Creation

A bit late but here goes:

I was quite encouraged by the subtitle of the book ie: 'Recapture the mystery'. As Christian believers we are somewhat guilty of limiting God in our lives and putting Him a box for private use - see page 17 (intro). So, yes, I want to recapture the mystery and be in God's will for my life so that I am living out my life for Him.

Having re-read the first chapter I have to comment initially on Stevens' remarks about darkness. I don't agree with his comment about darkness being there already. To me the KJV of the Bible tells me that darkness came about at the time of creation. "In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved over the face of the waters."
Now 'deep' in this context is read as ' a surging mass of water' [Strongs 8415]. So to me, this was literally just the beginning and then: "And God said let there be light.........and God divided the light from the darkness."

Again, I have to say that I struggle with the concept of attributing human feelings etc to God, although I fully accept that Christ was fully man and fully God whilst on the earth - but that's another story!!!

I love the fact of the knowledge that God knew me even before I was formed and it is only quite recently that I have begun to accept that knowledge but I find Stevens' dialogue on page 20 a bit flippant. Yes, God wants a close relationship with us - we are, after all, His Bride - but to say that God was 'daydreaming' about me/us, is, I think, taking poetic licence just a bit too far!

However, as Steven says, 'The point is, the Creator created. He did it. He spoke it.' And that is the whole point!

One final point. We must not forget that Genesis 1 v26 says, "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:......." The key word here is, obviously, 'our'. Let's not forget Father, Son & Holy Spirit.

I'm enjoying this folks and it's leading me back into the Word. I am about to start a study entitled, "Cover to cover: Through the Bible as it happened." So with one thing and another I am going to be busy. However I am hoping to restart blogging over at 'Dave's Place' this coming weekend. So hopefully I can meet you there as well.

Harmony

Trying to do a little "catch up" work here, so please bear with me....

I have a hard time imagining Eden.

Oh, not the flora and fauna part. That's easy. What I have a hard time with is the absence of the result of sin. Let me give you an example...

If I was without clothing (not a great mental image, but bear with me) in the sunlight all day, you can bet there'd be a sunburn in places I really don't want to mention. I don't think Adam and Eve had that problem before the fall. I have a hard time believing there were such things as non-biting mosquitoes, ticks, annoying gnats, bees that didn't sting, poison ivy that wasn't poison, thorns that didn't stick in your skin...the list goes on and on.

If Eden was a place of "freedom without restraint and happiness without limits" as James says and the Bible leads us to believe, all of creation lived in total harmony with the rest. The fear of death was not an issue. Sickness was non-existent. Sadness and depression were never heard of, and I have to wonder if tears would have ever been shed. Each new day was a new adventure - a new point of discovery.

Yes, that's hard for me to imagine.

Wow, I wish I could've been there.

Harmony

Just a few days ago, I saw just what happens when things are out of sync. The knives that cut down the crop as we harvest are operated by two drives on opposite sides. We had a lot of trouble getting those two drives in sync. One was a little faster than the other and the whole thing was getting worse and worse...the whole header of the combine was vibrating and things started breaking. And the more out of sync it was, the worse it shook and things started to fall apart.

We live in a world that is driven by all kinds of forces and passions and it has fallen apart. It's in the process of breaking apart even more. We know this is true and that it will continue until the Redeemer comes and restores the earth, collects His bride and redeems His creation.

In the poem starting off this chapter, I wondered what musical instrument I might be like when the strings of my soul are restored. I'm hoping to sound like a classical, acoustic guitar...mellowed with time, made rich by the stress of tuning and gentled by the Master's hand. But most of all, I want to be right in the midst of a whole orchestra of other beautiful souls forming the most passionate and creative blend of music ever heard.

Harmony

As our author spins out his description of boundless freedom and happiness in the jungle of Eden, I have to wonder... if it was that great, why did it end? This is roughly the same question I asked at the end of the first chapter about God. if ultimate power and perfection and unity were so wonderful, what did God need to change?

People are always claiming that it is the journey, not the destination that is important. Yet the promise of the destination is what usually keeps us journeying on. Maybe God just enjoys journeys. His, ours, even the dark one's.

Harmony

I was a little iffy on the first chapter of the book, but I loved this one....

I love how James brings up perfection and a utopian society.... and how the world will never get it right, no matter how good it looks, no matter how hard they try - it doesnt even come close to what once was and what will one day be....

the world offers so much b/c it knows it cant compete with what we all are desiring (a relationship with God), so it puts ideas into our heads of how we need this and we want that, and that is so cool.... and alot of times we fall for this deception.... but like a child's toy, we are trying to cram square pegs into a round hole - it just doesnt fit, no matter how much we really want it to

and then when we do finally get to Heaven and experience that perfection, that completion... wow, no wonder we need new Heavenly bodies - these earthly ones just wouldnt be able to take it....

alot of people get offended over my idea of death and heaven.... mostly b/c they are looking forward to heaven because they want to see people who have gone on before them..... personally, I dont think thats important or necessary - I never expect to see my dad again - why? Because when I get to heaven, there is only one person there that I will be wanting to see and spend time with, and nothing or noone is worth that time, but Him.... sounds harsh, I guess thats why most people get offended.... but once I come face to face with God/Jesus, what else will I be needing or wanting... perfection will be finally accomplished

Harmony

The opening of this chapter brought a flood of memories back to me. Pilot has a passion for basketball. He began life desiring to fly planes but somewhere along the line we gave him a basketball and all the flying he wanted to do was from the floor up to the hoop and back down again. He would practice and train every single day! Even through the summers. Did I mention that he loves the game?! His partner on the court was Bodie. When James and Bodie were on the court it was pure fluid motion. They played so well together they didn't even look at each other when they passed the ball. You wondered if they had eyes in the back of their heads. I used to sit there watching Pilot move down the court and I wondered, "Is he meant to play this for his life?" Because Pilot thought so...or at least he wanted the chance to find out. Yet, as I watched that young son of ours from early on I thought his bent in life was perfect for the military. I began praying and watching.

I remember one conversation with Pilot when he was about 8th grade. He was lying in bed and we had been talking. I asked him, "What if God called him to walk away from b-ball, would he be obedient?" There was a long pause and then he replied, "Well, hopefully, God won't call me to do that!" Nothing more was ever said between us regarding that conversation. Yet, there came a time in college (he had received a basketball scholarship) where he went to his coach one afternoon and told him he felt he needed to quit. He was trying to get into the Air Force Academy and there was a tutoring class that conflicted with practice times that Pilot felt was really important for him to be there. Have I mentioned that he loved the game?

He didn't ask our opinion or even tell us he was doing it until he called me that day after it was over. He told me what took place and why. I hung up the phone and cried. I cried for a variety of reasons. One because I knew I wouldn't see my son play in another game. I cried because I knew how much he loved the game. And, I cried because I knew, as his mother, that he had listened to the call of God and had obeyed. Just like Abraham, our son sacrificed because the Lord called him to do so.

As we watched the Lord take this young man and move him through the process, from beginning to end, we could not help but be awed how God supplied, provided, equipped and led him to the point Pilot is now. And some of you had a part in the process by praying for him! We know, and more importantly, Pilot knows, that he is right where he is supposed to be. And, do you know what I see there? I do see harmony, precision, symmetry, unbridled beauty, and poetry in motion. Why? Because I see a person who has been obedient to God.

Adam had been created in the image of God and was to be given dominion over the entire physical and biological creation. Even the angels had been created for a ministry which was in relation to humanity and its destiny. Furthermore, the world in which Adam was to live, and especially the beautiful garden which would be his headquarters, was a perfect environment in every way. No physical, mental, or spiritual need that he might have would be withheld.

There's a verse which comes to my mind, "...unto anyone who has been given much, much will be demanded (Luke 12:48). We do know that man was created at God's will and pleasure (Rev 4:11), and He intends to demonstrate the exceeding riches of His grace on man's behalf through all the ages to come (Eph. 2:7). Love, by its very nature, must be voluntary. An automation cannot love its maker. If we are really to love God, we must be able to choose of our own will to love God, in response to God's love for us. An involuntary love is a contradiction in terms and there can be no such thing.

But, if Adam was free to love God on his own initiative, he was obviously free also not to love God. Adam and Eve entered the world by creation, rather than by birth; and they alone entered the world with sinless natures, in perfect innocence. Can you imagine?

There was every reason (based on love, not fear) for man to conform to God's command, and no reason to disobey. If he did disobey, he would be without excuse. Yet he did have a choice, and so was truly a "free moral agent" before God. Would he "trust and obey" because he loved the one who had shown such love for him; or would he doubt God's goodness and resent His control, rejecting and disobeying His word on even such an apparently trivial restriction as one forbidden fruit in a whole paradise of abundant provision?

Adam should have obeyed God merely as an expression of his love. But God, in grace, provided him still further incentive by giving clear warning of the necessary consequences of disobedience. Rejecting God's love would necessarily raise a barrier between man and God, and would break the fellowship for which man was created. Since God was the source of life itself, real life is found only in communion and connection with the divine life. Therein lies the secret to true harmony.

Harmony

“Once in awhile you see an artist or an athlete or a musician step out of himself and disappear into his art and you sit there thinking, He was made for this.”

I was watching the Food Network channel the other day and there was a man who does very intricate designs on wedding cakes and he said, “You scale your mind down to the size of the point on your piping bag and you do your thing and when you’re all done you look up and realize there is an entire other world around you.”

That is EXACTLY how it feels when I am taking pictures or writing. I look up and wonder how long I’ve been standing in the middle of the road snapping off shots or how it suddenly got to be 3 a.m. and I am still sitting at my computer. I get lost in these two activities quite a bit. I can “disconnect” if you will – and when that happens I know something special could be coming my way.

It is in these times that I feel most closely led by the Holy Spirit. I’ve heard Him whisper to me things like, “it’s here…keep looking…you’ll see it” or “the word you’re looking for is…” and when I feel I am finished and I “flip” back to full consciousness, I am often amazed at what has come out through my eyes or my hands. Many times I’ve looked back and thought “I didn’t even know I had that in me.” (And, to be truthful, I probably didn’t!)

As we know, God is the ultimate creator and, although I can’t prove it, I deeply believe that He uses all of us to continue creating by stepping into - and becoming part of - His ultimate creation alongside us. We sit down to write and He joins us at the keyboard. We raise a hand to paint and He presses it into the canvas. We press our chin into the violin rest and He plays it. We reach for the three-pointer and feel ourselves float through the air.

Steven James asks why it is so rare for someone to be so perfectly aligned with his art/sport/craft/work that others would marvel at his unique talent. He’s speculating that sin causes the disharmony between us and God and I would have to agree. We are out of sync with God for the most part and I imagine it is rather difficult to create something using someone who can’t hear you clearly speak to them.

But, what then, shall we make of it when it does happen? When someone does something that draws the attention of others because it is so far above the rest? If we’re out of sync with God because of sin and sin is all around us 24/7, how does God get through in these instances?

I’m not sure…but I do know this –

If you allow God to use you – if you go with the flow and disengage from this conscious world – that’s when it happens. If I pick up a camera and just start snapping, I will be lucky to get one or two decent shots but, if I go for a walk, spend time talking to God and just let go of my day and my troubles and my fears and THEN start shooting…that’s when the magic happens. I think, at least for me, I have to not only get IN sync with God but I also have to get OUT of sync with my physical (sin filled) world. It’s almost like He meets me in another place, somewhere between the perfection of heaven and the sin of the earth.

I think anyone who learns how to “disengage” from being 100% present in the world can learn to be used by The Creator. Some of us will even figure out how to get really good at this “disengaging” process and will almost subconsciously be able to latch on to the energy that God has in store for His ongoing creation over and over and over again. But one must be very careful about it because it can be a double-edged sword. Disengaging just for the sake of itself is where desperation and depression live. You have to be willing to go back and forth in order to maintain the proper balance of being present here and being present with God (much like you do in long periods of prayer.) Going to this “other place” and staying there because you are drawn to the connection and flow of things outside of the sin of the world is unnatural for we ARE humans living in sin. Trying to avoid life by delving into this other way of ‘being’ leads not only to people losing themselves in their art but people losing themselves - period.

From the author's poem “Orchestration” I loved the lines:

“I hear snatches of it sometimes
in the silences, in the corners, on the outskirts of my dreams
but my days are all so busy and
my moments are all so heavy,
that they pull my hope down again into minor key.”

Disengaging…allowing God to have His say by letting Him use you- whether that is with words or paints or poetry or photographs or crafts or violins or carving wood or sailing boats or starting a company - whatever…God is - and continually wants to be - a Creator and, if you let Him, he’ll create through you, too.

The truth is, we’re all “made for this.” We just have to allow ourselves to fully be used by Him.

Harmony

There was quite a bit that stood out to me in this 5-page chapter. I found myself wondering with James, “why is it so rare?” Why is the ‘harmony, precision, symmetry, unbridled beauty, poetry in motion’…so rare?

I hear what James says about the splintering and shattering of this harmony through the sins that entered in the Garden of Eden. What troubles me is we are then redeemed through the blood of Jesus and called to live a life of harmony and beauty and precision, the very things that are lacking in our state of ‘free-will’.

From my own observation, I believe the underlying sin that continues to trip most people up is pride. We get caught up in what we do well or don’t do well and it consumes us. When we become out of harmony, our lives seem to careen.

I love the poem in the book about the women hailing the cab. I think it captures the essence of how random and fleeting harmony truly is in our society. The very act of seeking harmony creates separation from it.

I thought about James’ words about the film and book versions of utopia and how they also seem to be lacking. As I read “But of course there’s no adventure anymore.” I immediately thought of the word PASSION and he later names it as such.

I had never really thought about the Garden of Eden being an adventure or ‘jungle’ as James defines Genesis 2:16. I think it may be a gender driven definition, because when I read “You are free”, I think of freedom from inhibition, shame, pride, oppression, obsession…free of all sin. I think of utter joy.

I think men, being warriors at heart, would probably see freedom more as Braveheart saw freedom.

The greatest part of that freedom that now seems so elusive, to me, is the freedom to physically interact and commune with God. What an incredible experience that must have been and perhaps it makes our salvation that much more incredible because we will once again experience that in heaven which is clearly lacking on earth.

I also believe the ‘snatches of harmony’ he alludes to in his ‘orchestration’ poem are sometimes placed before us to keep us seeking and striving towards that reality. They are God's constant reminder and push towards what we desire.

Side note: After reading the Chapter 1 entries from some of this group I feel a bit out of my league as a theologian, however, I believe God brought us together to learn from one another and I look forward to learning from each of you.

Just to let you all know

that I haven't forgotten about posting my thoughts and comments.

My wife Kriss has been away with her job down in Glasgow and I've been preparing for a job interview, which took place this morning. So, with one thing and another, although I have read the intro & opening chapter, I've not really had a clear unhurried time to be able to post.

I will, however, post tomorrow, Thursday.

I am now off back to my current job.

Just a couple of things though - I have always had a problem attributing human attributes to God and I'm not into the type of poetry that is in the book.

Creation

Steven James writes a delightful story, but it isn't the story I would write. That doesn't mean I don't like it, though. I love the idea of Creation. Pondering the beginning of…everything. I wander around pondering the idea of eternity. It's easier to think of eternity going forward, but it's harder to wrap my brain around eternity backwards. Then, of course, I wander into Einstein's theory of relativity - that time is not a constant. It is not what we think it is. So then I wander over to take a look at the Big Bang - the supposed beginning of…what? But what happened before the Big Bang? Well, this isn't about my story, it's about Stephen James' story.

I have a little trouble with his understanding of darkness. If God is all there is, then darkness is part of that. I think we give darkness a bad rap. I prefer to think of darkness as the place we shove the things we're afraid of.

I also have a bit of trouble with the concept of God knowing my name at the onset of creation. Being a bit flip, admittedly, the English language wasn't around then. In fact, no language was around then. So what was/is it that God knows before I have a spoken name, flesh and bones? My soul? Now I'm off on another wander pondering just what is that thing called soul that God recognizes from the beginning of creation. Where does it fit on the entire continuum of matter/energy, which is what the universe is?

The section of Creation that spoke most clearly was his writing about God creating male and female. His strongest words: "By fighting each other, we diminish ourselves. The image of God is found in our unity as well as our uniqueness." Powerful words that resonate in my heart. The only hesitation I had was when he further spoke of males being male and females being female. I'm hoping that isn't a subtle statement against homosexuality. That would negate his comment that I like, that by fighting each other, we diminish ourselves. But, maybe he didn't mean that.

Sorry I haven't figured out colors yet. I have to use a different browser.

Creation

Weighing in a bit late here, but weighing in nevertheless.

I've always thought that before the creation of the earth God must've been lonely. I know there was a reason for our creation, and I know why we're here. I don't think He created us just as something to occupy His time (which He has an eternity of) or merely to have us eternally praise Him.

I think He wanted someone to love. And since He *is* love, He created us to share in that. What could be better? We were his dream before the earth was created (p. 20). He gave us life, yes. But the most important thing He gave us was love.

And He saw that it was good.

Creation

Wow, I had quite a lot written and saved as a draft, but it's disappeared. I'm really not up to rewriting everything I said, so in a nutshell - what Claire said. :)

God did create the darkness, as evidenced in Genesis 1:2.

God does not want for love or companionship; He doesn't need anything. He is "I Am that I Am," self-sufficient, self-sustainable. I think the author ascribes too much 'humanness' to the sovereign, holy God of the universe.

I think he has somewhat missed the mark on page 22, where he talks about man being made in the image of God in that He created us to be "passionate about peace and quick to laugh and full of wonder and imagination and love and longing and life; a questioning spirit, along with dreams and persistence and salty tears and a dash of joy." While these are real warm and fuzzy attributes and do hold a certain amount of truth, they don't describe the whole picture. God tells us to 'be holy as He is holy.' Above all, we are to be holy, and we exist to glorify God.

If the first chapter is any indication of what the subsequent chapters will be (and why wouldn't they, they're written by the same author), then the whole book will be quite a challenge for me. I'm not into poetry. Symbolism and the 'deep meaning' of a lot of flowery writing is usually lost on me. I'm a black & white kind of gal. And I'm certainly going to be discerning as to whether or not his opinions are rooted in Scripture and if they line up with what God has ALREADY REVEALED in the totality of Scripture. If iron is to sharpen iron, then our tools must be based in Truth.

Creation

Like most of you, the first chapter was a catalyst for my own questions (and possible scenarios as answers). I also agree with all of you who said God didn't need companionship. But it got me to thinking... what did God need (If anything) that would cause that first fateful word to be spoken?

I look at my own life when everything seems to be balanced and running like a well-oiled machine, and I sometimes have a longing to shake things up a little. Was God bored with all His unity? Did he crave a little diversity, some chance, some chaos in His well-ordered life? We don't know why God created the material universe, only that He did. That it would be an unpredictable, random, free-will kind of place was certainly an ultimate risk of loving... you can only "let go" when love is so unconditional it requires nothing in return.

Our longing to return to the source of our being is all we have that requires us to seek God and do His will. Maybe that in itself is another expression of His infinite love.

Creation

Okay, *deep breath* let's just jump right in and get started! I noticed some began their draft a day or two early. That's exciting!

"Darkness and God lived side by side. The Bible doesn't say anything about God creating the darkness." For those of you who don't know me very well you will find that I am a stickler for backing up one's position with Scripture since it really doesn't matter what peoples opinions are, just God's. This opening of Steven James kind of makes me a little skittish about his writing. You see, God did create darkness. The idea that God, being Light, could not create a world in darkness is invalid, for God Himself said: "I form the light, and create darkness...(Isaiah 45:7). I do understand how difficult it is for our minds to grasp "nothing". Because for us, even when we think of "nothing" we are thinking of something. And when we look at "nothing", in reality, we are looking at "something" even though we cannot see anything. Also, God is an infinite Being. There is absolutely no way that our finite minds can grasp God. So for me to say that before the beginning there was "nothing," not even darkness, except God, is too much for us to comprehend.

My second problem arose just a few short sentences later where the author says, "He needed companionship." God does not NEED anything, or anyone. He is complete in every way within Himself. He does not get lonely. I wholeheartedly agree that the Lamb had, in the determination of the eternal, self-existing, transcendent God, been slain before the foundation of the world; the names of the redeemed had been written in His book of life before the foundation of the world; and God had called those who were to be saved by His grace, before the world began (1 Peter 1:20; Revelation 17:8; 2 Timothy 1:9). This explains why there is no salvation once a person has died. People don't get second chances after death.

I do agree with James' statement about being made in God's image has anything to do with having toenails, blue eyes or curly hair. The spirit of man is an eternal spirit; whereas the spirit of an animal ceases to exist when the body dies (Ecclesiastes 3:21) and goes back to the earth. In any case, man was created with such attributes as a moral consciousness, the ability to think abstractly, an understanding of beauty and emotion, and, above all, the capactiy for worshiping and loving God. This eternal and divine dimension of man's being must be the essence of what is involved in the likeness of God.

Now, remember not only did God create man in His image but He also made man in God's image. How could this be since God in His omnipresence is not corporeal but is Spirit (John 4:24)? I believe it is that He designed and formed man's body to enable it to function physically in ways in which He Himself could function even without a body. In other words, God can see, hear, smell, touch, and speak, whether or not He has actual physical eyes, ears, nose, hands, and mouth. And, He knew, of course, that in the fulness of time even He would become a man. In that day, He would prepare a human body for His Son (Hebrews 10:5; Luke 1:35); and it would be "made in the likeness of men" (Philippians 2:7), just as man had been made in the likeness of God.

Genesis is one of my favorite books of the Bible, I guess, because it is so foundational. So much can be learned in it. For example, the origin of the universe, the origin of order and complexity, the origin of the solar system, the origin of the atmosphere and hydrosphere, the origin of life, the origin of man, the origin of marriage, the origin of evil, the origin of language, of government, culture, nations, religion, and the chosen people. It is full of the foundational truths to understanding the rest of the Bible.

Creation

I think what I like best about this author is that He immediately stimulates my mind to begin asking questions - to delve deeper into who God really is. Some of my questions had to do with whether the Scripture matched up with what the author wrote but most led me to stop reading for a moment and just fall into a space of freefall questioning. I'd stop and ask one question and that would lead to another...which led to another...which led to another...

Some of those questions included:

Did God make light to sustain our (human) lives or did He think us up after He saw that light was good? In other words, did light lead to life or did the desire for us to have life lead God to create light?

If God creates by speaking does that mean that his creativity is limited by his vocabulary? Can God create what He has no words for? Is God ever rendered "speechless?"

Why did God make man first? And what, then, possessed Him to make a woman instead of just another man with female parts? Why come up with a whole new design? Male giraffes look like female giraffes yet men and women have totally different curves, lines, and sizes for the most part. Why?

[Okay...you get the picture! They were all just things I casually "wondered" as I went along.]

The poem on page 21 really got to me, too. The last two lines, "and how do you wear so many of us at once?" has been my defining question ever since I refocused my attention on being in a personal relationship with God. Every time I think I have God figured out...every time I think I know what He must feel and think and why He does what He does...I stop and look at how many people are on the planet at any given time. Then I look at how many leaves are on a tree and how many trees are in my yard and how many "yards" are on the earth...and suddenly I realize (as best I can) the size of who God really is. The enormity of what He creates and cares for just shatters me. It shatters my heart to think he loves each one of us individually - as the distinct people we are! We're not just His "people" - we're His children and that means He loves us personally. Wow...

Two of my favorite lines of this first chapter were:

"He hung the canvas of the universe with His words." and "The image of God is found in our unity as well as our uniqueness." These two single sentences probably inspired me the most to sit quietly and let my questions rise to the surface. The final poem, "Significance" made me feel like His child again, doing what every child does...asking his parents things like "Where did I come from?" "Did you and daddy want me?" "Tell me the story about when I was born." When you think of God as truly being your Father it is only natural to ask what this poem asks.

In the beginning, in the depths of your heart, were you thinking, already, of me?

Ahhh...now that's my ultimate question.

Creation

Where did darkness come from? How could darkness exist anywhere beside God? Is darkness inherently evil? Or can darkness just be darkness....neither good nor evil? Can there be 'edges of forever'? What was it like in the forever before we were created? Where was the Prince of this World before this world was created? Did his rebellion against God create the very first darkness...a blight in the expanse of forever? Was that darkness the beginning of the story of redemption?

I didn't read but a few words before the questions started forming in my mind. I struggle with the idea that God "needed companionship" as a reason for our creation. He already had it. I cannot see that God needs anything in the way we humans need. Our needs mean we are not complete in ourselves and we need something beyond ourselves just to exist. But whether God had a need for us or not...the point is well taken that He loved thinking about us long before we came to be. I loved the idea that He daydreamed about us. That suggests He loved us like an author falls in love with the characters in a book he has yet to write or an artist falls in love with the painting that starts forming as she puts life and color to her imagination. It suggests that He took great delight in us long before we were even consious of Him at all.

And it was good. I loved what Rob Bell said about that phrase in his book "Velvet Elvis". God didn't create the world and say it was perfect. Perfection implies completion. Good allows room for development...for growth...for excitement because He's not finished with us yet. In short, it allows for more. What a great start to the most incredible love story!

Get Ready...Get Set...

Five days to go, people!

I heard back from a few of you on how you'd like to do the posting and the ones I DID hear from all pretty much said "it really doesn't matter to me." You're all a BIG help!

So...to start with...

Let's forego splitting into groups and allow everyone to post when they feel drawn to post. Post days will be MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, and FRIDAY. (Each week we will cover three chapters.)

Last time, many of us would read the chapter a day or two ahead, figure out what God was saying to us about that chapter and then write the post the night before (especially if we worked the next day), saving it as a DRAFT. On the morning to post, all we'd have to do is go in and change it from "draft" to "published" and we'd be done! Of course, if your schedule allows, feel free to write/post on the same day.

Also helpful is for everyone to choose a color and then stay with printing their posts in that color each time. (It's not mandatory but it helps everyone know immediately who they are "reading.") If you look at our bios I think you can see Claire uses purple, Addie has green, I'm blue and CJ took black. If you want to stay with the color you chose for your bio, that should work because I don't remember seeing any duplicates!

Also, call the name of each of your posts by the exact name of the chapter. One day we'll all post on "Creation" another day we'll all post on "Echoes". That helps cut down on confustion if someone makes up a day. Also, because of different time zones, you might find your post goes to the bottom of the day instead of the top because you might be two hours ahead of everyone else. Feel free to adjust the time if you want yours to cycle up to the top but no biggie...just remember to try to read them all!

So, in review...postings are on Mon, Wed, & Fri. Post one day or all three...doesn't matter. Make it fit into your lifestyle and schedule. Because there are ten people try to pick your words carefully so we aren't reading fifty pages of posts each time! Say what you want to say but remember that it will be hard for us to get through everyone's if we go on and on and on...

Have a wonderful weekend everyone. Feel free to start reading any time now and let those chapters sit on your heart for awhile before moving on to the next one.

See you all on Monday!!!

Dave's intro.

I am 57 years old, married to Kriss, with two adult children. My son is married and they have recently presented us with our first grandchild who will be 9 weeks old this Thursday. My daughter is about to return home, after 10 years, to live and work in the local area. We live just outside Elgin in the north east of Scotland.

Myself & Kriss are members of Elgin Community Church which is affiliated to the Church of God that has its HQ in Cleveland, TN. We have both been Christian believers since September '83.

It is only in recent years though that we have really started to get hold of what it all means in terms of understanding and committment. For various reasons, eg: lack of personal committment; poor discipleship; wrong lifestyle choices; we have not grown in the way that we should have done.

Kriss realised this before I did but we now both try to live out our lives for Jesus Christ.

Personally I know that I need to make more of my life for Christ's sake and to practice being the husband and father He made me to be.

I was the eldest son of two boys and my younger brother Will died, aged 22, after being in a coma for 7 months after a road accident, in which his girlfriend was killed.

Mum and dad did there best for us but I know it was always a struggle for them to make ends meet. My mum had had a hard upbringing and was consequently very hard on us boys. Dad was more loving and although he had a quick temper he was, as I call it, spiritually philosophical. Mum had the tradtional idea that there was a god but there was no mention of Jesus Christ. I can remember going to Sunday school and I recall a number of spiritual type incidents, over the years, whilst growing up and into adult life. However it was not until 1983 that I was confronted with the reality of what Jesus Christ had done for me on the cross.

At that time we attended a Church of England church on the base I was at, out in Germany, and we came to Scotland soon after, where we started attending a Baptist church. After a number of years there the minister left and we found ourselves in a fellowship where the work of the Holy Spirit today was being doubted and sometimes even denied. Kriss left before I did and started going to a pentecostal fellowship. I followed a year later and I now find myself, 7 years later, in leadership, although I have always tried to deny this! LOL!

So, that's where I am at the moment. Our fellowship was given a particular 'picture' a couple of years ago that really spoke to me. We were told that the Christian life is like swimming up a fish ladder; we swim up to each resting pool, have a season in the resting pool and then swim up against the tide to the next resting pool - and so on. I feel that at this time it is time to leave the resting pool I am currently resting in!

Being involved in CCC is, I know, going to help me spend more of my time more productively and I am so looking forward to posting my thoughts and hopefully commenting constructively on the other members' thoughts.

Posting

One week left until take off! Everybody got a copy of the book in their hot little hands?

I need to get a final schedule made up so if you haven't already emailed me telling me your preference for Option No. 1 or Option No. 2, please do so asap. Whichever has the most votes on Wednesday is the way we're going to go and I'll let you all know that on Thursday morning.

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. Thanks for throwing your lovely bio's up so we can all get to know each other a little bit better. Okay...everybody back to work...

Oh! Almost forgot! Claire's mom slipped and fell yesterday (on her 90th birthday, no less!) and has fractured her pelvic bone. She's in the hospital and as far as I know is in stable condition but is terrified of being in the hospital so prayers are needed that she feels safe and comfortable and that she recovers quickly.

Thanks everyone!

Meet Gabby Gayla

As Claire and Jules know, I'm practically incabable of condensing anything. :) But by way of introduction, I'll give it my best shot.

I'm a 47 year-old wife and mother of a 17 year-old son. My husband and I will celebrate our milestone 20th anniversary on September 13. Because of God's unfailing grace in our lives, hubby and I are finally living life in tandem, which was, for many years, thought to be an impossiblity. Thankfully, He never quit pursuing either one of us.

I was 'officially' saved in 1984, but still lived life in rebellion (many long stories). After several life-altering markers in my life, two years ago this November, God's will finally overcame my stubborn will. He opened my eyes to His complete, utter and total sovereignty, and my life has not been the same. What a gracious God He is, and I'm so very grateful that he removed the blinders, causing me to believe the truth of His word rather than my own hype.

I stand firmly on what God has revealed about Himself through the Scriptures, and all things are measured by them. One of the many things I've learned over the past couple of years is that I must accept the whole character of God - He is indeed a most gracious God of love, but He is first holy, as well as just. Lessons that oftentimes don't come easy. But the sovereignty of God has come to be a most comforting doctrine for me, as I can rest in the fact that all things come from His hand, for His glory and for transforming me into the image of Christ.

Let's see, what else... We live in north Texas and we attend church here. We are home group leaders, where we teach, mentor and do life with several younger couples. Our son just started his senior year, and he's a very talented artist, so I'm sure this year will be very full. I lost my precious mother in March, and am still dealing with that. Right now, I'm in what I believe to be a season of depression. Still I find hope in the Lord. We're preparing for a vacation to California in October, which I'm looking forward to.

I'm glad to be part of this edition of CCC, and am delighted to get to know all of you. It should be a fascinating journey.

Pat

Hi folks, I'm one of the newbies to this group. I'm a 63 year old grandmother living in Ohio.

My religious (church) path has been quite diverse, beginning in the Dutch Reformed church and moving into the Presbyterian church when my family made that switch. I married a Catholic, and our compromise was the Episcopalian Church, which pleased absolutely nobody on either side of the famiy! After a time I became Catholic myself, and taught junior high science in the local Catholic school. My sons, all three of them, had to run the gauntlet of mother as teacher, and we all survived, more or less. For a couple of years I drank at the well of charismatic prayer group within the Catholic church, and that was a deep, deep drink of water. After a time my spiritual path took me away from the Catholic church and into what most people would call the wilderness. While there, I made the acquaintance of a metaphysical shaman who surprisingly, in challenging my assumptions and beliefs, brought me closer to the deep foundation wisdom, which is Love. Yes, the Love of the song…God is Love, and he who abides in Love, abides in God, and God in him. Her, in my case. Next on the path an ecumenical Franciscan offered to be my spiritual mentor and guide, and he has taken me on a wonderful journey into the minds and hearts of academic progressive Christians such as Bishop John Spong, Walter Wink, John Dominic Crossan, and Dorothee Soelle. Holy Toledo, batman! My Franciscan guide helped me to see that wherever I thought my path was going, I wasn't leaving Christianity at all.
I'm still working on that one.

Well, that's enough for now. I suppose if I have to pick a color, well, maybe just write each sentence in a different color? I'm glad to be here, adding my voice to the chorus.

The Longwinded Life and Times of His Singer (Chris)

Having been threatened within an inch of my cyber life by HeyJules, I have decided to "get my butt over here and post" my history. After all, one must have a cyber life in order to blog, and without blogging, is there really life?

But I digress...

My name is Chris, for those of you I haven't yet met. Pleased to meet you! I'm 49, the mother of 3 and stepmother of 2. We have 2 grandchildren ( I know, I know...I'm FAR too young to be a grandmother...I look SO VERY young...almost a chlid myself) and a miniature poodle named Lizzie. The three "yours and mine" are all older (34, 30 and 30) and will all be married after the last one bites the bullet Labor Day weekend. The "ours" are 14 and 12.

I work for a well-known nonprofit as an administrative assistant. I love my job. I believe God put me in this position, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I can say this only because I suffered through over 25 years of jobs I didn't like and wasn't meant to do before actually asking God what He thought about where I should be, then leaving the driving up to Him. He found me the one position I have ever been truly happy with. Funny how that works.

OK, now for the strange part.

I grew up in an "independent, fundamental, Bible-believing Baptist church" where I was made to feel as though nothing I was or ever could be was ever right or good or loved by God. I felt as though God was THE CONDEMNER instead of the loving Father I know Him to be now. Please don't get me wrong...not ALL churches of this faith are that way. Just the one I happened to grow up in. Consequently, I grew up in fear. Fear that if I didn't wear the right thing or speak the right lingo or act just the right way, I'd be less than what God wanted. And we all know if you're less than what God thinks you should be, you might as well forget about it, right?

At least that's what I thought.

So I rebelled and went the other way. Got into men, alcohol, etc., etc., etc. Then I made friends with a really sweet man named John. John and I became best friends in short order. We had many of the same interests, liked the same food, people, music, and we both had a killer sense of humor! Then, after I'd known him for a year or so, John started acting as if something was really bothering him. When I asked him about it, then pushed for an answer, he finally spilled the beans and told me he was gay. I was so relieved to hear that, because I thought he had some sort of fatal disease or something and was going to die! From then on our relationship was closer than before. I truly loved him, and I do to this day.

Now here's the strange part...don't freak out on me.

John invited me to go to church with him. Now, having been unchurched since I was a teen, I was a little leery. I didn't want to get into the same trap I'd been in before. John assured me it wasn't anything like I was used to, so I decided to go. He was SO right.

We went to a gay and lesbian church here in the city.

Talk about your unique experiences! John sang in the choir, so I was left to sit by myself in the congregation. While I was there, such an amazing spirit of love came over me that I was unable to describe it. I started crying uncontrollably and was unable to stop. I truly feel God Himself touched me while I was there and told me that I was loved...just as I was, warts and all. I'd never felt that before, either at home or at church or at any other point or place in my life. But I did there. In the middle of a place I'd never expect it.

Funny how God works sometimes, huh?

From there I went home and God and I had some serious talks. I ended up accepting Him as my only Lord and Savior that day, October 5, 1981. I started attending a church that believed in the LOVE of God rather than condemnation. And although there have been setbacks along the way, some major, some minor, I now know without a shadow of a doubt that this one thing is true...Jesus is the Lord of my life.

And that was just the beginning...

Pilot Mom's (Claire) short (?) bio....

Hello everyone! It's good to be back to CCC and it's great to have new members signed on and ready to go!

Hmmm....where do I begin with my short bio? Let's see. Well, I grew up in a Christian home with a sister 9 years older than I and a down syndrome brother, four years younger. (That means I'm 52 right now.) My brother was killed by another autistic/retarded young man at work. In fact, he died 18 years ago today after being in a coma since the accident July 23. But my sister is still very much alive and she and her husband are in full time ministry with ACCTS.

I rebelled against authority so I didn't come to know the Lord as Savior until I was 18 years old and in college in Mississippi (the same college which Addie attended many years later). That was Nov. 6, 1972. One of my roommates led me to the Lord. I transferred colleges and met my husband to be. The Lord gave me the privilege of sharing Christ with him and he came to see his need for Christ. We were married August 16, 1975. (We had a fabulous time yesterday celebrating.) Our honeymoon was a week spent at Spring Canyon.

We were blessed with one son, who is 24 and a pilot (hence, pilotmom) in the Air Force. He is flying the C-130 , the big HUGE planes which are the workhorse of the Air Force. By the time we became parents the Lord had seen fit to place Pilot Dad and myself in Utah, surrounded by loving and sincere Mormons. I think it safe to say that we both thought we were spiritually "mature" when we moved to Utah but God saw fit to grow us. And grow us He did! Even though I stay home and care for my 90 year old Mom (90 on August 20th) and Pilot Dad has a job we consider ourselves full time missionaries among the Mormon population. What a privilege it has been.

I LOVE God's Word. To me there is nothing better. It strengthens me, encourages me, disciplines me, teaches me, all the time moving me closer and deeper in my relationship with my Lord and Savior. It (the Bible) is the standard by which everything else in life is measured by.

Being involved in the first go round of Christian Chapter Chat enabled me to grow to know Jules, Addie and CJ on a much deeper level. I love the discussions which can arise out of our comments.

We currently attend , well, we have attended ever since we first visited this church the Sunday before Thanksgiving in 1980. It's a Bible church whose preacher is very gifted in sharing what God's Word has to say. He is extremely deep in his preaching which I thrive on.

I guess that's all for now. If you have further questions, feel free to ask. I don't mind in the least!

KPJara (Kim): A Not-So-Short-Bio

Introduction Part I

I say ‘Part I’ because I tend to ramble and I’m certain this introduction will evolve. I am Kim. I am 42 years old. I currently live in Oklahoma City with the most perfect husband for me, that God could have ever created. He is the absolute joy of my life. Which is interesting (see here I go)…it’s interesting because I never thought I would trust anyone enough to get married and he is also 7 years younger than me. God clearly had other plans. I always thought happily married couples were a fairy tale or a mystery because either I had never seen it or I didn’t trust it when I did.

In any event, I returned to Oklahoma from ABQ in 2001 so my husband could finish school at OU and I could be closer to my sister, who was terminally ill at the time. She is since healed completely and yes I did blog-it here. My husband is preparing to graduate from OU this December (PRAISE GOD).

We do not have children (unless you count our dogs), though not for lack of trying (yes people ask that all the time). I’m almost past the painful and “Poe-esque” ticking of the proverbial maternal clock. We have prayed and both decided to possibly adopt an older child or perhaps siblings that are in foster care or one of too many ‘orphanages’.

I have been a Christian since I was 13 though mostly out of fear of fire and damnation. It was totally ‘fire insurance’. I recommitted my life in college and while it was still a bit ‘hit or miss’ in terms of understanding what that commitment was/is, it has been a life changer in every sense.
I have been to many different types of denominational and nondenominational and interdenominational churches in my search for God. I have loved learning about and discerning different teachings. I am amazed at the lack of discipling in modern and postmodern American Christian Churches. It bothers me greatly that Christians spend more time finding our differences than focusing on the common bond of Jesus.

We currently attend a second ‘start-up’ church (we were called away from the 1st one). When we left the first one I was certain God would let us “rest” for awhile. The fact that we ended up at another one is SO “God-like” because we saw so much of the behind the scenes happenings at the start-up churches that it was becoming more of a business venture, even a JOB, than a place of worship and community with Christ.

We were able to take that wisdom and knowledge and are loving this community we are now a part of. We have a pastor whom I can dialogue with comfortably and he is both well-read and believes in the God OUT of the box theology.

I am very excited about this book and this group. I have ‘lurked’ it occasionally in the past and I honestly thought you all had known each other for a long, long time. I am also amazed at the level of digging and pushing and growth and that is what I consider a successful study. I’ll try to keep my enthusiasm to a dull roar so as not to wake anyone til we actually start!

edited to add: I see everyone has a color (or so it seems). Is purple taken?

HeyJules (Julie)

Let's see now...

I'm 46, never married, no kids. (Sounds negative but it's really not!) I have two Pugs that I share my life with right now named Gracie and Petee. They ARE my babies so be prepared to hear pug stories from time to time.

I was raised up in the Lutheran church but never made the whole jump to actually having a relationship with God until March of 2005. It was then that I set my pride and strong will down and gave my life over to God. (And when I say strong will I mean strong will!)

I now attend church at North Heartland Community Church in Kansas City, Missouri. It's an inter-denominational "seeker-oriented" church and it has become my permanent church home. These people have now become my "other" family.

I now own and live in the house I grew up in - been here since I was 8. It's got a huge backyard and lots of trees and, despite my hatred for mowing, consider it my little piece of heaven on earth.

I should also probably tell the new people that I was diagnosed with Cardiomyopathy (a form of heart disease that leads to congestive heart failure) but I am responding very well to medication and have a very good prognosis (at this point) for living a full and long life. As my cardiologist put it, "It will probably only knock off those really crappy years at the end." Works for me! I do appreciate any and all prayers concerning my health - that I be strong enough and well enough to do what God wishes for me to complete while I am here.

I love to write ALMOST as much as I love God. It is my passion and (I think) my greatest gift from Him. I try to use my writing skills to inspire and comfort others and feel drawn closer to God through that. Although I have deep faith in the Bible and the basic tenants of the Christian religion I am also a free thinker and a big question asker. I take nothing for granted and believe that everything should be explored so that truth in all forms be found and brought to light.

I usually post in blue - probably to remind me that my life is NOT this color any more. God has filled my life to overflowing and my joy (most days) knows no bounds.

IN ADDITION...

I am the administrator for this blog (as is Claire "Pilotmom") so if you notice that someone added your name to the title of your "get to know me" post I'm the one that's guilty! Or, if you ever have trouble posting something in the future or see a spam comment that needs to be deleted, let one of the two of us know and we'll clean things up. :-)

Andrea: A Short Bio...

I'm so excited to join CCC this time around. I'm a mostly 'stay-at-home' Mom of two boys...one is three and one will be six this fall. My husband farms and we live a few miles from a small town. We attend the Christian & Missionary Alliance church where I'm most actively busy with leading one of the worship teams.

I grew up in a Christian family that attended an independent Baptist church. I made a decision to follow Christ at an early age and was actively involved in Bible memorization and all the weekday clubs and Sunday school that our church offered. And then it was off to Bible College halfway across the country where I was introduced to so many different points of view and was stretched in my legalistic-leaning upbringing. I learned to love having my thinking challenged and fell in love with the Bible in a whole new way. I also learned that our differences are part of the spice of life.

I'm ready to be challenged once again!

Addie

Just thought I would take a minute to introduce myself to all the new ones joining our group.

My name is Addie. Im 27. I have a wonderful husband named Daniel who I love and tend to gush over. I have a blue-eyed, blonde 2 year old son named Gabe that I adore. I am also pregnant with our second baby, who we suspect is a girl. Her name will be Emma. We have 4 outside dogs and an inside cat. My family is very important to me and only one thing comes ahead of them, and thats God.

I was raised in a Christian home, Christian school and have been to church all my life. So Ive really never known any other way. Although I made my own choice to become saved when I was in 2nd grade and knew exactly what I was doing and what was going on. I rededicated my life in 7th grade. God showed me my gifts as a senior in high school. In college, I really started growing my relationship and digging deeper. This was a profound moment in my life. I am a member of a Methodist church, but dont always agree with everything they do. My husband and I are the youth leaders at our church and we both enjoy this opportunity very much. (We would be thankful for prayers for God to bring some regular girls into our group as well). I am pretty open to alot of ideas on God and such, but they must be grounded in Scripture for me to actually believe them. Im working on learning to love like God, that is my biggest struggle.

Ive pretty much always been the "good girl", although I very much am attracted to the punk lifestyle.... tattoos, piercings, heavy make-up, black clothes, etc....

I live in Mississippi and its hot right now, but Im not complaining b/c Im very cold natured.

I am only 4'7" and have OCD, so my life isnt all perfect.... but dude, its pretty close. :)

Not sure what else to write, if you want to know anything else, feel free to ask - Im not easily offended.

*oh yeah, I usually do my posts in green, so its easy to tell who is posting....

So What - Exactly - IS CCC?

I think when the four of us (Addie, Claire, Claire Joy [a.k.a. "CJ"] and I) originally started this bookclub/blog we wanted to have a place to come and share our thoughts about God and His Word. I had read the New Testament once through but still didn't really "get" most of it and so Addie offered to help me make sense of it by reading "Memories of the Savior" along with me. I announced that we were going to be reading the book on my blog and Claire jumped on board because Claire LOVES the Bible and can't get enough of it (well, it's true!) and then, out of nowhere, CJ chimed in and asked to be included. I think at first we (okay, maybe just me...) was terrified to have a real live NUN in the group but I figured God invited just the right people so let's give this thing a shot and see what He makes of it!

We started reading the chapters together, which consisted of a piece of scripture from the book of Luke, followed by a few pages where the author, Ken Gire, attempted to put the scripture into perspective by moving it to story form and then, finally, each chapter closed with a prayer. At first, we all followed a certain format by talking about what we had been taught the scripture meant and then which part of the chapter God had laid on our hearts, and why. We all stayed pretty reserved towards each other until close to the middle of the book when we got to a chapter that reminded me of how much I missed a friend I had lost to AIDS shortly after High School and CJ chimed in that she had lost a close friend to AIDS, too and boom...all the veils we had up between us all came crashing down. Claire shared with us how hard it was to lose her brother and father and Addie explained to us what it is like to live with mild OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder). One by one, we went from being names on a sidebar to being real, live people and we became 'church' to each other.

The deeper we got into the book the less and less this club became about the book and the more it became about why God had pulled the four of us into this little circle together. We began to be unafraid to say how we truly felt and we each began to express ourselves and our walk with God with no holds barred. Down came the curtains and off came the gloves. Information passed from one hand to the others and feelings and emotions about why we believe what we believe began to surface. With it came some incredible blessings...

We began to be accountable to each other. We began to step out in our faith and try to understand someone else's side of things. We began to trust this place as a place where we could admit our faults, show our strengths, lean on each other and speak truth to each other. It's been several weeks since we finished that first book and all of us have deeply missed being here with each other. Deeply, deeply missed it.

But what I think is so incredible is that if you had put the four of us in a room together we never probably would have become friends. We're very different people with very different lifepaths and we all see God in very different ways - but that's all been part of this whole learning experience. We've shared so much more than what was in that last book selection here. We each found something in each reading that we connected to and we spoke from our hearts about it and, in doing so, we connected with each other in some very profound ways. We found out we are all just four women all on the same journey but all coming from four different directions so we have very different perspectives. We've learned to tell what we know, explain how we feel, take feedback from others, and finding out in the process what makes each of us so special in God's eyes.

As you read this next selection with us, remember this: It's not really about the book. It's about the journey and the friendship and the wisdom and the passing down of knowledge. It's about how God speaks to you as you read what the author wrote and then telling others why it moved you or why you thought it was a load of crap. If the scripture of the chapter grabs you, then tell us that. If the author's words moved you, tell us why. If the poetry made you cry or pissed you off, say that, too. But in all things, share your heart. Be considerate of the feelings of others and feel free to ask them more questions about what they post but always do so in a non-threatening format. God didn't bring us here to show who knows the most or to prove who's right. He brought us all here to share the next step of our journey together.

We've all come from different roads and now, for a brief time, we'll be walking this leg of the road together. Some days you'll be a disciple - learning from another. Some day you'll be the one with the answers - guiding the others. Some days you'll be wanting to quit and you'll find encouragement waiting for you. Other days, you'll find yourself saying something so profound that you'll know only the spirit of God could have put those words in your mouth.

Be unafraid to be whoever it is that you are. Point out whatever it is that you see. Listen to your heart and speak what God tells you to tell the group. Some times it won't seem to make sense to you - until you get that private email from another group member thanking you for what you said that day. Then you'll know...

Have fun. Grow a little. Bring honesty and humor and insight to the table and you'll be met with so much love you won't know what to do most days.

Welcome Kim, Dave, Chris, Gayla, Pat and Andrea to "Christian Chapter Chat". Strap yourselves in. It's going to be quite a ride.

God bless!

Greetings.

Just to let you know that I've signed up and ready to join in.

Here Comes Book No. 2!

Up next...

"Story - Recapture the Mystery" by Steven James.

Follow the link to purchase a copy and if you want to join us by posting along from chapter to chapter we'd love to include you!

We'll begin reading and posting about the new book beginning the week of August 28th. The required weekly reading will average about 3-7 pages twice a week. It doesn't matter where you are on your spiritual walk - we're all here to learn from each other and help each other grow in our faith.

So, even if you're new to Christianity or a long-time bible believing veteran, come join the group. All we ask is that you make the committment to reading the entire book and to respecting the opinions of the other club members. (Note: I didn't say you have to agree - you just have to remain respectful. We don't feel anyone can grow spiritually if one is met with defensiveness and accusations.)

If you want to join the group or just find out more information about us or the book we're about to begin reading, please contact me at HeyJules@att.net. Put "CCC" in the subject line of your email so I don't toss you in the spam bucket and I'll be happy to answer any of your questions.

Otherwise, look around and review some of the posts from our last book and see if you think this is something you'd be interested in. It's an incredible group of women and we've found it really brings not oly the book selection into better depth but our faith in God as well.

See everyone here on September 28th!