I'm still reading!!

Dude I KNOW! Adam and I ordered a nice amount of new books a couple weeks ago and I'm blowing thru them. You'd be surprised to find out how much time you have to read when you move to a brand new city and are still in the process of making new friends and getting plugged into a new church. But enough whining, I get all this time to read!!
I'm only halfway through this book and I'm lovin' it. Adam and I have really been rethinking the way we did "church". This book pushes you to jump out of your comfort zone and reminds you what Jesus commanded us to do and how to do it. We want to love on our neighbors, open our house to those who need some help, foster kids who don't know love, and whatever else God will call us to do. Here are some qutoes that made me stop and think, check them out.....

“In order for us to change the incorrect assumptions that people have about God and his followers (their programmed responses), we’ve got to get to the point where they consider us one of them. To do this is not a matter of “evangelism” or “outreach” or “missions”. It’s a matter of living out like Jesus did.” (pg 125)

"Church is the place you go to, and attendees don't have to do much in the way of mission because the pros do it for them. We show up at church to get what we want ((which is feeding from a leader), not what we need (to feed ourselves and others). If we don't get what we want, we head to the place next door because that chaplain is better at giving us what we want." (pg 56)

"In order for us to change the incorrect assumptions that people have about God and his followers...we've got to get to the point where they consider us one of them."

Alright I'm not the only one reading this book. We're actually reading it as a family. Every night before the boys go to bed. They climb up onto Daddy's lap (in Daddy's special man chair) and listen to him read a story from this wonderful Bible. This Bible is exactly what the titles says it is; it's a love story about a God willing to give us His precious son Jesus. Each story ends with a little sentence or two that draws you back to the cross and God's perfect plan of grace and forgiveness.

The Sin of Adam and Eve "Before they left the garden, God whispered a promise to Adam and Eve: "It will not always be so! I will come to rescue you! And when I do, I'm going to do battle against the snake. I'll get rid of the sin and the dark and the sadness you let in here. I'm coming back for you!" And he would. One day, God himself would come. (pg 36)

Abraham and Issac "Many years later, another Son would climb another hill, carrying wood on his back. Like Isaac, he would trust his Father and do what his Father asked. He wouldn't struggle or run away. Who was he? God's Son, his only Son- the Son he loved. The Lamb of God. (pg 69)

Jonah and a big fish " Many years later, God was going to send another Messenger with the same wonderful message. Like Jonah, he would spend 3 days in utter darkness. But this Messenger would be God's own Son. He would be called "The Word" because he himself would be God's Message. God's Message translated into our own language. Everything God wanted to say to the whole world - in a person. (pg 168)

It really is a wonderful Bible and the boys are really enjoying it. To be honest, I'm really enjoying it too. I love hearing all the Bible stories I grew up reading year after year worded so beautifully and really look forward to hearing how the author brings each story back to Jesus. (I try to do this every week as a sit down to write the TKid's cirriculum I'm writing. It's so awesome that my kiddos are already understanding that the whole Bible is love story about a Father and His children who He loved so much.)