"Renting Lacy - A Story of America's Prostituted Children" by Linda Smith with Cindy Coloma

I have been reading about human trafficking for about a year. Like most hot topics, there is a broad spectrum with plenty of statistics; then there is the details that move a person to action - or at least the desire to act.

Linda Smith's previous book, From Congress to the Brothel, was eye opening for me. This book is... disturbing. Yes, disturbing, as true stories of young girls being used for pleasure and profit should be. Disturbing in a way that will not allow me to live my life the same after having this information.

Nancy Winston, a Shared Hope International National Awareness Board Member, put it this way: "Once you know, you can no longer not know!"

This book will introduce you to a world that might seem fictitious. You will learn terminology that you would like to think is only used in a Hollywood movie script. You will meet young girls whose life has been taken yet they continue to survive a brutal existence. How they got there. How it could happen to your child or your child's best friend. And perhaps most shocking, you will meet those who pay for sex and the ineffectiveness of procedures currently in place to stop the crime.

Smith and Coloma have written this book in the form of a novel which allows the reader to get to know the characters and picture the scenes. Commentary is added at the end of chapters to help the reader understand the reality of the story. This atrocity is happening in communities throughout the U.S.  The Foreward quotes a police commander as saying "the only way not to find this problem in any community is simply not to look for it."

You will see implicitly in the story and then explicitly in the Commentary:

• "Why is it in America?" 
• "How Children Get Abducted"
• "How Does It Happen?" - how are children persuaded to do what they do
• "Who Buys a Child?"
• "Who are the Children Trafficked for Sex?"
• "What's Happening in Our Legal System?"
• "Why Don't They Leave?"

The book ends with hope. Hope which comes from the story being told as well as what organizations such as Shared Hope are doing and what you can do. The final pages list "Next Steps" which call for a change in laws and a change in the general populations perspective of this crime.

If you only read one book a year, make this the book. It's 163 pages that will change the way you think each time you see the picture of a child on a missing person report or hear of a runaway. It might even cause you to truly love the children around you more.

You can receive a free copy of this book with a donation to Shared Hope International. Please, make a donation. Help prevent, rescue and restore women and children from the commercial sex trade industry.

Angry Conversations with God by Susan E Isaacs

Great read from beginning to end... and don't skip the introduction. :)

"Sarcasm is a viable form of communication." This phrase is sprinkled throughout the book and it's truth is in every chapter.

I found myself going back in time, relating to the mindset of the author in various places throughout my own search for truth. She reveals aspects of many who desire to find the real God and others who kill that desire by thinking they have all the answers.

Her humor is fantastic - great for laughs and powerful for truth. She creates characters from her life that the reader can easily relate to. Her stories put pictures to what many of us have thought or wanted to say. Maybe we've even said it but it didn't feel funny in the midst of our frustrations with people, with the church, or with God.

I recommend this book for those who have struggled to fit in a church or connect with the typical church mindset (or at least it seems typical when you feel you are alone in the way you think). I also recommend it for those who have always loved "the church" and defended it as if it were God himself.

Here's a couple of quotes that will stay with me:

"Maybe that's what church really is: just a bunch of guys, trying to figure it out together."

"Here's the hardest thing. I have to accept God as he is. Even if he never blesses me or gives me adventure, purpose, or meaning."

I borrowed this one from the library. I may need to buy a copy to have on hand for when I'm frustrated with life as a follower of Jesus Christ.

This review is also posted on at www.librarything.com - see other books I've rated 5 star to see if we have the same taste in a what qualifies as a "great read."

The Gospel of the Kingdom by George Eldon Ladd

"One truth is set forth: the Kingdom of God which one day shall fill the earth is here among men but in a form which was never before expected." (p 59)

Ladd delivers an exciting teaching on the reality of the already and not yet of the Kingdom. I've posted several quotes on my website Grow2Sow.

This book is not for those comfortable with a learned perception of heaven being something only of the future. It gives meaning and purpose to our life right now that is beyond what is taught in most churches today.

The author writes with an assumption that his audience agrees with his understanding of the Millennium but even if you don't agree with his assumptions, the book is excellent for stirring the mind and revealing insights on the characteristics of the Kingdom of God and the role of the Church today in that Kingdom.

The final chapter leaves the reader with the ultimate challenge: "When is Christ coming again? When the Church has finished its task." Ladd has given us the keys to that task throughout the dynamic read of a mere 140 pages. 

If you are interested in truth over comfort of what you've been taught, pick up a copy and study with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

From Congress to the Brothel by Linda Smith

"It was as if God Himself whispered in my ear, 'Touch her for Me.' My hand suddenly weighed 90 pounds. I froze. My head felt light from holding my breath. I could taste the stench. Would the filth make me vomit? Would I contract a deadly disease by just breathing the air? I wanted to leave my hands safely in my pockets, with my arms pressed tightly to my sides to avoid brushing up against anything. But I couldn't ignore the internal voice: 'Touch her for Me.'" ~ Linda Smith

This book is very well written. Far more than facts and figures, Smith includes her personal thoughts and reactions, allowing the reader to grasp the reality of the sex trafficking industry.

With only 102 pages, it can be easily read and passed on as a quick introduction for those who are skeptical about or new to the topic of modern-day slavery.

The personal stories of the children and young women in India, Australia, Fiji, the Netherlands, and the United States are more than just names and numbers. Smith gives their story as a friend sharing their pain... and celebrating their freedom.

She doesn't leave the reader at a dead end. She reminds us the task is not more than we can handle together. Organizations like Shared Hope International have started the work. Her final words, "All you have to do is show up."

You can get a free copy of this book by visiting www.sharedhope.org. This is not a book to keep on your shelf. Read it and pass it on.

The Sacred Bath by Theresa Flores

Flores shares a story that needs to be told. I imagine it was a painful story to write, as it is a difficult one to read. Throughout the book I had to remind myself that this was not fiction. This happened and still happens over and over throughout our country and around the world.

An upper middle class teenager from a family of healthy, strong morals is lured into the sex trade industry. Her attraction, curiosity, and trust of those others shun place her in circumstances that go beyond her ability to control.

The story emphasizes a teenager's perspective and the options she perceived in a two-year nightmare. A teen reading this will be encouraged to rely on their innate ability to sense something wrong and avoid this or equally threatening situations before it is too late. The greater message is for parents, teachers, and other professionals who may come across teenagers trapped in this horrid industry which steals the innocence from an estimated 1.2 million children every year (UNICEF).

This book is self-published and would be greatly enhanced by a professional editor. I would like to see Flores seek out an experienced ghost writer or editor to increase the potential of being published and distributed to a larger audience through a traditional publishing house.


For more information on this topic, visit my "Fellow Abolitionist" listed in the right margin of this blog. More sites are listed in my previous posts on this topic: Bring Justice - Become and Abolitionist and Dignity and Justice for All.

Visit ChristianAudio.com for this month's free audio download (Feb 2009), Not for Sale - The Return of Global Slave Trade and How We Can Fight it by David Batstone.

You may also be interested in reading the National Institute of Justice Special Report (Dec 2007), Commerical Exploitation of Children: What Do We Know and What Do We Do About It?

Sacred Sex by Tim Alan Gardner

This book offers a perspective that could help not just marriages but also our cultures messed up perspective of sex. It's been fun to watch my kids and their friends (8-11 yrs old) see me reading a book with s-e-x in the title. It has given me plenty of opportunities to tell them that sex is a gift from God intended to be fabulous when used as intended - just like gifts they receive at Christmas.

Gardner states "if you're ready to begin a journey of sexual discovery that takes the focus off orgasm and puts it on oneness, you've come to the right place."

Made me think of taste buds. Yeah, taste buds. We need food to sustain life. God provided the pleasure of taste buds to enhance the experience of satisfying that need. Likewise, God designed us for oneness - a need to be united with another person intimately. He provided the pleasure of orgasm to enhance the experience of fulfilling that need.

The problem - at least in this country - most of us eat more for the pleasure than for the sake of satisfying the need for food.

I highly recommend this book for all human beings. Yes, single or married including teens. This is not a puritan perspective of sex. This book reveals the intended priorities which when ordered correctly greatly enhance the pleasure of the sexual experience in every way.

The 4:8 Principle by Tommy Newberry

A fundamental reason why so many people are living far beneath their potential for joy is that there is... no substantive difference between their current self-image and the vision they have for their future. This shouldn't be the case! As God's child, the future he has planned for you is a definite wow! (Newberry, The 4:8 Principle)

The 4:8 Principle is a self-help book based on Philippians 4:8 which says "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things."

Well, who doesn't like a good book on ways to have more joy and simple ways to think positive. The book is full of lists and questions to help you apply the information immediately.

Here are some quotes I liked:

"The truth is that these peak moments, when you appear to be playing over your head, are actually glimpses of your full potential."

"To act with joy now, live each hour as if your full potential has already materialized."

"We dilute our potential by thinking first one thing, then another - thinking of God's grace, then feeling guilty about our faults; thinking of God's awesome power, then talking about how we cannot seem to get rid of a little bug. We think about abundance and then seconds later worry over the bills."

I also appreciated his perspective of "exceptional gratitude" in chapter 9.

"Exceptional gratitude refers to acts of thankfulness unprompted by someone else's tragedy, pain, or misfortune. Exceptional gratitude doesn't require something to be missing before it's appreciated."

If you are a list lover like me, here's my list of Newberry's lists!

Forty Junk-Producing Thoughts (pp 22-24)
Forty Joy-Producing Thoughts (pp 25-27)
The 4:8 Questions (p 33)
Anti-4:8 Questions (p 35)
Self-care factors to consider (p 72)
Emotional menus to help clarify your goals (pp 87-88)
Additional verses to help raise your state of mind (pp 94-96)
Thinking patterns of RATs (really awful thoughts) (pp 107-109)
Questions to help tune into the big picture and away from negative emotions (p 114)
Questions to start your day (p 141)
Questions to determine which people to invite into your inner circle (p 152)
Examples and Questions to create ground rules for what you allow into your heart (pp 166-167)
Questions to evaluate how grateful you are (pp 171-172)
Forty ways to express your gratitude now (pp 185-188)

The Afterword contains questions which can be used for small group discussion; guidance and space to create your personal 4:8 Questions and Joy-Promoting Thoughts; and suggested memory verses.

I recommend this book for seasoned believers - especially those who mentor newer believers. Even though scripture is used substantially both implicitly and explicitly, I comfortably recommend this book to non-Christians seeking to adjust their attitude. My only hesitation in recommendation is to new believers who are learning to depend on God rather than their own strength for life-change. The reliance on God is implied throughout the book but a reader could easily get caught up in the self-help tone.

Parents will also benefit from this book. I've already started using some of these concepts to redirect thought patterns in my two children. We're making progress.

How to be a Great Cell Group Coach by Joel Comiskey

When the pastoral coordinator offered this book, I thought it was just another book on how to lead a small group. No, this one is for those who Coach or oversee small groups. Great little sidebar tips, insights, and strategies. Very practical.

Strategies include "How to Encourage Cell Leaders" and "Reasons to Ask Questions" which both give not only guide in what to do but point out the intent of each task.

The first part of the book addresses the "habits" of the Coach - things you do for the group leaders. The last part of the book looks at the issues of being a coach - authority, diagnosing problems, visiting the groups, coaching meetings, and, my favorite, the coaching stages.

I've already applied the concepts from this book as I prepared a training session for leaders in my care in a para-church organization. I'll give it a 4 1/2 out of 5 star rating and recommend it for those new to coaching or in the middle level of supervising ministry.

The Master Plan of Evangelism

"Evangelism is not an optional accessory to our life. It is the heartbeat of all that we are called to be and do. ...With this purpose clearly in focus, everything which is done and said has glorious fulfillment of God's redemptive purpose...." ~ Robert E. Coleman, The Master Plan of Evangelism

The Master Plan of Evangelism has been an interesting book. At first, I was skeptical because the author seems to say "Jesus came only to show his disciples how to evangelize. That's all there is to it and there is no other way of seeing it." I don't generally continue reading books written in that tone. However, the book was a class assignment. So I read on.

It took five chapters before I began to let down my guard and see that Coleman has some good points. Although I'm not convinced that his perspective of this being the only intention of Jesus, the concepts for growing others through mentoring relationships are appropriate whether you are training someone for ministry, marketplace, or your favorite hobby.

The difference is summed up in the above quote. For the Christ follower, passing along our experience is not an option.

The class facilitator offered this encouragement, we don't have to know a lot, we need only pass on what we do know. That knowledge comes from spending time in the presence of God. Passing it on happens by intentionally being involved in the life of the one(s) being "trained."

I would recommend this book for a leader who struggles with the important task of preparing someone to step into her role. Also for the Christ follower who needs guidance in the command of Christ to "go and make disciples." You can skip the three pages of "Words of Commendation", the "Forward," "Introduction," and "Preface." They seem to be a bit boastful which didn't help my skepticism.

A Shepherd Looks Psalm 23 by W. Phillip Keller

The Lord! But who is the Lord? What is His character?
Does He have adequate credentials
to be my Shepherd—my manager—my owner?
~ W. Phillip Keller, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23

Every person who claims to know the 23rd Psalm should read this 173 book. Find out what it really means for a sheep to lie down in green pastures. Discover what the “table” in the presence of enemies refers to for the shepherd.

Never again will I speak a phrase of the 23rd Psalm without thinking of the pictures planted in my mind by this little book. It has given me a feeling of truly being loved and cared for by the Lord, my Shepherd, in the midst of his flock.

Learn the depth of meaning of this so often quoted Psalm from the experience of a shepherd.

Changing the Face of Hunger by Tony Hall

“Thousands of severely malnourished Ethiopians had made their way to Alamata and surrounded the compound, hoping for food and medical treatment…. ‘I have to pick six or seven kids that we can save…' Most of the rest of the starving would die within days.”

The reality of this picture will either cause you to read on or give you the desire to set the book aside and ignore the truth of what is happening outside of your comfortable life.

Tony Hall, a political leader and man of faith, describes his experiences with the poor and hungry around the world. He also offers hope and encouragement of how we can all work together regardless of differences in politics and faith to feed the hungry.

Hall also shares his successes of finding common ground with enemies of the US to get food into their countries and over borders to those starving. “Jesus teaches us to feed hungry people – even our enemies.” Hall says, “I believe that’s also good foreign policy.” Many bags of food are stamped in the local language with “Donated by the people of the United States.” This impacts hungry children and parents who have been taught that the US is an evil enemy.

While in Calcutta, Hall commented on the problems of the world being so vast and asked Mother Teresa how we could possibly hope to solve them all. To which she responded “You do the thing that’s in front of you.” This lesson carries throughout the book and made a big impact on me.

The experiences shared are not only in foreign countries. Hall reveals that poverty and hunger – although not usually to the point of starvation – is very much an issue in the US. The encouragement comes from his perspective of American’s response to New Orleans after Katrina.

Hall points out that the poor are often unseen in our cities. “…to see children falling asleep in class because they don’t eat well, to see parents and children living on the street, you have to go look for them.” But when they are discovered, as in the aftermath of Katrina, American’s respond with compassion. “When you … connect with them and educate them and they see the problems themselves – they don’t turn their backs… We are a compassionate people, a giving people.”

After sharing two decades of experiences around the world, Hall reminds us that none of us has to solve every problem. We just have to do the thing that’s in front of us. “That’s all we have to do to wage an effective fight against hunger and poverty and oppression around the world – do what’s in front of us.”

This is not just a book to open your eyes. It is a call to action. The Appendix offers a brief summary and contact information for two dozen national and international organizations fighting poverty and hunger. Whether it is responding to a friend or neighbor in need, contributing financially to one of these organizations or packing up and working with an organization away from home, together we can change the world.

Some 11.1 million people in the USA, including 430 thousand children, live in homes which experience hunger. Every day, almost 16,000 children die around the world from hunger-related causes—that’s one child every five seconds. (http://www.bread.org/)

What will you do to Change the Face of Hunger?

The Shack by William Young

This was one of the most thought provoking novels I’ve read. It did not give me new concepts of God as much as it put words to the concepts I have so often tried to express. Now I see why I am so quickly misunderstood.

I’d love to do my own in-depth review but since there is enough out there, I’ll just comment on a few reviews I read.

One online reviewer stated, “There are other teachings about the Trinity that concerned me. For example, Papa says ‘I am truly human, in Jesus.’ This simply cannot be true… this is not taught in the Bible. Overall, I had to conclude that Young has an inadequate and often-unbiblical understanding of the Trinity.

I strongly disagree. I believe this perspective is visible in the Bible. However, I would agree that it is not taught in most western churches.

These same churches will tell you that God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) is One and we worship only One God. Therefore, why would it be incorrect to state that God (the Father) is truly human in Jesus? If they are distinctly separate, then we worship three gods.

The reviewer also disagreed with Young’s perspective of submission which I discussed with my husband shortly after reading the book. The Greek term translated as submission refers to "a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden".

Our western culture prefers to apply the military slant which is "to arrange [troop divisions] in a military fashion under the command of a leader". Interestingly, this is where the Jewish leaders parted ways with Jesus. They wanted the Messiah to bring military submission. Jesus instead brought an attitude of giving in (considering others better than yourself), cooperating (being one Body), assuming responsibility (different workings for the common good) and carrying a burden (Jesus carried our burden and also the burden of God).

Jesus prayed in John 17 that those who believe in Him will be one as He and the Father are one. The only way to accomplish this is through all believers submitting with the attitude of Christ found in Philippians 2. Jesus is in very nature God – but he did not consider equality with God something to be grasped. Why? I think there is a lot more to that statement than Jesus didn’t fight God’s will.

From my perspective, it has more to do with relationship. Jesus knew that as God in very nature, he didn’t have to prove himself. He chose to limit himself to human nature. He chose to rely on God the Father. And, God the Father equally relied on Jesus to do what only he could do in the flesh. The Holy Spirit was the significant link between the two. William Young does an outstanding job of picturing this relationship. I love his portrayal of the Holy Spirit and the mystery with that character.

My challenge to you is to read this book with a sense of adventure. Be willing to look at truth from a different perspective. I’m not asking you to change your perspective or turn from truth. Simply suggesting you allow the gift of fiction writing to broaden your perspective of a God who is far too big for any of us to fully understand.

If you are one who has a negative response to The Shack, I challenge you to use the same measure of judgment on your own perspective of truth. Do you believe what you believe because the Holy Spirit taught you or because a fully human person with a Christian label influenced your thinking? Scripture is God’s Word. The Holy Spirit is to be our counselor of that Word.

Here are a couple of good posts on The Shack:

Crosswalk - A Gentle Balance to the "Shack Attack" by David Burchett

LifeStream blog - Is THE SHACK Heresy? by Wayne Jacobson

Empowered Evangelicals by Rich Nathan and Ken Wilson

Has it ever bothered you to pass several Christian churches within a mile of each other? I’ve often wondered what would happen if we all joined together. You know, that strange thing called unity of faith.

Empowered Evangelicals offers a step in that direction. With a positive tone, Nathan and Wilson present a very exciting picture of a stronger and more biblical Christianity for all by combining the best emphases of conservative evangelicalism with the best emphases of Pentecostalism. The emphases offered from both segments include worship and teaching the Word, using our emotions and using our minds, valuing the supernatural world and valuing the natural world.

Nathan, raised in a conservative Jewish family, briefly shares his journey to Christianity. As a teen, he was an avowed agnostic. His first encounter with a Christian in college introduced him to the Pentecostal perspective. After being persuaded by leaders of the campus ministry group that his Pentecostal theology was incorrect, Nathan and his friend – who later became his wife – dove into the more conservative evangelical mindset for several years.

Wilson came to Christ at the age of nineteen after growing up void of direct Christian influence. The impact of his family history with "religious judgmentalism" piques his awareness to the inherited tensions in every church.

The authors experiences cover a broad spectrum within the Christian culture providing a well balanced evaluation of both the evangelical and charismatic worlds. Each chapter ends with discussion questions, suggestions for individuals seeking a church, and recommendations for pastors in opening the eyes of their church to the best of both worlds.

This is more than a book of ideas. As a member of Vineyard Church of Columbus where Rich Nathan is senior pastor, I have the privilege of seeing these concepts in action. Although reminded frequently of our need to continue growing in understanding of this unity, the experience at Vineyard is like nothing I have witnessed in any other church.

Whether you hold strong to the stoic exegesis of God’s Word or prefer to shout for joy from the depths of your emotions, this book will encourage you to see and experience the best of both worlds.

This book is available used at Amazon.com or new through Vineyard Columbus

Holy Discontent by Bill Hybels

“Friends, the trouble with contentedness is that, when lived out in isolation, it can be lethal! If you’re not careful, you will become lulled into a state of satisfaction, safety, and serenity, and you’ll altogether neglect needs in the world that should elicit deep discontent when you see them going unmet.” (Bill Hybels, Holy Discontent, 29)

Apparently, I am not the only person who struggles with whether to walk away from things that don’t seem right to me – even in the church –or to do something to change the situation? Is change really worth being inconvenienced?

I grew up with the attitude of “just enjoy life.” Don’t worry, be happy, be content. Life should be fun, easy, relaxing as much as possible after earning your wages. Oh don’t get me wrong, I was taught to help others but it seemed I was to help others if it was convenient.

Please keep in mind that I don’t think my parents intended to teach this to me. It’s just the way I interpreted it with my personality and giftedness.

I’ve discovered over the past few years that contentment is not about how full or empty my calendar is; how much I’m doing for others or how much time I have available for family and friends. True contentment comes from living out the giftedness and passions God has placed in me.

In Holy Discontent – Fueling the Fire that Ignites Personal Vision, Bill Hybels points out that there are times we should walk into our area of dissatisfaction instead of away from it. He refers to Moses’ frustrations with seeing the Israelites mistreated by the Egyptians. Moses confronted and killed an Egyptian out of his frustration. It is safe to say, that is not the desired result of Holy Discontent. However, witnessing the mistreatment fueled God’s purpose in Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.

I can relate to this story. I recently dealt with frustrations on an individual basis causing more harm than good. Looking back, however, I can see how my dissatisfaction with the situation ignited my passion to do more in the area of my giftedness. Hybels puts it this way, “what wrecks the heart of someone who loves God is often the very thing God wants to use to fire them up to do something that, under normal circumstances, they would never attempt to do…. You (yes you) can join God in making what is wrong in this world right! And it all starts with you finding your holy discontent; it begins with you determining what it is that you just can’t stand.”

Need a little help finding your holy discontent? Pick up this 149 page book for some inspiring examples of those who have devoted their life to their holy discontent. Ask God to open your eyes to the wrongs he wants you to help make right. Then start living a life that is truly life. (1 Timothy 6:18-19) It really is worth the inconvenience.

A New Kind of Normal by Carol Kent

“Why did God let this happen?” Have you ever found yourself asking that question or maybe someone is asking you that question about their life.

Carol Kent, in A New Kind of Normal, does not attempt to give cold answers to that tough question. Instead she invites the reader to see how she eventually was able and continues to choose to trust God with all the emotions that emerge in an unexpected, undesirable life-changing event.

But it’s not all about her. She includes personal stories written by seven other women in various circumstances. Each one is vulnerable and authentic. Kent’s husband also contributes from his personal journal which allows us to see that men are not immune to the emotional strains of life change.

In this book you will find hope more than answers. And perhaps the greatest encouragement will come in finding that you are not alone. You may not have what you once had but you may discover, as Kent has over time, that some parts of your new normal are better than your old normal.

Click here to view the motivation for this book.
Please visit Speak Up for Hope

Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller

“What I believe is not what I say I believe; what I believe is what I do.” (Donald Miller, Blue Like Jazz, 110)

I have walked through a life of discovery with Donald Miller in reading Blue Like Jazz – Nonreligious thoughts on Christian Spirituality. I have also revisited some of the places I walked in my years of doubting God’s existence and wondering why it is often easier to be with non-Christians than it is to be with Christians.

In the midst of my wandering years I found non-Christians to be more authentic. If they were caring, they were more genuinely caring. If they were angry, they didn’t try to hide their anger. If they were laughing, they were enjoying the laughter completely. It is much easier to be around people who are genuine than it is to be around people who are trying to be something they are not.

The most enjoyable element of being in a group of unchurched folks is that they generally don’t expect anything of others. This, I think, is the most enjoyable attraction to not attending church. Ah, you think that is a cop out?

In my early twenties, I organized a volleyball night at my church. The first few weeks the only people that came were co-workers – several of them unchurched or at least not big into church like me. We had a blast. We didn’t care who won or how well anyone was playing. We just had fun.

Then couples from my church started coming to play. And, well, the volleyball nights didn’t last much longer. The couples bickered with each other, picked on others from the church and pretty much made the fun disappear. It didn’t help that the church leadership blamed our unchurched guests and their children for messing with some stuff in the basement of the gymnasium. Truth was, the unchurched kids didn’t wander away from the volleyball court because they didn’t know the church.

Miller talks about love and community in this book a lot. We all need to feel loved and we can’t experience love without community – it’s impossible. The problem is that for many Christians, “love” means making people behave a certain way or behaving a certain way themselves.

This book has made me look at myself and remember how I used to feel about Christians. Am I what I used to hate? Do I “do” what I say I believe?

Blue Like Jazz is a good eye opener for Christians and an authentic look for non-Christians at one man’s discovery that true Christian spirituality is like jazz music. It’s something you feel. It’s something very difficult to get on paper. “But it is no less real, no less meaningful, no less beautiful” when it is lived out authentically.

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