Category: Books

Radical forgiveness book

November 18, 2023

What book are you reading right now?

Today’s question is what book are you reading now? One I have just read and will read through again is Bruce Downes book Radical Forgiveness. Bruce is known as The Catholic Guy.

I read this book on Thursday in a couple of sittings and I think I will read it again before I have to return it. My sister sent it to me in the mail this week. It is one that she enjoyed and found very helpful.

One key for me that came through over and over is the saying “time heals all wounds”. Downes says this is not true.

We know in the natural, our physical wounds may heal in time, but wounds to our heart or soul need to be worked through. And part of the working through includes forgiving and letting go.

Downes says this forgiveness and letting go is often very hard, but it is essential for our relationships and our own future. Not only might it improve a fractured relationship, but it can actually allow us to live freer going forwards. It is like a weight lifted off us.

I have often heard that if we carry grudges against people for hurting us, it is like giving them free rent space in our heads. It is also like our computers RAM being taken up by programs running in the background. You just do not have the processing space to think clearly.

Downes’ book was a nice easy read. It was in simple language, had good examples and it used lots of Bibles passages that fit in nicely to illustrate his points. At 70 odd pages it is well worth a read.

If you are interested you can find it here on his website. Just to let you know I do not receive anything for this recommendation.

Books that impacted me part 5

September 3, 2023

I have always been interested in house churches. I love reading about them and hearing the impact they make in communities.

Over the years I have always enjoyed the mid week home group or Bible study more than church on Sunday. I just like the way you can get to know people better and pray with others in the smaller setting.

One book I have really enjoyed in Starting a House Church. It is full of practical advice and stories of how they are changing the world. It has always made so much sense to me when I read about them.

Here is the blurb…

There’s a new way of doing church and it’s taking North America by storm! Here a recognized authority on the house church movement and a popular speaker and pastor share their expertise in starting and maintaining a healthy house church. Together they look at current and future trends in the house church movement and provide best practice models for planting and leading house churches. Also, they explore how house churches are not always the same as simple cell-groups or small groups, especially in the areas of leadership and money. Readers will discover all the information they need to begin a house church in their community.

Books that impacted me part 4

July 7, 2023

The next book that had a profound impact on me was “The Spirit Contemporary Life” by Leon Fontaine.

In this book he shares lots of stories of how his life transformed by just praying for people. He did not used big fancy words, but simple words in a natural every way. He simply prayed and left the results to God. Often someone would be healed or receive Christ as a result.

I enjoyed this book so much that I bought the audio version to listen in my car as I travel to my work as a School Chaplain.

Here is the blurb from the publisher…

How would your world change if you regularly experienced the miraculous? And what if this happened everywhere you went-in a way that attracted people to Jesus? It wouldn’t just make a difference in your world…it would make the world different.

It might sound too good to be true…but that’s the Spirit Contemporary life.

While working as a first responder in an ambulance, Leon Fontaine longed to see God’s power at work outside the four walls of the church. He learned through many life-changing experiences that we can all unlock the miraculous in a way that works anywhere-at home, in a hospital, at work-with anyone!

The Spirit Contemporary way of life involves communicating with others as Jesus would…using their language, stories, and settings. Leon draws on biblical truth and personal stories to reveal how this dynamic first-century faith can be yours when you live so in tune with God that you’re guided in ways that are both natural and supernatural.

Books that impacted me part 3

June 24, 2023

Today I want to share another book that really impacted me. It is “The power of positive thinking” by Norman Vincent Peale.

I read this book when I was looking for positive thinking books in a bookstore. I was not a Christian yet, but I realised my thought life was very negative. I did not expect or even hope good things would happen. It was a very sad place to be.

When I picked it up I did not realise the author was a Christian minister. Being where I was mentally, I am not sure if I would have picked it up if I did. Looking back I am very glad I did!

Right from the first few pages I realised it was full of positive thoughts, hope and faith. It had lots of positive stories from the author and people he had helped. Even though I was in a dark place mentally, I could feel it slowly penetrating the dark thoughts of my interior world.

The further I got into the book I could feel hope building and I could feel faith in God starting to blossom. The way he spoke about God being for us, being created in God’s image and being gifted by God to do good things really started to change my outlook.

As I look back I can see how this book was key in changing my negative attitudes, especially the way I thought about myself and how I spoke to myself mentally. I have often said to people, if I spoke to you how I speak to myself mentally, you would not want to be my friend.

The Power of Positive Thinking really changed my thinking about myself and my outlook on life. It also provided a very strong link in the chain of me finding faith in Christ.

Here is the blurb from the publisher…

The phenomenal and inspiring bestseller by the father of positive thinking. THE POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING is a practical, direct-action application of spiritual techniques to overcome defeat and win confidence, success and joy. Norman Vincent Peale, the father of positive thinking and one of the most widely read inspirational writers of all time, shares his famous formula of faith and optimism which millions of people have taken as their own simple and effective philosophy of living. His gentle guidance helps to eliminate defeatist attitudes, to know the power you posess and to make the best of your life.

Books that impacted me part 2

June 17, 2023

The second book that had a real impact on me was John Stott’s “The Radical Disciple”. I read this about 10 years ago.

Rev Dr. John Stott is known worldwide as a Bible teacher, writer, pastor and mission-leader. He was awarded the CBE in the Queens 2006 New Year Honours. Stott was honored by Time magazine in 2005 as one of the “100 Most Influential People in the World.”

I read the book at the recommendation of my wife who read it and really loved it. Often she would read a paragraph at a time and pause to reflect on the depth of his teaching. This got me really interested!

In his book Rev Stott touches on a number of areas including Non-conformity, Christlikeness, Maturity, Creation-care, Simplicity, Balance, Dependence and finally Death. Each chapter has powerful lessons.

Here is the blurb from the publisher…

“What is a life of radical discipleship? At root, it means we let Jesus set the agenda of our lives. We aren’t selective. We don’t pick and choose what is cosy and stay away from what is costly. He is Lord of all of life. In the last book by a Christian leader who was himself a radical disciple, John Stott opens up what it means at root to be a follower of Jesus. He explores eight aspects of Christian discipleship that we need to pay much closer attention to. The message is simple, classic and personal: Jesus is Lord. He calls. We follow.”