Q&A with Jody Hedlund

On Monday I reviewed Jody Hedlund's beautiful new novel, Newton & Polly: A Novel of Amazing Grace. Today I am happy to share a Q&A with Jody that she has provided that gives a bit of insight into this story.


You’ve written about many other true historical couples. What drew you to write about Newton & Polly?

Like most people, I’m familiar with the song Amazing Grace and knew it was written by John Newton who’d once been an atheist slave trader. I’d even heard a little bit about John Newton’s saving grace moment when he was aboard a ship during a life-threatening storm and cried out to God.

However, I’d never heard anything about the love of his life, Polly Catlett, until I began to dig a little deeper into his life. It didn’t take me long to realize that Newton had a passionate love for her, and his love for her affected just about every decision he made for good and bad. Theirs is a beautiful love story, one that God used in a powerful way. I decided it was a story the world needed to hear.

Polly Catlett is one of those forgotten women of history. Since most people have never heard of her, she can’t be all that important, can she? What role did she really play in Newton’s life?

Newton readily admits in his autobiography that he fell in love with Polly Catlett at first sight. He says this: “At the first sight of this girl, I felt an affection for her that never abated or lost its influence a single moment in my heart.”

He was completely taken with Polly so much so that every time he visited her, he overextended his stay. Such irresponsibility cost him at least two different jobs and in the end was one of the major reasons he was captured and impressed into the king’s navy.

When Newton’s naval ship sailed away from England, he was so depressed that he contemplated suicide. He said: “Nothing I either felt or feared distressed me so much as being thus forcibly torn away from the object of my affections.”

During his time away as he was involved in the slave trade, Newton’s love for Polly never diminished. If not for his passion for her, he probably wouldn’t have boarded the ship that took him away from Africa. He wouldn’t have experienced the life-threatening storm on the way home. And he might not have written Amazing Grace.

So, yes indeed Polly Catlett was incredibly important. If not for her, the world may never have known the most amazing hymn ever written.

Newton was a prodigal son. He was estranged from his family during his rebellious years, but later made peace with his father. What hope does Newton and Polly offer to parents dealing with children who have left the faith?

As a one-time prodigal child now experiencing a rebellious child of my own, I take a great amount of comfort in Newton’s story. First, I revel in the knowledge that God can take our mistakes, turn them around, and use them for His plans and purposes.

Second, I take comfort in Newton’s story because it reminds me that no matter how far our children stray into sin or even atheism like Newton, that they are never too far beyond the reach of God. We as parents need to do our job planting seeds, praying, and encouraging our children in what’s right. But ultimately God is the one who woos and wins our children to Himself.

From a human perspective, Newton looked hopelessly lost, especially as the years began to pass without any sign of change. But we as parents can find solace in knowing that through all of the pain and heartache, God has not abandoned us or our child. He’s there and His plans are at work, even when we can’t see them.


Clearly “grace” is an important theme in Newton & Polly. But what other issues or themes does the book address?

Actually, the book is full of various themes. One major theme has to do with the timeless conflict between Christian and cultural values. In the mid 1700’s smuggling had become so commonplace that people turned a blind eye to it and even condoned it, especially if they wanted to avoid hardships and even persecution. I hope the book challenges readers to evaluate how they might be going along with cultural values instead of living with truth and integrity.

The book also sheds some light on the controversy of the slavery issue at the time, giving insights into those who supported it as well as the growing abolitionist movement (which was still in its infancy during this part of Newton’s life).

Another theme is how to handle singleness. Like Polly, it’s all too tempting for single adults to grow impatient in waiting for the “right” person to come along and to begin to consider compromising values for fear of remaining single.

What do you hope readers walk away with after having read Newton & Polly?

During the very last time I read the book while I was doing my last edit, Newton’s return to God brought me to tears. I hope readers, too, are overwhelmed by the sense of God’s presence and grace in Newton’s life.

More than that, I pray that readers will have a new sense of God’s grace extended toward them, that they’ll realize that no matter what they’ve done or where they’ve been, that God is waiting to draw them into his outstretched arms into his amazing grace.


What’s coming up next in your publication schedule? What can readers look forward to?

In January of 2017, readers can look forward to the 5th and final book in my Beacons of Hope lighthouse series! Be looking for a cover reveal soon!

Then in March of 2017, my third young adult book, For Love and Honor, releases. This book spotlights the third knight in the series, Sir Bennet, and tells how he finds his one true love.

In June of 2017, I’ll be unveiling a brand new series published by Bethany House. More information coming soon!


JODY'S BIO:

Jody Hedlund is a best-selling and award-winning author who loves history and happily-ever-afters. She makes her home in Midland, MI with her husband and five children. When she's not writing another of her page-turning stories, you can usually find her sipping coffee, eating chocolate, and reading.



CONTACT JODY:
I hang out on Facebook here: Author Jody Hedlund
I also love to chat on Twitter: @JodyHedlund
My home base is at my website: jodyhedlund.com
For lots of fun pictures, follow me on Pinterest: pinterest.com/jodyhedlund
I get personal on Instagram: instagram.com/JodyHedlund/

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Newton & Polly

Newton & Polly:
A Novel of Amazing Grace
Jody Hedlund
(WaterBrook)
ISBN: 978-1601427649
September 2016/400 pages/$14.99
Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
that saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now am found....

Now remembered as the author of the world’s most famous hymn, in the mid-eighteenth century as England and France stand on the brink of war, John Newton is a young sailor wandering aimlessly through life. His only duty is to report to his ship and avoid disgracing his father—until the night he hears Polly Catlett’s enchanting voice, caroling. He’s immediately smitten and determined to win her affection.

An intense connection quickly forms between the two, but John’s reckless spirit and disregard for the Christian life are concerns for the responsible, devout Polly. When an ill-fated stop at a tavern leaves John imprisoned and bound, Polly must choose to either stand by his side or walk out of his life forever. Will she forfeit her future for the man she loves?

Step back through the pages of history, to uncover the true love story behind a song that continues to stir the hearts and ignite the faith of millions around the globe.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jody Hedlund is a CBA best-selling and award-winning author of fourteen books. Among a variety of genres, she especially loves bringing long-forgotten women of history to life. She is the author of Luther and Katharina, which was awarded the ECPA Book of the Year Award in Fiction. Her other novels have won the Carol Award, the INSPY Award, and the Christy Award. She resides in Midland, Michigan, with her husband and five busy children. Learn more at her website.



MY THOUGHTS

Writing this review is a daunting task for I know my efforts could never do justice to this beautiful and powerful story. Once I tore my gaze away from the stunning cover and actually opened the book, Jody Hedlund whisked me away to the perilous times of mid-eighteenth century England. Meticulous research blends seamlessly with Helund's exquisite prose in this stirring tale. Although I knew bits and pieces of John Newton's background, I had no knowledge of many of the details woven into this novel, circumstances and events that further demonstrate the depth of God's amazing grace. Hedlund's passion for spotlighting long-forgotten women of history mines a jewel in her portrayal of Polly and her impact on John. Packed with emotion as well as numerous memorable quotes Newton & Polly is a book to be read with a box of tissues and a highlighter nearby. I fully expect this to head award lists next year. Don't miss this phenomenal novel! And with Christmas around the corner, it's the perfect gift for every reader on your list!


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book free from Jody Hedlund and WaterBrook for a blog tour. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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A Touching Book - Someone's Son

I was invited to participate in a blog tour for a book about an issue that is very important yet also extremely sensitive and very polarizing among individuals and even--or maybe especially--the church. And to be quite honest, I had mixed emotions as I anticipated reading it. Part of me was eager to read it while another part of me wanted to ignore the book and the issue. I also wasn't sure how my opinion and beliefs about the issue would line up with those of the the author. Those questions and concerns were resolved as I read. Here is a bit about the book and its author, and then I will share a few of my thoughts.

Someone's Son
Brenda Rhodes
(WinePress Books)
ISBN: 978-1606150177
January, 2011/224 pages/$15.99
Have you or someone you know or love ever struggled with drug addiction, or childhood sexual molestation, or homosexuality, or HIV/AIDS? Sadly, your answer is probably "yes" and you need to read this book. Someone's Son is very relevant to issues facing our world today, especially our young people.

Someone's Son is a true story of a mother battling to rescue her prodigal son when God intervenes, reaching into the darkest of places to find a mother and her son who need Him desperately.

Rhodes takes you down a path of God's unfailing love and faithfulness to be able to see that no darkness can block out His plan of redemption. She brings readers to see, feel and taste the redemptive love and power of God, no matter what their circumstances or how they got there.

Someone's Son will touch your heart and stir your faith. Readers will come away with confidence that God can handle your darkest sins, your guilt, your regrets, your sorrow, or your pain.

This is an inspirational story you should not miss.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Brenda Rhodes is a retired co-owner of a successful family business, an amateur ceramics and mural artist, a lover of children, and an active member of her church. Her love for family is a strong passion in her life. In her younger years she married and had two children, a daughter Wendi and a son Ronal Paul. She now has one living child: her daughter, who is married. She has one grandson and three step-grandchildren.

Brenda grew up the daughter of Dusty Rhodes, a Dallas Bowling Hall of Fame member and founder of the family business, Bowling & Billiard Supplies of Dallas, Inc. She worked in the family business for many years alongside her brother, Ronnie Rhodes, also a Dallas Bowling Hall of Fame member as well as the Texas Bowling Hall of Fame. Along the way, she lost her way spiritually and found herself without a solid foundation when her beloved son, Ronal Paul, pursued a gay lifestyle at age 21 and became entangled in the dangerous world of illegal drugs and destructive behavior, ultimately ending in his death at age thirty-four from AIDS-related pneumonia. In the midst of his struggle, Brenda gave her life back to the Lord and experienced His supernatural peace and strength. It is her strong desire to tell others of the amazing power of God's love and faithfulness during times of trials. Brenda is an active member of Lakepointe Church. She and her Munchkin cats, with their short little legs, live in a cozy southern country home with a wraparound porch in Rockwall, Texas.

MY THOUGHTS:
What a heart-wrenching journey that Brenda Rhodes has experienced! Yet it is obvious that God is already working for good in this difficult situation and using her to minister to and bless many others in similar circumstances. Because she had distanced herself from God before her son's issues came to light, she was much more accepting of and accomodating to his lifestyle than I think I would be. Later, when she has recommitted herself to Christ her son asked her if she viewed his lifestyle any differently. When she told him that yes, homosexulaity is wrong just as adultery and sex before marriage is wrong, he protested that God's love is unconditional. I loved her response:

Don't confuse God's unconditional love as being the same as unconditional acceptance. (p. 144)

That is something that our tolerance-focused society needs to learn.

This is a touching book that will provide you with much food for thought and remind you that God is the author of redemption.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from WinePress Publishing and Blog Tour Spot as part of their Blogger Review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Costly Grace

Costly Grace"
A Contemporary View of Bonhoeffer's
The Cost of Discipleship
Jon Walker
(ACU/Leafwood Publishers)
ISBN 978-0-89112-676-8
September, 2010/224 pages/$15.99

In 1937, on the threshold of Nazi Germany's war on the world, Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote one of the most influential books of the century, The Cost of Discipleship. He challenged the flabby faith and compromises of German Christians, famously writing, "When Christ calls a man he bids him come and die."

Now, seventy-three years after the book was first published, Jon Walker has written Costly Grace: A Contemporary View of Bonhoeffer’s The Cost of Discipleship. Although Bonhoeffer’s book still has a loyal readership, it has not been adequately viewed through the eyes of the twenty-first century. Walker brings to a new generation the timeless message of Bonhoeffer against the background of today’s political upheaval and societal change and what it means to those who claim to follow Christ’s teachings, challenging contemporary teachings and lifestyles.

Grace is a foundational doctrine for Christians, yet it is one of the most misunderstood. Bonhoeffer watched as many used the doctrine of grace as an excuse to do whatever they wanted, and in response, he wrote his classic work on what it truly means to follow Jesus. We cheapen grace, he declared, when we use it to compromise our behavior or to lower the standards of God’s Word. In a modern retelling of this Christian classic, Walker explains what Bonhoeffer meant when he taught that grace is free but will cost us everything.

“Bonhoeffer called for a return to ‘costly grace,’ to a recognition that God’s grace comes at the cost of Christ’s passion. Grace is free, but it demands a disciple’s whole life, not just partial obedience to the commands of Christ. Bonhoeffer’s message resonates with our time of instability and insecurity,” Walker explains. “We’re tempted to compromise in order to keep things as they have been, but the cost of discipleship requires that our loyalty be only to Christ and Christ alone. Where our behavior is at odds with our belief, God requires we be ruthless in letting go of the things that entangle us and keep us from becoming just like Jesus.”

Costly Grace is a clear call to discipleship, reminding us what it means to be a disciple of Jesus, and makes the doctrine of grace understandable and practical. Following Bonhoeffer’s example, Walker has anchored this book around an expository study of Matthew 5–7, including the Beatitudes and the Sermon on the Mount. As such, Costly Grace is an excellent resource for small group curriculum or congregation-wide study.

Also available is the Costly Grace 90-Day Devotional. The companion devotional is dedicated to bringing home to the heart of every Christian the vital call that Bonhoeffer made in his book and that Walker now makes in his. What decisions do we need to act on to walk the road Jesus shows us? Who is it we are called to love and forgive? And why is it imperative that the Beatitudes become our way of life? These are just some of the challenges that Walker helps us tackle in his valuable guide.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jon Walker has worked closely with Rick Warren for many years, first as a writer/editor at Pastors.com, later as vice president of communications at Purpose Driven Ministries, and then as a pastor at Saddleback Church. He's also served as editor-in-chief of LifeWay's HomeLife magazine and founding editor of Rick Warren's Ministry Toolbox. His articles have appeared in publications and Web sites around the world. You can learn more about his ministry at www.gracecreates.com.


MY THOUGHTS:
I had previously seen excerpts from Bonhoffer's classic book but had never read it, so I was eager to read this one. Costly Grace is one of those books that I both love and hate: love it because it has such great truths and hate it because it makes me squirm! I haven't completely finished it yet; this is not a book to breeze through but one to read thoughtfully. I think every person in today's church should read this book. I do believe it is the antidote for the feel-good, prosperity gospel that is so rampant, particularly in the USA. One of my favorite quotes from Bonhoffer has always been "Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance. Cheap grace means the justification of sin without the justification of the sinner." If you long for more in your Christian life, I encourage you to read this book.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from The B&B Media Group and Leafwood Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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A Review Revisited

On Friday I posted the CFBA blurb promoting The Familiar Stranger by Christina Berry. It was such a whirlwind week that I could not put a coherent thought together for any sort of review of this book. Which was a shame because it was a compelling and thought-provoking novel. So I thought I'd take a few minutes and revisit it here.

I have read several stories in which an individual experiences amnesia and the impact on a marriage or other relationship in the process of piecing the affected patient's life together. This book takes it beyond that to a whole new level. A man with secrets, now hidden even from himself. A wife uncovering those secrets and facing a crossroads. . . .what will be her choice from this day forward?

While there was plenty of intrigue and suspense as I tried to figure out the whole situation, the heartbeat of this beautiful story is grace, forgiveness, and mercy. To stay, to forgive, to start anew. . . when there is every reason, and even Biblical support, to turn one's back on the one who shattered and made a mockery of the wedding vows. To choose to love. . . when our human natures scream for justice and even revenge. To do the hard thing in the midst of heartache and brokenness. . . because that's what God has called us to do.

My bloggy reviewer friend Kim over at Window to my World has posted a wonderful interview with Christina Berry which you can read here. While the author makes it clear that she is not judgmentally saying that every broken marriage can be healed by such actions, I loved her comment that Denise (the wife in the story) "knew that obedience to God, despite gut-wrenching pain, would bring unthinkable rewards" and that "in her heart she felt God calling her to something difficult and frustrating and holy and Christ-like." I encourage you to pop over and "meet" the author and then grab a copy of this book!

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Randy Alcorn's Latest & a Giveaway!

Randy Alcorn's latest book tackles a difficult subject which lies at the very core of our beliefs. I've had such a hard time getting started on this review that I can't imagine even attempting to write the book itself, but I'm so glad Randy did. This is a solid, thought-provoking, and well-written book.

If God is Good: Faith in the Midst of Suffering and Evil deals with the prime questions people ask today:

Why would an all-good and all-powerful God create a world full of evil and suffering? And then, how can there be a God if suffering and evil exist?

No trite answers here. This book is peppered with Scriptural references. (In the back is a 7-page, triple-column index of somewhere around 1000 references!) When I began the book, I decided to use those little Post-it flags to mark pages to which I might want to refer later. I'm wondering now if that will actually be helpful, for there are so many flags that I might as well have an unmarked book!

Randy begins by defining evil. For we must understand evil to acknowledge our own sin. Only then will we begin to grasp God's goodness and His grace.

Unless we come to grips with the fact that we're of precisely the same stock as [a convicted child-murderer] and Stalin and Mao, we'll never get over thinking that we deserve better. Evil done to us will offend us and having to suffer will outrage us. We'll never appreciate Christ's grace so long as we hold on to the proud illusion that we're better than we are. We flatter ourselves when we look at evil acts and say, "I would never do that." Given our evil nature and a similar background, resources, and opportunities, we would. (p. 76)

He also offers a discussion of worldviews that are contradictory to the Bible, utilizing Scripture to point out their fallacies. I think believers are sometimes fearful of reading books by or having discussions with atheists because they feel threatened by their assertions. This book is an excellent resource to assist believers in understanding those perspectives and how inconsistent they are with Scripture. (Caveat, we generally cannot debate someone into the kingdom. Individuals were always trying to engage Jesus in theological debates, and He sidestepped those to deal directly with matters of the heart. People generally do not care how much we know until they know how much we care.)

Randy tackles the difficult and often hotly debated question of Divine Sovereignty vs. Human Choice thoroughly and boldly, acknowledging that both "sides" have supporting scriptures. He encourages the reader not to simply pick and choose scriptures that support one's theology but to adapt one's theology to the Scriptures, quoting Charles Spurgeon as saying,

These two truths, I do not believe can ever be welded into one upon any human anvil, but one they shall be in eternity: they are two lines that are so nearly parallel that the mind that shall pursue them fathest, will never discover that they converge; but they do converge, and they will meet somewhere in eternity, close to the throne of God, whence all truth doth spring. (p. 278)

I am eager to complete the last third of the book, for flipping through I see many great nuggets such as: God's delay of justice is actually a demonstration of His patience and grace, how He uses suffering for His glory and our sanctification, and finding God in the midst of suffering.

This is not a quick read just because of the nature of the subject and the size of the book. However, while the concepts are weighty, the wording is down-to-earth. Some theological tomes are written such that I can't even understand the sentences, much less the concepts presented! But this is presented in a very approachable style, and I highly recommend it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Randy Alcorn is the founder and director of Eternal Perspective Ministries (EPM). Prior to 1990, when he started EPM, he served as a pastor for fourteen years. He has spoken around the world and has taught on the adjunct faculties of Multnomah Bible College and Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon.

Randy is the best-selling author of twenty-seven books (over three million in print), including the novels Deadline, Dominion, and Deception as well as Lord Foulgrin's Letters, the Gold Medallion winner Safely Home, and Wait Until Then (children's picture book about Heaven). His fourteen nonfiction works include Money, Possessions and Eternity, ProLife Answers to ProChoice Arguments, In Light of Eternity, The Treasure Principle, The Grace & Truth Paradox, The Purity Principle, The Law of Rewards, Why ProLife, Heaven, Heaven for Kids (8-12 year olds), 50 Days of Heaven (meditations on Heaven) and Tell Me About Heaven (picture book illustrated by Ron DiCianni).

Randy has written for many magazines and produces the popular periodical Eternal Perspectives. He's been a guest on over 500 radio and television programs including Focus on the Family, The Bible Answer Man, Family Life Today, Revive Our Hearts, Truths that Transform and Faith Under Fire.

The father of two married daughters, Randy lives in Gresham, Oregon, with his wife and best friend, Nanci. They are the proud grandparents of four grandsons, Jacob, Matthew, Tyler and Jack. Randy enjoys hanging out with his family, biking, tennis, research and reading.

For more information on this author, please be sure to visit www.epm.org. To see the author's life and perspectives, check out his blog at www.randyalcorn.blogspot.com.


Go to the publisher's site to order If God is Good, read an excerpt, or find a local or online location to purchase this book.


I just have to do a giveaway! If you would like to read this book, enter a comment and I will send you a new one directly from Amazon. Leave a second comment letting me know you mentioned and linked to the giveaway on your blog and get an extra chance to win. Comments must be submitted by Sunday evening (9/27) at 6:00 pm CDT and I will draw a winner. US mailing addresses only. Be sure to leave me a way to contact you if you don't have a blog.

And even if you don't win, GOD IS GOOD!

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TSMSS - Grace

This song by Larnelle Harris speaks for itself.

WERE IT NOT FOR GRACE

Time measured out my days
Life carried me along
In my soul I yearned to follow God
But knew I'd never be so strong
I looked hard at this world
To learn how heaven could be gained
Just to end where I began
Where human effort is all in vain

CHORUS
Were it not for grace
I can tell you where I'd be
Wandering down some pointless road to nowhere
With my salvation up to me
I know how that would go
The battles I would face
Forever running but losing this race
Were it not for grace

So here is all my praise
Expressed with all my heart
Offered to the Friend who took my place
And ran a course I could not start
And when He saw in full
Just how much His would cost
He still went the final mile between me and heaven
So I would not be lost

(Repeat Chorus)

Forever running but losing this race
Were it not for grace

Visit Amy's for more songs to minister to your soul!

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Perfect People Need Not Comment!

One of my all-time favorite movies is Mary Poppins. In the scene following her arrival at the Banks home, she is unpacking her bottomless (and seemingly empty) carpetbag while Jane & Michael watch. She rummages around and pulls out a measuring tape to see how they measure up. Michael is "Extremely Stubborn and Suspicious." Jane is "Rather Inclined to Giggle. Doesn't Put Things Away." They demand that she take a turn, but her result is "Mary Poppins. Practically Perfect in Every Way." (You can watch this darling clip here if you aren't familiar with it.)

How often we as women think we need to be like Mary Poppins. (Although I'd settle for being able to snap my fingers to clean the house!) We try so hard to be perfect (or at least supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!) so that we can convince everyone, including God, that we measure up. Only the result is that, like Michael, reaching for something beyond our abilities only results in our being frustrated, out of control, and in a never-ending cycle trying to escape.

This is something I have particularly struggled with for years. Growing up in a home where the expectations were high and deficiencies were always pointed out, I have wrestled with this for much of my life. (Lest you think my folks were abusive, let me clarify that this was not the case and the motivation was to help us improve and be our best. Unfortunately, the result was the sense of never doing/being enough.)

So I was particularly interested in Lisa Harper's new book, A Perfect Mess: Why You Don't Have to Worry About Being Good Enough for God. As she walks the reader through some of the Psalms, which contain "God's interactions with real people with real problems in need of His gloriously real grace," Lisa reminds us that "God's incomparable love transforms the messiness and loneliness of life into a gorgeous tapestry of grace." (Quotes from the Introduction, pages 2-3)

Chapters such as "Leaping over Legalism," "Tumbling Toward Approval," and "Frantic Isn't a Spiritual Fruit" are sprinkled with verses, truths, and examples. Each chapter concludes with questions for personal insight or discussion, making this an ideal book for a Bible Study, book club, or small group.

I especially loved the chapter "Tumbling Toward Approval" and could relate to much of what it said:

Maybe you too have exhauted yourself striving to be sweeter or thinner or a better scrapbooker. Perhaps you've crafted Bible study answers with the goal of impressing the girls in your small group. It's easy to fall prey to the feel-good addiction of other people's approval. . .I've realized tha many of us are just as prone to perform for God as for anyone else.

I used to think that, along with trying to impress others, I had to try to win God over with a "good girl" routine. . . I felt sure that the only reason I'd get to squeak into heaven's door was because Jesus felt sorry for me and talked His Father into it. Although I walked down an aisle to confess my sins and my need for Christ's love and forgiveness when I was seven, it took decades longer to believe that Jesus actually likes me, that He doesn't merely deliver me but wholeheartedly delights in me. (excerpted from pp. 43-45)

Anyone else ready to quit trying to be perfect and accept that you're A Perfect Mess? (Giveaway below!)

BOOK SUMMARY
Caught up in the self-imposed pressure to do and be all the things they think a Christian woman ought to do and be, countless women are working desperately to convince everyone, including God, that they have it all together. Few have any idea that the Creator of the universe looks at them with delight even when they yell at the dog, drive a minivan littered with French fries, or think bad words about that rude clerk at the store.

A Perfect Mess offers hope to every woman who yearns for a vibrant relationship with God but worries she isn’t good enough or doesn’t do enough to merit His affection. With characteristic authenticity, speaker and author Lisa Harper shares poignant stories from her own imperfect life to showcase the real-life relevancy of the Bible in the lives of modern women.

As she guides readers on a story-driven journey through selected Psalms, they will be inspired to experience for themselves how God’s incomparable love transforms the messiness of life into a gorgeous work of grace.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lisa Harper is a master storyteller whose lively approach connects the dots between the Bible era and modern life. She is a sought-after Bible teacher and speaker whose upcoming appearances include the national Women of Faith Conferences. A veteran of numerous radio and television programs and the author of several books, she also is a regular columnist for Today’s Christian Woman magazine. Lisa recently completed a master’s of theological studies from Covenant Theological Seminary. She makes her home outside Nashville. You can learn more at her website.

She talks about the fear of not being perfect here:



GIVEAWAY!!
The publisher has provided an additional copy for me to give to one of you! Just leave a comment on this post by 6:00 p.m. CDT Saturday and I will draw a winner. (Continental US residents only, please.)

A Perfect Mess can be purchased directly from the publisher or from Amazon or other bookstores.

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Laughing and Pondering

Laughter is a great gift, and Mark Lowry can deliver like no one else. But the best thing is that imbedded in his humor are some great spiritual truths.


Here's the song he sings, Isn't It Amazing?

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Jennifer Rothschild & Personal Irony

God's power and sovereignty are often easily recognized in creation and in the big things of life. But when He "zings" me with a lesson tailor-made for my circumstance, it always blows my mind.

I have raved about the Christian Book Expo and what a wonderful time I had. And I did. But isn't it typical that out of all my wonderful experiences, when I got back to my hotel room on Saturday night, all I could think was, "I'm an idiot. I can't believe I did that. What a doofus."

And the irony of it was the book I was holding, on which the autographed ink was barely dry, when I made my self-deprecating statements.

I guess I better explain.

One of the last people I had the complete delight of meeting late Saturday afternoon is Jennifer Rothschild. I heart Jennifer! Our church did her Fingerprints of God Bible Study a few years back, and it was wonderful. Since then I've enjoyed her website & her newsletter, Java with Jennifer. She is a gifted teacher whom I admire so much. And an incredible woman. She continually wows me with her comments about the things she does even though she is blind (including putting on her own make-up and cooking).

So I was thrilled she was signing books late in the day when the already light crowds had trickled down to just a smattering of people. I made my way over to the booth where she sat. And then all rational thought departed my brain as I became a blathering idiot.

As I effused over her telling her how wonderful she was and getting her to sign the book I had brought and another one I had bought for a friend (sorry bloggy friends, I kinda left you in the lurch and it never occurred to me to buy a giveaway! Nope, this one was all about me & Jennifer.), I'm sure she thought I must be a teeny-bopper groupie! I could not seem to make my mouth shut up, focused waaay too much on "I don't see how you _____ since you're blind", and I probably sounded like I'd never met anyone with a physical disability. She was gracious and kind, but after I left, I wanted to crawl in the nearest hole, telling myself "stupid, stupid, stupid."

Oh, the book I took for her to sign? One I obviously need to reread!


Self Talk, Soul Talk addresses what we as women do all too well: talk to ourselves in a demeaning way. As the back cover says,


Jennifer paints a picture of our minds as closets:

I seem to have a secret closet tucked somewhere in the hallways of my mind. A thought closet. And what I had been storing in that closet wasn't good at all: shelves and racks and bins full of hidden thoughts, secret insecurities, lies, illusions, and reminders of former failures. How did they get ther? Why can't I get rid of them?

Without my consent, my mind keeps reaching into the dark corners of that closet to retrieve the troublesome contents I have inadvertently stored away over the years. The boxes have labels like these:

• You're not good enough.
• You're not the wife you could be.
• You're not a good mom.
• You should have done a better job.

Our soul talk can finally change the contents of our thought closets. . .My faith has led me to the Bible to find what to say to my soul. And speaking the truths I've found in the pages of Scripture has turned my thought closet from a prison into an oasis of freedom! (p. 14-15)

And this part really gets me as I think about berating myself in the hotel room:

Are your words gracious and yet based on the authority of Scripture? I am quite sure I would not tolerate someone else speaking to me with the kind of words I have used when speaking to myself. . .If my husband, Phil, ever called me an idiot because I spilled coffee on his newspaper, I would be crushed and explode with indignation. Yet idiot is the word I most frequently called myself when I made a similar blunder. . .The next time you gear up to spout off some choice words to your soul, pause and consider the words of Paul: "Let your conversation be gracious and effective so that you will have the right answer for everyone" (Colossians 4:6 NLT). "Everyone" includes you. (p. 28-29)

Sigh. Nothing like being Exhibit A for the book you just got autographed!

Each chapter concludes with Questions to Ponder, and Jennifer also has a Self Talk Soul Talk website containing more thoughts from Jennifer and Interviews with Women Who Talk to Themselves, such as Chonda Pierce, Patsy Clairmont, Lisa Welchel, and Kathy Troccoli.


Jennifer has also just released the corresponding Bible Study - Me, Myself, and Lies: A Thought Closet Makeover. Here's a brief intro:


And here she is with her sweet husband, "her" Dr. Phil:



Oh, and talk about double the fun! Lysa TerKeurst just announced last week that Jennifer will be speaking at this year's She Speaks Conference! I'm dying to go!

I am an idiot. I am a friend of God! (And maybe one day, Jennifer Rothschild?!)

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. . .Out of His Love for You and Me

But He was pierced for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him,
and by His wounds we are healed.
Isaiah 53:5

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The Age-Old Struggle

I've started this post about 5 times trying to figure out how to open it smoothly without just dumping my brain all over the screen. The Delete key is one of the greatest inventions ever! Hopefully my thoughts won't seem too disjointed....there is a point and a connection.

Last night, I missed President Bush's Farewell Address and turned on the TV as some of the journalists were discussing it. Of course they had their guest commentators to offer their opinions, and they were not shy about pointing out Bush's shortcomings and failures. To be fair, one did acknowledge "his legendary acts of kindness" and that he is a warm and caring individual and while this journalist disagrees with much of his politics, he likes him as an individual. But one comment just got all under my skin. This same man in comparing Bush and the media's beloved President-Elect Obama commented that Bush is "a John the Baptist figure to Obama."

Excuse me? Mr. Journalist, the Messiah has already come, and He is NOT about to be sworn in as President.

So I turned off the TV, watched a movie with my girl (the kids finished finals and have a 4-day weekend! WOOHOO!) and went to bed.

I slept horribly. Not sure what woke me up, but once I was awake, all manner of issues started swirling through my head. Frustrations with myself. Concerns over a couple of parenting issues. Feeling like I don't measure up. Thinking of all the ways I fail to do what I should do. I eventually went back to sleep, but I woke up still feeling discouraged.

I remembered Paul wrote about some of these same struggles, so I opened my Bible to Romans 7 and read again about the whole conflict between "what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do." (v. 15) I identified with Paul when he said that "in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my ind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members." (vv. 22-23)

And then.

We tend to read the Bible in chapters, but those divisions were added later. I don't think I'd ever completely connected that the wonderful truths of Romans 8 come right after the frustration of Romans 7. Immediately in the first verse of Chapter 8, Paul says "THEREFORE, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus...." What a beautiful comfort!

But what does this all have to do with the journalist? Although I obviously have no idea what his spiritual situation is, as I've been completely frustrated over the direction our country is heading and the lack of ethics and morals so many in leadership seem to have, God seemed to whisper this word to me:

If you struggle with doing right, and you have My Spirit in you, why do you expect non-believers to be above reproach?

In fact, Romans 8:7-8 says that "The sinful min is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God."

So I will continue to press on, and even rejoice that I do struggle, for it is evidence that the Spirit dwells within me. And let God deal with the political realm. For it is only through His conviction that their hearts - and then their actions - will change.

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Wrapping Up May

Apparently my kids are not the only ones whose brains shut down when school ended on Friday.

I realized this morning that I neglected to draw a winner for the books from my 100th post last evening. Yesterday my "get up and go" definitely got up and went! We did take care of a couple of errands to get some additional equipment and clothing for the upcoming 2 week Scout camping and backpacking trek my son and husband are leaving on next weekend. But that was about all I was good for all day. It's funny how our bodies can sense when the frenzied pace of activity has finally subsided and all our energy drains out in a whoosh like the air leaving a balloon.

But I do indeed want to gift these books to 2 of you who commented on my milestone post. So before I went to church this morning the computer chose the following:

Here are your random numbers: 4, 12
Timestamp: 2008-06-01 13:56:23 UTC

Congrats to Chris and skoots1mom! Please send me your addresses, ladies, and I'll get your books to you!

Before the summer gets in full swing, a couple of things to catch up on. . . . .

I received a couple of books as a Mother's Day gift from one of the publishers that I review books for that I'd like to tell you about.

Rattled by Trish Berg
This is a great book for new moms. The subtitle is Surviving Your Baby's First Year Without Losing Your Cool. This book is full of anecdotes and advice, and sprinkled throughout each chapter are practical tidbits, prayers, and questions & thoughts to ponder as well as an appendix containing a plethora of resources. . Trish hilariously recounts her own crazed moments of motherhood, and deliciously celebrates sweet moments with the babies that will grow up all too soon.

Never Say Diet by Chantel Hobbs
Chantel Hobbs, a mother of four, recounts her struggles with obesity, body image and health in Never Say Diet. Realizing that choosing to live well was one of the best gifts she could give her family, Chantel is so excited to encourage YOU to take the small but meaningful steps towards a healthier life. Ditch the diet! Buy some new skinny jeans! And don’t forget to read the five tips to get your family fit this spring. This woman lost 200 pounds, so the concepts she stresses bear some weight (pun intended!).

A couple of you noticed that I had The Shack on my Spring Reading List and wondered how I liked it. To be honest, I was a bit mixed. The book was interesting to read, and it had some excellent and scripturally-grounded statements about God and faith. But although I will readily admit that I prefer realism to allegories, I must say that the aspect of how the book portrayed God bothered me. There is a difference between God meeting us at the point of our need and God changing Himself to be what we want Him to be.

I am also concerned that those who elevate this book on a theological pedestal are those who focus on the message of God's love and acceptance to the exclusion of the concept of God's holiness in regard to sin. Particularly in today's society of "feel-good religion," we frequently hear folks cite examples of how accepting and non-condemning Jesus was when He lived on this earth, reaching out to "sinners" when others would judge and stone. Yet they frequently ignore the aspect of "go and sin no more" and the fact that each of those individuals (such as Zaccheus, the woman caught in adultery, the woman at the well, etc.) repented and had a changed life. It was not an "anything goes" relationship.

The book has much to ponder. But God has already revealed Himself to humanity, and that is recorded in a divinely inspired Book. I pray that books like The Shack will point folks to those Scriptures, not become their theology in and of itself.

And my opinion is worth about what you paid for it! Have a great day!

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A Little Spiritual CPR

My mind has been juggling all the things on my to-do list this week.

Taxing things related to April 15. Medical things related to annual appointments for mammograms, migraines, and Scout camps. Planning the logistics for our upcoming ladies retreat for which I am in charge of the tech/media stuff. Bible Study - Revelation this week! Chaperoning UIL contests. And on and on and on.

One thing not on my list is breathing. But maybe it should be. Because a book I finally read this week (after having it for months!) reminded me of the importance of this.

Not breathing oxygen (although I don't recommend the cessation of that anytime soon!), but the breathing of grace.

Harry Kraus, MD, a missionary physician in Africa, has penned some great words in his book Breathing Grace: What You Need More Than Your Next Breath. And he did relate it to our physical respiratory system. Just as we don't say "Well, oxygen brought me to life at birth but I can get along without it now," grace is something we need daily. In his introduction he says,

So why is spiritual famine an epidemic both inside and outside the church? Because although we've come to Christ by recognizing grace, few of us have carried it along as essential equipment on the Christian path. We give mental assent to the truth of the gospel message, but we live our lives in famine, as if we could earn God's favor. We are God's children, but our souls are dry.

From lack of "oxygen" (grace) to spiritual emphysema, anemia, and resuscitation, he shows how we cannot afford to go through our days without life-sustaining grace, both breathing it in and breathing it out.

Yep, he stepped on my toes a few times. Good books with truth in their pages tend to do that!

BTW, you don't need a medical background to read and apply this book. Any medical illustrations are thoroughly explained. (And they will give you a renewed appreciation for the wondrous intricacies of the human body which God created.)

Grace. I can't live without it, and yet some days I completely ignore it. And still He offers it!

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. II Peter 3:18

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Church Service, Anyone? (Part Two)

As I read in Nehemiah 9 about the Israelites confessing their sins during their lengthy worship service, I was struck with the historical depth they went into.

And it posed a bit of a dilemma.

In Philippians 3:13-14, Paul sets an example of "forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

It is important for us to claim God's forgiveness, release our sins, and move on, not to continually wallow in them.

And yet, as evidenced in Nehemiah (and elsewhere in Scripture), in the process of confession and especially in praise to God for His faithfulness to us, sometimes it is appropriate to remember a little historical perspective.

Not because we haven't been freed from those sins, but to remind us not to return to that area of sin and bondage.

Some highlights from the Levites' prayer:

• "You chose Abram...You made a covenant..You have kept Your promise because You are righteous" (9:7-8)
• "You divided the sea...You led them with a pillar of cloud [and] fire...You gave them laws (9:11-13)
• "In their hunger You gave them bread from heaven and in their thirst You brought them water from the rock" (9:15)
• "But our forefathers did not obey...refused to listen...became stiff-necked" (9:16-17)
• "But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate....abounding in love...You did not desert them even when they cast...an image of a calf... (9:17-18)
• "You gave...You sustained...You gave...You made...You subdued" (9:20-25)
• "But they were disobetient and rebelled..." (9:26)
• "When they were oppressed they cried out to You...In Your great compassion You...rescued them" (9:27)
• "They again did what was evil...and You abandoned them to their enemies." (9:28)
• "And when they cried out....You delivered them time after time." (9:28)
• "You warned them....but they became arrogant and disobeyed..." (9:29)
• "For many years You were patient with them." (9:30)
• "Yet they paid no attention so you handed them over to the neighboring peoples..." (9:30)
• "But in Your great mercy You did not put an end to them or abandon them, for You are a gracious and merciful God....In all that has happened to us, You have been just; You have acted faithfully, while we did wrong." (9:31-33)

I think about how flippantly we pray "Lord forgive us our sins".

I wonder if we prayed through our history if it might change our tune and cause us to treat more reverently His gifts of grace and mercy.

And what do our children know of God's faithfulness through our lives, even in the times when we were unfaithful?

Just some things to think about as we go about our days and head to church on Sunday. . . .

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