The Blessing (revised and updated) by John Trent and Gary Smalley

 

The Blessing is a great resource on giving the gift of unconditional love and acceptance to our children and to other people around us.  The authors share five components of blessing:

1. meaningful touch
2. a spoken message
3. attaching high value
4. picturing a special future
5. an active commitment

This book was first published in 1986; this revised and updated version is great because the authors have included special message links for videos and extras online.  In addition to that, there was a challenge issued for August 2011, where a thousand churches across the United States are sharing special, encouraging messages (including skits and such) on the topic of The Blessing.

 

I really enjoyed reading this book. I think growing up a lot of teens think they have the worst life and worst parents ever. I know my parents and I didn’t get along really well when I was a teen. However, reading this book, I now realize that my parents did a great job raising us. We knew we were loved and important. We were blessed, my brothers and I.  I have been challenged by this book to not  only spend more time blessing my own children but to take this concept further, and learn to speak blessing on others in my church and community.  I love that this book is a “how to” manual with real life examples.

 

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

 

Striving to learn and live God's purposes,

In Constant Prayer by Robert Benson–A Review

 

Title: In Constant Prayer The Ancient Practices series

Author: Robert Benson, Phyllis Tickle

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

 

From the Publisher:

Why is it important to pray as the early Christians did? And what does it mean to pray without ceasing? In Constant Prayer explores the ancient practice of fixed-hour prayer, a structure for our lives where we can live in continuous awareness of God’s presence and reality. This classic discipline of praying at fixed times during the day and night has transformed the lives of millions around the world. Learn what the apostle Paul meant when he encouraged the Thessalonian church to “pray without ceasing, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

 

I chose this book specifically because of my bad attitude toward prayer.  Now don’t get me wrong, I pray and I know there is great value in our prayers, but I simply do not / did not understand it.  I don’t see the purpose in it.  Why would God want us to pray?  He knows and is in control of everything.  What, really, is the purpose???  (Even after reading this book, I don’t have the answers to that.)  So I chose this book so that I could learn about prayer.  I didn’t get what I was expecting or hoping for.  I got different and maybe better than that!  I gained a huge appreciation for prayer.

 

I suppose in my life in the church I had heard about praying at specific times in the day.  I would say that this ritual / routine was more something I attributed to the other religions – Muslims, and such – not Christian people.  And yet, I see remnants of it – we have a devotional time when we wake up, we say grace at meals, we say bedtime prayers.  This was my life growing up, though it’s not so much at this point in my life.

 

I loved how friendly the author’s writing is.  I felt like we were just sitting and having a coffee and a conversation.  I laughed.  I sighed.  I related to his honesty.  I wish I’d taken more notes while I read this book.  I guess I’ll have to read it again!  I know I will get things I missed the first time.  I know that after reading this book, I want to add some specific times of prayer to my life.  I may not follow a specific set of prayers, but I will find what works for me, my kids, my life, and ultimately, my relationship with my God.

 

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.  Thanks to Book Sneeze  for this opportunity!

 

Striving to learn and live God's purposes,

Finding Purpose Beyond Our Pain by Meier and Henderson

 

Finding Purpose Beyond Our Pain

By Paul Meier. MD and David L. Henderson, MD

Published by Thomas Nelson

 

In our lives we all experience pain; this pain comes in all different forms.  Some of the forms covered in this book include loneliness, loss, discipline and failure.  Many times as we go through each experience there is that nagging question as to WHY we have to experience so much pain in our lives.  Is there really a purpose behind it all?  The authors say there is purpose.  As they discuss each form of pain, the authors strive to show their readers the possible purposes.  Knowing the purpose beyond our experiences can bring us through these things; sometimes knowing can make the difference to making it or not!

 

I chose this book hoping to find some solace, some answers, some hope.  I have worked through some painful experiences in my life; I think the biggest or most important of them all would be the death of our son in 2004.  What was the purpose of that death?  Was there one?  I’m sure every parent in such a situation would ask the same questions and many more, just like Jason and I did.  So did the authors succeed in answering my questions?  Did I find that hope? Did I get the answers?  I would say that the authors were successful in their attempt to give the world a little more direction and hope.

 

More than just dealing with the big issue, I found myself dealing with little issues.  Sometimes we tend to overlook (or pretend to overlook) little hurts, snide remarks, that tinge of loneliness.  I learned that those little things matter too!  That if these things are left unprocessed that this pain simply builds and builds and becomes HUGE in our minds.  Through reading this book, I have discovered a few of these little issues that I need to spend some time working through.  It’s going to take some time and I’m glad to have a good resource to help me do so.

 

I have recommended this book to others, even while I was still reading it.  Each section deals with a specific issue.  You don’t have to read the book from cover to cover.  You can pick the issue that you are currently dealing with and just read that section.  I love that about this book.  When my grief wells up and I don’t know what the next step might be, I can turn to the section on death or on loss and read for encouragement and help.  Or if I’m feeling lonely or shunned I can turn to that chapter.

 

 

Finding Purpose can be purchased at Thomas Nelson and at Amazon.

Want to be a book reviewer for Thomas Nelson?  You can join up here!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Striving to learn and live God's purposes,