Jesus The Fool by Michael Frost

On one sunny day me, Paul and Maarja went to thewesley owen book shop in Derby. Because of the massive sale that they had on i was determined to buy few books. So I told Maarja to find me a book and here it is.

So it is my own book, but Maarja chose that for me… Thanx!

I already liked the book before i even started reading it. Just because of the title, it's so… different.

So i started reading it … and … it was good! very good indeed!

It's all about reframing in this book!

"I don't mean to suggest that behavior ought not be changed. After all, I don't want to give the impression that every experience in the world and every behavior in appropriate; given some context; some frame. and it's here that I need to differentiate between two types of reframing. The first in " context reframing" where, as we've seen, context sifts - allowing events or action or belief to be see in a new light. The second is called " meaning reframing," where meaning shifts while context remains the same - allowing events or action or belief to change."

It is a really clever book that brings out very interesting point of views in bible.

I found it very interesting when he explains a little bit about what happened in the Simons house ( in Luke). He really goes deep into that story and explains all the rituals and things that people did at this time. He explains the positions of everyone and that really,in a way, reframed that story for me.

I would recommend that book to everyone really.

"The Fool suggest that we can have our day of reckoning and still encounter freedom through forgiveness. but it takes faith. How much, you ask? A little more than none at all."

I think this is my favorite saying in this book … A little more than none at all!

Big thanks to Maarja who made me buy this book!

The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale

So this book i got from my friend Mandy.

What an interesting book it was.

So first when i got it i though, don't I have enough positive thinking already!?!?!?

So i started reading it and in a really weird way it all worked. So the main thing was repeating some bible verses to myself every day! simple isn't it… but not many of us do that nowadays, so my main verse now is: I can do all things though Christ who strengthens me! …it Does help! ! !

I did find it hard book to read sometimes, just because how the writer used all the weird number systems for the bible verses and also he used really old english bible translation, witch made it hard to understand.

He did use word religion and religious faith too much for me, but i tried to set this aside and get the real meaning of the book.

He shares lots of amazing stories about people he's met or who has written to him. How their lives have changed after they've applied some simple truths from bible into their lives. Some of them were almost unbelievable!

In the end he just tries to help people to find bible again and for me it really was helpful.

Thanks Mandy for the book!

Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell

Finally i've decided to pull myself together and actually finish writing the blog about this book. fingers crossed ;)

There is a loooot going on in this book. Seriously a LOT.

It made me laugh, think, pray, pray and pray more.

I found it really interesting to read about the history, to see how things were at that time. I found out how little i know about …well… everything! it does feel like everything. For example i found out that jewish people knew old testament by heart!!! That really did amaze me. I found it hard to learn short poems at school and they learnt a whole library. Crazy indeed. Rob Bell writes a lot about the culture back then, to make it more understandable for us, cuz lets be honest, culture has changed slightly. I think!?

I really liked the moments where u were told to put the book down and pray. So it actually made u work with ur mind and soul.

"If you're barely holding on, come clean. tell somebody. Tell everybody if you have to. Check yourself in somewhere. What is it ever going to mean for you to gain the whole world if you lose your soul in the process?" ( ref Mark 8:36)

It's a book that teach you not to quit. God doesn't want us to quit. For me I guess it's everyday thing, i bet it's the same for everyone. I just find it so hard to see the bigger picture, every little problem seems to be an elephant on my way.

"I'm learning a lot of people give up. They settle. And they miss out. Anybody can quit. That's easy."

It also made me control myself, that i would give all my praise to God, not to myself.

We need to enjoy the life that God has given us!!!!

Thanks Andy for sharing this book !!

Amen!

When Heaven Weeps by Ted Dekker

This book really made me cry… Twice actually…

First when i started reading the book, I was really confused. It just didn't make any sense. A lady with her rosebush!? It just didn't make any sense. And then this Nadia. Who's Nadia?

These were my first thoughts. And then after reading more and more, everything started to come together. Started making sense. I guess it's like our lives, after a while things will make sense, but at that exact time - nothing makes sense.

The story is about a guy named Jan. How he finds God, how he writes a book and how he Loves.

Love is the main thing in this book, i think… well, it IS all about it.

For me it's was really eye opening, how much God really loves us. And how much we REALLY hurt him.

When people usually read, I guess, they, in ways, find a connection with the main character and try to relate to it. Well in this book, we are more like the lost girl ( Helen) who Jan was so madly in love with, even thou, he really didn't want to be. But God put the love in his heart, to show him, how it hurts, when we again and again turn our backs to Him.

We are not able to think in ways that God does, that's why understanding, how it would hurt a poor human soul, makes us see how much pain we cause. And all that needs to be doubled million times. That's how painful it is for our God!!!

To be honest, i really don't know what to write here anymore. I guess this book is a book u need to read, to understand. It will definitely work with your heart. Some days i was just an emotional wreck and some days i was a little less low. But in the end i'm happy, that God is soooooooo good and loving!

Thanks Joe for sharing the book with me.

Storylines by Andy Croft & Mike Pilavachi

It's is a great book filled with amazing stuff about bible, Hannah definitely got it right when she picked this book for me.

I've always felt a bit lost reading Bible. Lets be honest, we all are, otherwise there wouldn't be books about how to read the Bible, would there?

One of the things i really wanted from this year was that i could get a bit more "biblesmart". This book definitely helps to get some more knowledge.

I guess one of the things that i'll never forget is Psalm 22.

If u compare Ps 22 with Matt. 27:41-43 ; John 19:28 ; Luke 23: 34 ; Heb 2:11-12 ; John 19:30.

It Is Crazyyy!!

Psalm 22

¹ My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from my cries of anguish?
² My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
by night, but I find no rest.

³ Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the one Israel praises.
⁴ In you our ancestors put their trust;
they trusted and you delivered them.
⁵ To you they cried out and were saved;
in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

⁶ But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by everyone, despised by the people.
⁷ All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads.
⁸ “He trusts in the LORD,” they say,
“let the LORD rescue him.
Let him deliver him,
since he delights in him.”

⁹ Yet you brought me out of the womb;
you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast.
¹⁰ From birth I was cast on you;
from my mother’s womb you have been my God.

¹¹ Do not be far from me,
for trouble is near
and there is no one to help.

¹² Many bulls surround me;
strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
¹³ Roaring lions that tear their prey
open their mouths wide against me.
¹⁴ I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
it has melted within me.
¹⁵ My mouth is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
you lay me in the dust of death.

¹⁶ Dogs surround me,
a pack of villains encircles me;
they pierce my hands and my feet.
¹⁷ All my bones are on display;
people stare and gloat over me.
¹⁸ They divide my clothes among them
and cast lots for my garment.

¹⁹ But you, LORD, do not be far from me.
You are my strength; come quickly to help me.
²⁰ Deliver me from the sword,
my precious life from the power of the dogs.
²¹ Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;
save me from the horns of the wild oxen.

²² I will declare your name to my people;
in the assembly I will praise you.
²³ You who fear the LORD, praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
²⁴ For he has not despised or scorned
the suffering of the afflicted one;
he has not hidden his face from him
but has listened to his cry for help.

²⁵ From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;
before those who fear you I will fulfill my vows.
²⁶ The poor will eat and be satisfied;
those who seek the LORD will praise him—
may your hearts live forever!

²⁷ All the ends of the earth
will remember and turn to the LORD,
and all the families of the nations
will bow down before him,
²⁸ for dominion belongs to the LORD
and he rules over the nations.

²⁹ All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;
all who go down to the dust will kneel before him—
those who cannot keep themselves alive.
³⁰ Posterity will serve him;
future generations will be told about the Lord.
³¹ They will proclaim his righteousness,
declaring to a people yet unborn:
He has done it!

Matt. 27:41-43

⁴¹Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said,

⁴²He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.

⁴³He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.

John 19:28

²⁸ Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.”

Luke 23: 34

³⁴ Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

Heb 2:11-12

¹² He says,

“I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters;in the assembly I will sing your praises.”

¹³ And again,

“I will put my trust in him.”

And again he says,

“Here am I, and the children God has given me.”

John 19:30

³⁰ When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

It even starts with the same words that jesus says on the cross. (Matt. 27: 46) “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Back to the book…

It gives you a quick overview of the stories that run through the Bible, it connects them and makes them more easy to understand.

What i really liked about "Storylines", is that u can use it in a small groups for weekly bible studies, because after every paragraph it has summary of the main verses, that were used, and u've got some questions about them as well.

This book definitely helped me to understand better, what is going on in the old testament and how both testaments are connected to each other.

Every young woman's battle by Shannon Ethridge & Stephen Arterburn

When Pav first gave me this book, there was no " Liisa is reading books " (yet), not even a slightest idea of it (yet). And to be honest it was in my drawer for a month or something.

It is weird, because i did always feel something telling me that i need to read this book.

Finally when i did start reading it, I realized that i should have read it ages ago. I really do wish i would have read it few years earlier. Lots of things would have never happened.

But what is it in that book, that spoke to me sooooo much?!?

Well to start with, it's all TRUE, everything that is written there. Many times i found same patterns going through in my past. Just the lack of knowledge about your own feelings, can cause so much trouble in your life.

It is also filled with Bible verses, that i really did enjoy.

It talks a lot about the difference between men and women. How men are more visual and women are more interested the emotional side.

On that note, i think one of the important things i learnt from this book was what we (girls/women/ ladies… whatever we like to call ourselves) wear. Before we go out, we have to re-think what we put on. We don't want to make it difficult for our brothers to be in the same room with us do we?!?! There were quite cool tips how to check if the clothes are wrong, for example "Hallelujah" test ( if u lift ur hands above ur head and ur shirt is not covering everything, then it might be a great idea to get rid of that shirt). It really did open my eyes to the new world. I had no idea, that it is so difficult for guys. It's not like i've been trying to wear really mini clothes before, but i do re-think before i leave house now. But i've noticed, it does make me expect more from guys too. Because lets be honest, girls are not fully visual, but we still are!!! I have to admit, there has been times when it has been a bit uncomfortable, and it is weird to go and say " Hey button ur shirt up a bit, thanks mate!" how awkward would that feel. Anyways, everybody! Boys and Girls, think what u wear, ok?

All my stress was relieved when i got to that place "Should you be concerned if you notice that a guy is eye appealing? Have you crossed the line into compromise? Are you failing to guard your heart just because you find someone handsome? Absolutely not. You have done nothing that goes against Scripture or broken any vows, and guilt you may be feeling is false guilt. You can rest easy in the fact that your eyes function very well, and you can simply thank God that He makes such fine art." All my life ( not all obviously, i'm a girl and i like to exaggerate! I mean the time when i started noticing guys), anyways, all that time i've been living in a false guilt, i was beating myself up ( in my head, not literally, that just would be weird) when i saw a cute guy. God made us the way that we would notice His awesome, let me say this again, AWESOME! work. "When you notice a good-looking guy, he has our attention. This is perfectly healthy, normal, and appropriate, even when he is someone you have no business dating or getting close to. As long as your level of emotional connection doesn't move into the yellow- or red- light stage, you have absolutely no reason to feel guilty." And that's how little girl called Liisa got her freedom.

I do suggest this book to everyone, it does have everything in there and it has been really helpful with all my little issues in my life and also been really helpful with overcoming my past.

My child, pay attention to what I say.

Listen carefully to my words.

Don’t lose sight of them.

Let them penetrate deep into your heart,

for they bring life to those who find them,

and healing to their whole body.

proverbs 4:20-22