Where are the Christians? by Eric Shuster – Chapter 17

 Posted by  Blog Tours, Special Features
May 122013
 

 

Author Eric Shuster will be providing a series of blog posts summarizing various sections of his upcoming book Where are the Christians? due to be released this spring from Cedar Fort, Inc. We will feature one post each week from now until May 2013. For more information visit www.findyourchristianity.com.

* * *

SECTION 4: HOW IS CHRISTIANITY TO UNITE? – A Vision

Chapter 17: Strengthening the Community

 

The fourth and final rung in the Model of Christian Unity following the individual, family and church is the community. The ideal scenario is for a community to be made up of strong individuals, families and churches—a blessing to all those who reside in such a community.

There is a societal lineage that maps to the Model of Christian Unity: individuals make up families; families make up neighborhoods; neighborhoods make up cities; cities make up counties; counties make up districts; districts make up states; states make up a nation; nations make up the world. There is a phrase “think global, act local,” a phrase which has great applicability to the concept of the church community.

The Biblical case for strengthening the community is really a culmination of the Biblical cases given for strengthening individuals, families and churches. Strengthening the community is not something most Christians think about—it is simply not a spiritual priority—this despite the fact that the Savior taught “if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand” (Mark 3:25).

Conventional wisdom suggests the great dividers of the Christian community come from the atheists and other anti-Christian organizations. However, that is not the case. The primary dividers of the Christian community can be found within the walls of Christianity itself—self-appointed judges and protectors of the faith as they interpret it. In short dividers are Modern-day Pharisees (from Chapter 8).

The unifiers of the community come in the form of individuals and institutions that have the vision of strengthening the body of Christ, looking past that which divides different denominations of Christianity and instead focusing on the commonality that can be leveraged. Shuster researches and reports on a number of highly successful global and local ecumenical efforts including intra-faith ministries and inter-faith ministries. Some of these institutions such as Northwest Assistance Ministries in Houston and the Neighborhood Interfaith Movement of Philadelphia are helping thousands of people each year by bringing together dozens of different Christian denominations to work together as one.

Unifying Christianity is not just a utopian pipe dream that exists in the same universe as wish granting fairies, calorie free ice cream and world peace. The Model of Christian Unity is already in progress and is strengthening communities and unifying Christianity towards reaching its potential. There are hundreds of community building efforts among diverse Christian congregations operating and changing lives around the United States. Therefore the question of whether or not it is possible to strengthen and unify the body of Christ in helping Christianity reach its potential has been answered—the answer is YES. What then will you do to help unify Christianity?

Our 18 week journey has briefly summarized who the Christians are from a historical perspective; what a Christian is from a spiritual perspective; where the Christians are from a behavioral perspective; and how Christianity can be strengthened and more united from a societal perspective. Thank you for joining us.

Go to www.findyourchristianity.com to watch the book trailer, find out what type of Christian you are, and to order the book.

 

Where are the Christians? by Eric Shuster – Chapter 16

 Posted by  Blog Tours, Special Features
May 052013
 

 

Author Eric Shuster will be providing a series of blog posts summarizing various sections of his upcoming book Where are the Christians? due to be released this spring from Cedar Fort, Inc. We will feature one post each week from now until May 2013. For more information visit www.findyourchristianity.com.

* * *

SECTION 4: HOW IS CHRISTIANITY TO UNITE? – A Vision

Chapter 16: Strengthening the Church

 

The third rung of the Model of Christian Unity, following the individual and family, is the church. Strong individuals and strong families should make for a strong church; however, that is not always the case. Bringing together two or more strong families full of righteous individuals does not guarantee church unification where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The lesson behind this unfortunate reality can be illustrated with food. There are some who love a thick juicy steak and also love a good bowl of ice cream; however, steak a-la-mode is not likely to be a winning menu item.

Ideally one plus one equals three in the synergistic realm or at a minimum one plus one should equal two in the compatibility realm. However, one plus one can equal one, or even a negative number when there is no synergy. Such is the potential when bringing people together in church to form a congregation. This is why strengthening the church is a critical and challenging aspect on the journey to unifying disparate Christians toward a stronger society.

The Biblical case for strengthening the church comes from the 12th chapter (verses 12-27) of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians as he addresses the diversity of spiritual gifts and the various positions within the church. Paul provides a detailed analogy of different parts of a body and how they work together to create one body of Christ.

There is no shortage of elements that weaken and divide the church including politics, social Issues, sin/pride, racism/prejudice, culture, ministerial conflicts, generational differences, gender conflicts, personality conflicts, bigotry and harsh evangelism. At times these elements, especially when combined, can become powerful deterrents to unity in the body of Christ within a congregation.

Strengthening the church focuses on the individuals and families within the church. Humans are complex beings and follow basic physiological patterns that when understood can help motivate people to reach their full potential as children of God. Shuster applies Maslow’s model of needs hierarchy to the church to create a Spiritual Hierarchy of Needs including: 1) Faith (physiological level); 2) Well-being (safety level); 3) Belonging and Affection (level of the same name in Maslow’s model); 4) Value (Esteem level) and 5) Discipleship (Self-Actualization level).

As church members move up the pyramid of the spiritual hierarchy they also move from left to right in the Christian Continuum. For example, the Laboring Christian is one who has effectively realized the four bottom components of the Spiritual Hierarchy of Needs and has entered true discipleship in Jesus Christ, while the Departing Christian is struggling with faith and well being.

The Spiritual Hierarchy of Needs integrates the object lesson taught by Paul in the analogy of the body of Christ regarding the psychology of human nature and the serialization of needs fulfillment. When churches begin focusing more on strengthening individuals and families than on programs and fund raising then the body of Christ will be strengthened and unified.

Next we look at strengthening the community.

Go to www.findyourchristianity.com to watch the book trailer, find out what type of Christian you are, and to order the book.

 

Parenting with Spiritual Power by Julie K. Nelson — Blog Tour

 Posted by  Blog Tours, Mindy's Reviews
May 012013
 

Parenting-with-Spiritual-Power_coverParenting with Spiritual Power

Author: Julie K. Nelson

Publisher: Cedar Fort

Published: March 12, 2013

ISBN: 978-1-4621-1168-8

Paperback: 192 pages

FTC  FYI: Received a review copy in exchange for an honest review

Reviewed by Mindy

Backcover

“I wish children came with an instruction manual!”

How many times have we heard this lament by a frustrated or overwhelmed parent?  Perhaps we have said these words ourselves.  There are “how-to” manuals for practically anything:  installing a new faucet, building a remote control car, baking an apple pie, refinishing an antique chair, or assembling a bicycle.  Is there a formula or a perfect manual for raising children?  Yes!  The scriptures.

In Parenting with Spiritual Power, Julie Nelson examines the lives of mothers and fathers in the scriptures (the best instruction manual) and the parenting principles we can learn from them.  Discover powerful parenting examples from Adam and Eve, the brother of Jared, and Captain Moroni, along with suggestions for personal application in this essential book.

My Review

Wow!  This book is exactly what parents need for some wonderfully inspired parenting advice.  While reading I thought to myself, yes, I need to do it this way, or this can make it so there may be less contention, etc.  Some things are so helpful, it is almost common sense.  These are lesson that we all can be doing as parents, especially myself.  I loved how the scripture references were used to support each chapter.  I am far from being perfect parent, ask my kids, but I know with the Lord’s help, I can become a better parent.

I took some notes while reading this book that I wanted to share.

  1. Our Heavenly Father is never too busy to listen.  His back is never turned.  (page 12)
  2. Each child’s feelings should be validated.  When resolving conflicts, we need to ask, gather information, and listen, listen, listen.  (page 15)
  3. Catch the child being good…  Focus on the positive we see in our children.  Teach doctrine when guiding and correcting children.  (page 21)
  4. “Parents are never failures when they do their best to love, teach, pray, and care for their children.  Their faith, prayers, and efforts will be consecrated to the good of their children.”  (Elder Robert D. Hales, page 25)

These are just a few of the helpful examples that I found while reading Parenting with Spiritual Power.  You will be lifted up and feel, that even on your worst days, you can do this.  We all need a little help and a spiritual boost.  This book gives you both.

Author Links 

Goodreads / Website

Purchase Links

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Books & Things / Deseret Book 

Parentingwithpower

Where are the Christians? by Eric Shuster – Chapter 15

 Posted by  Blog Tours, Special Features
Apr 282013
 

 

Author Eric Shuster will be providing a series of blog posts summarizing various sections of his upcoming book Where are the Christians? due to be released this spring from Cedar Fort, Inc. We will feature one post each week from now until May 2013. For more information visit www.findyourchristianity.com.

* * *

SECTION 4: HOW IS CHRISTIANITY TO UNITE? – A Vision

Chapter 15: Strengthening the Family

 

The second rung in the Model of Christian Unity is the family. Each individual born on earth is part of a family. Ideally that family consists of a mother, father, siblings and extended members (i.e. aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.). For too many individuals however that ideal falls short resulting in single parent families, families where there is no parent at all, and every other variety one can imagine.

Family reaches beyond genetics or a physical home. It is not uncommon to hear about persons in the military referring to their family in the service or close friends calling one another brother and sister. Whatever the configuration, strengthening the family is of critical importance in the spiritual unification process on the road to Christian Unity.

The Bible as a historical record provides stories of close-knit blood-related families such as Mary, Martha and Lazarus (John 11); close in-laws such as Ruth and Naomi (Ruth 1:16); dysfunctional families like that of King David (2 Sam. 11-13) and Jacob with his 12 sons (Gen. 34-37); and even families where one brother murders another in Cain and Abel (Gen. 4:8). The Bible outlines the establishment of the family (Gen. 2:18), the institute of marriage (Matt. 19:4-6), the importance of children (Psa. 127:3) and the dynamics of family relationships (Ex. 20:12 and Eph. 6:4).

The importance of the family to the greater whole of Christianity is unmistakable. Strong families translate into strong churches and strong communities. Because the forces of evil know this the family is constantly under attack. Inspired spiritual leaders have spoken publicly about the criticality of the family including Pope John Paul II who said “As the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the whole world in which we live.” Yet, despite decades of warnings society continues to ignore the obvious and pay the consequences including increased crime, child abuse, and abandonment.

At the core of the disintegration of the family is divorce. The absence of both parents in the home and the associated economic stress has not only been linked to an increase in child abuse, but a new phenomenon of technology as a babysitter. A study released by the Kaiser Family Foundation in 2010 revealed 8 to 18 year-olds in the United Sates devote an average of just over 7.5 hours per day to entertainment media including TV, video games, computers, iPods, and cell phones. The impact of such tremendous exposure to media has a devastating effect on children and youth.

To strengthen the family Shuster offers a unique lesson in the Divine Triangle whereby family unity is enhanced through the pursuit of Christ and His gospel. For those times when certain family members are in need a little extra support the Divine Triangle can transform to buoy those who are struggling. The chapter ends with practical counsel and tips from authors and family clinicians on healthy family dynamics—all designed to strengthen the family on the road to Christian unity. Next we look at strengthening the church.

Go to www.findyourchristianity.com to watch the book trailer, find out what type of Christian you are, and to order the book.

 

The Big Debate: Literary Loom by Carolyn Twede Frank-Review

 Posted by  Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Sheila's Reviews
Apr 272013
 

 

literary loom tour

 

Literary LoomProduct Details

  • Paperback: 378 pages
  • Publisher: AugustCorp Press (April 24, 2013)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0985251336
  • ISBN-13: 978-0985251338
  • FTC FYI: I received a review e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
  • Reviewed by Sheila

 Book Description:The Big Debate (Literary Loom #1)

A bizarre corpse . . . A strange girl . . . A creepy teacher . . . A cool invention . . . Combine these with an old school and a new student anxious to fit in—and the adventure begins. Fifteen-year-old Josh’s big mouth gets him in trouble at first. But after walking in the shoes of great men of history in the Literary Loom, he uses that mouth to bring down the bad guy and ultimately solve the mystery behind the murder—and the strange girl.

Excerpt:
 Ester climbed up the steps. She was helped to the top of the pile of wood and stood upon it with her back against the stake. Josh gazed up at her, paralyzed. The executioner ascended to her side and wound chains about her frail body, fastening her to the stake. Then he descended to finish his job. There she remained, alone—Joan of Arc, the girl who had so many friends in the days when she was free; the girl who had transformed an army’s hopelessness into courage, along with Josh’s; the girl who had inspired him to follow his heart and not bend to other’s opinions, a heart that now pounded painfully at the speed of light.
 
The mental image of Mr. Ingles in a heap on the floor flashed in Josh’s head. How safe was this contraption, one with artificial intelligence that might not recognize Ester as a traveler? Josh remembered the heat, the cold, the saddle, Louis’s wounds—he felt them all. What would she feel in about one minute? His stomach tensed up at the thought.
 My Review

“But I would like to think that my invention is like a literary loom, weaving a tapestry of images spun by the author but woven into an experience by the reader that delights their mind and warms their soul.” This is what the character, Uncle Reuben, has to say about his invention. I loved this very clever idea found in this new book by Author Carolyn Twede Frank!

The Big Debate is a YA book with a very creative twist on time travel.Having books come to life is the heart of this series. You can actually go experience the book by becoming one of the characters. I really liked the main character, 15 year old Josh. He is trying to fit in at his new school and get’s stuck having to do his report with the “strange” girl Ester. This girl and her uncle open a whole new world to Josh. The students at this school are written realistically with teen personalities that ring true. The mystery in this story is compelling. The action in The Big Debate is exciting and it’s great to have such wonderful Heroes for you and your teens to cheer for. I can’t wait to read more books in this series!

Meet: Author Carolyn Twede Frank

Carolyn has always liked to create. There were always gardens full of beautiful plants in her life, plenty of frilly, homemade dresses for her daughters—and don’t leave out the puppets. Ever since third grade, Carolyn also liked to write. She is the author of Promises, a teen historical fiction novel, and the author/illustrator of two children’s picture books. Carolyn lives in Utah with her husband and teenage daughter, where she runs her puppet-related business in between family time and writing time.

Fairy Godmothers, Inc. by Jenniffer Wardell – Blog Tour

 Posted by  Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Shanda's Reviews
Apr 222013
 

Fairy Godmothers, Inc.Fairy Godmothers, Inc.

Author: Jenniffer Wardell

Publisher: Jolly Fish Press

Published Date: April 27, 2013

Hardcover: 302 pages

Genre: Fairytale Romance

ISBN# 978-0-9886491-4-9

Reviewed by: Shanda

FTC FYI: received an uncorrected digital proof in exchange for an honest review

Goodreads Summary

In a world where fairy tale situations are as much a fact of life as death and taxes, everyone knows hiring Fairy Godmothers, Inc. is the best way to assure that your beautiful daughter or enchanted frog of a grandson will get the happily-ever-after he or she deserves. Sure, sometimes a little love potion is required to make sure those quotas stay up, but what Prince Charming doesn’t know won’t hurt him. 

Kate, an experienced Fairy Godmother, who’s enough of a romantic to frustrate her rigidly rule-bound boss, has just received a specialty assignment from one of the company’s board of directors. Cinderella—Rellie for short—was placed with an appropriately wicked stepfamily years before, and now needs the dress, ball, and handsome prince to complete her happily-ever-after. The fact that Rellie isn’t sure this is her dream come true—balls are fun, but princes tend to be less interesting than fluffy bunnies—isn’t something management considers a problem.

Complicating things a bit is Jon, the youngest son of the royal family, who meets Kate, and is smitten, but isn’t quite ready yet to reveal his true identity. After all, it’s his older brother Rupert who’s supposed to marry Rellie, which means pretending to be a lowly civil servant will give him the chance to spend more time with Kate. (As long as he can get the ball arranged, and stop Rupert from getting himself into trouble over his “self-actualization” business, he should have the perfect opportunity to explain everything and get started on making a little magic with the Fairy Godmother of his dreams.) 

But, of course, things never ever happen as planned.

Review

Fairy Godmothers, Inc. was such a fun read. I was entertained from the first chapter to the last. I laughed out loud on more than one occasion. I loved Jon, Kate, Lawton, and even Rellie by the end. As a romance, I knew Jon and Kate would eventually end up together, but there were a few unexpected twists with other characters I didn’t see coming and I wasn’t sure quite how things would work out until the very end.

I read Fairy Godmothers, Inc. pretty much straight through. (The kids had to eat and I had to sleep, at least for a few hours.) Even though the  book is approximately 300 pages long, it moved at a good pace and didn’t seem overly long. I was pulled into the story and thought it was well-written and pretty clean overall. The characters were interesting (Bubbles was effectively intimidating, considering her name), and I cared about what happened to them.

It’s obvious that the author had fun writing this story. A lot of fairytale, a bit of magic, some intrigue and a generous dose of romance all combine to make Fairy Godmothers, Inc. easily one of my favorite reads this year.

Content: There is some mild innuendo; a few side characters consume alcohol but I don’t recall the main characters ever partaking; one mild “curse” word; older teens and adults will probably enjoy this book

Visit Jenniffer Wardell: 

BLOG | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOOGLE+ | GOODREADS

Find Fairy Godmothers, Inc.:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | GOODREADS

 

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