Not a Casual Thing

^"24and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." ²⁵In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." ²⁶For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes." 1 Corinthians 11:24-26

I believe the Lord has been tugging at my heart to determine, how seriously I take my connection with Him. The books that have crossed my path these recent days have been turning the mirror onto me, to check who I see in the mirror. Bits of the old me, my hands, my head, my heart are still visible in the image in the mirror. I am not yet made transparent with Jesus, so that people around me will see Jesus in me. I am so translucent and in some places so opaque, you can see ugly bits of me in me, no wonder there is no real impact from my life on others. Just a camouflage of Christianity, nothing real that can cause people to want the change in me.

The above verse asks of me to remember Jesus' body that was bruised and battered for me and precious blood that was shed for me. What have I done with that? Nothing, at least nothing of much significance. What do I remember, with the remembrance of Him on the cross? At communion do I see the pretty soft white wafer and the sweet tasting grape juice? Is my Jesus still at the cross, helpless, dying or is the Jesus in me, changing lives of people around, in Words and in deeds.

"Oh change me Lord Oh change me, forevermore, to shine for You, send me where I ought to be, not where I like to be. Bring people in my life, the ones I try to avoid for the sake of my comfort levels, the ones You want me to be with. Help me with Your guidance to do EXACTLY as You would have me do."
Amen.

Walk Like You Have Somewhere to Go By Lucille O'Neal

Walk Like You Have Somewhere to Go By Lucille O'Neal, is an autobiography by Shaquille O'Neal's mother.

As is typical with autobiographies of famous personalities, I expected a rags to riches kind of a story and how 'events' changed their life. However with this book, Lucille shares her most inmost feelings, the errors she made and how she dealt with them in order to make sure her life would face upward and not down. I liked the easy to read presentation of the book and the conversational style of the writing. It almost felt like she was talking to me, in my head as I read. She makes the reader feel her emotions, the good, the bad, the ugly. It truly portrays her mental journey from mental welfare to mental health.That makes this book different from other autobiographies I have read which would be devoid of feelings.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com http://BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Imaginary Jesus by Matt Mikalatos

Imaginary Jesus by Matt Mikalatos is an amazing book.

I almost did not order this book, but then I read the first chapter online and I wanted to read some more, wondering why would somebody chase Jesus and why would Jesus run?

Matt stars himself in this story where he confronts his imaginary Jesus, a Jesus he made up to suite his own needs and someone he could follow at his own comfort level. The journey reveals many more kinds of imaginary Jesuses, most of which are quite relevant with the kind of Christian lifestyle we are accustomed to in our times, absolutely unawares of the real Jesus from the Bible. I was shocked to find a few of my own imaginary ones in there. Matt's experience through this ordeal ends brilliantly with his meeting with the real Jesus.

I loved the pace at which the story goes, absolute page turner for me. Also, I am an avid C. S Lewis fan, hence I totally loved the concept behind the book. The book answered my curiosity, my questions and doubts regarding my own spiritual journey in an indirect but profound manner. I give it 2 thumbs up, if I had more you could add them too.

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Tyndale House Publishers has provided you with a complimentary copy of this book, in exchange for my unbiased review. I am not being paid for this review.

In Tears for Joshua

We just learned that one of our dear church member's lost their baby in a few hours after he was born. His name was Joshua.

I am absolutely I cannot understand or fathom or even begin to gauge the height nor depth of such a HUGE loss. A baby. Yet I am writing this in tears and prayers for the grieving family, that our Lord Jesus would comfort them in every possible way.

Do remember them in your prayers.

Strange Happenings

Hebrews 12:11
"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."

Ever had a time, when God dealt a bit sternly with you when you thought you were just about getting to perfection? I went through that painful time of correction when my heart was turned inside out. Its like a grand looking Gucci bag turned inside out and its insides were filthy from spilled dried food. Bits of used tissue paper. Old, empty lipsticks. Old old receipts and many more unwanted stuff, just stuck to the bag. Obviously the bag needs a beating and probably a wash if it could stand it.

I am so grateful that God did not just get satisfied with a great outward look, but dealt with stuff inside, deep inside my heart, issues I had never known existed. It is difficult when you find out, there are 'issues' within your heart you never knew.

The best thing through this painful process was that my Lord Jesus was with me in it, every step of the way. Encouraging me with His precious Word and showing me my progress. Now that I am stepping on the other side, one step at a time, I can feel the difference. Definitely the process has brought me peace and righteousness, a very much needed fresh clean feeling.

The Flowering Cross by Beth Ryan

This is my first time reviewing a children's book. I have worked with kids(kindergarten) and at Sunday School and found that "The Flowering Cross" by Beth Ryan makes for a good read for kids.It also includes instructions on how to make your own flowering cross.

Beth tells the story of a little girl and how her simple faith and love, together with support from her Christ centered family, wins the heart of an old lonely neighbor. While the story continues you will come across verses for discussion called "Faith Imprint", where an adult(reading the book to a child) can share/discuss the Bible verse pertaining to the situation in the story. The illustrations are beautifully done too.

I liked the book for the fact that it not only tells a story, to entertain a child, but also encourages a child to understand that their simple faith can also be a powerful tool in winning hearts for Jesus and especially in bridging gaps that sometimes adults are unable to cross. I loved the idea of "Faith Imprints" mentioned on most pages of the book, as it guides the reader through suitable questions toward a practical living out of the Word of God.

This book would be great for children aged 5 and older, in helping them connect faith in Jesus Christ and their real life.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com http://BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”