Links & Quotes

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Some good reading & watching from today…

The thing is, everything worth doing is done to excess, poorly, immorally, inefficiently, by someone. But that doesn’t change the fact that the very same thing done right is worth doing.” Read more from Seth Godin’s post Babies And Bathwater.

“The sign of faint-heartedness in individuals is in the language talk of ‘someone else’ when there is anything to be done. … Spiritual fatigue comes from the unconscious frittering away of God’s time. When you feel weary or are exhausted…get back to God.” —Oswald Chambers

Tim Elmore shares 7 Ways Great Leaders Climb “Out Of The Box”

John Maxwell talks about the importance of a leader caring for others…

How Do You Kill 11 Million People? (book review)

How Do You KillAndy Andrews is an amazing storyteller. So when I saw a book from him with the intriguing title How Do You Kill 11 Million People? I just knew it was going to be hard-hitting.

And, boy was it! 

Andy says, “The past is what is real and true, while history is merely what someone recorded.” So he goes back to the eyewitness accounts of one of the saddest chapters in our recent past to to get the factual historical record on how Adolf Hitler and the Nazis were able to kill 11 million people.

After exploring the historical context, Andy doesn’t stop there. He then brings it home to where we live in the United States of America. Do you think the kinds of atrocities that Hitler and the Nazis got away with can’t be repeated? Do you think that something like that wanton destruction couldn’t happen in civilized, sophisticated, educated America? Then you are in for quite a shock. 

You can read How Do You Kill 11 Million People in less than an hour, but the haunting images and nagging images that Andy Andrews presents will stick with you for a long, long time. And that, I believe, is a very good thing.

This book is appropriate for all ages, but I think a very effective study would be for parents and children to read this book together.

Setting The Example For Us

FundraiserWhen Paul was writing to his young protege Timothy he said, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12). I was so proud of a couple of young people who did this for us at Calvary Assembly of God yesterday!

Savannah has been raising money for childhood cancer research. She shared with us how this is the least-funded form of cancer research, and that every three minutes a child is diagnosed with cancer. “That is unacceptable,” Savannah said. So in an amazing example-setting move for all of us, Savannah and two of her coworkers worked to bring in over $3000 in donations for childhood cancer research, and they shaved their heads as a sign of solidarity with the children undergoing cancer treatments. By the way, you can still donate to this noble cause by clicking here.

Then Josh brought us a challenging message entitled Are You Growing? Taking his text from 1 Corinthians 3:6, Josh reminded us that God makes things grow, but we can put ourselves in a place for Him to do that. Just as with a plant, our spiritual growth requires:

  • Sunshine—basking in God’s presence.
  • Water—soaking up God’s Word.
  • Nutrients—surrounding ourselves with the people and things that encourage growth.
  • Time—the dedication and investment in God’s process.

I am so proud of Josh and Savannah for setting an example for us to follow!