The Fitting Room

The Fitting Room

Putting on the Character of Christ
by Kelly Minter
2011
paperback 206 pages (which includes notes and useful study questions at the back)

As people chosen by God and dearly loved just how are we to dress?  Good question, and Kelly Minter does a good job of answering it chapter by chapter as she describes and gives insight (both scriptural and personal) into the virtues put forth in Colossians 3, mainly honing in on verses 12-15.  I am thankful to our ladies mission prayer group that meets on Tuesdays at noon and to the wonderful teaching that comes as each of us expounds further into a character trait we are to joyfully grow in. (i got to teach on forgiveness, and like always, God teaches you a lot as you prepare to teach).

This all would be totally overwhelming, the idea that we NEED to be compassionate, kind, humble, gentle, patient, forgiving, not to mention filled with peace and joy.  But the truth is, due to the reality that as God's children we are so loved by Him, that it is not a "i have to wear that and i don't want to" but it is replace with "i get to wear this and it looks great on me!" kind of mind-set change.  Changing what we "put on and live out" makes all the difference. Just like our physical clothing we are intentional with what we wear, it takes being intentional to choose patience over hotheadedness, or compassion over selfishness, etc.  You don't go to a wedding with your old sweat suit under your formal gown, and so it is you need to take off (and throw away) old useless ways of going about living...and you can because God loves you and has a better, more satisfying way for His children to live.

I highlighted the bits of Kelly's book in pink in the spots where she brought other helpful scripture into the concepts of putting on the character of Christ, and i'm happy to say there is quite a bit of pink in the book.  This to me makes the message more reliable.  It is an easy to read kind of book, not weighing you down with     guilt, but lifting up with hope and i think it will be one i will keep on the shelf, to refer to and recommend.

One Thousand Gifts

One Thousand Gifts
One Thousand Gifts
a dare to live fully right where you are
by: Ann Voskamp
2010
hardback, 237 page if you count the notes

In keeping with reading only books that have come to me recommended, i knew for a while that i wanted to read this one with the blue eggs in the nest on its cover.  I bought a copy (before i read it) for Melanie's 50th birthday thinking that 50 gifts would be cool, a thousand gifts would be way cool. Then our church (HFBC) had a ladies retreat and Kelly Matte, our pastor's wife did a session about it, but as i was not there, i do not know what she taught.  i checked it out of the church library but then got too busy with writing to read it.  I did read the first few pages and put it down quick as the raw description of birth and then the death of a child was too much for me.  Then i got sick, i thought instead of laying around, i will lay around with a book and because so many thought i would like this one, i picked it up again.  That is saying a lot before i say anything, i know. 
So, the book.  It is poetically written, yet touches on points like a good spiritual disciplines book should, so if it were mine it would have underlines in it.  It is a story, but one that is not in any hurry of getting anywhere and in the end, other than a trip to Paris (that may have been better off left as personal journal rather than included in the book) you really do not have a sense of arriving as far as story resolution goes.  But there is big resolution in the process that one homeschooling mom of six living on a pig farm in Canada goes through in her way to God, in her journey to fully trust Him.  She comes upon a word  eucharisteo meaning to give thanks and uses it page after page in her growth process in how this really unfolds. All boiled down one might say living a life of gratitude leads to living a full life of joy.  I would certainly agree.   The part that goes along with the title and with the journey is that she counts gifts... the little things that make up life, and she writes them down.  And she does so poetically.  On page 83 she reaches gift number 1000. Resurrection bloom, an amaryllis, a gift a year in the coming in reference to her mother-in-law's gift of a plant before she died of cancer.  There are lots of pages left for further discovery and the author uses her life as the class room of this growth into the goodness and blessings of God. At the end there are five pages of footnotes to give credit to authors and reference to books she has quoted in each chapter, so one has good resources if they would like to go deeper in an area. 
i liked the book and think it would be one that i would really have enjoyed reading in a book club where more could be expounded person to person after each chapter read.  At the end the reader is invited to join an on-line club to get even more information on how to live fully, complete with photos.  Many praise her book, and for good reason.  

Taking the Word to Heart

 Taking the Word to Heart
Five Ways to get a Grip on God's Word
by Nancy Taylor
paperback 70 pages
2009

As the end of 2012 was drawing near, i had been thinking through just how i wanted to journal the journey of 2013.  One thing that kept coming up was this idea of trying to memorize Scripture so i thought maybe i would journal the process.  I had heard about a woman at our church, Nancy Taylor, that had written a book about how she went about it, and one day her husband, who works with Russell, gave me a copy of her book.
I thought through the reasons for why i would want to take on something that seems huge to me (really knowing the Word and the reference for where it was) and jotted down what would be gained, starting with closeness to God, obedience, wisdom for my life and others, a way to grow in the character of Jesus, have ammunition against the enemy, a fresh look at God's faithfulness and how my trust in Him would increase.
I began Nancy's book and was delight on how she touched on these motivations and then gave a well-thought out tried and true plan for how to make these goals a reality.
This short book, brought to mind advice given in years past, but also fresh outlooks and techniques including getting the Word not only in your head but in your life.  And that is what i really desire: a transformed life.  I'm thankful that Nancy lives this out, teaches others, has written this book and has been a personal encouragement to me as i begin this journey.  At this point i have 3 verses in my head and heart and about to add verse four, seeking to add one verse for each week so that by New Year's Eve, Lord willing, i will have 52 verses!  what a treasure that will be!

T4T A Discipleship Re-Revolution

T4T A Discipleship Re-Revolution
by Steve Smith with Ying Kai
pages: 349; paperback
2011


Steve Smith has done a great job searching the scriptures concerning church planting, compiling a training guide based on Biblical principles, and giving several examples in various contexts of how these can be lived out in today's changing world.  T4T A Discipleship Rerevolution is a well-tested tool that can help many as they desire to live life as a"follower of Jesus and fisher of men" (a phrase Steve uses frequently in both his written training and in his verbal teaching).  Each chapter builds on the previous chapter in going step by step into the concepts of what Steve calls a process that coupled with the Holy Spirit's moving can lead to a church planting movement. Examples from his own ministry as well as many excerpts from the life of Ying Kai provide deep insights and rich dimensions to the training material.  Steve is a good communicator; he knows that both repetition and practice are necessary for new ideas to take hold and new habits to be formed. The book T4T A Discipleship ReRevolution gives a solid foundation and additional information can be gained from his website.
The  book's continual references to Biblical precedent and promise along with a thorough index of terms and scripture make this an essential resource for those pursuing church planting movements.   Pages 185-186 touch on a key reminders of how each believer is to both grow up in Christlikeness and walk in good works that fulfill God's mission.  May God's Kingdom continue to extend throughout the world so more and more people can trust that Jesus is indeed the way, truth, and life and through him to live life abundantly.  Thank you Steve, for sharing what God has shown you and thank you for the book!  I  recommend that this book is studied with a partner so concepts can be discussed and implemented in ways for God's goodness to be known and lived.