Small Seed for 1-5-15

Faith and Love is Growing!

“We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.” 

2 Thessalonians 1:3 (NIV)

Last year, in 2014, I felt that our church was on the brink of something wonderful – that it is getting ready to rise and shine. The Holy Spirit is moving. And, Satan doesn’t like it.  He has used spiritual attacks to try to stop or slow down God, but I see the attacks as a confirmation that God is going to move...and powerfully. 

I am praying 2 Thessalonians 1:3 for my church and for the Church Universal. I pray that Christians grow in their faith more and more and that their love for each other increases. I can’t wait to see what God has in store in 2015! 

What specifically are you praying for the Church?

A Song for Sunday - Live With Abandon

Newsboys' Live With Abandon

Book Review: The Centurion's Wife

I fell in love with "The Centurion's Wife" by Davis Bunn and Janette Oke!

Overview: A sweeping saga of the dramatic events surrounding the birth of Christianity. . .and the very personal story of Leah, a young Jewess of mixed heritage trapped by competing political agendas and private trauma. Caught up in the maelstrom following the death of an obscure rabbi named Jesus, Leah finds herself also engulfed in her own turmoil facing the prospect of an arranged marriage to a Roman soldier, Alban, who seems to care for nothing but his own ambitions. Head of the garrison near Galilee, he has been assigned by Palestine's governor to ferret out the truth behind rumors of a political execution gone awry. Leah's mistress, the governor's wife, secretly commissions Leah also to discover what really has become of this man whose death and missing body is causing such furor. This epic drama is threaded with the tale of an unlikely romance and framed with dangers and betrayals from unexpected sources as both Leah and Alban come closer to each other and to God.

Dawn's Recommendation: 5 of 5 Stars!

What I Liked: I loved the setting - great desciption. I loved the moment in time (right after Jesus had been crucified) - I don't think I've ever read a fiction book set at this time. It was delightful and exciting, with lots of tension. Leah and Alban were great characters - you care for them. I really enjoyed reading about how they lived, worked, ate, etc. I can see a lot of research went into this book, but it was beautifully done. Never overbearing with details, but just right. I don't usually read books a second time, but I'm pretty sure I will read this one again!


What I Didn't Like: The usual "girl doesn't want the boy" to create conflict. I rolled my eyes a couple of times and said, "you haven't even met him yet"! Other than that, I loved the book!

And, guess what I found out? There are two more books in this series! "The Hidden Flame" and "The Damascas Way". I have Book 2 already on my "To Read" pile! Can't wait!

New Year's Resolutions?

Do you do New Year's Resolutions? Why or Why not?

I don't usually. I see too many people try to lose weight or go to the gym for one month...and fail. I might resolve to do something through the year, but not usually on January 1. I heard on the radio (Word FM) that one of the DJs and her husband sat down and wrote out spiritual goals and life goals for the year, and that they set the expectations high.  Then, the shared them with each other and signed them like a covenant. Interesting. She said, even if they didn't meet all the goals, they were going to strive toward them and hold each other accountable. I liked that.

How about you?

P.S. Small Seed Devos will be back next Monday!

Books to Start the New Year Off

Do you have a pile of books to read in 2015? Oh man, do I!

Here are just four from my pile:

Jesus Prom by Jon Weece

Wouldn't it make sense that those who claim to love Jesus would love the same people Jesus loves? 

Nouns need verbs, a requirement that's more than just a grammatical truth; it's a spiritual truth. The noun Christian and the noun church require action verbs to fulfill their purpose. That's why Jesus invites Christians and churches everywhere to perform the greatest action of all: loving people.

Jesus Prom is an extravagant party that celebrates the very people Jesus died to love. You will laugh and cry as you move through the pages of this book, and by the end of it, you'll want to join the dance.

Love Does by Bob Goff
As a college student he spent 16 days in the Pacific Ocean with five guys and a crate of canned meat. As a father he took his kids on a world tour to eat ice cream with heads of state. He made friends in Uganda, and they liked him so much he became the Ugandan consul. He pursued his wife for three years before she agreed to date him. His grades weren't good enough to get into law school, so he sat on a bench outside the Dean’s office for seven days until they finally let him enroll. 
Bob Goff has become something of a legend, and his friends consider him the world's best-kept secret. Those same friends have long insisted he write a book. What follows are paradigm shifts, musings, and stories from one of the world’s most delightfully engaging and winsome people. What fuels his impact? Love. But it's not the kind of love that stops at thoughts and feelings. Bob's love takes action. Bob believes Love Does.

When Love Does, life gets interesting. Each day turns into a hilarious, whimsical, meaningful chance that makes faith simple and real. Each chapter is a story that forms a book, a life. And this is one life you don't want to miss.
Light and fun, unique and profound, the lessons drawn from Bob's life and attitude just might inspire you to be secretly incredible, too.

The Grave Robber by Mark Batterson
Do we believe that God still does miracles? Do we expect him to move in miraculous ways in our day-in and day-out lives? Maybe we'd like to see miracles, but it's hard to see past our problems. All that is about to change, like water into wine.
"There are miracles all around us all the time," says Mark Batterson, "but you won't see them if you don't know how to look for them."
Now the bestselling author of The Circle Maker reveals the incredible power of the seven miraculous signs of Jesus found in the Gospel of John. Batterson shows how they were not simply something Jesus did in the past, but something he wants to do now, in the present. He shares true stories of people today who are experiencing miracles in their lives. And he brings to light countless miracles, big and small, that we take for granted every day that point us toward the One who healed the sick, calmed the storm, and yes, even raised the dead.

But this is more than a book about miracles. It's a book about the only One who can perform them. Batterson cautions readers, "Don't just seek miracles. Seek Jesus. And if you seek Jesus, miracles will find you."

Nothing has changed since Jesus called Lazarus out of his tomb four days after his funeral. Our impossible situations still double as God's greatest opportunity to reveal his glory. No matter how big the problem is, God is bigger still. Anyone who longs to see God work in miraculous ways today will love Batterson's faith-building, life-giving message.

The Thrill of Hope by Bruce Green
What are we to do with the Book of Revelation? Some Christians skim the book and glean a superficial understanding of the text; others spiritualize Revelation or label it as unworthy of concentrated study. Many simply ignore John's final letter entirely.

But by neglecting Revelation, the church is missing out on the blessing that the Lord bestows upon those willing to give the book a patient hearing—the thrill of hope.

In The Thrill of Hope, Bruce Green walks with the Apostle John through the open door of heaven and witnesses the wonderful blending of history and hope. God's people may be oppressed, but evil won't prevail. Wrongs will be righted. Those who have the faith and courage to stand strong will be vindicated. However, victory doesn't happen by chance; it is the promised result of a strong and steadfast hope given by God.

Accessible and easy to understand, The Thrill of Hope provides an enlightening and encouraging analysis of the book of Revelation. In short, digestible chapters, Green unveils the major themes of John's message, challenging us to live in hope and holiness. Helpful FAQ sections are interspersed throughout the book, and discussion questions following each chapter make it suitable for Bible class, small group, and individual studies. Those who are waist deep in the woes of the world will be lifted from the mire by a renewed confidence in the sovereign Christ—the One who reigns in hope.

Do any of these peak your interest? What books are in your 2015 pile?