‘Mirror Ball: Living Boldly and Shining Brightly for the Glory of God’ by Matt Redman – Book Review

One of my favorite Christian singer/songwriters is Matt Redman. I had the pleasure of reading his wife, Beth’s, book ‘God Knows My Name: Never Forgotten, Forever Loved’ last year (you can read my review here). So when I was presented the opportunity to read his latest book, ‘Mirror Ball,’ I knew I wanted to take advantage!

Here is the synopsis of this book:

Passion is more than a song or a feeling. It’s a story of guts and glory, perseverance and purpose. For anyone who follows Jesus, passion is a way of life. But how do we live out this grand calling?

In Mirror Ball, worship leader and songwriter Matt Redman reminds us it’s never too late to live a big life. We are wide-eyed worshippers, stunned by a glorious God and living life with high expectations of all we can become in Him.

When the wonder of God really takes hold on the inside, a life of worship explodes out in every possible direction. Mirror Ball is a call to get a great big view of Jesus and then live as boldly and brightly as we can for His honor.

You may never be the same….

Here is the biography of this author:

Matt Redman is married to Beth and they have five children: Maisey, Noah, Rocco, Jackson, and Levi. Based in Brighton, England, they are part of St. Peter’s, a new church planted out of Holy Trinity Brompton in London. They are excited about the challenge of working in a city that is currently one of the most unchurched in the UK. Previously they were a part of Passion City Church in Atlanta with pastors Louie and Shelley Giglio, and they continue to work alongside the Passion movement.

Matt has been leading worship full-time since the age of twenty, and this journey has taken him to countries such as South Africa, Japan, India, Australia, Germany, Uganda, Croatia, and the Czech Republic.

His early compositions include such songs as “The Heart of Worship,” “Better is One Day,” and “Once Again.” More recent songs have included “Blessed Be Your Name” and “You Never Let Go,” both written with his wife, Beth, to encourage Christians to worship God through the storms of life. As Matt explained, “’Blessed Be Your Name’ is a declaration of something that we’ve both found to be true in the tough seasons of life – that to worship God and trust Him no matter what is always the best path to take. The song ‘You Never Let Go’ takes up the same theme – it starts off with some thoughts from Psalm 23 and reminds us that no matter what we come across in life, there is a God who is in control, closer than we could ever know, and holding us.” Most recently, Matt has written songs such as “You Alone Can Rescue” with regular cowriter Jonas Myrin and “Our God” with Myrin, Chris Tomlin, and Jesse Reeves.  

Matt is also the author of several books, which all center around the theme of worship. The Unquenchable Worshipper unpacks what a healthy heart of worship might look like and how that translates into the lives we lead. Facedown explores how we can paint a big picture of God through both our songs and actions. The third book, Blessed Be Your Name, coauthored with Beth, is an encouragement to trust in the sovereignty and goodness of God, even when doing so seems costly. Matt has also compiled two other books – The Heart of Worship Files and Inside-Out Worship – both of which contain practical worship-leading advice from many experienced leaders from around the globe.

If you’ve never had the pleasure of hearing one of Matt’s powerful songs, here is one of my favorites, ‘Nothing But the Blood:’

Matt is very passionate about taking action in our faith. He explains that that is also what Jesus expected:

After the events of the cross and resurrection, Jesus meets with Peter, and the lessons in love continue. Following the disciple’s failure to acknowledge Jesus on the day of His death, the risen Savior has a question for Him: “Do you truly love me?” (John 21:15).

He goes on to ask the same question two more times. And then after each time Peter answers, “You know that I love you,” Jesus urges him, “Feed my sheep” (vv. 15-17). There are many themes and ideas implied in His words here, but one of them surely is a call to action. For we can tell Christ we love Him again and again and again – we can whisper it, shout it, or sing it. But in the end, only a life of devotion will breathe meaning into these words. Jesus tells Peter how he can put his spoken declarations of love into action – “Feed my sheep.” And from that moment on we witness Peter doing just that – faithfully ministering to the people of God as his act of worship. He completes the integrity of his spoken responses with an obedient and consistent life. (p. 36)

This book came to me at a low period in my faith. It contains really valuable truths, including this reminder of God’s grandness:

If we live our lives with low expectations in God, we will rob ourselves of a fulfilled life and massively dilute the honor that is due Him. If instead we can step into the realm of faith, we will bring pleasure to the heart of God and enjoy the wonder of adventuring in His purposes. When God has spoken to us, we can be sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not yet see. (p. 57)

Here is another important reminder:

In a world where all others may falter or fail, Jesus remains constant. When we are inconsistent, still He remains utterly dependable and steadfast. Life is ever fragile and changeable, but He alone stands solid and secure. Our God is unshakeable, unchanging, unwavering, unfading, unfaltering, unswerving, and unending. He announces His faithfulness and is never found to be lacking. He is the spotless and unfailing King of glory. He is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. He illuminates situations. He beautifies lives. He exposes and expels darkness. He brightens the path of those who seek Him. Whenever He radiates His glory, nothing stays the same. For now and all eternity, our God is everything He says He is. (pp. 72-73)

Only a person who truly knows the Lord would be able to write a passage like that!

I love this convicting paragraph:

If you meet a Christian whose story is dull, reserved, and devoid of action, then there’s something seriously wrong. God designed us to be fascinated with life, never bored with it. We are called to take great delight in looking outwardly and not simply living inwardly. We are to be characterized by hope and joy, not dragged down by cynicism and apathy. The kingdom life should flow with surprises and mark us with freedom and adventure. (p. 89)

Here is one more amazing revelation:

There is more going on around us than we could ever realize. God is at work. He is not distant, dormant, or docile. He never sleeps and never grows tired or weary. He is the powerful, promise-keeping and change-breathing God. The doors He opens no one can close, and the doors He closes cannot be opened. His words never return to him empty. He is always at work in you and all around you. The one who wove together the intricacies of this universe gets up close and personal and cares about the details of your situation. He is powerful and present; He is interested and involved. We must not exist merely on a diet of what we see reported on TV, what Internet blogs say, or what local conversations tell us. We must look up and see His bigger picture. (p. 99)

Often in this fallen world, we need a reminder that God is always near. We also need to remember that our actions here have an impact on eternity:

We soon begin to see that our everyday moments can count for something eternally. We walk this earth with one eye on the horizon – aware of all that’s going on around us in this world and in our individual situations – but knowing that God is working out His everlasting purposes. We will not become spiritual mystics unable to connect those heavenly scenes with our earthly existences – actually, quite the opposite. We will get a grip on the greatest reality of all, seeing destiny at work in the daily, and the eternal injected into the everyday. We will then walk in the knowledge that the sovereign One is unveiling His marvelous plans all around us and that even one act of compassion, one gospel-centered conversation, or one prayer of intercession could have eternal consequences in the life of someone we meet. In faith we start to believe that the salvation, hope, healing, and rescue of Jesus can break into the lives of our friends, families, or colleagues at any moment. (p. 103)    

This book is a quick read – but it’s rich, as are his songs. The book includes a Discussion Guide at the end. The Discussion Guide is explained this way:

This guide uses each chapter of Mirror Ball and many of Matt’s songs – including some of the very newest songs from his album, 10,000 Reasons – as a launching pad into honest discussion of the ideas, challenges, and biblical themes raised. If you’re going through this guide with a group, your spouse, or a friend, try to remain open, honest, and compassionate in your discussion, and if you feel comfortable, pray through each session before your begin. (p. 109)

I really appreciate Matt’s heart for the Lord, and how he shares it with all of us!

You can order this book here.

This book was published by David C. Cook and provided by the B & B Media Group for review purposes.

‘Fatherless Generation: Redeeming the Story’ by John Sowers – Book Review

One aspect of a person’s life that has a deep impact is the lack of a father in his or her life. In ‘Fatherless Generation: Redeeming the Story,' John Sowers shares his personal story, and explains what we can do to turn this tragedy around.

Here is the synopsis of this book:

What happens when our givers of life give us a lifetime of tears? The story of fatherlessness is being written into the heart of our generation. It is heard in our songs, seen in our movies, read in our blogs. It is a story of shame, loneliness, and rejection. A story of missed potential and wasted lives.

But fatherlessness is more than a personal tragedy. It is a growing epidemic. Fatherlessness is the driving force behind gangs, teenage pregnancy, drug abuse and suicide. And all too often, the fatherless are either marginalized or ignored.

Weaving in his experience of fatherlessness, John Sowers shows how awareness, compassion, and intentional intergenerational mentoring can offer a generation hope – hope that will write new stories for generations to come.

Here is the biography of this author:

Dr. John Sowers is president of The Mentoring Project, a movement that exists to inspire and equip the faith community to provide mentors for the fatherless. He has also been part of the White House Task Force conversation on Fatherhood and Healthy Families. John received his Masters of Divinity degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and graduated from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary where he wrote his doctoral thesis on the crisis of fatherlessness. John and his wife, Kari, reside in Portland, Oregon.

Here is the book trailer for this important book:

And here is Don Miller, founder of The Mentoring Project, with a video review:

Dr. Sowers explained what happened to him after his father abandoned their family:

Fatherlessness creates an appetite in the soul that demands fulfillment. Over time, the unmet needs created by Dad’s absence turns into something that author Robert McGee calls “father hunger.” And in America alone, millions are starving to death. McGee states, “People who grow up starved for a father’s love become victims of an anonymous mugger or a faceless cancer.”

To live with father hunger is to live with sadness of what will never be. Perhaps the worst thing about this rejection is living with the knowledge that someone has chosen to turn his back on you. Someone has chosen to leave you. Someone has determined your value and decided you are not worth having around – or that he would be better off someplace else, without you. (p. 19)

This need for a father is inside of all of us:

Each of us has this visceral longing, a primal urge to be accepted by our father and to make him proud. The urge is something like hunger or the need for sleep – it stays with us our entire lives. When Dad is not around, this urge becomes a haunting. The ghost usually takes on the form of a question. We may bring our question to other men, or every man we meet. We may bring our question to the world of women. We may bring our question to the mirror and remain haunted by its booming silence. We wonder, “Do you see me? Will you validate me?” All the while, the question grows louder in our hearts. (pp. 26-27)

Shame and the feeling of inadequacy are dangerous effects of fatherlessness:

Conflicted, we bring this shame-induced inadequacy into everything we do – the relationships we have, the way we think, live, and believe. We bring our inadequacy to the workplace, with something to prove, and we either quit or become workaholics. We bring our inadequacy to our peers and become people pleasers or rebels. We bring our inadequacy to a relationship, and when it doesn’t answer the question, we blame, move on, or wallow in despair. We face our inadequacy and become victims or performers. We escape the inadequacy and become irresponsible or addicted. We project our inadequacy onto God and feel that God is ashamed of is and that we must perform flawlessly to earn and keep his approval. (p. 29)

Fatherless girls are not exempt from the hurt:

Fatherless girls struggle with shame as well. Girls mourn the missed opportunities to stand on the living room table and spin their twirling dress for Dad. They dream of being beautiful, adored, noticed, of shining for him and captivating his attention. They wonder if they are even worth noticing at all. (p. 31)

Dr. Sowers shares reader comments from his blog. Beth made this comment:

We all handled it differently. My older brother chased Dad’s car. My mother cried and basically stopped functioning for months… And I just kind of held it in. Seven years later, I still, to this day, hold it in…I have issues with my self-esteem. And find it hard to trust people. I hope that one day, the wounds I have inside will heal. (p. 31)

There is huge fallout from fatherlessness. Dr. Sowers shares some sobering statistics (pp. 36-37):

          63 percent of youth suicides

          71 percent of teenage pregnancies

          90 percent of all homeless and runaway children

          70 percent of juveniles in state-operated institutions

          85 percent of all youth who exhibit behavioral disorders

          80 percent of rapists motivated with displaced anger

          71 percent of all high school dropouts

          75 percent of all adolescents in chemical abuse centers

          85 percent of all youths sitting in prison

Dr. Sowers has made the acquaintance of pop singer Kelly Clarkson. He mentioned a song of hers, ‘Because of You,’ that tells her own story of fatherlessness in her own life. I was not familiar with this song before. It is powerful both in word and the images in the video:

Another talented musician who dealt with fatherlessness is Matt Redmond, worship leader and composers of such Christian standards as “Blessed Be Your Name” and “You Never Let Go.” Matt shared with Dr. Sowers that he had many mentors in his life that helped him work through his shame and feelings of inadequacy:

There were definitely a few years of pain and struggle there in my childhood and early adult teenage years – but to be truthful, I never felt very “fatherless.” I think that has a lot to do with God being true to his word. Scripture tells us that he is a Father to the fatherless, and I knew a massive measure of that as I grew up. In fact, so many of the painful things in my childhood, by his grace, propelled me toward God and not away from him. I would go so far as to say that these times of turmoil were actually the things that solidified my walk with God and made me want to walk and talk with him. Throughout the whole season, however, I had a very real sense of God being my Father – and a very strong and compassionate one at that. (p. 82)

God is involved in this process of mentoring:

God fathers us through intimacy of his Spirit, but also by bringing people – spiritual mothers and fathers – into our lives. These mentors teach us what it is like to be loved, what it means to be a man or woman. A mentor’s presence in the life of a young person declares to him or her, “You are not rejected. You are important and valuable – you matter.”

God is calling his body, the church, to step up and be his people, to represent his fathering love to a fatherless generation of children and youth. And he is giving us opportunities to answer the call. This is the heart of mentoring. Mentoring is about answering God’s call, joining with him as he rewrites the broken story of a generation. Mentoring mirrors God’s heart. Long before we ever consider him, God is taking the initiative and choosing to invest our time and energy into the life of a child or young person. (p. 88)

We must have a good relationship with God in order to effectively mentor:

A godly mentor needs to have a vertical relationship with God. A mentor doesn’t need to have it all together, but he should be growing in his faith as he follows the one both he and the mentee are trying to emulate.

This is the foundational element of mentoring. We cannot show others something we have not known or understood. Our vertical relationship with God is the foundation of our relationship with others. God is our source and motivation behind our love, our example and model that we show to our mentee. We must be willing to be mentored by God if we wish to model our life after his and imitate his example. (p. 107)

This subject – fatherlessness – is near to my heart. My parents divorced before I was born, and I never met my father. I have never even seen a photo of him. He passed away when I was about twelve years old. I never had a father figure. When I married Fred, I hoped that hole would be filled by his father. Sadly, that relationship did not flourish as I hoped it would. That is a heartache as well. So I understand what it is like to miss that important part of life. As a result, I also have a hard time relating to God as Father. I have an easier time relating to Jesus as the Son of God.

I had never really looked at the subject of fatherlessness, and how it affects people, to the extent that Dr. Sowers does in this book. I had gained much insight on society and on myself, and 

I appreciate the research he has done and the wisdom he has imparted. I recommend this book to anyone who deals with this issue – and that is all of us, when you consider the cost that has been assessed on society in general. I pray that men who father children will accept their responsibility and look to God to help them fulfill that responsibility for the good of their child and of society at large.

You can order this book here.

This book was published by Zondervan Publishers and provided by them for review purposes.

‘God Knows My Name: Never Forgotten, Forever Loved’ by Beth Redman – Book Review

One of the most amazing Christian musicians is worship leader Matt Redman. Most people don’t know Matt’s wife, Beth, writes many of those sings with him. She is also an author. Her latest book is entitled ‘God Know My Name: Never Forgotten, Forever Loved.’

Here is the synopsis of this book:

Do You Know How Much You Matter to God? In this powerful and deeply vulnerable book, Beth Redman writes to pass along a message that changed her life – that the God who made us also understands us intimately and proclaims our worth by naming us and calling our name. He hears our cries and reaches out to help us and fight for us. He knows our past but is already hard at work shaping our future – helping us, defending us, and restoring the damage life has done. And no matter what others do, our heavenly Father will never, ever leave or forget us.

Drawing on Scripture and her own experience, Redman invites us to explore the revolutionary implications of being loved by a God who knows our name. And she invites us to call on His name as well – to respond to His heart and love Him as He has loved us from the beginning.

Here is the biography of this author:

Beth Redman is an evangelist, Dove-Award-winning songwriter, and author whose books include Beautiful, Soul Sister, and Blessed Be Your Name, which was co-authored with her husband, Matt. Recently, Beth and Matt received the Dove Award for the Worship Song of the Year for “Blessed Be Your Name,” which they wrote together. Their combined song-writing skills also produced the popular worship songs “Let My Words Be Few,” “Facedown,” and “You Never Let Go.” A native Brit, Beth currently lives in Atlanta, where she serves as part of a team leading Passion City Church with her husband, Matt. They have five children.

Here is the book trailer for this God-honoring book:

Beth opens her first chapter, entitled ‘God Knows My Name,’ with this paragraph:

Our parents are often broken people wearing big learner’s plates, like drivers in training, when we arrive in their worlds. We shouldn’t judge them harshly, but sometimes the parents we need to love us most can hurt us and let us down. (p, 21)

She then went on to explain her situation growing up:

My mum was a true saint when I was growing up, and my closest friend. She brought me to church and taught me about God. In public my dad seemed the perfect father, but in private he struggled with anger…and we suffered terrible violence. In my very late teens, my parents separated. I don’t think we should place our parents’ mistakes or faults under the microscope and blame them for all our problems and baggage. God teaches us to forgive, and He gives us the grace to do so. He enables us to rise above the harshest of circumstances and to begin again. He rewrites generations of brokenness to give us an incredible hope and future with Jesus. (p. 22)

She goes on to share that she was having some health issues during her third pregnancy, and her 

doctor asked her to contact her living relatives to get information on her medical history. She contacted her father, with whom she’d had sporadic contact in her adulthood:

I contacted each family member and very nervously sent an email to my dad. He wrote back immediately, and still to this day I cannot believe his parting words.

He wrote that, yes, there was liver disease in the family, and also cancer, and he hoped I had both.

“Beth,” he wrote, “you deserve to suffer, because suffering would make someone as egotistical and vile as you a better person.”

Wow.

He also threw in some awful comments about Matt and my children that need not be repeated. The email ended with him telling me I was cut out of his will and he had instructed his solicitor [lawyer] never to disclose his death or where he would be buried. While I was waiting for news of my liver condition, my earthly father had just cursed me and condemned my life. (p. 23)

I can so relate to that. I personally grew up without a father (my parents divorced before I was born, and I never met him). Her email also reminded me of an email I received from a family member over three years ago that was so vile and angry, it still affects me to this day when I think about it (which I try not to do very often)…

Beth reacted in this way to that email:

I cried out to my God…my true, amazing Father, my heavenly, forever Father, the One who knows all the failures and shortcomings and yet has never ever rejected me. He wrote my name on the palm of His hands and He stretched out His arms, and as He was viciously nailed to a cross, He separated me from my sin forever and loved me enough to die unjustly.  He walked a journey of horrific agony – pleading, being taunted – and He carried my cross, my death, my past, and my sin. His love was enough as He cried out, “It is finished!” Everything I ever need in life is now accessible and available to me through His death. (p. 24)

Hallelujah for that news!

Beth had succumbed to some sins in her early adult years. When she first met Matt, she was concerned about how he’d accept her. She was amazed at his graciousness:

Eventually, I talked to Matt about my fears, and he totally blew me away by saying so gently, “If Jesus sees you as pure, stunning, and spotless, how and why would I possibly see you any differently?” The past is just that – the past. When Matt sees me, he sees a beautiful new creation made whole and free by Jesus. I feel so loved and free. (p. 41)

What a wonderful example of unconditional love!

We need to let go of our past:

I want to encourage you in the midst of whatever painful memory hold you or rob you: God is calling you to look up and see the rainbow. It may seem insensitive or frustrating to think outside of or above your pain, but that rainbow is an incredible reminder for you that God is good, a new day is coming, eventually the rain will stop, and beauty and promise will reign over all your life!

Song of Solomon 2:11-21 says, “See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth, the season of singing has come.” Grieve, mourn, heal, and receive the amazing power of prayer. All those things are healthy and right. Lean on Jesus and allow Him to free you from the memories, the trauma, or the regret. When we hand over our questions, our struggles, and our bad memories to Jesus, they are gone, buried, removed, and separated from us forever. (p. 49)

We need to stop the judging and start the loving:

Yes, it is terrible when a brother or sister falls from a blessed life of calling. It is terrible because that fall is the plan of the Enemy to kill and steal and destroy, not the plan of your loving heavenly Father, which is to bless, prosper, and give hope and a future. When we hear of such things and watch our friends fall painfully into sin and despair, let’s gently call them back to repentance, not tell them how dreadful they are. When someone hurts you or is inconsiderate , let’s not stand in judgment and condemnation. It is for Jesus alone to judge. Jesus calls us to love one another. Let’s not be yet another voice of accusation or condemnation. Be the voice of love and forgiveness, urging others to repent and return to Jesus. (p. 53)

God knows the desires of our heart, and we need to entrust them to Him:

God sees the dreams of our heart sometimes without us even telling Him. There are things I dreamed of that God has fulfilled over and above my wildest hopes, and there are dreams and desires I’ve presented and requested, and the answer seems to be, for no and maybe forever, a no. We have to trust Him and love Him enough to be grateful for each gift of grace, and be patient and humble when we wait. He wants us to commit each day, decision, and thought to Him. Then He can use us in the most unique way for the kingdom and for His glory, in a way that we would never have been able to make happen ourselves. (p. 68)

I love this godly advice:

God makes everything beautiful in His perfect time. Put your faith and trust in God, and ask Him to shut the wrong doors and open the right ones. When we let God take control, we allow Him to work miracles of great joy and power in our lives.

When the things we want and dream about don’t come to pass, we must choose to fight against becoming bitter or angry, and instead deliberately lay all our plans before the Lord. Our walk is to be God-centered, not me-centered. May your daily aim be to make the most of every opportunity to be faithful and obedient, to seek His face and His path in your life, and to resist the temptation to make things happen yourself. (pp. 71-72)

I need that reminder every day.

And we need to make sure we are listening to the Voice of God, not the enemy:

It is worth checking our hearts and minds and asking ourselves, Whose voice am I listening to? Are we persevering in our faith and doing the things we know feed our souls and our faith? Being faithful is like being fit – you’re got to put in the training if you want to be fit for the race. Staying in shape means going to the gym or working out regularly, and if you stop doing it, you’ll get out of shape! (p. 102)

And we need to remember where our strength comes from:

         The secret of my strength is the Lord.

Clearly and quite beautifully, the Bible assures us that Jesus, by the presence of the Holy Spirit, is always near and His ears are open when we cry, Help! Amazingly, He responds as our personal deliver. I’m so grateful for the times I have no one to rely on and my self is not enough, because it is in those moments when I call out, Help! that I rediscover the Giver of live. (pp. 117-118)

I am so glad this is true. I have been trying to not be alone this week, and am making appointments to be with people, as I grieve the loss of our sweet pup Toby this week. But one friend had to cancel yesterday, and I had a sweet time with the Lord in her stead. It is nice to know He will always be there.

Beth also reminds us that we do not control our own lives, whether we want to or not:

For whatever reason, they [women] like – even need – to be in firm control over their lives. Independence is healthy, but using our energy and strength to control situations without God is not. Our own strength is simply not enough. In the areas that we have no control, it can actually be easier to say, “Lord, I trust you,” because there is nothing else do! How wonderful to know that He is ready to step in and lead us away from trying to do everything with our own effort. Even in the small details of our lives, we need to recognize Jesus as Lord, which means He is the boss. You may not want a boss – and if that’s the case, your pride could cause a fall. But God wants us to realize sooner rather than later that we cannot (and weren’t designed to) go through life on our own. (p. 123)  

This is her encouragement out of the last chapter, ‘God Is My Restorer’:

Whatever happens to you, Jesus is able to restore to you all that the locusts have eaten. Everything the Enemy took, all that circumstances have inflicted upon you, the times you have messed up – Jesus can recover everything stolen and lost in your life. (p. 158)

This book includes a Study Guide at the back of the book; it consists of a Scripture Reading, Discussion Questions, and a Prayer for each chapter. There is also a web page link to a beautiful song, “God Knows My Name,” written by Beth exclusively for this book.

I was so encouraged by 'God Knows My Name'! Beth clearly has been through some trials in her life, yet she has chosen the high road that the Lord would have her travel rather than the low road that the enemy would have loved to seen her travel down. I intend to keep this book close at hand when I need to be reminded how much the Lord love me and how He has given His all for me.

You can order this book here.

This book was published by David C. Cook and provided by the B & B Media Group for review purposes.