What I have been reading lately...

Reading keeps me sane.  It helps me refocus and redirect my thoughts.  Last year I read a lot of classics.  This year the focus of my reading has been different.  Lots of books on what I am dealing with emotionally.

Recently, I read What If Your Blessings Come Through Raindrops? and I Should Forgive, But....  Here's a quick look at both these books.

What If Your Blessings Come Through Raindrops is based on the song by Laura Story.  It is a 30 day devotional that uses the concepts from the song and expands them with Laura's writing, quotes from various authors and Scripture. It encourages us to find blessings even in the hardships of life.  I love this quote from the book...

When events transpire that are beyond our control, we have a clear choice: we can either learn the art of acceptance or we can make ourselves miserable as we struggle to change the unchangeable.


Over the years I have read a ton of books on forgiveness.  My favorite is Total Forgiveness. I recently found another great book on forgiveness.  I Should Forgive, But is an excellent read on what forgiveness is and what it is not. Dr. Lynch goes through several barriers to forgiveness.  Sometimes we don't forgive because we think forgiveness means forgetting (such a lie!).  Sometimes we don't forget because we feel someone has to pay.  This is true...someone has to pay, but that Someone has already done it, Christ Himself.  He has already paid the penalty for any sin committed.  Sometimes the offended feels (and the offender) that they must reconcile in order to forgive.  This isn't true.  Forgiveness is a private issue for the one offended.  It is a letting go of the anger and bitterness.  Reconciliation is harder to come by because it involves the offender and the one offended.  Sometimes the offender isn't repentant; other times there are such trust issues that it takes a long time to renew the relationship.  One of the best concepts in the book is that of "Jesus Jail".  We should forgive by handing the person over to Jesus for Him to deal with him or her.  Recently, I was teaching in our children's program and talked to the kids about "Jesus Jail".  This made so much sense to them.  When someone hurts us we release them into Jesus' care.  As one of the the little boys said in class, "Jesus will take care of them for sure!"  Vengeance is not ours!

Here's a quote (a motivator to forgive):

Bitterness is the house that anger built.  It is not a vacation condominium, but a prison.

What have you been reading lately?