Skinny-licious Blog Tour

Back Cover

Eat yourself skinny! Registered nurse and award winning cook Shauna Evans proves that you don't need to give up your favorite foods in order to slim down. You can enjoy tasty recipes like Lime and Cilantro Shrimp Skewers, Stuffed Red Peppers, and Cherry Chocolate Cake, all while losing weight and feeling great. Healthy cooking has never been easier!

My Thoughts

The author, Shauna Evans, talks about her struggle with her weight in a way that so many of us can relate to. After each baby, I worked hard to shed those pounds. I did fantastic after Number 3, but Number 4 is still hanging around. I'm not complaining, but there's been little that I've done that's made a difference. 

That's what intrigued my about Shauna's book. It was a completely different way of looking at weight loss than one I'd ever tried before. So many of the books I read want you to eat and fuel your body like an athlete. When I'm in training for a run that's great; but, when the most exercise I get is hauling laundry baskets up the stairs, it's not the best plan.

After looking through the pictures and recipes, I'd be willing to give this a try. It's not too difficult, there's no counting calories or logging time at the gym, though Shauna does advocate regular exercise.  All that I'd have to do here is be able to tell time. I think I can do that!

Blog Tour: A Nothing Named Silas

A Nothing Named Silas
By Steve Westover

"In the not-so-distant future, workers are forcibly drafted into their fields, and the Labor party chooses Silas. Because he's new, strong, and trained for Command, everyone wants to use him for their own purposes. But when a strange girl shows him that he can choose his own destiny, Silas must make his first real decision---which side he will fight for?"


Not all decisions in life are black and white. It's difficult to decide who to follow/lead/join when you're given bits of propaganda. In a dystopian world, Silas must decide who is on the right side, or if there is a "right" side. Or, if he can choose something else entirely. 

The book does get into some pretty deep thoughts. The content is more mature but I would call it a clean read. It's definitely meant for an older reader, but can work as a great conversation starter with a mature teen. If you'd like to purchase a copy click here.

Heroes of Faith Review

What do you think of when you hear the word "hero"? Do you think of blue tights and flapping red capes that brush the ground? Or, do you think of incredible feats of strength that boggle the mind? Those types of heroes have gained popularity and fame despite their imaginary existence. When you look for a true hero, where do you turn?
Real heroes, the ones with flesh and blood, put their underwear on first and then slide up their pants -- or skirt as the case may be. Fame and fortune don't draw them to action; in fact, they prefer to remain anonymous. True heroes don't see themselves as heroes, they see themselves as servants of God. 
In her new book, Heroes of Faith: True Stories of Courage and Strength, author Marlene Bateman Sullivan outlines the heroic faith of modern men and women.

  Back Cover

Angry mobs and flying bullets were just a few things the early Saints had to cope with. Heroes of Faith: True Stories of Courage and Strength tells the inspiring stories of stalwart LDS men and women who rose above impossible odds and stood valiant in the Gospel. Learn how to use faith and courage to get through trials in your own life when the world seems to turn against you.

Book of Mormon Heroes

We have so many examples of Heroes of Faith in the Book of Mormon. 

* Nephi who stood firm in his faith despite his brothers threats and beatings. He turned his faith into action, proclaiming, "I will go and do the things the Lord commands," when, from his vantage point, there was no way to accomplish what the Lord asked. His faith was strong enough to carry him through the impossible.

* Ammon left behind home, family, and a throne, to spend his days preaching love to a war-hungry people. Knowing that the Lamanites could and probably would kill him, or at the least starve him, beat him, and throw him in prison, he shouldered his bag of sacred writings and walked into the wilderness. His faith carried him past his fear for himself and into the hearts of the king and his people.

* Alma the Younger's was perhaps the most difficult test of faith a man or woman has to face. He had to have a superhuman faith in the Atonement to believe that he, "the vilest of sinners," could be completely washed clean by the sacrifice of the Son of God. His faith, to press forward with his new life, new convictions, and new hope, carried him through each snide remark, each judgement, and each snub, as he worked to right his wrongs. 

These accounts of Book of Mormon heroes give each of us strength, but over time, we've exalted them to be more than human. When Mormon compiled the Book of Mormon, he tried to include their human attributes or weaknesses, but it can be difficult to imagine Nephi becoming angry - even with Laman and Lemuel, Ammon getting frustrated, or Alma the Younger snapping at his children. 

Becoming a Hero of Faith

Children are fantastic at placing themselves in the roll of a hero. They parade around the living room with a sword and pretend to rescue the brass plates, Zoram, and the damsels known as the daughters of Ishmael.

As we get older, it becomes more difficult to place ourselves in a heroic roll. Listing our faults and weaknesses becomes a talent that we develop without even trying. However, when an "average" LDS man or woman stands strong against persecution or temptation, they exercise faith every bit as strong as Nephi's. When they share the gospel with a friend or coworker, they risk social isolation and exorcise faith as strong as Ammon's.  When they repent and strive to live better and be better, they flex their spiritual muscles and their faith is as strong as Alma the Younger's.

Heroes of Faith is full of modern-day people who stand firm in their faith despite insurmountable odds stacked against them. There are men who forgive the unforgivable and women who use faith and determination to fulfill their divine destiny. I would recommend this book for its inspirational stories of the lives of everyday people. They say each person has a story to tell, a novel to write. In fact, we are all writing our stories in the Book of Life. One day, when our stories are reread, we may be surprised to find that by striving to follow Christ, we are also a hero of faith.

Blog Tour Penumbras

Welcome to the Penumbras blog tour!

Let me start off by saying that this is a sequel to The Kindling which was a really good book. Let me explain a little about the premise. 

Basically, there are two forces in the universe: light and dark. 

They battle. 

Light's good. 

Dark's bad. 

However, this being a middle grade book, the dark is middle grade bad. You don't have to worry about it being too dark for your kid to read. The bad things they do are like saying mean things (not explicitly explained) and the like. But, it's done well enough that you feel the character's remorse for what they did.  

Cover Thoughts

I liked the cover of The Kindling because, like the story itself, it focused on the light. 

The cover for Penumbras looks kind of dark. But that feels appropriate because one of the main characters, Conner, is fighting against the darkness inside himself. 

Thought Provoking

One of the underlying messages in the book is that we all have a choice. We can choose to let our light shine or we can choose to spread darkness. Pre-teens and teens are always looking for ways to have more control over their lives. They often don't realize how much power they have over themselves. This book opened up a great conversation with my son about choices and individual accountability and responsibility to self and those you care about.

Back Cover

Conner Dell didn't meant to blow up the school bus.

Or the bathrooms.

In fact, he only wanted to go to sleep and possibly dream about Melanie Stephens.

But explosions had a funny way of happening when Conner and his friends were around.

***

Conner Dell wants to be good--he really does. But he is terrified that he might be turning into a Darkhand, especially when new powers start to surface. What's worse, the Stalker is following Conner, but no one else seems to be able to see him. The Magi think he might be hallucinating, the guilt of what happened in the Shadowbox keeps weighing on him, and his relationship with Melanie Stephens is complicating things. Even for a Magi, Conner knows his life is anything but normal. 

Wrapping Up

The author, Braden Bell, is a middle school choir and theater director. He gets his audience. Since I have a 12 year old who reads, like, superhero fast, I am always looking for new books to keep him happy. He's now read both The Kindling and Penumbras and is eagerly anticipating the third book which is scheduled for release next summer. I would recommend this book for you or your middle grade student.

Excerpt

As a special treat, Braden Bell has provided an excerpt from the book. How nice is that? You can also check out a couple chapters from the book and the book trailer by clicking here. Or, you can find out about entries for a $50 Amazon gift card Braden is giving away as part of the blog tour by clicking here. Happy reading.

CHAPTER ONE

SHADOW PUPPETS

Conner Dell didn’t mean to blow up the school bus.

Or the bathrooms.

In fact, he only wanted to go to sleep and possibly dream about Melanie Stephens.

But explosions had a funny way of happening when Conner and his friends were around.

It all started on the annual seventh grade science trip to the Sea Lab at Dauphin Island, Alabama. Fifty-four thirteen-year-olds on a five-day field trip. What could go wrong?

Especially when three of them happened to be Magi.

#

For a fraction of a second, Conner thought he saw shadows slithering along the base of the cinderblock walls. Tensing, he blinked and looked again.

Nothing. He was alone in the darkness of his dorm room.

Well, except for his friend and fieldtrip roommate, Pilaf.

Across the room, Pilaf disturbed the darkness by turning his flashlight on and digging through a giant floral print suitcase. Fishing a book out, Pilaf hunched over, tucked the flashlight under his chin, and read.

“What are you reading?” Conner asked.

“Sorry. Did I wake you up?” Pilaf squeaked. “I couldn’t sleep. I guess I slept too much on the bus.”

“No worries.” Conner burrowed into his sleeping bag. He didn’t like messing with sheets on these trips. The springs of the ancient bed creaked beneath him. “I’m not sleepy either.” Lexa? Can you hear me? Conner reached out in his thoughts, wondering if his twin sister was awake in her room on the girls’s floor. Head-talking was a cool benefit of being one of the Magi—a secret group of warriors who used the power of Light to battle evil.

No answer from Lexa. Her allergy medicine must have knocked her out.

Melanie? He tried Lexa’s best friend, Melanie Stephens—also one of the Magi-in-training. Conner listened for her response, trying to ignore the backflip in his chest that came when he thought of her. No answer. Melanie had taken something for motion sickness on the bus. She must be knocked out too.

Conner jerked up as something skittered across the ceiling right above him. No doubt this time. He grabbed his own flashlight, raking the beam across the ceiling tiles as someone whispered his name.

Coooonnerrrrrr.

“What?” Conner pointed his flashlight at Pilaf, who looked up from his book, blinking behind his thick glasses. Pilaf’s blinks always reminded Conner of the way a light on a computer blinked when it processed data.

“What?” Pilaf squinted back at him.

“Why did you call me?” Conner asked.

“I didn’t.” Pilaf looked down at his book.

On edge now, Conner lay back down, scanning the room for more shadowy movement, his fingers ready to snap his flashlight back on at any second.

Co-n-n-e-r-r-r-r-r-r D-e-l-l-l-l-l.

A whispered, hissing sort of growl sounded in his head as a flicker of movement caught his eye. He whipped his head around in time to see a shadowy tail vanish under Pilaf’s bed. Flipping his flashlight on, he investigated the space under the metal frame.

Nothing there.

“What are you doing, Conner?” Pilaf managed to blink and stare at the same time.

Trying to protect you from slithery shadow monsters that could slurp your soul like a slushie, Conner thought. How could he keep the flashlight on without alarming Pilaf? Out loud, he said, “Uh, it’s a game. Flashlight tag. You’re it.” He shined the flashlight at Pilaf.

“How do you play?”

“Well . . . one person’s it and he shines a flashlight all over the room.”

“That’s all?” Pilaf blinked until Conner wondered if he was broadcasting the telephone book in Morse code. “It seems kind of pointless.”

“Uh, yeah.” Conner said. “You’re right. Lame. How about shadow puppets?” He slipped his hand in front of the flashlight, wiggling his fingers until the shadow resembled a horse.

“Cool!” Pilaf shouted.

A knock at the door interrupted them and a tired-looking science teacher poked his head in, glaring beneath tousled red hair. “What’s going on in here?”

“Sorry, Mr. Keller,” Pilaf said. “We slept on the bus ride, so we’re not tired. Conner’s making shadows with his hands. Look, a horse!”

“Neeeiiiiggghhh.” Conner threw in sound effects as a special feature.

Apparently unimpressed with great art, Mr. Keller frowned. “Get some sleep. We have a full day tomorrow.”

“Yes, sir.” Conner swallowed his depression at the thought of a five-day science class. Five days of plankton, ocean salinity, salt marshes, and beach ecology. Five days of science, 24/7. At least they were close to the beach. That might be fun.

“Do another one,” Pilaf whispered as the sound of Mr. Keller’s footsteps retreated down the hall.

“Okay, but be quiet this time.” Conner opened his fingers, making a snake’s mouth, complete with a flickering tongue.

It seemed so real that Conner thought he heard a hiss. Unsettled, he dropped his hands, but the hissing noise continued, twisting into words.

Co-n-n-e-r-r-r-r-r-r D-e-l-l-l-l-l—

Trying to squash the sound, Conner raised his voice. “Here’s another one.” He cupped his hands on top of each other, stuck his thumb up, and opened his fingers slightly.

“Wow!” Pilaf yelled. “A wolf!” He giggled as Conner opened the mouth and growled. “Little pig, little pig let me come in.” Conner prayed that none of the other seventh-grade boys heard he’d been doing Three Little Pigs shadow plays. That would not be cool.

Co-n-n-e-r-r-r-r-r-r D-e-l-l-l-l-l—

The weird voice came louder. Conner dropped his hands away from the flashlight.

The wolf head stayed there.

Fighting panic, Conner switched the flashlight off, but the wolf head remained, darker than the darkest shadows on the wall.

It stretched and grew bigger, becoming life-sized within seconds. It turned and stared at Conner, a three-dimensional head sticking out of the wall like some kind of freaky hunting souvenir.

The wolf growled, then jumped off the wall, and sailed across the room toward Conner.

Epic Tales of a Misfit Hero

 

This was a fun book to review for two reasons. 

One: I enjoy a good coming of age story as much as the next reader. 

Two: I have an 11-year-old who is about to turn 12! (Scary, I know!)

What I loved while reading this book is seeing some of my own son's worries reflected in the main character, Andrew. Getting the Aaronic Priesthood is a big step for a young man and, just like Andrew, my kid is a bit nervous. That's why I'm going to get him his own copy of this book. He'll see that other kids, like him, are struggling through the same issues. 

Here's the back cover:

From passing the sacrament with his fly down to failing miserably at capture the flag, Andrew knows he'll never be able to fulfill his duties as a deacon. But when tragedy strikes on his Boy Scout backpacking trip, Andrew's whole troop must become stronger than they ever imagined. This hilarious coming-of-age story is bound to have you rooting for a misfit hero!

Final Thoughts

Isn't that what we all felt like when we were 12 - misfits? No one feels like they fit in and they feel awkward and just plain off when they try. However, as every mom on the planet will tell you, a 12-year-old is full of potential! As moms we see what we know our kids can become, just like Andrew is capable of being more and doing more than he thinks he can. All it takes is a little nudge to get them there. 

If you'd like to pick up a copy here's the link.

Healing From Neglect ... When Those We Love Don't Love US

Today I have a wonderful guest post from Author Janene Baadsgaard. 

She is the author of Healing from Neglect, Healing from Abuse, The LDS Mother’s Almanac, Families Who Laugh . . . Last, Family Finances for the Flabbergasted, Is There Life After Birth?,  On The Roller-Coaster Called Motherhood, 15 Secrets to a Happy Home, Grin and Share It . . . Raising a Family with a Sense of Humor, and many more wonderful titles. 

In this post she'll be talking about her new book Healing from Neglect. 

Take it away Janene!

Do you have one sentence that describes your book?

HEALING FROM NEGLECT helps readers recognize abuse & neglect, overcome the effects of destructive relationships, then heal and move forward.

What inspired you to write this book?

             Perhaps the greatest joy in life is to love and be loved. The sad truth is that many of us are hurting inside because some of those we choose to love do not love us in return and we need help figuring out what to do about it.

I’ve been a journalist specializing in family life issues for three decades in newspapers, magazines, and books. This career has placed me in the unique position to interview numerous professionals and in the field and also to receive letters, e-mails, and phone calls from readers all over the world. The most heartbreaking pleas for help I’ve received concern abuse and neglect. While I don’t claim to be an expert, I want to share what I’ve learned from my research, interviews, personal experience and readers.

On a personal note, I was involved in destructive relationships myself for over fifty years and didn’t know what to do because I loved the people who abused and neglected me. After a major crisis I finally found the courage to change  . . . me. I stopped tolerating mistreatment.

You published a book called HEALING FROM ABUSE last year. How is this book different?

HEALING FROM NEGLECT focuses on the neglect side of abuse and is a perfect companion to HEALING FROM ABUSE because it allowed me to go into more detail about the part of abuse we often leave out of discussions . . . neglect. Because neglect is every bit as devastating as any other form of abuse, this new book is a vital discussion about a side of abuse that is often ignored or misunderstood.

Who should buy your book?

Most of us have been involved in a destructive relationship or we know someone who is. What do we do if the person we love abuses us? We all deserve to be treated with kindness and respect. If the person we have a close relationship with mistreats us, it is time to stop tolerating abuse. This book tells us how to untangle ourselves from destructive relationships without losing our capacity to trust and to love again.

Can you share a rewarding experience since being published?

I have grateful readers visit me at book signings, come to my house or call and tell me about how my books have changed their life. One reader said after reading HEALING FROM ABUSE and removing herself from a destructive relationship, it was the first time in her life when she actually looked forward to the rest of her life.

What is your goal in writing this book?

My desire is that this book will help stop our personal and societal tolerance for abuse and neglect. Abusers seldom change their destructive behavior, so those who are mistreated need to change. We have to stop tolerating mistreatment.

If someone is interested in your writing where can they follow you?

I blog at www.janenebaadsgaard.blogspot.com

I have an author page on goodreads

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1246829.Janene_Wolsey_Baadsgaard

Gaze into Heaven

To sum up the book, it is a look into pioneer and early settlers in the Salt Lake Valley's near death experiences. The recounting of these visits to the other side are told by the person who experienced them or from those who were asked to keep the record.

I think everyone is curious about what happens when we die. It's only natural to ponder these things especially if we lose a loved one or friend. Gaze into Heaven is a respectful recounting of people's visits to the other side of the veil and back. 

From Amazon:

Gaze Into Heaven is a compilation of fifty documented near-death experiences of life beyond the veil, drawn from the early history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Filled with insight and inspiration, this book melds engrossing personal experiences with perceptive commentary, scripture, and quotes form latter-day prophets. After reading this book, you won't ever think of life - or death - the same way.

What I Found Interesting

In all the accounts recorded and shared not one person said that it hurt to die. Sure, some of the suffered illness or pain leading up to death; but, the actually separation of the spirit from the body didn't hurt. Then, once they were free form their body they were also free from pain. 

I also pondered over the work being done in the Spirit World. Most of the people mentioned genealogy information being prepared. Some talked about gardening and building projects. I think, as we become burdened with the necessities of this life, like paying bills, advancing in our careers and such, we loose track of the eternal perspective we once held. Reading these stories helps to bring that perspective back. It reminded me of what is most important. 

Because the stories were presented in a respectful way and not in a fanciful, sensational voice the messages that the people brought back with them from the spirit world remain intact and carry weight. If you're curious about the next step in our eternal progression or even if you are fearful of death and/or dying this would be a good book to read.

My Loving Vigil Keeping

Book Summary from Amazon:

Della's giving up all the comforts of bustling Salt Lake City to teach school in a rural coal mining camp. Little does she know, she may soon be giving up her heart as well. But when tragedy strikes the Scofield Mine, Della's life will be changed forever. Based on true events, this thrilling new romance from award-winning and bestselling author Carla Kelly is a must-read!

My Review

I have to agree with the summary, this is a must read.!By the time Christmas snow falls in the canyon I was as much a part of the family of coal miners as Della. Their loss felt like my loss as well. I loved the amount of details included. It was just the right amount. Not so much that you started skipping paragraphs but enough that you could picture life in the small town, train rides that took your breath away, and a handsome widow who could steal your heart. I'm planning on recommending it for my book club selection this year.  

Here's the link if you'd like to purchase a copy. Happy reading.

Free Kindle Book: The Key of Kilenya

As you know, I love a good read. I'm so excited to present my first FREEBIE on my blog. Information on how to get your free copy is below. 

Free Book

My friend, Andrea Pearson, has just had the fourth book in her young adult fantasy series published. In celebration, the first book, The Key of Kilenya, is available for free as an eBook, and the second book, The Ember Gods, is available as a $0.99 Kindle eBook until March 3rd.  

The Key of Kilenya has been in the top 100 for teen fantasies on Amazon since last May and has been very popular with young (and adult) readers. They compare it to Harry Potter along with Brandon Mull's Fablehaven and Beyonders books, with a hint of Narnia and Lord of the Rings.

To download a copy of The Key of Kilenya for Kindle, click here. Check out Andrea's blog post for other formats of the eBook.

Your Review

This is your chance to post a book review right here! Please let me know what you think of the book when you finish. And, thanks to Andrea for making her book available to Kindle readers! You rock girlfriend!

The Word of Wisdom: Discovering the LDS Code of Health

From the Back Cover:

Improve your health today! The Word of wisdom will teach you principles to help you eat better, feel better, and change your life. Dr. Scott A. Johnson draws form the Doctrine and Covenants to help you make correct dietary choices in a world where convenience food reigns supreme and where chronic illnesses and degenerative diseases are rampant. 

Here's the beautiful front cover. I am always in awe of how beautiful raw food can be. Blueberries for example are such a wonder! The colors found in nature are truly the most edifying for the eyes as well as the body. 

Following the Word of Wisdom

I was interested in reviewing this book for several reasons. One of them is that I try to follow the Word of Wisdom. (I say try because I am not perfect at eating what I should. I've found that the effort to eat well is as enjoyable and rewarding as the knowledge I'm gaining on the subject.) 

There are sections of the Word of Wisdom that are easy to follow. For example, I've never smoked a cigarette or used any other form of tabaco. I enjoy running and can't imagine not being able to take a deep breath. I also don't drink coffee or tea or alcohol. I gave of caffeine in high school and will rarely drink it now. (Maybe one soda every three months.) As Dr. Johnson explains, these substances all contain stimulants that mess with the body's natural functions.

General Health Benefits from the Word of Wisdom

I really enjoyed the section of the book on the different grains and their benefits. I make wheat bread for our family. Here's the recipe and the link if you'd like it. It is super easy to make and only takes a few ingredients. I started making it to save money. A loaf of wheat bread costs $2.79 at our local supermarket and I was able to make this loaf for under 24 cents! I knew it was good for us - that's why I bought wheat bread - but I didn't know how much better it was to make my own until reading Scott's book. 

The Word of Wisdom and Weight Loss

I would recommend picking up a copy of The Word of Wisdom: Discovering the LDS Code of Health to learn more about the things we should be putting in our bodies. I had a friend ask me how I stay so thin when I bake so many goodies. She was trying to loose a little weight and was frustrated that, despite her new exorcise routine, she couldn't seem to drop the pounds. After reading Scott's book, I recommended that she change her focus. Instead of thinking about all the things she shouldn't eat, she should spend her time thinking about all the things she needed or should eat for that day. For example, Dr. Johnson reminds us to get 13 servings of fruits and veggies per day. If you spent your day trying to reach that goal are you going to have much time to worry about missing out on something? When we are working toward obeying the Word of Wisdom our bodies and our minds will function at a higher level and our desire for unhealthy foods will naturally diminish.

For more information, check out http://discoverthewordofwisdom.com/

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.

To get the full story go to www.findyourchristianity.com to watch the book trailer, find out what type of Christian you are, and to order the book. 

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

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