What I’m Reading…

I love to read, I love gathering new info and being able to think through ideas.  So I am usually carrying around 3 or 4 different books, here’s what’s feeding my mind at the moment…

This book came highly recommended by my friend Ryan Guard and I’ve been meaning to dig into it for a while now.  I’m glad I picked it up because it causes me to read the book of Colossians through a new set of lenses.  I’ve always really liked the message of Colossians and the history of the city and how the letter applied, but the background that this book is written with is giving me a new perspective and causing new info and ideas to standout, and making old ideas take on deeper or completely different meanings.  The author’s compare Colossians culture under the Roman Empire with today’s western culture of of  consumerism, global capitalism, militaristic control and economic strife.  Not that I agree with all the hermenutical evidence laid out so far (they seem to stretch the text in a few points), but it has ignited some great thoughts and info.  It’s well written and causes some great thinking… It just goes to show that I should listen to Ryan more often.

I just finished the first few chapters of this book, and It has already impacted me in huge ways, as all of Rob’s stuff seems to do.  I haven’t dissected it too much yet, just kind of quickly skimming through it before I go back and journal and hi-lite through it.  Although I’m not far along, it seems as though this book will be speaking towards today’s culture and world, handling everything from war, poverty, community, oppression, etc… Very much along the lines of Jesus for President or the above Colossians Remixed.  But Bell has a unique way of presenting things, often times backed by lots of information, history, and story, all being woven together to almost paint a picture.  I for one enjoy the way he is able to do that and it has a great impact on me.  Looking forward to diving into it a little more.

The Rabbi’s Heartbeat by Brennan Manning is adapted from his classic (and one of my favorites) “Abba’s Child”.  This is a shortened devotional type book, but has set off my mornings for to an incredible start for the last couple weeks.  The days that I’ve chosen to read it, along with scripture, and going for a quite walk, have been incredibly different.  My mind functions in the fact that nothing else matters above the fact of knowing my Father’s love for me.  The point of both of these books is to help people to live as people loved by God.  The best senctance to describe the goal of this devotional is, “Define yourself radically as one beloved by God. This is the true self. Every other identity is an illusion.”  If you are looking for something to start your day with, I would highly recommend The Rabbi’s Heartbeat.

So what are you reading?  What is causing you to think or imagine?  What nuggets do you have to share?  Leave a comment and let me know!