Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Finding Your Path to Publication by Judy Penz Sheluk

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
You have an idea and dash down an outline. And maybe you "write a book." But what about the stuff of publishing? What about copyrights and agents and options for putting you book out there? What about getting paid?

Here's your clear guide to terms and processes in the book industry. Ignore it at your peril.

The Narrow Path by Rich Villodas

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
This is a bit scary so buy it at your own risk. What if all disciples of Jesus actually lived the way he said? What if they actually imitated their Master? 

That's the challenge Villodas offers the reader: what did Jesus say about the transformation of the heart? In what ways should our actions reflect our proximity to Jesus?

Using the Sermon on the Mount as a foundation, the author asks some deep questions and throws a wrench into the half-hearted commitment of many so-called Christians. 

Get it. Reflect on it. Examine your own heart. Mine is pounding with possibilities.

Integrating Psychology and Faith by Paul Moes; Blake Riek

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
The authors offer broad summaries of prevailing worldviews which provide foundations for psychology. They include such a "dual-kingdom" models (sacred vs secular), natural vs spiritual worlds, and the influences of various Christian traditions. Then they move to Christian "approaches that take psychology and theology seriously on their own terms."

Moes and Rick explain the transformation of purely secular psychology that occurs when this science comes from a Christian viewpoint. Themes that produce a humanizing metamorphosis include integration of science with Christian/biblical values, taking human agency seriously.

This textbook is suitable for psychology courses in Christian universities and as a student reference. Thoughtful discussion questions at the end of each chapter and an extensive bibliography provide resources for further study and classroom interactions or assignments.

Sunday, March 24, 2024

Make your art no matter what by Beth Pickens

★★★★ When you're ready to move beyond excuses to action, here's your coaching book. I've recommended this to friends who are professional coaches because the topics are relevant across disciplines - art, business, life ... anyone could benefit.

Pickens' questions are excellent and focused, whether you are stuck about time, energy, money, or other common ticking points. The last coach I talked with noted how incredible it is to have these mentors available today.

Pickens will take away all your "good reasons" and help you prioritize what matters to you. That may not be what you think it is - and knowing that everything has a tradeoff and you can put certain things on hold can be reassuring.

Another book that belongs on my bookshelf - and yours.

#makeyourartnomatterwhat #bethpickens 

Progress by Johan Norberg

★★★★ ☐ If you watch the news, you've probably bought into the story that the world is going to hell in a hand basket. Life, society, and the planet are so terrible that they are imminently burning up, freezing out, on fire, under water, or ready for another cataclysmic disaster.

You need this book.

Norberg examines 10 factors that make today "the good old days," as he puts it. These include a look at the food supply, modern sanitation, life expectancy, the environment, abundant literacy, places of freedom ... and more. Life has never been THIS good, he argues.

I was encouraged by his broad view of facts from current research and history. He may make an optimist out of you, so if you struggle with depression and tuning out because "this is such an awful time to be alive," you may be in for a pleasant turnaround. 

Get the book!

Sunday, March 17, 2024

When Religion Hurts You by Laura E. Anderson

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
It seems like a lot of previously religious people are tossing in the towel. They're becoming areligious or anti-religious. Sometimes they walk away from settings where they cannot bring their doubts and questions to God or religious leaders. Sometimes it's because of cultish abuse, mental anguish, sexual trauma and other issues.

Anderson gives hope for healing from such traumas. She uses psychology to consider the control issues and abuse that lead to fear and lack of trust in adults and authorities. She does a good job.

I recognize much of what she writes about. My family and my husband's family grew up in a high-control ethnic church where peer pressure (on adults and children) and edicts from the pulpit were prominent. Those defined what was acceptable in theology, recreation, and clothing (hey, no jewelry but brooches; though fancy hats with feathers and other ornaments were ok).

Preachers defined and warned against interactions "with the world." Any thinking child or teen knew some of the strict prescriptions were a double standard or just made no sense. But we went along with it and carried on as a group.

However, the balance for me was that our family had a personal faith and welcomed questions. We children could ask our parent questions as long as we asked respectfully - no sassing or badmouthing. (I don't consider genuine respect for authority to be abusive; it was healthy and reassuring for kids.) My mom and dad sincerely answered with what they did and didn't know. And they encouraged my brothers and me to search the scriptures for ourselves and pray for guidance. 

That worked for me. We left a lot of the cultural baggage and narrow theology behind as university students and adults.

And then we had children who grew up in the next generation of faith. We were much less restrictive but still rule-bound as "strict" parents. So our kids challenged us even more.

We did some weird stuff with dress codes. Ask my daughter about the skirts she wore over her shorts in elementary gym class - what was I thinking? By her teens, I resorted to "wear whatever's modest" for our fashionista, since living in Seattle in the 90s offered grunge clothes in dark, limp, secondhand cover-ups. 

"Don't you care what your kids are wearing?" asked people at church. (Nope. "Modest enough, they're not naked," made this mama happy.) 

And that happened with other things. Because our own parent allowed us to explore the faith, we gradually shed the culture and unclenched our religion. As parents ourselves, we chose the principles of Love God; Love others as more important than following religious mandates that were not in scripture.

"I hate the dumb rules," said one of our teens of the strict codes of behavior and dress in his private school. "I don't think any of this matters. And I don't want to be a hypocritical follower of Jesus by looking good and being unchanged inside like some of my classmates."

"I think you're right, but you're in a place where it matters to your teachers," I replied. "Definitely don't adopt a fake religion with an unchanged heart. Work out your faith with God ... because God is not afraid of your questions. You made a promise to obey him when you were baptized, so take up your issues with him."

So he did. And he came out not only alive, but with more questions and a thriving robust faith.

I'm sorry for those who were brutalized by abuse. I understand the pain like some of our young peers experienced without the balance of being able to ask sincere questions and develop healthy skepticism against strange old-country habits. They weren't able to assimilate truth while living with weird cultural constraints and autocratic boundaries. 

If you're one of those, this book will help you heal. Just don't throw it all away because other stuff got mixed in with scripture. Don't deconstruct to the point where there are no core values left as foundations for growth and abundance.

Always remember that God's not afraid of your questions. The One whose math keeps the planets spinning and the God how hope who renews the ground isn't afraid to let you explore. He cheers your search for what's real and applauds when you leave behind what's been added to his grace, justice, and lovingkindness.

--PS The people Jesus got angry and frustrated with were religious leaders who insisted on adding their burdens to the freedom and liberty of a life with God. Check him out in the eyewitness accounts of his contemporaries in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John

New Testament Theology Eckhard J. Schnabel

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
From a historical perspective, the New Testament takes on a more storied and approachable view. What were people thinking about the emerging body of Christ and its leaders? How did they view the teachings of Peter, Paul, and the others?

From his seat at Gorden Conwell and experience in missions and in the classroom, Schnabel knows how to pull together a book of theology that is readable and usable in the classroom. 

A good addition to current textbooks on NT theology. Recommended for preachers, teachers, and the curious student of the NT.

Plus, I'd recommend it for students of religion who wonder what the fuss is about when Christians start quoting their scriptures or for those who consider themselves scholars but think it's time to leave Jesus and his teachings behind. This book might surprise you!