This Beautiful Mess: Practicing the Presence of the Kingdom of God

Waterbrook Multnomah, Apr 23, 2009, 192 pages

I was hesitant before picking up this book; I was hesitant because I didn’t imagine I would find anything new between the pages. With a subtitle like ‘Practicing the presence of the kingdom of God’ I thought I knew where Rick McKinley was headed but I thought wrong. I was pleasantly surprised at a fresh look on the Kingdom of God and how our lives here on Earth are intertwined. Simple to read but so deep in meaning. 

Rick McKinley splits the book into 3 parts: Discovering the kingdom, Re-visioning life in the kingdom, and practicing the presence of the kingdom. All 3 parts allow you to discover and probe deeper into what is the kingdom and how do we practice kingdom living here on Earth?

In all honesty practically every time before I picked up the book to read I had been worn out from the days activities. I wasn't in the mood to read, and often, even in a bad mood. But something within the pages of this book lifted my spirits. Every time I found myself spiritually refreshed, encouraged, and motivated. 

I encourage all to read this book. You may be like me and find much comfort and healing within the pages, but you’ll also walk away with a new perspective on God’s kingdom and our purpose here on this Earth.
Thank you to Waterbrook Multnomah for blessing me with this book in exchange for this review. God bless.

True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of your Life

Zondervan, Oct 8, 2013 - 224 pages

I know my way around books dealing on dating, I’ve read countless. I myself am single at the moment but am no stranger to dating. Having been in many different relationships I can honestly say that if I were to follow the advice of Debra Fileta from her book True Love Date I wouldn’t have wasted so much time and energy in the past.

Her advice is sound, biblical, and logical. She splits her book into four parts: the first is dating inward. In dating inward she makes it clear that you need to discover yourself before you begin looking for others and lays out an outline how you can do so. The second part is dating outward. After discovering yourself do you know what you’re looking for in others? Do you know the differences between what you want and what you need? And do you know what constitutes a healthy relationship? In this part you will truly discover the right way to date. The third part is dating upward. Here Debra connects our earthly relationships and our relationship with God. The two cannot be disconnected and when we supplement or neglect our spiritual life to only focus on our earthly relationships we will never be happy and satisfied. Finally the fourth part is entitled ask a counselor, and here Debra answers some of the typical and most asked questions when it comes to dating.

I highly encourage and recommend this book for any age; honestly I can’t imagine a person who is single not coming away wiser and better equipped to face the dating world upon reading this book.
Thank you to Zondervan for blessing me with a copy of this book.

Closed Door

I once heard somebody say that God had closed a door on an opportunity they had hoped for. But I’ve always wondered if, when we want to do something that we know is right and good, God places that desire deep in our hearts because He wants it for us and it honors Him. Maybe there are times when we think a door has been closed and, instead of misinterpreting the circumstances, God wants us to kick it down. Or perhaps just sit outside of it long enough until somebody tells us we can come in.
- Bob Goff

Whirlpool Galaxy

This top picture (taken by NASA’s Voyager Telescope) is the Whirlpool galaxy, located about 31 million light years away. This galaxy alone display’s God’s granduer, encompasing over 300 billion stars, what a beauty, it is considered the gem of the universe.

The picture next to it is also taken by the Voyager, and it is actually the core of the Whirlpool galaxy. Look like something to you? Can we really look at this an say this was an accident? God displays his love for us throughout the whole universe. What an AWEsome God we serve!

Real Men Don't Text - A New Approach To Dating

Let me introduce myself: I’m a 20 something year old single male who can totally resonate with Ruthie’s experiences in this book (one of the authors of this book). Having failed time and time again with finding the right girl for myself I have decided to try this new approach to dating and so far it’s been awesome.

Not everything in this book is new and original advice, but all of it is sound advice. I love relationship/ dating books because after choosing Christ as savior what other decision is as important as finding the right mate, or something discussed in this book, being the right mate.
I mentioned that not all the material in this book is original but nonetheless they still do provide new and intriguing advice as well as give a fresh look on old advice you might have heard or read elsewhere.

When I first got the book I was unaware that the book is meant for a female audience, however, I found that it really doesn’t matter; the advice goes beyond gender roles. Furthermore this book could be that much more helpful to males for it teaches how to behave with girls and gives males an edge by knowing/ understanding what girls might expect from us.

Overall, having read many relationship advice books I can’t really think of what the Dean’s have left out or missed. Applying their advice I have more confidence in myself, I put more trust in God, I feel less pressured and less time constricted to jump into relationships. I now have better friendships rather than wrecked relationships and feel like I am making wiser decisions over all. I encourage all to read it, and maybe not everything will be applicable to you, some parts weren’t to me, but I am sure you will come away wiser and come away blessed.
Thank you to Tyndale for blessing me with a copy in return for this review.

With His Stripes We Are Healed

Christ was treated as we deserve, that we might be treated as He deserves. He was condemned for our sins, in which He had no share, that we might be justified by His righteousness, in which we had no share. He suffered the death which was ours, that we might receive the life which was His. “With His stripes we are healed.”

- Desire of Ages

Gratitude

In ordinary life we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich. It is very easy to overestimate the importance of our own achievements in comparison with what we owe others.

 – Dietrich Bonhoeffer