• February 05th, 2012
    08:59 PM ET

    Gaining Perpsective on God's Purpose for You

    Reasons for Hope In the Mosaic of Your Life by Carl Kerby

    An interview with Carl Kerby, author of Reasons for Hope in the Mosaic of Your Life

    “The two most important pieces of information I will take away from this book: stay bold and be prepared to give a defense of your faith. This book will inspire Christians to do just that. Your story, from your checkered childhood to your resistance to God’s path for you, is a strong reminder that God has a plan for us all. Your explanation of how the Bible fits into the modern-day world, tackling issues such as evolution and race, is crucial to today’s Christian.”

    ~ Rich “Ace” Franklin, three-time UFC MMA Champ

    Life is often not picture-perfect, and difficult times can make it hard to see a plan or purpose for our lives. In this inspiring story of one man’s journey, you will learn to see life from a different perspective. No matter what your circumstances, God can gather up the broken pieces and random elements of your life and form them into a beautiful mosaic—making you a useful vessel for His glory.

    Q: In what ways are our lives like mosaics?

    To me, a mosaic is a fitting illustration of the way God can take the broken pieces of our lives and create something beautiful from them. My life has been filled with boulders and broken stones. Yet God, in His grace, has put those stones together in a mosaic to make me into a useful vessel for His glory.

    I once saw a large mosaic but was too close to understand the design, so I backed up to get a better view. Just as the mosaic picture didn’t make sense until I got a broader perspective, I had to do the same thing with the struggles I’ve encountered. As I look back over my life from a different perspective, I can see why God has allowed me to undergo some of the challenges I’ve had.

    I also realized that the more broken pieces in the mosaic, the more beautiful the picture and the greater its value. The more we’ve gone through, the more amazing the picture our lives can be when we have God’s perspective.

    Carl Kerby, author of Reasons for Hope in the Mosaic of Your Life

    Q: How can Christians use the mosaic of their life to bring hope to others?

    People are often encouraged by my story, when they realize that God can use anyone to do His work—even the messed-up son of a professional wrestler who ended up earning his livelihood as an air-traffic controller and then a public creation speaker. Growing up I struggled with a lot of things other people do: an absentee father, my parents’ divorce, alcohol and drugs, run-ins with the law, even being homeless at one point.

    No matter our background, we can all share our own life stories, our mosaic, to tell others how God has taken the broken pieces of our life and made something beautiful and valuable. Those rocky areas in our life can be steppingstones for sharing the love of Christ with others.

    Q: You address the topic of racism in Reasons for Hope. Why was that issue important to include?

    Sadly, evolutionary teaching promotes the idea that people are divided into different “races” with some “races” better than others, leading to all sorts of prejudice, hatred, and bloodshed. I know I was wrong in my racist attitudes when I was young, and many still believe the same way I did. That’s why I take such a strong stand on this issue today.

    Ultimately, the issue of racism comes down to this: where did humans come from? When you reject what the Bible says about man’s origin, you will end up with all kinds of wrong beliefs. But biblically and scientifically, there is only one race of people—Homo sapiens—all made in the image of God. So we need to abandon the term “races” and instead talk about “cultures” or “people groups.”

    We have to teach people the truth about racism, but what bothers me the most is that the church has dropped the ball on this issue. In fact, the church (in some instances) is one of the last bastions of racism and prejudice in America. And if we, as Christians, cannot grasp the need to eradicate racism, how can we expect the world to do that?

    Reasons for Hope in the Mosaic of Your Life by Carl Kerby

    Genesis Publishing Group/December 15, 2011

    ISBN: 978-1933591094/208 pages/paperback/$14.99

    To learn more about Reasons for Hope* visit www.rforh.com.

  • February 01st, 2012
    06:56 PM ET

    What Would You Do to Save the Life of Your Child?

    Not in the Heart by Chris Fabry (Tyndale House Publishers)

    Award-winning author and popular radio host Chris Fabry explores ethical dilemmas in his latest release, Not in the Heart

    If your child needed a life-saving heart transplant, how far would you go to make it happen? How would you feel if a man convicted of murder offered his heart to your child? What if you discovered the man was innocent, but the only way your child could live was to hide the truth? “I’ve found the only thing I can control is how well I tell the story and follow the truth. . . . The truth will always lead you to a good place,” reflects Truman Wiley, the main character in Chris Fabry’s newest novel, Not in the Heart. Fabry passionately delves into hot topics such as capital punishment, gambling addiction and organ donation, leaving readers to examine their own lives and views. 

    Chris Fabry has had an impressive career. He has written more than seventy books for children and adults. Last year, his novel Almost Heaven won the ECPA Fiction Book of the Year Award and a Christy Award for Outstanding Standalone Contemporary Novel. He has spent decades as a radio talk show host for Moody Radio and in 2008 was named “Talk Show Host of the Year.” In his latest book, Not in the Heart,Fabry tells the story of a father that faces an impossible situation while his world is falling apart.

    Not in the Heart explores the life of Truman Wiley. Wiley once reported news stories from around the world, but now the only troubling headlines are his own. He’s out of work, separated from his family and buried in debt. His gambling addiction is out of control, but, above all else, his son needs a heart. When his estranged wife presents the opportunity to write the story of a death row inmate willing to donate his heart to Truman’s son, he takes the bait. And as the execution clock ticks, he will uncover disturbing evidence that may point to a different killer. For his son to live, will an innocent man die? As the investigation escalates, Truman will be forced to face his failures and make a choice that will change his life, his family and the destinies of two men forever.

    Not in the Heart is a story of redemption—the story of two men’s lives who bear the consequences of their addictions and receive a second chance. Unfortunately, addiction has become commonplace in our culture, with the effects not only impacting the individuals but also those around them. This story will encourage anyone who has a loved one battling addiction.  

    Fabry has been praised by reviewers for being a compelling storyteller. He uses that gift to get inside the head of a father who has failed his family and himself—a man who has grown so numb from life’s experiences that the only way he knows how to cope is through gambling. Yet this broken man is called to save another’s life in a way that will shock readers.

    Chris Fabry draws his readers into the lives of his characters, and as a result they face themselves. While acknowledging their frustration with Truman, readers will be forced to examine their own mistakes and weaknesses. The book also explores the controversy over organ donation by prisoners. Murder, suspense and broken relationships will keep readers peeling back the layers to discover the truth that lies deep within the heart. 

    The release date in February coincides with observances that create a greater awareness of the issues brought forward in the book. National Organ Donor Day, as designated by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, is set for February 14. The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) will be observing Problem Gambling Awareness Week March 4-10, 2012.

    Not in the Heart by Chris Fabry

    Tyndale House Publishers/February 2012

    ISBN: 978-1-4143-4861-2/418 pages/paperback/$13.99

    www.tyndale.com ~ www.chrisfabry.com

  • January 31st, 2012
    06:59 PM ET

    Delaying America’s Coming Collapse

    Twilight's Last Gleaming by Dr. Robert Jeffress

    Dr. Robert Jeffress offers bold roadmap to guide attitudes and actions in volatile times

    Economic chaos, spiraling immorality, cultural decay, terrorism and global upheaval have convinced many that we are living in the twilight days of America. Widely respected pastor, author and frequent media commentator Dr. Robert Jeffress agrees, but is quick to add a note of hope and challenge in his latest release, Twilight’s Last Gleaming(Worthy Publishing, January 2012). Although we cannot prevent America’s eventual demise, he asserts, we can postpone it . . . and make a difference for eternity at the same time.

    Including a foreword by former governor Mike Huckabee, Twilight’s Last Gleaming offers a bold roadmap to guide readers’ attitudes and actions in these volatile times. “But it is not all doom and gloom,” writes Jeffress. “We have an unprecedented opportunity within our current culture to delay our country’s ultimate dissolution so that we can continue to grow the kingdom. Even if America’s best days are behind her, for American Christians, this can and should be our shining moment.”

    The remarkable society whose light once shone as a beacon to the world is dimming. This is the sobering assessment of Robert Jeffress in Twilight’s Last Gleaming, yet he brings with that diagnosis a remarkably redemptive and hope-filled prescription for American believers. With biblical insight and real-world clarity, Jeffress answers for everyone who wonders what can be done right now—within our culture, our churches, our voting booths and our neighborhoods—to hold off America’s ensuing demise. He points a way out of the malaise, calling believers to action—not to restore a fading empire’s glory, but to make an eternal impact on millions of souls.

    In Twilight’s Last Gleaming, Jeffress also devotes an entire chapter to a pressing issue on many Americans’ minds: Who should I vote for in the coming presidential election? “If Christians place pragmatism above principle, we may or may not win the election, but we will lose our soul,” states Jeffress. However, Jeffress also suggests that a candidate’s faith is just one issue to consider when voting. Jeffress asserts, “There’s some value to having a non-Christian like Mitt Romney who embraces biblical principles, rather than a professing Christian like Barack Obama who embraces unbiblical principles.” He proposes four questions that every believer should ask himself before selecting a candidate:  

    • Is the candidate a Christian?
    • How would a candidate’s faith impact his policies?
    • Do his policies align with the Bible?
    • How does he view the Constitution?

    With a graceful balance between passivism and extreme activism, Jeffress challenges Christians to be “salt” and “light” in a decaying and darkening culture, standing up against the tide of evil that threatens to engulf America. “We cannot predict God’s ultimate judgment, but we can delay it just like Jonah’s obedience did at Nineveh,” says Jeffress. “But the reason that we’re trying to bide time for our country and prevent its premature decay is not so that we can turn America around, but so that we can preach the Good News.”

    Dr. Robert Jeffress, a popular guest commentator on top network news shows, is pastor of the 11,000-member First Baptist Church in Dallas and host of Pathway to Victory, which is heard daily on over 720 radio stations nationwide, including the Salem Radio Network, American Family Radio and Bott Radio Network.

    Twilight’s Last Gleaming: How America’s Last Days Can Be Your Best Days

    by Robert Jeffress

    Worthy Publishing / January 2012

    ISBN: 978-1-936034-58-1 / 239 pages / hardcover / $22.99

    www.ptv.org

  • January 30th, 2012
    10:37 PM ET

    An interview with the Blown Up Guy

    B.C. Fleming

    An Interview with B.C. Fleming

    Military veteran, author and speaker B.C. Fleming is eager to share his story of survival and success with the world. Having been blown up in Afghanistan not once, but twice, and given a second chance at life, he is dedicated to helping others overcome their own challenges and prosper through adversity.  All too familiar with the daily sacrifices of the soldier, Fleming knows as well the trials of the veteran at home. He also understands firsthand the complexities of war, the ugliness of hatred and the power of forgiveness. Because Fleming speaks from experience—not theory—he has carved a place for himself as a valuable media resource, addressing audiences with genuineness and enthusiasm on such subjects as patriotism, leadership, freedom and, of course, his own harrowing encounter with a suicide bomber. 

    Q:  Can you tell us how the fateful events of September 11, 2001 played into your decision to enter the military instead of the medical field, as you previously had planned? 

    My family was not in New York City, Washington D.C. or Pennsylvania on that day. But they could have been. If somebody were to break into my home and attempt to harm my family, I would shoot them. September 11th was no different. As I watched the events of that terrible day on television, I knew that something had to be done and I decided that I would never be accused of doing nothing when it was in my power and responsibility to do something. Thousands of innocent people were slaughtered that day. Preventing another such attack was every American’s responsibility. If a man knows the right thing to do and chooses not do it, he is guilty. Someday I will answer for my wrongdoings, but I will never be found guilty of passivity.

    Q:  You were blown up in Afghanistan not once, but twice! Can you briefly tell us about your encounter with the suicide bomber? 

    We had a blast.

    Q:  People often refer to you as the “Blown Up Guy” and your website is BlownUpGuy.com. How did that title originate?

    I don’t typically refer to myself by that title because there are thousands of other guys just like me who have been blown up while fighting this war just like I have, but it’s what I’ve become recognized as. While going out and speaking, telling my story, distributing my books and being in the public eye, people would always come up to me and say, “Hey, you’re that guy who got blown up!” They couldn’t remember my name, but they remembered that much. To have a website called BlownUpGuy.com just made sense. It made it easy for people to find me. Not only that, people have actually found that title to be funny in many cases (which was not my original intention), and that has made it even more memorable and easier to spread a message of hope to others who have been hurt.

    Q:  How did you arrive at a place of forgiveness for the suicide bomber?

    I wrote my thoughts on a piece of paper one day. It turned into a letter to the suicide bomber (which he will obviously never read). I began writing about the horrific pain of burning and realizing, though mine was temporary, I couldn’t imagine what it would be like to end up in a place where I believe he is now. That terrorist would have ultimately won the war over me, even in death, if I would have carried the burden of hate with me for the remainder of my lifetime. There was no way I was going to let that happen. He failed in life and he failed in death. He’s dead and I’m alive. It was time to move on. I’ve never lived a better life since almost losing it.

    Q:  What part did your faith play in your physical and emotional recovery?

    My faith gave everything a purpose for happening. Even in the midst of all the fire and pain, when I couldn’t find a reason for it all happening, I knew with certainty that one existed. It was my job to find it. The power was in the searching because I began discovering as a result. Finding is reserved for those willing to search. To begin something and then make progress is one of the keys to living a fulfilled life because progression breeds contentment.

    Q:  What do you hope that audiences—whether through radio, television, personal appearances or books—will gain from hearing your story?

    What happens to you in life isn’t nearly as important as what you choose to do with what happens to you in life. Don’t hide the scars. Don’t be afraid to let them show because someone who is hurting will see themselves in you. And there’s healing in knowing you’re not the only one. One of the greatest keys to my recovery was getting the focus off of myself and onto others. As we help others heal, we ourselves are healed. The people we have the privilege of sharing our lives with are all we truly have.

    Q:  Obviously, you feel that developing leadership is part of your mission as you speak a great deal to businesses, college students and other organizations on the subject. Would you share a couple of the most important leadership lessons you learned while in the military?

    • Make decisions and hold yourself accountable for them.
    • Hope for the best and be the best. Then, expect and prepare for the very worst.
    • Discipline is one of the greatest words in the English language and should be embraced by anybody who claims they desire to grow or succeed.

    Q:  Dave Roever, a badly burned Vietnam vet who has been speaking and writing for years, has become your friend and mentor. What is the most valuable truth that he has taught you?

    Dave taught me that the greatest investment you will ever make is an investment in the lives of other people. Life is about others.

    Q:  What exciting projects are coming up in your future?

    Presently, I have a teaching series coming out on personal development called “The Practical Science of Personal Achievement.” It is comprised of four parts, each addressing a different subject of great importance that has allowed me to succeed to the extent that I have in my ventures, both personally and professionally—from being a soldier who awoke in a ditch on the side of the road in Kandahar, Afghanistan to becoming an author and speaker back home and abroad. The series contains simple and practical, yet profound, lessons I have learned throughout the recovery process from my injury that have made a lasting difference in my life and led me to become the person I am today. All teaching in the series is based on personal experiences.

    Q:  Had you always planned on writing a book about your war experience?

    My book Never the Same began as journal entries I was keeping while fighting the war in Afghanistan. I had no idea what life the book would take on if it ever became one, given that few things are predictable in war. The stories were written as they took place. I was unable to use my hands for 8-10 months after having reconstructive surgery done on my hands due to the third-degree burns that nearly destroyed them, but I eventually continued my writing and completed the book.

    B.C. Fleming is available for speaking opportunities. For more information, contact Helen Cook at hcook@tbbmedia.com or 800-927-0517 x110.

  • January 26th, 2012
    09:36 PM ET

    Study the Bible as a Family

    Discovering Jesus in the Old and New Testaments

    It is easy to forget Jesus in the midst of busy schedules and conflicting priorities, but the truth is that he is the only one who can change the lives of parents and children. Marty Machowski has written The Gospel Story Bible (New Growth Press) as a way for families to share Bible stories together, meet Jesus and learn together a new, life-changing way of recognizing him as the hero of every story. Based on the ESV Bible, this unique, illustrated Bible storybook uses 156 stories to present God’s plan of salvation in Christ from its opening narrative in Genesis to its finale in Revelation. The Gospel Story Bible is one of the many products now available in the Gospel Story for Kids series.

    “The gospel is deep enough to keep the oldest and wisest parents learning and growing all their lives, yet simple enough to change the heart of the first grader who has just begun to read,” says Machowski. “That’s what makes The Gospel Story Bible ideal as a storybook for a preschooler, a devotional for a grade school student, a refresher for the adult believer or an introduction for the new one. Parents and children will learn together to read the whole Bible as one story, with one hero—Jesus Christ.”

    Vibrant illustrations by A. E. Macha, child-friendly discussion questions and Scripture references accompany each story to help lead families in exploring the Bible. Parents and teachers will be delighted to discover how easily even a young child can understand the original text of a story that he or she has already come to love.

    The Gospel Story Bible: Discovering Jesus in the Old and New Testaments

    by Marty Machowski

    New Growth Press/November 2011

    ISBN 978-1-936768-12-7/328 pages/hardcover/$24.99

  • January 19th, 2012
    09:43 PM ET

    Are you living the life God has dreamed for you?

    TEN: How Would You Rate Your Life? by Terry A. Smith

    Many of us dream of living a richer and more significant life—the kind of fulfilling life that, when rated on the scale of one to ten, would score a definitive ten. Inviting us to discover the TEN Life is the theme of TEN: How Would You Rate Your Life? by Terry A. Smith. Smith has a passion for challenging and encouraging others, especially those who are completely unaware of their own unique power and potential.

    TEN is about grasping God’s dream for our lives and then taking the necessary action to make that dream come true. Within the pages of TEN, Smith offers sound advice and gives the reader seven inspired steps specifically designed to lead to a better life: awaken, discover, imagine, grow, act, lead and go.

    Through application of these seven steps, Smith reveals how each of us can experience life in all its fullness, moving forward from wherever we are toward a TEN. In this way, we can create the best possible future for ourselves and those around us. We can achieve total fulfillment. We can take our lives all the way up the scale to TEN. All we need is the desire to do so.

    “If you are looking for significance in your life, you must read TEN. Terry Smith will show you how God works with you and through you to open up possibilities you never knew existed. This book is full of hope.” ~ Ken Blanchard, Co-author of The One Minute Manager and Lead Like Jesus

    Author Terry A. Smith, lead pastor of The Life Christian Church, West Orange, NJ

    An interview with Terry A. Smith, Author of TEN: How Would You Rate Your Life?

    Q. What makes TEN different from all the other self-help books already out there?

    One of my primary goals in writing the book was to connect the incredible power of creating a better life to the exponential power of leadership. Regardless of who we are or what our natural inclinations or talents might be, when we strive for a better life, we must lead others with us down the path to the best possible reality. Life is not only about us. It never has been. That’s why the book focuses on “others-help” rather than “self-help.”

    Q. Not being satisfied with what we have is often cited as the root cause of many of today’s woes. Yet in TEN, you write that you believe the problem is that we don’t want enough. Could you elaborate?

    I couldn’t agree less with the idea that most of our problems result from wanting too much. I think we should want more. Not more stuff, but more life. Jesus said that His purpose was to give us “life—life in all its fullness.” Why would He have made such a statement if we’re not supposed to want it? I believe a more fulfilling life—a life in all its fullness—is the future that God dreams for us. I also believe we have the ability to tap into this dream and create that more and better life for ourselves and others.

    Q. In the book, you outline a seven-step plan to creating a TEN Life. What are those seven steps?

    1.       Awaken: Wake up to God’s dreams for your life.

    2.       Discover: Learn how to discover your life’s calling.

    3.       Imagine: Learn how the discipline of imagination makes the future real.

    4.       Grow: Develop the life infrastructure necessary to sustain success.

    5.       Act: Take action to create your future.

    6.       Lead:Learn to lead yourself and others to the best possible future.

    7.       Go: Accept the call to get started living the life God dreams for you.

    Q. Of all the steps, the one requiring us to grow seems the most difficult. Why is personal growth so important?

    The greater our God-inspired ambitions, the greater our need to develop the secure foundation necessary to sustain them. We must become bigger people if we desire to live a bigger life. We must be willing to expand as human beings in order to become the persons that God sees us capable of becoming. And the more ambitious we are, the more we must be willing to fully develop ourselves in every aspect of our lives.

    Q. A large portion of your book is dedicated to developing leadership skills. Why is being a leader so important?

    Who wants to enter a preferred future alone? If we are to live the best possible life, then we must be obligated to more than just ourselves. We must be obligated to the countless people we have direct or indirect, immediate or future influence over. Leadership is about accepting responsibility for others. A moral future—a God-inspired future—is an inclusive one.

    Q. But what about those people who don’t see themselves as leaders?

    I believe everyone is a leader in some capacity. If you are a mother, then you are a leader. If you are a teacher, you are a leader. If you are gifted in the arts, you are a leader. Excellent athletes are leaders. Managers, politicians, pastors and CEOs are all obviously leaders. While most people may not be born with natural leadership skills, it is a skill that can be learned and developed. It can be studied. For our own survival and the survival and success of those around us, it is imperative that we learn effective leadership skills. Trust me, you can learn to lead if you have to, and I think you have to.

    www.livingten.com

    Pastor Terry - Intro To TEN from The Life Christian Church on Vimeo

  • January 19th, 2012
    08:55 PM ET

    What is the True Measure of a Man?

    An interview with Richard E. Simmons III, author of The True Measure of a Man: How Perceptions of Success, Achievement & Recognition Fail Men in Difficult Times

    Q:  When did you first develop a passion for working with men? What inspired you to write The True Measure of a Man?

    The True Measure of a Man: How Perceptions of Success, Achievement & Recognition Fail Men in Difficult Times by Richard E. Simmons III

    Several years ago I noticed a pattern in young men’s lives. As they began their careers, they all seemed to have the same plan for their lives: make a great deal of money, marry the woman of their dreams and have perfect children—the American Dream. But, if you fast forward 15 to 20 years, it hits them that life has not turned out the way they had planned—work, marriage and raising children in this culture are very difficult. The mid-life crisis most men go through, I believe, is in reality a spiritual crisis, and there is a great opportunity to reach men. That is how the vision to start the center came about.

    I was inspired to write the book because of the financial crisis and the great fear that men were experiencing. Warren Buffett called it a paralyzing fear. Someone suggested I give a series of talks on why men were having such difficulty understanding their fears, struggles and even depression. I gave four talks that were very well received, and then it was suggested that I convert them into a book, which I did.

    Q:  How does this book differ from other self-help books for men? How will it connect with a man’s heart?

    I think it is different because it goes below the surface and speaks into men’s lives. It helps them understand themselves and how their fear of failure, which is like a psychological death to most men, creates all kinds of dysfunction in their lives. But then also the book tells them very forthrightly how to be set free from this performance trap we get caught in. This part has probably impacted more men than any other part of the book.

    Q:  How is the American culture different than other cultures when it comes to a man’s value?

    In our culture, men get their sense of worth and identity based almost solely on how well they perform and achieve in the workplace. In more traditional cultures, men get their sense of identity based on their relationships (father, son, husband, friend) and their character.

    Q:  You talk a great deal about men’s fears in the book. What are some of their greatest fears?

    Man’s greatest fear (maybe other than death) is the fear of failure. It causes all types of problems that just cascade into his life. This leads men to have shallow relationships with other men and to the fear of taking risks and the need to impress others. It is why we compare ourselves with other men, and it results in jealousy and envy of other men who we consider to be successful.

    Q:  Is this only a book for men? How could a woman benefit from reading it?

    We are finding women love the book. I had a 72-year-old woman tell me she has read it twice. I had another woman who has been married 18 years tell me she never really understood her husband until she read the book.

    Q:  Can you tell us a little about your ministry, the Center for Executive Leadership? What is it, and how is it changing the lives of men today?

    I developed the center in 2000 when I realized how badly men were struggling with their identity. Its mission is to assist men with the development of their spiritual lives, to empower them through God’s Word by developing a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, to enlighten men to God’s truth so they can live their lives to the fullest and to get them into the Word and the Word into the world. You can learn more about the Center for Executive Leadership by going to our website at www.thecenterbham.org.   

    Author Richard Simmons

    What people are saying about The True Measure of a Man:

    ‘‘Richard E. Simmons’ book is so full of common sense and practicality. It is especially poignant and meaningful at such a critical time in our country . . .’’
    --Ben Crenshaw, two-time Masters Tournament champion

    ‘‘The True Measure of a Man is a book I wish I had written, which is about the best compliment I can pay to any book. It is what I would call a great read--both accessible and profound in its understanding of the inner forces that make up the male psychology . . .’’
    --Bob Buford, author of Halftime and Finishing Well

    ‘‘The True Measure of a Man is a book for every man of every faith or no faith at all. He’ll learn why he doesn’t have to live with the guilt, insecurity, and fear that most men experience but often pretend they don’t.’’
    --Fred Barnes, Executive Editor, The Weekly Standard, and Fox News commentator

    The True Measure of a Man by Richard E. Simmons III

    Evergreen Press/November 2011

    ISBN: 978-1-5816-9359-1/160 pages/hardcover/$21.95

  • January 19th, 2012
    07:56 PM ET

    Free Yourself of Others' Opinions

    What Do You Think of Me? Why Do I Care by Ed Welch

    An interview with Ed Welch, author of What Do You Think of Me? Why Do I Care? 

    Peer pressure, codependency, shame, low self-esteem; these are just some of the words used to identify how people are controlled by others’ opinions. Why is it so important to be liked? Why is rejection so traumatic? Edward T. Welch's insightful, biblical answers to these questions show that freedom from others' opinions and genuine, loving relationships grow as we learn about ourselves, others, and God.  What Do You Think of Me? Why Do I Care?: Answers to the Big Questions in Life includes questions for individual or group study and is suitable for teenagers and young adults.

    Q: What are some questions we can ask ourselves to determine if we are being too controlled by the opinions of others?    

    The list is a long one here. Am I angry? hopeless? self-protective? afraid? ashamed? depressed? withdrawing? Do I lie to make myself look better? Do I try to attach myself to the celebrity or popular person with the hope of enhancing my own reputation?

    Q: Can you explain the term “peer pressure” and what it really means?  

    I don’t hear this word as much as I once did. It usually means that we are willing to do things we wouldn’t normally do as a way to be accepted by others. There is a good kind of peer pressure, when a youth group really wants to know Jesus better, but that’s not the way it usually happens. We have a lot of the Old Testament biographies in us, and in those cases when a person who belonged to God met a person who loved his or her idols, the follower of God started following the idols and not vice versa. Of course, in the age of the Spirit that can be different.

    Author Ed Welch

    Q: You say that so much of life comes down to three questions. Can you tell us what they are and how we can find the answers to them?

    The questions are Who is God? Who am I? and Who are you?  The answers can be a little difficult to discover. Most of us know the correct theological answers to these questions, but there are the correct ones and then there are the ones we really believe. That why the topic of the opinions of other people is so handy. It can surprise us with our REAL answers to those questions.

    So what are some of the real answers?

    Who is God? Picky, distant, nice but irrelevant.

    Who am I? Needy, I must find an identity in myself - who I am and what I do? The problem is that God isn’t very relevant and other people don’t solve the problem because I am a never ending hole that is looking to others so I can feel okay about myself.

    Who are you? A threat, a god.

    If we use these three basic questions, the question about God tends to be irrelevant, which is at the very heart of the problem. The normal answer is, he loves me [but so what?]. Why doesn’t his love make that much difference? It’s because other people have become our substitute god. The only way that God’s love becomes relevant is for “Why do I care?” to become a confession, as in “Lord, why do I care so much about me and my desires?” That takes an ordinary desire [for approval, love, acceptance, belonging . . . ] that has grown to extraordinary proportions so that it is a ruling or even idolatrous desire, and it brings that desire back to being an ordinary one in which other people’s poor opinions can hurt us, but not control us.

    And who are other people? We want to love them just a little more than be loved by them.

    Q: You write a lot in your book about worship. Tell us why this is such an important theme and how it applies to the issue of people pleasing.

    Worship seems like a once-a-Sunday thing, but Scripture puts life in either/or terms: either we love God or something else, we trust in God or something else, we bow down to God or something else. Bowing down or worshipping is a vivid and accurate way to describe what is always taking place in our hearts. The word control gets at it. What controls us is our god. What controls us is what we adore and worship.

    Q: How can recognizing everyone in our lives—acquaintances, loved ones, friends and enemies—as FAMILY change our perspectives and the way we live with and think about others?

    We can have wretched families that are more like enemies than families, but most of us are familiar with relationships in which we love people freely. We don’t have to put on airs, we are always wondering what they are thinking about us. Instead, we simply love and enjoy them. When we are interested, we are more interested in them than we are in what they think of us. That recognizable experience moves us toward a way out from this particular human struggle. At the end of the day, love God and love your neighbor is where we will find lots of answers.

    About the Author: Edward T. Welch, M.Div., Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist and faculty member at the Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation (CCEF). He has counseled for over twenty-five years and is the best-selling author of many books, including When People Are Big and God Is Small; Addictions: A Banquet in the Grave; Blame It on the Brain?; Depression: A Stubborn Darkness; Crossroads: A Step-by-Step Guide Away from Addiction; Running Scared: Fear, Worry and the God of Rest;and When I Am Afraid: A Step-by-Step Guide Away from Fear and Anxiety. He and his wife Sheri have two daughters, two sons-in-law and four grandchildren.

    What Do You Think of Me? Why Do I Care?: Answers to the Big Questions of Life

    by Edward T. Welch

    New Growth Press/November 2011

    ISBN 978-1-935273-86-8/160 pages/paperback/$12.99

  • January 17th, 2012
    07:26 PM ET

    Showing Love and Hospitality

    By Roxanne Packham, author of Inspired Design

    Before we are inspired about how to show love to others, we must first ask why? 

    Quite simply it is because in Romans 12:10 and 13 we are told to be devoted to one another in brotherly love, to honor one another above ourselves.  We are also told to share with God’s people who are in need and to Practice Hospitality. Notice the vocabulary: practice, not perfect.

    In America, as a culture and as individuals, we are suffering in part because popular media gears everything to perfection. We are bombarded with messages that if we aren’t the very best at something, we just shouldn’t bother. We compare ourselves to others, rather than knowing our worth in God’s eyes.

    I suffer from insecurity and wonder if I can be creative enough to inspire.  Are my tips original? Are the photographs beautiful enough? Are my suggestions too simple for some, but too fancy for another?  The problem: my thoughts revolve completely around me. My creativity, my skills, my ability.  This is not about me but about God’s purpose for me. I suddenly realize the bigger picture; I can’t do it, but I can through Christ who strengthens me.          

    This dance in my mind between my preciousness in His sight and the enemy’s interjections has slowed me down at times, but God showed me this dance is the very reason for us to love others; to encourage each other. Because we are human we suffer from doubt, insecurity, and rejection of one sort or another.  We are God’s tool to encourage others. God uses us as His hands to love others, but make no mistake it is His power, His grace and the Holy Spirit that do the real work, not ours.

    God’s path of creativity in me began with a family history of silversmithing eight generations back, a degree from USC, design school in Paris, then design school in Los Angeles. Call them spiritual or otherwise, but they were the gifts God saw fit to give to me. Who am I to argue with my Creator? They are unique and I celebrate them. What are your magnificent and unique gifts that you can use to inspire others? 

    I do not want the gifts received as a blessing from God to “turn into spiritual dry rot,” as Ann Voscamp suggests in her book One Thousand Gifts, as the manna did when it was hoarded in Exodus 16:20. I want to use my blessings.

    Inadequacies and all, imperfections and all: I want to inspire others to Practice Hospitality and to LOVE others.

    Creative Ways to Encourage Others on Valentine’s Day

    KIND WORDS

    A handwritten note with quotes, scriptures and words of encouragement is a wonderful thing to find in the mailbox.

    Leave a sticky note on your child/husband’s pillow or be bold and write your note on the bathroom mirror or car window in red lipstick saying “I love you”.

    Even an email just to say “thank you for your hard work, you bless me” can make a person’s day. A cute poem, scripture or old photograph will remind them they are remembered.

    If someone has lost a loved one, kind words of some way that loved one inspired you to do something better will let them know that their loved one’s legacy is living on.

    AN INVITATION, TIME

    Take some time out of your days to meet someone for coffee, lunch, a long walk, or even just leave a phone message with a sweet sentiment. If you have more time, take a picnic basket to their home. Set up a lunch, tea or coffee, with all your tea cups and a candle. It is a lovely surprise! Just rinse when you finish and pack back up so they don’t even have to do dishes. They will have a lovely memory of a special time.

    THOUGHTFUL GESTURE

    Hang flowers on the front door handle, leave a pretty tiny package in the mailbox with a beautiful red bow, or cookies delivered to the front door. Create a breakfast plate for your child that says you are special . This is especially significant if your child has struggled with something recently.

    A BEAUTIFUL DINNER 

    Of course this takes more time, but try for a beautiful table setting complete with candles, fresh greens or flowers and a lovely menu either handwritten or printed out on your computer. (Visit Roxanne’s Pinterest account, via the Inspired Design blog, for darling printouts, including gift tags, and much more.) Don’t concentrate on the gourmet or complicated quality of the meal: remember it is about relationship and encouragement!

    VALENTINE’S DINNER

    A beautiful table for Valentine’s simply consists of reds, pinks and perhaps some purple. (Although it could be beautiful in all white too.) Of course, it has to have some hearts and some colorful candles. Leave kind words of some sort on each place setting. Every Valentine’s table should have its share of sparkle, of course!

    Visit Roxanne Packham’s blog at  www.InspiredDesignPublications.blogspot.com for more pictures and Inspired Design ideas for Valentine’s Day.

  • January 12th, 2012
    01:14 PM ET

    Common English Bible Broadens Its Appeal

    As 2012 dawns, the new Bible translation Common English Bible is establishing itself on multiple websites, celebrating its second consecutive month as a best seller, creating a growing buzz among bloggers, and is twice considered by journalists as being one of the top religion stories of 2011.

    BibleGateway.com, the highest ranked (according to Alexa) website in the world for Bible search activity, is now featuring the Common English Bible (Twitter @CommonEngBible) in its Verse of the Day free email subscription. And Patheos.com, the international online hub for faith communities, is now featuring the Common English Bible as its Daily Verse, appearing on its LibraryBible Resources page, Evangelical Portal, and Progressive Christian Portal.

    The free-to-search text of the Common English Bible, including the Apocrypha, is available online at the translation’s website, Bible Gateway, and YouVersion. A Bible Passage Lookup widget is also available for placement on personal websites.

    The Common English Bible is on the January CBABible Translation Best Seller list (based on actual unit sales in Christian retail stores in the United States through Dec. 3, 2011). Its debut on the list in December came after being in stores just less than three months.

    More than 150 international bloggers are currently participating in the three-month long “Thank You-Come Again-I Promise” blog tour (from November 2011 through January 2012). The tour’s Twitter hashtag is #CEBtour. The complete tour schedule, and information about joining the tour, is available at CommonEnglishBible.com/CEB/blogtour.

    And the completion of the Common English Bible after four years of translation work was named one of the top 10 religion stories of 2011 as decided by leading international religion journalists in the 30th annual ReligionNewswriters Association survey and by editors of the Associated Baptist Press.

    “There’s a reason the Common English Bible is receiving such a positive and popular reception,” says Paul Franklin, PhD, associate publisher. “It’s probably the most literal Bible translation, built on common ground with academic rigor and denomination neutrality, which clearly communicates ancient sacred text in understandable 21st century English.”

    The Common English Bible is a collaboration of 120 Bible scholars and editors, 77 reading group leaders, and more than 500 average readers from around the world. The translators – from 24 denominations in American, African, Asian, European, and Latino communities – represent such academic institutions as Asbury Theological Seminary, Azusa Pacific University, Bethel Seminary, Denver Seminary, Princeton Theological Seminary, Seattle Pacific University, Wheaton College, Yale University, and many others.

    The Common English Bible is written in contemporary idiom at the same reading level as the newspaper USA TODAY—using language that’s comfortable and accessible for today’s English readers. More than half-a-million copies of the Bible are already in print, including an edition with the Apocrypha. The Common English Bible is available for purchase online and in 20 digital formats. A Reference Bible edition and a Daily Companion devotional edition are now also available. Additionally, in 2012, Church/Pew Bibles, Gift and Award Bibles, Large Print Bibles, and Children’s Bible editions will be in stores, joining the existing Thinline Bibles, Compact Thin Bibles, and Pocket-Size Bibles, bringing the total variety of Common English Bible stock-keeping units (SKUs) to more than 40.

    Visit CommonEnglishBible.com to see comparison translations, learn about the translators, get free downloads, and more.

    The Common English Bible is sponsored by the Common English Bible Committee, an alliance of five publishers that serve the general market, as well as the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) (Chalice Press), Presbyterian Church (USA) (Westminster John Knox Press), Episcopal Church (Church Publishing, Inc.), United Church of Christ (The Pilgrim Press), and The United Methodist Church (Abingdon Press).

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  • Tina Jacobson established The B&B Media Group, a full-service publicity, media and consulting firm, in 1987.