Dr. Richard Spillman. The Passion of Job. Xulon Press. 2005.
Most Christians are familiar with the Old Testament book of Job. You’ve heard it referred to many times as an example of how to behave while suffering. We talk about something requiring the patience of Job.
Dr. Spillman presents a different perspective on what this book is really all about. You, no doubt know that Satan has asked God for permission to test Job to show that even a righteous man will turn on God if circumstances become too bad to bear.
Spillman believes that God’s real purpose in allowing Job to undergo so many trials is to help Job gain a sense of awe in God’s presence. He defines awe like this:
Although you know it when you feel it, awe is beyond words. It is the feeling you get on a cool crisp evening when you sit quietly and watch the sun paint the sky as it sets. It is the feeling you get when you stand outside at night and gaze u p at the stars. It is the feeling you get when you first fall in love, when your first child is born, when you first come to Christ. It is that se4nse of wonder that occurs when you face beauty and majesty beyond your comprehension. Coming from the depth of your soul, it is y our response to the unexplainable. It is a curious mixture of conflicting emotions: You feel insignificant yet part of something great, fearful yet joyful, unsettled yet at peace. [Page 25]
This ten chapter book is guaranteed to change your entire interpretation of the book of Job. Read this book then read Job. Do you see what Dr. Spillman sees? Would you respond the same way that Job did—with total worship of God?
Recommendation
This book isn’t for a new Christian. It is for the person who has experienced the Christian life for some time. You need to have both good and bad life experiences behind you as a Christian to fully appreciate this book and the book of Job.
May I suggest it as a gift for a Sunday School leader, Pastor, that senior saint, or that young person who has known Christ for a few years and has to contend with the sudden death of a school mate? This book will help them remember to worship God and stand in awe of His majesty and power.
August 05 2008 | Bible Study | No Comments »
Michael Landon Jr. and Tracie Peterson. One More Sunrise.. Bethany House. 2008.
Readers my age will remember the TV show, “Little House on the Prairie.” The author of One More Sunrise., Michael Landon Jr. is the son of one of the stars of that television series. Tracie Peterson is a well know writer. The authors’ names alone attracted me to this novel. Then, much to my surprise, I found it hard to put down although I usually have difficulty focusing on fictional stories in the summer when I prefer to be outside enjoying God’s creation.
One More Sunrise. is the story of a Joe Daley, as he struggles to survive the Great Depression as a crop duster. Joe is in a marriage to Meg that is barely surviving. There are two main themes running through the story. First, Joe is attempting to make the life changes that will let his marriage survive. Second, Joe is trying to protect the farms in his county from being sucked up by the large corporate farms that are buying out farmers made vulnerable by the dust bowl that leads to the Great Depression.
One day, while crop dusting, Joe’s plane goes into a spiral. The remainder of the story details the changes Joe makes as a result of that experience. One of the fascinating aspects of the story is the appearance of a white feather, believed to show that Joe’s plane hit a large bird. Joe learns that feather might belong to a man that pops into his life claiming to be an angel. This man pops up here and there and gives Joe advice, both wanted and unwanted. He also slowly points Joe to a loving God.
I learned a bit of our history during the dust bowl and depression days. It appears that the growth of our “corporate farms” or “mega farms” may have begun during this period in our history. The representatives of these farms went to farming communities and offered to buy out farmers. At first, their offers seemed attractive and a solution to the farmers’ ongoing struggles. However, some were skeptical and willing to do a little research to see if all that was promised really happened.
Recommendation
Do you enjoy United States history? If so, One More Sunrise. will definitely keep your attention as you wait to see what happen to Joe and Meg. This is a book that made me give up a lovely summer afternoon just so I could find out how the book ended.
One More Sunrise. has romance, intrigue, and unexpected life changes in the main characters. It is also a very plausible story of life during that period in our history. While the ending makes this story a romance novel, the process of getting to that point makes it a historical novel. Therefore, it should appeal to a wide audience.
August 05 2008 | Historical Fiction | No Comments »
Lynn Austin. A Woman’s Place. Bethany House. 2006.
A Woman’s Place is set in the early 1940s, during World War II. This book details life for four women in a small town in Michigan who take jobs in a local factory. One is Italian, another is from a farm, one is a single school teacher, and the other woman is simply a bored housewife.
You’ll learn about the lives of these women, both at work and at home. They seem quite typical of the thinking that predominated at that time in our history. Their bosses’ behavior was, unfortunately, typical of men at the time.
As you read this lively book, remember these women earned the right of all women to work. Although we may debate the issue, these women only reluctantly returned to being just housewives after the war. Their role was definitely pivotal in producing a generation of women who would not accept the status quo in the workplace. They are still fighting the famous “glass ceiling” so our daughters can proudly take their place as CEO’s or other upper positions in many businesses today.
Recommendation
Is your daughter complaining about her job or her position at work? Why not hand her this book so she will understand that things she takes for granted today were earned by her mother and grandmother. It will help her understand that if she takes advantage of educational opportunities, she can go further than women even dared dreamed about just a generation ago.
June 06 2008 | Historical Fiction | No Comments »
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