Review: A Million Miles in a Thousand Years

Donald Miller‘s Searching For God Knows What was one of the first books I read when I first started my journey of spiritual discovery several years ago. Since then I’ve bought, read, loved, recommended and loaned out every one of his books. So when his newest book finally started to take shape, you can imagine how I’d be scrambling to get my hands on one.

A Million Miles in a Thousand Years fits nicely with his other works. It’s another collection of thoughts and stories by Miller as he continues his own journey of spiritual discovery. In this book he takes you through some lessons he learned as he worked with a couple producers in developing a screenplay for his book Blue Like Jazz.

Along the road he learns some valuable lessons on story and how it relates to all of our lives. Just being able to appreciate Millers points of view and style of writing are enough for me to like this book, but this one more than the rest actually has me contemplating my own story, or stories, on an almost daily basis. And for that, it has been an invaluable read.

» Read The First 30 Pages Here

» Listen to Donald Miller Speak On His Million Miles Tour

Filed under: Books, Donald Miller, Reviews

P.S. Please Pray

Do you ever wonder if one of God’s decisions hinges on whether or not you (personally) pray about it?

IF SO… isn’t that scary?

IF NOT… why pray?

P.S. Please pray for my brother-in-law, and friend, Eric. He’s “under the knife” as we speak.

Filed under: Prayer

NT Notes: Luke 1-24

** Notes taken during my goal of reading the New Testament in September. I’m reading from The Message version.

• I don’t think I’ve ever read the first 25 verses of Luke 1 in my life.

• I am however finally seeing a lot of the stories I heard growing up that I didn’t see in Matthew or Mark.

• “Why are you so polite with me, always saying ‘Yes, sir,’ and ‘That’s right, sir,’ but never doing a thing I tell you? These words I speak to you are not mere additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundation words, words to build a life on.” (6:46-47)

• I’m still confused why Jesus kept telling people not to say a word about his miracles.

• One of my favorite lines: “One of the religion scholars spoke up: “Teacher, do you realize that in saying these things you’re insulting us?” (11:45)

• It’s really hard to read these gospels and wonder where Christians are coming from when they claim that we should “teach a man to fish so he’ll never go hungry” vs. just “giving a man a fish” when he’s hungry. Jesus seemed pretty fine with give-to-others-at-the-expense-of-yourself system of giving. Encouraged it actually.

• “A lot of you are going to assume that you’ll sit down to God’s salvation banquet just because you’ve been hanging around the neighborhood all your lives.” (13:24-25)

• Another much repeated, confusing line… “Pregnant and nursing mothers will have it especially hard.” (21:23) I wonder what that means.

• Luke is the first to mention the healing of the ear. Wonder why the others didn’t mention it. (22:51)

Filed under: Bible, New Testament

Review: Fearless

Up until this past Christmas I’d been sporting the same wallet since 1992. There wasn’t much to this withered piece of leather, but I had a hard time parting with it because it resonated with me so much. It was your run of the mill wallet but embossed on the front were the words NO FEAR.

The concept of NO FEAR has been a banner of mine since I can remember. It’s one I can preach on till the cows come home. Living it, however, is a much different story.

That’s why I can’t get enough people reminding me that I shouldn’t live in fear, especially those that remind me that Jesus was pretty clear on that issue as well.

Enter Fearless by Max Lucado.

When I started reading Fearless I thought it was going to be Barbarian Way light. I was happily mistaken. Although both remind us that following Christ is dangerous, they take different paths from there.

Reading a new book by Max Lucado always feels like you just picked up from where you left off before. He connects with his readers like no other author I can remember. Fearless was no different. It’s one of those books that you can go back and read every day for inspiration. Max examines all angles of fear, and then reminds us each time why it’s foolish to give into it.

“The fear-filled cannot love deeply. Love is risky. They cannot give to the poor. Benevolence has no guarantee of return. The fear-filled cannot dream wildly. What if their dreams sputter and fall from the sky? The worship of safety emasculates greatness.”

“Feed your fears, and your faith will starve. Feed your faith, and your fears will.”

When I’m done reading a book I usually think of someone that would benefit from it and then let them borrow it. Fearless is one of those rare books that I want to buy cases of and give them to everyone I know.

TheFearlessTimes.com

Filed under: Books, Fear, Reviews

NT Notes: Mark 1-16

** Notes taken during my goal of reading the New Testament in September. I’m reading from The Message version.

• There were a lot more demonic people back then. That or we just don’t attribute certain aspects of people to demonic inhabitance anymore.

• Demons respected Jesus’ powers more than we do.

• I love how Mark (or Jesus rather) is pushing the importance of story, considering I’m reading a great book on the subject right now.

• Interesting that Jesus told this Legion guy to tell his story since he’s been telling everyone else to keep it a secret. (5:18)

• A favorite line: “I believe, Help me with my doubts!” (9:24)

• The Apostles argued a lot. Good to know that it isn’t just today’s ministry leaders that go through that… and they were direct disciples of Jesus!

• Seriously, this fig tree story disturbs me. (11:12)

• I’d love to hear / read / watch the story behind the guy who’s house was used for the Last Supper (like the movie Rosencranz & Gildensteen are Dead, based on Hamlet). I’m sure it includes angel interaction. (14:13-15)

• This account seems awfully out of place and irrelevant. (14:51-52)

Filed under: Bible, New Testament

NT Notes: Matthew 1-28

** Notes taken during my goal of reading the New Testament in September. I’m reading from The Message version.

• Why is the lineage of Jesus so important considering that Mary was a virgin? There’s no blood lineage.

• Jesus means God Saves? (Message)

• Reminder: Satan knows scripture better than we do.

• I always trip up on 1:17, “I did not come to demolish the Law.”

• I thought this verse was interpreted interestingly by The Message:

(NIV) – 7:6 “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.”

(MESSAGE) – 7:6 “Don’t be flip with the sacred. Banter and silliness give no honor to God. Don’t reduce holy mysteries to slogans. In trying to be relevant, you’re only being cute and inviting sacrilege.”

• Interesting that people were more upset about the pigs than happy for the 2 men (8:32)

• “Don’t begin by traveling to some far-off place to convert unbelievers. And don’t try to be dramatic by tackling some public enemy. Go to the lost, confused people right here in the neighborhood. Tell them that the kingdom is here. Bring health to the sick. Raise the dead. Touch the untouchables. Kick out the demons. You have been treated generously, so live generously.” (10:6)

• My biggest sin: “If you prefer son or daughter over me, you don’t deserve me.” (10:37)

• Confusing that John would inquire if Jesus was The One considering he gave him such lofty praise earlier. (11:2-3)

• 12:6-8 helps make 1:17 more bearable.

• 14:22-33 is my favorite story.

• 15:26 is not my favorite Jesus quote.

• Jesus gets exasperated a LOT

• So that Withered Fig Tree story is a little disturbing. (21:18-21)

• After reading the story of the cross I went to Netflix to see if I had rated Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ yet (I had, 5/5). Then I read Roger Ebert’s review of the movie. It’s really good.

• I ran across the following cartoon on a blog this morning. Pretty good summary of what I read in Matthew.

Filed under: Bible, New Testament

August Debrief

August was a blur.

It began with uncertainty at work, which has only gotten more interesting as the days go by. The next couple weeks should be telling, but I no longer come in to work knowing what’s going to happen from one day to the next.

I was able to accomplish some goals for the month — watch 31 movies and read 2 books. I actually finished strong with 34 movies, one in which I watched twice. I also got a third way through another book. The only reason this was even a goal of mine was because a couple months this year I watched over 20 movies and wondered how intrusive it would be to average a movie per day one month. It really wasn’t that bad. Here’s a tip, you don’t really have to sleep 8+ hours, ever.

I played in my first ever city league softball game last week. While I’m pumped to be finally playing softball past August for the first time since college, it’s truly annoying to be playing against people who define their lives by softball games.

And of course August is the month for my yearly Fantasy Football Draft Party and Mancation. Every year my boy Brandon fly’s in from Dallas to spend a long weekend in Michigan while Tonia and Tanner head for the hills and hope the house isn’t destroyed when they return. I look forward to these all year long, and this year did not disappoint.

So September begins the same as August, with uncertainty at work as well as a personal goal. The goal for September is to read the entire New Testament. I have an outlined plan, but I intend to do it a little quicker than that. I also might be doing some daily recaps.

Oh yeah, I also turned a year older this month.

Books Read in August:
40 Days and 40 Nights by Matthew Chapman
Fearless by Max Lucado

Movies Watched in August:
Coach Carter – 4/5
Earth Girls Are Easy – 1/5
The Talented Mr. Ripley – 5/5
My Big Fat Greek Wedding – 4/5
License To Wed – 3/5
The Ninth Gate – 3/5
The Soloist – 4/5
Dazed & Confused – 3/5
The Nines – 4/5
Blade Runner – 2/5
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang – 4/5
The Great Buck Howard – 4/5
1408 – 3/5
Taking Lives – 4/5
District 9 – 5/5
Do The Right Thing – 4/5
G-Force – 2/5
V For Vendetta – 3/5
Alive – 3/5
Boy Interupted – 3/5
He Got Game – 4/5
Funny Money – 2/5
Stardust – 4/5
Footloose – 3/5
Requiem For A Dream – 4/5
Inglourious Basterds (x2) – 5/5
Toy Soldiers – 3/5
Space Cowboys – 3/5
Driven – 3/5
Music Within – 5/5
Duplicity – 3/5
Taxi Driver – 4/5
Bringing Out The Dead – 4/5
Glengarry Glen Ross – 4/5

Previous Months:
January 2009
February 2009
March 2009
April 2009
May 2009
June 2009
July 2009

Filed under: 2009, August, Books, Movies