Thankful for "nothing"

Yesterday I had my annual cardiologist appointment at the Peter Lougheed Hospital in Calgary. After a six-minute walk test as part of tracking a medication's effectiveness, an echocardiogram (ECG), and an electrocardiogram (EEG), I visited with my cardiologist, his assistant, and a new doctor working with him. As they asked the standard questions (eg. swelling, chest pain, dizziness, etc.) and if there was anything new in the last year, I gave "no" answers. It was all very boring. Why I haven't even had a nosebleed in the past year! As the doctor summarized the appointment, "well, we're glad you came in so that we could find out that you and Sarah are expecting child #3 in January. Be sure to send us some pictures when baby arrives."

I realize I don't stop often enough to thank the Lord for this complete lack of news. When "nothing" is happening (medically) and life is going by in an orderly fashion, I need to make sure I stop and praise Him for His gracious hand upon my life in so many ways. His amazing kindness extended to me, not only far beyond what I deserve, but far beyond what medically seems comprehensible. So, thanks for nothing, Lord!

Stuck (DVD Series) Review

The "Stuck" series of DVDs is designed for a women's ministry group or Bible study. As I man, I am clearly not involved in such groups, and thus I passed this series on to the co-ordinator of women's ministries in the Prairie Tabernacle Congregation (my home church) and she in turn shared it with her leaders. So far I have heard that "the premise I got was positive and there seemed to be good biblical content." Sorry I don't have more to share at this time.

Samplers of the Book and DVD have been provided courtesy of Thomas Nelson and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. DVD-Based Study available October 2011 at your favourite bookseller from Thomas Nelson.

Review: Close Enough to Hear God Breathe by Greg Paul

I knew this was going to be a challenging book when I was crying as I read the prologue the day before Thanksgiving. Greg Paul's writing is itself an artistic masterpiece and his ability to draw the reader into the description is amazing. (Admittedly, the fact his daughter's name, Rachel, is also my daughter's name, helped draw this reader in. Later, in chapter 1 I discovered he also has a son named Caleb.) The author masterfully weaves personal stories illustrating the idea being presented in each chapter.

After an introductory section ("The Heart of the Matter"), Paul goes through the four acts of the Great Story – Creation, the Fall, Redemption, and Consummation – offering words God is trying to communicate to individuals in each part of the Story. Without being presumptuous, Paul compellingly shares the stories in a way that is full of theology and thoroughly consistent with evangelical doctrine. Each chapter begins with a Scripture passage, addressed to “my child,” “my beloved,” and ” my pleasure,” in each section (hence 15 chapters plus prologue and epilogue). Likewise, each chapter concludes with a suggested phrase that God whispers to individuals.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough, whether to a young person looking to understand their place in the Great Story and how to hear God better, or to a long-time Christian looking for a fresh and moving challenge to the way they’ve always thought about the Gospel message. Without diminishing His sovereignty and awesomeness, the book presents an intimately personal God in a way unlike any other book.

Book has been provided courtesy of Thomas Nelson and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Thomas Nelson.