Sinner by Ted Dekker

I am a fairly late adopter of Ted Dekker. Not sure why it happened but I believe I may have been in a phase of reading John Grisham and Tom Clancy as my main source of fiction reading at the time he broke onto the scene. That being said, it has not taken me long to start enjoying his work. His ability to not only tell quality stories from a thinking perspective and to tie them together (you can read any of his series and connect links without losing their individuality) is one of the big draws for me. In fact you do not even have to read the book s of a particular series in order to enjoy them.
Last week I finished Sinner. This is book 3 in the Paradise Novels; one of 3 series within the Books of History Chronicles. While al of Dekker’s books have dealt with spiritual aspects, this one drives it home. The latest ventures of Johnny Drake produce a challenge to all believers regarding who they say Jesus is and the reality that the world is not a place that loves Him or His followers. It also deals with issues of how the enemy has deceived the world and even believers have been blinded to the true realities of the spiritual and physical worlds.
I truly am anxious to move/ catch up on the books that I have yet to read and are yet to come. I also am interested in investigating TedDekker.com. It looks like a great community of fellow readers to share with. A good story speaks to the reader, Sinner shouts!

Book #4 - I Was Broke Now I'm Not by Joseph Sangl

I believe that I have been reading Joe's blog for about a year. There are 2 reasons that I enjoy what he has to say so much. 1 - He is passionate! 2 - He is practical. These are two powerful attributes to succeeding with money. As a FPU coordinator, I have enjoyed his perspectives and have found insipirations for my personal finainces and to pass along to those on the journey with me. When I heard that he was writing a book, I was excited to get a copy.

Folks, this is just the type of book that everyone needs to read about their finances. The two attributes I mentioned above are in this text in extreme doses. It is the inspirational story of how he and his wife have succeeded with money. Therein lies another key to winning wuth money. LISTEN TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE SUCCEEDED. Everyone has an opinion. Joe has gone through and is living what he teaches.

This is not an in-depth scientific or technical text on money managment. It is clear, basic steps that every person can, and should put to use. Anytime you read a book and it motivates you to action, it is a good thing. This is one of those books. You can get a copy HERE. Honoring God by handling your finances well is as liberating a feeling as there is. This is a book that will be in my personal "toolbox" as I encourage others to be good stewards and win with their finances.

Book #4 -- Confessions of a Pastor by Craig Groeschel

When I orginally added this book to my reading pile I thought that it was an inside look into ministry life based on the title. I had paid no attention to the sub-title, "Adventures in Dropping the Pose and Getting Real with God". While there is a great deal of sharing about ministry life, that is not the focus of the book.

Craig uses his transparent and honest style to mark a path through many of the big hangups that Christians face. With chapters like "I can't stand a lot of Christians", "I hate prayer meetings", and "Sometimes I doubt God" the reader is led places that most are at the very least wary of going in today's culture.

At the end of the book I personally felt hope. Hope because I can see some areas of my life that need addressing and it can be done. Also hope because I realize that many of the doubts, fears, and concerns I have and have had in the past are actually shared experiences rather than something weird.

When we recognize that it is a lie that we are odd and no one is like us we can step to freedom. The key is having the guts to stand up, speak up, and unite with other believers (who have their own issues) and walk toward personal victory in Jesus. No more going it alone, no more trying to do it on your own without God. Being honest with yourself, God, and others around you is the way to pull your head from the sand.

This book may not be for everyone; it takes a willingness to face the man in the mirror to get the most from the book. Thankfully Craig has written in an honest, open style that intives rather than bashes the reader into those personal journeys.

Book #3 -- Developing the Leader Within You by John Maxwell

This is another of the books that spent way too much time on my reading list/ pile. I started it quite some time ago and put it down, picked it upa nd put it down. This past week I committed myself to finishing the last half of the book.

I did not find anything "profound" as I went through the book. It is John Maxwell at his best but if you have read his material nothing will surprise you. That does not mean that the time was less than worthwhile or that one should not endeavor this book. I found myself reminded of things that frakly I should be doing in my life as second nature. The book is full of practical steps, lists, and a few quizzes/ inventories to help the reader get on the right track. Whether a leader of many or of a few, this book would be a handy read and reference.

I have a few other Maxwell books that I have neer read, this one has encouraged me to get those into the upcoming reads pile.

Book #2 -- Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki

The first time I encountered Robert Kiyosaki was on a PBS special. I recall watching most of the program and thinking "that;s was interesting". When I saw it again I thought that it would be a good thing to check one of his books. That was some time ago. I am a big believer that things often come to us right on time. This book was that.
While I do not agree with the principles of purchasing via debt I found what he has to say at the very least thought provoking and often inspiring. His persona; story is proof that the American Dream is still out there to be had.
There are many topics and points of emphasis in this book but I found two themes that returned to me as I read the text:

1. Your education (whether it be in finances, management, skill development, or whatever) should never end. Continuing to add knowledge and skill as tools adds to your value.
2. The goal is to stop just looking for ways to make money and to in turn look for ways to make the money you make work for you.

As I said, there are other themes but just carrying these away will give me much to ponder and work on. Another favorite author in the area of finance pointed out that people have a slaves mentality. There is no hope of ever having it different. Developing and putting to use knowledge and tools such as these can help me lead my family away from the slavery of living only paycheck to paycheck. This is one of those books that I think you have to be ready to read before it has value. When you think you may be, you should check it out.

'08 Book #1 - Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell

The major portion of this book deals with the qualification and training that the author and his team mates endured just to become SEALs. It serves the purpose of providing some history and background on the SEALs and what they do. But the greatest contribution of this section of the book is the understanding that is gained of just how highly trained and prepared these dedicated warriors are to carryout the missions they are given.

The main portion of the book details the events of Operation Redwing in 2005. The battles that took place on that mountain led to the most disastrous losses in the history of the US Navy SEALs. This is the story of Marcus and his unbending will to survive and also of the courage and dedication of his team and the men who embarked on the rescue mission.

From a philosophical standpoint I engaged in the decision that the team had to make about taking innocent lives in order to protect their mission. The choice to not do so likely led to the attack that took the lives of most of Marcus' team. War is messy and decisions made are never easy, this book makes that clear.

If you enjoy military history or biography in any way I would suggest you give this easy to read selection a try.