Primal -- Book Review

When I heard that Mark Batterson was going to release his third book called Primal - A Quest for the Lost Soul of Christianity I knew that it was something I needed to read. The premise of Primal is a journey into the heart and soul of Christianity. What would our Christianity look like if it was stripped down to the very core?

Through Mark's very engaging and personal story telling and writing style we look at the basis of the Christian faith: The Great Commandment. We are commanded to love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our mind and with all our strength. So the book is nicely divided into sections that deal with the heart, soul, mind and strength of Christianity.

The book is a very easy read in the fact that it is under 200 pages long but a very difficult read in the content that it brings. It will challenge your thinking and even the way you view your Christian life. It may even push you to start a new reformation movement in your own life, one that pushes you closer to the heart of God.

Overall I would highly recommend this book. I would even say that this should be your first read of 2010. If you've been a fan of Mark's previous two books or you're just discovering him in this latest book Primal, you won't be disappointed.

Book Review: Fearless

Can you imagine your life without fear? Is that even possible? When fear herds us into a prison and slams the door, wouldn't it be great to just walk out? These are questions that are promised to be addressed in Max Lucado's new book Fearless.

In the book the author lays out several different fears that seem to plague us all these days. For example, Fear of not mattering, fear of not protecting my kids, fear of violence, fear of death, fear that God is not real, etc. When looking over the table of contents I was amazed at how timely and prudent the topics chosen truly are.

I enjoyed the fact that the book lays out really simply. The chapters are labeled with individual fears. So, you read a chapter about a certain fear and he explains through the life and teachings of Jesus how faith can and should replace that fear.

Something very important to note is the fact that the author places a huge emphasis on Scripture. This is something that I really appreciated. The author wasn't trying to create solutions to each fear that we face every day, but rather pointed us to the solution to our fears. Which is faith. And where do we find the strength for our faith? In the Scriptures. Each chapter is filled with examples of Scripture that can lead us to a life of faith.

There is one more unique aspect to the book. Since each chapter deals with a different fear, it almost seems that the book has been separated into 13 little books with an introduction and conclusion at each end. You're free to look through the Table of Contents and find the fear that is real to you at that moment and skip around. It's not really necessary to read the book from cover to cover.

An added bonus at the end of the book is the discussion guide. For me reading through the chapters of the book was revealing enough, but if you wanted to dive deeper into each chapter this is the place for you. It would even work great as a discussion starter in a small group setting.

Overall I enjoyed the book and if you are a fan of Max Lucado's previous books this one certainly won't disappoint. I do believe that he has written a book that deals with a very practical and insightful topic. And he does a very good job approaching the topic of fear.

Baskin Robbins Fail.

Ok, I've talked about why I haven't been posting here. So I really won't spend time talking about why you should follow me on twitter if you really want to keep up with what I'm doing.

But this morning I've decided to actually write a post and share a recent experience we had at our local Baskin Robbins.

But this story starts back at my daughter's awards ceremony during her last week of school. (Her awards ceremony happened around May 28. That's important to remember later) It seems that she earned several awards for reading, attendance, student of the month, etc. You know, just like her dad.


She was so excited to receive several little gift certificates to different places around town. But one of her favorites was some coupons for a free ice cream cone at Baskin Robbins. So just this past week we decided to take her and my son to Baskin Robbins after one of her softball games. It was a nice reward for her playing so well.

But once we arrived at our local Baskin Robbins we were greeted at the door with this sign:


Now of course, that sign couldn't be talking about the coupon we had. We had just received it a week earlier. So I went inside to find out what the deal really was.

Now, I won't say anything bad about the employees that were working that night, they really had no idea. And I don't really blame them for that. This was a manager's job. But, their manager happened to be gone at the moment and no one seemed to know where he was.

So in their attempt to answer my questions they just kept pointing me to these signs that were posted throughout the store. With every question they would let me know they had a sign posted. When I told them that we had the coupon for all of three days before it expired, they pointed to the sign once again.

(I should point out for the record that our coupon did not have a printed expiration date on it.)

So the sad thing is, our local Baskin Robbins told (at least) one entire school that they could not redeem their Reading Reward coupons they received at the end of the school year. The coupon was good for under a week. In fact, they told us all that really it's our fault for not using them sooner. They had in fact, graciously extended the date on the coupon to June 1st. (Because they're looking out for their customers of course.)

All that to say this, I will not be going to Baskin Robbins again. (I know, they're really broken up about that) We have plenty of choices around our house for ice cream and from now on we'll choose them.

Thanks for a great experience Baskin Robbins. And thanks for making our choice for ice cream a little easier in the future.

"Not all soul music comes from the church"

The title is a quote from Bono.

Check out this column he has written in the NY Times.

It's true that U2 has a religious background. (Not sure where they all stand at this moment) And Bono has never been shy to talk about his beliefs (and non beliefs I guess.)

Anyway, read the article and let me know your thoughts.

Where have you been?

So, it's been almost two weeks since my last post. Where in the world have I been? Am I just too good to post here on the blog anymore? What could be happening in my life that is soooo important?

Well, to answer the question honestly...nothing.

I just haven't had the urge to post. Haven't felt the need to write. Don't get me wrong, things will happen in life and I'll think to myself, "That would make a great blog post" and then...nothing. I never sit down to write. So I started asking myself the question, "Why?"

The main reason seems to be a little website known as twitter. (What is twitter you ask? Well that's an entirely different post.) You can click here to follow me or just read the updates on the right side of this page. (Facebook users can follow me by reading my status updates) I open up enough through twitter and I'm limited to 140 characters. Nice.

Another reason just seems to be time. Don't get me wrong, I have time if I want to make it but it just seems lately that I don't want to spend the time writing. Maybe that makes me lazy. (Notice I said maybe.)

So there you have it. My reasons for neglecting the blog. I'm not sure they're great reasons but they're the ones I could think of today.

And speaking of writing, the actually turned out to be quite a long post. I'm feeling pretty good about myself.

(And maybe I should do something about the layout around here. I think it needs an update. I welcome your suggestions.)

Just Listen

Do you ever listen to an artist or an album and it just starts speaking to you? It seems that sometimes God will pull songs and use them to really speak to me right where I am. Well, recently that's been happening to me while listening to Kari Jobe. So, go ahead and give it a listen below, and tell me what you think.

Kari Jobe - Kari Jobe

What music has been speaking to you lately?

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I want to go

Wow, U2 announced their first stadium tour in several years. And it looks bigger than ever.

I want to go.

No Line on the Horizon

It's here.

And yes, I did purchase one of the deluxe versions.

And it's great.

If you're fast, you can get it here for an incredible price.

I like golf

Ok, I'll admit that I really like to play golf. This mild winter we've had is really making me want to get back out on the course...sooner rather than later. I've even been privileged to play some pretty nice courses over the years.

It's also great to head out and watch the pros play live. The PGA tour came through the DFW area and even in Greensboro while I lived there. So I would head out to the tournaments when I could. And when I couldn't see the pros in person I would sit and catch the tournaments on TV.

So why am I writing about watching golf on TV? Because it's about to be great again. You may have heard the news that Tiger's coming back today. (Unless you've been hiding under a rock) And that's exciting news for golf fans and for sports fans in general.

These are special times. Just think, during my lifetime I've been privileged to witness a lot of sports history. (The greatest basketball player ever in Michael Jordan comes to mind.) And with Tiger we get to see the greatest golfer ever play the game.

So, I'll be tuning into the Match Play Championship this weekend and watching to see the tournaments Tiger plays over the season. And I bet that most of you will too.

But I wonder how the other guys on the PGA feel about Tiger coming back? This commercial probably sums it up best.

Good Night Irena

Powerful story, take a minute and check this out:



Thanks Wes.

Valentine's Day Book Reviews

Working in this new area of family ministry I have had the opportunity to receive and review different books on relationships and marriage. (As well as several other types of books!) I love reading new books, so this was a great thing for me. Unfortunately these particular books were too far down on my reading list and I couldn't finish them in time for the review.

I am looking forward to finishing these books in the near future. I am also planning on using the devotional with my wife!

So as promised, below you will find the book summaries and links to check out the books on Amazon. I highly recommend that you do!



I Do Again:
With their professional success and adorable twin daughters, Jeff and Cheryl Scruggs looked like the perfect couple. But their polished facade concealed a widening chasm between two people unable to connect on an intimate, soul-deep level.
After years of frustration, Cheryl’s desire for emotional fulfillment led to an affair and, finally, divorce. Yet, incredibly, seven years later, Jeff and Cheryl once again stood at the altar, promising to “love, honor, and cherish” one another. A new and vibrant love had risen out of the ashes of this family’s pain.
I Do Again details the fascinating real-life story of a couple whose relationship seemed shattered beyond all hope until a spiritual awakening led them to reconsider their definitions of “happily ever after.” A riveting account of the power of prayer and redemption, this remarkable book offers renewed hope for even the most troubled marriages—and reveals why the rewards of restoration are well worth the wait.

Author Bio:
Cheryl and Jeff Scruggs are the founders of Hope Matters Marriage Ministries, and for the past several years they have shared their incredible story of a marriage restored with audiences across the nation. Jeff is an account manager with OshKosh B’Gosh, and Cheryl has served as director of the Frisco, Texas, office of the Center for Christian Counseling. They live in Dallas, Texas with their two college-age daughters.

Amazon link



Love As A Way Of Life Devo:
In his book Love As a Way of Life, best-selling author Gary Chapman shows readers how to cultivate a new lifestyle built around the seven characteristics of authentic love. Now in a companion devotional, he provides ninety inspirational readings to help Christians consistently live out the characteristics of love in every relationship.
Each devotional entry showcases biblical truths that guide a life of love, offering fresh insight and practical guidance in how to make love a lasting habit. Over the course of three months, readers will learn to follow God’s lead as they practice the characteristics of a loving person: kindness, patience, forgiveness, courtesy, humility, generosity, and honesty.
The Love As a Way of Life Devotional makes an ideal gift for the holidays or for any special occasion. Couples, parents, new graduates, and anyone celebrating a milestone in life will welcome this inspiring daily guide to richer, more satisfying relationships.

Author Bio:
Dr. Gary Chapman is the author of twenty-six books, including the New York Times bestseller The Five Love Languages, with more than 4 million copies in print. His daily radio program, A Love Language Minute, is broadcast on more than 100 stations nationwide. Dr. Chapman, a graduate of Moody Bible Institute, Wheaton College, Wake-Forest University, and Southwestern Seminary, serves on a church staff in North Carolina.

Amazon link



For Couples Only Box Set:
Since their debut, these revolutionary guides have sold well over a million copies, been translated into fifteen languages, and sparked much fascinating water-cooler conversation around the country. Now together in the For Couples Only boxed set, these books provide the perfect resource to help you understand what you never knew about the woman or man in your life.
Each volume is based on input from more than a thousand members of the opposite sex—including an unprecedented nationwide survey and hundreds of personal interviews. This innovative approach yields candid and surprising answers about everything you don’t “get” about your significant other—even what that person deeply wishes you knew. It also produces simple but groundbreaking awareness of how you can best love and support the one who is most important to you. [Part of me wanted to make this paragraph past tense—yielded and produced—because of the first paragraph, but that took away some of the immediacy of what the books offer. I’ll leave that up to you.]
So whether you are newly dating or have been married fifty years, get ready to know each other in a whole new way. The adventure is just beginning!

Author Bio:
Shaunti and Jeff Feldhahn hold graduate degrees from Harvard University and are popular national speakers, authors, and entrepreneurs. They are also active church members and the parents of two young children, and they enjoy every minute of living life at warp speed.

Amazon link

Killing Cockroaches

I was excited to see "Free copy of Killing Cockroaches by Tony Morgan" come across my twitter one day a month or so ago. It was limited to the first 200 bloggers that would agree to review the book on their blog. So I jumped right in and downloaded my free copy. (I hear that he gave all 200 copies away in the first 20 minutes or so!)

I must admit right here from the beginning: I am a reader and subscriber to Tony's blog, TonyMorganLive. I have been anticipating reading this book since first hearing about it. But hopefully you won't think that my review is too biased. :)

Now with a title such as "Killing Cockroaches" you might be wondering, "What's that all about? Why are you reading a book on pest control?" Well let's get this out of the way right from the start. "Killing Cockroaches" is a euphemism for responding to the urgent stuff in our lives that keeps us from doing the important stuff in our lives. (Page 3) (But for those who are wondering, it does give step by step instructions on literally killing cockroaches.) It's a simple book on leadership and leadership strategies. Now how many of us in ministry couldn't use something like that?

Here are my first impressions and thoughts of the book.

First of all, the book isn't laid out like a traditional book. It is made up of a collection of stories, blog posts, magazine articles, etc. There aren't natural "chapters" like you would see in a normal book but rather article headings that are placed in alphabetical order. This did several things for me while reading the book. First, it seemed like more of a challenge, because each little "chapter" is not necessarily connected to the ones before or after it. Naturally when reading a book I am looking for continuity as you move through each chapter. But this book is different, although the book's overall theme never changes and flows quite nicely, the individual "chapters" allowed me to start and stop and wrestle with new ideas. I was then able to apply these individual ideas to my personal situation in ministry without feeling too overloaded all at once. This layout even makes it easier to remember sections for further discussion or study.

Second, since the preview of the book was a PDF file, I decided to print it out so I could take it with me a little easier. While I was reading I noticed the presence of little cockroaches roaming over the sides and bottom of the pages. Why would they be all over the place I asked myself? So I started flipping quickly through the pages and sure enough the cockroaches "move" all over the page! So not only is the book full of great leadership advice, it's a fun little toy to play with while you're reading.

If you've never read anything by Tony you may notice that he has a unique writing style. Maybe style isn't the write word, Tony has a unique writing tone. I've been reading TonyMorganLive for some time and I've become accustomed to Tony's writing tone. What I thought was great in the book is that Tony really seemed to open up and let the readers see who he really is. He mixes humor, sarcasm and personal stories throughout the book (Spoiler Alert: hotel bathtub incident - complete with diagram!). This openness really helped me to connect with the central ideas of the "chapters" and overall the book.

As an added bonus (not really, they're part of the book, they were just like a "bonus" area for me) there are conversations with various leaders scattered throughout the book. Some are with church leaders, some with pastors and some with people from the business world. It was great to get their input on "Killing Cockroaches" and how they've learned to focus on the important things in life.

Overall I would highly recommend this book. The principle of responding to the urgent and neglecting what's important is a huge concept for those in leadership. But it's not just limited to the church world or the secular business world. It really is for anyone involved in leadership or anyone wanting to improve their own life. It is an easy read that will not only keep you laughing, but make you think and reflect on the type of leader God has called you to be.

So, are you ready to start "Killing Cockroaches" yourself? Well, you can get your copy here.
Still need more information? Just click here for more on the book.
And finally, if you just want a totally "unbiased" review of the book, then look no further than right here.

Unblog

I don't know what's wrong but lately I just haven't felt like posting anything original on the blog. Maybe twitter has taken me away from the blog too much. I love the fact that I only have 140 characters to say what I need to say. It's quick and fast.

But each morning as I open up my home page tabs in Firefox I see my blog sitting patiently, just waiting for me to come back. I think it feels a little neglected.

So, I guess here is the first step. I've now admitted that I have a blog problem. Now maybe I can get some help and get back here with some original thoughts and ideas. I've always heard that admitting you have a problem is the first step to overcoming it. So I'm no longer in denial.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is "I'm back."

Well, kind of.

(You can always follow me on twitter, just click here.

No Matter What Your Politics

Ok, this continues the string of posts with videos, but after seeing this post on Ragamuffinsoul.com I just knew I had to post it myself.

No matter what your politics I'm sure you'll believe that this video is something for the history books!



Thanks again Los, that video is classic!

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I'm Good

So what did you think of the game this past weekend? Did you watch for the game or the commercials? I started the night for the commercials but when the fourth quarter came around I couldn't help but get into the game.

But since there were some good commercials, I thought I would post a few of my favorites, so enjoy!





Check out Hulu for more.

The Twitter Song

Do you find yourself neglecting your blog? Do you find it hard to update your Facebook and keep up with all of your "friends?"

Well here is the answer for you. If you haven't started to twitter you need to. Check out this funny video about twitter. Now jump over to twitter and sign up for an account.

But make sure you start to follow me at www.twitter.com/marccauthon.



(Facebook users may need to click view original post to see video)

{Thanks Jody}

Mac turns 25

This past weekend I couldn't help but notice that Mac turned 25. As I listened to my iPod, surfed the net on my MacBook Pro and made some calls from my iPhone, I thought about how Apple has impacted my life.

So here in honor of turning 25 is the first introduction of the Macintosh.



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Happy Birthday Mac.

Dear Sasha and Malia

This has been making the rounds lately and I thought it was a great letter written from the Bush twins to the Obama girls.



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Rick Warren's Invocation

Rick Warren's prayer to begin the Inauguration ceremony was powerful. If you missed it you can watch it below:



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Life in Technicolor ii

Check out the link below for an interesting new video from Coldplay.

Life in Technicolor ii

Very unique.