LEAP DAY GIVEAWAY

I am engrossed, enmeshed, entranced, enthralled, exhilarated, exasperated, entertained, and excitedly encouraged about what??? Devouring four books all at the same time. And, I am giving away a brand new copy of one of them. Here's my new four favorite friends:

C. S. Lewis' Mere Christianity

William Young's T H E S H A C K

John Eldredge's Walking With God

Ron Hall/Denver Moore SAME KIND OF DIFFERENT AS ME

I didn't plan on reading four books together, it just happened cause it's been a desperate alone week for me, no matter how many overtures for friendship I have offered. My beautiful God is calling me to learn to better walk alone right now from a heart at rest---at least that's what my friend said about where I am. I want to find rest no matter what the circumstance. Only God can give that.

As C. S. Lewis once said: "We read to know we are not alone." A friend said to me that their "take" on reading a book is that they carry on like they are actually talking with that author. Maybe that's why I keep grabbing for a book. But I want to ultimately grab for the Hand that is reaching out to me. Psalm 18. God's right hand taking hold of me. I don't want to depend on man or books for answers but listen to my Love's Voice. Books don't have the answers. Only God does. I don't want to borrow the wisdom of these books. I want to borrow the Wisdom of the one real Author!

And, I am learning to trust that I can hear His Voice and don't have to get "it" from an author. So, I just laid all the books down, and went for a long walk with my beautiful God to listen to His Voice amid all these words on a cool late February Texas evening with the table of His Presence in the sky, beneath my feet, in my heart. I lifted one gloved hand mirrored in the shadows in glorious praise to HIM---no one could see this race walker dressed in all black in the night. But HE saw me and heard the cries of my heart from this weary week. And He so showed up on Chapin Road.

These books really have touched deep parts of my soul, my story. And we all need to be reminded of the things of God, the ways of God, rather than always thinking we need to be taught new truth. For the Bible says encourage one another daily...we all live with ourselves and know the paths of our mind and feet. My jolted journey of this week has been jarring. But, let me share with you what I am reminded of as I encountered what was true in each of these books about living life.

Ron Hall & Denver Moore are on a book tour and stopped here in their hometown to speak about Same Kind of Different As Me. Our home fellowship from our church went together to hear the duo. I cried through every word Denver spoke. Denver said: ":we are really all homeless." How true....my home is heaven. Denver and Ron are "locals" and the familiar setting in my hometown, a true storybook about a Dipsy Dumpster in downtown Fort Worth where Denver lives for many years. I know right where that dumpster sits! And about how a wealthy Texas upscale art dealer named Ron Hall steps down and befriends Denver ---and their lives are both changed forever.

John Eldredge also came through this week on a promotion for his new book, Walking With God, that comes out March 25, 2008. I went to the live taping of the promo this week on Life Today, James Robison's tv show that will air April 15th. Underneath our chairs (just like Oprah) was a copy of the book in an unedited proof---but it looks like a final copy. His publisher printed these paperback copies just for our audience. One-of-a-kind! I am giving away my husband's brand new copy to one person who leaves a comment on this post sharing one of your favorite quotes from one of your well-loved favorite authors, among many. You get one entry for every qyuote (up to 7) that you leave. I'll draw one random name on LEAP DAY, February 29th, at nightfall, from those who comment on this post with an author's quote. Eldredge said that the Bible is not a book of exceptions---it's the bible of Abraham, David, Gideon, and me. God offers us Himself. In our pain, we have a hard time if we end up demanding. Either we have God or we have understanding If we insist on understanding, we lose God. You'll just have to read the book when it comes out in March, unless you win.

Let me wrap up this post about words! I have to get back to T H E S H A C K. I'm at the part where they just found the ladybug pin and I am on pins and needles. This guy can write fiction. And every day I am so into Mere Christianity. I think I am going to have to do a post just on that book alone as there are a couple of thoughts that have been life changing to me! Well, at least we'll see how it affects the course of my life. I am blown away by that book!

I'll end here with a quote I read in this C.S. Lewis masterpiece:

"Fallen man is simply not an IMPERFECT man who needs IMPROVEMENT...

He is a rebel who must lay down his arms, SURRENDERING, saying he is sorry, realizing he is on the wrong track, getting ready to start over, from the ground floor up.... . Repentance means unlearning all the self-conceit and self will we've trained ourselves in for years."

Wonder which book I'll finish first? IDK. But I do know this...God is offering HIMSELF and I want the quality of the life I will live forever to be so much more. So, I'll keep on reading and having private conversations with these authors whom I will never know. Bur first and foremost, I'm reading the Book of no exceptions by the best Author of All.