Destiny

I starting reading the book by Jill Austin titled: 'Dancing With Destiny' and found a good forward by Dutch Sheets. He is the senior pastor @ Springs Harvest Fellowship in Colorado Springs, Colorado and an author. Here is his explanation of the word 'destiny'. I hope you find it as interesting as I did:
"The New Testament Greek word for 'destiny,' proorizo, is filled with hope. The root, horizo, gives us our word horizon; the prefix means 'in advance.' God has planned a future for us, determining our horizons before we were ever born (see Psalm 139:13-16). This does not mean everything that occurs in our lives is preplanned by God; He does not cause us to sin, fail or experience devastation just so He can give us a testimony. But it does mean He has a finish line in mind for us and a preordained way of recovery when forces try to derail us."
I always saw destiny as our calling or heaven. When he said it means 'filled with hope' I automatically figured out destiny is not the future but today. We live out our destiny today. My destiny is to minister to children. I am doing that today and not looking to 'someday when I'm good enough'. My destiny is heaven. I asked Jesus in my heart and He is guiding me on that path that leads me home to heaven. I can be ready anytime for Jesus to take me home because I follow Him. I am not perfect but He is fixing me as He sees fit.
Destiny can be seen on the horizon and lived out today until the two meet. Are you living your destiny today or waiting for someday?

The Secret Things of God- Book Review

Today's review is on 'The Secret Things of God-Unlocking the Treasures Reserved For You' by Henry Cloud. He is a psychologist and writes from this perspective with his faith. This book is a Christian answer to Rhonda Byrne's 'The Secret'. -"In that book, Byrne explores our relationship to the universe and how understanding what lies beyond the veil drastically affects our lives, relationships, and goals. The fact that millions have responded to The Secret shows the deep hunger we all have for two things: one, we all want to understand the nature of the universe and those things beyond what we can see; and, two, we all have a hunger for principles and practices that make life work."
He bases this book on I Corinthians 4:1 'Regard us... as those entrusted with the secret things of God.' He starts out with his testimony, others he influenced and how it changes his approach to presenting God, and how he learns what is in us. He goes through many hangups we have and how to get past them. Many of them have to do with our upbringing.
I listened to the unabridged audio book. The first cd is boring and goes through how this book came about. A lot of it is stuff you already know. Then he moves on to the actual 'secrets' and you hear the psychobabble... or so I thought. I am not into the psychological answers but spiritual. However the more I listened to him the more God worked in my heart and showed me stuff in my life that needs fixed and how the stuff got there. The timing for this book in my life was perfect because I'm willing to hear from God to make my life more like Jesus. I listened to the third cd three times and still need to listen to it again to grasp all the stuff in it to change the patterns in my life.
I almost stopped listening after the first cd. That would have been a colossal mistake. Read/listen to this book, it will show you how far you've come, need to go, and deceived you have let yourself become.
The secrets involve your relationship to God and others such as trust, happiness, thoughts, freedom, pain, forgiveness, applying the Word, choices/lessons, listening, anger, purpose, accomplishment, intimacy, and guilt.
This book in bringing us to 'unlocking the treasures reserved for us' is really bringing us to God and in doing so makes us change, grow, look at ourselves, and face the truth, accept it, or reject it. To fulfill our true purpose here on earth we need real relationships with each other and most importantly with God. Living a secluded life guessing at what it's all about leaves us deceived and unhappy. However like the reason this blog exists, we can be open and honest to fix the problems and become who God made us to be.
I rate this book 10 out of 10. You cannot read through this book without being changed or at least in a position to do so. You may be faced with uncomfortable things you need to look at in your life, but in doing that you grow closer to God and have peace and contentment afterwards.

Microbursts!-Book Review

Microbursts!-Devotions with a Unique Look into the Power of God in Everyday Life, is a book published by Lion and Lamb Publications and written by DaNella J. Auten. I would give this book my highest recommendation. It is a true devotional that connects you with God but it is also a look into a young woman's life so far. She shares her upbringing, her marriage, school, children, friends, mentors, and much more. No matter what you'll be able to connect with her 'microbursts'. Each one is a devotional from her everyday life. Some are funny, others are serious, some are stories, and even others are reflective.
I like the way she uses stuff in her own life to see God. It encourages us to do the same. It the end she even invites us to write her with our own 'Microbursts'. Some of my favorites are: Candy Coated Onions, Milkshake Theology, God's Biscuits, and Three Glass Shelves. There is even one called Iron Sharpens Iron! So that alone is worth the price of admission:-)
There is either one or two pages for each devotion. You can easily read one or two a day and be refreshed in the Lord. I love the style this is written in because you get the point every time. I always read more than one because one of them usually made me laugh either because it was just plain funny or because I could relate to the example.
The price is around $15 plus shipping. The good part about the money she makes: "50% of all proceeds from Microbursts by the Masses will be split evenly among the following two charities:

• Life Outreach International...www.lifetoday.org &
• Big Oak Ranch...www.bigoak.org"

Conclusion...on a scale of one to ten (ten being the best) I rate it a ten!!! It makes a great gift too!
I do have to confess that I know the author via the internet, but that in no way influences my review. I wasn't sure what to expect when I ordered it, but after reading the book I was pleasantly surprised and heard from God through these devotions!

New Theology

I was reading a devotion and just fell in love with this new theology. My pastor is big on theology and is always saying something theologistically (wow that's a real word?). I don't know if he would adopt this but I'm seriously considering it! The book Microbursts! by DaNella J. Auten native of Alabama (she really says yall) and published by Lion and Lamb Publications is a devotional with one or two page titled devotions here is my favorite so far:
The title is...'Milkshake Theology'
When Que was in Bible College, I learned that adoption at any age can make an impact. Let me explain; an older couple, only 15-20 years older than us, Susan and Larry, "adopted" Quintin and I. Sure, I already had a wonderful mom and dad, but they were 500 miles away. Susan and Larry were nearby. They took us under their wings and simply loved us and lived for God in front of us. God used them and allowed us to learn from them.
Susan and Larry hit a few spiritual brick walls. It was at this time, while we watched them the closest, that they taught us an amazingly awesome trust principle. When something bad happens, you go out and get a milkshake to celebrate a chance to see how God's gonna fix this one.
Sure enough, without us fretting and worrying, God manages to solve our problems. Go figure.
Psalms 56:4
I praise the word of God. I trust God. I am not afraid. What can mere flesh and blood do to me?
How does this sound to you? Sounds like a winner to me! I may gain a few pounds but it's for God:-)
You can check out her blog on my list of blogs to the right or click here.

90 Minutes in Heaven

I've decided to give a book review. '90 Minutes in Heaven-A True Story of Death and Life' by Don Piper is a book about his life more than the 90 minutes in heaven. I was impressed by this because I thought it was a book only about his encounter in heaven. I almost didn't buy it just for that fact alone. The verse Colossians 2:18 says, 'Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions.' So I am cautious about what I listen to.
The book covers Don's life from just prior to the accident up to now. However, the bulk of it is the recovery and his struggle with depression. It is an awesome book that is an account by account recollection of the entire story of a man that gets into an accident, dies, goes to Heaven, gets prayed back to earth, gets fixed up at the hospital, recovers for about a year, deals with depression, goes home, does therapy, and gets back to life and learns to minister to others in similar situations.
It is really good for a true account on depression. It does get really depressing in the middle but after he gets through it, it starts to pick up again.
I like the way he just says it like it is. You feel like your in the room with him. I would recommend this book. It shows Heaven, dealing with tragedy, and using your trials to minister to others.
The jacket reads: '90 Minutes in Heaven offers a glimpse into a very real dimension of God's reality. It encourages those recovering from serious injuries and those dealing with the loss of a loved one. And now it is available in this audio edition, read by Don Piper himself. The experience dramatically changed Piper's life, and it will change yours too.'
Two thumbs up!