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A couple of months ago I purchased (from ITunes) the audio recording of Revelation by – ‘Inspired By The Bible Experience‘. The whole cast is comprised of African American actors, celebrities, or pastors. You can watch the promo video on YouTube above. I really enjoyed the ‘movie’ soundtrack, as well as the sound effects. Engaging in the word was much easier with different actors assigned to specific parts – like Jesus and John (as opposed to listening to one voice read the whole text.)

I believe they used the TNIV version which isn’t may favorite but definitely isn’t my least favorite! Overall I really enjoyed it and would recommend it but not without a little hesitation.

My hesitation comes in due to the fact that several of the actors are well known – for instance Samuel L. Jackson. In the book of Revelation he is the voice of ‘The Father’. Honestly, it is a little disconcerting because I tend to associate his voice in a rather different context. I think it can do a similar thing as when you play secular songs in a worship context, which I don’t personally agree with. I think it can take you out of a worship mode into more of a ‘soulish’ place.

And while I wasn’t familiar with most of the actors voices in this particular recording, there is also the reality that the actors will bring their interpretation to the role they are reading. If they aren’t saved… then what will that look like?

I don’t know who was saved and not saved in this project but there were some interpretations that didn’t quite seem ‘on’ to me – but that doesn’t mean I’m right either! I think Jesus sounded a bit angry for the most part (in the book of Revelation), and thought it was a little interesting that all the voices of the angels were women.

Nevertheless, it IS the word of God and I really enjoyed a new way to get the word in me. You can buy the books individually for $3.99 on ITunes.

I’ve been reading (well, listening) to a GREAT book lately called, “It’s All Too Much” by Peter Walsh. It’s written by the main ‘organizer’ on TLC’s show Clean Sweep.

If you’re unfamiliar with the show, it comes into peoples homes who have a problem with clutter. Usually they’re pretty extreme cases. For instance, they’ll come to help a couple who has kept 20 years of back issues of their 5 favorite magazines and they’re all stacked to the ceiling in their living room. The show will help them de-clutter and put systems in place to help them live ‘clutter-free’ lives.

I haven’t seen the show in some time, but what I love about the book is that it gets to the heart of the matter. ‘Why are you holding onto the stuff?’ ‘What power does it wield over you?’

I honestly didn’t think I had a problem with clutter but this book is helping me look at stuff SOOO much differently, and I’ve actually gotten rid of A LOT so far. It feels great!

Peter Walsh says,

“It’s not first and foremost about the stuff, it’s about changing your relationship to the stuff.” and “Stuff is secondary to who you are.”

He also talks about the reality of ‘living within your means’. I have always thought of this in relationship to the money you make but he applies it to the amount of space you have saying, “the amount of space you have can not be changed, the amount of stuff you have can.”

The book causes you to think about what clutter is costing you – in peace of mind, relationships, and time. How much time do you waste trying to find that paperwork you need? Are you comfortable inviting friends into your home? Do you have trouble resting in your space?

After listening to the first couple of chapters I wondered what more he could share, but he goes on to take you through your home, room by room, and helps you de-clutter.
There are many great quotes in the book and really excellent principles that I want to put into place in my life. I can’t take the stuff with me after all!

This was the holocaust book I made reference to last week (the one I was reading before bed) – ‘Remembering: Voices of the Holocaust – A New History in the Words of the ‘Men and Women Who Survived‘.

One reviewer shares:

“… Working as a freelance interviewer for the Imperial War Museum’s Sound Archive in London and the National Holocaust Museum’s Sound Archive in Washington, D.C., Smith recorded testimonies of men and women who had been directly affected by the tragedy. This includes not only Jewish survivors but also refugees, families of those murdered, aid workers, and soldiers who liberated the concentration camps. More than 100 testimonies have been selected for this book. Details were often too painful to recall, and many of those interviewed explained the inadequacy of language to convey the sights, sounds, smells, humiliation, degradation, and terror they endured…

– George Cohen (Copyright © American Library Association.)

This book impacted me, tremendously – and I pray that it will continue to, and that I won’t return to that place of slumber that is so easy for me to fall into. As the above review mentioned, the book includes over 100 testimonies of holocaust survivors. However, the book is ordered by time-line rather than full testimonies. Meaning, that the book is divided in sections like: pre-war testimonies, time in the ghetto, concentration camps, marches, post-war etc.

They use many of the same people throughout the book but their testimonies are split up over the course of each time period. I liked this, in the sense that it really did help give you a grasp of each season they went through. But at times I wanted more understanding of each individual’s journey and it was difficult to keep track of who was who.

Overall it was excellent, though incredibly sobering and unfathomable (in many respects). I hope that this will be one I read repeatedly over the years. I highly recommend it.

Oh, and I just found that you can read much of it at Google Books!

I finished reading ‘Hearts of Fire‘ a ‘Voice of the Martyrs‘ book, almost a month ago… and I’m just now getting around to posting about it.

This evening the mood is very sober at the Powell household, in light of the elections tomorrow. Oh, that the Lord would be merciful to our nation. And as I’ve mentioned before, books like these (those focusing on the persecuted church) help me keep perspective and give me ‘fuel’ to pray to Jesus, the God-man seated at the right hand of the Father, in this hour of history.

The ‘tag’ (if that’s what you call it) of the book is: “Eight Women In the Underground Church and Their Stories of Costly Faith.” And that’s just what it is. Inside you’ll find very well written and very descriptive stories following 8 different women in places like Indonesia, Russia, Pakistan, and China.

I can not begin to fathom even a fraction of what some of these women have endured. One woman who is still being sought by her family so that they can murder her – because she chose to follow Christ. Another, continuing in her ministry and love for Jesus, after her husband and 2 sons were killed for their faith. And it’s not just a book for women… I think men would be equally edified to read it as well.

Oh Lord, let us pray for those who are accused, beaten, and who face death for choosing to love You. Jesus keep us without offense as darkness is increasing throughout the earth. Turn our nation to You Lord. Have mercy on us according to Your loving-kindess. Do not treat us as our sins deserve. Amen.

I just finished reading ‘Children of the Storm’ – an autobiography by Natasha Vins. It’s a young adult autobiography and I’d recommend it for that age group (and older.)

It is set in the Soviet Union and focuses mostly on the 1960′s and 70′s. Natasha’s father is a leader in the underground church there, and she tells the story of what it was like to have a father imprisoned or in hiding most of her life. As well as being constantly under the threat of persecution for her faith – even from a young age.

Tbis is a long excerpt but I thought worth sharing. At this point in the story Natasha’s father has returned home from 2 1/2 years in prison to a 16 year old daughter that isn’t sure that she believes in Christ.

This is her father’s response:

“During the crisis moments of imprisonment, when I was looking death in the eyes, I realized anew what a dear price Christ paid for our salvation. Often after long, exhausting days of chopping down trees in the forest, the guards would lead us five to seven kilometers back to camp through deep snow. At times I didn’t even have the strength to take another step.

On top of exhaustion, I had a hernia, so walking was extremely painful. There was just a desperate cry in my heart, ‘Lord help me! Give strength not to collapse!’ In moments like that I imagined how Jesus felt, falling down under the weight of His cross. With new freshness it became apparent to me how much our salvation cost Him. Do you see Daughter, why Jesus is more precious to me than life?

There is another thing that’s hard to handle in prison. You are surrounded by people twenty-four hours a day. Just imagine day after day, month after month. It’s impossible to be left alone even for a moment. The barracks are packed with dozens of prisoners who are constantly smoking, arguing, playing cards, cursing. At times I desperately wanted to get away from all of that, to be alone, especially when my heart was heavy or I felt sick.

In those moments I used to think that even wounded animals crawl deep into the woods to hide, especially when they are dying. Man is even more desperate in his need for privacy. Hurt by the lack of it in prison, I better understood the depth of Christ’s suffering on the cross, exposed to the hostile crowd. Death is always tormenting; a person in agony needs comfort and care of loved ones. Even more essential is the absence of curious harsh stares of strangers so that the dying person in not forced to suppress moans of pain.

But in His dying hours Christ became the laughingstock of strangers hungrily watching for expressions of pain on His face. How their sarcastic shouts hurt Him: ‘If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross! You saved others, why can’t you save yourself?’ It’s hard to imagine how Christ, in such deathly torment, was still able to cry out of pity for this mob, ‘Father forgive them; for they known not what they do.’ This Jesus I love Natasha. This is the Lord I serve.“

I’m all snuggled in here at home, trying to use up the last of our firewood. It was snowing a little while ago, so I thought the fire might be a good move.

All that to say – I downloaded a free audiobook last night. I still haven’t begun to listen to it… so I can’t necessarily say I recommend it – but it’s GK Chesterton so it’s worth a listen. Come on, it’s free!

Get ‘The Man Who Was Thursday’ (unabridged) by G.K. Chesterton here.

Something Caleb and I have been loving over the past couple of months, have been the Johnson County Library’s audio downloads. You are still checking a book out, but without having to leave your home (and all for free!). You can look through their files and then download what you’re interested in. (That is, if it’s available – you still may have to be put on the waiting list).

The biggest downside to this program is that the downloads only work with PC’s… But sometimes the publisher of the books allows you to transfer the file to a mp3 device (an ipod) or even burn them to cd. So, it usually works out.

The most recent book that I listened to from the library, was ‘The Great Hurricane: 1938‘ by Cherie Burns. I grew up in Pennsylvania, but I had still never heard of this hurricane. So it was interesting to learn that in 1938 what is now known as ‘The Great Hurricane‘ took New England entirely by surprise, killing 700 people.

The book is very well written, giving a lot of context regarding the time period as well as the geographic location. But the bulk of it is a day by day ‘story telling’ – stories of those who lived through it and a few who did not. Due to the fact that I was listening to it, rather than reading it, I had a little more difficulty keeping track of names… but the story was still easy to follow.

One of the quotes that I hadn’t know previously:

“Meteorologist’s now know that a typical hurricane releases more energy every hour than an atomic bomb…”

I love learning, but I also love getting perspective and remembering what is important. There is so much that we can’t take with us when our time in these earthly bodies ends. Books like these provoke me to grow ‘rich toward God’ and to seek to store up treasure in heaven – not here upon the earth – though this is still such a battle for me!!

If you like history, and story telling – or simply want to grow in perspective and grace for difficulty that is yet ahead – I’d recommend this book.

I am slowly making my way through a stack of books I purchased with Christmas gift cards (thanks everyone who made that stack possible!!). My latest read was, ‘Hidden Sorrow, Lasting Joy: The Forgotten Women of the Persecuted Church“

Here is an excerpt from the book (from the first chapter).

The back cover says:

“Hidden Sorrow… Told from the unique perspective of women whose husbands were imprisoned or killed for their faith, Hidden Sorrow, Lasting Joy is a powerful tribute to forgotten women. Women whose lives are marked by tremedous sorrow, agonizing frustration, lonesome fear.

…Lasting Joy. This is a story of great rejoicing in the midst of affliction, of unexplainable peace in the midst of pain. It is about seasons of sorrow that must be hidden, and about joy that will last eternally.”

My husband, Caleb, and I have been in a season where he is having to travel a lot for work. The longest amount of time that we have spent apart thus far has been a month – which to me feels like forever! It has been so helpful for me to get perspective, and remember that there are women who are enduring separation from their husbands (for the faith) that may last their entire lifetimes… through imprisonment, persecution, and even death. And yet they choose to stand, embrace the cross of Christ, and love Him. This provokes me so much!

As I’ve mentioned with some previous books, this is another that is really helpful in understanding the plight of many who are persecuted for their faith. I’m finding this so useful for praying for places like Cairo, Egypt or China (places that IHOP often is interceding for and with). Knowing true stories makes the prayer ‘real’ to me… helps me remember I’m bringing real people before His throne.

Hidden Sorrow, Lasting Joy – is another excellent book I’d recommend.

I finished reading (actually listening to) ‘The Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham‘ last week. I’d highly recommend it – the audio version or the regular ol’ book (I think I’d like to purchase the actual book as a reference to have.)

From Publishers Weekly
Business leadership is not necessarily the first word one thinks of to describe Billy Graham, as authors Myra (president and CEO of Christianity Today, Inc.) and Shelley (executive editor of Leadership Journal) admit. But they demonstrate convincingly that Graham has been an amazingly effective “business” leader for more than 50 years. In a project that draws together interviews with Graham’s colleagues, written materials both by and about Graham and the insights of leadership classics such as Jim Collins’s Good to Great, they provide an intriguing exploration of his skills. They begin by examining the foundations of Graham’s organization, covering topics like team formation and mission. They then look at periods of growth and development, including financing, vision casting and expansion. The section on the challenges and difficulties Graham and his organization have faced contains inspiring discussions of handling failure and criticism. The authors then look at how Graham’s ministry became networked with many other ministries, movements and businesses, while still maintaining a focused mission. They conclude by revealing what Graham and others feel are the true roots of his leadership abilities—humility, prayer, love and openness to innovation. This book will prove a tremendous resource for churches and many businesses, distilling much-needed leadership wisdom and weaving it into the life example of a trusted and beloved man. (Aug.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Book Description
A behind- the- scenes analysis of twenty key principles of leadership, illustrated with stories and examples from the life of Billy Graham, whose fingerprints are on many leading Christian institutions and organizations, with transferable applications to people serving in a leadership role in business, educational, church, or parachurch settings.

This isn’t a book that I would think I’d normally be drawn to – especially because of the business premise. However, they seemed to focus more on Billy’s leadership in general and how he got to where he was, than simple ‘business principles’. They spoke often of his humility, his prayer life, his perseverance, and even some of his failures. The book also shares anecdotes from other great leaders lives such as Teddy Roosevelt, as well as little known facts about Billy Graham. For instance, did you know that as child Billy Graham was called Puddleglum? (For those of you who don’t know what I’m talking about – see C.S. Lewis’s ‘The Silver Chair’.)

All in all I’d recommend this book regardless of whether you are a in a leadership role or in the business world. It is informative as well as provoking.