NaNoWriMo

So, I may have bitten off more than I could chew. An email from an enthusiastic classmate from creative writing told me about this thing called NaNoWriMo. National Novel Writing Month. Its basic premise is to encourage writers to be more productive. If you sign up at nanowrimo.org, they provide encouragement and links to other local writers who are participating. The goal is 50,000 words in 30 days. That's about 1,667 words per day. A tall task.

With all the other stuff we've got going on this month, including my creative writing class, it would seem that finding time to write that many words per day (let alone that many in a month) would be impossible. I happen to think that while it will be difficult, it won't be impossible. I'm going to set up a schedule for a certain time that I'll be writing. No matter what else is going on, at that time of each day, I'm going to write.

The great thing is that what I write doesn't have to be perfect. It doesn't even have to be good (at least not beyond or even equal to first draft good). I just have to write. I hope it helps me get past the whole perfectionism thing in my writing (for the first draft anyway). That's one of the things we've talked about in class: the first draft doesn't have to be perfect. You just have to write it. Perfection comes later. Many drafts later.

So, tomorrow, I start NaNoWriMo. I've added a widget to the sidebar of my blog to keep up with how many words I've written per day. Wish me luck!

The Grace of God by Andy Stanley

This book is absolutely fantastic. As the world moves toward a legalistic view in all aspects, we have forgotten about the undeserved gift of grace. As we continue toward a "What do I have to do to get the recognition/award/payoff?" culture, we forget that there are more important things than worldly things. We forget that grace is a gift and that we can never deserve it.

Andy Stanley begins at the beginning, tracing the story of grace from its root at the original sin all the way through to the ultimate gift of grace, the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus as a payment for our sins. During this explanation, he shows how the church should be an extension of God's grace to ALL people. Our job as Christians is to show people how God's grace has changed us, how it can change them. Stanley reminds us of this task as part of sharing God's message and the love of Jesus with people.

Well-written and easy to read, I highly recommend this book to anyone tired of the legalistic view of religion that seems to be slowly infiltrating non-believers' ideas about Christianity. It's a great reminder of what we truly believe about the changing power of God's grace in our lives.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Gospel According to Jesus by Chris Seay

I have honestly been dreading reviewing this book. Then I had to remember that my "job" here is not to give positive reviews just to give a review. My "job" is to review this book the way I read it.

I was completely excited when I saw that a book like this was available for review. How wonderful that someone finally sat down and wrote what I've been thinking: Christians have forgotten how to be Christians. We worry too much about the rules and how to follow them, while forgetting how to reach out to others with the same love and grace that Jesus extends to us. I couldn't wait to read what I was sure would be brilliant insight and explanation for something I'd been feeling in my heart for so long.

While I'm sure that's what the author intends, I couldn't get past the second chapter. I'm hoping that later I'll be able to pick the book back up and read it with fresh eyes and a fresh mind. Maybe I'm just not a fan of his writing style, and I hate that, because I just knew this book was going to blow the cover off of the idea of the legalistic Christian. While attempting to make the information more relatable by giving "discussions" between his friends at the end of each chapter, the author instead made me feel isolated and insignificant. I can't understand something great your friend has to say unless you tell it to me in interview format?

Again, great concept behind this book. I'm really hoping I'll pick it up later and get past my the nit-picks I'm finding I have with the writing style. Great message. Great idea. Please pick it up if at all interested in the subject.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Which None Can Shut by Reema Goode

I couldn't put this book down. Okay, I could, but it was entirely difficult. It took the threat of not getting my homework done to stop reading every day. It's a super-easy read, but incredibly riveting. Reema Goode tells the story of her family living in the Arab Peninsula. As Christian Missionaries, they have entered the lives of the people in their town, not just to share the gospel, but to get to know them as individuals. The stories she shares are filled with laughter, suspense, tears and a heartfelt love for the people of the area.

Incredibly well-written, but not overly flourished, I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about reaching out to non-believers. Goode includes resources at the end of the book for anyone interested in sharing the Word. Her encouraging tone throughout the book asks readers to do what they can for the people of the Arab Peninsula: pray, give to missionaries in the region, or become a missionary yourself. Great read, great tone, great book!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Tyndale.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”