Useful Books and Studies

Help on the Journey

I don't know about you, but I haven't always managed so well throughout my life's journey. I've spent almost all of my life in the church (and I am thankful for that), and I have always wanted to be close to God but have struggled with this and often failed (and continue to fail) miserably. I've read a lot of books and attended a number of really good faith related conferences throughout my life, but still I struggle (I've save the struggle for another time maybe).

Except for the Bible, there is no book, no study, no conference that has all the answers; but there are resources and persons who can help us along the way. It often takes a lot of small - or what seem like small things - to get us to the point where we finally look to God. I'm not just referring to salvation but also to the journey that spreads out after salvation called sanctification.

I'd like to recommend some books and studies that I have found very helpful (you can undoubtedly recom- mend some to me as well). There are things I've learned from these and other resources that I wish I had known sooner. There are some things I learned years ago, but I did not necessarily use the information wisely or at all - very foolish. It's like the old saying, "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink" - (old proverb dating back to at least 1546 - found in a book by John Heywood). Fortunately, God is much more interested in what is in the heart than what people see or think they see on the outside.

I like the words in Isaiah chapter 6 verses 1 & 5, which read, "In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Then I said, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts." Sometimes we have to lose someone or something to be able to finally, really SEE God. If we see God for who He is and ourselves as we are, we have to see that we are woefully lacking. We are nothing that God should be mindful of us (paraphrase), yet He loved us so much that He sent His Son to die for us. That has to be a great love; I do not think I could or would send my son to die for a lot of wicked people. The closest thing I can think of to this is men (this tells how old I am) going off to war, and I do understand believing in the rightness of something so much that one goes out into the unknown knowing full well that one's very life may be lost. I've thought often of Revis Montrey over the years. The young man who at the age of eighteen willingly gave up his student deferment to join the armed forces during the Viet Nam war; and within six months (I believe that is the correct amount of time), his life was lost. Revis, in my estimation, was the most popular boy in our class of 633 students and a genuinely nice guy, friendly to everyone. I admired his unselfishness but regretted his loss.

I find books by E. M. Bounds and Andrew Murray very helpful. Paul Billheimer's books Destined for the Throne and Don't Waste Your Sorrow are very good - I have wasted so many sorrows. Charles M. Sheldon's classic In His Steps makes one take a good look at himself. I read a book by Evelyn Christenson in the 70's titled Lord, Change Me and participated in a group study by her titled What Happens When Women Pray. Kay Arthur's books are very good; I especially like the Lord series. There are so many others that I have read that were very helpful. In working with my marketing business, I have been studying a lot of information. One thing I read yesterday said, (not a quote my my wording of what I gained from one paragraph I read) at some point you - at least for a while - have to stop learning and start doing (once you are actively working, you can go back to learning). Too much intake and too little outflow are not good. I think I have taken in so much "good" information over the years but failed to do enough with it. I need to stop learning, for a while, and get out and DO something. The following are a couple of good books/studies:

• Donna Partow's Becoming the Woman I Want To Be - A 90 Day Journey to Renewing SPIRIT . SOUL. & BODY. I started this book two or three years ago and found it very helpful. I was working at it on my own and let ????? who knows what (maybe things that were too challenging for me at the time?) get in the way and put the book aside for a while (LOL - two or three years is a long while). Donna will be teaching/leading this study via Facebook under 'groups' - tentative starting date July 20, 2009. This is a study that you can join at any time (meaning you do not have to begin on the first day) and still be 'in sync' with the study. I believe the study will begin as a free group; so if you are interested, check "Groups" under Facebook a little closer to the start date to join - you will need to buy a book. At some point after the study begins, it will have a charge for new persons joining. To join after the charge goes into effect, you can go to http://1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=968350 to join or to see other materials available from Donna (including the book).
  

• Donna Partow's Becoming the Woman God Wants Me To Be - A 90-Day Guide To Living The Proverbs 31 Life. This study has been offered twice on Facebook since the first of this year. The first time was a free study, which nearly 3000 women joined (I think men can benefit from reading this book as well). There was a charge for the second session (which was well worth it and included the book), and there was/is a very good, core group participating - study ends on July 19th. This study covers so many things most of us struggle with and gives good strategies for moving forward in our relationship with God and in our daily lives including strategies for MULTIPLE STREAMS OF INCOME to generate additional income for our families. Interested persons can still join the open group and benefit from the information in the book (you need to buy it), the archived videos and teleseminars, and by reading the posts from women who participated when the study was actively going on.

A good, Bible based church and what it has to offer is always a tremendous asset. There is much on the internet that is helpful as long as you are very careful of what you choose to use. Fellow Christians whether
in your church or not can be a good support and source of growth and encouragement.

I hope you found something in this post of interest. "See" you later.