"He has made everything beautiful in its time." -- Ecclesiastes 3:11a {April Recap}
Photo by Anthony Delanoix
What I Read:
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1) Writing in the Glory by Jennifer A. Miskov. I bought this book as part of my commitment this year to see what this writing thing is all about and to test the waters as to how seriously I could take writing and what I could do with it going forward. I had heard of Jennifer A. Miskov because she has been connected to Bethel Church in Redding, California and Lou Engle of The Call (now The Send) Ministries. This is the kind of book that I will be having on my shelf for a long time and will use as a reference. Overall, the whole book is geared toward people who are writing their first book. She provides both insights, writing prompts, and practical steps to take when seeking to write and publish you work. I love her godly perspective and the emphasis she puts on connecting with God in order share your life’s message. It’s a great resource for anyone interested in writing.
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2) You Shall Receive Power by Harold R. Eberle. This book is a small, short read, and the author’s writing style is very direct. In this book, Eberle argues of the limitations of seeing the baptism of the Holy Spirit as the be-all, end-all interaction of receiving from the Holy Spirit. He uses Biblical references and the histories of great leaders in the faith who had numerous experiences with the Holy Spirit, where they were always receiving more. I especially connected to his assertion that those people who are always believing that the Holy Spirit has more for His people are often ostracized because of challenging the comfort of the status quo. It’s thought-provoking and worth reading.
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3) Global Revival by Mathew Backholer. I really like revival history. Growing up, I would hear missionary stories of revival in other parts of the world, and I always wondered why we weren't experiencing that in the US. Then, when I was around 11, my family and I were in a church experiencing a small-scale revival. And, to be honest, it ruined me for church as usual. This book is very informative. It covers many, many revivals that have taken place all throughout the world and not just the usual mentions of Azusa Street or the Welsh Revival. It fascinates me to read about how God has poured out His Spirit and left a lasting mark on the generations. As a missionary, it’s something that I know no human can do in their own strength. At the end of the book, he goes on to argue why praying for revival and continuously living in hope of revival is vital for the fulfillment of the Great Commission. While I agree with him I many ways, some of his tone was a bit judgmental. I think our desire for revival should stem from love—love of God and love of the people around us. If you’re at all interested in revival or Christian history, this book is worth reading.
Here are some excerpts from my journal:
“P. V. Jenness wrote: ‘Revivals are supernatural demonstration of God’s power. When will we learn to let God work in His own way? When will we spend more time in seeking to know what His way is than we do devising human plans and methods which only bring us a sense of failure and loss?”
“Jesus should be at our very core, the power plant and fuel of our very existence, if we do not want to please Him, then who are we trying to please? It was Henry David Thoreau who said, ‘It is not enough to be busy, so are the ants. The question is, what are we busy about?’”
“…revival always imparts a heightened awareness of social concern.”
“Without revival the Church is lost in itself, its programmes, its routines, its religious rituals and trappings which are not effective in reaching out to the lost and hurting amongst humanity, and worst of all, the Church is not reflecting a true biblical representation of New Testament Christianity.”
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4) How People Grow by Dr. John Towsend and Dr. Henry Cloud. This book is the longest book I’ve read by Cloud and Townsend. One of the best and overarching assertions of the book is that growth is not compartmentalized. Within the Christian life, there is sometimes a trend of wanting to compartmentalize what is spiritual and what is secular. But, these authors argue that all growth is spiritual because we have a Creator who is invested in every area of our lives. The book uses Biblical principles to talk about topics such as the role that grace plays in growth, the reason why forgiveness is so vital, and how God partners with us through our obedience to transform us with maturity. One of the things I also really loved is that at the end of each chapter, they offer tips for people who want to grow personally but also tips for how to be facilitators of growth for others, especially in a group setting. As is the case with all of their books, this book is a great asset with so much knowledge to glean.
Here are some excerpts that I found worth writing in my journal:
“…in our view, to solve life’s problems and to grow spiritually are one and the same thing.”
“Virtually every emotional and psychological problem, from addiction to depression, has alienation or emotional isolation at its core or close to it.”
Online Reading:
1) If you are in a waiting period in life:
"My Plan Be" by Nina Hundley
2) If you want to know how you can start to participate in discipleship and outreach even within your everyday life:
"The Secret Discipleship Tool You Already Have" by Sarah Frazer
3) If you need a motivational push to take a risk:
"How to Take a Step towards Your Destiny and Away from Your Security" by Amy DeBrucque
"What Holds Us Back: Knowing Too Much by Melissa Schlies
4) If you struggle with people pleasing:
"Two Things Brene Brown Has Taught Me about Criticism" by Melissa Schlies
5) If you're interested in minimalism:
"4 Ways Minimalism Reshaped My Christian Faith" by Rachelle Crawford
6) If you're overwhelmed, over busy, and need grace:
"Grace & Peace Multiply"
What I Watched:
1) Arrested Development. Back in the day, when I was in high school, this is a show my family and I would watch from time to time. It wasn’t something we watched religiously, but it was funny. I had forgotten just how funny it was. Given the new episodes released through Netflix, I decided to start back from the beginning. In a month of preparations and stress, this show provided such comic relief. I honestly marvel at the writing. And, as a little bonus, the Russo brothers who just did a little movie called Avengers: Endgame did some directing on the show. The show follows the lives of a quirky, dysfunctional, wealthy family as they navigate life following their father’s imprisonment for financial crimes. The characters are both ridiculous and obnoxious and yet somehow likable because of the crazy situations the writers put them in. The use of puns and misunderstandings as plot points are ongoing throughout the series, and if this show doesn’t get another season, I think it wrapped up well.
2) Shazam! Most movies receive a rating in the form of tomatoes or stars, but in our household, we have our own way of communicating that a movie is “good”—at least according to Raúl—and it’s really more of a pass/fail test. My husband falls asleep in almost all movies even in a movie theater. For this one, he did not. I am usually not a die-hard DC Comics fan, but I’ll see something that catches my attention for what it is in itself. I have liked Zachary Levi from back in his Chuck days, and the trailer made it evident that this was going to be fun to watch. So, I took Raúl. The premise of a teenage foster kid suddenly receiving superpowers and having to face a villain with the internal maturity of a 15-year-old is a good one. But I was also surprised by the heart this movie has. Always a champion for adoption, I loved the group home environment and adopted siblings that Billy Batson learns to accept, and the actor who plays Billy’s handicapped best friend makes the movie. I was also surprised by the complexity and darkness of the villain. An entertaining watch.
3) Avengers: End Game. (NO SPOILERS) Unless you live in a hole, you probably have some inclination that a lot of the world was wildly anticipating this movie especially after the way the previous film, Avengers: Infinity War ended. This movie is the culmination of Marvel Cinematic Universe’s three phase series of movies that started with Iron Man. There is next to nothing I can say about this movie without giving away spoilers, so let me just say that it was an emotional, epic film. One of the things I really respect about the whole MCU premise is how well they develop their characters. One of the reasons that the world is so invested in the MCU is because they haven’t been just action movies. They develop their characters well and give them complexities that make them so human even as they have superpowers. This movie is no exception to the justice they’ve always done to their characters. It’s so much to take in that I already feel like I need to see it again.
What I Cooked:
Photo by Larry White
1) Beef and Broccoli with Egg Noodles. I have tried to make this dish before, and the sauce never turned out the way I wanted it to. This time was much better. I recognize that egg noodles are very unconventional for what is considered an Asian dish, but it’s what I had on hand, and I was cleaning out the pantry. It tasted just fine. Here's a recipe I used for reference:
https://www.justataste.com/easy-beef-and-broccoli-recipe/
Photo by Wikimedia Images
2) Hot and Sour Soup. Chinese restaurants here, as in the States, have their own interpretation driven by what customers will actually eat. Back in the States, hot and sour soup is generally a staple on Chinese restaurant buffet lines, and it’s something I get a hankering for every once in a while. I’ve never seen it sold here, so that means making it for myself. Because mushrooms are so expensive here, it’s not often that I use them, but this was a persistent hankering. Here is the recipe I used as a reference: https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/hot-and-sour-soup-recipe/
3) Chickpea Chorizo Shakshuka. This recipe was a big hit with my husband even though it didn’t turn out as well as I wanted it to. It was hearty, and while we ate it for dinner, it could work for any meal of the day. The chickpeas make it unique, and I do recommend it with a runny yolk if you’re into that sort of thing. Here are a few recipes for reference:
https://www.mysequinedlife.com/smoky-shakshuka-with-chorizo-and-chickpeas/
https://drizzleanddip.com/2016/03/10/chickpea-and-chorizo-shakshuka/
4) Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast. This recipe was a nice change from the routine way I am often using chicken breast. It’s kind of rare that I make chicken breast all on its own without cutting it up and putting it into something just because it seems like a lot, and if it’s not cooked well and seasoned well, it’s just blah. This recipe broke up that monotony, and it really wasn’t time consuming. I did tweak it and used plain yogurt instead of cream cheese. It’s probably better in terms of creaminess with the cream cheese, but I was trying to use up the ingredients I had on hand. I’m sure artichokes with this would be even better, but the only time I’ve ever seen them here they were knock-your-socks-off expensive. Here are some recipes for reference:
https://thatlowcarblife.com/spinach-stuffed-chicken-2/
https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-stuff-chicken-breast-with-spinach-amp-cheese-252070
Favorites:
1) Lumosity app. By now, if you have been reading this blog, you know how much I love to challenge my brain. Occasionally, I have some down time between tasks or while waiting for someone else, and I want to do just a little something. I don’t typically let myself play games for the sake of playing games. I play Words with Friends with my Grandmom every day, and sometimes I’ll do crossword puzzles, but my justification for those is that I’m preventing Alzheimer’s and keeping my brain active. (As if I ever let it rest, please.) Lumosity is an app that gives you games that are designed to challenge your brain’s functions, focusing on areas like memory, spatial orientation, divided attention, task switching, planning, math skills, and language skills. It feels fulfilling to use something fun to address a cognitive skill that is beneficial to improve upon. And, if you do download this app, just know that the Train of Thought game is crazy addicting…but also, maybe that’s just me.
2) House on a Hill by Amanda Cook. I have loved Amanda Cook’s music for a really long time, and I have so enjoyed seeing her develop (with her dynamic duo, Steffany Gretzinger) into a confident, free artist and worship leader. She exudes prophetic peace and leads in such a way that makes her seem so comfortable in her own skin. This album is her newest album though I've heard interviews with her where she talks about always wanting to make every album as purposeful and poignant as the first. I have only just started listening to it, but in general, anything that flows from this lady is worth paying attention to.
While we are freshly in the US, we are already joining slipping into life with my parents--going to the local ice cream place, helping around the yard, going for walks. It's interesting to see such familiar places through Raúl's eyes. So far, he has marveled at the quiet and safety and been astounded by the dishwasher. There is so much more to look forward to, and I just feel so privileged to be right where I am. Happy spring to you all!
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