Why your good and noble heart is a big deal.

A friend of mine, who received the audio book of my book, "Recover Your Good Heart" sent me this response to the message.  I share it because it exposes why it is so hard for us to see the message for what it is:  startling. 

The message of your good and noble heart is not a footnote:  It's a HEADLINE.  It is not a theological nuance, nor a cute metaphor to describe our new life in Christ.  As one attendee said after I had spoken to his group:  "I don't know yet whether I believe what you're saying:  But if it's true, it changes everything."

Brent's response to "Recover Your Good Heart:"

Hi Jim,

I wanted to write to you and tell you how your book is having an impact in my life.

To be honest, when I first heard you describe your thesis, I thought, "That's nice. But what difference would it make?" In essence, I was asking rhetorically, "What difference would it make if I really believed that?" The key thing to notice, is that I didn't really think it was true. I thought it was just a nice metaphor, like a lot of other nice metaphors in the Bible.

Somewhere along the way, as I was listening to your book, the thought occurred to me that it might really be true. Factually. My heart(?) fluttered a little at the possibility.

I sort of began to accept the premise that it was true: That this fundamental change actually happened. But I still found myself wondering, "So what? What difference will it make if it was always true all along?"

I've found that it HAS made a difference. And the difference is a matter of faith. I find myself approaching problems, situations and life in general from the faith standpoint that I don't need something in addition to what God has already given me. I just need to live from my truest self, the new self that genuinely wants to please God. Needless to say, I was surprised by the difference.

As I've thought more and more about it, I really look forward to sharing the Gospel with people again. How many times have these conversations turned into "well, I know I sin, but I'm not that bad" discussions. I SO look forward to being able to say, "Hey, let's agree not to focus on behaviors...Jesus never said 'I have come that you might behave'...God wants to give you a new heart." What a great message, made greater by the fact that it's the truth.

Anyway, thanks.

b 

My review of 'RAVEN'S LADDER' by Jeffrey Overstreet

My review of Raven’s Ladder, by Jeffrey Overstreet

(Raven’s Ladder is the third book in The Auralia Thread fantasy series)
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The last fifteen pages will blow you away…There are twists and turns you’ll never see coming.

I strongly recommend Raven’s Ladder, and here’s why:

Good fantasy is more than an escape from reality:  it’s an escape into reality.  The alter-world fantasy creates often bears more resemblance to what’s really going on around us than do our dull and naïve perceptions of daily “reality.”   We heedlessly inhabit our own world with little thought beyond paying bills, making sure the kids’ homework is done, or doing our best to make life cooperate.  Overstreet says there’s more.  His novels whisper to us of another Reality without being preachy or cliché; but rather, with nuance and imagination.

In Raven’s Ladder, as in the first two books of the series, I encountered the Keeper – a creature more worthy of my attention than the anemic religious portrayals of benevolence I grew up with.  I also explored the Expanse – a world more textured, delicious, and dangerous than the suburban sameness most of us slog through.  Overstreet is so adept at creating detail that neither bogs down the reader nor taxes the imagination.  His descriptions of creatures and habitat are at the same time other-worldly, while remaining quite accessible. 

Overstreet’s writing is neither too dark nor too naïve.  Raven's Ladder presents us with the unnerving brutality of evil while maintaining the hope of beauty and rescue.  This is a great series and will reward those with eyes to see and ears to hear the rumors of another world.

Jeffrey Overstreet's website

Review: "Recover Your Good Heart"

Mariah Secrest, Arts & Culture Editor for Wrecked for the Ordinary ezine, just posted a very thoughtful review of my book, Recover Your Good Heart.

Wrecked for the Ordinary has a great mission.  This is from their website: Wrecked for the Ordinary is "an online magazine for spiritual misfits. Each week, we publish six new stories from Jesus-followers who are re-imagining culture. We’re members of a generation that is not content to view the world through the drab lens of materialism and hand-me-down religion... We want more. We want to live life on purpose, actively participating in true community, intimacy, and adventure. We are re-imagining culture."

Click here to read review.

Chapter-by-chapter review of Jim's book

Julie Arduini (The Surrendered Scribe) asked me if she could post a chapter-by-chapter review/summary of my book, Recover Your Good Heart, on her blog.  Thanks, Julie!

• Click here to see her introductory comments.
• Click here to read here comments on Chapter One.