"Sacred Attachment" (Michael John Cusick)

TITLE: Sacred Attachment: Escaping Spiritual Exhaustion and Trusting in Divine Love
AUTHOR: Michael John Cusick
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2025, (192 pages).

Embodied living by faith is better than explanations about faith. The experience transcends knowledge. Feeling loved is far better than talking about love. Information does not necessarily lead to spiritual formation. We can try hard to grow spiritually but become frustrated at the lack of progress. The key thesis of this book is that divine growth comes from a combination of feeling loved and trusting God. The former comes from being seen, soothed, feeling safe and secure. The latter flows out from the results of the 4S paradigm. This 4S sequence is the essence of the author's "Sacred Attachment." Beginning with being SEEN, we are reminded that God sees us, either directly or via the communities we are in. Being seen virtually means we are understood as we hear the words "I get you." This stage lays the foundation of being SOOTHED where God or our carer(s) say to us: "I've got you." The third stage is SAFE (I've got this) and the final stage is SECURE (Love has me). Author Michael John Cusick believes that these 4S encapsulate our emotional needs and human longings. It sets out for us the path toward Sacred Attachment. Using attachment theory, Cusick believes that spiritual growth is best cultivated when our "immature infant brain" gets attached to a "mature adult brain," so that we can better organize and regulate the way we learn and grow. Our limitations stem from a false paradigm that as long as we do the right things, we will naturally grow. We often believe lies about ourselves or our capabilities. We trust ourselves more than God. Our self-dependence leads us toward the perfectionism trap while Cusick reminds us about the superiority of Hebrew wisdom over Greek philosophy. Using Brain McLaren's words, he affirms that "Hebrew good is better than Greek perfect." Once we recognize our human limitations, that we are broken but not bad, we are ready to turn the page toward confession. Here, Cusick gives us the 5Ws to show us how these affect the way we attach to God. These 5Ws are:

"A Higher Calling" (Harold Earls IV & Rachel Earls)

TITLE: A Higher Calling: Pursuing Love, Faith, and Mount Everest for a Greater Purpose
AUTHOR: Harold Earls IV & Rachel Earls
PUBLISHER: Colorado Springs, CO: Waterbrook, 2020, (224 pages)
 

This book is a beautiful love story about an army officer and a social media sensation.  Written like journal entries, the book details the lives of Harold Earls IV and Rachel Earls from courtship to marriage, and how their relationship survives and thrives through their various adventures. There is romance, spiritual lessons, adventures, travel, sports, mountain-climbing, missions, childbearing, and many enthralling stories to captivate the reader's attention. One of the most gripping parts of the book is about Harold's dangerous expedition up and down the treacherous Mount Everest. Apart from the magnificent scenes described, he tells us how the highest mountain in the world had become a deadly burial ground for many climbers. Harold prefaces each chapter with a journal entry from his Mount Everest climbing experience. 

The two authors alternate their thoughts throughout the book. They share about how they met, their common faith in God, their growing love for each other, and the dreams they want to achieve. After a period of long-distance relationship, they eventually married, only to be separated again because of the Mount Everest project. They share their marital challenges of being apart, the need for regular communication, and the crucial role of prayer in their relationship. Harold writes about his love for baseball, his endurance through army life,, especially his Ranger School stint, his mountaineering experience, and his constant expression of love for his wife. Not to be outdone, Rachel too has her own unique stories. She describes her days of vlogging, how she maintains a social media presence, her travels, and her roles as a supporting wife to Harold. 

This extraordinary couple gives us an intimate view of marriage and intimacy, faith and hope, life with purpose, and the constant dependence on God for all things. They do not claim to be superheroes of faith. Rather, they are ordinary people seeking to live beyond themselves, to reach out and make a difference whenever they can, wherever they are, and whomever they can touch. 

I leave with two words to describe this book: Exciting and Heartwarming. 

Captain Harold Earls IV is an active-duty Army officer currently serving as the Commander of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Harold is a graduate of West Point. He is a recipient of the Major General Smythe Leadership Award and is US Army Airborne/Ranger qualified.

Rachel Earls is a beloved vlogger, business owner, Army wife, and mother, and she is the founder of Earls Family Foundation. Rachel graduated cum laude from Florida State University, where she was heavily involved in service projects for organizations including the FSU Wesley Foundation and the Chi Omega sorority. 

Rating: 4 stars out of 5.

conrade

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This book has been provided courtesy of WaterBrook via NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

"Worth Fighting For" (John Pavlovitz)

TITLE: Worth Fighting For: Finding Courage and Compassion When Cruelty is Trending
AUTHOR: John Pavlovitz
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2024, (168 pages).

It has been said that "No news is good news." This is obvious when we read the news today. On every page we turn, chances are, there is more bad news than anything else. From the poverty and homelessness crisis to global-warming; corruption to leadership scandals; rising inflation to unemployment; political turmoil and wars; social uprising and injustice; wherever one turns, the world seems to be getting from bad to worse. This world is broken. Systems are broken. People are broken. Everything is broken. No wonder many people are feeling more helpless and hopeless than ever before. Worse, people are turning from sympathy to lethargy to apathy. If a broken world remains unfixed, it will not be fixed. For all the talk about goodness and love, author John Pavlovitz writes that "Love isn’t real until it moves from aspiration to incarnation." We need action that speaks louder than words. Using a metaphor of the car warning lights, Pavlovitz urges us to use despair as the impetus for action. Our actions include attention to mental health matters; creating a safe space for people to share their struggles; encouraging empathy toward the vulnerable; harnessing righteous anger; resisting the tendency toward depression; cultivating good attitudes like gratitude, rest, joy, and simply being well. Fellowship with people who give us hope. Adopt faith over fear. Move beyond mere niceness. 

"Loving Your Adult Children" (Gaye B. Clark)

TITLE: Loving Your Adult Children: The Heartache of Parenting and the Hope of the Gospel
AUTHOR: Gaye B. Clark
PUBLISHER: Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2024, (176 pages).

Parenting is a life-long endeavour. Even though the means change over time, the nature of parental love will remain. When the children are dependants, parents take responsibility for them. Once they become adults, the way parents care for them will also have to change. As a parent myself, I often tell my friends that parenting is like flying a kite. When they are young, we hang on tightly when dangerous winds try to blow them off-course. As they grow older, we loosen our grip so that they can learn how to make their own decisions. Eventually, we need to let go of the kite completely as they embark upon the journey of adulthood. As the children become adults, the way parents love them will have to change accordingly. For author Gaye Clark, the primary goal of Christian parenting is to teach children to place their hopes in life on God alone through Jesus's finished work. When the children are young, parents pay and pray for their daily needs. When they become adults and become independent, parents can continue to love them by praying for them. Besides that, Clark shows us even more ways to love them. Putting first things first, if we want our children to have faith in God alone, we need to practice what we are going to preach. The way to love our children is essentially to lead by example. We do this through the practice of faith, repentance, grace, hope, Church, patience, Goodness, Kindness, Gentleness, Self-Control, Peace, and Love.

"Worth Seeing" (Amy L. Williams)

TITLE: Worth Seeing: Viewing Others Through God's Eyes
AUTHOR: Amy Lyn Williams
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2024, (232 pages).
 

Our society often elevates the externals over the internals, the visible instead of the invisible. In many developed economies, people rush headlong toward attaining the 5Cs: Cars, Cash, Condominiums, Credit Cards, and Country Clubs. With that, people tend to gravitate toward those who are famous, rich, and powerful. Fact is, not everyone can be world famous, materially rich, and powerful. What happens to the rest of us? What about the marginalized and those despised by society? Can we learn to see all people for who they are, regardless of their reputations or ill-repute, poverty or riches, seen and unseen? More importantly, how do we learn to see our fellow human beings the way that God has intended for us to see? Beginning with the story of how Sarai mistreated Hagar in Genesis 16, author Amy Williams shows us that amid Hagar's depressing situation, God sees her and encourages her. God assures her that even when the world do not, God sees her for what she is worth. As one who ministers frequently to gang members, high-risk youths, and people who fell into a life of crime, she calls herself a "Hope Dealer." She also works as a "female gang-intervention specialist and juvenile justice advocate." The key is to learn to see people from God's point of view as best as we can.  Williams shows us the four fundamental ways of seeing:

"Gender as Love" (Fellipe do Vale)

TITLE: Gender as Love: A Theological Account of Human Identity, Embodied Desire, and Our Social Worlds
AUTHOR: Fellipe do Vale
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2024, (272 pages).
 

One of the biggest contentions today in the Church has to do with gender. In the past, there used to be constant debates about what it meant to be male or female, and what roles they were supposed to be playing. Then we have the feminist movement that pushes back against male dominance. Those issues remain active in many parts of society but are increasingly eclipsed by debates surrounding multi-gendered definitions and nuanced multi-dimensionally. Today, the line between male and female is increasingly blurred. The core issue is not sexuality but what it means to be human. Realizing that gender issues are becoming more divisive each day, we need to have a way to talk about these matters rationally and theologically. Thus, this book probes the biblical understanding of gender sexuality and tries to make sense of it in an increasingly complex social construct today. Simply put, it is to shed light on the question: "What is gender?" and How do we understand gender theologically? With so many different theological interpretations today, how do we do "theological theology?" Author-Professor Fellipe do Vale kicks off by laying out the categories in terms of two "bifurcations":

1. Divisive Philosophy: Between proponents of gender as "Essence" vs that as "Social Construct."
2. Divided Theology (Methodological): One anchored on modern academic discipline and the other on traditional beliefs.

"Nourishing Narratives" (Jennifer L. Holberg)

TITLE: Nourishing Narratives: The Power of Story to Shape Our Faith
AUTHOR: Jennifer L. Holberg
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2023, (240 pages).
 

What is our story? Are they defined by highlights in our careers or are they tarnished by failures in our ventures? How do we tell our own stories? Which narrative should we share? Do we share inspiring ones or lament about the negative events in our lives? For author Jennifer Holberg, this book is about helping us share life-giving narratives of our lives. Readers also learn about paying close attention to the narratives of others, all for the purpose of sensing God's story in the larger world. We associate the names of people with memories of our encounters with them. We get a frank assessment of the popular use of testimonies, with the author questioning the stereotypes of the "Boring Testimony Syndrome" where believers are urged to share sensational conversion stories. The truth is, many of our personal narratives are complicated. We cannot and should not allow others to dictate our own narratives. Here, we learn to ask ourselves questions like:

• Why do I find it hard to share my personal stories?
• Why am I uncomfortable with my own narrative?
• What does the discomfort tell us about ourselves and our theology?
• Is the tension we feel need to go away or to be embraced?
• What is the essence of the story and how can I share it in such a way as to bless another person?

"The In-Between" (Hadley Vlahos R.N.)

TITLE: The In-Between: Unforgettable Encounters During Life's Final Moments
AUTHOR: Hadley Vlahos R.N.
PUBLISHER: New York, NY: Ballantine Books, 2023, (288 pages).
 

Among the many kinds of phobia in the world today, the fear of dying remains at the top of the list. News of terminal illness can not only bring about depression to the sick, but it also stresses our family and loved ones in unimaginable ways. Whether it is cancer or some form of debilitating disease, as long as there is some hope of recovery, the fear of dying can be kept at bay. However, when it comes to incurable illnesses that involve entering into hospice care, the mood takes a traumatic turn. Imagine being a full-time staff working in such an environment. This is exactly what author and registered hospice nurse, Hadley Vlahos has experienced. She takes care of and walks with many people living their final days on Earth. Each patient can live up to six months. Sharing many powerful stories of courage, despair, hope, powerlessness, and many emotional moments, Vlahos takes us through the ups and downs of hospice ministry. She shares how she first became interested in end-of-life matters after the death of a personal friend. Through various twists and turns in her life, after some time in nursing school, she ends up working in hospice care. This book is about her learning, experiences, and journeys with individuals in hospice care. There was Glenda, an 86-year-old female whose metastatic melanoma had spread to other regions. She was the first person the author had to practice the checklist on "patient death." Carl who struggled with congestive heart failure seemed to have a sudden ad mysterious surge of energy toward the end. He had become like a grandfather to Vlahos. Then there is Sue who suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and didn't want to speak to anyone at first but eventually opens up to Vlahos. Sandra, a 50-year-old breast cancer patient whose cancer had advanced to such a state that her doctor had to recommend hospice care. Sandra was able to maintain a smile despite her illness. Vlahos marvels at how simple things could make such a big difference. There are others with all other kinds of sicknesses like Edith's Alzheimer's; Reggie's end-stage liver disease; and Lily, a dying travel patient, etc. 

"Reading For the Love of God" (Jessica Hooten Wilson)

TITLE: Reading for the Love of God: How to Read as a Spiritual Practice
AUTHOR: Jessica Hooten Wilson
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2023, (208 pages).
 

Why do we read? Some read for mere information. Others read for leisure. A few might read for spiritual formation. The latter reason is what this book is about. Spirituality, spiritual disciplines, or spiritual practice all come under spiritual formation. A key question that asks of us is this: Are we reading for the purpose of utility or for enjoyment? With this theme, author Jessica Hooten Wilson takes us through several different ways in which people read before showing us the way forward to better reading. By comparing and contrasting the various forms of readings, she helps us deal with the whys of reading rather than settling merely for the whats. This calls for some paradigm changes in the way we read. Gradually, she turns our attention toward the art of reading well. There are lots of gems in this book that merit not just reading this book, but also reading in general. First, we learn about ourselves and our reading attitude. She invites us to question ourselves on what kind of reader we are, pointing out the many varied reasons people read in the first place. Her hope is that once we recognize what kind of readers we are, we can then see the difference between where we are and Wilson's proposal about where we ought to go.

"A Place at the Table" (Miranda Harris and Jo Swinney)

TITLE: A Place at the Table: Faith, Hope and Hospitality
AUTHOR: Miranda Harris and Jo Swinney
PUBLISHER: London, UK: Hodder and Stoughton, 2022, (224 pages).

What is hospitality? What has the practice of hospitality got to do with faith and hope? How does that help to cultivate friendship and community building? These basic blocks of community are covered in this fascinating book about the life and work of the founders of Arocha. Containing many stories of people in the Arocha community as well as from the Bible, one gets to see how ordinary objects like a house, a table, and a meal can help one build impactful relationships. It touches the core of what it means to be human: The need for DMC, or Deeply Meaningful Conversations. In fact, the core reason for acts of hospitality is to enable such connections to take place in an ordinary setting. The authors make a powerful case to learn to host meals out of our real ordinary selves instead of trying to present a perfect version of ourselves before we can learn to offer hospitality. Not only can we offer others a place at the table, we too can learn to be comfortable in our own skin when at the table. With the table as the centerpiece of conversations and connections, the six chapters in the book cover a range of activities from the preparation to go to the table to the activities after the table. Interspersed throughout the book are snippets from the late Miranda's journalism where she shares insightful observations about her challenges and rewards of ministry, reflections on the Bible, and spiritual lessons learned. There are also poems, prayers, and brief meditations on Scripture. The six chapters with my brief annotations are:

"The Long COVID Survival Guide" (Fiona Lowenstein, ed)

TITLE: The Long COVID Survival Guide: Stories and Advice from Twenty Long-Haulers and Experts
AUTHOR: Fiona Lowenstein, ed
PUBLISHER: New York, NY: The Experiment, 2022, (288 pages).
 

It has been more than two years since the pandemic began. Since 2020, people around the world have become more cautious about face masks, vaccination requirements, handwashing, disinfectants, and many other healthcare concerns. Many have gotten covid and subsequently recovered. However, not all recoveries are the same. Some continue to suffer symptoms called "long covid." While the rest of the world chug along, those with long covid symptoms find it the journey long and often lonely. From initial diagnosis to constant anxiety about whether it gets better or worse, even medical professionals are learning new things every day with regard to how to help patients deal with covid, especially long covid. In this book, we hear directly from contributors who have experienced either directly or indirectly the challenges of long covid. In this book, twenty contributors share their stories. Sabrina writes about her loss of smell, headaches, stomach flu symptoms, and a sense of exasperation of not having anyone who could expertly tell her what to do. She tells us that there are a lot more nuances to know with regard to healing and recovery. Many who have struggled with long covid realize they are no longer the same persons they used to be. We learn about what it takes to be a knowledgeable, understanding, and supportive community. We learn about logistical and financial advice. We learn about symptom management, crowdsourced guidance, discerning the theories floating around covid-19, and a host of other issues pertaining to understanding more about Long Covid. Conventional words like healing, recovery, care, disability, patient, are all redefined under the new awareness of long covid. From a first-person perspective, we read about:

"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

"Next Sunday" (Nancy Beach and Samantha Beach Kiley)

TITLE: Next Sunday: An Honest Dialogue About the Future of the Church
AUTHOR: Nancy Beach and Samantha Beach Kiley
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2022, (192 pages).
 

Even as the Church in the West continues its gradual decline, there are many who continue to be faithful not only in attendance but also in service. In the midst of change, as different age groups grapple with issues unique to their generation, regardless of affiliation, there are many who care deeply about the state of the church. They want change for the better. They desire the wonderful community they dream of. They want a positive future for the Church. Spanning two generations, a mother-and-daughter team has come together to dialogue about the current state of the church and what is needed to change for the better. They share everything, their emotions about the past such as their assumptions, observations about apathy, disappointments, histories, suspicions, memories, and histories they experienced. They also express their hopes for the future of the Church. They ask the key question: "What will be most important for local churches going forward if they hope to thrive and not merely survive?" Through their family discussions, they manage to crystallize their thoughts into seven pertinent subjects. Both of them speak from their perspectives about how the future would be if they concentrate on strategies to deal with the following "distinctiveness."

"40 Questions About Arminianism" (J. Matthew Pinson)

TITLE: 40 Questions About Arminianism
AUTHOR: J. Matthew Pinson
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2022, (400 pages).

For many years, people have argued over the virtues of Arminianism and Calvinism. Based on the theological convictions of Jacob's Arminius and John Calvin, these two men in turn have relied on their reactions to the teachings of Theodore Beza and Augustine respectively. As Calvinists proclaimed their five points of Calvinism (TULIP), Arminians responded with the Five Articles of Remonstrance. Famous Arminians include John Wesley, Charles Finney, Dwight Moody, Billy Graham, Rick Warren, etc. Famous Calvinists include John Bunyan, Isaac Watts, Charles Spurgeon, George Whitefield, Charles Hodge, Francis Schaeffer, Tim Keller, etc. Other than these differences, what else can we learn? This is where this book comes in. With an understanding of both views, author-professor Matthew Pinson gives us a resource that comprises forty questions to help us appreciate the nuances of Arminianism. Calling himself a "Reformed Arminian," he aims to build bridges between the two traditional camps. The questions have a certain flow. In Part One, readers get a gist of the historical background of Arminianism. He looks at the life of Jacobus Arminius and how he reacted against some of the strong convictions of Calvinism. He shows us how theological convictions could degenerate into malicious labeling and name-calling. The key issue: Predestination. Readers get to learn more about the basic doctrines of both Arminianism and Calvinism. We learn about famous adherents of Arminianism, in particular, the Wesley brothers. Over time, more people came to nuance their understanding of predestination, while trying to find common ground in the search for truth. While traditionally one might claim Arminius was against the Articles of Calvinism, Pinson wonders if he was actually more Reformed than we might think. 

"Of the Earth" (Kim Cousins)

TITLE:  Of the Earth

AUTHOR: Kim Cousins
PUBLISHER: Eugene, OR: Resource Publications, 2021, (224 pages).

War, Authority, Rebellion, Power, Control, Peacekeepers, End-times. People who run and those who run after others. Fall of America. Veterans fighting another war. Miracles. A New World. Animals that talk. Daring escapes. Biblical references. These and many more fill the pages of this captivating fiction that combines creative story-telling peppered with biblical truths. Right from the first page, this action-packed thriller will keep readers glued to the pages. There are incidents of heroism and sacrifice for the sake of the community. The good residents worked together and ensured adequate provisions for one another.  The enemies schemed to eradicate all resistance without mercy. The resistance remained faithful to the end. Amid the tension and the constant threats of attacks from the Peacemakers, many of the heroic characters maintained their faith in God, with the help of prayers from pastors, encouragement from believers, and good deeds that warm hearts. 
On top of the wars happening, then come the plagues that ravage the population. Every chapter contains references to biblical images showing us that this book is not merely fiction. It comes with stark reminders that the story in the book has biblical underpinnings that we all need to be aware of. Such as God's love for the world; miracles; hope for a better world to come; betrayals among family members; the mark of the beast; the casting out of demons; and several more. It is like seeing how God's Word comes alive through the events and conversations among the characters. 

This book is a thriller that could keep us at the edges of our seats. I applaud the author for her ability to weave so many characters together. It takes a clear vision of the entire storyline to develop each character without losing track of the main plot. Having the animal conversations in italics also help readers to distinguish between human and animal speak. I must admit that it takes a while to get used to this animal talk, but readers would get used to it quite quickly. The list of characters is a giveaway as to the many characters readers need to keep track of. This is one good clean Christian fiction that should make a good gift this Christmas.

Kim Cousins is a retired academic advisor from the University of Minnesota Crookston. She is the author of Rule Keepers (2020) in potatosoupjournal.com and Evolving Interactions in Higher Education Change (2011) in National Association of Student Affairs Professions. Kim lives on a farm in Tennessee with her husband, Woodie, and an amusing group of animals. Her family includes five children, eight grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

Rating: 4.25 stars of 5.

Conrade

"When Words matter Most" (Cheryl Marshall and Caroline Newheiser)

TITLE: When Words Matter Most: Speaking Truth with Grace to Those You Love
AUTHOR: Cheryl Marshall and Caroline Newheiser
PUBLISHER: Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2021, (224 pages).
 

Jesus has said that we shall know the Truth and the Truth shall set us free. This is in the context of God's Word, to abide in Jesus, and to follow Him. In a world that has been devastated by the coronavirus, many are not only struggling with basic needs, but they also needed a greater dose of human interaction and encouragement. Words matter and they matter even more in times of need. With many stories of how different people have impacted them, authors Marshall and Newheiser share with us stories of how family, friends, and fellow believers had blessed them with hope, strength, and faith. There was a mother of five who gave them a friendship anchored on transparency and unconditional love. There was a teacher with a servant's heart who engages them with Truth and loyalty. There was also one with a pillar of faith that even in the midst of difficulties, one can exuberate joy in service. Calling these people gifts, they share with us how in times of acute need, these people were there for them. With gratitude, the authors are expanding their scope of encouragement through this book of stories and Truth-Telling about how words can make a difference, especially during this pandemic. Written in two parts, Part One explains the impact of words, and how the Word of God reminds us about our calling to speak words of Truth to one another, especially in crucial moments we discerned in the Spirit. We are called to build up the body not with our human wisdom but with the counsel of God through His Word. We are given three goals when we interact with one another:

"The Way of the Father" (Michael W. Smith)

TITLE: The Way of the Father: Lessons from My Dad, Truths about God
AUTHOR: Michael W. Smith
PUBLISHER: Rocklin, CA: K-Love Publishers, 2021, (208 pages).
 

It has been said that our views about God the Father are connected intricately to our relationships with our earthly fathers. Sharing intimate details about his late father, the popular musical artist and performer hail his father as his hero, devoted supporter, coach, diligent worker, his father, and how his life empowers his faith with his Heavenly Father. Smith opens up with how his father would bring his team to a Dairy Queen despite losing 30-0 in a baseball game. While some people celebrate with special treats when their team wins, his dad celebrates with the team regardless of the result. This demonstrated his dad's grace to see the team bigger than any game results. He was a deacon in Church, heading up many leadership roles from pastoral search to layperson's roles. His decision-making with regard to promotions or job opportunities always centers around God and family. Not surprisingly, he gives up promotional moments for the sake of his priorities. This is not something that a lot of people could do. Even though his dad was often tough, he had tender moments like during the aftermath of the Marshall football team air crash. Smith learns that the strength of a person is not defined by how much grit one has but how caring one is. Smith's dad checks out all the boxes. The rest of the book contains many powerful lessons about the impact of his father on him. Lessons such as:

"Glimmers of Grace" (Kathryn Butler, MD)

TITLE: Glimmers of Grace: A Doctor's Reflections on Faith, Suffering, and the Goodness of God
AUTHOR: Kathryn Butler, MD
PUBLISHER: Wheaton, IL: Crossway Publishers, 2021, (224 pages).

Faith and Fear; Hope or Despair; Health or Sickness; Life and Death. These are the daily issues that plague hospitals all over the world. As a critical care surgeon who sees patients experiencing struggles of life and death, author Kathryn Butler has seen a wide spectrum of human ups and downs.  As a Christian, she has also questioned why God had allowed people to go through pain and suffering. Where is God in all of these? What happens when one does not see the promises of God fulfilled in their lives? How do we locate our feelings in the field of grace? This is what this book is about. Seeing God's grace in the midst of medical calamities. Written in three parts, Part One shows us how medical situations could challenge our faith. Part Two looks to the Bible for insights into who God is and how we can find comfort in God. Part Three moves forward to show us how to live with hope based on the Resurrection Promise. 

Butler shares many stories about the amazing grace in the hospital room. She sees how a dying man was able to hang on to his very last breath until his wife arrives. She marvels at how one Christian by the name of David continues to minister to his Church members in spite of his health condition. She remembers a strong and independent friend who just needed prayer even in the midst of discouragement. She notices how the best of medical sciences cannot measure up to the miracle of God's design. God heals from the inside out and the outside in when humans can only apply a band-aid. Each chapter comes with reflections about various medical situations and assurances from the Bible. Readers can sense quickly that the author needs the assurances herself too. Recognizing the limits of science and medicine propels her to embrace the mystery of God's assurance and eternal comfort. Science might define life as a beating and death as flatlining. Faith enables one to go beyond these parameters into the mysteries of the afterlife.

"Journey to the Common Good, Updated Edition" (Walter Brueggemann)

TITLE: Journey to the Common Good, Updated Edition
AUTHOR: Walter Brueggemann
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2021, (143 pages).

Our world is in a crisis. Whether it is economic or financial, social or spiritual, the pandemic is rocking the world from its sense of normalcy and security. The economies of the world are mostly in recession and with the continuing loss of jobs experienced by many, and with many more to come, people need hope more than ever. There is also the continuing tussle between opposing groups with opposing philosophies of life. The Right vs the Left; the East vs the West, and the various other divisions that are split based on age, education, ethnicity, gender, nationality, and others.  What is good? How do we progress to a better world? The way forward is actually to learn about lessons from the past. Author and esteemed professor Walter Brueggemann urges us to go all the way back to the wilderness narrative experienced by ancient Israel. Calling  wilderness as "the hard work of alternative," Brueggemann reminds us that such an environment pushes us toward greater dependence on God and exposes our innate sinful tendency to complain. It forces us to look toward life according to the mercy and providence of God instead of self-dependence or self-centered subsistence. More importantly, we are reminded that life is a gift from God and it takes a wilderness crisis to wake us to the reality of how God had provided for us through all times and how we all need God. Under Pharaoh, Isreal could neither protest nor complain. Living freely in the wilderness, the freed slaves of Israel could even complain against God! Brueggemann observes how our modern culture has "freed" the various people groups who had previously faced "repression, brutality, and abandonment."  In this book, Bruggemann offers three paths toward a common good. From the Exodus narrative, he attempts to show us how hope could progress from personal anxieties to the practice of neighborly love. Readers are challenged with the question: "What is the common good?" Like how Jews welcomed Christians to share in the joy of seeing Israel liberated from Egypt, we also share in the natural common anxieties surrounding food, safety, security, and freedom. We see how Pharaoh exploited the Israelites and how God eventually delivered Isreal from slavery into freedom. Seeing how God had provided for His people should encourage us to hope in the future of promised abundance. For that, we need to recognize our anxieties caused by a scarcity narrative that often prevents us from generosity for the common good. We need to depart from the old to enter the new. These movements away from scarcity to abundance are essential in order to avoid extreme nationalism, toleration of poverty, policies that harm the environment for the sake of selfish profits, and so on. It is a mindset revolution that is needed. 

"What the Bible Says about Divorce and Remarriage" (Wayne Grudem)

TITLE: What the Bible Says about Divorce and Remarriage
AUTHOR: Wayne Grudem
PUBLISHER: Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2021, (112 pages).

One of the most crippling events in any human relationship is divorce. It breaks up the marital union. It tears families apart. It damages children's perception of the future of their own marriages. Worst of all, it dishonours the marriage institution as well as ridiculing the marriage vow: "For better or for worse." Of course, sympathetically speaking, there are legitimate reasons to break the marital bond. Rather than to throw a blanket no, Jesus's approach is to adopt a reserved exception to the norm. For Christians, the issue of divorce can become complicated especially when it comes to understanding what is the right thing to do ethically and theologically. With modern culture becoming more sophisticated, is the Bible's teaching on divorce still relevant for our times? A related matter after divorce involves the topic of remarriage. What are the circumstances where remarriage is allowed or disallowed? Other questions covered include:

• Are there any legitimate grounds for divorce? If so, what are they?
• How about spousal abuse as morally acceptable ground for divorce? 
• Are there other grounds for divorce that are not explicitly stated in the Bible?
• Is remarriage allowed?
• Can a divorced person serve in the capacity of a Church officer?
• What are the reasons for "no remarriage?"