[Review] God So Loved The World: The Story of Jesus by Elizabeth Goudge

On By AnnetteIn Nonfiction Books ReadLeave a comment

Publisher and Publication Date: Coward-McCann, Inc., New York. 1951. My hardcover copy is a first edition.
Genre: Narrative nonfiction. Christian nonfiction.
Pages: 314 printed pages.
Format: Hardcover.
Source: Purchased from Thriftbooks.
Rating: Excellent.

This book is difficult to find. I have recently become a big fan of Thriftbooks. They also have an app that makes it easy to find and order books.

God So Loved The World is the first Elizabeth Goudge book I’ve read. I’ve heard about her books for years. I don’t know why I waited so long.

Elizabeth de Beauchamp Goudge (1900-1984)

Links for further reading:
Elizabeth Goudge.
Plough magazine.
An Elizabeth Goudge reading group at Substack.

Summary:

God So Loved The World is a narrative account of Jesus’s life. Goudge uses the four Gospel accounts plus Acts to recreate a splendid retelling.

The first chapter serves as an introduction to the book which includes the reason and focus of the book. Also in the first chapter: A close-up of Jesus’s mother, Mary. The principal characters of Mary, Joseph, Elisabeth, Zacharias, Gabriel, and Jesus’s birth in Bethlehem. A geography of the land, and the culture and society of this period.

The second chapter is when Jesus is presented to the Temple by his parents, the Magi, King Herod’s edict, silent years when Jesus was a boy but “grew stronger and more beautiful every day.” Page 40. The story of when Jesus and his parents were separated, but Jesus was at the Temple.

Chapter three is the start of his public ministry.

The last chapter, twelve, is the “Victory.”

I love the opening sentence in chapter one. “To serve God is to serve holiness and life eternal and to attain to them; to serve self is to serve sin and death and to die eternal.” Page 4.

My Thoughts:

Several reasons why I love this book:

  1. A descriptive tour of the land and culture giving the book a solid and sweeping view of the time period.
  2. A vivid portrayal of the characters. It breathes life into the characters.
  3. Shows Jesus’s attributes: goodness, kindness, person, accessible, love, self-control, humility, mercy, and patience.
  4. One of the stories that made an impression on me is the demon possessed man. Pages 125-129. It is told showing the compassion and self-control of Jesus.
  5. The book includes the reinstatement of Peter.
  6. Day of Pentecost is the last story.
  7. Several times it is mentioned the thankfulness of those who were healed.

The book is told in the third-person objective point of view.

Goudge includes a few times when she surmises what a disciple may have done. For example, “perhaps” the disciples gave articles of clothing to help cover the demon possessed man. I hate to state this is a historical fiction. It is mainly pulled from the stories of the New Testament. There is not a fiction story in it. The author interjects a few times like the example I gave.

Book Spotlight: Reaching a Child’s Heart by Juan and Jeanine Sanchez

On By AnnetteIn Book Focus, Book Spotlight, Christian Life, Parenting, Spiritual FormationLeave a comment
In Reaching a Child’s Heart, Juan and Jeanine Sanchez encourage parents from their gospel-shaped perspective that children don’t need perfect parents—they need a perfect Savior. 
Raising children can feel overwhelming as you try to navigate the many voices telling you what to do and not to do, but God has already given you everything you need to be faithful parents! Even though you may be exhausted and discouraged, take heart from the simple, biblical principles shared by Juan and Jeanine Sanchez that will point you to Jesus as your guide and helper as you seek to shepherd your children through every age and stage of growth.
As they share their own journey of parenting five children, the authors highlight the importance of a team-based approach of parenting together. They emphasize focusing on children’s hearts, rather than behavior modification, and illustrate how daily faithfulness in the routine cares of life is never a waste of time. A down-to-earth, practical guide for parents that will help them move from survival mode to joyful, Christ-dependent parenting. Parents will learn biblical principles for parenting, including practical examples of parenting through different ages and stages. Includes questions for reflection for individual use or group discussion.
Reaching Your Child’s Heart: A Practical Guide to Faithful Parenting by Juan and Jeanine Sanchez.
Published by New Growth Press. Publication Date: May 6, 2024.
224 pages.
Currently $11.99 for the paperback @ New Growth Press. On this day’s posting, this is the best over-all price.
Link to the book @ Amazon/ Christian Book.

About the Authors:

Juan Sanchez, MDiv, ThM, PhD, serves as senior pastor of High Pointe Baptist Church in Austin, TX and is a council member of The Gospel Coalition, cofounder and president of Coalición, and an associate professor of theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has authored numerous books, including 1 Peter for You and The Leadership Formula. 

Jeanine Sanchez teaches English and writing to children and teaches the Bible to women. When not in the classroom, Jeanine enjoys reading, hospitality, watching Florida football, and spending time with her adult children and her grandchildren. 

Juan and Jeanine have been married over thirty years and have five adult daughters. 

Book Spotlight: You Are Welcomed: Devotions for When Life Is a Lot (Gospel Truth for Women) by Trish Donohue

On By AnnetteIn Book Focus, Book Spotlight, Christian Life, DevotionalLeave a comment
An Interview with Trish Donohue, Author of You Are Welcomed
When you feel overwhelmed by life’s demands, trials, and emotions, you are not alone. You need to hear the gospel truth that a loving God welcomes you into his rest and peace when life is an unruly combination of responsibilities, relationships, interruptions, dreams, and drama. In You Are Welcomed: Devotions for When Life Is a Lot, author and women’s ministry leader Trish Donohue helps women who are weary turn to the Lord, put down their burdens, rest in his welcome, and then welcome others to walk with Jesus too. In this ten-week devotional, Donohue shares stories of biblical men and women who brought their burdens to the Lord. Each story from the Bible exemplifies a different sort of pressure, including busyness, disillusionment, crisis, isolation, envy, doubt, fear, and failure. No one is truly alone in what they are facing, and God wants to meet each of us in the same ways he has shown himself to his people from the beginning. 
Q: What does it mean to be welcomed by God? 
It means that through the death and resurrection of Jesus, we not only have access to God but are welcomed with open arms. Instead of giving us the judgment we deserve, our Father invites us to come boldly into his presence in every situation. The welcome of God is the most important aspect of our lives. 
Q: How is You Are Welcomed different from other books and devotionals that speak to busyness and feeling overwhelmed? 
There are many good devotionals out there, but we worked hard to make You Are Welcomed beautiful and accessible while also deeply theological. Tips and techniques for how to manage life can be helpful, but what we ultimately need is rock-solid truth to guide us, and God provides that in Scripture. So, the focus of this book isn’t on how we can improve our lives, but on how God can transform our lives. Feeling stressed or overwhelmed is never pleasant, but instead of erasing these symptoms, this book reveals them to be tools that push us into the arms of our Lord. We learn not to simply read about God’s perspective on these issues, but to engage with him personally.  
Q: Walk us through the format of You Are Welcomed. What can readers expect for each day and each week? 
Each week focuses on a different theme and Bible passage. So instead of encountering random daily readings, you can steep in a section of Scripture each week. There are five devotionals to work through each week. In each, you’ll encounter a question that gets you thinking about the topic, a brief Bible reading assignment, the devotional reading itself, thought-provoking application questions, and a verse to meditate on for the day. 
Q: Who are some of the biblical men and women you chose to include as examples? Why did you choose the individuals that you did? 
The Bible shows us quite a variety of personalities in different situations, and in them, we see ourselves and our need for a savior. In this devotional, we meet a king in crisis who shows us how to pray and a starving widow who shows us how to obey. We see a prophet in prison who struggles with doubt and a leader of women who gets snagged by envy. God meets each one of these very different men and women and takes their burdens upon himself. This is the same God who welcomes us.  
Q: Each chapter title for the week is an action word—an invitation from God. Please tell us more about those invitations. 
Each chapter is indeed a simple verb, an action that God calls us to take: Come, Pray, Fight, Yield, Obey, Behold, Settle, Trust, Ponder, and Gather. Sometimes God calls us to settle into the assignment he’s given. Sometimes we are to fight temptations, trust promises, ponder truth, or gather with his people. These actions are important, but far more important is the title of the book, You Are Welcomed. This is a passive phrase, something that’s done for us. We can only respond to God in these relational ways because he has made a way for us to come to him through the good news of Jesus. God initiates and we respond.   
Q: As women, we feel like we always need to be productive. How can productivity sometimes become an idol? 
Productivity is big business! Books, apps, and podcasts teach us how to wring out each moment. The Bible isn’t anti-productivity; it calls Christians to produce fruit and do the good works God has prepared for us. A full life can be beautiful. But when we begin to define ourselves by how much we do or look to productivity for peace and happiness, then we have a problem. We’ve replaced Jesus with a task list, and it will never provide the peace it promises. That’s why every chapter in this book points women to the real answer, the real Savior, not a temporary fix. 
Link for the book @ Christian Book.
Q: It’s hard to imagine we’d have much in common with an ancient king, but what can we learn from Hezekiah’s example? 
Humans have a lot in common, no matter their life situation. King Hezekiah had followed the Lord, but all that he’d built and loved was in danger of crumbling. He had reason to believe that his worst fears would come true, and that’s a feeling many of us have encountered. When we see Hezekiah spread out his dire situation before the Lord and pray a beautiful prayer of faith and honesty, we learn that we too can give God the mixed-up pieces of our lives and hearts, spreading them out before the one who can help. The same God who was faithful to Hezekiah will be faithful to us.  
Q: What are some of the temptations that we struggle with when life is stressful or overwhelming? What does the temptation of Jesus in the desert teach us about fighting our temptations? 
Temptations abound when life is stressful, and they peddle lies. If we’re not careful, we can find ourselves believing wrong things about God, ourselves, and the lives God has given us. Jesus’s temptation in the wilderness is an intimate look into his personal life. Hungry, tired, and depleted, Jesus doesn’t give in. Instead, we see him battling Satan using the very same Scriptures that we have access to in the pages of our Bibles. Jesus identifies the lies that Satan is telling and counteracts them with Scripture truths. We’re invited to do the same thing in our own battle with sin. But Jesus isn’t just an example to us; he’s a Savior to us. He has not only rescued us from the penalty of sin but has broken the power of sin so that we can resist temptation and live lives of obedience that glorify God. Q: What does it look like to live a life fully yielded to God? 
I don’t think any of us have reached that point on this side of heaven, but by grace, we’re on the journey. A vital part of it is regularly responding to the welcome of God and coming to him in repentance, in faith, in weakness, in surrender. In his presence, we experience “the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8).  
Q: In the chapter about the psalmists, you talk about how they shared all their thoughts and feelings to God. What are some ways we can get in a better habit of doing the same thing, especially when life is hard and pressing in? 
We’re often surprised when we see the array of emotions expressed in the Psalms. The psalmists don’t hold back! But instead of watching them complain to themselves or others or turn inward in self-pity, we see them pouring out their hearts to their Creator. Living in the good of the gospel requires us to do the same, but this is a requirement that brings blessing as we interact with our Father who comforts and guides and moves on our behalf.  When life is pressing in, we can simply read a Psalm aloud and let it guide our own prayers. No time-management tool or self-care routine will meet us in our deepest need, but when we take even a moment to turn our faces to the Lord and express all that’s in our hearts, raw as it may be, we experience true help. 
Q: What can we learn from Miriam about changing our hearts rather than our situations? 
Like us, Miriam is a flawed character. Although she witnessed countless miracles, she let her focus wander from God’s glory to her own. Instead of settling into the role God had given her, Miriam craved what God hadn’t given. She thought she needed something more, but God exposed her idolatrous craving through disciplinary mercy.  Miriam didn’t need a changed situation like she thought she did. She didn’t need extra acknowledgment or accolades or affirmation. She needed to settle into the place God had called her, finding joy in living for him. God loved and used Miriam, and he loves and uses us for his purposes. His grace abounds to sinners saved by grace, but Miriam reminds us to take our sins seriously and keep God in the center. 
Q: When the demands of life turn us inward, why is it important for us to be intentional about reaching outward? 
Though we live in an individualistic culture, God made us to be a corporate people. We need each other. He’s designed us not to be independent Christians, but to gather together, serving and loving each other. The world instructs us to take care of our own needs and care for ourselves first, but it misses the grace that comes through the Body of Christ. When we obey God’s instructions to encourage one another, gather together, and consider others’ interests above our own, we experience surprising grace.  
Q: If you could say just one thing to encourage women struggling with being overwhelmed, what would it be? 
The God who made you and loves you holds your life in his hands. Stop running everywhere else and run to your loving Father. In Christ, you are welcome to boldly approach the throne of grace to find help in times of need. 
You Are Welcomed: Devotions for When Life Is a Lot by Trish Donohue. October 23, 2023/Retail Price: $19.99 Print ISBN 978-1-64507-237-9 Religion/Christian Living/Devotional.
Link above is to Amazon. The price on the day of this post is $15.99 for the paperback.
Published by New Growth Press. Publication Date: October 23, 2023.
256 pages.

About the Author:
Trish Donohue has served for many years as Director of Women’s Ministry at Covenant Fellowship Church in Glen Mills, PA. Under the leadership of the pastors, she oversees a women’s Bible study ministry, a mentoring program, corporate women’s events, and a blog written by and for women called The Together Blog. She has also spoken at women’s retreats and events on a variety of topics. 

Donohue is the author of Between Us Girls: Walks and Talks for Moms and Daughters and You Are Welcomed: Devotions for When Life Is a Lot. 

She is a pastor’s wife and mom of four who lives with her family in West Chester, PA.  A former high school English teacher, Donohue loves reading, writing, and helping students find and grapple with the revolutionary ideas found in good books.

[Review] Elisabeth Elliot: A Life by Lucy S. R. Austen

On By AnnetteIn Biography, Christian Life, Memoir/BiographyLeave a comment

Publisher and Publication Date: Crossway. 2023.
Genre: Christian nonfiction. Biography.
Pages: 617 printed pages.
Format: Hardcover.
Source: Bought.
Rating: Excellent.

22 illustrations in color.

Author links: Website/ Substack/ Facebook/ Twitter.

Link for the book @ Amazon/ Barnes and Noble/ Thrift Books.

This link is to Crossway. It gives you the ability to read the first chapter.

Link to an interview about the book by Patheos and Andrea L. Turpin.

The Elisabeth Elliot Foundation.

From Crossway: Why Elisabeth Elliot Changed Her Beliefs About Finding God’s Will, This Day in History: The Death of Elisabeth Elliot.

Summary:

Elisabeth Elliot was born December 21, 1926, in Belgium. Her parents had been missionaries. Elisabeth went by the name of Betty when she was younger. Her mother called her “Bets or Bet.” After her birth, the family came back to the United States on furlough. They stayed. Her father began working a new job offered to him by an uncle. They lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Elisabeth or Betty had four brothers and one sister.

Betty attended a private boarding school during high school and Wheaton College. It was at Wheaton where she met Jim Elliot.

Jim Elliot is one of the missionary men who died in 1956 in Ecuador while trying to build a trust with the mysterious Indigenous people who lived in the Amazon rainforest. They are called Waorani or Waodoni.
Later, Elisabeth and daughter Valerie, and Rachel Saint continued the missionary work in the same area. They eventually lived among the Waorani people, learning their language and sharing the Bible and Christ Jesus with them.

Elisabeth Elliot: A Life is an in-depth and detailed account.

Lucy S. R. Austen had access to many of Elisabeth Elliot’s journals and letters but not all of them.

My Thoughts:

I’m going to come right out and give this book a high honor. This biography made such an impact on me that after I’d read the last page and, in the days, afterward, I miss Elisabeth Elliot. The book captured her essence so much, that after reading it, I miss her.

Recently I listed to a recorded interview between Lucy S. R. Austen and Jen Pollock Michel. It is an informative conversation about the book, the person of Elisabeth Elliot, and how she is perceived by the current Christian culture which includes some negative reactions. You will need to be a paid member to read/hear the interview. This is the Substack page for Jen Pollock Michel.

Several reasons why I love this biography of Elisabeth Elliot.

  1. Austen shows how Elisabeth developed in her character and spiritual growth through her life. In Elisabeth’s early years, she came across as not friendly. She was an introvert yet tried not to be. In her letters, she came across as warm and friendly. In person she was not. Public speaking and writing were an active part of her later years. She developed life-long friends. In addition, her beliefs about God’s will and her denomination changed.
  2. Elisabeth (for some readers) came across as divided, conflicted, or a contradiction. It is easy to view another with a lens of assumption and judgement. I too, at times, have actions that are a contradiction to what I state to believe. I am imperfect. Elisabeth Elliot was imperfect. This leads me to another similar thought. Elisabeth Elliot is considered a pioneer in Christian nonfiction writing. She was a trailblazer as a female because most Christian nonfiction books were written by men. She was married to a man who gave his life to share the gospel. She was a missionary. She remained a missionary while a widow and single parent. I believe she’s been placed on a pedestal and idolized. She had weaknesses, insecurities, fears, loneliness, and imperfections as we all do. But she trusted God. She depended on Him. Her will was to serve and love God.
  3. I tried to have a discerning eye while reading this book. A biography can become slanted because of the author’s beliefs about the subject. In other words, the author can surmise things that may or may not be true. I believe Austen reveals a multi-dimensional and transparent Elisabeth producing a living essence that comes across to the reader.
  4. I have questions about Elisabeth. Why did she and Rachel Saint have strong conflicts? Was it a personality difference? Was there some jealousy or something else going on? While reading this section about Elisabeth and Rachel working together as missionaries. I was reminded of the conflict of Paul and Barnabus. Their “sharp disagreement” led them to part ways, yet the Gospel spread further because of their problem. Even though these two women did not work well together, God used them for His glory. God is unstoppable. And two head-strong women does not change that.

[Review] The Christian Book of Mystical Verse: A collection of Poems, Hymns, and Prayers for devotional reading compiled by A. W. Tozer

On By AnnetteIn Christian Life, Devotional, Nonfiction Books Read, Poetry, Prayer, Spiritual Formation, Spiritual Growth

Publisher and Publication Date: Moody Publishers. First published in 1963. My edition 2016.
Genre: Christian nonfiction.
Format: Paperback.
Pages: 176.
Source: Purchased.
Rating: Very good.

Link for more information at Moody: https://www.moodypublishers.com/the-christian-book-of-mystical-verse/
The link gives a short biography of A. W. Tozer. It also shares an excerpt.

Link for the book at Amazon/ Barnes and Noble/ Christian Book.

Summary:

It is A. W. Tozer who put this book together for publication.

The Christian Book of Mystical Verse is a one volume resource of Christian writings, and it is a book that can be read for personal worship.

The book is arranged with fifteen divisions holding 107 verses from hymns, poetry, and prayers.

Some contributing authors are Frederick William Faber, Charles Wesley, Bernard of Clairvaux, Christina Rossetti, John Wesley, Jeanne Marie Bouvier De La Motte-Guyon, Isaac Watts, and Bernard of Cluny.

My Thoughts:

A. W. Tozer is a favorite author of mine. I was drawn to this book because he complied the volume, but it holds other favorite authors of mine.

The book is a strong source of information if you are a writer as it holds quotes from Christian greats.

The book can be used in prayer or as a daily devotional.

Some of my favorites in the book:

“Before The Cross” From the French of Jacques Bridaine, TR. Thomas Benson Pollock
“O Sacred Head, Now Wounded” by Bernard Of Clairvaux, TR. Paul Gerhardt, English TR., James Waddell Alexander
“Song of Assurance” by Johann Andreas Rothe, TR. John Wesley
“God Is Present Everywhere” Oliver Holden
“O Love Divine!” Oliver Wendell Holmes
“In Heavenly Love Abiding” by Anne Laetitia Waring
“The Benefits Of Suffering” by Jeanne Marie Bouvier De La Motte-Guyon
“O Jesus, King Most Wonderful” by Bernard Of Clairvaux, TR. Edward Caswall

“Prayer Before Communion” by Reginald Heber
“Bread of the world, in mercy broken,
Wine of the soul, in mercy shed,
By whom the words of life were spoken,
And in whose death our sins are dead:
Look on the heart by sorrow broken,
Look on the tears by sinners shed;
And be Thy feast to us the token
That by Thy grace our souls are fed.”