The Case For Christ by Lee Strobel

This is a must read for people like me who knows nuts how to build a case for Christ when challenged by friends and family. Lee went into great extent in researching about Jesus, which incidentally also was where his personal spiritual journey built up.

Lee was challenged to check out this person called Jesus, because his wife came home one day and said she had received Jesus as her Saviour. What he saw, thence forth, was the change in her character and attitude, which prompted him to check out this God that she professed.

His journey took him almost 2 years, and I guess it was probably one of the best decisions he's made in his entire life - giving his heart to this Jesus Christ.

I cannot do justice to the book in reviewing it here, you go grab this book yourself. =)

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

I finished this book in 2 days. Read every word. This book is based on the book of Hosea in the Bible. Based on how God asked Hosea to make a prostitute his wife.

Intense. Thought provoking. Intense.

There were moments when I was reading that I teared. Michael Hosea made a high class, high profiled prostiture his wife. And he NEVER once stopped loving her, even when she left him to go back to prostitution and searching for freedom.

Angel never knew love. Love to her had always been rejection, pain and mockery. Everyone wanted a piece of her but noone ever did saw value in her until - Michael. Michael nursed her back to health after she was beaten almost to death by that crazy guard at Pair-A-Dice. Her husband showed her kindness, gentleness, acceptance, forgiveness, grace and love. He showed her that not everyone was rotten. In her world, noone had good intentions. He showed her, God's love.

When Angel ran away the final time, Michael knew that he couldn't go back to get her again this time. She had to make a choice of her own. She had to come back by herself. In the difficult moments, Angel met God, and she finally knew that God does love her, and had always been looking out for her, waiting for her to trust Him. And fly she did after finding God. She found a refuge for those who were like her, who had no way out because they knew no other trade except selling their bodies.

Angel met God, and God met her. The book reminded me of how much God loves us, and the extent that He went and would go to redeem us. Redeem us of dignity, love us into dignity and nurse us into dignity. God's love gives us worth far more than anything else could. His love shown to us teaches us to love ourselves, and how to love others. His love knows no bounds.

Strongly recommended. Yeah, you should go read it. Maybe through the book you will learn how to love a woman, or as a woman, you will know how God loves us. By saying this I do not mean that God doesn't love men, so please don't be offended. =) God loves you as much as He loves the women. It's just that I think women can relate very well to the characters of this book.

Good stuff.

The Birth Order Book by Dr. Kevin Leman

This book is interesting. The first thing that I did when I saw the book was to flip to the page/chapter that talks about last borns - of which I am. Imagine the fun when in that first page of the chapter itself, he recognised what I did (flip to the chapter that talks about you before you read anything else) as the youngest born trait.

I didn't read the whole book - too tedious for my unpredictable schedule. Only had time to devour some chapters or rather sub-chapters. It's not your thing if you don't like reading human behaviour. However, it'd still be a good eye opener because now you know why some people act in certain ways - that you cannot stand sometimes.

I took interest in the book because it's not about personality profiling. It helps me love a little bit more of who I am and thank God for making me, me. For the last born, getting approval from others is like a life-long mission. It's my struggle to be accepted. I'm not over with that yet, there are still other issues that I guess through time and with God's grace I can overcome. Now, I just need to learn to love me.

The author didn't go too deep that the reader cannot understand or find overwhelming. Easy reading book and a must if you haven't read a book of similar kind!


5 months ago,
gracey

The 5 Love Needs of Men&Women by Dr Gary & Barbara Rosberg

This book has formulaes. It's not anything new to me, but please don't take this as a proud statement. If you have gone for enough seminars about BGR & marriage, I would think you haven't missed out anything, except that they put it in 5 points each - for both men & women.
Barbara writes to the men, on behalf of women, and Dr Gary vice versa. It's a well written book, and comes with much grace I would say. Not too heavy, easy to understand and a good switch every chapter with the authors taking turns to write their minds & experiences.

They paint a somewhat realistic picture of marriage. It's not impossible to do the things they advocate for, and they're biblical. The onus then is on the readers to apply according to their personal situations. Blind application without some measure of consideration will just harm the person and the marriage.

For an unmarried person, this is a good book to begin with, to give yourself a picture of the commitment that is expected of us to each another. Don't be afraid to read and to be challenged - the authors took many years themselves to come to this place of wisdom and grace in their own relationship. And don't stay away from relationships upon seeing the expectations. =)

Relationships are meant to be beautiful.

gracey

The 'Letter'

It is absolutely amazing how things have turned out. I handed the 'letter' and the letter was handed back to me - twice. The twists are that, I am given a raise, more administrative work, no tuition, 9 am - 6 pm AND a given sum of money for YWAM. There is no other thing I can say, except to God be the glory.

Things are falling into place, and I am not working less. I just don't need to strive so hard to get bills paid, and saving money to go to YWAM. God is taking care of it already. I am seeing miracles every day.

absolutely in awe of God,
gracey

Adventures In Naked Faith by Ross Tooley

This book was a gift from Pr Mike, given late last year. Well, he gave this book for a reason. This book was written by one of the YWAM pioneers in the Philippines, which explains why.

I am going away for an adventure of faith of my own, and this book challenged my faith in many sense, to trust God in His provision. Honestly, I cannot remember much from the book, except that Ross trusted God with his life. God did not fail even once. He delivered every time.

Ross demonstrated his faith with biblical truths, and lived his life with so much passion and obedience to the Creator. The most starkling trust is that in finances. I have lived life with so much comfort, and finances were never an issue. It's not that I have an abundant and ever-present ATM machine in the form of my parents, it's just that I have always been taught to plan my finances, for which I am grateful to my parents.

Stepping out of that assurance of knowing that I can make it through this month because of the planning is a rather untested ground. I really have no idea how this is coming into a full picture, and yet God already has been showing me bits and pieces of His goodness and provision. The finances are rolling in for my Adventure of Faith.

To God be the Glory for the things He has and is about to do.

walking in awe,
gracey


p/s: It's 29th May 2008. I met the man himself at YWAM Perth and at AUT in Auckland!! Woohoo!!

Redefining the Strong Willed Woman by Cynthia Ulrich Tobias

A summary of this book can be found here. I found reading this book a great sense of relief, because I felt understood. It was like a "Gosh, finally!!" kind of moment. I, for one, never thought that my strong will is a gift from God. Thought of it more as a curse upon my life because like what I said in my main blog, it is not nice being misunderstood all the time. Okay, maybe not all the time, but at least MOST of the time. I kid you not, it is true.

So I felt liberalised reading this, knowing that it is not a disease. Then again, I live in an Asian country where being out-spoken with a will of steel and a lady at that is frowned upon. Some of you may disagree, but think again. How often do you stand by strong willed women? Aren't we always expected to be quiet and conform just like any other woman out there?

Being strong willed and outspoken at the same time is not fun even in your own family, like my own. So most often I ended up standing alone, and hating myself for being such an ass/stiff neck. I resorted to withdraw my opinions and thoughts and kept them to myself. Honestly, I didn't feel safe to express my thoughts even in church. Only in certain settings I saw myself speaking up a little more, BUT only when there were no other ways out.

I know I always screw up, but it didn't mean I stopped trying. It does make me feel alone very often, when fingers start pointing again. Thank God for those few people whom I know stand with me and push me to move on forward, because that is the way to go. Hiding is not suppose to be in my dictionary, right? It is almost as if I have a thick face. More often than not, it is the will of steel that is puching me onward, the hope that I see in Christ.

I would recommend everyone to read this book, because it will help you to understand people like me a little bit more, and in the process, learn more about yourself too. A good read and for myself, a mind and life changing book. Free indeed! =)


same yet different,
gracey

The Dream Releasers by Wayne Cordeiro

I finally read this book after almost 9 months of keeping it in my bookshelf! Oops...LOL. Thank God for that someone who persistently nudged and reminded me to read read read! Of course it was the owner of this book who did that. Anyway, this is sort of a book report? Can't remember how in the world to write one. =S

This book talks about being a dream releaser (i.e mentor alike) to the people who are under our care, as well as in my opinion, to everyone else in our lives. Each of us have inborn and innate dreams, waiting to be unleashed. Besides words, our actions - how we live our lives, and our prayers make huge differences when we see people more than what they are in the present. Prayers are a prerequisite and is the best expression of our love to releasing the potential of a person. "Jesus picked up a basin instead of a grudge and refused to use Judas's weakness as fodder for retaliation." (Cordeiro, W.)

As a mortal, I find that difficult to do, but it is not an excuse not to try at all. I guess the best part about being a dream releaser is that I can experience the satisfaction of being one of the channels to unleashing a person's deepest potential, which could change his/her life forever. The 'real' thing is peppered with much challenge, and faithful walking with the Master Dream Releaser Himself.

A Dream Releaser must be trusted because the ability to be trusted determines the "breadth of your mantle and the strength of your legacy." (Cordeiro, W.) I find this statement so true, for if I cannot trust someone, then whatever that person says will be like wind to me, blown from one side reaching another end without impact. A Chinese saying goes something like 'treat it like a passing wind'. In fact, trust is the most important factor for us to count a person's statement viable or otherwise, right?

The timing was just right when I read this book. If I have read this earlier, I guess the impact would have been lesser because I would have only been inspired, but not convicted. I am still inspired reading it this time around, and am doing something about it too because I have seen for myself the power of seeing someone beyond what and where they are now, and the change of attitude that comes with it when they know someone is behind their back.

I thought hard about the Dream Releasers in my life, and want to thank God for each of them, because of the positive encouragements I received, the gentle correction that I got when I screwed up and their believing in me when others walked away from me. I guess it's time to personally thank them for investing into my life. And these people are still behind my back, I do owe it to them. =)


same yet different,
gracey

The Heavenly Man by Brother Yun with Paul Hattaway

Brother Yun, a man of God, and is one of the most wanted house church leaders in China. He was called by the Lord at the age of 16, and never turned back ever since. It took me 2.5 days to finish the book, and my friend said that I devoured it. Quite true, since I have not finished a book so quick since the days of the Left Behind Series 4 years ago. Reading about his life and faith captured my heart, as I desire to know God that intimately as well.

I reviewed my life as I read his testimonies. In a land as abundant as Malaysia, be it with technology or nature, I find my faith in Jesus rather shaky. I am not sure how true is that, because as of right now, it has never been tested severely. Where Brother Yun was, there were no handphones nor housephones. All they had was God. And God delivered. He still does.

In my place of comfort, full of choices, ranging from food to medication, education to free will, I fumble when it comes to trusting God. There are not many places and instances in my life where I truly need God as much as they did. I find myself indifferent many times, and wonder what went wrong with my hunger and thirst for the Lord. Every action, thought and deed seems to be mundane and unmeaningful and oftentimes, harmful to others. So, what went wrong?

I mean, there are plenty of songs which talk about hunger and thirst for God, but do I really hunger for Him in my life? I am filled to the brim with things which are unimportant and insignificant, and have lost the skill to skim and allow for things which are of eternal value to God.

This really ties in with what I learnt on Saturday from the Planet Shakers seminar, that in order for God to fill me, I have to be empty. How can God ever fill me if all I have is just that little space left in my heart for Him? What plain logic and wisdom is that. Just right for my walk now.

Brother Yun had one major regret : that he did not spend enough time with his family, especially his wife. Many leaders do just the same. Ministry before family. To me, ministry starts with family and rightly so. It doesn't mean that when God calls I do not answer, it just means that if I can't take care of my family, then I do not qualify to take care of God's.

⁴He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. ⁵(If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?)
1 Timothy 3:4-5

This review is but of a concised one. It is a great read, great to check where we are standing, full of great testimonies, and great to find out that God does miracles even at a time such as this. God stretch you as you encounter His grace through reading the life of the Heavenly Man. God bless you.

just one life,
gracey