Total Forgiveness by R.T. Kendall

I think I mentioned before that I chose forgiveness as my focus for this lent season.  I got the 40 days to Total Forgiveness by R.T. Kendall and as I began working through each day, I realized I was going to need to read the original book in order to dive deeper into his explanations and teaching than the devotional did.  

This is a sobering book, I think I have said that after every single R.T. Kendall book that I have read.  I would HIGHLY recommend this book to everyone!  There are so many things that I want to remember - I journaled my way through (and am still also working through the 40 days devotional) - but two things stand out far and above the rest:

1) Total forgiveness must go on and on and on and on.  I choose to forgive today.  I wake up tomorrow and renew that covenantal commitment to forgive again.  This means choosing not to think about, talk about it (he does differentiate between talking/ruminating about the offense vs. seeking counsel and/or reporting/testifying about crimes of abuse etc;) - letting it go and trusting God will do what God does best.  He is listening (Malachi 3:16), He knows the truth (Hebrews 4:13), and He is ruthlessly fair (2 Corinthians 5:10 and Romans 14:10).

2) Love is a choice.  It is an act of the will.  Keeping a record of wrongs is also an act of the will.  A choice NOT to love.

I struggle with forgiving others.  To me, it feels like they are getting away with something, that there is a possibility they will never truly know the hurt they caused.  R.T. says in his book that 90% of the forgiving we do in this lifetime - if the person was confronted with the fact that I was/ you were struggling to forgive them - 90% of the time they would say "What for?  I didn't do anything wrong".

I realized that forgiveness boils down to a trust and a confidence in God.  Can you - can I - trust Him to handle the situation?  In His timing.  *in this book R.T. retells the story of David being confronted by Nathan about Uriah and Bathsheba.  Do you know a FULL TWO YEARS went by?  God's timing is SO different than ours.  And in His way?  God knows the motivation behind the behaviors, while we can only guess at it.  I mean just think about yourself - do you ever do something and then think "WHY did I do/say/or think that?"  God doesn't have to guess - He knows every detail (the very hairs on your head are numbered!)

The only thing that bothered me about the book, (I have the kindle version), is that at the end of every chapter someone's review about the book is included.  The print is the same, so it can get a bit confusing.  I wish the publisher had left the reviews for the very end of the book instead of sticking them in each chapter.  (I am trying to think back, I think a review or two are also tucked into the middle of the chapters?  I honestly can't remember.)  Anyway, I did not like the lay-out of including reviews throughout the book.  

This week and the beginning of Lent

First of all, this week we finished up The Burning Bridge by John Flanagan.  

The good - this is such a great series, edge of your seat action, suspense, intrigue, good solid character development.

The bad - there was a LOT more curse words in book two.  A few in each chapter.  It adds nothing to the dialogue, maybe once or twice - I could see (it is action packed after all and in the middle of action, words slip out), but it seemed as if the author went out of his way to slip most of these words in.

The ugly - the author misuses God's name in just about every single chapter.  In fact the only time he uses it correctly is at the very end of the book.  It is not needed and adds nothing to the dialogue/situation.

We are using this a listen-aloud every morning, and as such we decided to go ahead with book three, and hope it is more in line with the first one (in terms of word choice).

It Couldn't Just Happen by Lawrence O. Richards.  This was SUCH a neat book.  I love the lay-out of it.  It is one of those books that admits when it doesn't know why or how, asks you questions that make you think instead of telling you what to think, and bases it's facts on the unshakable truth of God.  You can use it as a unit study base or simply a read-aloud.  Highly recommend.

For Lent this year I am using two devotionals.  One is 40 days to Total Forgiveness by R. T. Kendall.  It is based off of his book Total Forgiveness (which I have not read) and Taste for Truth by Barb Raveling.  I need a deeper heart work in both areas, so I thought why not use this season of Lent to draw closer to God and ask Him to teach me?  What are you using for Lent?

Growing Your Faith by Jerry Bridges

So this is one of the best books I have read this year (and I have read some really good ones).  I HIGHLY recommend this book - I am immediately re-starting it so that I can slow down and really dig in to it.  It is a book that collects the main ideas from all of Jerry Bridges' writing and shows how they flow together.  I absolutely want to try to read all of his books this year, I feel like he is sitting down at our dining room table, calmly taking us through the Bible teaching patiently, kindly, and faithfully the tenets of faith and how to walk them out.

Keeper of the Lost Cities

by Shannon Messenger

I pre-read this for one of my girls and I LOVED it.  It is engaging and fast paced, but not so fast paced it overwhelms you.  I already ordered book two because now I want to find out what happens.  I don't want to write too much about the story because it is one you need to read - but it is definitely worth your time (even if like me you are waaaay over the recommended reading age 😊)

In the Land of Blue Burqas

by Kate McCord

I read this to fulfill a Brighter Winter challenge, and was thus surprised by how much my mind was occupied with this book and the conversations the author shared.

It challenged my thoughts and assumptions about Afghanistan (especially post 9-11), it challenged my thoughts on how I walk out my walk with Jesus with integrity, especially when it is in the company of non-believers.  While I did not agree with all of her choices and assumptions, I can whole heartedly recommend that you should read this book if you have not already.  It is very well written, engaging, and will make you stop and think long after you close the final page.

I re-read The Secret Garden this week (by Frances Hodgson Burnett) to fulfill a Brighter Winter challenge and we followed it up by watching the 1993 film (my favorite adaptation of the book).  

I cannot believe this next week is the last week of February and as such is the end of the Brighter Winter challenge.  It has been a brutal month for us, and for that reason I am relieved February is ending, but I am sad to see the Brighter Winter challenge draw to a close.

PS I am also devastated for the Bibas family, the return of the bodies of the mom and two babies this week - I cannot imagine the horror they have endured.  Please join me in praying for them and for the nation of Israel. 

Kristin Lavransdatter

The Bridal Wreath (Kristin Lavransdatter I) by Sigrid Undset

I read this book to fulfill the "read a book set in the middle ages" and "read a book that has been translated".  

Sigrid Undset told a masterful story and I really enjoyed it - but was also so frustrated with the main character Kristin.  I spent most of the story wishing I could reach through the pages and say "STOP, this is SO not going to turn out ok."  

I was also struck my how many characters spent their entire life trying to live a life that would make up for the sin they had committed.  I find that incredibly sad, but also incredibly eye-opening and convicting.  Ironically as I closed the last page on this book, I opened another Jerry Bridges book and this leaped out at me : "Christ bore our curse and earned our blessing.  That is the meaning of grace." I know it's just a character in a story, but I truly wish for Kristin and all of the characters in this story to know the truth of that statement.

This was a hard week in our house.  I am so thankful that it is almost over (and yes, I do realize it's only Wednesday, but I am still thankful we are closing in on the weekend.) 

I forgot to include my favorite quote:

“Pray rather, you and your wife, Lavrans Bjorgulfson,  that you not be tempted to try and bend God’s will concerning this child.  Our Lord Jesus Himself has set these small feet upon the path of peace which will lead her most surely to the home of peace -“ 

Her parents were desperate for a ‘fix’ to heal and sometimes God’s will is to strengthen you and yours to walk with the disability/chronic illness/profound weakness and/or brokenness.  This resonated so deeply with what it is like as a special needs parent and the timely reminder of surrender and the allowing of God to prove faithful  either way - through healing or not.

Three Books

Grace for the Afflicted by Matthew S. Stanford

Moana 2 (the junior novelization) by Elizabeth Rudnik

and

Matilda by Roald Dahl

I will start with Grace for the Afflicted.  This is a book that presents both the clinical aspect and the Biblical perspective of mental illnesses. If you struggle with mental health, care for someone who does, or come into contact on a weekly basis (Sunday School, Bible study, church, book club etc; ) - you need to read this book.

I also read Moana 2 this week in preparation for watching the movie when it's released on DVD.  I REALLY like the option of being able to "preview" a movie for content by pre-reading either junior novelizations or movie tie-in books.  Of course this book isn't the best book I have read, but it does its job by giving me a glimpse of content and conversation from the movie.

And last but not least, Matilda by Roald Dahl.  I cannot believe I waited so long to read this book.  Roald Dahl is one of my favorite authors and Danny the Champion of the World is still my favorite childhood book.  Matilda is absolutely as endearing as James and the Giant Peach and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  While it did not unseat Danny as my favorite book, it was enchanting to read (and listen to a portion of it).  By the way, if you are waffling between reading and listening, go with the listen on this one, Kate Winslet does a FANTASTIC job!  (also beware two misuses of God's name)