Books
Response to the book tag from ruthieliz of Catharsis
One book that changed your life: Okay, I am really going to fudge in this category because there were several books that had a big influence on me. Each one literally made the light bulb go on in my head and my heart.
The Release of the Spirit by Watchman Nee*
This little book on the Holy Spirit is a very practical and simple explanation of what God wants the Holy Spirit to do in us and how the Spirit works through us. He explains what it means to be filled with the Spirit and to be a person that God can work through. Before I read this book, I was very confused as to who the Holy Spirit was and what the Holy Spirit had to do with me. I found that the book helped me tremendously in understanding the function of the Holy Spirit and of how to be a person that bears fruit in every area of one's life. To paraphrase the book, it stresses one basic lesson every servant of God must learn: that any measure of fruitfulness requires the breaking of the outward man to allow the release of the spirit. I think that this book is very insightful and helpful for anyone who wants to be used by God.
The Normal Christian Life by Watchman Nee - Also an excellent book, explaining the basics of the Christian life.
*Watchman Nee was a university student who became saved through a Chinese evangelist that came to his city in the 1920's. Watchman Nee went on to start many indigenous churches that survived even when foreign missionaries had to leave his country. Jailed on false charges, he spent the last 20 years of his life in a Chinese prison. A gifted teacher and evangelist, his books remind me of C.S. Lewis.
The Power of Positive Praying by John Bisagno
This book was so helpful to me in cutting through all of the confusion about prayer. It's not a formula book or a simple how-to book but gives an excellent basis for understanding prayer. It helped me to know if I was praying according to God's will and therefore, could expect answers. Among other principles, he explains why you should never pray, "if it be thy will."
I Love the Word Impossible by Ann Kiemel
A dean of woman at a college in Boston determines to love people in her world to God. Neighbors, street people, fellow airline passengers, and everyone she comes in contact with is touched by the sweet, gentle love of God. She shows through her own life how witnessing doesn't need to be intimidating but can be just simple, everyday gestures. Her genuine, loving approach gave me the courage and ideas I needed to reach out in my world. An inspiring book.
One book that you've read more than once:
The Body and also Being The Body by Charles Colson
I love Chuck Colson's books. I would call him a prophetic writer who sees how God uses individuals to shape events in history for his purposes. He's an excellent writer so his books are sumptuous to read, full of stories from around the world, but at the same time they're very thought-provoking and challenging to anyone who realizes that God calls us now to be his servants and to join with him in shining the light in the darkness.
One book you'd want on a desert island:
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas because it would take a long time to read it. Just kidding. I'd definitely want to have the Bible.
One book that made you laugh:
Expecting Adam by Martha Beck
I enjoyed this book so much. Written with great wit and humor, I found myself laughing out loud a lot. It's a delightful, eloquent personal account of her experience expecting her second child, a baby with Downs Syndrome, while she was a doctoral candidate at Harvard. An intelligent, educated woman, she isn't sure what to make of her other-worldly encounters, or even what to call them. Very interesting.
One book that made you cry:
Left To Tell by Immaculee Ilibagiza
A university student finds herself caught up in the middle of the ethnic conflict in Rwanda. I'm still in awe of the real message of the book: how Immaculee finds her way from near-death to forgiveness. This is an unbelievable story which I would recommend to everyone. It gave me a real understanding of the ethnic conflicts that still ravage so many countries in Africa.
One book you wish had been written:
The Londborgs: Servants of God to the People They Loved. I would like for my children and grandchildren to know their rich heritage, and the great God who was the motivating force in the lives of my parents. For those of you who didn't know them, one year after they got married, they went to a remote village in the territory of Alaska and stayed in this far-flung area of Alaska for over twenty years. My Dad, a pastor and educator, started a high school for the Eskimos that had a great impact on many young people's lives. My Mom, a nurse, worked tirelessly to care for the sick in all of the villages that they lived in.
One book you're currently reading (and hope to read as long as I live):
The Bible. A book in a class all its own, for it's ability to convict and comfort at the same time, give me not just knowledge but knowledge of the truth. As I read it I find it gives me wisdom for everyday life, hope for my journey, and a relationship with the one true God who really cares about me.
One book that changed your life: Okay, I am really going to fudge in this category because there were several books that had a big influence on me. Each one literally made the light bulb go on in my head and my heart.
The Release of the Spirit by Watchman Nee*
This little book on the Holy Spirit is a very practical and simple explanation of what God wants the Holy Spirit to do in us and how the Spirit works through us. He explains what it means to be filled with the Spirit and to be a person that God can work through. Before I read this book, I was very confused as to who the Holy Spirit was and what the Holy Spirit had to do with me. I found that the book helped me tremendously in understanding the function of the Holy Spirit and of how to be a person that bears fruit in every area of one's life. To paraphrase the book, it stresses one basic lesson every servant of God must learn: that any measure of fruitfulness requires the breaking of the outward man to allow the release of the spirit. I think that this book is very insightful and helpful for anyone who wants to be used by God.
The Normal Christian Life by Watchman Nee - Also an excellent book, explaining the basics of the Christian life.
*Watchman Nee was a university student who became saved through a Chinese evangelist that came to his city in the 1920's. Watchman Nee went on to start many indigenous churches that survived even when foreign missionaries had to leave his country. Jailed on false charges, he spent the last 20 years of his life in a Chinese prison. A gifted teacher and evangelist, his books remind me of C.S. Lewis.
The Power of Positive Praying by John Bisagno
This book was so helpful to me in cutting through all of the confusion about prayer. It's not a formula book or a simple how-to book but gives an excellent basis for understanding prayer. It helped me to know if I was praying according to God's will and therefore, could expect answers. Among other principles, he explains why you should never pray, "if it be thy will."
I Love the Word Impossible by Ann Kiemel
A dean of woman at a college in Boston determines to love people in her world to God. Neighbors, street people, fellow airline passengers, and everyone she comes in contact with is touched by the sweet, gentle love of God. She shows through her own life how witnessing doesn't need to be intimidating but can be just simple, everyday gestures. Her genuine, loving approach gave me the courage and ideas I needed to reach out in my world. An inspiring book.
One book that you've read more than once:
The Body and also Being The Body by Charles Colson
I love Chuck Colson's books. I would call him a prophetic writer who sees how God uses individuals to shape events in history for his purposes. He's an excellent writer so his books are sumptuous to read, full of stories from around the world, but at the same time they're very thought-provoking and challenging to anyone who realizes that God calls us now to be his servants and to join with him in shining the light in the darkness.
One book you'd want on a desert island:
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas because it would take a long time to read it. Just kidding. I'd definitely want to have the Bible.
One book that made you laugh:
Expecting Adam by Martha Beck
I enjoyed this book so much. Written with great wit and humor, I found myself laughing out loud a lot. It's a delightful, eloquent personal account of her experience expecting her second child, a baby with Downs Syndrome, while she was a doctoral candidate at Harvard. An intelligent, educated woman, she isn't sure what to make of her other-worldly encounters, or even what to call them. Very interesting.
One book that made you cry:
Left To Tell by Immaculee Ilibagiza
A university student finds herself caught up in the middle of the ethnic conflict in Rwanda. I'm still in awe of the real message of the book: how Immaculee finds her way from near-death to forgiveness. This is an unbelievable story which I would recommend to everyone. It gave me a real understanding of the ethnic conflicts that still ravage so many countries in Africa.
One book you wish had been written:
The Londborgs: Servants of God to the People They Loved. I would like for my children and grandchildren to know their rich heritage, and the great God who was the motivating force in the lives of my parents. For those of you who didn't know them, one year after they got married, they went to a remote village in the territory of Alaska and stayed in this far-flung area of Alaska for over twenty years. My Dad, a pastor and educator, started a high school for the Eskimos that had a great impact on many young people's lives. My Mom, a nurse, worked tirelessly to care for the sick in all of the villages that they lived in.
One book you're currently reading (and hope to read as long as I live):
The Bible. A book in a class all its own, for it's ability to convict and comfort at the same time, give me not just knowledge but knowledge of the truth. As I read it I find it gives me wisdom for everyday life, hope for my journey, and a relationship with the one true God who really cares about me.
posted by Elizabeth @ 12:10 PM
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