"Business By the Book" Book Review

~Posted by Ben

As assigned reading for school, I have been reading “Business by the Book” by the late Christian economist, Larry Burkett. Since Business is one of my main career interests (politics being the other) I was really looking forward to reading this book! It was published in 1990, right on the heels of a time in business known as “the greedy eighties.” This term used in business circles describes a time of economic prosperity following Ronald Reagan’s tax cuts on the wealthy in the early 80’s. These tax cuts caused a resurgence in small business investment that sparked an unprecedented interest in entrepreneurism and “climbing the corporate ladder.” This effect was the backbone of the “Reagan recovery” from stagflation.

Such changes had both positive and negative consequences on American culture, especially the culture of American Business. Although the 80’s were a time of great economic growth, blue collar cities like Detroit and Flint experienced a grave economic downturn due to disinvestment and deindustrialization. Sadly, many businesses came to the harmful conclusion, “profits over people.”

It was at the pinnacle of this time period that Burkett wrote “Business by the Book.” In it, he presents the “radical” idea that it is entirely possible to conduct Business in such a way that is profitable, productive, and Biblical. He cites the reconstruction of Japan after World War II as his prime example. When General Douglas was appointed by President Truman as the military governor of Japan, he instituted laws for business largely based off Biblical truths. This, combined with the Japanese inherit respect for authority, as well as their strong unity and national pride, propelled them beyond their teacher to become one of the largest economies in the modern world. Burkett also gives a variety of positive examples of Christian businesses in the US that have based their business plan off of the scriptures and have experienced great profit for it.

In this book, Burkett deals with a lot of required decisions in modern business, including decisions on hiring, firing, borrowing, lending, management selection, employee pay, discounting, and many others. He also, using scripture, provides answers to many questions common among Christian businesses; questions such as, “Should I hire women to be in management over men?” “Should Christian businesses hire non-Christians?” “Is it acceptable for Christian businesses to borrow money?” “Can Christians sue people and/or other businesses for money?” “What do I do about an insubordinate employee?” When addressing all these questions, Burkett constantly goes back to scripture when giving his final answer on the subject.

I would highly encourage anyone interested in business and entrepreneurship to read this incredible book! My dad and I are now doing it as a weekly study, as many of its principles apply to everyday situations we both experience at work. I’m so grateful for Larry Burkett and all the wisdom he was able to share over the course of his life!

Homeschool Blessings Part 3 (Last One! :-))

~ posted by Rubia

Here is one last post about some of the things I’ve enjoyed working on this past semester in homeschool! Two main subjects that were covered were English and Science.

I have almost always enjoyed English because I love to read and write. (Believe it or not I’m starting to miss my grammar!) Along with many “good reads” over the last few months, I had worked through a fun writing portfolio course with Roma, my twin sister and writing partner! This short course was on “How to Write a Report” by Sally Speer Leber. We started out with some rules about how to work together as writing partners, which helped us keep each other accountable and become better writers. J

The assignment given in the book was to conduct an interview with someone and write a report based on what you learned, both from the interview and from further research. The fun part was that we each got to interview someone in our field of interest for our future lives or jobs.

Because of my interest in missions, I decided to interview a former missionary to Costa Rica who goes to my home church. Unfortunately, I do not have any pictures from the interview, but it did go very well. What I learned from this former missionary was very encouraging. Like all who are striving to serve and obey the Lord, he went through many trials with his wife when they were in the mission field. But through those trials, they learned from the Lord and grew closer to Him, while falling in love with the Costa Ricans and the work that God had for them there. I was very refreshed and encouraged by his stories and testimony, even though an actual field trip to Costa Rica was not included. L J (I would’ve liked that!)

Roma interviewed her music teacher, and after she and I both had our drafts written out, we compared them and asked each other questions to make sure that we were writing good reports which accurately, and in the right order, shared all the information necessary.

Though reports can sometimes be hard to write, I hope that it will be easier once I get used to writing them out well, and become a better writer!

We have read some neat books so far this year for Science, English, and God’s Witnesses. These include: “Flight of the Falcon” by Paul Thomsen, “Mountain of Fire” also by Thomsen, “The Great Alaskan Dinosaur Adventure” by Buddy Davis, Mike Liston, and John Whitmore, “Rebekah’s Diary” by Rebekah Pearl, and “Paula the Waldensian,” by Eva Lecomte.

Science was one of my favorite subjects last semester. The course that Roma and I went through wasn’t actually deep science, but rather more of a Biblical apologetics course, giving an introductory overview of astronomy and geology. Bianca and Ben had both completed this in 9^th grade as well. It was the “Answers Academy” course with Ken Ham, Terry Mortenson, and Jason Lisle. It was challenging and encouraging, as they all talked about how important it is to be prepared to give an answer to those who ask you—to be prepared to defend your faith. (1 Peter 3:15) I learned about the many ways that creation proclaims that there is a God; that science backs up the Bible; and that evolution cannot be possible. It cannot be proven. Thus men are without excuse. (Rom. 1:20.)

Homeschool Blessings Part II: History

~ posted by Rubia

A couple of months ago, I decided it would be fun to share some of my favorite studies and courses within each subject of school. I had also previously shared about my gratitude for my parents’ decision to homeschool, and how I believe that in many ways it is a better alternative to public schooling.

In some ways, sometimes it is hard to pick up on school again after the holidays. But so far for me, it has felt good to get a fresh start! And of course here at home, we do have breaks sometimes, but your teacher and your resources are always there, so there’s not often much of an excuse to take a day off! J Maybe for those of us trying to keep up well though (like myself) this is a good thing.

Last time, I shared about many of the things I’m doing in the “Bible” category. Now I’d like to talk about history!

History was never my favorite subject growing up. I was never sure why. I feel now that it was just because I had a hard time remembering all the information and the dates. Neither did I really understand why studying the past was important. There were other subjects that I enjoyed more and was good at.

But this year History has turned into a subject I enjoy much more. I believe that it’s not about just learning from a certain time period and comparing it to how things look different today. Rather, by studying the lives of specific people, we can learn how to look at our own lives today, and hopefully even be prepared for the future. It’s a lot like the “glasses” we look through when reading the history in the Bible. We learn of, and from, people written in that time, based on situations they’d been through, sins they’d committed, and what they learned and wrote about to teach future generations about holy living. Sometimes there are even “bad” people we learn about, and we can learn the consequences of poor choices they made in their lives. At the same time, we can learn from the wisest people who ever lived, based on observations they made. I think that such history is used by God to teach us.

This year, I get a lot of history credit from different things, but my 2 main history subjects are: a book I’m going through with some of my siblings called “For You they Signed” by Marilyn Boyer, and a course from Milliken about American History. I’ve chosen to share some of my thoughts about the former.

In “For You they Signed” Boyer gives the spiritual heritage of each and every one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence! Not all of them were equally written of, as there were some I had never even heard of, along with those I knew quite a lot about. But what was amazing was that a spiritual heritage is written of each one of them.

Each chapter starts with an introduction about the signer’s name, where he was born and where he grew up, who his spouse and children were, how old he was when he signed and when he died, and so on. But along with that, there is a written character trait that best described them, along with a Bible verse which purposes to remind you of that person and his lifestyle. (An example below.)

I have learned that each signer was at great risk simply by putting his name down on that paper. Signing for the independence of their country was like signing their death sentence. But they were all willing, and boldly signed. Reading about them week after week has made me realize exactly the sacrifice that they gave for people in future generations like me. Many of their specific sacrifices are described in the book. I remember one which, for one of the men meant allowing his son to remain imprisoned and ultimately be killed by the British. Surely he wanted to save his son, and never even dreamed of allowing his decision to be what it was. However, his son was a bargaining chip for the British, and for the freedom of his country, he had to say what he did at the time.

According to what was written of these brave signers, they each possessed several godly character traits. And of many of them, it is said and gathered from information about their lives (or life-styles) that they were good fathers and husbands, godly examples, obviously courageous, loving and sensitive toward others, and many other things. And of course they all had weaknesses as well, but for many of them, it is taught that they learned good from their tough situations, and that they were turned around and used for good. (Or their weaknesses were even turned into their greatest strength.)

There is a lot to learn from these men of the past. “For You they Signed” is definitely a book I would recommend! I am going through it with Ben and Roma, and it includes questions to discuss that we use. It has been a very educational read for all of us!

Different Kind of List

~Posted by Rubia

Every year, I try to make a Christmas list. Even if I can’t think of things I actually want, I just think of things to write down, and I tell myself it’s just so that I don’t frustrate my relatives. J Ha, okay it’s not really like that. Usually I can think of some things that I need and also write down some “wants” based on things that I enjoy or like to do.

I remember last Christmas, when for the first time I discovered how you can give through the organization, “World Vision.” That year was different for me. I made a list with a few things that I wanted, but then I added that I wanted people to help me invest in donations toward gifts from World Vision. I received some generous donations that year from people like my parents and also my Grandpa, whom I will remember this year. I was blessed by being able to give gifts like farm animals to people in countries that needed them the most.

This year, among our cherished Christmas books, I discovered a somewhat newer book that someone else in the family started last year but never finished. The title caught my attention….especially since it was part of a song that was written by the author. Can anyone guess? “Give This Christmas Away” by Matthew West. I had actually seen the book last year but didn’t read any of it until this year! In this book, the singer, or in this case, the author, gave 101 simple and thoughtful ways to “give this Christmas away.”

What does that mean--give Christmas away? To me it means a lot more than giving material gifts to others. I think it means acknowledging, by my actions, that Christmas is not about me. These simple acts in the book are ideas for acts of kindness toward others, especially because we can forget to be kind during this chaotic time of year.

Doing the simplest things in humility towards others can be really challenging even for Christians. One reason may be because sometimes, without intending to, we place ourselves in a higher position and don’t pay much attention to those whom we may consider “less spiritual” or not even “spiritual” at all. But simple acts of kindness are a good place to start. Not only that, but Jesus came to love sinners!

These ideas given by Mr. West are as simple as saying “Merry Christmas!” to a complete stranger, opening the door for another, smiling, leaving HUGE tips for the waiter at the restaurant, giving your good stuff to Goodwill, writing letters, (full length letters) and so on.

He goes on to things like sacrificing your time to help those in need (e.g. babysitting for someone) introducing yourself to a new neighbor or an old one whom you’ve avoided, forgiving others before they ask for it, inviting someone to Christmas dinner who won’t be having one otherwise, and so on.

This Christmas I am thankful for the clear opportunities that God is giving our family to bless others in many ways. We have decided that we are going to keep busy serving!!

So that is my personal challenge this year and one that I am glad to share. How will you keep yourself busy this Christmas? What if December looked different this year? What if we all just give this Christmas away?

Merry Christmas everyone!

“I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you…Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” ~John 13:1, 17.

Quote to Ponder

"In prayer we talk to God. In Bible study, God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of the talking." --D.L. Moody

Homeschool Blessings Part 1

~ posted by Rubia

There are many reasons why I’m so thankful for Homeschool. We now apparently live in the “Homeschool-friendly State” where we have had the privilege of seeing lots of other homeschoolers and hearing of other homeschool groups in our area. Maybe one of these days, Josiah will get into a group since he has not yet had that experience like his older siblings have. J

The very first reason why I’m thankful for homeschool is my parents! I’m thankful for their decision in the beginning. Back then, homeschooling wasn’t very popular. But they realized that it is not only very Biblical, but it also allowed them to spend more time with their kids, and be close to us. I also realize the importance of their decision more and more as I see and hear of all the issues in government schools today: God is ignored and pushed out, kids learn things that aren’t true, they learn inappropriate things at the wrong age, there’s much peer pressure, and so on. I see that here at home, I am protected just enough, learning things that will benefit me throughout all of life, and I don’t feel at all like I’m missing out!

While I have subjects that cover Bible, Math, Science, History, English, and Music, today I am going to talk about Bible.

I am thankful for all of the time I spend studying the Bible. It convicts me, and penetrates into my heart, teaching me how I need to grow and change, Through it, the Lord gives me peace that surpasses all understanding; as He teaches me about Himself and His saving Grace. I am still working on reading the Bible all the way through. I’m not ashamed of being slow, because I am catching things from each passage that I may have missed if I was going faster! Currently in the Old Testament, I am reading through Exodus, and in the N.T. the Book of Romans. At the same time, I read one of the Gospels every month or so. My favorite is John, because He touches more on the personal relationship between Jesus and believers. And though the O.T. is for most, harder to get through, it points to the New. And right now from Exodus, I have enjoyed learning about God’s mercy and grace to His people which were the same even then!

I also study with my family. On Mondays and Tuesdays, my Mom and siblings and I read together from Proverbs. It is one of my favorite books for the wisdom it teaches! On Wednesdays, we work on scripture memory. Thursdays, we work through a curriculum called “Bible Study Guide for All Ages.” Then on Sunday afternoon, our entire family reads together. We are using a curriculum/guide called “Balancing the Sword.” As this book guides us, we are now going through the book of Joshua. (at Josiah’s request! J)

An important part of my Bible studies is Scripture memorization. This I believe is very important because there are times in life when we especially need specific verses, depending on what we’re going through or who we’re talking to. Some special friends from MI have uniquely put together different kits of verses with a theme, and each verse has a tune to sing. This way it is easier to memorize them. Now I am going through an appropriate kit: verses about Thanksgiving. Thank you, Miss Wendy, Amy, and family for these kits with the pictures and tunes!

Okay, one more study to share with y’all! One of my favorite nights of the week is Tuesday night when Roma and I get to spend time with Mom learning about how to live as daughters of the King, pleasing Him and bringing Him glory. We recently finished a wonderful Christian Charm Course, with Emily Hunter, (focusing on our appearance, inwardly to outwardly.) Though sometimes some things about it seemed outdated, since it was written a long time ago, those kinds of lessons are timeless.

Now we’ve started a book that I’m excited about: “Before you meet Prince Charming” by Sarah Mally. Roma and I will be learning about things we must know so we remain pure until our wedding day.

Enjoying the Blessings of a life at home with my family! Until next time, have a blessed weekend!

                                          For His Glory,

                                        ~Rubia

“Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.” 1 Thess. 4:1

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Col. 2:6-7

Recipe--Three Cheese Bread

A couple of weeks ago, I cracked open “The Panera Bread Cookbook” which I’ve had for years, but never cooked from. I came across this delicious, and not-too-difficult bread recipe. It paired perfectly with the Potato, Leek, and Rosemary soup. Everyone in the family *loved * it, the guys especially. J It’s hard to go wrong with a warm, crusty piece of bread enhanced with clumps of melted, salty cheese!

Three Cheese Bread

 STARTER:

1 cup warm water (95°-105° F)

2 teaspoons fresh yeast

1 cup all-purpose flour

DOUGH:

¾ cup warm water (95°-105° F)

3 Tablespoons honey

4 teaspoons fresh yeast

¼ cup + 1 teaspoon vegetable shortening

4 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon salt

½ cup (2 ounces) ½-inch cubes Romano cheese

½ cup (2 ounces) ½-inch cubes Parmesan cheese

½ cup (2 ounces) ½-inch cubes Asiago cheese

Starter

TO CREATE THE STARTER, combine the water and yeast in a medium mixing bowl. Stir to dissolve the yeast fully. Add the flour to the bowl and stir until the ingredients are fully incorporated. Cover with a cloth and ferment the starter at room temperature for 30 minutes.

FOR THE DOUGH, combine the water, honey, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir to dissolve the yeast fully. Add the shortening, flour, salt, cheese, and fermented starter. Mix on low speed until the dough is fully developed. Remove the dough from the mixing bowl.

Divide the dough into 2 pieces weighing about 22 ounces each. Set aside any remaining dough and freeze for future use. Roll each piece of dough into a smooth ball. Place the dough on the counter or in a proofing basket and cover with a warm, damp cloth to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Form the dough into loaves, cover with a warm, damp cloth, and proof at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Score the loaves with a sharp knife, spray with water, and bake for 30 minutes, or until the crusts are a deep golden brown and the middle of the loaves is 190-200°F.

Remove the bread from the oven and place on a cooling rack for 30 minutes. If the bread was baked in loaf pans, remove the bread from the pans before cooling. Makes 2 loaves. Enjoy!

"Same Kind of Different as Me" Book Review

Over the past several months, a book title kept coming up amongst friends: “Same Kind of Different as Me” by Ron Hall & Denver Moore. Initially I wasn’t that intrigued by it, but the more I heard, the more curious I became. Most of the story takes place in Fort Worth, Texas and knowing my friends and the types of books they read, I decided to go ahead and read it. So I borrowed it from the Family Pastor at church (the one I’m interning for.)

I got the book on a Tuesday afternoon, and I finished the book by Saturday morning. Yes, that’s how good it was!

Each chapter alternates authors. In one chapter, Ron Hall will be telling the story from his perspective. In the next, Denver writes his point of view. Ron Hall grows up in a fairly average American home, but as an adult, becomes a very wealthy art dealer. Meanwhile, Denver grows up as a modern-day slave on a share-cropping plantation in Louisiana.

The book shows their back stories, and how one woman—Deborah Hall (Ron’s wife)—brings them both together. Ron and Denver are perfect opposites; yet God drew them together in an amazing way and used them to change a city.

This book has you laughing one minute, and nearly in tears the next. It’s a story that reads almost like a novel. It’s that incredible!

One of the reasons I really enjoyed this book, was for the inspiration it gave me. Denver and Ron’s relationship is an incredible example to me. My natural inclination would be to overlook people like Denver (i.e. homeless, elderly, criminal background, etc.) But I need to look at people the way God does! I need to love them, reach out to them, pray for them, and commit to having a relationship with them.

I would highly recommend this book for ages 16 and older. Some of the themes in the book, as well as some negative racial language, make this book too mature for anyone younger. But I would highly recommend it for adults! It’s a fairly easy read (you just get drawn into the story!) and has so much food for thought!

"Accelerated Distance Learning" Book Review

I knew one of the first books I wanted to read after I graduated high school was “Accelerated Distance Learning” by Brad Voeller. Not only did Mr. Voeller co-found College Plus (the college coaching program I will be starting in January), he also earned his fully accredited, 4-year college degree in less than six months for less than $5,000. That is no small feat!

As the subtitle says, this book articulates a new way to earn a college degree in the twenty-first century: via accelerated distance learning. The foundation of the book is laid by first discussing WHY a new trail is/should be blazed in higher education.

In the second part of the book, Voeller talks about the different facets of distance learning. These include chapters on credit-by-examination, portfolio assessment, internships, taking online and correspondence courses, and more.

The third section of the book shares important skills related to accelerated learning. These include speed reading and memory strategies. The fourth part of the book pulls all of these elements together and makes it all practical and applicable.

I would highly recommend this book to several groups of people. First would be parents of children who are in middle or high school. Accelerated Distance Learning is an excellent way to earn a degree while saving LOTS of time and money. I would also recommend this book to students in middle and high school as well. What appealed to me so much about Accelerated Distance Learning is the fact that I can earn my bachelor’s degree quickly, efficiently, and at the same time that I’m doing so many other “real life” things! I am not tied to a college campus for four years, and I will not be strapped with an enormous amount of debt afterwards. There are so many positives to this method!

Anyone can benefit from reading the portions on speed reading and memory work. Those are valuable skills that can be used in everyday life!

"God's Smuggler" Book Review

As part of my internship at our church, the Student Ministry Pastor has given me a few books to read. The first book he gave me was “God’s Smuggler” by Brother Andrew. Instantly intrigued, it’s needless to say that I had no trouble working my way through the book quite rapidly. J

The book is an autobiography of a Dutchman known as “Brother Andrew.” The first few chapters of the book talk about his upbringing and his conversion to Christianity. The rest of the book takes place in the years following WWII, when communism rapidly expanded in Europe and Asia. Brother Andrew was told that it was impossible to minister behind the Iron Curtain.

But Brother Andrew did not allow that to stop him. He knew he served a God of miracles, and he relied soley on His strength to minister for over 35 years, smuggling millions of Bibles into communist countries. His prayer at every border crossing was “Lord, make seeing eyes blind. Do not let the guards see those things You do not want them to see.” And they never did.

This book was a thrilling and convicting read for me. Brother Andrew never asked for funds, yet God always provided. Brother Andrew’s ministry—Bible smuggling—could have cost him his life, but he was willing to sacrifice that for Christ. He had the incredible faith that if he honored and obeyed God, He would protect and guard him. “God’s Smuggler” is truly an account of all the miracles God worked to bring the gospel to dozens of closed communist countries!

I would highly recommend this book for anyone ages 13 and over. It is a thrilling read, and just might leave your jaw on the floor at the incredible God we serve!

"The Explicit Gospel" Book Review

Back in May when we had a graduation celebration at our church, our Student Ministry Pastor gave each of the graduates a book. I had never heard of “The Explicit Gospel” by Matt Chandler, but it certainly looked like a good book and held a lot of great endorsements. I didn’t actually pick up the book until our missions trip to Guatemala.

Once I did, I was drawn in. Although it took me awhile to finish it (I would only read a portion of a chapter at a time, so I could “digest” it a bit better), it is one that I believe I will be re-reading periodically. And that is coming from someone who almost never has time to reread books anymore!

Chandler’s main premise is that Christians hear the gospel so often, that most of us have become desensitized to its meaning and power. His book is broken into three simple sections: The Gospel on the Ground, The Gospel in the Air, and Implications and Applications.

In the first section, the chapters are about God, Man, Christ, and Response. Chandler goes through each of these topics methodically and meticulously, clearly explaining each of them in a way that is fresh even to the person who was raised in church. One of my favorite quotes from this section is found in the “Response” chapter: “Am I stirred up toward obedience, or is Jesus becoming cliché to me? Am I becoming inoculated to Jesus, or do I find myself being more and more stirred up to worship him, to let other people know him, to submit my life fully to him?”

The second part of the book talks about Creation, the Fall, Reconciliation, and Consummation. This is known as the gospel in the air. Basically, it is the gospel on the cosmic level. This is probably the best-marked section of the book for me. It was an excellent reminder that the gospel is so much bigger than me. God is reconciling ALL things to Himself. One of my favorite quotes is this: “The scope of Christ’s reconciling work on the cross spans the brokenness between man and God and the brokenness between earth and heaven.”

Part three deals with the dangers in a gospel on the ground too long, the dangers in the air too long, and moralism and the cross. We must guard against an extreme focus on either facet of the gospel. If we focus on the gospel on the ground too much, it can become “me” focused, because we lose the big picture of God’s reconciling power over all creation. But if we focus on the gospel in the air too much, the gospel becomes less personal. We must strike a balance between these two, as well as not fall into the trap of focusing on moralism over the cross.

One of my favorite quotes from the third section—and from the book in general—is this: “Sealed in my heart that day was the truth that unless the gospel is made explicit, unless we clearly articulate that our righteousness is imputed to us by Jesus Christ, that on the cross He absorbed the wrath of God aimed at us and washed us clean—even if we preach biblical words on obeying God—people will believe that Jesus’ message is that he has come to condemn the world not save it.”

The gospel is central to the life of a Christian. It’s absolutely critical that our understanding of it is accurate! This is a book that I truly believe every Christian needs to read. It is so dead on, so theologically sound.

It is also chock full of scripture references! That is one of the reasons it took me so long to read it (I wanted to look up all of them.) I also spent a good amount of time underlining, circling, and starring passages of the book. J This is definitely a book I plan to reread in the future!

"Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half" Book Review

One of the things I wanted to learn as part of my post-high school education was budgeting. One specific area of budgeting is grocery budgeting. Everybody has to eat, and everybody has to buy groceries. I wanted to learn not only how to grocery shop, but how to save money at the store (a big deal when you’re feeding a family as large as ours!)

I had received “Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half” by Steve and Annette Economides as a Christmas gift a couple of years ago. It sat on my bookshelf for a good while, because I wanted to read it when I would actually be able to put some of the principles into practice. So it was the first book I read post-high school! J

Steve and Annette Economides are true veterans in the area of finances. They have raised five children, are New York Times best-sellers, and have appeared on many national TV Shows including Good Morning America and the Today Show.

For me, the biggest draw to this book was that the money-saving techniques do not rely on the use of coupons. To be perfectly honest, I have never been able to wrap my mind around all the couponing principles, and really just didn’t like the idea of constantly clipping and stacking coupons. Once I started reading the book, I liked it even more because each chapter can stand virtually on its own. This makes the book so much easier to put into practice! You can implement a couple of simple steps at a time, and once those are mastered, move on to another principle.

The book covers everything from meal planning, taking stock of what you already have in your pantry/freezer/fridge, stocking up, organizing, time-saving equipment, once-a-month shopping and cooking, feeding your kids on a budget, and lots more! Each chapter ends with a section that has three different levels of application, depending on your personality and your level of commitment to saving time and money.

I am very excited about implementing some of the strategies I have learned from reading this book! Even if our grocery bill isn’t cut in half, I will be happy if it can be reduced by a good amount! Saving time is also a big perk for a busy family. I would highly recommend this book to everyone!

"gods at war" Book Review

It’s virtually impossible for me to go inside the Christian bookstore and not come out with a new book to read. J Recently, I went into our local store because I had received a gift-card for my graduation. I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted when I walked in. A couple of weeks earlier, I had noticed that three of my favorite authors—David Platt, Francis Chan, and Kyle Idleman—had ALL released new books! I could hardly wait to purchase them and start reading.

 

I began with Idleman’s book, “gods at war.” I had previously read “not a fan” by Idleman, which I found to be very convicting and poignant. His new book caught my attention because I ran a column in my monthly newsletter for 2012 entitled “Conquering My Idols.” I had felt convicted that there were a lot of things in my life that were pushing their way to the top, and that I needed Christ to be on the throne of my heart.

 

Idleman’s first important point in the book is that we all worship. There is no such thing as true “atheism.” God created us to worship, and we WILL worship *something.* The question isn’t “will we worship?” but rather “who or what will we worship?” In addition to this, Idleman contends that idolatry isn’t an issue, but rather, THE issue from which all other sins/struggles stem.

 

After establishing the foundations of idolatry, Idleman discusses many common idols that we worship today. Some of these include food, entertainment, pleasure, sex, money, achievement, romance, and family. At the end of each chapter, he has a segment called “Idol ID” which includes questions to determine whether or not you worship the idol the chapter discussed.

 

One thing I liked about this book was that it named many idols that I hadn’t really thought about before. Anything in our lives can become an idol if it takes the throne of our heart. Christ will not share His throne with anyone else. He demands complete and utter worship. This book was an excellent reminder of that.

 

I would recommend this book for anyone ages 16 and up.

Family Fun Day

The Saturday of Labor Day weekend, our family had a fun little celebration in honor of the last summer weekend. We had wanted to see the new movie “Planes” and we also had a gift card to a frozen yogurt place called “Cherry Berry.” So we decided to pair the two together for a fun family evening!

The movie was cute, but I personally have to say that I liked “Cars” and “Cars 2” better than “Planes.” But it was still fun to see.

Now “Cherry Berry” was definitely a success! We had never been to a frozen yogurt bar as a family, so it was a completely new experience for us. As you can see, I went for most anything chocolate. J

Rubia and Roma enjoying our “Cherry Berry” splurge.

In the same plaza as “Cherry Berry,” there is a used bookstore. Our family just couldn’t pass by without stopping. J We ended up staying there close to an hour, just browsing.

It was such a fun evening spent with family, and a great way to end our summer!

Idolatry

Idolatry isn’t just one of many sins; rather it’s the one great sin that all others come from. So if you start scratching at whatever struggle you’re dealing with, eventually you’ll find that underneath it is a false god. Until that god is dethroned, and the Lord God takes his rightful place, you will not have victory.

Idolatry isn’t an issue; it is the issue. All roads lead to the dusty, overlooked concept of false gods. Deal with life on the glossy outer layers, and you might never see it; scratch a little beneath the surface, and you begin to see that it’s always there, under some other coat of paint. There are a hundred million different symptoms, but the issue is always idolatry.

--Kyle Idleman in “gods at war”

Too Comfortable

“We are too safe and too comfortable in America. This is why we need to abandon. For the heroes of our faith, it wasn’t suffering they were worried might derail them from their destiny, it was safety. Suffering was expected; something they embraced. Our safety keeps us from moving to a place of intimacy. It impoverishes us.”

--Seth Barnes in “Kingdom Journeys”

"Kingdom Journeys" Book Review

Earlier this year, our family attended a Christian music festival. At the festival, there were lots of tents and booths with vendors and ministry display tables. As I perused those tables, I came across a booth for “Adventures in Missions.” I got to chatting with the man working the table, and we talked for quite awhile.

I came away with lots of reading material, including a book written by the founder of AIM, Seth Barnes. “Kingdom Journeys: Rediscovering the Lost Spiritual Discipline” sat on my shelf for a couple of months before I picked it up recently.

I never would have imagined how quickly I would go through the book! Once I cracked it open, I was amazed at how many times I wanted to nod an emphatic “yes” after reading a paragraph. J

While I think it’s important to note that I don’t agree with everything in the book, I found it to be a very valuable read. Barnes’ words resonated deeply within me. I think that there is such great value in taking what Barnes terms a “Kingdom Journey.” So many people in our culture—both young and old—are never truly stretched and forced out of their comfort zones. Entering into another culture with a clear mission really shakes your world! Jesus and the disciples modeled “Kingdom Journeys” for us in the Bible. Our world will never be the same because of those 13 men!

Here are some of my favorite quotes from the book:

“I wanted to fully respond to God’s call, but my faith was shallower than I realized. I had trusted Jesus to save me from hell, but I hadn’t begun to understand the life He offered before death.”

“It took a physical journey to complete a spiritual one.”

“When people go on a pilgrimage to a holy shrine, they go to discover God. But in so doing, they find that God is not in the destination, but the journey. . . A kingdom journey removes the scales from our eyes and allows us to see God all around and even within.”

“Somewhere in the midst of our journeying, we begin to wake up to spiritual reality. What was blurry, starts to come into focus. And when it does, we can’t help but ask, ‘Why? Why does a journey do this? Why do I have to leave when all I need is already around me?’ A journey is an act of leaving – a process of physical abandon that teaches us how to do the same spiritually. Perhaps, to find your true identity you need to abandon everything else.”

“Where is your life headed?

What is the purpose for your existence?

When will you really be satisfied?”

“We yearn for something more, a hardwiring to search for the kingdom of God itself. That’s why, for all of its consequences and pitfalls, restlessness is not a curse. Restlessness is a gift.”

“Kingdom journeys may differ in their details, but share similar stages. The two-month kingdom journey to Guatemala may take you down the same spiritual road as the two-year Peace Corps trip to Burundi. They all involve a commitment to go. The difference is why you go, what you do when you get there, and how your life changes because of the journey.”

“What sets a kingdom journey apart from gap years, road trips, and volunteer jaunts is the central focus on Jesus’ kingdom. A kingdom journey is first and foremost about expanding God’s reign in the world and increasing it inside our hearts.”

“We go to work, endure traffic, eat our breakfast, lunch and dinner; and go to bed at the same time every day. Routine is normal, even healthy, but if the ruts go too deep, our spirits begin to whither. If we never get out of our comfort zones, we can’t grow into the places God has prepared for us.

“A kingdom journey is most effective when we abandon what we think we cannot abandon. With less, we discover the core of who we are. Our true self emerges from the rubble of the false self.”

“This is the point of a kingdom journey: to learn that life, itself, can be filled with such radical dependence on God that you will never want to return to a “normal” life ever again. You will be wrecked for the ordinary.”

Having been on several missions trips—which I would consider small-scale “Kingdom Journeys”—I can attest to the last quote. Every time I go on a mission trip, I find that returning to what we consider “normal” in America gets harder and harder. What I yearn after is the closeness in my relationship with Christ that comes when I am stripped down to the necessities of life. The more we have of Jesus, the more we will want of Him.

I would highly recommend this book for ages 16 and up. I think you will find it inspiring, convicting, and—hopefully—life-changing!

"Glaucia the Greek Slave" Book Review

I read 75% non-fiction books. I consider fiction books to be a “break” in my routine. After I’ve read 4-6 non-fiction books, my brain usually feels like it needs a break. J But I’m also pretty picky about the fiction books I read. If I’m really in need of a mental break, I reach for Nancy Drew. J Other than that, the only fiction books I normally read are historical fiction books (but NOT historical romances.)

Most of my favorite historical fiction books have come from Vision Forum. I highly trust their company and the appropriateness of their materials, and have never been disappointed. One book I received as a Christmas gift from their catalogue is called “Glaucia the Greek Slave” by Emma Leslie. It is the first in a series of 6 books on the history of the early church. The series was written in the late 1800’s, and thus uses “older” language.

The story follows a young Greek girl named Glaucia. It begins with Glaucia and her brother in the market, being sold as slaves. Their mother had abandoned their family years before, and when their father passes away, they are sold to pay off his debts. Glaucia is sold to an elite Roman family headed for Athens, while her brother escapes and also begins to make his way to Athens to free his sister and find their mother.

During their respective journeys, they become aware of the early church movement. A man named Paul is preaching about a God who loves even slaves. Both Glaucia and her brother become curious about this “Christianity.”

The main reason I enjoyed the book, is that it brought to life part of church history. I learn and retain history through stories. Books like “Glaucia the Greek Slave” help me see history through a different perspective than what comes through a text book. I would definitely recommend this book for ages 10 and up (because of the older style language. It could be read aloud to younger children, but parents use discretion.)

I will close with my favorite quote from the book:

“‘Nay, I possess nothing,’ answered Glaucia. ‘The Lord hath taken my empty heart and filled it with His love, and I—I have nothing to give but this love, His own gift, in return.’”

"Wait No More" Book Review

Back when part of our family went to an adoption conference, we came away with a bag of materials, including the book called “Wait No More” by Kelly & John Rosati. Kelly Rosati is the Vice President for Community Outreach at Focus on the Family and oversees the Adoption & Orphan Care Initiative. She and her husband have adopted 4 children from the Hawaii foster care system.

Once I flipped open the book, I knew it would be a quick read. Biographies like this always intrigue me. I guess we all have—to some degree—an interest in other people’s lives! J I was especially interested in learning more of what life is like “behind-the-scenes” in an adoptive family, since I hope to adopt children internationally and domestically one day.

I was not disappointed by the book. Rosati does a great job of sharing the emotional rollercoaster of the adoption process. There are great joys and victories followed by crushing defeats, disappointments, and setbacks. Behavior issues come up. Health problems persist. But in the end, fighting to be a family is always worth it.

I would highly recommend this book to ANYONE who is considering adoption. Sometimes a picture is painted which is a bit too rosy. A couple or family goes into the adoption process thinking they will “save” a child, and that the child will respond in overwhelming gratitude to the love you show them. But that’s not normally the case. There can be major setbacks, because every child in the foster care system, every orphan, has experienced some type of trauma.

There is no “safe” age to adopt. They will all have struggles. But the rewards are immense!

*(Due to some thematic elements related to child abuse and drugs throughout the book, I would recommend it for ages 16 and up.)*

A Gift

 “Christian hands never clasp

and He doesn’t give gifts for gain

because a gift can never stop being a gift—

it is always meant to be given.”

--Ann Voskamp in “One Thousand Gifts”