The Disciplines of a Godly Man.

One of those books that makes me feel somewhere between completely inadequate, and challenged to be less so.  Is this going to be the effect of my own book?  I guess the great thing is, that with God, we are all completely inadequate, which is why He did what He did for us, and sent His own Son to save us.
Wow.
In terms of the book, I've read it through, but not 'properly', so I'm not really going to comment further on it at the moment.
Having said that, I think it's a great book. Lots of challenge, and lots of stuff to think about (and study guide type bits to make you do the thinking!)

(Once again, if you buy through the link, I'll get the grand sum of a tiny amount of commission)

Father Fiction

I suppose the main premise of this book is that we need a father.  It's written from the perspective of someone who grew up without one, and assumes that the majority of its 'target audience' will likewise have grown up fatherless.  It's more aimed at boys than girls (as the author is one, and therefore that's his journey!)
I have been blessed with fabulous parents, and am eternally grateful for all their work on me!  However, I have worked with a great number of people who are in the (often painful) process of growing up without dad being around, for whatever reason.  This was my main reason for buying and reading this book.  (Actually, strictly speaking, I didn't buy it - it was a gift)
The book is an exploration of and journey through the author's process of growing up, and later, analysing growing up, without a father.  I found it a really helpful book both to begin to understand the struggles that some people in this situation may have, and to challenge myself to consider what I might be able to offer.  Obviously, this is most crucially through my relationship with my own son, but also through relationships with others. 
The author notes early on that, "The truth I've learned about life is that you can't do it on your own."  He talks of the 'gaps' in his life - "I wasn't sure how to manage myself, how to talk to a woman, how to build a career, how to - well, be a man."  Of course, the thought turns to God, and Miller recalls a conversation with a friend (John MacMurray; co-author of the original book - To Own a Dragon, of which this is an revision and update).  MacMurray, referring to a sunset, tells Miller, "He [God] did it for his children.  That is what beauty is for.  All this beauty exists so you and I can see his glory, his artwork.  It's like an invitation to know him, to worship him."  This conversation, and others like it, help to reform the image of 'father' for Miller.  It's not that God is like the father who ran off when Miller was a child.  Rather, the father who ran off failed to follow the pattern God our father has set.  MacMurray continues, "I'm just saying, Don, if God is our father, we've got it good.  We've got it real good."
The book is littered with some really astute points, not just about father-son relationships, but about relationships that honour God.  There are chapters on sex, on work, on integrity and much more!  It's written in a style that I really like.  It's open, but not heavy or overbearing.  It's fun to read, but also makes you think.  There's definite humour throughout.  Here's a chunk to leave you with, that has little to do with the subject or this review, but it's funny.
"...there aren't many pleasures that I enjoy more than sleep.  I sleep till I'm done, normally, and haven't set an alarm in years.  I'm not lazy, mind you, I just find it odd that anyone would program a machine to wake them.  God made the brain so it would wake up on its own, and as a follower of Jesus, I'm a strict adherent to his system.  Call me a fundamentalist if you want"
Like almost all the other books I've blogged about, I'd recommend it!
Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk links below.  (I get a cut if you buy it through this link.  Like about 20p or something.  So buy it and I'll become a millionaire overnight)

Amazon.com link (US site)

Whores and hope.

Is that too shocking a title?
Maybe...
But Hosea is, in many ways, a shocking book.  First, there's the fact that Hosea is told to marry a prostitute and then go and fetch her back after she's run off with other blokes.
Then more shockingly, there's the revelation that this is just a picture of what God does for us.  "The love that was asked of him (Hosea) would be heroic - but that was the point, for it was to be God's love in miniature."
I really enjoyed this commentary.  It's pretty much in layman's terms - it doesn't dwell on the Greek or Hebrew (though explains bits where needed).  It's also written by someone who clearly loves Hosea (the book, not the bloke).  Obviously, this review kind of looks at the commentary, but also looks at Hosea itself!
There can't be many more powerful pictures of what God does for us.  This is an account of the sustained pursuit God makes, using both carrot and stick to draw His people back.  Kidner says, "...there is nothing arbitrary in His judgments, excessive though they will often seem to us, and as uninhibited as [they are]", but then points to, "the deep reluctance of God to resort to judgment".
He talks of compassion without compromise; the cycle of grace, disgrace, grace abounding; religion which permeates everything except the conscience

Of course, Hosea is not just the story of a man, nor the story of God and the Israelites - it is fundamentally our story too.  We benefit from the grace that abounds in the face of our disgrace.  We prostitute ourselves to the world and its meagre offerings, and yet are still gathered back to God by His judgment and grace.  He fiercely guards his glory, and therefore no compromise is made, and yet still he draws us back to Himself.
Verses like 11:8 are haunting in their revelation of God's heart - "How can I give you up, O Ephraim?  How can I hand you over, O Israel?"

I could say so much more, partly because I fell in love with Hosea itself as I read.  The call, of course, is not just to fall in love with God's message, but to fall in love with God.

A wonderful commentary, on a fabulous book.

Wasting Police Time.

As a book about the police, this is a book that is potentially close to my heart.
Is that possible?  Can something be potentially close to one's heart?  Who knows...
Anyway, it's an enjoyable read.  It's light hearted, not always politically correct (though claims to be factually correct for the most part) and very easy to read.  It's split into tiny chunks (what's a small chapter called?  A chap, perhaps?) so you can put it down and pick it up easily enough, with each chunk lasting about a page.
It's probably cynical, occasionally ascerbic and always interesting.  Coming from a background in teaching, it's easy to empathise with the frustration of not being able to do primarily what you 'joined up' for.  The author finds the mountain of paperwork that comes with even the most minor interaction largely pointless, and of course it serves to detract from actual policing.
As the guy who wrote it comes from Burton - just down the road from us - it's also fun to try to work out where he's referring to when he writes about various incidents.  (Names and places are changed for obvious reasons!)
I've seen some reviews of this book that criticise the 'constant moaning' aspect of it.  But then, if you're having to deal, day after day after day, with stuff that merely prevents you from doing what you actually want to do (and believe you should be doing) it's not surprising if you end up moaning a little about it!

Eyes turned skyward

Okay, so perhaps you've detected a link here between the last two books I've read.  Well, this one is another MAF book.  As such, it has the downside of nurturing the wanderlust in me.

However, I found this (like the last one!) a fabulously enjoyable read.  The stories are filled with adventure and excitement, but also grounded in the reality of a life lived in service of God.  There are, as you would expect, both triumphs and tragedies.  One chapter tells the story of Max and a friend's trip to a remote island to return a boy on the verge of death to his home.  It's a tale of the somewhat odd coupling of grief and gratitude.  An island people weighed down with their sorrow, yet thankful for the work of Max and his friend in returning their boy to them.

Many of the chapters conclude with a sort of 'thought' that brings the story back to God.  Maybe His provision, or His comfort, His power or His love.  Thus it is a book rooted in God, reflecting a life rooted in Him.

Meyers also tells of one Samberigi passenger on his first ever flight.

"'You no gat pret?' I asked him.  ('Aren't you afraid')

 ... 'skin bilong mi tasol i pret.'  ('Only my skin is afraid') ...

'What about the rest of you?' I asked again.  'What about under your skin?'

'I am not afraid under my skin,' he said.  'You see, I know the One who made the mountains.  I know the One who made the rocks and the trees.  I know the One who made the clouds and the rain for today.  He has told me that I don't need to be afraid.  Why?  Because He lives in me.  Inside my skin, and He has promised never to leave me.  Because of that, I am not afraid.'

The book is an amazing testimony to the work of MAF, to the dedication of those who serve through this mission, some of whom give their lives in the line of duty.  But above all, it's a testimony to God, who calls people to serve Him, and then journeys with them as they do so.

P.S.  Clicking on the picture of the book will take you to the MAF website.  They don't charge for the book, as such, but suggest a donation of £6.  I would suggest ordering copies through them, rather than elsewhere, as I suspect they get more if you do.  However, if you want an amazon link, (though as I write, they're not in stock) then click below.

Eyes Turned Skywards

Wings like eagles

I first read this about 20 years ago. Then, earlier this year, I was helping to run a confirmation class and we were discussing the kind of books we like to read. One of the lads said he liked to read books about soldiers and war and that sort of thing. I thought maybe he'd like to read this...
Unfortunately, it's out of print, and therefore I didn't get hold of a copy straight away. However, I contacted MAF, who found some slightly beaten up copies in a store somewhere. They were happy to send me a couple (I figured I'd hang onto one to lend out!) and did so very speedily.
Anyway, I had a few vague memories of the book (like the story about narrowly avoiding flying into powerlines), but thought I should reread it before giving a copy to someone.
Anyway, I did so, and REALLY enjoyed it. It's amusingly and engagingly written, and does an amazing job of painting a brilliant picture of the coming together of two very different people. In some ways, this is the goal of the book - to bring together two people from opposite sides of the world. It starts with Marfleet's military work, and flips between this and the life of 'Moondi', a warrior. Moondi is a fictitious character from a very real tribe (the Hupla) in the Desa valley on Irian Jaya (now Papua). The authors explain that Moondi, while not a real person, is an amalgam of a number of people, and his story is one woven together from the stories and lives of some of his people.
After a number of years in military service, Marfleet says, "I - we - had a decision to take. Reference 'upwards' being the rule in the Christian's life, as well as in the army, I prayed very specially for some answers. They weren't long in coming." Throughout the book, his reliance on God for both safety and wisdom is crucial, and he refers and alludes often to the importance of his faith in his life. The result of the prayers led to work with Mission Aviation Fellowship, and a posting to Irian Jaya. Here, towards the end of the book, Moondi and Marfleet's lives begin to draw inexorably closer. Two 'warriors' whose decisions have brought them to within touching distance, despite the thousands of miles that once separated them.
This is a fantastic book. I really enjoyed rereading it and would recommend it most highly. It's both a fascinating story and a challenge to consider how we might best be able to serve. It's well written, with plenty of humour as well as an ability to retell a story and to paint a scene remarkably well.
Wings Like Eagles