Top Five Posts of 2014 from Refresh My Soul

I did not have a strong writing year this year on my personal blog. I did more book reviews than posts. I am not sure why this is except for the busyness of life. I have been contributing articles consistently around the web so it keeps the discipline of writing at work. This year I have contributed to various places including, Comfort in the Midst of Chaos, The End in Mind, The Gospel Coalition, and Life Letter Cafe. Check them all out. I love what all of these ministries do and how they point others to Christ.

The top Five most viewed posts from Refresh My Soul this year are as follows:

1-Disney channel post
I was very passionate about what I saw Disney sneak in a popular show this year. I guess my passion in writing brings in more views or perhaps it was because this was about Disney.
2-So what is wrong with 50 shades of grey anyway?
Again, another passionate post and it is about popular culture. I guess again, that brings in views on a blog.
3-Invisible Illness at Church
I am actually happy this one made the top viewed list, education is key. For my fellow invisible illness friends, this is dedicated to you.
4-Tragedy of being unequally yoked
This was just simply our story and God's grace toward us.
5-On Losing those things dear
Another passionate post about losing my dearest friend. And I can say on this day, I really am okay. God is good.

Top Two honorable mentions:

In Bible Times There was No Processed Food but People Still Got Sick
This post really got me thinking about sickness. Today people think they have all the answers to stop sickness. We crave a fountain of youth while our bodies decay but the truth is Jesus is going to restore all things one day, sin has caused all of this decay and there is no cure but Him. Come Lord Jesus.
The Perfect Facebook Life
This post was just a plea for people to stop being fake.

My Top Five Books Read of 2014

Of course I love books so naturally I will leave you with a list of my top five this year. It was very hard to only pick five books but so not to overwhelm you I will leave you with that (including a few honorable mentions). Feel free to ask me at anytime about other books I love and I will gladly share more with you.

A Loving Life by Paul Miller, This book will wreck your life in a good way. By far this is a MUST read, you will be better off for it. I even listened to the audio later this year and it still struck a cord in me that all Christians need to let sink in. Such a good book! Read it. Do. It will be worth it.

When Helping Hurts-This book is also a must read for Christians. It helps clarify and explain what the Bible says about helping those in poverty and hard situations. It helps you examine your thoughts and guides you biblically as how to really help those who are hurting by not hurting them in the process.

God's Great Plan - This is the BEST gospel-centered and gospel picture written for children I have ever read in such an easy format. I LOVE this book and the clarity it brings for children to best understand the big picture of the gospel story overall. The pictures are also wonderfully done. It is a great book I think should be in anyone's collection.

Look and Live - This book was the most worshipful book I have read and it spurned my heart on to worship. Each page dripped God's goodness. Matt Papa is a gifted writer in communicating God's glory for the reader to easily digest and stop and just worship page by page. A GREAT read and a book I will read again to help me remember the goodness of the gospel and God's glory. Get this!

Spiritual Warfare -  This is a great gospel centered view on Spiritual Warfare. I do believe this topic is to often neglected. This title is a good read and another I believe every Christian should have on their book shelf. Not only was it an easy enough read but it is such an important topic for we are in a war that we often forget. This book will help you pray better and have a greater understanding of God as a whole.

Now these are also really good books that I loved and deserve honorable mentions.

United: Captured by God's Vision for Diversity by -Trillia Newbell, great gospel-centered book on unity. I really loved this and it is an easy read.

Treasuring Christ When your hands are full by Gloria Furman, great book on motherhood and it will greatly encourage you in the gospel as you parent.

Women of the Word by Jen Wilkin, Great book on beholding the beauty of Christ through the Word. I do believe it is a must read for every woman believer.

Risky Gospel by Own Strachan, Filled with gospel goodness and challenge.

The Giver Series by Lois Lowry (Not Christian books but the best fiction I have read this year.)

Merry Christmas from Our Family to Yours

It has been a whirlwind of a year!!! We pray your Christmas is filled with His great blessings!

Book Review: A Complete Handbook of Literary Forms in the Bible by Ryken

This book was great and I highly recommend it for any Christian who desires to grow in their study of the Bible. I personally was amazed at how many types of literary forms there are in general but even more so about how many are actually included in the Bible.

This book fueled my love and passion for God's word even more. The reason for this is that I find it completely amazing that as God used different men through different time periods to write His word as they were lead by the Spirit, He used different literary styles and forms. The Bible is the most interesting work of literature anyone can read and this book helps the reader realize that.

God is the master story teller so it would make perfect sense that the Bible would include all different kinds of literary styles. All art and good story comes from the master Creator Himself, there is nothing new under the sun.

If you are a lover of God's word, or a teacher of God's word get this book. It will help you interpret it more accurately and will aid in your joy in reading it for the beautiful work that it is. This is a great book to keep on your shelf for reference over and over again.

I got a copy of this book free of charge from Crossway for the purpose of an honest review.

You can get a copy of this book from Amazon here.

Book Review: Small Talk: Learning From My Children About What Matters Most by Becker

This book was an easy read that I think mothers will enjoy. It is just stories about the author and her family, how she learns lessons from everyday life while raising her children. Ordinary life can pack great lessons if we are looking and are trained to recognize them. I loved the author's ability to see the mundane in her life and get glimpses of God-vision through them.

The author is a mother of three children, one that has down-syndrome. I enjoyed reading her perspective from the view point of raising a child with special needs for it encouraged me on my journey with my child with our own special needs.

The author is greatly relatable and this book flowed well for reading. I was able to go through this book with a group of other moms who have children with special needs. It was a blessing to me and to them. If you just need a read that will point your thoughts back to God on your mom journey, a book that will breathe encouragement in your soul while you have a moment to read it, then this book is for you.

I received a copy of this book free of charge from the publisher for an honest review.

You can get a copy of this book from Amazon here.

Book Review: Vanishing Grace: What Ever Happened to the Good News? by Yancey

This book was an eye opening book that made me think a lot about evangelism. It is thought provoking and aids the reader in seeing all sides of human beings in their thinking about religion. I live in the Bible belt of America so I don't get to see or experience what the rest of the world looks like culturally and I don't know what the rest of the world thinks about evangelicals but this book helped burst that bubble of being in Christian country.

The world does have a certain resistance against Christianity and I have always wondered why. This book explores much of that by taking a close look at history, science, culture, and the arts. It was a really good read. This book packs tons of information so it would be wise for the reader to slowly take in and process it for awhile. I think a prayerful reading would be helpful to aid the Christian in knowing how they could better reach the surrounding culture.

I am thankful for this author because his work is in depth and needed information for any Christian who is trying to reach out to the surrounding world around them.

I received a copy of this book free of charge from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review.

You can get a copy of this book from Amazon here.

Book Review: Look and Live by Matt Papa

This book was in my top five favorite books read this year. It is a book that will redirect your eyes toward the worshiping glance of the Savior. All Christians need this because we forget the good news of the gospel all the time. For every moment of our lives we need to remember to breathe in His truth. This book is in its entirely is a reminder of this. It is a book that I will keep in my collection and read again because we need constant reminders.

The author does not only help us see the need for glory focus in the everyday mundane but he also includes an incredible chapter on the need for seeing God's glory through suffering. He is gospel centered in His teaching all throughout with a great perspective of an artist.

I don't even know what else to say except that this book is a must read. It is life changing and I do believe all Christians new or old should read it. It will grow you closer to Christ.

I received a copy of this book free of charge from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review.

You can get a copy of this book from Amazon.com here.

Book Review: No More Peanut Butter Sandwiches by Jeff Davidson

I enjoyed this book that was written from the perspective of a dad who has a son with profound special needs. This is a book about their journey and how God has used it to change the author. I learned through reading this that many fathers abandon their families when they find out their children have special needs. This is a very sad thought. The author seeks to help families with special needs stay intact and thrive on this journey for it is not for the faint of heart.

I, personally, was encouraged much by this book because there are many who do not understand the journey of a parent who is raising a child with special needs. Reading this book was like reading my own journey with our special needs in our home and it was a breath of fresh air. It made me feel more "normal" and it kept pointing me back to Jesus.

Not only is this book written by an author who has experience in this area of life but also a Christian. This is another thing that makes this book unique. Not only does he address the journey but also addresses the most important things Christian's need to hear about trusting God on this journey.

I highly recommend this book because I believe it will encourage any reader. I think if you do not know what it is like to have a child with special needs this will help you find some perspective on it and how to better minister to those you know who do. I also think it is a great find for parents who are raising kids with special needs of any kind. The author has a son with various special needs but we all can relate to them in the knowing of what it is like as we journey this road (with various special needs) together.

You can get a copy of this book from Amazon here.

I received a copy of this book free of charge from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review.

How to Not Burn Out Before You Start: Missions

(Sorry this is highlighted in white...Cannot figure out how to change it...)

It has been six months since my husband returned from the land that our hearts desire to pour our lives into. Six months. Though on the grand scheme of things this time is not that long of a period, yet to us it seems like an eternity. Yet the Bible says, " But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" (2 Peter 3:8).

Also His word says that, " And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth,having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place" (Acts 17:26).

We can assure our hearts that our entire life, which if we hit the unlikely ripe age of 100 years old, would only be a tenth of a day in God's time scheme. Just a tiny fraction for all those 100 years. So our six months is just a scratch in that light. 

God is kind in preparing us. He is teaching us so much as we wait.

• He is teaching us to depend on one another more as a family unit. 
• He is teaching my husband and I to be better friends. 
• He is helping us learn that God is patient and moves in perfect timing and wisdom.
• He is is teaching us how to adapt in cross cultural ministry.
• He is helping us to see and cherish people right where we are in the present moment.
• He is teaching us to love and trust His greater plan more.
• He is teaching us to hold our plans loosely.
• He is teaching us that prayer is the most important preparation, through vulnerable, dependent, child-like trust in our Father.

We are clearly being trained in the wait. We know that He will move us out when He is ready. He has already determined our boundaries and periods after all. In this we can trust as we wait right where we are and love this present city of Chattanooga well.

With all that we are learning I think we can conclude that the way we do not burn out is by keeping our eyes fixed on our Savior. In beholding His beauty we can trust His greater plan in our lives for every moment. As we do this we must do the next thing that He sets in front of us because every moment of our lives, every breath we take, is for the greater purpose of serving Him, bringing Him glory and enjoying Him forever right where we are planted. So we wait in joy and hope because the One who places dreams and plans in our hearts is the One who will see them through in their proper timing and way.

Churchless by Barna and Kinnaman

This book is your typical Barna research type book. It is all that one who is familiar with Barna would expect. It is filled with statistics and trends of today's Churchless population. I found it vastly fascinating. Any book that deals with cultural trends is important for our generation. It speaks volumes as to the type of world that surrounds us today.

The book focuses in on how to best reach the growing number of people who are no longer engaging in church. It ranges from skeptics to seekers but what they all have in common is not seeing the importance of partnering with a local church.

The statistics are interesting and the book gives good suggestions as to how one should reach these people with the good news of Jesus Christ. It also is convicting because it shows what the church is doing wrong in so many ways. I am better off for reading it. I do recommend it to anyone interested in the world around them. It is important research and information to think about.

You can get a copy of this book from AMAZON HERE.

I received a copy of this book at no charge from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review.

Book Review: Cross Cultural Connections by Elmer

This is a must read for anyone who desires to or is currently working with people from other cultures in any means. It addresses perspectives, differences, attitudes and skills necessary to be successful in other cultures or working with others who come from other cultural backgrounds.

Each chapter addresses a key area that is insightful for the reader to look through and really think about. At the end of each of these chapters there are questions included to inspire deeper thought and discussion. This would be a great resource for a group to read and discuss together. You can read it and learn a lot alone but a group would help the reader think through all the challenges that cross-cultural ministry can bring.

One huge pitfall in cross cultural work is the lack of training and wrong or unrealistic expectations. This book is a gem in helping you know all that is needed in this transition. It helps draw out of your heart what issues you may personally be challenged with in this work. I found it extremely helpful not only for thinking through future cross-cultural work outside my birth country but also for the work I do with foreigners within my own country. It was helpful all around by giving me eyes to see things with understanding within different cultures.

You can get a copy of this book from Amazon here.

I received a copy of this book at no charge from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review.

Book Review: The Christmas Promise

This book was a sweet book about the Christmas promise of Jesus to us. It is a simplified Christmas story of the birth of Christ. My five year old loves this book and so do I. The illustrations are beautifully done. The story is easy to listen and pay attention to. It stresses the gift of the Forever, Rescuing King. I think this is a good resource for young children.

One thing I loved about this book is that it got the chronology of the wise men's visit correct! They did not come to see Jesus at His birth but later on when He was a bit older. This book illustrates the moment well and we fell in love with this picture of Jesus. It was a breath of fresh air to see a resource get this right in a children's book.

I do recommend this book. You can get a copy from Amazon here.

I received a copy of this book at no charge from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review.

Social Media and Our Children

I am over at The End In Mind talking about social media and our children. You can read the full article HERE. It will link you to both articles that were recently written on the topic. I am very curious of your thoughts and policies regarding media with your own children. Let me know. It is a learning process for sure.

Last month I posted about contentment and social media here. The conversation needs to continue now because my daughter just turned that “magical” age of 13 where you are “legally” allowed to have a Facebook page. I am really trying to learn to walk this thing out with her being the second generation of social media. It is hard to believe that I was the first generation. I am still trying to figure it out myself but as I do I need to help her in this new online world that is at times more influential than the real world. READ MORE.

Life in the Kingdom - Things are Not Always What They Seem

There is a precious older lady in my church. At one point in time she was my daughter's Sunday school teacher. She adores my children so we have pleasant smiles or small talk often but I have not had a chance to hear her heart. I noticed for the past year that each Sunday she enters church late, sits in the back, and sneaks out early before we are dismissed.

When people do this, enter early and sneak out late, I assume they just don't want interaction with others or perhaps they want to beat the crowd to lunch. My mind always tends to veer toward the negative and I hate this about my mind. God is transforming it as I truly am growing in order to have eyes to see people rightly. This woman gave me a chance to see.

One Sunday morning I had the opportunity to really chat with her in order to get a glimpse into her heart. What I found was such beauty in her through gospel shaped, devoted and sacrificing love.

I found out that she is a caregiver now for her husband. For two years they were told he would not make it through another holiday and this year they are approaching a third. She expressed such joy to be his caretaker and joy for the time with him, however, he cannot be left on his own at all. Because of this her son comes after his time at church to sit with him so this dear lady can come to her home church. After service she gets herself right back with him so her son can get back to his duties.

My heart was so touched at that self-sacrificing love. Her acts of love done with all joy. She misses being at church and teaching the children but sees this season as a time to lovingly serve her husband as he lives his last days. This is living out the gospel.

I wonder if we just listened to people's stories if it would make us less apt to judge? We have no idea what is going on with other people and their lives.

I spoke to another dear lady who said her husband struggles with sleep apnea terribly so when they make it to church after a hard night he usually falls asleep and it embarrasses him terribly because of how people judge or make assumptions.

Then there is the family who has resolved to sit on the couches in the lobby during service because the sensory overload of the service is too much for their son with special needs. Seeing this family sit together is endearing to me because they are trying to make this work, trying to be with their church body despite the difficulty. Let us not judge them! Let us reach out and love them where they are. Let us welcome them and ask them how we can help. Let us embrace them and speak words of encouragement.

I am sure it would be easier to just not come to church at all for each of them yet they are brave and they come because they value the assembly of the body of believers. And we are better off for having them in our family at our little church. These are just three stories but if we really had eyes to see I know we would discover many more. They each encourage me greatly and help me to remember we have no idea what others are going through and instead of making assumptions we should be willing to extend love and grace and help.

A Word on Fear and Anxiety

A week ago I posted over at Comfort in the Midst of Chaos.  I love this ministry that ministers to the community of special needs.

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." ~2 Timothy 1:7

Fear. It has a way of dealing with us in the most deceptive ways. It can come at you in full force without hiding or it can just sneak up on you like a ninja ready to fight. However, I think the worst kind of fear is the low level, day by day, fear that is fed to us little by little by the media or other constant fear-mongering sources.

We don't need help with fear. The media exposure just enhances that for us. Our minds will hold on to fear all on their own. Yet the outside influences of this present age could be petrifying.

Yet, we see that God did not give us a spirit of fear but a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline. Did you hear that? The only fear we should have is fear of God. God gave us a spirit of power, such power by His spirit that resurrected Christ from the dead (Ephesians 1:19-20). That power lives in us. That kind of power has no need for fear. READ MORE HERE.

Book Review: The Wonder-Working God: Seeing the Glory of Jesus in His Miracles by Wilson

I loved this book. I found myself worshiping God all through out reading this book. The author has a way of pointing you to Jesus that leads your heart into flat out worship. The topic is the miracles of God so obviously a book like this should spurn your heart on to worship but I found this happening all throughout. I am better off for reading this and this is exactly what I look for as a reader. I want to be closer to Jesus because of the time spent reading. This book did not disappoint.

To be honest, I was not sure what I was getting into with this book because I did not really like the cover. However, as the saying goes, you cannot rightly judge a book by its cover. After I got past that, I was greatly pleased to have the chance to read this.

The book is composed of ten chapters. Each chapter addresses a miracle that Jesus performed. What I especially loved is that the author is gospel-centered in addressing miracles. I have encountered many flaky people when they talk about miracles, however, this book was Christ centered. All the miracles in the Bible are not about us but about Jesus. They all point to Him and what He is restoring to us. It is a glimpse into Heaven and what is to come permanently. This author explained this well.

I also loved that the author continually pointed the reader to the wonder of Christ. He shared personal stories as well that helped make him relate able to the audience. Over all it was an easy enough read. I do think any Christian, new or old, would benefit from reading it, especially if you are interested in reading about the miracles of Christ.

There is not really much more to say other than to recommend this book. It would be worth your time and encourage you in your walk as you glimpse at some of the miracles of Jesus.

I received this book at no charge from Crossway for the purpose of an honest review.

You can get a copy of this book from Amazon here.

CD Review: His Kids United, Volume 1, Christmas

This Cd, is a sweet and upbeat Christmas cd done by children for children. Children do draw other children in and evidence of this is when I was previewing it my five year old boy came running in to see what was happening. He stayed for the entire cd and found great enjoyment in it. I think that is exactly what the creators were trying to accomplish and they did.

From an adult view point, I actually did find this easy to listen to. It was upbeat, carried a variety of pleasing melodies, traditional Christmas songs, and a fun listen. I think it is a good cd for your Christmas collection if you have kids.

Another neat thing I found was that proceeds from this volume  "benefit the Dallas Neighborhood Art & Music School—also known as NAMS School of Music—where all of the tracks are recorded and produced with NAMS students performing on the series." 

I received a copy of these MP3 files from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review.

You can get a copy of this CD from Amazon here.

The Legend of St. Nicholas by Mackall

This was a sweet children's book about the spirit of giving during the season of Christmas. It focuses on the life of a little boy who is struggling with being generous. This boy hears the story of the real St. Nicholas and how he was a very generous man. Also, the best part of this book is that it also focused on Jesus, the real reason for Christmas.

This book was sweet and had a good message. My five year old loved it and also it is very well illustrated. The pictures in this book were very interesting and well done. Over all this is a great Christmas book but really because the focus is Jesus it is a book good for anytime.

I received a copy of this book at no charge from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review.

You can get a copy of this book from Amazon here.

Jonathan Edwards (CBFYR) by Carr

This little gem of a book is by far the best biography I have ever read for young readers. Because Jonathan Edwards is such an important figure of Christian history and because this book was so well done, I believe every Christian should have a copy.

What sets this book apart from other Christian biographies for young readers is several factors. First, it is written in a very easy to follow language. It is also interesting and good for holding attention of young readers. Next, the pictures are amazing and life like. Pictures capture the attention of the reader all through out this book. It is the most beautifully done book I have seen.

If you want to inspire a love for Christian biographies in your children then get this book. Also, if you know an adult who does not know Christian history, this information is just enough for them as well. All around this book is a win-win to whoever puts their hands on it.

I received this book from the publisher at no charge for the purpose of an honest review.

You can get a copy from Amazon here.

Book Review: Beside Bethesda by Joni Eareckson Tada

This was a great devotional book that was packed with great biblical encouragement. I hated it was only 31 days worth but other than that I loved this book.

The author really gets what it is like to suffer and turn that suffering into more glory for God. These devotions will encourage and uplift your heart to Him.

The devotions are very easy to read and short in length. This would be good for anyone at any stage of life, especially those who find themselves with little time to spare.

I received a copy of this book a no charge from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review.

You can get a copy of this title from Amazon here.

Book Review: Can I Really Trust the Bible? by Cooper

This book was a short, thorough look at the topic of the Bible's reliability. This short book, addresses a lot of good information in such a short length. It was also an easy read. It is an overall good book to hand to a seeker or skeptic. I did try to use it with my children who are in middle school and I did find it a little harder for them to understand. Otherwise, it is a good read for anyone wanting to know more about this topic.

I am not sure what else to say except if you want to read about this topic from a reliable source then get this title.

You can get a copy from Amazon here.

I received a copy of this book at no cost from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review.

Help Families in India While Helping Us This Christmas

I love these products from Trades of Hope that are fair trade and help create a sustainable income for families around the world. This particular product is beautiful and it is made by people to spare them from the sweatshops that many, in desperation, fall into. It also is a way to promote the family being kept together.

Not only do these people get a fair and sustainable income, but I also get some commission from products as a Compassion Entrepreneur for Trades of Hope. All income I receive will go back toward our mission fund.

I liked this product as a potential Christmas present. If you have any questions please ask me or you can order it online here.

Book Review: Good God, Lousy World & Me by Burkhalter

This was an interesting conversion story. It is always interesting to hear other people's stories of how they came to know the Lord. God does use all things in our life to move us closer to Him and this book is just a testament to that.

The author is involved in work with IJM so  that was interesting to read as well. I love how God moved in her heart through this organization as well. If you like reading conversion stories this is one of those.

With all that said, this book was not my favorite. Maybe because of the language used here and there which caught me off guard. Also some of the theology was weak. However, everyone has their own standards regarding this kind of thing so it was not a huge deal but noteworthy enough to add.

If you want to get a copy of this book from Amazon go here.

I received a copy of this book at no charge from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review.

Am I Radical or Just Walking Out Obedience?

Living out what Jesus commands from in the Bible in our everyday life is not radical; it is living the life that He gives. It is living the life He purchased for us by a great and precious price. It is the only life lived on our behalf that He deserves. He deserves nothing but our all. I want to be all in in this life for Him.

Yet it seems when how you live starts to make others uncomfortable you get labeled as radical. You get labeled as strange. It can hurt terribly when that criticism comes but He is worth it. He is standing with you and He experienced all of this hurt and pain already. 

It is only because of Him and what He has already finished I can be strong and press forward. Remember, believer that He chose you. He loved you so much He paid the ultimate price to rescue you from your sin. He made all things right forever for you. He is love.

It is only because of that love that I can press forward. You, believer are so loved that in remembering that love you can press forward and do the hard things. Because of His love. When you are loved fully it makes you want to do your very best. Because of this, it makes me assume that I am living among many who do not know how fully loved they are. I pray that this changes.

God gave everything to redeem us. He gave everything to make us His. His death and resurrection should prove this to us, but also there is the word of God which states this love over and over. The overall picture of the Bible in general is a rescuing love of a stubborn people. God does not expect perfection, He was perfection on our behalf.

If we, believer, can focus on His given perfection to us, on His sacrifice because of His love, we will be able to stop striving for our own perfection, we will stop looking around to what others are doing, and instead live hard for Him alone. Let us look to Him. Let us walk out a life lived well for the one who loves us the most.

When you live what the Bible says to live you are not radical, you are simply an obedient servant who lives a life because you know you are fully loved, as you are. I pray we are examples of that living love before a watching world, before our children so they will know that same love and live lives that shine brightly for Him.