Deborah's Book Club

Well, I thought that if TV personalities can have one (and some of their authors will "mess you up" on theology), that I can pass along some of my favorites (that will only help clear your thinking because they are Biblical.)  I have always been an avid reader, even as a little girl, I remember asking for the entire set of Nancy Drew mystery books. Remember those? Probably not, unless you are my age...

These days, I have much time for one of my favorite things and now that the weather is warming up, I am sure I will be down at my little tree house with a good book. It excites me just thinking about it!  Now, I probably write to some who have very little time to read and others who have leisure to do so. There may be some who don't even enjoy it although I cannot imagine that. After all, you are reading my mini-books, which are supposed to be short blogs, right? :)

Seriously, I thrill at placing a good book in seekers' hands and it goes without saying that the Bible is my favorite. Spend more time in those pages because that Book is alive and has the power to change lives and praise God, is still doing so today. But there are good authors out there today, writing from a Biblical perspective, who can help and encourage us and several have in my life, just recently.  One of my favorite books that I have read recently is A Lifetime of Wisdom; Embracing the Way God Heals You by Joni Eareckson Tada, one of my contemporary heroes of the faith. (I know that the book title is to be underlined but I don't know how and am too busy reading to figure out how). For you who are not familiar with her, let me use a quote from her devotional book, Diamonds In the Dust, from the pen of one who knows her: "In 1967 Joni became a quadriplegic in a diving accident that in seconds changed her life from one of vigorous activity and independence to total helplessness and dependence on others for even the simplest of her needs. Overcoming bitterness, confusion, violent questioning, and tears, in her struggle to accept and adjust to her handicap, Joni has learned to trust a loving God with Whom she has dialogued from her wheelchair in her pilgrimage toward the kingdom of heaven."

In her most recent book, A Lifetime of Wisdom, Joni looks back at the forty plus years that she has lived and ministered from a wheelchair and conveys to us how God has been there every second, the lessons she has learned, and how she now realizes that God used it all for His glory and her good. In fact, we would not know Joni minus the diving incident. When I read this book, I read slowly and wrote down each gem of each chapter that Joni wanted to share with us. Her grace and confidence and continuing ministry, though extremely trying (such as even flying the multiple airline miles from engagement to engagement, that being taxing enough when you are standing on your own two feet) encourages and convicts this writer of Something to Share.

I highly recommend this book, especially if you find yourselves in some trial that is seeking to overwhelm you right now. I had lunch this week (guess where?) with two dear ladies, one, an old friend ( sorry, Joy Lynn, I didn't mean chronologically but rather that we have been friends since I married into the Samples clan, wow, almost 40 years) and Sandra, a new friend who was very easy to be with, and I gave a copy to both of them because when I have been helped, I am eager to pay it forward.

In reality, we all hurt to some degree, don't we? I read or heard recently that in every pew sits a hurting heart, yes some more piercing than others but pain is a common denominator in all our lives. I think it is good that we realize that others have situations more serious than ours -that helps us to be more grateful-  but I also know that pain is pain- that helps us to be more merciful. A simple illustration from a simple girl goes likes this. In any hospital in the U.S. today, you have precious ones suffering from cancer and some in painful traction from multiple bone fractures maybe from a car crash. These are serious conditions and hurt badly and at the same time, there is a child who just had her tonsils removed (seemingly minor unless it's my child) but they wake up crying because it hurts.

Let me wrap up this blog by saying that I have had three books on my table recently, the one mentioned before, and the other two with the same theme. One, by Ravi Zacharias, called The Grand Weaver: How God Shapes Us Through the Events of Our Lives- excellent reading from one with an intellect that far surpasses mine and I have to reread some things he says, and from the third- The Hidden Smile of God by John Piper, I leave you with this quote by John Bunyan, author of The Pilgrim's Progress, written in the 1600's and still, I believe, the widest circulation of any literature beside the Bible. "We also, before the temptation comes, think we can walk upon the sea, but when the winds blow, we feel ourselves begin to sink... And yet doth it yield no good unto us? We could not live without such turnings of the hand of God upon us. We should be overgrown with flesh, if we had not our seasonable winters. IT IS SAID THAT IN SOME COUNTRIES TREES WILL GROW, BUT WILL BEAR NO FRUIT, BECAUSE THERE IS NO WINTER THERE."  The Scripture 2 Cor. 12:8-10 came to my mind when I read that profound statement by one who was imprisoned because he preached the truth and even promised freedom if he would not do so. John Bunyan refused.

Well, I started out to put you in touch with one book and several have been mentioned here. My prayer is that I have helped you with the theme from all these named books and especially from THE BOOK, that our Sovereign Lord is in control of our lives and He can be trusted. He is great and He is good. That last statement, from our childhood blessing we were taught, is profound and maybe we will talk about that soon!

Looking Up, Deborah

If the Joni book interests you, go to a bookstore and get her first or her movie, simply entitled Joni. It is so good!