oh-so-good

While Matt's always half-way through at least 6 weighty texts, I'm lucky to read a book a month, with any spare moment I have to read spent reading the Bible and little else.  But man...there are two books-- one that we found and one that found us--that are impacting us in a BIG way right now.  

I'll be writing more about the first soon, but for now...we would do ALL that we can to encourage you to check these out!

Licensed to Kill : A Field Manual for Mortifying Sin

by: Brian Hedges

"The Christian life is not a playground, but a battleground. One of the fiercest foes in this battle dwells within our own hearts: the enemy of indwelling sin. The Scriptures command us to “put sin to death.” This is what pastors and theologians of another generation called the “mortification” of sin. But how do we mortify sin? And what role does the gospel play in this effort to apply lethal force against sin? How can we avoid falling into legalism while still maintaining a passion for holiness? And what kinds of strategies actually work in the daily battle? These are questions I have personally wrestled with as both a Christian and a pastor. This book is my attempt to answer those questions and provide a biblical and practical guide for the war against sin."

The Jesus Storybook Bible
by Sally Lloyd-Jones
The subtitle is "Every Story Whispers His Name" and indeed, every story does. "No, the Bible isn't a book of rules, or a book of heroes. The Bible is most of all a Story. It's an adventure story about a young Hero who comes from a far country to win back his lost treasure. It's a love story... You see, the best thing about this Story is -- it's true. There are lots of stories in the Bible, but all the stories are telling one Big Story. The Story of how God loves his children and comes to rescue them."