The Prince Who Was Just Himself

Hi! My name is Amy! I just thought an introduction was necessary since it has been sooooo long since I have posted here. Things have been happening at warp speed around here, so I haven't taken the time to blog. But when I had the chance to review a couple of great books for Handlebar Publishing I realized that it was time to get back on here. I will try to catch you up on the details of the past year later on. :)

The Prince Who Was Just Himself is a wonderful children's storybook. The illustrations are bright and cheery. It is the story of a royal family who has a child, Prince Noah, that is different than the others. The differences that others sometimes criticize or misunderstand turn out to be the things that make him the hero when the kingdom is faced with a villain. The differences that Prince Noah exhibits are due to the fact that he was born with Down syndrome. This book displays the beauty found in all children. The author, Silke Schnee, has a son with Down syndrome. He inspired her to write this book for children to help them understand the joy and love of her son and others like him. 

I had a special interest in this book because my nephew has Down syndrome. Caden is a joy to everyone who meets him! I also have special friends who have children with Down syndrome. The extra chromosome these kids have makes them extra special and extra lovable!

This book isn't just for those who have a friend or relative with Down syndrome though. It is for all children (and adults) to learn that those who are different than us are special in their own way no matter what that difference may be!

Quitting

Quitting..... It's what's on my mind today. My pastor, Mark Scott, said about his son going to seminary two states away: "You can't listen to your mind. It's going to change." That rang so true to me. This afternoon I am planning to go to orientation to begin my Master of Divinity degree. I have been wrestling with this for over a year now. Back and forth my mind has gone. 

• I'd love to do it!
• I can't afford to do it!
• I could learn so much!
• There's no way I can go back to school!
• How can I ask my family to sacrifice for me to do this!

Finally, The Lord spoke and said this is My plan for you. Now I have the choice, follow The Lord's plan or not. That decision is not an easy one to follow through on. I have said, and I am sure you have too, if The Lord would just show me I will do it. I thought it would be that simple, easy even. I am realizing it is not simple or easy to follow The Lord's path, even when the trail is blazed. Even though my heart knows the right way, my mind is still changing. Just this morning, I decided with my mind this isn't a good idea, and I could still back out. I could go get a job that would put money in our bank account instead of going to school and taking money out. I would still be able to do all the things my current schedule allows me to do if I don't have classes to worry about. Why add all this stress to my life, when I don't even know what I am going to do with this degree once I get it?

All of these questions lead me round and round in circles. They don't allow forward movement, just self-focus. What I really need is to remember what The Lord said... GO. Not go round and round, not go if you feel like it, but go where I lead you, where I told you to go. So tonight at 5pm I will go to NOBTS Birmingham to get oriented to this way The Lord has set before me. 

Hebrews 10:35-39 (NLT)
35 So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! 36 Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.

37 “For in just a little while,

the Coming One will come and not delay.

38 And my righteous ones will live by faith.

But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.”

39 But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved.

The High Calling

Some of you may know, but probably not, that I have started work full-time. This has been a great change but very different for both me and my family. I have been a stay-at-home mom for the last 10 years. I think we are adjusting well. Not so sure the blog has adjusted as well. I have relatively no time to read or write reviews. So I have been turning down opportunities that I have hated to say no to. But this week I was given the opportunity to review "The High Calling" blog for Handlebar Marketing. This blog is all about using the job that you find yourself in to live out your calling in Christ. I LOVE IT!!!! This opportunity was so timely for me. I have devoured many of the articles. They are written by various writers including Ann Voskamp, Mary E. DeMuth, Donna VanLiere, Ed Gungor  and many, many others. The articles are encouraging and informative. From their About page:

Welcome to TheHighCalling.org, an online magazine and community founded on the belief that God cares about our daily work. On our site, you’ll discover a broad range of articles, interviews, devotionals, and inspirational stories—all specifically created to help you find God in your work, family, and the broader culture. Our writers and bloggers tell engaging stories crafted to encourage you in the high calling of your daily work.

Honoring God in our daily work is much more than mere evangelism. Our work itself should be a testimony to our creator. That is why we encourage each other to remember the high calling of our daily work.

The High Calling is also a safe place to ask difficult questions about work, leadership, culture, family, and faith. Our community of Christ followers shares differing opinions about matters of faith and doubt. We believe in the power of open dialog, and aim to be a safe place to raise difficult issues. We simply ask that each person be respectful of others, rooted and grounded in love.

The High Calling in more than a blog, it is a community of people encouraging each other to live up to the potential God has placed in each of us.They also have a Facebook page where they post inspirational photos like this:



I hope you will go and get a dose of encouragement to make it through the work week. I know I will be a regular!
I received compensation for my review from Handlebar Marketing. I did not agree to post a favorable review. The opinions expressed are my own.

A Sudden Glory by Sharon Jaynes

Wow! It has been a long time since a book has caught my soul like A Sudden Glory, by Sharon Jaynes. From the first chapter describing "The Glory Ache" until the last explaining how we will go "From Glory to Glory," I was riveted to the heart of this message that God is all around wooing us with glimpses of His Glory as we "live and move and have our being in Him." Sharon does a wonderful job of casting a vision for what living out that verse from Acts 17:28 looks like. Just reading through the book made me more aware of the "glory moments" all around me and made me desire to experience more and more of the relationship that Jesus came and died to have... with me! Sharon encourages the reader to seek God for more than mediocrity and to expect a greatness and depth in our relationship with Christ. She doesn't sugar coat life and act as though hard times will never come. She faces the issue head on in the chapter titled, "Trusting God in Tough Times." One of my favorite quotes from that chapter is :

"Trying to analyze His [God's] omnipotence is like an amoeba attempting to comprehend the behavior of a man." It's simply not possible. But there is one thing we can be sure of. "All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful" (Psalm 25;10), whether we understand them or not.

I am looking forward to re-reading this book with my Bible Study Girls and doing the study questions that are included at the end of the book! I hope you will get this book and study it with a couple of friends as well.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Chris August, The Upside of Down

I have a new LOVE in the music world! Chris August has just released his new album "The Upside of Down" and let me tell you it is fantastic!!!! I know that you all think that I write kind reviews about everything no matter what, but my enthusiasm is not feigned in the least over this album. See what you may not know about me is that I have quite a varied palate when it comes to music. I like just about anything and everything that is indeed good music. And I also think I am a pretty good judge of good music. (if u agree with the TV judges :0) ) Anyway, all that said, I love this new album. Every song has a slightly different sound so you don't feel like you are listening to the same three songs over and over again. They range from soulful to pop-py and some gospel thrown in for good measure. One or two sound similar to the Chris August hit "Starry Night."

 

My very favorite, and the one I was singing as I sat down to write, is "I Believe."  The lyrics go like this:

I don't need a rainbow to know who made the rain
Don't need the waters parted to know who made the way
And I don't need a healing to know who is the cure
Of this I'm sure

[Chorus:]
I believe that there is something more than I can see
I believe that there is someone holding onto me
Sometimes I won't feel it, but that don't change a thing
'Cause it's by faith that I believe

This song and others on this album so completely describe where I am currently or have been recently in my walk with Jesus. And this is definitely an album about Jesus. Some "Christian" music  never even says His name, but Chris is "Unashamed of You" Jesus.

Now in his own words, here is Chris telling about the inspiration and writing of this project.

Greater by Steven Furtick

I was super excited to hear that Steven Furtick was about to release a new book. {I am addicted to the Elevation podcast!!} So with high expectations, I read this most recent release, Greater. I must say, I was not disappointed!!! It was inspiring, convicting, fun, deep, and full of Jesus much like most of the content that Pastor Steven puts out.

The premise of the message is to seek great-er lives. Not to be confused with seeking greatness, or settling for good enough. Greater is "The life-altering understanding that God is ready to accomplish a greatness in your life that is entirely out of human reach. It's beyond anything you see in yourself on your best day, but exactly what God has seen in you all along." Pastor Steven preaches tells the stories of the events in the life of Elisha, the prophet of God, to explain how to pursue this "Greater" vision of our life. Through Elisha's ups and downs Pastor Steven chronicles how that we too can see God do great things all around and through us.

As I said, I was greatly inspired and convicted by this book. I think every person who claims Christ publicly should read it and be challenged to live above the line of mediocrity, but not in a worldly get all the money and fame you can way. More like a get all the Jesus and Spirit you can! I believe more people would be won to Christ if more of His followers lived "Greater" lives.

Here's a sneak peek at the book:

http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/blog/2012/04/01/sneak-peek-greater-by-steven-furtick/

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.