Walking from East to West: God in the Shadows

Walking From East to West is without a doubt the best autobiography I have read in many months.

Ravi Zacharias is a humble, deep and passionate man, who's beginnings could never have fortold the impact he would have on so many people world wide, in the years to come!

The book itself is exceptionaly well written, it's honest, brutaly honest at times, leaving very little to the imagination. Ravi illustrates well the importance of the father figure in our lives and how deep rooted their criticism can run. He also draws on how his family overcame the immigrant status when moving to the West; one of the most difficult situations for any family to be in. In areas where some would shy away, Ravi exposes and makes no bones about the fact that he is not perfect - that it is by God's grace alone, that we can do what He calls us to do.

Walking From East to West is the story about a man's journey to follow the call of God upon His life. The challenges he faces and the victories he celebrates. It's about God's willingness to use anyone who is a willing vessel.The reality of life as an international evangelist, the bright lights and the dark moments.

From the dusty streets of India to the jet-setting lifestyle of the world's foremost Christian apologist, the contrasts are great. If you want to be inspired, read this book. If you want to be entertained, read this book. If you want God to stir something of what's on His heart, in your heart, then read this book.

StartLiving rating: 9/10

Book Review: "It's All About You, Jesus"

   

    The title says it all. It's all about You, Jesus, takes a fresh look at how often the church misses the main thing. Fawn Parish draws on her years of experience in ministry to make a few interesting points. She does not shy away from shedding light on where the ministries she headed up, or was involved with, made mistakes.

    With this candidness she makes it clear that Christian leaders are people too, people who can make mistakes. The biggest mistake we can make is to organise Jesus out of our lives and meetings. We get so busy organising prayer meetings, church services and worship conferences, but in all the organising, the main thing is often lost. Jesus is often relegated to backstage, while talented people take the spotlight.

    Fawn Parish, in her unique way, describes situations where this has happened, which we can learn from. She also encourages us, that the current generation is a defining generation. Closing the gaps above and below them, wanting everyone involved with the current move of God. God is moving, we can all be a part of it. We can't go wrong if we make it all about Jesus.

StartLiving Rating: 5/10

Book Review: The Grace Awakening - Charles Swindoll

Believing in grace is one thing. Living it is another.

   The subtitle to this very competent work sums up exactly what this book is about. Chuck Swindoll takes grace, God’s unconditional favour, and proves it to be a theological truth. From there he goes on to explain the many ways in which it can and must be applied in the everyday life of the believer. Swindoll’s focus, on the freedom of the believer, under grace, and the various implications that this has, has challenged me on many aspects of my understanding of grace. He manages to break grace down into practical, real-life situations and explain its workings in the average Christian.

   Chapters such as Isn’t grace risky? Guiding other to Freedom and The Grace to Let Others Be, are just some of the challenging topics we encounter when we live out a life of grace. Chuck is real about these difficulties and makes no bones about the role that legalistic people play in making grace that much more of a priority in the lives of believers.

   Chuck does, however, only focus on grace in the form of receiving it and extending it, made clear by the quote, “… grace received but not extended is dead grace …” He makes very little mention of grace being the great enabler for the believer. This makes it a bit one-sided in terms of a full picture of grace, but that which he does present on the topic, he presents very clearly and very insightfully.

   On my journey of grace there have been a few diamonds which I have found to propel me into a deeper understanding of His love and grace for me, Grace Awakening is one of them. It may be a classic, which I have only recently discovered, but if you haven’t read it, as a New Testament believer, I highly recommend it. Read it, enjoy it and feel free, because you are!

StartLiving rating: 7/10