Sophal Ung's story is God's story. He is obedient when God speaks and then God does miracles through him. There are hard, horrible parts in between buSophal Ung's story is God's story. He is obedient when God speaks and then God does miracles through him. There are hard, horrible parts in between but what God has done in Cambodia is absolutely amazing. A stunning read....more
Tina's story JUST NEVER STOPS. You think for a minute she'll get a reprieve, but then something else comes along to add more STUFF to her life.
I've cTina's story JUST NEVER STOPS. You think for a minute she'll get a reprieve, but then something else comes along to add more STUFF to her life.
I've come to know Tina in real life the past few months. The first day I met her, she gave me her book and I've been slowly reading it as I have slowly been getting to know her. And what I've found in her book and in real life is two things: 1) her deep desire for MORE of Jesus 2) her deep desire for others to know MORE of Jesus.
The vulnerable story she tells isn't to show how awesome it is that she's come through these trials. The story is to show how awesome Jesus is to lead her through. The prayers at the end of each chapter are profound and if you read them slowly, closely and with heart, they will change you.
Tina is a firecracker, but she's also soft and gentle and open. So thankful I've met her and for what God has done and is doing in her life....more
Ohmygoodness, I love Fred and Ruth! They wrote this book in 2020 while they were 98 years old. Ruth passed away in 2022 and Fred just last year at 100Ohmygoodness, I love Fred and Ruth! They wrote this book in 2020 while they were 98 years old. Ruth passed away in 2022 and Fred just last year at 100 and 102 years old! AND they were still hosting young people in their home for Bible studies at that age! Wow.
So, all the other memoirs I’ve read in the past few years—Keith Green, Lonnie Frisbee, John Wimber—-all of them are connected to Fred and Ruth. So cool. It was like reading all the books again—just from another perspective!
Fred and Ruth were just normal everyday people who encountered Jesus and Holy Spirit and then just walked into the next thing God opened to them. Truly amazing. Their humility and love for people was absolutely God given.
Crucial important read. This book is Nanci’s hard, sometimes horrific, yet relatable life story but coupled with teaching and healing that will absoluCrucial important read. This book is Nanci’s hard, sometimes horrific, yet relatable life story but coupled with teaching and healing that will absolutely impact you as you read. The included prayers will cut through pain and unforgiveness, trauma and neglect.
Truly, if you feel like there is just *something* in you that’s not quite right, or a memory that just won’t stop, this could be your first stop in healing—true healing from a Father who loves you.
I’ve sat under Nanci’s teaching, prayers and workshops. Her healing will be your own. This book is worth reading and meditating on and putting into practice.
I think I’ve bought and given away 4 copies. ...more
I've been reading a lot of modern Christian memoirs/bios these past few years so when I saw this one about John Wimber on Kindle Unlimited, I picked iI've been reading a lot of modern Christian memoirs/bios these past few years so when I saw this one about John Wimber on Kindle Unlimited, I picked it up. I have to admit I didn't read every bit of it. I skimmed a lot of it--it was written as a dissertation for the author's PhD so some it is just super detailed. The bibliography and notes section is a crazy!
I really didn't know much about John Wimber or the Vineyard (we don't have a lot of Vineyard churches around here). He was a remarkable man who was humble but willing to just listen to Holy Spirit and then act on what he heard.
Some of it was sad--he worked too much, was very sick at the end of his (too short, imo) life and was embroiled in some actual controversies. Honestly, some of it felt like reading a twitter stream during an election--he said this, this person wrote this in response, then he said this and then blah blah blah. Why do churches feel the need to fact check each other so much?!
Regardless of all that, Wimber and the Vineyard movement made real changes in the western church. And countless lives changed by the power of the Holy Spirit through their ministry. Wimber's theology and the ministry which flowed from it was laid-back and came out of a trusting relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
I love that John Wimber he was just "change in God's pocket and it was up to God how he spent his life." ...more
Like with Lonnie Frisbee's book, I'm reading it going, "what is going on?!" Keith Green was not as strange as Lonnie but still, very impetFascinating.
Like with Lonnie Frisbee's book, I'm reading it going, "what is going on?!" Keith Green was not as strange as Lonnie but still, very impetuous and even wild.
After reading John Dawson's retrospective at the end, I got Keith a bit--he wasn't a father of the faith, he was a "sincere and honest baby believer". He was a believer for less than ten years before he was killed in a crash with his two children. And SO passionate about the holiness of God. His lyrics (and journal entries in the book) are gripping and convicting and beautiful and honestly, frenetic.
Also, I'm so intrigued by this whole time period and what God was doing in the US and beyond--Lonnie Frisbee, Greg Laurie, Loren Cunningham and Keith Green were all in the same circles. It's so interesting to hear and see what God did (and is still doing) with their obedience....more
I first heard Mary Ann on the There is More podcast and was so impressed with her story and healing journey. I started reading the book yesterday afteI first heard Mary Ann on the There is More podcast and was so impressed with her story and healing journey. I started reading the book yesterday after attending one of Mary Ann's "Journaling with Jesus" classes and WOW.
Some of the story is hard to read, but when you see the depth of her healing and the SIMPLE and gentle way Jesus has led her that healing---well, you will want your own healing AND you will have the tools to talk to and listen to Jesus and His words.
If you've got secrets, trauma, abuse or just hurts in your life, you need to read this. Look into Mary Ann's ministry, and experience the same healing she's experienced....more
Whew. This book was a lot. Her story is totally fascinating—her family, her education, the boat, the ocean, the Wave, all of it. But b/c of her parentWhew. This book was a lot. Her story is totally fascinating—her family, her education, the boat, the ocean, the Wave, all of it. But b/c of her parents’ neglect of her there is this deep sadness throughout the story—I would not want to watch this as a movie!
However, totally worth reading if you like memoirs of people with very interesting and different lives. ...more
I picked this up after hearing about Jonathan Isaac’s new shoe/sports brand. The story of him standing at the game was really only about a chapter or I picked this up after hearing about Jonathan Isaac’s new shoe/sports brand. The story of him standing at the game was really only about a chapter or two of the whole book. The real story was about him going from an anxious and self-consumed unbeliever to a determined and servant-hearted Christian man. I can see a young basketball fan enjoying this. ...more
I've known Bruce Deel for a long time. I have been around City of Refuge in Atlanta since it begin. But, that's it. I've been AROUND it. I knew the miI've known Bruce Deel for a long time. I have been around City of Refuge in Atlanta since it begin. But, that's it. I've been AROUND it. I knew the ministry they did for homeless and other needy people in the city. But I didn't KNOW what they REALLY did.
Bruce's story shows what God is doing through and with them. How they give not just hand-outs, or even hands-up, but give dignity and LIFE.
Now, decades into the work there, they have literally gone gang-busters into saving, restoring and stopping sex-trafficking. And WOW.
This is a MUST read. Then, you need to find the folks in YOUR city doing this same kind of work and get involved. It's front-lines. ...more
If you look through my memoir shelf you'll see all the books John and Elizabeth Sherrill either wrote or helped publish. I love reading stories of whaIf you look through my memoir shelf you'll see all the books John and Elizabeth Sherrill either wrote or helped publish. I love reading stories of what God does through regular people who are willing to listen and obey. Lo and behold, Loren Cunningham's book was also helped along by John Sherrill who wrote the forward. So, I knew I was going to love this book from the first page!
I have known of YWAM for years but didn't really know Loren Cunnigham's name or story. Again, it's a simple story of him hearing the voice of the Lord in many different ways and then obeying (or as is typical for all of us, not obeying right away and then learning how to do so!). Along the way are miracles after miracles.
I also liked that this book is also teaching the reader how to hear the voice of the Lord. The final pages pull in all Loren's lessons from his life and puts them in list format for you to read and study and use for yourself.
Loved every part of this story. So thankful for Loren's life....more
I have read several of Corrie ten Boom's books and she remains one of my heroes. I picked this book up at the thrift store unaware of the last fWhew.
I have read several of Corrie ten Boom's books and she remains one of my heroes. I picked this book up at the thrift store unaware of the last five silent years of her life.
This book is heart-breaking. And heart-warming.
God is near at all times. That's all I know. I don't understand suffering. I don't understand "fairness". But I do know God is near. And always good. Corrie and her caretaker/friend Pamela Roswell Moore are both examples of this.
Carole Ward prays, "Send me where no one wants to go." and God sends her.
And He goes with her.
We're talking about dead men raised to life, witch dWow.
Carole Ward prays, "Send me where no one wants to go." and God sends her.
And He goes with her.
We're talking about dead men raised to life, witch doctors leaving their former life, orphans and child soldiers healed and restored by love and the enemy crushed beneath the church's feet as they faithfully share the love and power of God.
I read several portions of this book to my family. So amazing. God is amazing....more
Whew. I don't even know what to say. Jesus appearing to Muslims to deliver food, Jesus appearing in dreams to unbelieving Muslim women, Muslim men goiWhew. I don't even know what to say. Jesus appearing to Muslims to deliver food, Jesus appearing in dreams to unbelieving Muslim women, Muslim men going from daily beating their wives to loving them and caring for them---all this and more is what Jesus is doing for Muslim women TODAY.
These women are inspiring. And Jesus is amazing. This is a must read. ...more
The Jesus Revolution movie is based on this story of Greg's life. It is written in the 3rd person (Greg did this... Greg thought this...) and you can The Jesus Revolution movie is based on this story of Greg's life. It is written in the 3rd person (Greg did this... Greg thought this...) and you can definitely hear some of Greg's humor in it but it is a little more newspaper-ish to read than a typical memoir.
However, it's a beautiful, exciting story. I like how they put a news and cultural moments into the book so you can almost see the natural and supernatural timelines at the same time.
I think the byline sums it up perfectly: how God transformed an unlikely generation and how He can do it again today! Yes, Lord! Also, this quote was my fave: "If you can explain what’s going on, God didn’t do it." Again, yes, Lord!
Lonnie Frisbee is one of the most fascinating and interesting people I have ever read about. He becomes a Christian after a crazy encounter in the wooLonnie Frisbee is one of the most fascinating and interesting people I have ever read about. He becomes a Christian after a crazy encounter in the woods with God (where I think he was naked!), he becomes the lynchpin in the Jesus movement which sparked 1000's of Calvary Chapel churches, plus who knows how many thousands of Christians and ministries, then he travels the literal world preaching and seeing God's presence, signs and wonders everywhere he went, then literally backslides (his words) to the point of getting addicted to cocaine, yet comes back around to continue to lead people to Jesus and Holy Spirit encounters and eventually dies of AIDS at age 43.
His story is so fantastical, it almost doesn't sound true. His ministry was so popular, he would be on return visits to countries and people would literally be shouting, "Lonnie! Lonnie! Lonnie!" He was wild in one way, willing to do anything. Several times, he would feel the Holy Spirit wanted him to whistle (!) in a service. When he did 100's of people would be unable to stand due to the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in the room. He would pray for people and throw his leather cape over them or dump bottles anointing oil on them.
The 3 books are full of personal testimonies of other people who knew, traveled and worked with Lonnie. And I think it's so you could take someone else's word for all the things that happened through and near him. He was friends with, worked with and helped begin ministries with so many "famous" Christians--obviously Chuck Smith and John Wimber but also (my personal hero) Debbie Kerner, Billy Graham and more. I literally started highlighting all the people's names in the book so I could look up their ministries.
However, equal to Lonnie's amazingness and yielded heart to the Holy Spirit is a deep and horrific brokenness. He was physically and sexually abused as a child and throughout his life, even as an adult. He carried huge bitterness against every father figure in his life--Chuck Smith, John Wimber, his own father, his stepfather and of course, his abusers.
This brokenness obviously led to other brokenness--he backslid to cocaine addiction like I said before, apparently was sexually promiscuous at this same time (some of which, was homosexuality) and this led to him contracting HIV/AIDS. This was about a 5 year period and when he came back to God, he spent his last years going through inner healing, walking through forgiveness and solid Biblical counseling.
It's like a roller coaster. And it really affected me. What was God doing? How does he use a broken man like Lonnie in such powerful ways? Why doesn't he use a less-broken person, like say, me? What is revival? What does it mean to be yielded to Holy Spirit? Why isn't brokenness always healed immediately upon salvation? Where does law and grace start and stop in this era of a New Covenant? Do I really believe we will do greater things than Jesus? How did a whole generation of Christians miss how to counsel and protect and deliver hurt and abused people without shaming and hurting them further? It's a lot.
If you read this book b/c you want a dish on a fallen Christian--you'll be reading it wrongly. This book is the story of God using a yielded person. It's the story of a broken person who believed God does what He says He will do. It's the story of a man set free from bondage.
side note: I've seen lots of articles, etc. talking about Lonnie being gay. You'll need to take your 2023 and identity-is-everything glasses off to hear what he says. He goes into detail about "gay lifestyle" and what he thinks of it. Really insightful coming from someone who lived through the Summer of Love *and* the early 90's...but not the 2000's.
I was fascinated with Lonnie Frisbee in the Jesus Revolution movie so I picked up his memoir(s). This one focuses on the period shown in (and immediatI was fascinated with Lonnie Frisbee in the Jesus Revolution movie so I picked up his memoir(s). This one focuses on the period shown in (and immediately surrounding) the time of The Jesus Revolution.
I'll give more detailed review/my thoughts after the final book in the series....more