And a person is currently working on a study guide for this new book. He began to gain back his life and ministry, in the midst of an uncomfortable and unpleasant life. says? There is this deep sense, a calling maybe, to make others aware of it anew. In about 6 hours, an asteroid will pass Earth, in astronomical terms, by a hairsbreadth. I felt very, very small. Neil Armstrong, For those who have seen the Earth from space, and for the hundreds and perhaps thousands more who will, the experience most certainly changes your perspective. Thank you so much in advance for your patience and sorry for making it so long but I feel its so important for me. I am purchasing a copy of participants guide for all of the inmates in the class. God be with You, BARTH, KARL Its one of my favorite times of the year: Christianaudio.com does their $7.49 sale. Together or individually, it doesnt matter. One is in 1 Corinthians 5 where Paul says, What business is it of ours to judge those outside the church? The other is simply to follow Jesus and see how he treated notorious sinners and moral outcasts. You have had an influence on me, and my great-grandchildren will be the beneficiaries of some of that influence, and may never know your name or read anything you wrote. I ve had a few challenges came to know Christ, personally as an adult, husband in prison, later he died of alcoholism, mental illness in my family, yet steadfast in my own life to earn a doctorate and am now associate professor emeritus at a large regional university. The weekend before I was to begin they called me and retracted my acceptance. Thank you for the research and utter sincerity with which you present the Truth we all need. But had become something more in Janice Greens evil eyes and The Nicholson in Hawaii hated, homophobia , for the first time in my life I was labelled and because of Nicholson, Green and Lindsey and Smith, 4 people, the rest of my life would suffer the results of their hatred .None of them ever took the time to talk to me about it my feelings and views , they simply labelled me and did everything in their power to destroy a good man, my life. Yours was one of the few books Ive read so far in christian literature, that has freely placed catholics alongside protestants in Gods kingdom. As for the rest. Thank you. Some examples. Capt. Even so, AWI Brad Sass wrote me three weeks later that this is what he heard was the reason for my dismissal. Im just reading your book Whats So Amazing About Grace? And thats okay! For what its worth, its a short book (160 pgs total) and I its designed to be an easy read. A friend told him, "I've never seen a program turn around lives. Above all, I dont feel so alone. Bill Clinton's surprising faith: From childhood through Monica - Salon Your books have helped me so much. Please let me know if you would allow us to provide our brothers with this wonderful resource. I understand. His books have sold more than fifteen million copies in English and have been translated into forty languages, making him one of the best-selling contemporary Christian authors. Rather than simply shrug my shoulders, however, I decided to study the topic in depth and that is when I came across your experiences and writings. How to position? Has PY written any books that are for those ( and I dont want to seem condescending) shall we say who are less gifted than he is. I have to admit. And I have continued thank the Lord! I had been raised in a church but I had never experienced the encounter I had with Jesus that morning I arrived at my friends church! I have just read your article about the death of reading on the Washington Post. As I became more immersed in doctrine and theology, I found that my long-time experience in teaching was a gift from God, and should be applied in church. Several years ago, I read In the Likeness of God with my dear friend, Bob Snyder M.D. And Kristin and I were married a month later. I read about Evangelical Christians on this web site but, to me, it just describes Christians. Nonetheless, if youre ever travelling in the vicinity of Vicksburg, Mississippi, my husband and I would love to treat you to a very lively but respectful conversation over dinner. Its all about Gods grace reaching us by unsuspected ways sometimes. Youre not alone. We just endured an incredibly painful election season, and the hatred and anger engendered by it continues to be expressed across this country. Again I was shamed and put down I knew there was no such gay demon, we parted ways . Hinds Feet on High Places ~ Hannah Hurnard There are some things about Catholic culture and doctrine that seem strange to me (celibacy of priests, Assumption and Perpetual Virginity of Mary, papal infallibility, etc. Philip. (Matthew 3:4), I wouldnt doubt it. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list. I saw him one day in 1998 in the Segregation Control Room (a room I was not allowed to go into), watching a mentally disabled female Aboriginal prisoner stretched out on the floor with her gown pulled way up around her upper body, her legs spread apart and her private parts exposed. Hi, Gordon, I was on my own. Faced with an unexpected challenge, we seek out self help books. God provides support and solidarity, yes, but not protectionat least not the kind of protection we desperately long for. As I read your recent memoir (thank you for your honesty in writing), I grieved over your journey, but I also appreciated SO MUCH when you wrote that none of it was wasted. Undergraduate and Graduate programs available today! I am now a student at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, CA. And reading your book has convinced me that something is Grace. Thank you! Constantine understood the opportunity to formally acquire The beautiful thing about books is that they contain ideas unadorned with ritual and other trappings, and can be received on their merits. Im going to try to put the short version down of all thats in my heart . At age 17, Philip is a student at a fundamentalist Bible college. I made an appointment with the Edmonton Legal Centre. I went on a special program that brought together juvenile delinquents and federal prisoners, arranged by Chuck Colsons Prison Fellowship. I was particularly disturbed when you quoted your brother who used to quote 1 Chronicles (parbar) and people thought he was speaking in tongues. And later, I learned not just empathy for people and animals (I always adored animals), but I think we were meant to learn empathy for Jesus too! Anyway, just wanted to write to thank you for a breath of fresh air. Bless you. I encourage you to read Mr. Yanceys books he mentions but I also felt the need to encourage you to go back to reading the Bible. Katie, I cant tell you how this warms my heart. He responded by screaming at me, Leave my things alone! This is understandably wishful thinking. Im uneasy that it is eg beyond the understanding of the archetypal dear old lady in the pew. More confident. My Personal Pilgrimage, Zondervan (Grand Rapids, MI), 1998. The Crucible ~ Aurthur Miller I know that God will honor your charity work. I prayer thanks for you and your gift and am glad that you hear His whisper. Thank you for the encouragement. My self-confidence or esteem has bottomed out. I do know that mental (and spiritual) states have physical manifestationsplacebo effects alone prove that. I was able to let go of the shame Ive always faintly clung to for the fact that I always felt like that person who went to the retreat and didnt get the experience Id hoped for, the person who closed my eyes during listening prayer times and was not blessed with a profound image, the one who yearned and longed and prayed for a tangible sense of Gods presence and overwhelming love and, more often than not, didnt get it. I believe the assault was targeted at me because it was widely known at the time that I was one of the staff that had been interviewed by the federal correctional investigator, Ivan Zinger. In honor of this Halloween near miss, Ill close with an astronomer and a couple astronauts: There is perhaps no better a demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. Carl Sagan, regarding the view of Earth from space in Time. I reclused into this judgemental spiritual superiority bigot who saw heaven for myself and hell for everyone one else. Didnt really see how anyone could have the time for it. Thank you again for donating this book as this gift was a blessing to me, my family and the military community. In 1981 YWAM Canada sent me to the USA to DayStar Ministries for further healing because I was still same sex attracted, i needed more conversion therapy , Uli and Carol Kortsch had told me to go for the 12 week therepy and then I could come back to YWAM Canada. I make friends with them, chat, and occasionally buy a hungry lady a pie or a can of juice, or even just fetch them a drink of water. A class in writing here and there can help, yes, though I wouldnt necessarily plunge into an English degree; these days what you learn in university doesnt always translate easily into popular communication. I want to make sure all of our attendees have the same book. You well describe the writing life as one of solitude in many ways, of being misunderstood, and seen as rather odd, and all of that has served to affirm that as a writer, I am normal! 12:21) No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed. (Is. He was of medium height, without a single ounce of fat on him, and had sandy, curly hair . This has left me torn between church and the wife I adore. Its the most unvarnished autobiography on prayer Ive ever read. It is fascinating to explore as I continue to write. May God continue to bless your work, your ministry and your family! I fell now I will have to say I am sorry to my children after reading your book. When?. Francis Collins, head of the National Institutes of Health, would be at the top of the list. My brother Philip, I told them that I suffered from panic/anxiety attacks when bullied, and that I had been on a long-term federal disability pension due to major depression [21]. I cant begin to thank you enough for writing Where The Light Fell. Theodicy, argument from design, violence, suffering of the innocent, oddities of creationtheyre all set out in vivid detail. Philip Yancey (born November 4, 1949[1]) is an American author who writes primarily about spiritual issues. The Holy Spirit has been working on my heart today and I find myself back here reading your blog and I love your bio. I also follow you on facebook and am appreciative of your thoughtful, measured commentary, constantly pointing your readers to the grace of God. : Im sorry for any mistake on my writing. I was born and raised Catholic before joining the Protestant church after a spiritual awakening. Let me tell you, I was nine years old but I weighed less than 30 pounds. Puzzled why mens faith lies impotent in a paper tiger called Christianity, The Trojan Horse now masquerades as the Church, in a great edifice Then, when my conscience would not let me do so, I was verbally, physically and sexually assaulted. Brian wanted to know what I had done wrong to make Mr. Rasmus want to talk to me in private. I came from a Jewish family and although began following the Holy Spirit then I was un-churched for my first five years. Yancey knows whereof he writes. I admire some things about John Calvin, strongly object to others (e.g., his treatment of dissenters), and have real questions about some of his doctrines, such as Limited Atonement. . I dont want to spread the stereotype that all gay people are into whips.) It seems like God created us to sit back and watch us suffer. Its more powerful than any rumor I could come up with. Read it. Later, I was raped by my boyfriend when I broke up with him because God showed me that as a new Christian, I shouldnt date a non-Christian. Keep on brother! Of course God will protect you. It seems that your pilgrimage somehow inspired me to embark on mine, somewhat. I have honored this pledge by giving my whole life to the vulnerable in this country; to the young, the elderly, the sick, the dying, to prisoners and anyone in need. (But, we prayed for Him to forgive us!). Thank you for your time and for your sermon! A book is a poor substitute, I know, but I would recommend Henri Nouwens The Inner Voice of Love (written when he was in a similar state) or most anything by Brennan Manning, who battled this issue all his life. As anyone can, I can list tragedy after tragedy and in not a single instance is there evidence some celestial entity intervenes. Thanks for taking me to a deeper understanding of my faith, who God is and who I am. I am reading your book Prayer, Does It Make Any Difference. I was listening to the April 13th devotional from your Grace Notes. Why? What I can do however is give an indication as to its importance in my life based on a recent event. I like your book title, so Ill definitely try to check it out. You said: Philip. The world tells me to be ashamed. It offers a glimpse of what millions of people may be going through right now, in the midst of this pandemic. Odin, by the way, took a spear and drove it into his side. If I understand the poem and my experience correctly, it seems the lesson for me is to relax, to trust God, to stay in the moment and to focus on what I can do to help and make things better, especially for someone else. I was destitute and deeply in debt. Your note moves me deeply. I called my friend Capt. I always recommend a writers group too, in which you can read works in progress to get feedback. I love the fact that you included many of your own thoughts but included so many references to others. I learned to conform, as you must in a church like that. I became interested in your devotions and so I bought your book. And I can certainly appreciate that as well. Capt. The History of the Bible College Movement - Association for Biblical My, Im putting you on a pedestal, arent I? West bow Press. Westman was never charged. I share part of Bannons tragic story in my own life. And the verdict is in. The tone you use to characterize the Bible college you attended is almost snide. Both the East and the West in recent times, under the influence of mechanisation, strayed too far on the side of guidance without love perhaps, even if the colonial mechanised dominance of the West arose out of the conditions of overdoing love without guidance/restraint/obedience. I accept a complex matter leads to a complex book. I recommend it to you highly. No retirement in my sights! I applied for social assistance but was refused. Increase your biblical knowledge or pursue a career in ministry. I feel more sure and strong in my own faith thanks to you, and hope to spread that encouragement to those around me. To be honest (or TBH, Dad as my girls now say to me). Before that time people saw him as grump but after that time he was a changed man. I am so blessed for having read your book In His Image I was in Nursing School when I read it and it was such a blessing. Finally someone who was honest. The reason was a stores propaganda where we could see a clear apology to Gender Ideology. There was your book, on a sparsely populated shelf. We could talk over details, but I appreciate the broad sweep of what youre saying. All the best! That, I suggest, is uncalled for. I of course thought of turning to God, but faced the prospect of more confusion and dry, empty prayers. We lost Jacob back in 2009. And I am a vegetarian (actually, the only animal products I eat are the eggs that are produced by my own hens)because of the abominable treatment of factory farmed animals in this country, and because I would never kill an animal for food (never mind sport). And I just want to let you know how right you are, You have no idea how hard it is for me to read without distraction. Thank you for for being you. I just was so angry with Him that I hated Him and wanted Him to know that I didnt believe in Him. I went onto a security assessment in Houston. I lost my job at the prison for reporting abuse of prisoners ,one a guard for having a retarded female North American Indian prisoner naked on the floor in his control room with her legs spread apart and him looking in. We both grew up in fundamental churches and experienced some of the unfortunate aspects of that that you did. I wanted to share it with you, just in case you were able some day to pass it on to someone who could benefit. SF Jonas, [] article originally appeared on the authors website on October 28, 2021. It is the Bible I recommend most to Parents and Students alike (Im a NextGen Pastor). Even though I was not interested, she showed me the photo. This is probably not the book to take along to a spiritual retreat for discussion, mainly because it is far too raw and honest. Brian told me that he could fire me at any time he wanted to, that it was up to him if I kept my job. There was a time about 12 years ago when I could not read the Bible, for reasons I dont have time for here. We are to love people to Christ and spread Good News, not resort to name-calling and ostracism. And I doubt that I am with Christians. As you know, Dr. Heater, there are many, many people out there who were damaged by the church or its institutions. I know the purpose of that days devotional was not for you to complain about having to interact with people on this subject. and Disappointment with God, helped me and my wife navigate some very rough emotional seas when we found out our son, Jacob, was to be born with a fatal heart defect. Especially when 80 percent of the worlds population live on less than $10/day. "One method," he said, "was to inform God of something he didn't already know, or else to talk God into doing something that God was probably reluctant to do. Discovering God: A Devotional Journey Through the Bible, Zondervan (Grand Rapids, MI), 1993. Realizing that overcoming this anger is part of the process and is a mixture of philosophical and practical elements, I wanted to pick your brain and get your recommendations for someone who wants to move forward in faith but at times just cant seem to move beyond the anger/bitterness from past sleightsjust curious what the game changers were in your life to move beyond the pain in your religious upbringing. His musings on these questions eventually formed the basis for his book, Where Is God When It Hurts?, an award-winning volume that has sold over 500,000 copies. You give others permission to question, to probe, to reevaluate what they believe, what they have been taught, and to look at their faith with honesty. I was struck (positively) by a Luther reference you made in the final pages of Where is God When It Hurts?i.e. Jesus says nothing to her about sin, as he did with the woman caught in adultery, he merely reveals her life story to show his particular divine insight. Writing is hard work, done in isolation, and the only feedback I get comes from something I worked on months or years ago. There, I was told by two lawyers that my dismissal was unacceptable. [2] He is published by Hachette, HarperCollins Christian Publishing, InterVarsity Press, and Penguin Random House. My father asked me to read, The Question That Never Goes Away. I did. He was in a panic to know what it was about, not wanting an issue to suddenly blow up in his face. I just wanted to write and thank you for Whats So Amazing About Grace? I bought the book about 20 years ago, but I never read it until now. This couple had the support of Prison Fellowship Canada, Malachi Dads, the volunteer coordinator and AWI Brad Sass, and I had known the couple personally for 20 years. My reporting had alienated me from Threshold Ministries and the church that had ordained and licensed me, and the police called me a liar. How on earth did you do that? I saw this quote today used in a Psychology Today article and decided I would take Mr. Emersons advice and write a letter of gratitude and appreciation to a few people whose works have had a significant impact on me. maybe another book can come out of it, and I will hope to meet you and even host you (I live in Nigeria). If a neighbors house burned down, the congregation would rally around and show charityif, that is, the house belonged to a white person. One of the places I start off is to see what youve been up to lately, and expand my search from there. My aunt and uncle introduced me to your books almost 15 years ago. I sense in Richard (both in personal contact as well as in reading), a gentle, loving spirit that was most encouraging. The stories are vivid and highly personal, revealing the good, bad and ugly of each life, often with emotional descriptions that will make you cry. To take this poor sinner, absent from God for so long, and to change his life into one of service, one of repentance, one of pastoring is almost beyond belief. Please respond to khaldoun.sweis@gmail.com, Im not sure how to respond. Years ago,early in my faith walk, I read the books you wrote with Dr. Im very grateful for your books. I live in Cape Town, South Africa. At the same time we, not being Jesus, can easily move from appropriate righteous anger into the wound/revenge cycle. I would love to go back to school but dont know if that is the right route or what kind of schooling is necessary. Next I read The Jesus I Never KnewI needed more. I have read most, if not all, of your books. You might take a look at Craig Keeners 2-volume Miracles. I have believed in evolution since childhood, grudgingly, but it made no difference, I was always a believer in God. There are a couple of clarifications, though. My mind senses and processes things that I am somehow able to determine did not originate from me, if that makes sense. I was delighted to hear from you this morning. Thank you again for the willingness to have the discussion. Can you give me your source? I feel like both the father and the son with myself. Brad agreed that Pauls belief and behavior regarding flies was very strange. However! Pauls claim that I was not wanted here were clearly false, as further confirmed by e-mails from Warden Clovis and AWI Susan Letendre [28] [29]. And I need to keep reading them. It is sad to see churches fomenting fear amongst their members to scare them into voting one way or the other. I was stunned, to put it mildly, and deeply shaken. I love to read C.S. I was put in a derelict house ,the walls were gone from all the rooms and bushes were there instead,the toilet had fallen through the floor,no water ,no shower ,it was termite ridden and I was terrified. Yes, The Lord does what we want Him to do when we approach Him from a standpoint of selfless obedience and pray His promises daily.