Eugene Peterson, well-known author and Presbyterian pastor, died in 2018. In this book editor Paul Pastor has compiled unpublished material from Pastor Peterson’s archives. Much of it comes from a weekly letter he sent to the members of his congregation. All the entries are short, ranging from several pages to less than one page. It could easily be used in a daily devotional time.
As always, Peterson’s work does not disappoint. He had a way with words and the ability to use fresh analogies and creative ways to illustrate biblical truths. He challenges the reader to examine his or her life in the light of the Gospel and to grow more and more Christlike. These essays are brief and easy to read, but deep, and they are filled with the hope and excitement that should characterize the Christian journey.
The writings are grouped into five themes:
*On Beginnings
*On Simplicity
*On Prayers and Praises
*On Mercies
VERDICT: 5 STARS. I loved it!
The Lutheran Ladies received a free e-copy of this book in return for a fair and honest review.. Disclaimer pursuant to FTC 16 CPR 255.
When Terry and I joined the congregation, I didn’t have any experience at being an active, adult member. As a child, a family friend took me to church, Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. As a teenager and young adult, I attended services sporadically. Then after Terry and I got married, we decided to join a church, but basically, we just sat in the pew on Sunday morning. I thought that’s what belonging to a church was all about, but I was wrong. When we joined Peace In Christ, there were maybe 50 or 60 members, and God must have known just what I needed, because it’s hard to hide in a group that size. In fact, I was elected Recording Secretary at the first congregational meeting I attended. What a shock! I didn’t realize that in a small church agreeing to serve meant you got the job. Soon the pastor found out I liked to write and he suggested I get involved in helping with the newsletter and writing articles about the church for the local newspaper. I really enjoyed that, but I still wasn’t studying the Bible. After all, I knew all those stories from Sunday School class, and had even taken some courses about the Bible as literature in college. I didn’t think I needed any more.
Life has a way of moving along and changing, though, and pretty soon our first child was born. Before I knew it, she was two years old, and the nice people at church were asking if she could stay for Sunday School. Of course, that meant that Terry and I joined the adult class–what else was there to do for that hour? There I got another surprise–I discovered that the Bible is more than history or literature, it’s a guide for living life. In 1 Timothy 3:16-17 we read:
“All Scripture is God-breathedand is useful for teaching, rebuking,correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
I got to know other Christians — the ones in the Bible, and the ones in class–most of whom were more mature in the faith than I was at the time. I saw how, despite their flaws and mistakes they had a living faith–vibrant and growing. Here were people who prayed before making a decision–I had never done that. They loved and served some of the most unlovable people. They had a purpose in life. I admired them and I began to want to be more like them.
Isaac Penington (1616–1679) was an early member of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in England. He wrote about the movement extensively and defended its’ principles. I’ve mentioned before that the Quakers are serious about achieving clarity in God’s will when making decisions. In this quote, Penington describes how continually seeking clarity leads us into greater spiritual maturity.
“Hast thou a sense of the way to the Father? Then be careful that thy spirit daily bow before Him, that He would continue His mercy to thee; making thy way more and more clear before thee every day;–yea, and bearing thee up in all the exercises and trials which may befall thee, in every kind; that, by His secret working in thy spirit, and helping thee with a little help from time to time, thou mayest still be advancing nearer and nearer towards the kingdom; until thou find the Lord God administer an entrance unto thee thereinto, and give thee an inheritance of life, joy, righteousness and peace therein; which is strength unto the soul against sin and death.
I’ve taken some health classes at the local senior center recently, and the title of this post seems to be the new mantra. Evidently it’s been found that it is not only bad to do something clearly destructive to your health (smoking)– it’s just as bad to do nothing to improve it.
Recently it occurred to me that this is just as true of our spiritual life. Sometimes Christians, especially we older Christians who consider ourselves fairly mature in the faith, start to feel that we have “arrived.” Now, I don’t mean to imply we think we’re perfect — we know we’re not. However, we have our particular routine for spiritual health, and we stick to it. Maybe we go to church, Sunday School or Bible Study. Maybe we have a quiet time, or read a devotional every day. Maybe we have certain tasks we do around the church — we’re on the altar guild, or teach a class– and we’re comfortable with all that. We don’t think we need to try anything new.
WRONG!! To keep our brain healthy, we need to learn new and complex tasks now and then. To keep our faith lively, we need to mix it up and step outside our comfort zones. This is something I learned from our Fanning the Flame process.
I don’t know what that means for you, because I don’t know where you’re “sitting” right now. I do know you can get up and walk around. Read some new books and talk to your Pastor or another Christian about the ideas. Join a small group. Take a spiritual gift assessment, and try something new that corresponds to your gift mix. Start following (or even writing) a Christian blog. Try a different way of praying. Listen to some new music and sing it out loud! There are a million different ideas out there, so there’s no excuse. Stop sitting still!
“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:12-14
Rob Schneck has the gift of leadership. Growing up in the 70’s he converted from nominal Judaism to evangelical Christianity. His faith journey took him through a variety of roles: van driver and lay preacher at a shelter for heroin addicts; Assembly of God pastor; activist in the anti-abortion movement; supporter and leader of the religious right; minister to a number of top government officials and now founding president of The Dietrich Bonhoeffer Institute.
Rob’s memoir is an honest account of one man’s struggle to fulfill his God-given calling. He freely admits his failures (lack of attention to his family, being influenced by pride and prestige, being judgmental, etc.) I think most Christians who are seeking to grow in faith will identify with Schneck as he wrestles with God, allowing himself to be changed and molded in the process.
Verdict: I couldn’t put this one down. It’s a new release so you should be able to borrow or request it from your local library.
“This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.'” Jeremiah 6:16
We Lutherans believe that we do not choose salvation; God chooses us. However, we can choose how and whether we’re going to progress in our Christian walk. We can stay at a very basic, elementary level in our understanding and faith; or we can grow into a greater knowledge and understanding of God’s ways and His will for us. The way is marked out for us — we have the Holy Scriptures and we have the example of Jesus Christ. We can study and learn, attend worship regularly and pray; or we can be content to just coast along. According to the prophet, Jeremiah, in the verse above, the “good way,” the way God desires for us will bring rest for our souls. Too often, though, we refuse to walk in it. We’re busy. We want worldly success. We want to use our free time to amuse ourselves. This is the easier way, but it doesn’t lead to maturity or bring true peace.
The unknown author of Hebrews chides his readers this way:
“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” Hebrews 5:12-14
Those who participate in a Via de Cristo retreat weekend are encouraged to continue growing in faith by forming “reunion groups.” You may be more familiar with the term “accountability” group. I’ve been a member of small groups like this on and off for over 25 years.
The group I am in right now meets once a month, at our church. We begin with prayer. Each member takes a turn talking about how they are doing in the areas of piety (prayer, worship, confession and other spiritual disciplines), study and action … in other words, how are things between me and God? Practical suggestions and help are sometimes offered by members of the group, but the intent is not to solve problems. Instead it is a safe place to share burdens, request prayer support and be held accountable. We each leave the session with a plan to help us persevere and deepen our faith until we next meet.
Over the years, groups change or end, but the friendships made there last forever. My reunion group sisters have encouraged me and given me the confidence to do things I would never have attempted on my own (for example, this blog). They have been the voice of Christ to me many, many times.
If you’re not in such a group, start one! It’s really not rocket science. Just find a couple of Christian friends who truly want to grow in their faith and knowledge of God; commit to meeting on a regular basis; share with one another; pray together– then sit back and see what God can do! You won’t be disappointed.
“All things are lawful, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful, but not all things build up.” 1 Corinthians 10:23
Anyone who reads our blog regularly knows that I am an avid reader. I read all sorts of things: suspense novels, historical fiction, novels that address ethical questions, legal thrillers, nonfiction books about the brain, mental illness and other medical issues, spiritual autobiographies, books on prayer and other aspects of Christian living, the Bible (of, course) and more. None of these books are “unlawful” and sometimes I use my reading time to just relax and take my mind off my responsibilities and the stress of everyday life. Of course, we learn something even when we read books that seem merely escapist — we increase our vocabulary, travel to foreign cultures, grow in understanding people very different from ourselves, etc….I’m sure you could add to the list. However, it is also true that some books are more edifying than others.
Most of the time I am reading two books at once: one that is just for fun, and one that builds me up in some way. I read my serious book for a bit first thing in the morning (when I’m fresher) and the other one throughout the day and before bed. Right now my morning book is called, Gracious Uncertainty: Faith In The Second Half of Life by Jane Sigloh. In the forward, Jane is described as a “wife, mother, grandmother, teacher, poet, vintner, cook, gardener, and story keeper.” The book is a serious of short essays, starting with a memory about her spiritual life, many from her childhood and youth. It has inspired me to look back on my own spiritual journey and consider writing some of those memories down for my children and grandchildren.
I also try to do my Bible study early in the day. I’ve been reading through the book of Acts (that’s what we’re studying in our Tuesday morning class at church) and parts of 1 Kings (our Sunday School unit this quarter is called ‘Kings and Prophets–we’ve been using material from Concordia Publishing, if anyone is interested).
My point in all this is simply: if you’re a reader, like I am, be a good steward. Read to relax, but also try to also spent time with things that are truly worthwhile. Don’t have much time? Pick a book like the one I mentioned or a devotional that has short chapters or essays and read one a day. Read through the gospels in small bites. Read a Psalm each day. Then think about what you’ve read. Write down quotes or verses that strike you. Talk to others about what you’ve been reading. Build yourself up.
P.S. The Lutheran Ladies recently signed up to be B&H/Lifeway Bloggers, and review new books. Look for our book reviews on our blog and B&H Publishing website. Hopefully our reviews will point you toward some edifying reading!
About eighteen years ago my husband, Joe, was diagnosed with a brain tumor and my world dropped out from under me. At the time, I was working and Joe was going to college to get an Associates Degree. I was supporting the family and that wasn’t unusual since my husband could only get jobs that were low paying. I had already done my school time and had gotten my Associates, so it was his turn now. But Joe never completed school. He never worked again. He did live for another sixteen years and I became the touchstone that held the family together. Our boys were 16 and 20 years old and this greatly impacted their world.
When you become a caregiver, everything that you want is set aside. The world revolves around the one that you are caring for. And that’s the way it should be. But in that shoving aside the wants and needs that you have as a person tends to make a person disappear. Hobbies go away because you don’t have time, in fact, just to take small bits of time for yourself is a logistical nightmare.
I managed to go to counseling during that time and I still continue to go. I didn’t want to lose myself but I could feel parts of me drifting away. It’s hard to explain to someone who has never been through a crisis situation. When it’s all done and over, if you didn’t have a good sense of self to begin with, you find that all you’ve gained is gone. You feel like you live in a shell and the person that was in the shell is gone for good. It’s empty and scary.
Fast forward eighteen years through all the surgeries and medical decisions and hardship and tears. I look back now and see all the changes that I had to make to my life, some good, some bad. Decisions I made, some good, some bad. The life I lived, some of it good, some of it bad. The point is this: It’s done, it’s over. I will probably still make good and bad decisions. Bad things will still happen in my life.
The one constant that I had during this time was my faith, it actually got stronger. I learned to lean on Christ, who always gave me strength to go on. Now I’m learning to live again, who I am. I’m not going to be the same person that I was eighteen years ago, and now that I think more about it, I don’t want to be that person again. I’m a new, improved version. Yes, I’m a bit ragged around the edges and I still have my bouts with depression and sadness. I have a goal now. To be the best me I can be.
Being the music person I am, I have to post a song. This song touches me and the tears start flowing when I hear it. It so strikes my heart because this is what it’s about. Coming out of the shell and being the person God wants us to be. Thank you, Danny Gokey, you’ve really hit the mark on this one. What follows is the lyrics and a link to the song:
“Tell Your Heart To Beat Again” by Danny Gokey
You’re shattered
Like you’ve never been before
The life you knew
In a thousand pieces on the floor
And words fall short in times like these
When this world drives you to your knees
You think you’re never gonna get back
To the you that used to be
Tell your heart to beat again
Close your eyes and breathe it in
Let the shadows fall away
Step into the light of grace
Yesterday’s a closing door
You don’t live there anymore
Say goodbye to where you’ve been
And tell your heart to beat again
Beginning
Just let that word wash over you
It’s alright now
Love’s healing hands have pulled you through
So get back up, take step one
Leave the darkness, feel the sun
Cause your story’s far from over
And your journey’s just begun
Tell your heart to beat again
Close your eyes and breathe it in
Let the shadows fall away
Step into the light of grace
Yesterday’s a closing door
You don’t live there anymore
Say goodbye to where you’ve been
And tell your heart to beat again
Let every heartbreak
And every scar
Be a picture that reminds you
Who has carried you this far
‘Cause love sees farther than you ever could
In this moment heaven’s working
Everything for your good
Tell your heart to beat again
Close your eyes and breathe it in
Let the shadows fall away
Step into the light of grace
Yesterday’s a closing door
You don’t live there anymore
Say goodbye to where you’ve been
And tell your heart to beat again
Your heart to beat again
Beat again
There was a recent article in our local newspaper, featuring a couple who had been married 74 years! Wow, what an accomplishment! My husband and I have a long way to go to top that (we’re babies at 45 years of wedded bliss). It made think about how unity grows over time. Yes, there is probably an instant attraction and feeling of compatibility, but over time two people work together, learn how to complement each other, come to understand one another more and more, until finally the union becomes so complete that it’s hard to imagine life alone. When my husband is gone for a few days, I start to feel uncomfortable. My routines are disrupted; there are things I want to share or ask. Life just isn’t right. When he’s teaching Bible Study, I’ll make a comment or ask a question and he’ll say …”You’re jumping ahead….I’m getting to that very topic …in a minute…” We’ve trained our brains until we think along the same lines. Of course, we’re don’t always agree. He supplies the logic, I supply the feelings. We complement one another, and have come to rely upon the other in areas where we are weak. We’ve had to adjust who does what chore depending upon both personal preference, and time and job constraints. We’ve balanced two careers, two children, and two large extended families as well as we could. It’s been quite an journey and it’s not over yet.
I’m sure everyone won’t agree, but I think our union with Christ and His church grows, too. There is often an original event — for many of us it is our baptism, but it can be one of those “aha” moments when we realize that God has taken hold of us, and we’re His for good. Like our marriage, we start to do things together: we pray, study His word, worship and sing. We become active in the church, we use our gifts, we serve Him with others. We learn what we’re good at, and where we need help. We understand more and more until we can’t imagine life without Jesus and the family of God anymore than we can imagine life without our spouse. In fact, as much as I love and depend upon my husband, I love and depend upon Jesus even more. Lutherans call this journey sanctification, and it’s never complete in this life.
So readers, what do you think? Does unity happen like a clap of thunder, or with a process of continuing cultivation? Or both? I’s like to hear your thoughts.
Most of the time I am reading two books at once: one that is just for fun, and one that builds me up in some way. I read my serious book for a bit first thing in the morning (when I’m fresher) and the other one throughout the day and before bed. Right now my morning book is called, Gracious Uncertainty: Faith In The Second Half of Life by Jane Sigloh. In the forward, Jane is described as a “wife, mother, grandmother, teacher, poet, vintner, cook, gardener, and story keeper.” The book is a serious of short essays, starting with a memory about her spiritual life, many from her childhood and youth. It has inspired me to look back on my own spiritual journey and consider writing some of those memories down for my children and grandchildren.
Lutheran Ladies Connection 