Tag: books

Consider: “Demystifying Decision-Making”

Published on by Kim

Do you struggle with making decisions? Aimee Joseph has recently published Demystifying Decision-Making: A Practical Guide, and it may be a helpful resource for you.

Here are three excerpts for you to evaluate:

“Through the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, believers are invited into the freedom of making decisions as children of God. Rather than following the whims of their heart, believers are invited to place the desires of their hearts alongside the word of God as a ruler. God’s word, God’s Spirit, and God’s people are intended to help instruct us in the series of decisions that constitutes life.”

“We far too easily demand clarity from our Creator when, instead of clarity, he would rather cultivate faith in us. Obviously, clarity remains an end goal of the process of decision-making; however, faith precedes clarity…Every decision, even those well-thought-out and prayed through, requires faith of some sort. It takes faith to stay in the states to minister in our neighborhoods just as it requires faith to leave the states to share the gospel in a foreign context. It takes faith to walk as a single man or woman just as it takes faith the enter the covenant of marriage with a spouse…Thus, when we are asking the Lord to give ample clarity, it is helpful to recognize that even decisions that have become clear require trusting faith.”

“Only when our minds are more shaped by God and his values than by the surrounding world can we have the clarity of thought to discern the will of God moment by moment, decision by decision.”

These books are set here as possibilities for you to explore. Posts and links are not blanket endorsements or paid publicity.

Consider: “Life in Community”

Published on by Kim1 Comment

Dustin Willis wrote Life in Community: Joining Together to Display the Gospel to describe what he has seen over time as healthy church community elements. Although the book is specific to church body life, the principles can also be valuable as we think and invest in the other communities in our lives.

Here are two excerpts from the book for your consideration:

“According to Scripture, the church is a community of Christians who care for one another, love one another, host one another, receive one another, honor one another, serve one another, instruct one another, forgive one another, motivate one another, build peace with one another, encourage one another, comfort one another, pray for one another, confess sin to one another, esteem one another, edify one another, teach one another, show kindness to one another, give to one another, rejoice with one another, weep with one another, hurt with one another, and restore one another. All of these “one anothers” combined together paint a picture not of people who come to a building filled with customized programs but of people who have decided to lay down their lives to love one another.”

“What better way to demonstrate the hope of the gospel than to invite others into our homes where they can hear it proclaimed and see evidence of a transformed life. … We practice hospitality when we consistently receive others into our lives and homes in the same fashion as Christ received us. … Hospitality is about relational posture and attitude far more than any amount of skill, action, or practice. It’s a heart that says, Yes, there is room in my life for you.”