"Waiting in Gratitude: Prayers for Joy" (Walter Brueggemann)

TITLE: Waiting in Gratitude: Prayers for Joy
AUTHOR: Walter Brueggemann
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2024, (148 pages).
 

Prayer is more than asking for things. Prayer is listening to God. It is cultivating our relationship with God. Whatever it is, regardless of emotional conditions, we can all pray to God at all times. Having written considerably on the prayers of lament, author and retired professor Walter Brueggemann focuses on the movement of tears, desperation, and pain toward joy. Savoring the "peculiarities" of our life's journey, we turn our very living from lament to waiting, from waiting to gratitude, and from gratitude to joy. How do we do that? Begin with the why. Continue with the "chewing of the world" of ups and downs. Finally, arriving at complete joy. Brueggemann reasons as follows: "The sum of these prayers is to voice our life back to God in wonder and gratitude for God’s “countless gifts” that are indeed beyond our counting. We nevertheless continue to count them!"

Indeed, praying is learning to count our blessings and this book is designed to help us through our journey of life. Part One comprises prayers for all kinds of occasions. From anniversaries to baptisms, birthdays to confirmations, weddings to memorials, Brueggemann shows us how we can pray for all occasions. With the help of hymns and Scripture, he guides us to look to Jesus in acknowledging the present with gratitude and look to the future with hope. He has prayers for individuals, for those in specific vocations in life, and in particular, for those called to the ministry. Part Two takes us deeper into what it means to experience joy in Christ. No longer about specific occasions or callings, the prayers reflect a longing for God. Using the created world as a platform for prayer, Brueggemann weaves his prayers and tightens them with biblical texts and principles. Some of the prayers can also be used as congregational prayers. Many of the prayers are steeped in Scriptural reflection. 

"Holy Disruption" (Tracy S. Daub)

TITLE: Holy Disruption: Discovering Advent in the Gospel of Mark
AUTHOR: Tracy S. Daub
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John-Knox Press, 2022, (100 pages).
 

Advent is just a few weeks away. With lower temperatures and lesser sunlight in the Northern Hemisphere, the mood is set for quieter and gloomier weather. The gospels give us various dimensions to the nativity story. Most of our narratives about the birth of Jesus come from the gospel of Matthew and Luke. Instead of birth narratives, John provides us with a theological rendition of the birth of Jesus. Mark does not give us any information about baby Jesus, only some passing information about his mother and his ministry. Herein lies the challenge. How then do we discover Advent in the gospel of Mark? Author Tracy Daub shows us five ways to do just that.

1. Anticipating the Coming of Jesus
2. Peace on Earth in Christ Jesus
3. Belonging to Christ
4. The revelation of the Messiah
5. The Hope of Immanuel: God with Us

Daub starts the Advent preparation early by reflecting on Mark 13, the "little apocalypse" chapter. She unpacks the contexts of the first century and compares them with our existing world.

"A Good and True Story" (Paul M. Gould)

TITLE: A Good and True Story: Eleven Clues to Understanding Our Universe and Your Place in It
AUTHOR: Paul M. Gould
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2022, (224 pages).
 

Who am I? What is my calling? What is my purpose in life? What am I supposed to be doing with my life? Where am I supposed to be? These questions about our identity, origin, purpose, and significance, can all be answered via two stories: One nonreligious and the other religious. The latter begins and ends with God. The former depends basically on science and a non-religious explanation of life. This includes the five philosophies of scientism, materialism, reductionism, atheism, and nihilism. With these two angles on life, author and professor Paul Gould then compares and contrasts them via eleven aspects of life. These eleven "clues" to life are:

1. The Universe
2. Life
3. Species
4. Humans
5. Morality
6. Meaning
7. Happiness
8. Pain
9. Love
10. Beauty
11. Religion

"Why You Matter" (Michael Sherrard)

TITLE: Why You Matter (Perspectives: A Summit Ministries Series): How Your Quest for Meaning Is Meaningless without God
AUTHOR: Michael Sherrard
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2021, (194 pages).

For every "what" there needs to be a "why." For some of us, we need more than simply an answer to the latter. For many of us, this is essentially a quest for meaning and significance of our lives. What makes life meaningful? How are we part of the grand plan of significance? The key thesis in this book is that God exists, and that is why we matter. With the ongoing pandemic, many people are dealing with disruptions, loneliness, deaths, sicknesses, health issues, in particular mental and spiritual well-being. These might lead them to question the meaning of life. Then comes racial issues which led to the rise of the "Black Lives Matter" as well as an "All Lives Matter" reaction by some quarters. Even in societies that pride on equality and freedom of expression, many people still go through crises of various types. Author and pastor Michael Sherrard focus on a "crisis of meaning" to probe behind the reasons why people insist their lives matter in the first place. Once we can understand that, the rest will come into place. He helps us go beyond mere feelings as a judge of our worth. For feelings are often too subjective to be reliable. Rather than letting our feelings, our skills, or our subjectivity determine our life's meaning and identity, why not go back to our Creator? How is that meaningful? In the quest for such answers, we start by observing the culture and society we are living in. Can our present situation of secularism and godless society bring everlasting meaning? What are the promises of atheism? What about morality? The author helps us take a critical look at the society we are in, on the emptiness of the "good life" we often assume we are in. Gradually, he switches gear to help us envision a world with God. Sherrard essentially says the following:  

"See-Through Marriage" (Ryan and Selena Frederick)

TITLE: See-Through Marriage
AUTHOR: Ryan and Selena Frederick
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2020, (256 pages).

In any marriage, honesty is a given. Couples are expected to be truthful to each other in all things. Put it another way, good marriages have transparency as the key attribute. No secrets. No lies. No hidden agendas. According to marriage counselors Ryan and Selena Frederick, "unfettered transparency rescues relationships, glorifies God, and multiplies joy." Transparency means vulnerability. Vulnerability involves openness and humility. It invites trust. Why is this critical? One major reason is the widespread show-off culture driven by the popularity of social media. This tempts one to pretend one is well by putting forth photos and pictures of what people wanted to see. The authors believe that we live in a culture of what we see is what we expect to get. Marriages too can fall into such falsehood. The challenge is to take meaningful risk by being vulnerable and transparent. Avoid false vulnerability which essentially hides what is important and only displays what is less important. With the central thesis of cultivating a "see-through marriage," the authors lead us through different ways to accomplish that. Using Bible teachings as the key guide, they remind us that we do not need to hide in darkness but to boldly live in the light. Living in the light according to 1 John 1:6-8 contains two promises when we do that: Purification and fellowship. Transparency means not only we not hide from God, we learn not to hide from each other. There is no fear in love. A healthy marriage means we learn to be open with each other instead of hiding things from each other. That means we learn to know ourselves and the identity God has given us. If we are secured in knowing our identity in God, we will not easily compare ourselves with others. They expand on this topic of identity through the physiological self as well as the psychological self. Experiencing oneness is one of the deepest experiences transparency can provide. 

"Joy" (Edited by: Christian Wiman)

TITLE: Joy: 100 Poems
AUTHOR/EDITOR: Christian Wiman
PUBLISHER: New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2017, (232 pages).

Joy is not just essential for life. It is crucial. Imagine a life without joy. It would be meaningless. For all the wonderful things we can say about this fascinating and needful emotion to have, people still feel conflicted about what it means, especially for them. Editor Christian Wiman notices this in her introduction to the book of poems. While dictionary definitions provide a starting clue about what joy is, truth is, joy is more than a definition. It is an intimate part of life that could be elusive to many, but highly sought after. It could not be scientifically manufactured lest the product comes forth as artificial. Even the word 'faith' needs healing before seekers can actually enter into a deeper comprehension of it. Truth is, joy can be found in more places than mere ecstasy or human happiness. It does not appear in one long climax but manifests itself in unique moments of life. Poetry is a powerful way to examine and experience these precious moments. Dictionaries can highlight the academic meaning of joy, but poetry tills it, massages it, evokes its essence in ways that typical prose and scientific manuals cannot do. Frogs jump for joy without even having to make an indepth study of their leaping experience. It comes in expectancy of freedom like a moth ready to take its first flight. It can be like a grand return to home after a long and weary expedition. It is a "catalyst" that leads us to other things, such as seeing life with a more positive viewpoint. Sometimes, joy is not simply described but played out through music. People sing and shout out loud.

"The Joy Model" (Jeff Spadafora)

TITLE: The Joy Model: A Step-by-Step Guide to Peace, Purpose, and Balance
AUTHOR: Jeff Spadafora
PUBLISHER: Nashville, TN: Thomas-Nelson, 2016, (190 pages).

Is the pursuit of happiness a futile one? Is it really possible to have joy in an imperfect world? What about having a model to inculcate more joy? Is it possible to manufacture joy? Sounds a little artificial at first, but the author affirms it. From 2001 to 2006, he wrestled with discontent about the status quo and the need for something beyond mere busyness and spiritual activities. He shares about his personal journey, a wake-up call, an inspiring quote, and the background behind the start of the joy model. This 2x2 matrix is essentially a model between 'being' and 'doing.' Who we are determines what we ought to be doing. The 'being' represents the identity while the 'doing' represents the activity.

• A Frustrated Believer is one who is low on understanding his 'being' and low in knowing what to do.
• A Weary Worker is one who is also low in knowing his 'being', but perennially busy doing stuff.
• A Heartless Hypocrite knows a lot about God and claims to have experienced God powerfully, but has no external evidence through good works
• A Joyful follower is one who not only knows himself and has experienced God, he is also putting into action his talents and gifts for good works.

"Making Marriage Beautiful" (Dorothy Littell Greco & Christopher Greco)

TITLE: Making Marriage Beautiful: Lifelong Love, Joy, and Intimacy Start with You
AUTHOR: Dorothy Littell Greco & Christopher Greco
PUBLISHER: Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook Publishers, 2017, (256 pages).

Many people marry so that they could be happy. That is something that is furthest from the truth about marriage. While happiness is an important need, it should not be the key focus of a marriage. For author Dorothy and Christopher Greco, the higher reason is Christlikeness. The problem with many modern expectations about marriage is the presence of perfect expectations and the reality of imperfect people. In spite of these, there is hope. There is a chance to make difficult marriages not only bearable but beautiful. It begins by asking what kind of change we want. How are two persons who are so different going to live together? Are they willing to acknowledge their own weaknesses and brokenness? Do we need Christ only during times of crises?

We are urged to look back at our individual's family cultures to understand how our histories form our worldview and expectations of people. We need to avoid buying into cultural stereotypes surrounding male and female genders, and to shape our worldviews toward a Christlike one. See conflict as a struggle for growth. Reframe disappointment and anger as holy invitations to understand and to grow the relationship. By addressing anger appropriately, we can also avoid making five different responses to anger. Practice listening as a core skill in being a better spouse. Beware of unconscious addictions creeping into our lives. Learning to confess and to forgive are key relationship savers. Suffering despite all its negative connotations can have an upside. We can choose joy and we can move toward making marriage beautiful.

"Light When It Comes" (Chris Anderson)

TITLE: Light When It Comes: Trusting Joy, Facing Darkness, and Seeing God in Everything
AUTHOR: Chris Anderson
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2016, (181 pages).

We often rush through life and miss the moments of beauty. From rushing from one appointment to another, or dealing with one issue one after another, we are caught in a non-stop conundrum of problem solving and people managing. In a world full of competing demands, beeping cell-phones and electronic gizmos, more are demanded of us than ever before. In our busyness, we tend to miss things. The purpose of this book is to help us remember the precious moments of our lives, to embrace them, to believe in them, and to share them. Using the prayer of examen as a guide, readers are introduced to St Ignatius's classic prayer of conscience to help us discover the light of God in the moments of life.The key to growth is remembrance: Remembering the light that brings us joy; remembering the darkness is a way we can listen for the call of God that we may follow the call; Remembering that God is with us.

Written in three parts, Part One is "Trusting Joy" which Anderson calls, 'moments of light.' Listening is key. If we spend more time listening and reflecting instead of judging and analyzing, we will receive a deeper fullness of God speaking to us. For each time we attempt to over-analyze something, there is a tendency toward reductionism. If God intends to expand our understanding, should we not let God speak to us in His way? Be quick to listen and slow to analyze. Be aware of our need for human experience. Seeing the light means letting God's light into us and shining from within us. At a spiritual retreat, Anderson first practiced the examen and in the process discovers more of himself. He learns the work of the examen: to face the darkness head-on; and to follow the light and hanging-on. Faith is like a seed. When we plant that seed, we need to surrender to God who gives the increase in His time. He admits that this trust can be difficult at times. During times of sadness, we are urged to remember that we are loved in spite of circumstances. Learn from St Teresa of Avila who encourages us to do whatever most that kindles that love in us. Anderson shares about a time when he was helping his father move a piano down a flight of stairs. When he slipped at the top end, he relied on his dad to support it all at the bottom. In a similar light, at times we simply had to surrender it all to God to carry us through our darkest and loneliest times. Listen to love is a key advice. When we recognize the love in the light that we sense, we can follow the light. Believe that it is not the negative that will cancel out the positive. It's the other way round. That's what hope is about. Depression and confusion are not something we should afraid of. Recognize them but do not give in to them.

"Joyful Witness in the Muslim World" (Evelyne A. Reisacher)

TITLE: Joyful Witness in the Muslim World: Sharing the Gospel in Everyday Encounters (Mission in Global Community)
AUTHOR: Evelyne A. Reisacher
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2016, (188 pages).

We live in an increasingly dangerous world. Since 9/11, Islamophobia has reared its ugly head. The recent US elections have on its campaign highlighted the problem of terrorism and Islamic fundamentalism happening in the world. We are not living in a safer place at all. From shooting in schools to bombings in public places, there is a lot of reasons to be afraid. This has increased tensions between people of all walks of life and of various religions, in particular between Muslims and the rest of the world. Some secularists blame all religions. Many Non-Muslims tend to shun the Muslim community. Inter-religious harmony seem so rare. Some Christians even see Islam with lots of suspicion. How then can we get along? If the gospel is for all people, surely that includes Muslims too.

Evelyne Reisacher is Associate Professor of Islamic studies and cultural relations in the School of Intercultural Studies at Fuller Theological Seminary. Having spent a decade working with a Paris-based Christian organization that facilitates relationships with North African immigrants, she is convinced that witnessing to Muslims is not only possible but can be a joyful endeavor. This is because gospel joy is anchored on the Triune Godhead. Joy emanates from God and resonates with transformed believers. Such joy is for sharing and it amplifies vibrant communities. If that is so, should it not also impact outreach to Muslims?

"A Joy-Filled Life" (Mo Anderson)

TITLE: A Joy-Filled Life: Lessons from a Tenant Farmer's Daughter...Who Became a CEO
AUTHOR: Mo Anderson
PUBLISHER: Austin, TX: Greenleaf Book Group Press, 2016, (275 pages).

Rags-to-riches stories are always fascinating ones because they provide hope. If it can happen to them, the possibility for us exist too. Weaving in a lot of her own life's experiences, the author writes honestly about her flight from poverty to her becoming a CEO of Keller Williams Realty in 1995. She is still serving in the company even to this day. Born Imozelle Freda Gregg in 1937, her name "Mo" stuck on since her first day in college. In a book that describes her journey of faith and life's learning lessons, Mo reflects back on her life with gratitude. In spite of the dark times at various aspects of her life, she shares of precious lessons from her family, her friends, and her faith.

From her family, Mo learns the importance of thrift, humility, and hard work. This sets the foundation of her life as she reflects on her family history, her own memories, and cherishing her parents. Her father taught her about the importance of dreams, something that she put into action by dreaming about three things: Marriage, Music, and a house. By daring to dream, she attained the three dreams with passion and purpose. It was her dreams that enabled her to press on despite various setbacks. With the support of her husband, she found her own voice as she sharpens her leadership skills and entrepreneurial abilities. She learns from friends who urge her to do the right thing. One touching moment was her sharing of a competitor named Lillie Mae Tillman, whose uprightness and integrity made Mo wanting to pay it forward. Her faith also grew as she participates in various conferences such as the Ligonier events.

The twenty chapters follow a similar format. First, there is a title that sums up the lesson and a key quotation. Second, she tells her story to give readers the context. Third, she expands on the lessons learned and ends with a "Mo-mentum Builders" that are bullet points for readers to take away. Each chapter can be read on its own. One of the things I appreciate in this book is the gracious acknowledgements of the many people who had helped Mo succeed directly or indirectly. It could be her father's encouragement, her mother's faithfulness, Ravi Zacharias's powerful exhortations, or key learnings from her business and social circles. All in all, relationships matter. The ability to reflect back on previous events and learning from them is also invaluable. There is much honesty in this book which would give readers a certain motivation to try and emulate what Mo had done. For me, that should not be the primary goal. There are three things I would take away from the reading of this book.

First, relationships undergird the entire learning process. As the saying goes, no man is an island. Mo had the privilege of working with many different people. She did not succeed on her own. She needed others to guide her, to give her a warm piece of advice, and the encouragement when she most needed.

Second, there is a relentless passion to persevere. While some readers may fast-forward to the highlights of the book, I would urge such readers to take time to sit with Mo through the low periods of her life. Things in life seldom come with a silver spoon. Risks are needed. Getting out of the comfort zone is often necessary. No pain no gain, so goes the saying.

Third, do not underestimate faith. Mo has a faith that empowered her to do many things. Faith is not about believing without doing anything. It is about belief that builds trust even as we are working out our various responsibilities.

This is one of the best books on clear and honest leadership. It is indeed a "Joy-Filled Life" that emanates through the pages of a well-reflected life.

Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book is provided to me courtesy of Greenleaf Book Group and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

"Happiness" (Randy Alcorn)

TITLE: Happiness
AUTHOR: Randy Alcorn
PUBLISHER: Carol Streams, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2015, (496 pages).

What defines the way we live? Most likely, it is the search for happiness. Put it in whatever way or whatever terms, there is an innate desire in many people to want to be happy. Parents want their children to be happy. Husbands and wives want a happy marriage. Communities that thrive are those that celebrate happy moments. Who doesn't want to be happy? In dealing with this oft-pursued attribute of life, people try all kinds of ways to search for happiness. In many societies, especially in the West, the three primary ways are the philosophies of individualism (All-I-want); materialism (things-I-want); and the insatiable pursuit of success (All-I-Desire).

Happiness is what everybody want. If only the world could be a happier place, happier than the "happiest place on earth." Randy Alcorn has written a breathtaking overview and treatise on what happiness means to a Christian. He knows what it means to be happy or sad. While there are cases in both extremes, the majority of us live in the tensions in between. Alcorn observes that "numerous Christians live in daily sadness, anger, anxiety, or loneliness, thinking these feelings are inevitable given their circumstances. They lose joy over traffic jams, a stolen credit card, or increased gas prices. They read Scripture with blinders on, missing the reasons for happiness expressed on nearly every page."

"Every Valley"

TITLE: Every Valley: Advent with the Scriptures of Handel's Messiah
AUTHOR/EDITOR: Jessica Miller Kelley

PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2014, (160 pages).

The world famous Handel’s Messiah is not simply a musical concert to be enjoyed. It contains a lot of biblical prophecy, theological truth, historical richness, and pastoral depth. Focusing on the Advent theme, the Messiah is about anticipating the coming of Christ. The musical setting and the various “tonal paintings” come together to offer us an engaging experience with fascinating insights into the two comings of Christ. Forty reflections helm the whole book. Comprising of meditations from various contributors found in Feasting on the Word, edited by David L. Bartlett and Barbara Brown Taylor’s and published by the same publisher, readers will be thrilled to know that the book is not simply for the Advent season of 40 days, but a window to the rest of the year, in celebration of the Incarnation of Christ. Jesus did not simply appear at Christmastide and disappear the rest of the year. Jesus is not simply the reason for one season, but the reason for ALL seasons. The reflections are divided into three parts.

• Part One – Christ’s Birth and Its Foretelling (16 meditations)
• Part Two – Christ’s Passion and Resurrection (16 meditations)
• Part Three – Christ’s Eternal Reign (8 meditations)

Not only does the book tell the entire story of the Incarnation, the Resurrection, and the Eschatological Anticipation of Jesus’ Second Coming, it enables the musical movements to accentuate key parts of Scripture. I really like the way the book challenges us to reflect and to respond on the significance of the Advent.

“Is our Advent devotion about entertainment or edification? Diversion or direction? Amusement or awareness?” (15)

Each chapter begins with a brief chorus, a passage from Scripture, and a brief devotional. I appreciated the various reflections on the very simple impressions that provide for us the contexts from which Christ had come. Like the significance of lowliness when the angel of the Lord appeared to mere shepherds, unpopular and people considered of lower esteem in society, who were just going about their daily business. There is also the counter-intuitive manner in which Christ would come; where the lame would leap, a people who walked in darkness would see light, and how Jesus would come and not just suffer for us, He suffered with us. Blended with the musical, the whole work would come across as a magnificent hymn of praise to God and a rendition of heartfelt gratitude for Jesus. 

This devotional is not about entertainment or a distraction from the worries and cares of this world. It is about questioning our present lifestyles and the presuppositions we hold in our daily lives. Not only does it illuminates us of the reality of Christ, it helps the Word penetrate into our souls to remind us of purification, our depth of belief in the promise of God, and the passion of Christ. We are forced to reckon with the differences between worldly expectations of a military might versus the humble anticipation of the Christ-child. Let us not kid ourselves. We all harbor dreams of a mighty king frequently according to our terms rather than God’s. This is perhaps one of the biggest barriers, if not the biggest in our spirituality of faith. Stripped to our bare essentials, we will realize that the One who redeems us is One who comes in the Spirit’s power. Period. 

Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book is provided to me courtesy of Westminster John Knox Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.