Captivating

There are many books that have been written regarding the nature of males and females both from within and outside the church. Many seek to explain the different roles of men and women, maybe the differences of how we each handle various aspects of our lives, and so forth. In spite of others attempts John and Stasi Eldredge have created a book which goes deeper(in my opinion).

Instead of pointing out differences or trying to delegate specific gender roles, John and Stasi work together to help the reader come to a better understanding of the desires women find within thier hearts in the deepest spiritual sense. Through the use of scripture, testimonies, and life experience the authors help the reader search thier hearts for thier own deepest desires which the Lord has placed there. They search the questions in our hearts. Those questions we have asked all our lives. Am I beautiful? Am I worth it? Am I lovable?

With each chapter the reader will find themselves searching thier own life, past hurts and pains, struggles, and questions and begin to understand why so many of us never believe how amazing we truely are. I began to understand more about who God created me as a woman, an image bearer of the character of the Lord in this world. You also come to a stronger realization that nothing, not a relationship, material possession, or compliment can fully answer your question or fill the void. Only that love found in a relationship with Christ Jesus makes us whole and heals us from the past. This is an amazing book and I think would be a good read for anyone who wants to better understand thier heart.

John Eldredge has also written a book that coincides with "Captivating" for men titled, "Wild at Heart", which challanges men to also look at the deepest desires of thier own hearts and to allow God to make them fully alive.

If you want to look into buying click on "Captivating" or "Wild at Heart". Both can be bought used.

John and Stasi reside in Colorado Springs, CO and work with Ransomed Heart Ministries.

Rachel

Under the Overpass

I was prompted today to share this book with you all after an experience I had this morning. Pretty much every day I pass a homeless camp on my way to work. This morning there were paramedics taking someone in a blue bag to the vehicle. I was awestruck as I saw many of the people staying at this camp looking on as they put this stranger (to me) away never to be seen again.

I thought to myself, who was this person, what was thier name, where are they from, do they have family that will miss them, who were they?

I then remembered this book I read several years ago, "Under The Overpass."

I was searching for a book that would inspire me, something where I could read about people living out thier faith in the rawest and truest ways. I grabbed "Under the Overpass" off the shelf and began to read the back cover. Hmmm...a story of two Christian upper class guys who decide to live on the streets, homeless, penniless for 6 months to truely see what it meant to lose everything.

This was what I was looking for. When I got home I could not put it down. They shared many stories of thier time in the cities in the US with the higher homeless populations: Phoenix, Portland, San Francisco, Denver, and DC. They shared thier spiritual experiences, thier struggles, the discrimination, the hardships, the suffering, and the joy they encountered on thier 6 month journey. One might find it interesting how they were treated by many Christians along the way.

Now several years later I am still being impacted by this books message. It has helped shape how I look at society, the marginalized, and the homeless. I see things a lot differently now. I act differently now. I myself have contemplated many times if I would have had the courage to do what they accomplished. Could I even spend a weekend on the streets living homeless?

Those who live on the streets have names, lives, histories, stories, family, and friends just like the person I saw this morning. They, like us, love, struggle, have faith in God, and encounter the same experiences others do it is just in different ways. It is so easy to forget those lost to society. They are adults, children, and teenagers. All of which are in need of care, love, attention, and to know that they are of worth. If you can, read the book, step out, listen to the stories of the homeless, spend time with them, learn thier names, and share with them when they are in need.

You can buy "Under the Overpass" it at amazon.com used (buying used saves on waste) and the 30 Day Devotional, "My 30 Days Under the Overpass".

Rachel