A bit of a break... a bit of fiction

After reading such an intense book on social justice and the Kingdom of God (Everything Must Change: Jesus, Global Crises, and a Revolution of Hope - by Brian D. McLaren) I think that it's time for a step back to collect my thoughts and decide my next actions. I'll be doing this while reading a couple of fiction novels. I've chosen two novels from highly acclaimed author Khaled Hosseini. My wife will read The Kite Runner while I read A Thousand Splendid Suns. We'll then swap. Both books have received exceptional reviews and I'm looking forward to losing myself in the stories told. I'm hoping that I may also gain a bit of an education experience as both stories are about life in pre and post-Taliban Afghanistan.

Top Reads of 2007

Here is a list of my top five reads from 2007 (in order of my preference). They're all faith related.

1. The Imitation of Christ (Thomas A Kempis)
2. God's Politics (Jim Wallis)
   
3. The Secret Message of Jesus (Brian McLaren)
4. Eat This Book (Eugene Peterson)
   
5. The New Friars (Scott Bessenecker)
   

I'm taking my reading back a notch for 2008, hoping to focus on the Bible. But to start off with, my first serious read for 2008 is 'Everything Must Change: Jesus, Global Crises, and a Revolution of Hope' by Brian D. McLaren.

New books

I've just finished reading Jackie Pullinger's "Chasing the Dragon". It is her story of working in Hong Kong as a missionary the past 40 years. It's truly challenging to say the least. No comfort barrier was left standing for her as she went into the heart of the lawless walled city and spent years ministering to the Triad gangs, the Heroin addicts and prostitutes. This is definately a story that can show you how God can do the impossible through those who are open to Him and obedient to Jesus call.

I bought three new books on the weekend. The first, "Finding Life - reflections from a Bangkok slum", is written by Ashley Barker who I have mentioned on this blog before. He and his wife and children moved into the heart of Klong Toey slum in Bangkok to live with and minister to the poorest of the poor - the drug addicts, the diseased, the sex workers, those with no human hope.

The second book is called "The New Friars" and is written by Scott A. Bessenecker. It is a collection of stories about young Christians who have followed Christs calls to renounce the pursuit for material fulfillment and follow Christ among the poorest of the poor. The blurb reads

"Across the ages God has attracted a few in every crowd who would stick out, act
out and speak out. The New Friars profiles young Christians who have voluntarily
removed themselves from the status quo in order to seek justice and mercy with
the poorest of the world's poor. These new friars are carrying on the work of
the monastic tradition, in the spirit of Francis and Clare of Assisi, St.
Patrick and St. Brigid, the Jesuits and Nestorians and Moravians. The New Friars
will show you that with God all things - even the uncommon actos of courageous
faith - are possible."

The third book is titled "Eat this Book - the art of spiritual reading" and is written by Eugene Peterson. I have read good reviews, especially from my favourite theologian Scot McKnight. This book "encourages the art of reading the Bible so that it becomes a text for living and growing, not just thinking or behaving...".

I'm excited over these reads, but my prayer is that I don't just read these for informational purposes, but that God prompts me, and strengthens me, to act.