The Missionary Call: Finding Your Place in God’s Plan for the World
Written By: M. David Sills
Comments: Regardless of whether you’re interested in global missions, whether you’ve felt the call, whether you know little or much about missions and the call to this service, etc…i highly recommend this book! This book is subdivided into three main themes: (1) What is the Missionary Call, (2) Understanding Your Missionary Call and (3) Fulfilling the Missionary Call. It discusses issues that are practical and relevant to people who desire to find out what it really means to be called to missions work, and if they have been called, for eg. how we can know God’s will, whether there is a Biblical basis for the missionary call, how specific the call has to be, what if one’s spouse does not feel called, the hindrances faced on getting to the field and challenges faced when you’re on the field, etc. The book comes with a pretty good glossary that helps one know / understand better certain terms that are often used by missionaries and people involved in missions (: Thank God for the many lessons and much insight gained!
Helen’s Temper And Its Consequences
Written By: Mrs George Gladstone
Comments: Published by Lamplighter Publishing, the Lamplighter Rare Collector’s Series is a collection of Christian family literature from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. This is just one of the many beautifully-written stories, (that i soooo wanna get my hands on, hahaha…) about two sisters, Helen and Betty. People think may think that Helen is just one year older than Betty yet much more thoughtful and industrious, but her family knows that is not true. This story is a reminder that while we judge others by their outward appearances and form wrong opinions of others, God doesn’t just see what we do, but He also looks at our hearts. Read it for yourself to find out how the “Good Samaritan” plays out in each of their lives and the painful consequences that Helen has to face because of her character, her temper..! :]
Teacher: The Henrietta Mears Story
Written by Marcus Brotherton
Comments: Lessons we can learn from the “woman teacher behind every many successful men/women of God”, eg. Bill Bright who started Campus Crusade. Very inspiring and a must-read not only for teachers, but those involved in any other ministries.
Lessons for me to remember: (1) “Start where you are, as you are, in serving the Lord.” (2) Teach the Word clearly and correctly, to the end that people may come to know Christ as Saviour and Lord to grow spiritually, faithful in every good work. (3) Faith and despair can’t remain in the same heart, take your choice – trust God or worry…you can’t do both! (4) Nothing less than our best for Christ, and nothing more than God’s complete adequacy for our inadequacy! (5) Henrietta saw her mother on her knees in prayer for an hour daily and determined to follow her mother’s example. Our spiritual legacy would not go unnoticed! (6) It’s impt to have a place for every age in our SS, and a program for ever age. (7) To receive the power of Christ, simply submit to Christ and allow Him to control me. (8) The early roles we have played or now play are lessons that form the foundation of what is to come. (9) God will lead me and me the desire in my heart for the one place He wants me to fill. (10) Striving to find the Lord’s will – always wondering in which direction to turn – is perhaps the wrong emphasis. Knowing God’s will is literally a matter of yielding ourselves to Christ and thinking God’s thoughts after Him. (11) Our concern should be quality. Size comes as a result! (12) Make effort to learn more about my students. No teacher who was willing to invest time and effort in his class was not successful. (13) Good curriculum can make or break a ministry. (14) Teach chronologically to avoid confusing students. Avoid the “grasshopper method” of Bible study. (15) Ministry to people is the business of changing lives, but we don’t do the changing, God does. (16) Faith needs to be the core of every decision, every move, every assessment, every choice associated with ministry. Faith leads to strategy! (17) Psalm 16:8 – set the Lord always before us. (18) God is looking for men and women of total commitment. We must be “expendables” for Christ. (19) Success is not about us. The goal should always be about changed hearts – whose and how many, is up to the Holy Spirit. (20) Life can be measured by faithfulness in using the gifts you’ve been given – starting strong where you’re at, persevering in the race no matter what challenges, arriving at the end of life still walking wholeheartedly, steadfastly, resolutely and unswervingly with the Lord. (21) Aim to win everybody we meet to Christ! (22) Resolve to make ourselves accessible to anyone who wants to talk about deep matters and never express disappointment with anyone – i’m trying! (23) Aim to pray continually for wisdom (24) Resolve to run with perseverance the race marked our for us, and never fail Christ (25) i don’t have to be great. i can pass on to another the Lord Jesus Christ, and He, will make that person whom He wishes him or her to be. (26) Step out of the box, break the mold and follow Christ. (27) Reach a balance between accepting the limitations of my life while neither ignoring nor downplaying my strengths. (28) Commiting my life wholeheartedly to Christ – to know Christ and to make Him known – should be my most impt legacy!
The Lost Boy
Written by Dave Pelzer
Comments: A sequel to “A Child Called ‘It’”, this book is about David Pelzer’s journey and his search for the love of a family, after being rescued from his mother’s severe abuse. He struggles to adapt into each new environment around him after being placed in foster care, as he’s moved from foster home to foster home. This book continues from it’s previous book, about David’s teachers noticing his problems and contacting the authorities, causing him to be put with a social worker, Ms Gold. The both of them go to trial against David’s mother, and after winning it, was placed in a foster home under the care of a lady he called Aunt Mary. Later on, while in the care of another set of foster parents, he gets to know someone and thinks of him as a friend till the latter gets him to do illegal things, and even got David into trouble when David was caught while putting out a fire his ‘friend’ had started at school. As a result, David was removed from his foster home and placed in a juvenile home. All this while, his mother was trying to get the court to put David away in a mental institute, and his foster parents and probabtion officer fights hard for him and wins. In his sophomore year in high school when he had only less than a year left in foster care, he started being interested in making money and eventually after he is out of foster care, enlists himself in the Air Force.
This book is really a must read for foster parents or those interested in the lives of children who go through abuse / foster care. It allows the reader to see how a foster parent’s actions can affect a foster child, and how a foster child may interpret / misinterpret certain unrelated happenings to be his fault, and how a foster parent can better understand and help a foster child. Also shows the importance and contribution of the efforts of foster parents, social workers, counsellors, probation officers etc to society. Truly, “it takes a community to save a child!”
A Child Called ‘It’: One Child’s Courage to Survive
Written by Dave Pelzer
Comments: An autobiographical account of David Pelzer’s maltreatment as a child by his alcoholic mother. His mother was originally a loving and wonderful person who would do anything for her family but when the author turned five, she gradually started abusing him. This book describes the abuse that he went through at the hands of his mother, and how he, despite his father not being able to do anything to help him, thought of his father as his protector and hero. His father constantly promised to take him away one day, but never did…and eventually left the home without him – leaving him in the hands of his cruel mother. The book describes how he was no longer considered part of the family, how he was made to sit in a prisoner-of-war position in the garage while the family had their meals, how his mother made sure there were no traces of food in the trash for him to dig out and eat, locked in a bathroom with a pail of amonia mixed with bleach, forcing him to lie naked in a bathtub of freezing water, denied food and made to starve for days, how his hand was placed on the gas stove to burn and ‘accidentally’ stabbed when he could not finish his chores in the limited time set by his mother. His only haven was school, where he was away from his mother, and where he could steal food from other children’s lunches. It’s hard to believe anyone can be made to go through all that and still survive, or even have the will to live…but this book is a reminder of the reality of child abuse in our world, in our society. More than a story of survival and victory, it’s the true story of one who was abused, but is now helping many others in desperate need!
Designed By God
Written by Regina Franklin
Comments: Contrary to the world’s definition of beauty, this book takes you through the issues of beauty, modesty and self-image based on God’s standards. True beauty isn’t about being a slave to what you wear, how you look, what you eat etc. It’s about knowing who you are in Christ. It’s about having a real relationship with the One Who created us in His image and reflecting the beauty of His glory. This book discusses beauty as defined by the world and its deception, what true beauty is, how and why it’s important to dress and behave modestly, the beauty of having close friends who nourish us in our spiritual growth, the benefits and importance of having godly older women in our lives to mentor us, the relationship between mother and daughter, as well as father and daughter. Very insightful and real. After reading it, though I would still recommend it to ladies of my age, this is a book probably most suitable for girls in their teens or early twenties 
The Remarkable Women of the Bible
Written by Elizabeth George
Comments: It’s encouraging to know that the challenges we face today were also faced by women of Bible times and that the lessons from their lives are applicable in our lives too. This book looks at the life of individual women of the Bible who displayed remarkable characteristics and/or attributes (eg. Jochebed – Remarkable Mother, Miriam – Remarkable Leader, Ruth/Naomi – Remarkable Devotion) despite the pain, sorrow, confusion and difficulties they went through, shares precious lessons we can learn from each of them and practical insights on how we can like them, live on God’s Word to instruct and encourage us as we cope with our lives today. Each chapter ends with each woman’s message for our lives today and it really encouraged and motivated me to make life-changing adjustments in certain areas of my life. I really like this book and highly recommend it to ladies young and old!
God’s Global Mosaic: What We Can Learn from Christians Around the World
Written by Paul-Gordon Chandler
Comments: A book written to encourage Christians to learn about and benefit from the faith and experiences of Christians around the world. Indeed, it’s a reminder that though we all live in different parts of the world, with different cultures and lifestyles, the God we worship is the same God. He’s the God of the universe, and Lord of all…and when Christ returns, regardless of language, citizenship, ethnicity, etc…”at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow”! :]
Price: $25 at SKS Books
Legacy of Discipleship: Lifetime Journey
Written By: Roy Robertson
Comments: “salvation is free, but discipleship is costly”. Roy Robertson shares with us 7 biblical milestones of the Christian life (discipleship) and explains how each step can lead us to a more intimate knowledge of Him. A challenge and reminder to live our lives as true disciples of Christ, following Jesus’ footsteps, and to leave a legacy for others to emulate.
John: The Gospel of Belief
Written By: Merril C. Tenney
Comments: Many commentaries offer scholarly discussion on the technical minutiae of the Gospel of John. However, this book was written to provide a straightforward analysis of the Gospel of John in such a way that Christians who are not formally trained in theology can understand and discover in full detail, the aim, theme and developed teaching of John. I appreciate how the writer’s analysis is divided into three sections: (1) examination of the general structure and outline of the Gospel of John, (2) an exposition of the Gospel – ‘dividing’ (or classifying?) the life and ministry of Jesus according to 6 periods that the writer of John seems to be suggesting (which I appreciate even more!), and (3)the topical analysis of the Gospel. This book was really helpful in helping me grasp the major themes of John and coming to realize that the plot of John reveals the perennial struggle between good and evil, evinced in the contest of belief and unbelief toward the Lord Jesus. Not only did I gain a deeper understanding of the Gospel of John and its express purpose to create belief in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God, I also discovered a deeper love and appreciation of the Lord Jesus and His work for us :]
