Yesterday at our rlife gathering, a question was posed to everyone in our group. The questions was this:
What book, besides the bible, has impacted or influenced you the most?
The questions went around the group and I was the last one to answer. As everyone answered (answers included Purpose Driven Life, The Boyscout Handbook, Die Hard (jamie hall), Bait of Satan and Grace) I was unable to think of just one! I will admit, I am not a BIG reader and a majority of what I DO read is written by Nicholas Sparks, the books my husband has labeled "Devil Books" because they all make me cry. (apparently crying is of the devil!). But out of all the books I have read, I still couldn't narrow my favorite down to just one. So i decided to name them all! So here they are:
- Hinds Feet in High Places- by Hannah Hurdard
- You are Special- by Max Lucado
- The Shack- by William Young
- Secrets of the Secret Place- by Bob Sorge
I am unable to narrow this list down to THE one that has impacted me or influenced me the most. They all have helped me through some of the darkest parts of my life. Everyone spoke to a different part of my heart and my mind. Each of them revealed to me a different part of who God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are.
As I attempted sleep last night I kept thinking about each of these books. Letting myself be reminded once again of what I took away from each of them.
Hinds Feet in High Places: the story of Much-Afraid and her journey through life...her companions being Sorrow and Suffering and she faces places of Pride, Humility, Loneliness, Tribulation, Loss, and on into a place of Healing, Anointing and even getting a new name: Grace and Glory. It is a beautiful allegory of just hard life can sometimes be. But in the end, God's truth remains: He who began a good work is faithful to complete it.
The Shack: an incredible fiction novel that reveals the beautiful relationship between Man and God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit. This book isn't for everyone. I know many who have some trouble accepting this book, but this book was one written for someone like me. It stirred something in me as i read through this book in a matter of days. I have a hard time even putting into words what this book means to me. It taught me about my heavenly "papa" who allows things to happen in my life that aren't always what he has purposed for me, but he uses each and every tear and heartache to point back to his perfect grace and mercy, and best of all, his unconditional love.
Secrets of the Secret Place: I had the extreme privilege of meeting and spending time with the author of this book just days before Norah was born. It was one of those "pinch me i must be dreaming" kind of moments. Bog Sorge is an incredible man and author who's personal journey is one for the history books. This book brings to light the simple truth of where God dwells: The Secret Place. The place that isn't hard to find when you are looking for it. The place where each and everyone of us are invited to but not everyone chooses to go. It is made for the person who isn't necessarily a "reader." It is laid out in a lot of short chapters that can be read one at a time. I highly recommend it.
Last but not least... You are Special: This is a children's book written by Max Lucado that has changed the way I live and think. Every time i read it to my students I fight back tears. I would like to dwell on this book for a moment because this is the one that even now, is changing me.
It is a story about the Wemmicks. the Wemmicks are a group of wooden people who were all carved by the wood carver named Eli. Eli's house sits high up on the hill overlooking the village of the people he created. All they did all day long was give each other stars and dots. Those who looked pretty, could do fun tricks, or sing well all would receive stars. but those whose paint was chipped, said stupid things, or fell a lot were given dots.
One wemmick named Punchinello was given a lot of dots and he felt better when he hung out with other wemmicks with dots. But one day he met another wemmick that didn't have any dots or stars. Her name was Lucia. It's not that people didn't try to give her stickers, its just that the stickers didn't stick. Punchinello wanted to know why she didn't have any marks, and she said "I go and see Eli everyday." and she turned and walked away.
What book, besides the bible, has impacted or influenced you the most?
The questions went around the group and I was the last one to answer. As everyone answered (answers included Purpose Driven Life, The Boyscout Handbook, Die Hard (jamie hall), Bait of Satan and Grace) I was unable to think of just one! I will admit, I am not a BIG reader and a majority of what I DO read is written by Nicholas Sparks, the books my husband has labeled "Devil Books" because they all make me cry. (apparently crying is of the devil!). But out of all the books I have read, I still couldn't narrow my favorite down to just one. So i decided to name them all! So here they are:
- Hinds Feet in High Places- by Hannah Hurdard
- You are Special- by Max Lucado
- The Shack- by William Young
- Secrets of the Secret Place- by Bob Sorge
I am unable to narrow this list down to THE one that has impacted me or influenced me the most. They all have helped me through some of the darkest parts of my life. Everyone spoke to a different part of my heart and my mind. Each of them revealed to me a different part of who God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are.
As I attempted sleep last night I kept thinking about each of these books. Letting myself be reminded once again of what I took away from each of them.
Hinds Feet in High Places: the story of Much-Afraid and her journey through life...her companions being Sorrow and Suffering and she faces places of Pride, Humility, Loneliness, Tribulation, Loss, and on into a place of Healing, Anointing and even getting a new name: Grace and Glory. It is a beautiful allegory of just hard life can sometimes be. But in the end, God's truth remains: He who began a good work is faithful to complete it.
The Shack: an incredible fiction novel that reveals the beautiful relationship between Man and God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit. This book isn't for everyone. I know many who have some trouble accepting this book, but this book was one written for someone like me. It stirred something in me as i read through this book in a matter of days. I have a hard time even putting into words what this book means to me. It taught me about my heavenly "papa" who allows things to happen in my life that aren't always what he has purposed for me, but he uses each and every tear and heartache to point back to his perfect grace and mercy, and best of all, his unconditional love.
Secrets of the Secret Place: I had the extreme privilege of meeting and spending time with the author of this book just days before Norah was born. It was one of those "pinch me i must be dreaming" kind of moments. Bog Sorge is an incredible man and author who's personal journey is one for the history books. This book brings to light the simple truth of where God dwells: The Secret Place. The place that isn't hard to find when you are looking for it. The place where each and everyone of us are invited to but not everyone chooses to go. It is made for the person who isn't necessarily a "reader." It is laid out in a lot of short chapters that can be read one at a time. I highly recommend it.
Last but not least... You are Special: This is a children's book written by Max Lucado that has changed the way I live and think. Every time i read it to my students I fight back tears. I would like to dwell on this book for a moment because this is the one that even now, is changing me.
It is a story about the Wemmicks. the Wemmicks are a group of wooden people who were all carved by the wood carver named Eli. Eli's house sits high up on the hill overlooking the village of the people he created. All they did all day long was give each other stars and dots. Those who looked pretty, could do fun tricks, or sing well all would receive stars. but those whose paint was chipped, said stupid things, or fell a lot were given dots.
One wemmick named Punchinello was given a lot of dots and he felt better when he hung out with other wemmicks with dots. But one day he met another wemmick that didn't have any dots or stars. Her name was Lucia. It's not that people didn't try to give her stickers, its just that the stickers didn't stick. Punchinello wanted to know why she didn't have any marks, and she said "I go and see Eli everyday." and she turned and walked away.
As he thought about this, he realized he didn't like all these marks that people had given him. He didn't want the other wemmicks to mark him with any more dots. So he decided that he was going to go and see Eli.
The next day he climbed the hill to Eli's workshop to visit with Eli. As he walked in, he realized just how small he felt next to the grand size of everything Eli's workshop, so he tried to quietly turn and leave. But then something happened. Eli called his name. He knew his name? Of course he did! He created him! "I've been waiting for you" Eli told him. "for me?" Punchinello asked. "why?" "Because I created you...and you are special"
Punchinello had a very difficult time believing that anyone would really care about him, let alone his maker. But Eli was there. He had been waiting. Eli bent over and picked Punchinello up and said "Looks like you have been given a lot of marks..." Punchinello then asked Eli about Lucia. "Why didn't she have any stars or dots?" The entire book had been leading up to this moment. This is what he said:
"The stickers only stick if you let them."
He went on to tell Punchinello that if he came to see him everyday that he would remind him of HIS love and what HE thought of him. At that moment, Punchinello looked up at Eli and something beautiful happened... Punchinello believed him. And as he turned to leave one of the dots he had been given fell to the ground.
Oh how the simplest of children's stories has set me free. I have come to a beautiful place in my life where I am no longer concerned with what other people think of me. How other people view me. How they view my marriage or my mothering. Because I have realized this: the stickers only stick if you let them. My relationship with my Maker, my relationship with my husband, my relationship with my sweet daughter is just that... mine. I am ok if others want to cast judgement or talk about me behind my back. That may sound harsh, but that is where life has taken me. I've been given a lot of bad marks. I am determined that star nor dot will effect the way I view myself because only one person's opinion matters. "Eli's." The name eli means "high." His thoughts are HIGHer than my thoughts (and the thoughts of others) His ways are HIGHer than my ways (or the ways others tell me I should think or live). His thoughts and his voice need to be the things that matter the most to me. In the past I have let my need to please other people come first. To be liked. To be popular. To have the most friends on facebook. To be preferred over another. It turns out that is not a healthy or fun way to live. So i am choosing to spend time with the Lord ever day. To let him tell me what HE thinks of me. What HE wants me to do. I know there are times when I will let other peoples opinions trump my makers. When those moments come, I pray i lean close enough into the arms of God to hear him say "you've been given a lot of marks...but they only stick if you let them."