The book is the telling of the story of Rahab. We know the basics... she helped the spies hide, the Lord spared her life and blessed her with the distinction of being in his lineage. Within the telling of the lineage it mentions that she was married to one of the leaders of Israel. That is all that the Bible tells us, so this is truly a fictional account of what their lives may have been.

While at times I found I had to make a concerted effort to distinguish between Biblical reality and fictional prose, this book truly brought this story of the Old Testament alive! It makes the wanderings in the wilderness real as it walks you through what their daily life may have been. As I now read through the Old Testament I notice small details about the law because I can now think what that might look like.

This book is a story of redemption. We know that Rahab was a harlot and she ended up married to a leader of Israel. The Lord forgives and redeems for his purpose and for his glory. I love the picture of purity that her marriage brought to her life. Without giving too much of the story away, there was a line that brought tears to my eyes. "She learned purity in her husband's bed". What a beautiful thought when we are surrounded by sexual impurity, to be reminded that God created sex and it is a beautiful, pure thing when it is from Him.

I LOVED this book! Let me know if you have read it and what you think.

Ruined for the Ordinary

This book changed my life. I hope that doesn't sound cliché because I don't want to take away from what I'm trying to say. For quite some time I've been frustrated with the ordinary life. I knew there had to be more to things than just figuring out what job or man would make me happy. This book started me on the process of finding that "more".

My purpose is to bring Glory to God and in that worship share the gospel of Christ with the Nations. Never have I been more excited about anything. Never will I be able to go back to ordinary life.

Today I start the challenge that springs from this book. For those of you who know me, my normal approach to things is to go full-speed ahead with a plan without thought to anything else, or without any patience for the process. In doing this I'm trying to change that. I'm going to take the next year to prepare for what God has for me. I believe that to be full-time ministry, but I still don't know what that looks like fleshed-out so I wait. While I wait, I pray and prepare... and that's where this challenge comes in.

The Challenge consists of 5 steps:

1. Pray for the entire world - Matthew 9 "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field". Before he told them to do anything else, Jesus told his disciples to pray, and not just to pray for the needs, but to pray for those who should and will go.

2. Read through the entire Word - Christians around the world either don't have the Bible in their language or sometimes risk their lives to be able to have a Bible. I have a Bible degree, and I must confess to have never read through the whole Bible. That changes this year.

3. Sacrifice your money for a specific purpose -- the word sacrifice means that this might hurt at times, but our hearts follow our money.

4. Spend your time in another context - If we are to accomplish the global purpose of God, it will not be by primarily giving our money (although this is important if you look to point #3). It will be done through giving of ourselves -- that is what is required by the gospel. Taking the gospel to the nations is not an option or a calling -- it is a command!

5. Commit your life to a multiplying community - this is where the other 4 points converge. We don't do this alone, we stand with other believers who are committed to a Radical faith and to multiplying the gospel by making disciples.

So this is what the next year of my life looks like. I'm scared -- as excited as I am, I know it won't be easy, but JESUS IS WORTH IT! I covet your prayers through this year as I know that the devil will seek to change my plans but greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world.