by Kimberly | Oct 2, 2017 | Books
This October marks the 500th anniversary of what marks the beginning of the Reformation: the day when Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door at Wittenberg.
New Growth Press and Bob Kellemen have offered a book that highlights some areas that can help all of us in our daily lives and for those of us in the business of Christian counseling, this book will help as well.
But, I would say, after knowing the personal help this book has given me, its encouragement, and its strength, that we all need to be in the business of counseling others with the Word of God – therefore, rightly, making all of us Christian counselors.
If we use the Word in our counseling, in our friendships, in our marriages, in our parenting, then we will have stronger and truer relationships because the Word of God is sufficient. One of the marks of the Reformation was the 5 Solas – and one of them is Scripture Alone. (I won’t go so far as to say that we don’t need any other kind of psychological help, but I do think the Word needs to be the base for all of our counseling.)
At first glance, I thought this book was out of my league. But, then, as I sat with the table of contents, saw the method with which Bob tackled this topic, it was really quite user friendly and applicable. He shares personal stories and letters of Luther to illustrate how he counseled with the Word of God alone – in these four areas: reconciliation, guidance, healing, and sustaining. He broke up each one into the theology of Luther and then how Martin Luther put those theological ideas into practice with those he was in relationship with.
If you are looking for a new counseling book, or these topics (the 4 listed above) sound interesting to you, or you want to know more about the man and preacher and reformer, Martin Luther, then I really think this book will be helpful to you.
Thank you to Litfuse and New Growth Press for this book. All thoughts are my own.
by Kimberly | Oct 2, 2017 | 31days, lavish hospitality
“She recalls wanting to be a part of those experiences,
even is she didn’t yet have a palate for the bitter bean.
She understood at that moment that in cultures around the world,
life takes place over mugs and french presses.”
Kinfolk Table: Elizabeth Haddad
Hospitality is easy when we are around people we love and who love us and with those with whom we have much in common. It is harder when we are around strangers, people who are not in harmony with our lives, or those we just don’t know. Maybe the people we need to pour out grace to are the ones who are least like us.
I’m not a coffee drinker. Slowly, I’m becoming one, but its like iced coffee with cream and caramel or a sugary frapp from the corner coffee shop. Maybe if we learn to like things out of our normal sphere (like coffee, or foods we normally wouldn’t eat), we would sharpen our ability to show hospitality.
With my husband: I learn to appreciate classical music. He learns to appreciate Zac Brown Band and Alabama. With my boys: I learn all about fire trucks and dinosaurs.
How can you learn to show lavish hospitality by learning to love things you don’t already love?
by Kimberly | Oct 1, 2017 | 31days, lavish hospitality
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Day 30
Every October comes around and there is group of women who set out to write a blog a day for the entire month. Every year I try to do it, and every year I fail.
This year, I’m trying something new. I’m working on a book (Lavish Hospitality) and want to use this space, this month, to work out the 31 short chapters of the book.
This is not going to be a book about food and blankets and setting up guest rooms. Yes, partly, there will be some recipes and stuff like this. But, hospitality is more than just setting a pretty table.
I want to “prepare a space for lavish grace”. Here the the sub-headings:
To my heart.
To my husband.
To my children.
To my neighbors.
In my home.
In my church.
Grace was poured out lavishly on us. We need to be ready to pour it out lavishly on others.
Hospitality has a southern ring to is. You may think of cozy reading corners, mums in the Fall, tea and coffee, flowers and guest rooms. It can be those things. But, just because you have coffee set out doesn’t mean you have a welcoming home for others.
So, in the next 30 days I’m going to be sharing 30 quotes and thoughts on them. These quotes will help me formulate thoughts on this topic, and I hope they will encourage you to practice lavish hospitality in your world.
by Kimberly | Sep 21, 2017 | Books
I guess sometimes it is hard on your heart to read books about people who get to travel when you don’t get to do it anymore that often (and would really love to).
But, I really enjoyed the Bronte Plot by Katherine Reay. Christian fiction without being sappy Christian-ese throughout the book.
A love of books and travel.
A family that has real problems – but not dismissing the problems but knowing that generational sin has an impact on us and what we do with it and its impact with shape our own lives.
Doubts with life and death.
And hope. Hope is always fitting in a Christian fiction. Not hope that all is going to work out perfectly. But hope in a God who does all things well. That’s of course where our hope lies.
I think my only thing I would do different in this book is not make the conclusion about 2 pages long. I wanted a continuation of this book based on where it ended. I would have liked that with her Dear Mr. Knightley too. So, I guess that’s a good thing! How about it Katherine Reay – sequels?
by Kimberly | Sep 17, 2017 | Uncategorized
I’ve not done a fun link post like this one in a while.
Thought I would share with you some fun things I’ve found scattered around for your Sunday Funday!
I love to travel. One of the places I’ve been wanting to return to (since stopping there for such a short time on a cruise) is Vancouver.
Every year until college I went to the Strawberry Festival in FL. Since then, I’ve been to just a few of the NC State Fairs and maybe one day I’ll get back into going. The cost keeps going up for them (food, entry, parking, rides) and if you take your kids that’s more expensive, or you have to find babysitters (which would be even more expensive). I really don’t know how my parents afforded us to do so much stuff when we were growing up! Here is GA’s – and you never know, we may get there.
In the Fall, we celebrate our sons’ birthdays and our anniversary. Its a crazy time. If I could do anything with my mister this year for our anniversary I think it would be to go here.
Eating is the best in the Fall. Warm and inviting tastes and smells. Who wouldn’t want to make all of these?
What are some fun things you are looking to this Fall?
