spiritual formation

I can remember my mother singing “Que Sera, Sera” to me when I was a little boy, and it has always been a positive memory for me.  Not until I was in Spanish class my senior year in high school did it occur to me that “Que sera, sera”  literally Read more…

I haven’t yet read this book, but I hope to do so very soon.  Thanks to John Dobbs for sharing this book review and bringing the book to my attention. The book – “The Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner’s Semester at America’s Holiest University” by Kevin Roose.

Lately I have been noticing a few folks using the shorthand, “FTW!” on Twitter. I tried looking at the various contexts to figure out what words were being expressed by these three letters, but I just couldn’t figure it out. So, I took a risk and asked a buddy to Read more…

Yes, you read the title correctly.  I said thinking is highly overrated. Undoubtedly, you have experienced times when you would have done well to have taken more time to stop and think before acting on a quick decision.  I have had my share of such experiences.  Calm, clear-minded thinking is Read more…

I often refer to myself as a “resource broker.”  I am passionate about helping people connect with the best resources to improve their lives and experience transforming peace, purpose, and passion.  Whether it is a movie, a website, a local resource, a book, or who-knows-what-else, you are very likely to get a resource recommendation from me if you ask me for guidance with some life issue.  I believe in solving problems from multiple angles.  This approach seems to bring deeper, more lasting results.

Here is a list of some of the books that have made the greatest impact in my life.  They have challenged, encouraged, and enlightened me in my perspectives, actions, and emotional/relational/spiritual growth.  And I am delighted to share them with you.  They are listed in the order in which they came to mind, which does not represent any particular ranking of value.  I have linked each of them to addall.com, because I have found it to be the best source for getting the best price on books.  Trust me, just check it out.  However, for reviews on the books, you may want to check out amazon or Christianbook.

1.  “The Shack” by William P. Young – I know, I know.  This one was all the buzz in 2008.  You have likely heard both strong endorsements and strong warnings regarding this book.  I recommend the same for this one as I did for “The DaVinci Code” back when it was shaking up the world – read it for yourself.  The Shack is certainly not a sound theological treatise.  And I could find no evidence that it was intended to be interpreted as such.  What it did for me was remind me with a refreshing new illustration of the relational nature of God and the depth of his love and grace for each one of us.

2.  “A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix” by Edwin R. Friedman – If you have been following my blog for a while, you have heard about this one before.  Incredible book!  This one shook up and reshaped my paradigm about people like nothing I have ever read.  It is written on a rather intellectual level, and is certainly not a light read.  I genuinely believe Friedman understood the dynamics of people and relationships better than anyone since Jesus walked the planet (not that his insight rivaled that of Jesus – just better than anyone else’s).  Okay, that’s a seriously bold claim.  Feel free to challenge it.  Who do you think deserves that title?

3.  “Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: Unleash a Revolution in Your Life in Christ” by Peter Scazzero – I urge you to read this book and to share it with your church leaders.  Then urge them to attend one of Scazzero’s church leaders’ workshops.

4.  “The Dip: A Little Book that Teaches You When to Quit (and When to Stick)” by Seth Godin– A very short, easy read that packs a whallop by one of today’s premier business coaches.

5.  “The Ragamuffin Gospel” by Brennan Manning – This one probably helped me get a healthy perspective of my relationship with God better than anything else I have ever read.  I find Manning’s writing very readable and refreshing.

6.  “Hurt: Inside the World of Today’s Teenagers” by Chap Clark – You will NOT enjoy reading this book!  It paints a very dark and ugly picture of the world in which teenagers find themselves today.  However, if you have teenagers or have a passion for teenagers, you really should read it.  Follow it up with “Disconnected: Parenting Teens in a MySpace World” by Chap and Dee Clark for a practical, encouraging guide on how to be part of the solution.

7.  “ScreamFree Parenting: Raising Your Kids by Keeping Your Cool” by Hal Edward Runkel – If you have had a conversation with me about parenting, or read my blog for any length of time, you know how highly I regard this one.  Best book on parenting ever written (until mine hits the shelves, of course)!  Just do a search on my website with the term “ScreamFree” to see what I think.  You can also click on the link at the top right of my site to access the “Complete Parenting Revolution” (CPR) kit from ScreamFree – a great comprehensive resource.
8.  “Parenting by the Book: Biblical Wisdom for Raising Your Child” by John Rosemond – I have been a Rosemond fan for years.  His well-grounded, no-nonsense, authoritative advice on raising children is first rate.  While I recommend all of his books, I would place this one at the top of the list.

9.  “Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth” by Richard J. Foster – Read Richard Foster’s work, and prepare to grow.  Read it all.  Read it slowly.  Practice it in your life.  Share it with others.  Repeat process. (more…)

I sincerely hope you found the right time and place to just sit and be since your were here yesterday.  If you did, I’ll bet you are already a bit more at peace than you were the day before.  Well, move right along with our series of 10 Proven Ways Read more…