Online Journal - Page 22 of 45

Book Review: To The Farthest Shore

To The Farthest Shores by Elizabeth Camden brings out some notable themes: Forgiveness, betrayal, and complicated relationships not so easily solved by a few glib words.

Jenny sees Ryan and rehashes in her mind the hurt of his abrupt break up letter. Trust is broken, but she still loves him. She is compelled in spite of her reluctance to seek out answers to his long absence and his sudden loss of interest in her. What she discovers is a little Japanese girl and bitterness suppresses every ounce of compassion when she learns that he not only went to serve overseas, but found a wife and had a daughter. It’s not just a present hurt that keeps her from seeing clearly, but a secret from her past she can’t forgive.

Jenny is a complicated woman—A nurse during World War II who prides herself on running a tight ship as a nurse helping wounded warriors. She struggles with a distrust that goes back to her childhood, built on a foundation of guilt. What’s interesting are the secrets Ryan keeps as he attempts to restore the relationship.

People, in order to protect others, tend to hide pertinent information. We do the worst harm avoiding the uncomfortable to keep others from distress. Ryan’s attempt to avoid reality nearly gets him killed and sends Jenny away again. Jenny’s resentment towards Ryan’s small daughter causes the reader to get momentarily angry at Jenny. To The Farthest Shores is yet another example by Elizabeth Camden how one can write realistic characters in fiction to deviate from the predictable cookie cutter personalities found in some fiction.

*Book given by publisher to review

What If Isn’t Wolves, But Cute Doggies?

But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it. Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?… From Here

When people quote the above verse, a picture of some ravenous wolf with teeth bared accompanies it. What if wolves in sheep’s clothing don’t look like wolves at all, but well-intentioned cute doggies that gently mislead?

You’d be surprised to learn how Satan can use good things, pleasant things and people, to lead us away from a relationship with the Lord (2 Cor. 11:14). This is why learning about Jesus in the Bible is so important.

Base your faith on the authoritative Word, not what popular people in culture and religions say. Religions and cultures change. God doesn’t change.

Want to join a Bible Study?

I can help you with that. Bring your doubts. Explore God’s character in its proper context.

From The Wilderness VLOGS: Pet Sematary

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJ4igm0p9hA&feature=youtu.be

Loving Others as Jesus Did?

Because I can’t even begin to identify with the Mind that made matter, with the Voice that spoke galaxies into existence, or with the Power that holds all things together…but I can identify with the compassion Jesus showed lepers, and I can identify with the frustration he felt with the religious leaders, and I can identify with the sorrow he experienced when people rejected him. It’s this sort of stuff—raw, down-to-earth, “human stuff” (that is, compassion, frustration, rejection, etc.)—in which Jesus works out his humanity, and invites us to follow him. And when we realize that Jesus really does understand what it means to be human (warts and all!), it increases our faith that he will help us know what to do with the bewildering, painful, joyful experiences of our own humanity. – Trent Sheppard

“I want to know Jesus better,” she cried in her newsletter. This newsletter soundbite is a couple of years old, but no less important. This Christian missionary’s cry did not come from disbelief, but a growing desire to draw closer to the Lord. Additionally, I cry,

“Lord, help me see people as you see them and love them as you love them.”

Asking to love others as He loves them is a dangerous prayer. Look what happened when He showed His love to us? God sent His Son to the cross. Jesus stepped willingly to a Roman torture device and suffered for three days (if you don’t count the prior beatings He withstood before being nailed to the cross). How far are we willing to go for our friends, especially when our friends make choices in their lives where the consequences are deserved?

We can’t even keep our promises.

And are we willing to give and serve even if there is no benefit to us?

Loving others is so much more than just giving a food box or money to a cause. It’s much more than words, but investing in the lives of those God has placed around you. This is why I am passionate about social media. Social Media gives us the opportunity to invest in others in more than hitting like or re-tweeting a tweet on your feed. It’s sending a private message, responding with words to their post, and serving them online. I want to see a revolution online from Christians across many generations learning to see social media as a means to serve each other and extend the message of the Cross globally and truthfully. Because as a church, I feel like we’re failing to send that message online. Let’s do more reaching than preaching.

Drinking Deeply in The Fire

They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” Jeremiah 17:8 NIV

A Netflix documentary described my week: Watching fire roar through the forest. How do you show God’s love when circumstances make you the bad guy? As I ended the day sipping a cup of peppermint tea, Jeremiah 17:8 ran through my mind. Only I couldn’t recall the exact Scripture: “…leaves always green…roots go out to the river,” like a compact disc stuck on one chorus kept repeating itself as I lived through the “fire.”

This gave me much comfort, especially on Monday when I started visiting churches and dropping off DVD’s and prayer cards. My stomach felt like a tight rope being twisted. Starting my life as a writer before becoming a worker with WorldVenture has prepared me for rejection and doubt. I’ve developed a thick skin, learned how to smile through disappointment, and still, after each packet was dropped off, Jeremiah 17:8 kept running unceasingly through my mind.

I rely on God’s divine protection and His guidance through all circumstances.

The stress of the week and the question of showing God’s love when circumstances make you the bad guy did not erase the joy in my heart or take the smile from my face. I fear people look at God in our culture’s sense–someone like our best friend who accepts our sins rather than hates our sins. God knows our sins tear apart our lives and relationships. It causes generations of damage. This is why God hates sin. He hated it so much that He sent His Son to die on the cross; the lamb sacrifice to end all sacrifice–To give humanity a chance.

So, while my leaves were always green because my roots were drinking from living water, I am learning different perspectives. I am learning how to distance myself so people don’t connect the circumstances with God’s character, to let others do the work God has them doing and not interfere, and I am also learning how to continue working towards 100% support, face prejudices, doubt, and conquer my own self-sufficiency. While on the way to 100% support, I am in training. I am learning how to make and face hard decisions, confronting my fear of confrontation, and learning how to walk through the “fire” unscathed.

Why I Review Stephen King

In a series of short videos, I review Stephen King’s Pet Sematary. I review this because Stephen King is a successful horror writer and people, especially unbelievers, read him. A Christian horror writer once said that horror is really a philosophy. My goal with this three part series is to engage people in conversation about the issues I bring up. You can go here to view all of the series.

Today’s Video:

https://youtu.be/4PRHsAde2KU