I have read several books lately. Here are a few from the list:

Out of the Embers by Bradley Jersak

Unconditional? by Brian Zahnd

The History of Time and the Genesis of You by Peter Hiett

The Servant King by Verne Nesbitt

The Day Christ Died by Jim Bishop

I read all of these in the last month. I have greatly enjoyed all of these selections. “Out of the Embers” is about the “deconstruction” many Christians seem to be going through. It happens when you realize that your church or religion does not jive with Jesus, the bible, or your life principles. I went through it, but mine was not as traumatic as some of the ones I’ve read about others. “Unconditional?” talks about how we should forgive unconditionally. It’s a challenging book. It falls in line with actually following the ways of Jesus. He once said, “Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and not do what I tell you? (Luke 6:46)” Some of us wear the “Christian” label (including me), but we sometimes don’t live a life that demonstrates our devotion to Christ.

My favorite read of all these books was “The Day Christ Died.” It is an hour-by-hour chronicle of the last day Jesus spent with his disciples leading up to his arrest at Gethsemane, the illegal trial, the beating from the temple guard, and then the Romans, which was twice as brutal as the temple guards. I have always loved how the high priest frantically scrambled to find witnesses to testify against Jesus, but the witnesses could not corroborate any crimes Jesus supposedly committed. Had Jesus not taken it upon himself to step into their trap by confessing that He was indeed the Son of God, the Messiah, the Christ, they would not have had the evidence to put him to death! It’s an incredible read.

I don’t know why I have been consuming so much material lately. This week, I have also begun another trek through the bible, start to finish. I am still determining how long it will take me this time, but I am looking forward to it. It will take more than a year.

I have felt simultaneously close to the Lord, sad, and nearly depressed lately. Someone once referred to me as melancholy. I’m not sure I know what melancholy means. I sometimes feel differently. I AM always thinking about life and how I fit in. And I always wonder if I’m doing what God wants me to do. My prayer life is better than in the past but could still improve.

Still, I feel like I’m just stumbling through life, unsure of what I’m doing. I treat everyone I meet with respect and, if possible, love. I want to live the kind of life that expresses the love of God. Jesus told his disciples that people would know we are his followers because we love one another. For at least the last few decades, Christians have been known for what we hate: prosperity schemes, our politics, and other things that have nothing to do with the kingdom of God.

The followers of Christ need to start obeying and following His instructions. We should be about kingdom business, not politics, loving people, not judging them. More praying and listening for answers.

God is capable and willing to do great things in this world, but we are a big part. We are the body of Christ.

That’s all I wanted to say; I’m a work in progress.

May God bless you.