Joyful Surrender

"Joyful Surrender:

7 Disciplines for the Believer's Life"

by Elisabeth Elliot

This is the lowest rating I have ever given to an Elisabeth Elliot book, and I didn't enjoy it but I will give my honest explanation.

I was excited to dig into this book, as Elliot is my favorite Christian writer and I always jump at the opportunity to review her books. Her wisdom always shines through in her writing and she has an amazing way of putting truth into words that leave you pondering deeply. However, this one fell disappointedly short of her other books. As other reviewers have already pointed out, Elliot rambles quite a lot before stating her point. I don't mind her introductions and usually enjoy reading them, but this one just had too much of that.

I appreciate her anecdotes, and I always take something away, but she included way too much in this book. In some places, entire pages are just personal stories or stories about others. Like I said, I don't mind her stories, but there has to be some moderation.

Although the 7 areas of discipline (body, mind, place, time, possessions, work, and feelings) she discusses are important, I disagree with the way she approaches some of these. For example, in chapter 7 where she talks about the discipline of the body, she puts just a tad bit too much emphasis on the body. I agree that taking care of our bodies (temple) through healthy eating and exercise is important but I don't agree that watching what we eat is more important than say, having the discipline of fasting. Fasting is a beneficial discipline for both, the Soul and the body.

Elisabeth also quotes a couple of Catholic saints and figures that caused me to raise an eyebrow. She quotes Francis of Assisi and Pope John Paul and I think we could do without their words.

Great topic, great author, but could have been executed better.

I received a copy of this book from Revell in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Comments

Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?

Since tomorrow is Halloween I decided to do some research and write a little about the origins and symbols of this holiday. I also wanted to pose the question, “Should Christians celebrate Halloween?” This may seem like a no-brainer to the average Christian, but more and more, the church is embracing the world and /or watering down and sugar-coating the truth so as to not offend anyone. Something that is becoming more prevalent in American churches is the “fall festival/harvest” which is just a synonym for Halloween. It does not matter that kids are not in costume, the mere fact that an activity is done in place of, is enough to partake in it. Hence, I felt compelled to touch upon this topic and pray that believers may come to the light and stop offending God. This is what I found out about Halloween… check it out. What Does the Bible Say? Halloween is a holiday of death not just because of the costumes, macabre theme or movies but because of its meaning (more on that...

Young Women Love God Greatly Bible (NET)

"Young Women Love God Greatly Bible (NET)" by Thomas Nelson This is my first time reading the NET and the “Love God Greatly” ministry. Let me preface this review by saying that I’m almost strictly KJV only but sometimes I like to look up certain passages in other versions to compare the text. I was impressed with the wording after reading a little through the NET. The NET contains many translation notes explaining why some words or verses were omitted, so I appreciate that. I still prefer the KJV but the NET is very understandable, albeit, very different from what I’m used to. About this bible, be prepared to receive a BIG chunky tome. I personally like personal-size Bibles but also enjoy having chunkers as well. This also means that it is jammed-packed with extra stuff. Features Book introductions & memory verses for each book of the Bible 50 reading plans for reading through Scripture using the SOAP method 10 topical reading plans about life’s issues, such as fe...

Knowing Sin

"Knowing Sin: Seeing a Neglected Doctrine Through the Eyes of the Puritans" by Mark Jones If you're a fan of the Puritans this one will be a great read for you. Not many books are written about sin, this is one of a kind. This is a well-rounded anthology on harmatiology (the study of sin). The author uses pieces and teachings from several Puritans to introduce each chapter and then goes into detailed discussions. The book covers every area of sin you can think of; the origins, selfishness, envy, privation of sin, sorrow, manipulation, temptations, etc. I found the material biblically sound and very well-written. This is probably the best book I've read on sin. The author makes reference to theologians, ministers, preachers, and Biblical stories to draw his points. This book helps you analyze how you handle sin and to identify the root problems. I would highly recommend! I received a copy of this book from Moody in exchange for an honest review. All opinions express...

The Scribe's Portion

Search This Blog