Back From Heaven's Front Porch..Read, Reflect, Respond
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Danny Bader's Back From Heaven's Front Porch will captivate you as you are lead through the personal journey of the main character "Jake."

Honestly, I chose the book, as I have known Danny since high school.  Danny always seemed to have it all; family, friends, popularity, yet he was down to earth.  I had heard part of Dan's experiences years ago. My curiosity enticed me to read the book to see how he turned his own experiences into a fictional novel. As an elementary teacher and librarian, I chance to read many juvenile novels recommended by others; this would be one adult novel I would delve through and create my own opinions.

I was not disappointed.  Dan's book pulled me in to the point where I literally lost sleep in order to finish Back From Heaven's Front Porch. The descriptive language allows the reader to easily vision the events taking place in the book. Jake's journey from what he considered a placid life, to the loss of his friend, questioning romance, the despair which led to the possibility of suicide, relying on alcohol and finally, a vision of hope, which Jake holds onto, leading him to question life's mysteries.  Through it, Jake cannot escape his visit to Heaven's Front Porch, allowing Jake to open himself up to new experiences and the possibility of a fulfilling future.

If you find yourself in need of a "new direction," Danny Bader's Back From Heaven's Front Porch is the book for you. I find myself looking back into my well-marked book for reflections and inspirational lines from the book. Dan's Jackrabbit (jckrbbt) Priniciples are easy to follow, and will inspire the reader to make positive changes in his/her life.
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Brandon's words both relieve you of the burden of legalism, and convict you to reclaim the heart of the gospel in one fell swoop. He challenges you to dive deeper, to look closer, to see people as JESUS sees them, and to live out the gospel in every interaction. His book is like sitting down for coffee with a friend and mentor. You leave with a refreshed spirit, a renewed zeal, & a reclaimed gospel.

I recieved an Advanced Reader's Copy in exchange for my honest review
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I love it King!!  Great uplifting work!  I read it to my 3yr old and 7yr old sons last night and it was well received!  Give Thanks for the work you out in brother and Please don't stop doing what you do for our people.  We direly need reassurance of who we are and our Greatness!  Love, Peace and Power from Bro. C out in the DMV (Prince Georges County, MD)
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Thank you Chris and Sky Hughes for sharing your beloved friend with me. I got to know him this weekend! What a wonderful gentle man he was. I find comfort when someone passes by thinking God needed him! I pray for your healing .......be blessed, asdpalmbeach
764139
It was great! I loved that you was very open about your life. You didn't let anything hold you back from not being honest. You shared some deep things about yourself and your relationship with others. This is very brave of you. I'm glad you was able to talk about it and get everything off your chest. It feels good to let go and let God handle the situation. Remember only God can judge you!
In addition I loved the prayers, Scripture reading you gave after each chapter. Also the blank pages you left for the reader to fill in was awesome. It gives the reader to gather there thoughts and to really think about the situations.
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Come Back to Jesus - and Don't Bring your Blackberry
That title just about says it all, doesn't it?  In this day and age of digital gadgets and what nots is it any wonder that we don't sense the Lord as clearly as we once did?

Come Back to Jesus

"Come Back to Jesus offers a powerful, renewing experience that builds on the gifts God gave you for ministry.  First, you will explore your life to find the times-steelers that keep you from worshiping God as much as you would like.  Next, you'll be able to root them out and start afresh with prayer, centering yourself in the Word.  You can explore our wrong desires, things that could lead you back off the "narrow path."  You'll have a chance to open up to God and practice being in His presence, remembering when He has been especially real for you."

While I wouldn't consider myself technologically saavy with the latest and greatest wifi gadgets, I have to admit that I fit the above profile.
I knew this 6 week bible study would be convict me of spending too much time with other things and not enough with the Lord.  I was right!

Come Back to Jesus is written in a conversational tone and easy to work through. The author encourages the reader to read their Bible more and gives opportunities in the form of probing questions throughout their daily reading.
Divided into daily steps, this book first deals with Idols.  Identifying them and how they pull you away from the Lord.  You'll be thinking deeply when answering questions such as:  "Who is my God?"  "What are your triggers for sin?" and "Where specifically do you spend your time?"

During the next week the topic of being "Seduced by the World" is covered.  Along with the dangers of drifting, finding accountability and the casual Christian (and why some people are this way).

And, week 3 - which is where I'm at, addresses Identifying your Idol/habit and then living without it for a week.

Well, the internet is my biggest time thief.  So, in order to continue with this study, I'm going to have to sign off for the next week!
If you desire to come back to a deeper walk with Jesus, I recommend this bible study.  It's also great for large group study as well and includes a group leader's guide.

Disclosure: I received the above product to review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations. I am part of The CWA Review Crew.
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SUMMARY:
Finding spiritual lessons in such unexpected places as the zoo, the beach, and a coffee shop while spending time with family, friends and grandchildren through prayer, thoughts and love, Waking Up Slowly reminds us to wake up slowly and enjoy life. Full of revelations, scripture verses, Bible references, personal stories and beautiful photographs, author Dave Burchett offers unique perspectives on moments usually missed. Based in a hard-covered book with an inviting cover, each short chapter finishes with a thought from God and a dose of grace
A PENNY FOR MY THOUGHTS:
Captivated by the adorable cover, loving the hard-covered book with beautifully smooth pages, admiring the fun pictures and appreciating the organized layout, I truly enjoyed Waking Up Slowly. Perfect for personal use, in a church library, as a Bible study, or a Life Group idea, I would also be proud to give this book as a gift to family and friends. Based on a dog theme while branching out to other areas, this is one book I will reread as well as keep on my bookshelf. Wondrous!
RATING:
5 (out of 5) pennies
*I received a complimentary copy of Waking Up Slowly from Tyndale House Publishers for my honest review*
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I was drawn to this title when my dear Dad passed away earlier this year, and I couldn't help pondering a lot about what awaits our departed souls directly on the other side. I know there have been many books with theories written already, but some of them are just surmises like ours would be. That's most likely why books by people who claim to have had NDE's (near death experiences) intrigue us. I've seen them jokingly referred to as 'heavenly tourism' but for readers with open minds who are seeking the common threads, these books can offer a lot of hope and comfort.

Stephen Musick describes the sort of experience we all long to be true, in which he has a long, loving conversation with Jesus in an environment which would be enough to blow our physical senses, were we still in them. But this only takes up one chapter of the book. For the rest of it, he talks about the ripple effect this experience had on the rest of his life, and his day to day attitude.

He focuses on a simple, fragile phenomenon he calls 'bubbles of heaven.' It's when other-worldly or supernatural moments break briefly in to ours. For Musick, they're fleeting reminders of what his moment in heaven had been like, and his stated goal is to instruct readers so we can learn to recognise them in our lives too.

I really appreciate his emphasis on the simple nature of these, making them easy to dismiss as coincidence, good fortune, or whatever else our reason brushes them off with. We've been conditioned by our culture to believe that things worth our attention will probably be loud, obvious and hard to miss. To the contrary, they are often gentle enough to slip past us if we aren't aware. So the bulk of this book is probably about training our hearts to be aware.

All in all, it's a spirit lifting and encouraging read which came along at a time I appreciated it.

Thanks to Water Brook Press and Blogging for Books for giving me a copy through Net Galley.
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So much - so many feelings!  I am on the path to ministry myself, and what Rev. Bolz-Weber writes tugs at my own reflections on my own path.  No, I am NOT her, no, I am NOT saying our lives are alike.  But, the themes and the experiences of real life, real life lessons are exposed and shared in a most generous way here.  Place your hand in her open wounds, see her life before you. Be with her when she rejoices.  Be witness to her growth as both minister and person.  Reflect on what is written and shared, and take a long, hard and honest look at yourself.  Thank you, Rev. Bolz-Weber. Great book. Reading it again for the 2nd time. There will be more.
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Steve Hemphill was inspired to write this by the purest of intentions, a desire to know more about where his father will be. Hemphill was very close to his father. At his father's death he needed to come to grips with Heaven in a more personal way. He did this via a long, thorough study of the scriptures dealing with it. So how strong is his view of Heaven? When he and his brother found a thick sealed envelope after his father's death, the writing on the outside of the envelope said that if they held this in their hands AFTER he had died that they should destroy it. They made their decision on what to do based on what their dad would say to them when they saw him again in the resurrection. More of us should make our decisions based upon similar reasoning. Additionally, a series of what he felt were providentially inspired events led him to start something he had never really thought of doing in the past, writing a book.

  In this book on Heaven, he has written very thoughtfully and provocatively. He goes to the core of what our beliefs are on the matter. Is Heaven a plane of existence far up in the sky where our spirits will float with the clouds while we sing Kumbaya and master the art of harp playing or not? Hemphill takes the position, with a plethora of biblical support, that Heaven will be located in a place very different than many have thought.

  Interspersed with his MANY scriptures which have led his thoughts, are also some very interesting thoughts on God's covenant with men and Biblical prophecy. Hemphill takes a very literal view of the majority of the scriptures that he uses. Although I do not necessarily agree with some of his points, they were certainly carefully considered, both respectable and worth further study and consideration. This book does a very valuable thing, it makes you think. He also makes a VERY good case for a six day beginning of things in the Garden.

  Things you will see addressed here are: What does Earth burning up have to do with Heaven? Will there be anything left of Earth after the fire? Are there animals in Heaven? Will there really be NO tears? What will we remember when we get there? Will our rewards all be the same? Will we truly have mansions? Is there a difference between salvation and reward? If we are singing and worshiping so much will there be other activities to do? There are many more subjects as well.

  Finally, along with the factually based material, I thoroughly enjoyed the fictional interludes. There are sections at the ends of each chapter dealing with that chapter's subject matter in a "what might be" format. In these interludes, Hemphill's father, Jamie, is led and given insight by his angelic helper who gives him an ongoing orientation concerning what Heaven is all about.

  This is a heart-felt book which, as stated earlier, was written with heavy reliance upon God's Word, prayer and the most wonderful motivator of all, love. In this case it is a son's love for his father. I heavily recommend reading this book and am pleased to be its first reviewer for Amazon.
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My father was dying.

I couldn't stop the tears...I was crying at work, crying in the car, crying into my pillow. I was inconsolable...there was absolutely no available salve for the ache in my heart. Then, viola, I remembered that "...some 30 years ago, I read a book (couldn't remember the name) that told me to praise God for ALL things". Even though I was still at work, I decided to try it. I excused myself and told co-workers that I'd be in the ladies' room. While in the restroom, I raised my hands upward, "...thank you, God, that my father is dying....thank you, thank you".

I felt better and returned to my work area. I thought nothing more of it.

The next day, however, God showed up!

During my evening visit with my father, God gave us the most incredible time together, along with giving both of us a deep, sweeping, abiding peace that everything would be ALRIGHT! It was, indeed, for that time, Heaven on earth.

For the next few days, I kept racking my brain, "...what is the name of that book, anyway?" Finally, I remembered....and ordered a copy for my daughter who, herself, will one day need to experience the amazing faithfulness of God.

Thank you for the opportunity to write this review.
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I enjoyed your thoughts, honesty, and felt like we had the conversation I've been wanting to have for 2 years. I felt like a kindred spirit meeting you years ago....last June as I began to question my faith in God's goodness, I knew soon I would be forsaking the call to preach the gospel and was convinced it was all an illusion. I did not believe I could come back from that. After so much suffering in me, my friends, those around the world, I could not accept the God of the Old Testament mainly but the New too & the God I have come to know didn't fit what I was reading. I realized I've been more wounded hurt & rejected by Christians my whole life than the world. It just didn't make sense. I could write my own book on all of these questions, & how 80% of Christians have missed the "gospel." It is too simple & we've made it too formulated.

Although I asked myself most every question & scenario that you, Amie mention, After a year of searching, doubting, refusing to serve a God I wasn't sure I believed in. I did not come to the same conclusion. Your insights on science over spiritual oppression, I agree 100%. Science & God go hand in hand, more than I've ever believed till this year. I believe we need to flip American Christianity upside down & shake out the garbage, but following Christ is actually not as moral as most seem. I want to follow Him in the field on Sunday & piss religious people off, let prostitutes hang around & esteem them above the proper, wash the feet of people who I already know will betray me, & drink the cup of suffering because in it we are united together. To negate Jesus sacrifice is like telling my husband his hard work to provide for me & his choosing to be faithful to me for 17 years is a nice gesture, but not enough for me to love him or believe he's more worthy of my love than the guy down the street. I'm sad this is the conclusion, but hope it will not be the end of the story....I hope for a sequel, Amie Sexton.
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I spent last evening reading "Heaven Is Beautiful," and it was a huge blessing to me.  Thank you for writing it; I know it wasn't easy to share such a deeply personal experience.

You may not remember my grandmother, a resident of the Island Nursing Home, but I remember very well how much your visits to her wing of INH meant during the time you pastored the Deer Isle Congregational Church.  Grammie was a staunch Advent Christian, and I was surprised (although pleased) by her being so open to visits from a pastor from another denomination.  Then she told me that you brought your beautiful husky along.  No wonder she opened up to you; Grammie adored dogs in general, and huskies in particular!

My great aunt, Grammie's younger sister, was undoubtedly among your flock at Deer Isle Congregational.  Thank you for ministering to her, also.  I loved my aunt dearly.

Thank you for being one of the people I have never met who nevertheless has made a difference in my life.  So often I think of writing a note like this one, and then never find the time to do it.
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MAY I SHARE IN RELATION TO THIS BOOK; " WILLIAM BRANHAM..A MAN SENT FROM GOD", THAT I WAS GRACED TO KNOW AND WORK WITH BRO. BRANHAM.. IN SOME OF HIS LAST CRUSADE SERVICES..AS A REVIVAL ORGANIST! ON THE LAST SUN. AFTERNOON, OF THE PHOENIX, AZ, REVIVAL...HE INVITED ME TO LUNCH WITH HIM.

THERE HE SHARED WITH ME A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF HIS MINISTRY..THEN PROPHESIED BOTH OF "GOD BEING THROUGH WITH HIS MINISTRY" ..AND THE END-TIME REVIVAL, BEFORE THE COMMING OF THE LORD!" IT'S POWERFUL!
YOU MAY READ MY ACCOUNT OF THIS, AT:>>
[...]

WATCH FOR THE WIND- BUFORD DOWELL
(ON FACEBOOK.COM)

ROM 8:28
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Best book I've read in years! My heart has been so heavy with our world; I don't think I need to explain myself. I've been seeking, praying, asking God what can we do? What can any of us do? Today I found the answer: God wants us to rescue His people, one person at a time. It's God's job to look at the whole; it's my job to be obedient one person at a time with the person He's placed in my path. Thank you B.K. Dell for this amazing clarification and for reminding me, one step, one person at a time, because they are worth it.
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I stood in a Christian bookstore a few days ago, depleted of joy and hope, desperately seeking the face of God, knowing He heard me but I was obviously deaf to Him.  I walked up and down the aisles, picking up one book after another, skimming paragraphs and then laying down each book in turn.  I was praying to find something, anything... I picked up this book, not for the pretty picture or even the title but for the small words written at the top ' a dare to live fully right where you are'  I was needing that message..I began reading somewhere in the middle of the book, just a few pages.. I bought the book and began reading it before I even left the parking lot.  I drank it in like water..the words were lyrical.. a song to my senses and the message spoke to my heart.  There was nothing annoying about this book to me. I think some of the criticisms are much ado about nothing.. Why are some so willing to be offended by the insignificant but fail to see the whole.. I have heard 3 main criticisms for this book..A) the writing style. B) the possibility of mystic tones C) Sexual context . Oh my.. To me, the style is beautiful and descriptive.  I could see as she saw and feel what she felt as she told her story. I felt the skin soft.. my lungs ached as she ran for the moon... It was not always easy to understand but then I would reread what I did not understand. If I wanted a quick and easy read I would have picked up some modern fiction.  This book required me to think, meditate, reread certain passages in order to absorb everything.  I didn't want to miss a fraction of it... Should we always be spoon-fed? Are we that lazy that we cannot put effort into something worthwhile?  When people start mentioning the mystical references.. I almost hear conspiracy theory type of thinking.. if you quote something that is not by a Christian author does that mean you are not a Christian? I felt that there was some judging going on about the author's beliefs although she clearly is a believer of God and Jesus. And the whole uproar about sex? Really?? The Bible is full of the intimacy we should share with God.. Yes, I am in love with God.. I want to feel it more and more.. it is the ultimate joy..Does anyone really think that the author is talking about real physical sex with God as we experience it here on earth in the flesh?  Surely not.. I find it hard to even fathom that one could either be so depraved or so ignorant. This said..to each his own.. But don't take my review in favor as the ultimate reason to read it but also don't be so simple as to take a review against it to decide for you, either.  In conclusion, this book has opened my eyes to certain aspects of my relationship with God.  I glorify Him daily by recognizing all that He is...and giving thanks.
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Jim Vernon challenges us to find our way off our own porch and find the joy of living in our faith.  He is transparent, real and humorous. Read it.