NowTHINK!AboutIt

Avoiding Hackneyed...Making Sense

Divorce Help For Women

by Leave a Comment

Generally, people have no idea what a divorce involves.

They focus mostly on the “right and wrong” of getting a divorce and a large number opt to oppose the idea for any reason. It is generally not well accepted, especially in religious circles, so the practicalities of getting a divorce are usually ignored.

While some divorces can be avoided and we applaud couples who manage to stay together, not every marriage can be saved. And, if that is true then we should put as much time into helping people get through a divorce effectively as we do helping them to avoid it. Little, however, is offered in that regard.

Often friends, associates and even family continue to express regret over the breakup, after the fact, which only feeds the pain and does little to help the struggling party get on with life.

It is no wonder that divorce is one of the most traumatic experiences a person can go through. Not only are they dissolving one of the closest relationships in life, they are left hanging with very few understanding friends who are willing or able to meet their emotional needs or provide guidance. That is tantamount to losing support from every direction.

But that is where Tracy Scorzafava’s book comes in handy.

In DIVORCE 101: A WOMAN’S GUIDE TO DIVORCE Tracy provides emotional insight and practical support for those navigating a divorce and she is writing from experience. She’s been there and in her experience: [Read more…] about Divorce Help For Women

“The Final Summit” by Andy Andrews

by Leave a Comment

In The Final Summit Andy Andrews gives very clear and practical instructions for saving humanity one person at a time.

Although fictional, he draws lessons from the real-life experiences of many well-known leaders from the past. He even sprinkles in anecdotes from a few that aren’t so well known. Andy takes more of a “how-it-was-done” approach to solving life’s problems rather than just give us another missive on what modern experts say.

The book is practical, philosophical, theological, and historical.

The storyline focuses on a final summit at which the main character of the book, David Ponder, along with many great leaders from the past – all dead but in heaven – will confer in finding the two word answer to one significant question:

What should humanity do, individually and collectively, in order to restore itself to the pathway toward successful civilization?

Obviously, the question assumes humanity has strayed from the path and they are close to doom. The answer provides practical advice for getting realigned.

There was one very interesting and practical tidbit that didn’t directly apply to the question but is useful nonetheless. Andy gleans insights from two leaders, Winston Churchill, and Abraham Lincoln, on how to handle depression. Very relevant for people today.

Philosophically the book explores ideas such as hope, wisdom, courage, self-discipline, and character all of which are obvious choices for the answer but none of which are exactly right. Although none are THE answer all of them are illustrated clearly in the discussion.

Andy plays a little with theology, humanizing the historical figures who attended the summit. Winston Churchill smokes his cigars, several attendees show signs of age and they freely express their anger and frustration. These touches are useful because it makes the story a bit more relateable to earthlings, the ones for whom the book was written. [Read more…] about “The Final Summit” by Andy Andrews

10 “Heaven Is For Real” Discussion Questions

by 20 Comments

Heaven Is For Real Conversation Guide

Is The Gag Order
On Reports Of Heaven Absolute

There are several recently published books that focus on the reality of heaven. The books are based on actual visits by people who temporarily died and report the sights, sounds and feelings they experienced while there.

Though this topic catches the interest of many people it evokes very diverse responses.

Some people believe there is no heaven and view the books as nothing more than hopeful thinking. A few of these types, however, are open minded enough to read the books.

There are many who believe heaven is a reality but they don’t all agree on how to view these reports.

  • Some read the books with a sense of hope, asking no questions at all.
  • Some approach the issue skeptically, not allowing the possibility of a temporary visit to heaven or at least not allowing any reports about it afterward.

It is interesting that this second group are the ones who are the least thoughtful. They dismiss the reports out of hand “claiming” the Bible does not allow such things, assuming the devil is behind it all, attempting to deceive the faithful.

  • Others are fair enough to ask important questions and search the Scriptures to see if the reports match what the Bible actually says.

One book that has become popular is Heaven Is For Real by Todd Burpo. I’ve listed a few questions to help stimulate questions about his son’s (Colton) visit to heaven, but since then more has been added.

[do_widget id=media_image-4]

The book became so popular the author decided to produce a DVD-Based Conversation Kit for families or small groups. It includes five sessions lasting 10 to 18 minutes each featuring Colton and his parents, Todd and Sonja, answering questions about heaven and their experiences.

To be honest, I think the videos are a bit preachy and often stray off topic. The questions asked aren’t always answered well but it does give you a glimpse of the people behind the story.

And the story is quite interesting.

Just under 4 years old when he visited heaven, Colton was quite a bit younger than most who report the same kind of experience. His book makes a great read and his experience, coupled with the Bible, makes a great study source and that is why I put a few discussion questions together specifically for this book. The questions are intended to explore:

  • Accusations undermining the validity of the experience.
  • Misunderstandings about Bible teaching on the subject.
  • Confusion around the differences between Colton’s experience and that of others.

Hopefully you will find the questions thought provoking regardless which category you fit in. And the DVD Kit will make the study personal. It brings the Burpos into your study group. [Read more…] about 10 “Heaven Is For Real” Discussion Questions

Review: The Five Love Languages by Dr. Gary Chapman

by Leave a Comment

In The Five Love Languages Dr. Chapman departs from academic definitions of love, which are mostly intellectual and therefore cold, and discusses what he refers to as “emotional” love. This is the romantic kind often portrayed in novels and movies and rooted in our psychological makeup.

He also popularizes the concept of the “love tank” which, though unseen, every person has. The level to which this tank is filled determines how loved a person feels and this in turn produces in them a sense of significance, self-worth and security. Or not.

When the love tank is full, he says, your spouse “will move out to reach his highest potential in life.” When it is empty you will find yourself sleeping with the enemy.

This tank is filled when one partner loves his or her spouse in the right way, i.e., the way they want to be loved and love can be expressed in one of five different ways which he refers to as languages. Each person responds to only one of those languages primarily. The most important point of the book is…

A person can feel unloved even when their partner has good character and does many apparently loving things. They feel loved only when their spouse identifies their particular love language and learns to speak it well everyday.

Simply stated the five love languages are:

  • Words of Affirmation
  • Quality Time
  • Receiving Gifts
  • Acts of Service
  • Physical Touch

Dr. Chapman suggests that many failed or failing marriages could be revitalized if the couples would identify and learn to speak their mates love language. It almost sounds too good to be true but he backs up his claim with examples of couples he has coached through this learning process successfully.

Several of his clients refer to the effect as “miraculous” and from the descriptions, some of them seemed hopeless. [Read more…] about Review: The Five Love Languages by Dr. Gary Chapman

Book Review: “The Jesus Inquest” by Charles Foster

by Leave a Comment

If you have no answers for skeptics, or worse, you haven’t developed the skill to formulate arguments, this book is for you.

Charles Foster, drawing on experience as a barrister, does more than just “assert” the resurrection of Jesus.

Instead, in his recent book, The Jesus Inquest, he grapples hand to hand or maybe I should say head to head with skeptics, not dismissing their contentions – assuming they are ridiculous – but engaging each one at close range, giving rational arguments to counter their ideas.

And he deals with several ideas that aggravate Christians, enraging some:

  • Jesus was crucified but survived and lived out His life in India.
  • Jesus died but was only temporarily laid in Joseph’s tomb, being moved to a municipal graveyard for the condemned soon thereafter, hence He couldn’t be found in the tomb.
  • Jesus body was consumed by jackals at the municipal body dump and therefore could not be found.
  • The first Sunday morning visitor, Mary Magdalene, didn’t find Jesus because she and those with her went to the wrong tomb.
  • Jesus survived the cross and was eventually buried in his family tomb in the Jerusalem area along with His wife Mary Magdalene, heirs and other family members, e.g., His brother James.
  • The appearances of Jesus were nothing more than hallucinations.

The question, of course, is not do Christians seriously believe these ideas but can they answer them. Many apologists, even those of a high profile, do little in response other than dismissively bluster their way through, producing very little in the way of argument. That is fine for the average Christian but for distant onlookers and serious skeptics more is required. [Read more…] about Book Review: “The Jesus Inquest” by Charles Foster