bittersweet ...

Hi there,


Ever wondered about the meaning of the word bittersweet? A definition taken from the oxford dictionary is: - …

“Arousing pleasure tinged with sadness or pain” …:


Based on this definition, won’t you agree that life is or can be bittersweet … when in a split second; all the joy and happiness we feel can suddenly be tinged with sadness for a reason and for a season? But guess what? God uses these bittersweet seasons of change to refine our character for the better.

This brings me to the introduction of the book we just finished reading …. "bittersweet" by Shauna Niequist.

I found bittersweet relatively easy to read primarily because of the various short chapters and was able to pick it up and put it down effortlessly. Although every topic did not appeal and apply to me, I still enjoyed reading bittersweet. The chapter on grace was very refreshing and one quote in particular caught my attention:

….… "Grace isn't about having a second chance; grace is having so many chances that you could use them through all eternity and never come up empty......


There are other interesting and wise quotes scattered throughout the book. A couple I found thought-provoking are:

On page 90 –

..... "Now is your time. Become, believe, and try. Walk closely with people you love, and with other people who believe that God is very good and life is a grand adventure. Don't spend time with people who make you feel like less than you are. Don't get stuck in the past, and don't try to fast-forward yourself into a future you haven't yet earned. Give today all the love and intensity and courage you can, and keep travelling honestly along life's path."


and on page 240 -

……“My life is a story about who God is and what He does in a human heart.”



I give Shauna credit for her honesty and vulnerability which I find quite inspiring. I am really looking forward to meeting her at the Kerith Community Church – Unique - REAL2012 women’s conference taking place on the 22nd and 23rd of June.


I will recommend bittersweet to both Christians and non-Christians to read.


If you have already read this book, please post your comments and thoughts.


Enjoy!


Love and blessings,
Ope

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Synopsis

In her follow-up book to Cold Tangerines, author Shauna Niequist shifts her gaze to the challenges and blessings of change in Bittersweet. Drawing from her own experiences in a recent season of pain and chaos, she explores the bits of wisdom and growth we earn the hard way, through change, loss, and transition, and offers her own reflections on what brought her hope along the way.

'The idea of bittersweet is changing the way I live, unraveling and re-weaving the way I understand life. Bittersweet is the idea that in all things there is both something broken and something beautiful, that there is a moment of lightness on even the darkest of nights, a shadow of hope in every heartbreak, and that rejoicing is no less rich even when it contains a splinter of sadness. 'It's the practice of believing that we really do need both the bitter and the sweet, and that a life of nothing but sweetness rots both your teeth and your soul. Bitter is what makes us strong, what forces us to push through, what helps us earn the lines on our faces and the calluses on our hands. Sweet is nice enough, but bittersweet is beautiful, nuanced, full of depth and complexity. Bittersweet is courageous, gutsy, audacious, earthy.........

Niequist, a keen observer of life with a lyrical voice, writes with the characteristic warmth and honesty of a dear friend: always engaging, sometimes challenging, but always with a kind heart. You will find Bittersweet savory reading, indeed. 'This is the work I'm doing now, and the work I invite you into: when life is sweet, say thank you, and celebrate. And when life is bitter, say thank you, and grow.'

LIGHT FORCE

Hi there,


Don’t you just love the idea of reading variety of books? Well, in Activate we certainly do. Just after we finished reading “Seriously funny” which was indeed seriously funny, we moved on to something a lot more serious and not in the slightest bit funny!

Have you ever wondered about the Christians caught up in the Middle East conflicts? Some of you might think to yourselves, what Christians? Well, there are Palestinian Christians as well as the Messianic Jews who have for years endured great sufferings because of the crisis in the Middle East. As Christians, it is significant that we seek understanding of the crisis and persecution the churches in the Middle East are facing.

As a group, we just read Brother Andrew’s “Light Force: The only hope for the Middle East”.

This book details on some of the earlier conflicts in Lebanon during its civil war as well as the religious and ethnic boundaries situation in the West Bank and Gaza. Some parts of this book will move you to tears when you read about how people’s lives were torn apart and the pain and suffering endured. Brother Andrew also wrote about the power of forgiveness, reconciliation, faith and hope …

A very enlightening read.

Why not grab yourself a copy of Light Force and read all about the only hope for the Middle East?

If you have already read this book, please share your comments and thoughts with us.

Enjoy!


Love and blessings,

Ope

----------------------------------------------------

Synopsis

In the midst of never-ending debates, protests, riots, suicide bombings, and broken peace initiatives in the Middle East, one man came to make a difference.

He sought out church leaders and urged them not to flee the violence but to stay and strengthen their congregations to become a force for change. He faced the fiery rhetoric of Muslim fundamentalists head on and told them that the only hope for peace would come through Jesus, the Prince of Peace.

His message is that there is a radical Christian approach to the stalemate of Middle East conflict. Only the gospel of love has the answer, and Christians are called to allow God to use them to demonstrate the example of Jesus.

Previously known for his determination to deliver Bibles behind the Iron Curtain, Brother Andrew has spent the last thirty-five years in the Middle East serving the Christian Church as well as witnessing to Jews and Muslims. His mission: to bring hope to the believers caught in the crossfire of the most volatile region on earth.

Light Force brings Brother Andrew's story right up to date. It explains and illustrates the conflict – political and spiritual and its devastating effect on human lives.

Seriously Funny ... Life, Love and God ...

I am sure we all have some funny or /and embarrassing stories to tell. I certainly do. These are often stories about things that happen in my everyday life. Some of our stories may not seem funny to us at that point in time, but if we cast our minds back at them now we could find a humorous moment to laugh about.

Over Christmas 2011, the group read “Seriously Funny” by Adrian Plass and Jeff Lucas. It consists of letters between the two friends. The letters were sometimes funny, embarrassing, sad, controversial and above all honest. Although light hearted reading, it touches on many thought-provoking discussions such as:- how Christians are perceived , church life, spiritual growth, God’s grace, kindness, hearing from God, doubt, Christian conferences etc..

Adrian and Jeff were open and honest in their correspondence. They did not pretend to be “super spiritual Christians”, but shared their love for Jesus and showed that they are just ordinary people like the rest of us who also have some bad times as well as good times.

A thoroughly good read that has a combination of humour and seriousness.


Happy 2012!

Ope

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Synopsis:

A little while ago, concerned that the next time they got together, one of them would be in a coffin, Jeff Lucas and Adrian Plass decided to start exchanging letters - and this book is the result.

It was created spontaneously and uniquely; It isn't fictional nor is it predictable but what "Seriously Funny" does is combine thoughts, real life situations and express living moments of two honest Christians. It talks about serious issues, which also have funny endings and stories, hence the title "Seriously Funny". Breathtakingly honest, "Seriously Funny" is a celebration of 21st century Christianity - as well as a no-holds barred expose of its sillier side. And they are equally hard on themselves - their most embarrassing moments are a joy to read.

Amazing Grace

Hi everyone,

In November, we finished reading the biography of John Newton the man who wrote the hymn - Amazing Grace. In this book you will learn more about his colourful life, his journey through slave trading, his conversion, his Christian life and his contribution to the abolition of slave trade. This book is worth reading.

Enjoy!

Love and blessings,

Ope

----------------------------------------------------------------------





John Newton: From Disgrace to Amazing Grace by Jonathan Aitken

Synopsis

In this book, Jonathan Aitken (a former MP and cabinet minister) discovers John Newton the man, his motivation and beliefs.

JOHN NEWTON is best known as the author of "Amazing Grace" but this brilliant new biography shows how he led one of the most colourful and influential lives of the 18th century.

Using a wealth of unpublished material, Jonathan Aitken charts Newton's journey through slave trading, best selling authorship, ordination, church leadership, abolitionist campaigning and the spiritual mentoring of William Wilberforce and William Cowper.

From Newton's rip-roaring adventures on the high seas to his emergence as a pivotal figure in the abolitionist and evangelical movements this is a life of amazing achievement as well as of Amazing Grace.

Just Wondering .......

Over the summer, we read "Just wondering” by Philip Yancey. This is a thought provoking book of many questions set out in short chapters, which challenge us personally on various issues in life. Some of these issues are quite diverse and touch on topics such as religion, humans, ethics, church, Christian gospel, life with God etc.

This is a great book that leaves you feeling challenged.

It's worth reading.

Enjoy!


-------------------------------------

"Just Wondering: A Book of Many Questions "
by Philip Yancey


Synopsis:

Best-selling author Philip Yancey writes on a diverse range of topics that touch on the fields of history, science, religion, ethics, and more in this new edition
of Just Wondering….

"Human beings, including myself, seem odd to me. Half ainimal, half angel, we keep surprising and disappointing ourselves and each other". As Yancey seeks to pin down this sense of oddness, he asks: why did God stay silent during the Holocaust; where did racial hatred come from; why do people show great interest in near-death experiences, but very little interest in Heaven; why is sex fun; and why is almost all religious art realistic, whereas much of God's creation excels at abstract design? Here are 44 "ruminations" chosen from Yancey's own awe at the world God made.
First published in 1989 as I Was Just Wondering. This revised and updated edition offers a level-headed, honest journey into questions that are just as important and challenging to readers today.

TOO SMALL TO IGNORE

Hi all,

In July, we finished reading "Too small to ignore" by Wess Stafford, the leader of Compassion international.

In this book, not only does Wess share with us his incredible boyhood experiences when growing up in an African village, he also draws our attention to the suffering and tragic deprivation that children in the world today face. He calls us to open the eyes of our heart to see the strategic importance of the children around us and why they must be protected and cared for.

One thing we need to remember is that a small pebble in the pond of one child's life may send out ripples that eventually transform many others.

On a final note, the bible tells us that Jesus entrusted the little children to our care and we should not cause them to sin (Mat 18:6). We are called to provide safe, nurturing environments for them. It is our job to train a child in the way he should go (prov22:6).

… A must read


Kind regards,

Ope






Synopsis

The time has come, argues Dr. Wess Stafford, for a major paradigm shift: Children are too important and too intensely loved by God to be left behind or left to chance. Children belong to all of us and we are compelled to intervene on their behalf. We must invest in children–all across the world.
There are strategic, persuasive reasons–beyond love and kindness–to invest in children. Today they may snuggle into your lap, if you let them. But tomorrow you may not have access to them in the corridors of power they might occupy. Now is the time to shape the future.
Dr. Stafford issues an urgent call for change. His adventures as a boy raised in a West African village provide an often-humorous and always-captivating backdrop to his profound and inspiring challenges. Wess lived the reality of “it takes a village to raise a child” and calls us to “be that loving village for children everywhere.”
This book will encourage you to turn your good, loving intentions into strategic actions and empower you to help change the world–and the future–forever: one child at a time.

Redeeming Love

Another truly amazing book by Francine Rivers….


California's gold country, 1850. Angel expects nothing from men but betrayal. Sold into prostitution as a child, she survives by keeping her hatred alive. What she hates most are the men who use her, leaving her empty and dead inside. Then she meets Michael Hosea. A man who seeks his Father's heart in everything, Michael obeys God's call to marry Angel and to love her unconditionally. Slowly, day by day, he defies Angel's every bitter expectation until, despite her resistance, her heart begins to thaw. But with her unexpected softening come overwhelming feelings of unworthiness and fear. So Angel runs. Back to the darkness...A powerful retelling of the book of Hosea, Redeeming Love is a life-changing story of God's unconditional, redemptive, all-consuming love. A page-turner…