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2011 Book Review: The Ragamuffin Gospel & The Furious Longing of God by Brennan Manning

12/31/2011

Jesus Christ is the Scandal of God.
the Ragamuffin Gospel & the Furious Longing of God by Brennan Manning

Furious Longing was the first Manning book that I picked up and I fell in love with the profound simplicity of Brennan's writing. Furious was the doorway to what God was intending to do with Ragamuffin. Sheesh, what an adventure that is turning out to be.

Ragamuffin easily tops the rest of the books from 2011. Well, it might be tied with another but you'll find out about that soon enough. But without a doubt, I'll be revisiting this book for many years to come. Thankful to God for the journey that book brought me on with Him.

Sometime this past year a good friend of mine took a minute to prophesy over me a very strong word from the Lord. She saw the Lord taking me on a journey that was going to change my life, the way I saw God and it was going to bring monumental amounts of growth for me in the Lord. Little did she know that now as I reflect on this past year all I can do is praise God for the accuracy of that Word.

Here in hinds' sight, He did a work in me that shook me to my core. Little did I know that opening the Ragamuffin Gospel would be the beginning of a journey with the Lord that has changed everything in my life.

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2011 Book Review: Permission to Speak Freely by A.Jackson

12/31/2011

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The Gift of Going Second & The Hard Lessons That Follow It.
Permission to Speak Freely: Essays and Art on Fear, Confession and Grace by Anne Jackson

Consider this book as a Christian version of Post Secret. If you don't know what that is, then I'd suggest joining the rest of us by just simply Googling it.

Permission to Speak Freely was probably one of the easiest books I have ever read. Not only because it had pictures but because I truly felt as if Anne was sitting across from me in a coffee shop and sharing her heart with me as I read. Her book is filled with raw stories and real revelation from the Lord that anyone can relate to - some simple, some complex.

But nonetheless, it deals with some pretty tough issues like sin, confession, grace and fear. All areas that I find myself being pretty weak in. Few books have ever 'empowered' me like this one. After reading it, I felt liberated to follow in the footsteps of the author and simply walk out the truths that she laid out. It challenged me to live out my story and to share it often. God is surely moving in my life and who I am to withhold the testimony that He has given me?

One lesson that was especially hard to learn this year was to come to terms with the reality that I'm broken and messed up. I can easily say that I'm not perfect, but my self-righteous, has-it-all-together, perfectionist mindset has a hard time believing those words much-less living them out.

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2011 Review: Cold Tangerines by Shauna Niequist

12/31/2011

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It's the Little Things You Do.
Cold Tangerines: Celebrating the Extraordinary Nature of Everyday Life by Shauna Niequist

I'm in love with the simple truths found in this book. Each chapter is a little nugget worth more than I know. It was a billboard-size reminder of the legendary truth that God actually is really involved in the little things of each day and for that I am forever grateful.

One thing that I can say about 2011 is that I found God in the little things. Yes, He's always been there but it was this year that He won me over by using the little things that mean a lot to me to show me just how much He cared. He knows my heart so well. If you're asking what the little things are, then it's hard to explain. For me, it's finding a great book that fits the season of my life at a Thrift Store for cheap. Or it's catching the red light just to be in perfect view of the setting Sun. It's those things that mean a lot to me that I know He does just to say, "Courtney, I know that you love these things. I love you so much that I care about the things that you care."

So without a doubt, I know that it's in the little things that You do that You win me over -- again & again. Once again, it reminds me that You are not some cosmic being that is univolved in my life. It's in the little things that You confirm that You really are real. That You are closer than I know. & more importantly, You show that You love me in a deep and personal way. Like a good Lover, You know the way to my heart. Sothank You for the little things because without them, I would believe so many lies about You.

My favorite chapters in this book were Happy Thanksgiving and Writing in Pencil. CLICK HERE for a link to an excerpt from the chapter, Writing in Pencil.

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2011 Book Review: The Ragamuffin Gospel & The Furious Longing of God by Brennan Manning

2011 Book Review: Permission to Speak Freely by A.Jackson

2011 Review: Cold Tangerines by Shauna Niequist

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