November 1, 2011
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Present Perfect
The title of this blog post is also the title the book that I just started reading.
It is written by Greg Boyd...pastor of Woodland Hills Church and my favorite preacher to listen to on-line.
This church, I might add, was also where we attended this past Sunday and loved it!! Greg preached and the time flew by so fast (it also helped that our kids were in "children's church" and we didn't have to deal with them) that I could hardly believe over an hour an 15 minutes had passed while we sat in the service.
I picked up a copy of his book after church. My Dad had recommended this book after reading it recently. And I think he heard of it from my cousin who highly recommended it to my brother Joe.
I started reading it on Monday morning for my quiet time and absolutely am LOVING it.
But...two small problems:
#1) When I get excited about something, I kind of want everyone else to be excited and know about it too. Yup. That's me.
#2) He suggested in the first chapter of the book that we find some people who would be interested in walking along side us in this journey of learning to find God present in every moment. And I didn't know who to ask. So I am asking all of you.
The basic premise of the book is that the most important discipline of the Christian life and the discipline that will have the most profound effect on your life is to learn to be constantly aware of God's presence and love in your life. Every moment of every day.
He talks about how God was with us in the past and will be with us in the future, but really what matters is that God is with us in the NOW and this precise moment we are in is when we have the opportunity to surrender to God and bring Him glory and remember that He loves us more than we can imagine.
He likened this idea that some Christians have of saying a "sinner's prayer" and then going on with life as usual, giving little heed to God's influence in their life and not taking advantage of His transforming power, to the idea of getting married and saying vows to your spouse and then pretty much forgetting about them and not really making much effort to get to know them better or to please them. We would say that is crazy, yet so many Christians live their lives this way. "Yes, I'm saved"...but when you look at their lives you don't see a lot of action to back up their supposed faith, much less a lot of transformation going on.
I was amazed to discover, yesterday, how much different my day was when I thought OFTEN of God and His power and His presence in my life. In each moment! I was more patient with the kids. I made some decisions differently than I would have otherwise. I felt a peace and joy that I don't always feel. And then today...when I was SUPER busy at work and had a hard time remembering to think of God, and when I got really crabby with the kids and STILL thought about God and His presence but was sort of wishing He would butt out of my thoughts right about then, I was still thankful for the reminders and God working in my heart.
Here is the website link for you to go and read a little more about the book to see if you are interested in what I am about to propose.
TA-DA -- Here goes...
I am looking for some of my friends and online acquaintances to join me in this (to me) exciting journey of learning how to focus on God and His presence more throughout every day.
If you are interested, I would be willing to purchase the book, "Present Perfect", for the first 5 people who want to do this online book study with me.
The only obligation is to read one chapter each week (there are 7 chapters...so it would take us through about the end of the year)
and then practice the exercises that he suggests at the end of each chapter during the week.
The other way you would participate is to write at least once a week on a Facebook message board about your experiences and what you are learning. I would set up Facebook messaging between whoever wants to do this challenge.
I would like to be accountable, I would like to share my experiences, and I would like to hear about yours!! Plus, I'm just excited to share this book and this concept with you and to challenge you in your faith. I know that I want more of God in my everyday life and if this book helps with that, then I want to do that.
I want to learn about surrender and about being selfless.
If you are interested, let me know in the comments below and if you are one of the first 5, I will get the book sent to you. If there are more than 5 who are interested, please feel free to purchase the book and join in!! The more the merrier, right?
Comments (13)
I'm interested Aug. But i can totally buy my own book. Should be fun and challenging!
that whole selfless thing sounds like a good thing...for someone else to live out for me. can i sign up others? ha.KIDDING. i love this idea...the Bible study i'm in right now ends in a week...so...!!!
@down_onthefarm - haha!!
i'm interested audrey..i've always thought it would be cool to do a book club/ study kind of thing here~
Greg Boyd is quite the dynamic speaker/thinker, i have come to observe. has a way of saying things in such a way that it resonates well with me...i would love this sort of thing, but, i'm not on facebook. =( love that you are taking this seriously and extending the challenge to others. you're an inspiration!!
@foreveranoatneygirl_n2Hisown - Rachel -- I actually thought about you before I even wrote this post and how if you were interested, you don't have Facebook. Thought and I would wait and see if it becomes an issue. Here is the problem: I do not have the technical skills to set up a way for all of us to chat (privately) other than on Facebook. If someone knows how to do that, we could totally set up a chat board of some sort away from Facebook and that could accomplish the same purpose. Beth? Christy? Anybody else that could help with this?
@appalolly - hey. i'm fine with not being a part of it on fb, because it is my choice to not be on fb...i know i miss out, but so goes. if you come up with another outlet, and you don't have enough people, i'd be thrilled to be involved...but, don't feel bad for me in it if not. i take no offense.
I'd definitely be interested. There is something about accountability that just takes you to the next level and I need it in my life so much. I love this concept and have tried multiple times to start it in my own life and after a few days I'm back to normal. Someone (I'm thinking A. W Tozer???) did this b/c he wanted to practiced the presence of God every minute of his life. He started by setting the time for like 15 minutes and focusing on God and shortening the time span so that he essentially taught himself to have God-consciousness throughout the day.
@appalolly - @foreveranoatneygirl_n2Hisown - Can u not message the same way on xanga?? somehow i thot you could. would be so nice to have rachel involved too.
Aw...I was going to come here and say I'll join you too. But then I read the fine print here and realized that you're doing this right away and it takes FOREVER to mail a book to Canada. Maybe next time. Don't worry about including me. I don't mind. Maybe I'll just buy the book and read it anyway.
Sounds like a book I need to read! Thanks for sharing!
@quiet_hearts - Hey, Luci! If you order it right away on Amazon, you would get it about the same time as Amber does...since she is also from Canada and I just got hers sent out yesterday. (I had reached my limit of 5 people that I was buying books for). So its up to you. Would love to have you be part of this!!
@appalolly - I ordered Friday. How about if the rest of you just start when you get the book and I will join in when mine comes.