One of my favorite new shopping websites that has anything and everything you can use – dining room chairs, exercise equipment, children’s items, camping gear, kitchen accessories, etc… is the CSN Stores.
I have had the privilege to order a couple of items from CSN Stores – an awesome Breville Rice Cooker and a SPRI Xertube Resistance Exercise Band. They are both awesome.
I will be ordering another item from CSN Storessoon and will let you know what I decide on; I already know it will not be an easy decision!
There is often nothing better than a well-written thriller. Davis Bunn has a terrific new book that takes you away – ‘The Black Madonna.’
Here is the synopsis of this novel:
Following the international acclaimed Gold of Kings, Storm Syrrell returns in the compelling story of The Black Madonna.
Antiques expert Storm Syrrell heads to Europe to investigate the clandestine trade in religious artifacts. She dismisses superstitious tales of miraculous healings and divine omens. Yet when an obsessive Russian oligarch calls – just as her friend Harry Bennett vanishes – all assumptions must be cast aside. Storm seeks answers in a medieval monastery. There, the scarred visage of an icon provokes even more startling questions. Is she prepared to confront both earthly and spiritual powers? Storm remains haunted by lessons in love and betrayal that lie just outside her grasp. But hesitation now holds mortal consequences.
Here is the biography of the author:
Davis Bunnis an award-winning author, recognized for literary excellence in genres as diverse as historical sagas, contemporary thrillers, and inspirational gift books. His novels have sold more than six million copies in sixteen languages.
Davis has received numerous accolades, including three Christy Awards for excellence in fiction. He currently serves as writer in residence at Regent’s Park College, Oxford University. He divides his time between England and Florida, and lectures internationally on the craft of writing.
I have read one other book by this author – ‘The Hidden Flame,’ co-written with Janette Oke (you can read my review here). He is an amazing writer!
The book opens with one of the primary characters, Harry Bennett, a treasure hunter, getting into some trouble in Hebron on the West Bank in Israel. That area has been historically renowned in terms of biblical people:
After sunset, the Hebron air cooled at a grudging pace. Harry watched as the city square filled with people and traffic and shadows. The café became crowded with people who avoided looking Harry’s way. Across the plaza, the Tomb of the Patriarchs shone pearl white. Beside the cave complex stood the Mosque of Abraham, a mammoth structure dating back seven hundred years.
The caves had been bought by the patriarch Abraham for four hundred coins, such an astronomical sum that the previous owner had offered to throw in the entire village. But Abraham had insisted upon overpaying so that his rightful ownership would never be questioned. He had wanted the caves as his family’s burial site because supposedly they were also where Adam and Eve had been laid to rest. Besides Abraham himself, the caves also held the remains of his wife, Sarah, along with Rebecca, Isaac, and Jacob. (pp. 5-6)
Harry had an unusual mission this time:
After nearly three years of roiling conflict, the Israeli Antiquities Authority had basically lost control of smuggling in the West Bank. In the past, the IAA had nabbed about ninety thieves each year for pilfering tombs, ruined cities, palaces, and forts. Since the latest political trouble began, however, arrests had slumped to almost nothing. The IAA knew without question that the worst culprits were getting away. The international arts market was being flooded with ancient Hebrew treasures. What was more, a growing number of these items were bogus. Extremely well crafted, their workmanship often able to fool museum directors and other supposed experts, but phony just the same.
The Israeli government had needed someone with Harry Bennett’s credentials, known throughout the world as a dedicated treasure dog. Somebody capable of infiltrating the system and identifying the source of the fake artifacts. (p. 11)
The main character, Storm Syrrell, finds herself in the midst of the aftermath of the thievery of Bernie Madoff – a slice of real life in this fictional book:
Not even Manalapan’s [a city in Florida] superrich had managed to escape the Madoff plague. Bernie Madoff had wintered in Palm Beach. His clientele had included many of Palm Beach’s finest. There were some streets on Palm Beach Island where every family faced bankruptcy, every multimillion-dollar home awaited the auctioneer’s hammer, every bank account was wiped clean. The locals called these areas Bernievilles, after the depression-era Hoovervilles that had infested U.S. cities.
Needless to say, it was not ideal timing for a lady to establish herself in the Palm Beach antiques and treasures trade. (p. 17)
Storm did obtain a new client, Raphael Danton, who was in the business of provided exemplary service to his wealthy clients, doing whatever they needed to have done. Storm’s friend, Emma Webb, employed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, was able to give Storm some information on him before she had the opportunity to meet him in person:
“This guy is hot. Not to mention rich. And he’s single. There must be something seriously wrong here. I’m thinking some secret wasting disease.”
“His attitude is about the worst I’ve come across.”
“Honey, a rich single hunk isn’t allowed to have a personality. It’s the law.”
“He’s really a hunk?”
“Let me put it this way. When Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s kid grows up, he’s going to look like armadillo roadkill beside your new client.”
“Why does Homeland Security have a file on him?”
“Probably because he’s so hot. I can imagine some lonely chief investigator spotting this guy in line somewhere and ordering her crew to find his home address.” (pp. 31-32)
Storm and Emma ended up seeing Mr. Danton in person for the first time together:
Storm tightened her grip on her purse as Raphael Danton crossed the tarmac, climbed the stairs, and entered the terminal. Even the two ladies behind the counter stopped their conversation.
He wore a suede jacket the color of sand that probably cost more than Emma’s entire wardrobe. A gold watch blinked on his tanned wrist. His eyes were more copper than brown. His jaw was straight from a movie by Cecil B. DeMille. Wavy hair to match his eyes. Long and strong body. Gorgeous tan. (p. 90)
One of the main plot points in this harrowing novel is the acquisition of religious artifacts by a mystery person. One of the items sought after is the Black Madonna of Czestochowa. A gentleman named Antonin Tarka and a Polish priest named Father Gregor explains to Storm:
“The Black Madonna of Czestochowa is a painting of Mary holding the baby Jesus. According to tradition, this icon was painted by Saint Luke himself. The painting was completed while Mary told Luke of Jesus’ life. Luke then incorporated these stories and teachings into his Gospel. He painted the Black Madonna upon a cypress tabletop made by Mary’s mother, Joseph.”
….Father Gregor went on, “The picture remained in Jerusalem until the year 326, when it was gifted to Helen, the mother of Emperor Constantine. She brought it back to her son’s new capital, where it was housed in the city’s cathedral. When the eastern Roman Empire fell to the Ottomans, the picture was first taken to Belz, then brought to its current home in 1382. The painting is called the Black Madonna because of the soot residue that discolors the figures, caused by centuries of votive candles and incense.”
…”There have been almost two thousand years of miracles associated with this painting,” Father Gregor continued. “Spontaneous healings, the repulsion of invaders – the list is endless.”
Tarka said, “What you must understand, Ms. Syrrell, is that the painting’s importance goes far beyond any particular miracle. The Black Madonna of Czestochowa represents Poland’s ability to survive as a nation.” (pp. 159-160)
I did not read the previous book featuring Storm Syrrell, ‘Gold of Kings.’ If it’s anything like this, I think I will have to backtrack into Mr. Bunn’s catalog to read that one, and look forward to the continuing exploits of Ms. Syrrell. I am interested in seeing where her love life takes her (you will have to read this book to find out which of the many fascinating gentleman in this book capture her heart!).
I really enjoyed this book. It’s great escapist reading, well-written, and could be converted into a terrific movie! Mr. Bunn is skilled at writing with a fashionable and classy flair. He certainly sent me all over the world – Israel, England, Switzerland – and all with excitement and intrigue.
This book was published by Howard/Touchstone, an imprint of Simon and Schuster, and provided by Glass Road Public Relations for review and giveaway purposes.
I have a copy of this fast-paced book that I would love to send along to one winner (thanks, Rebeca!)!
There are several ways to gain entry:
1) Leave a comment here on the blog, sharing with us who you think would be the perfect casting choice for the character of Raphael Danton in a movie adaptation of this book. Please make sure to leave your email address in this format – sample [at]gmail[dot]com.
2) Follow me on Twitter; I will more than likely follow you back! If you are already a Twitter follower, that counts, too! Please leave a new comment to that effect.
3) Follow me as a Google Friend on this blog; if you are already a Friend, that counts, too! Please leave a new comment to that effect.
4) Become my Facebook friend. Please leave a new comment to that effect.
5) Follow this blog as a NetWorked Blog Follower after you’ve become my Facebook friend. Please leave a new comment to that effect.
So there are five chances to enter! Please limit one entry per option.
This giveaway is for U.S. residents only. The deadline for entry is Monday, October 4, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. EST. A winner will be chosen via the Random Number Generator on Tuesday, October 5, 2010 and will be contacted via email. The best to all of you!
One of the most divisive issues in Christendom and in society at large is homosexuality. In his new book, ‘Turning Controversy Into Church Ministry: A Christlike Response to Homosexuality,’ W.P. Campbell provides a biblical perspective on the issue, and on how to deal with those who have same-sex attraction with Christlike love.
While some churches debate the issue of homosexuality and others completely avoid it, struggling people fall through the cracks. This is a book for Christians and church leaders who want to risk above the debate and make a difference in the world by thinking, acting, and speaking in ways that express both redemptive truth and Christlike love.
Pastor Bill Campbell shares insights, tools, and practical guidelines for any congregation that wishes to see Christians positively influence how the larger culture frames the issue of same-sex attraction. He demonstrates how readers can converse in a truthful, loving, and insightful manner about such topics as the nature/nurture debate, law vs. grace, and Scripture’s call to holiness. Campbell suggests ways churches can build ministry in leadership training, preaching, support groups, mentoring/counseling, and outreach.
Turning Controversy Into Church Ministry provides the right blend of information, practical action steps, and guidelines for Christian renewal so that controversy about homosexuality can become the launching pad for vital ministry.
Here is the biography of this author:
W.P. Campbell (DMin, Fuller Theological Seminary) is a senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Hendersonville, North Carolina. He began researching, debating, and writing about homosexuality and the church over twenty years ago. Bill serves on the advisory board of OneByOne, a ministry that equips churches to bring truth and grace to those who struggle with same-sex attraction. Bill and his wife, Lin, live in western North Carolina and have three children.
And here is Pastor Campbell talking about this important new book:
In the Preface, Pastor Campbell explains the purpose of this book:
This book is written to equip Christians and their churches to provide a Christlike response to homosexuality and to people who struggle with unwanted same-sex attractions. Such people are in almost every congregation, often suffering quietly. Some drift as visitors from church to church. They are jostled and torn between the conflicting values of society and of the church. What they need is a safe Christian environment where they can safely by honest about their struggles, feel welcome and loved, and receive grace and guidance to follow Jesus.
Very few pastors or church members understand how their congregations can foster such an environment. Yet the resources to make it happen are already within our grasp. It is time to recognize this part of our society before our churches become irrelevant to the world. Churches that wisely develop ministry in this one area of need will become healthier and more vibrant overall.
What follows is not a call to compromise but a call to deeper Christian commitment. We do not need a middle way, but a higher ground, which is Christ’s way. In the following pages, you will be asked not to abandon your convictions but to embrace truths that will deepen your resolve, strengthen your church, and allow the world to see that Jesus is alive and that he does have the answers. He is waiting to manifest his healing power and grace through Christians and congregations that choose to follow in his steps. (p. 7)
It is important that we have an equal mixture of truth and grace when speaking to those who struggle with same-sex attraction,; it isn’t always easy:
Truth and grace – have you ever tried putting those two together without minimizing either? Without God’s help, it is a daunting task. Grace without truth hampers, confuses, and even deceives. Truth without grace cuts, wounds, and destroys. Those who approach thorny matters such as sexual addiction, homosexuality, and adultery with only truth become experts at alienation. Those who bring love into such discussions but avoid the truth are unable to confront patterns of behavior that hurt self and society. Both are important; neither can function properly without the other. Salt is essential to the body, but separated into its two elements, sodium and chloride, it can be deadly. (p. 13)
It would appear that we need a lot of humility and reliance on the Holy Spirit in order to effectively minister to this segment of the population.
We really need to deal with the issue the way Jesus would:
When the church approached the homosexual dilemma in a Christlike manner, people on both sides of the issue can be unified around the clear teachings of Scripture and minister with the endless compassion of Christ. People who find themselves attracted to the same sex will no longer be subject to mixed messages but will hear one voice affirming their worth in the sight of God and their need to turn to the Savior who heals, forgives, helps, and enables them, along with every human being, to “sin no more.” We will no longer be a people with a formula and a quick fix, but humble followers of Christ who invite others to engage in the lifelong process of growth and change. (p. 15)
Pastor Campbell offers Ten Ministry Essentials:
1.The best way to avoid extremes is to follow Christ’s example.
2.Churches that blend uncompromised grace and truth are positioned for dynamic ministry.
3.Ministry begins when we connect brokenness in our hearts with brokenness in others.
4.Church leadership is about godly role models, not rights.
5.We must embrace the whole of Scripture to keep our lives whole.
6.Our genes bear the shadow of the fallen creation. They do not overshadow righteous
living, however, for those who are new creations in Christ.
7.The law leads us to Christ, who enables us to fulfill it.
8.The goal is not to move from homosexuality to heterosexuality, but from homosexuality to
holiness.
9.Where sin abounds, God’s grace is greater still.
10.With God, nothing is impossible and no one is unreachable. (p. 17)
Compassion is an absolutely essential ingredient when ministering to people with same-sex struggles:
The compassion of Christ begins to bloom when members begin to understand that homosexual attractions are usually not chosen by those who experience them but are the fallout of a multiplicity of factors such as prenatal dispositions, sexual abuse, parental detachment, and same-sex peer rejection. This helps us to move beyond the unknown and to connect with people’s pain, which should be familiar territory for everyone. (p. 38)
Pastor Campbell thinks he knows why there are extreme views on this issue in the Church:
Debate among Christians about homosexuality is but the fruit of differing perspectives. The way we view Scripture is the root problem. We must avoid the extremes of both the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Those who handle key biblical texts about homosexuality properly will find that controversy over this topic diminishes, as we will see in part 2. Based on this understanding, one can successfully build ministry, as described in part 3. (p. 56)
Part Two of the book looks at how we can overcome controversy over this topic. He looks at these topics: ‘Creation and Science: Did God Create Homosexuality?,’ ‘Standards and Psychology: Which Norms Are Still Relevant?’ and ‘Compassion and the Church: Does God Really Care?’
Many people argue that Jesus never talked about homosexuality and that the prohibitions against homosexuality in the Old Testament are no longer valid in the era after the New Testament. Pastor Campbell refutes that argument this way:
The point is clear: the same God who condemned homosexual practice through Moses before the time of Christ condemned homosexual practice through Paul after the time of Christ. The law was given to lead us to Christ, who helps us to obey it (Galatians 3:24). All this is in keeping with the teachings of Christ himself, who proclaimed the unchanging nature of the moral law of God.
A basic principle for the study of Scripture is to allow the Bible to interpret itself. Our opinions about the laws in the Old Testament are not as important as those of Christ, Paul, and the other apostles. As relating to the issue of homosexuality, assumptions that all of the laws in Leviticus are outdated must be weighed against Paul’s statements that show moral laws in the Old Testament to be timeless and relevant for today. (p. 99)
The book includes testimonies from many people who have left their homosexual lifestyles behind, and are now ministering to those who deal with the same sin. I was intrigued by this perspective from Mike Goeke, who is now on the pastoral staff of Stonegate Fellowship Church in Midland, Texas and is the executive director of Cross Point Ministries:
Let me just say a hearty thank you to my wife and my parents, family, and friends who cared enough about me to offend me! I got a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach when I consider the ramifications of my life had the people in my world bought in to the lie that that to love me was to affirm my homosexuality. When I left my wife to pursue homosexuality, she boldly told me that she knew God would work in me and in our marriage and that she would not pursue divorce. She protected her interests but always professed her love for me and her desire to work through this together….
And each of them offended me. Each of them made me angry. I viewed them as bigoted, unenlightened, ignorant, prejudiced, and hateful. If they truly loved me, I told them, they would accept my homosexuality and affirm me in the lifestyle I was living… They did not coddle me, but they refused to give up on me. (pp. 103-104)
In 1973, the American Psychiatric Association voted to reclassify homosexuality – to take it off the list of psychiatric illnesses. It was interesting to read the dynamics behind that decision:
We might expect such a dramatic alteration of historically held positions came about through the normal process of the study of documented research over time, through which reliable conclusions were reached. But this was not the case. The APA reached its conclusions, not based on a scientific consensus, but through political pressure. Ronald Bayer, then a fellow at the Hastings Institute in New York, reported how in 1970 the leadership of a homosexual faction within the American Psychiatric Association (APA) planned a “systematic effort to disrupt the annual meetings of the American Psychiatric Association.” Bayer summarized the process: “The American Psychiatric Association had fallen victim to the disorder of a tumultuous era, when disruptive elements threatened to politicize every aspect of American social life. A furious egalitarianism…compelled psychiatric experts to negotiate the pathological status of homosexuality with homosexuals themselves.” (p. 107)
The APA tipped to one extreme; the Church needs to learn from their example:
The American Psychiatric Association has embraced an oversimplified and unbalanced position on homosexuality; the church must not overreact by doing the same thing in the opposite direction. If the APA claims that none can change, we must not declare that all are guaranteed the ability to change completely. Christians are not simplistic and unrealistic about any other human vice, whether sexual, relational, or spiritual. We are given grace for repentance and a change of behavior, but the deeper work that influences our thought, longings, and desires is an ongoing process through the grace of God. One thing is clear: those who love Jesus are called to love in sexual fidelity. As is often stated by leaders in Exodus International, “the opposite of homosexuality is not heterosexuality, it’s holiness.” (p. 118)
In Part Three, entitled ‘Action: Building Ministry,’ Dr. Campbell provides a blueprint for how to set up a ministry to help those with same-sex attraction. He was inspired by the ministry of Nehemiah:
I was struck by the parallels between Nehemiah’s success and churches that have been effective in building ministries. Six themes in Nehemiah’s strategy were part of the unfolding work of God in each of these churches. Focusing on these six areas will enable you, not only to better support and help people who struggle with sexual brokenness, but to improve ministry and outreach in nearly every sector of your congregation’s life.
The six areas, summarized by people’s inner drives and their corresponding external focus are:
Inner Reality Outer Focus
1.Motivation Prayer
2.Vision Leadership
3.Healing Family values
4.Growth Mentors/counselors
5.Support Small group ministry
6.Celebration Outreach (pp. 152-153)
Each sphere is supported by ministry examples.
In the Conclusion, entitled ‘The Big Picture,’ Pastor Campbell makes the point that Christian maturity is a prerequisite to ministry to any group:
My search for churches that have established ministries for people with same-sex attractions has brought me to the doorstep of healthy and vital congregations that are keenly focused on Christ. We must measure our success not by the size of the programs but by the person of Jesus Christ. Christian maturity is the nonnegotiable essential for Christlike ministry.
An immature church may launch into certain ministries and look good on the outside while being spiritually anemic within. No church should attempt ministry to people with sexual brokenness, sexual abuse, and unwanted same-sex attractions without putting the spiritual growth of its membership first on the list of priorities. Love for another, transparency with each other, truth spoken with clarity, prayer for each ministry, and unity among leaders are essential foundations for this work. (p. 216)
Often, we find our ministry in areas in which we’ve struggled:
As I’ve stated and illustrated throughout this book, one of the best resources to help a church launch ministry to the sexually broken is someone who has experienced such brokenness and is now walking in holiness before the Lord. In many cases, such an individual will arise from within one’s own congregation. Likewise, many churches have created partnerships with leaders of posthomosexual ministries outside their fold. Either way, mature Christian leadership is needed to help our churches become mature in Christ. (p. 217)
At the back of the book are Questions for Personal or Group Reflection, as well as Additional Ministry Resources. Both sections are valuable both to the pastor who wants to learn more about the subject, and the person who may be struggling with this particular sin issues.
I really appreciated the fact that Pastor Campbell wrote about this subject in a logical, reasoned manner, as opposed to the emotionally charged manner by which those on each side of the debate usually operate. He looks at the issues from a biblical and scientific perspective. I hope this book will be used by many to bring the love of Christ into the debate – a perspective that has been sadly lacking both from the Left and the Right. Personally, I plan to encourage pastors and other staff at the church we attend to read this important book, particularly as we launch the E.A.C.H. – Everyone A Chance to Hear – movement here in Metro Detroit in early 2011.
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.’
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.
I am a native Michigander who loves - Christ, my husband Fred, our English Cocker Spaniels Shelby and Sammy, God's Creation aka The Great Outdoors, the latest gadgets, Jeeps, marathons, the Appalachian Trail, books, movies, music,and on and on it goes! I look forward to my new business venture with Thirty-One Gifts!
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,’ W.P. Campbell provides a biblical perspective on the issue, and on how to deal with those who have same-sex attraction with Christlike love. 
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,” which they wrote together. Their combined song-writing skills also produced the popular worship songs “
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.” 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.
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