FIRST Wild Card Tour: On the Path with God

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

Erwin W. Lutzer

Photographed by:

John and Debora Scanlan

and the book:

On the Path with God

Harvest House Publishers (July 1, 2011)

***Special thanks to Karri | Marketing Assistant, Harvest House Publishers for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR and PHOTOGRAPHERS:

Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer, Senior Pastor of The Moody Church since 1980, is an award-winning author of more than 20 books including Walking with God. He’s a celebrated international conference speaker and the featured speaker on three radio programs that are heard around the world. He and his wife, Rebecca, have been married for 35 years. They live in the Chicago area and are the parents of three married children.

Visit the author's website.

John and Debora Scanlan are partners in life and in creating Scanlan Windows to the World™ Fine Art Photography. They are internationally renowned for capturing the beauty, intrigue, and romance of the world while presenting the essence of every scene. Their work is featured in galleries, special exhibitions and juried art shows, on numerous products including cards and calendars, and in their breathtaking fine art photography book Windows to the World.

Visit the photographers' website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Inspiring meditations from the heart of popular pastor and author Dr. Erwin Lutzer join breathtaking photographs of winding country paths and cobblestone streets and invite readers to take time to walk with God. The joy-filled promises of faith await those who treasure an enriched journey with the Creator.



Product Details:

List Price: $15.99
Hardcover: 48 pages
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers (July 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0736939369
ISBN-13: 978-0736939362

MY THOUGHTS AND REVIEW:
On the Path With God is a beautiful, inspirational gift book! I really enjoyed reading it and at the same time admired the stunning beauty of the accompanying photos. The theme of the book is "walking with God" which was a reference to Enoch who "walked with God" (Genesis 5:22, 24). The author points out why we  want to walk with God and all the benefits of walking with God. Each chapter ends with "Help for the Journey" which includes practical suggestions and thought-provoking questions. I love all the Scriptures and quotes in the book. Such an uplifting book! The peaceful pictures had a great calming effect on me. What a privilege, honor, and an adventure it is to walk with our Heavenly Father in this life journey...to infinity and beyond!


AND NOW...THE FIRST FEW PAGES (The images were scanned so that you may see what this delightful book looks like, but the words were placed here from these scanned images, so that you may read and be blessed.) Please click on the images to see them larger:

Why Walk with God?

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world.

Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 8:12



A tour through a cemetery can be beneficial and educational. I like to read epitaphs because they often say something interesting about the person who is finished with this life and has gone on to the next. Maybe epitaphs should be required reading for everyone once a year. They are a reminder that life is short and that eternity is near.

Most epitaphs are serious, some are tragic, and yes, there are at least a few that are funny. I’m told that this poem is found on the tombstone of a lady named Anna Wallace in England:

The children of Israel wanted bread.

The Lord sent them manna.

Old clerk Wallace wanted a wife.

The devil sent him Anna.

Here is a poem I learned in grade school, though I doubt it is on a tombstone—it could be. It contains an important message about automobile safety:
Here lies the body of William Jay,

Who died while maintaining his right of way.

He was right, completely right as he sped along,

But he’s just as dead as if he’d been wrong!

My favorite epitaph is found in the Bible, embedded in a long list of genealogies in the fifth chapter of Genesis. To read these verses is like walking though a cemetery. The names are difficult to pronounce and we are left to guess what life was like so many centuries ago. Like the tolling of a bell, every tombstone bears the same message; six times we read the simple phrase “and he died.”



Then unexpectedly we discover that there was a man who did not die! His name was Enoch, and of him we read in verse 24, “Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.” Twice we are told that Enoch “walked with God.” In fact, He walked with God right into heaven!

This epitaph is perhaps one of the most beautiful phrases in the entire Bible. If it could be said of you and me that we “walked with God,” nothing more need be said. Those few words contain an eternity of meaning.

An Invitation to the Journey

Walking with God is both difficult and simple. Difficult because it takes thought, discipline, and commitment; simple because the same characteristics that apply to walking with a close friend or a loved one apply to walking with God.

Enoch walked with God in the midst of a society filled with temptations and obstacles just like those we face. He is a powerful reminder that we can be faithful to walk with God in our day as well. When we accept the invitation to begin the journey, trials and distractions need not keep us from our time with the Almighty.



Interestingly, Enoch was motivated to begin this journey after his first son Methuselah was born. Maybe he felt a new sense of responsibility as he held the baby boy in his arms. Perhaps as the child reached out to touch the stubble of his father’s beard Enoch said to himself, “I need to reorder my priorities and begin to take God more seriously.” Evidently he realized that the greatest contribution he could make in life was to guide his family on the right path.

Spend some moments reflecting on what motivates your heart to walk with the Lord today. Have you faced a trial and found yourself ready to give your sorrow to God? Do you long to leave a legacy of faith for your children? Maybe you’ve been in fellowship with the Lord for many years and you are ready for refreshment. Together we can explore how to walk with God and embrace the meaningful, remarkable, and abundant life He has planned for you. Let’s take a step forward toward the light of life.

You have declared this day that the LORD is your God

and that you will walk in his ways, that you will keep his decrees,

commands and laws, and that you will obey him.

And the LORD has declared this day that you are his people,

his treasured possession as he promised, and that

you are to keep all his commands.

Deuteronomy 26:17-18



Help for the Journey

I’ve often thought about what others might say of me after I die. I don’t mean the beautiful eulogies often given at funerals. Instead, I wonder what people will really think—what they will really remember about the impact for good or ill I have had in their lives. God of course, will give the final evaluation, but imagine our legacy if it could be said that we “walked with God.”



If an epitaph were written for you today, what would it be? Are you satisfied with that? What do you hope you will be remembered for?

Consider Jesus’ simple invitation to brothers Simon and Andrew referenced below. Think about how wonderful it feels to have Jesus call to you today in the same, simple way. What is your response to Jesus as He waves to you and says, “Come, follow me?”

As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men” (Mark 1:16-17).
God provides what you need each step of the way. What worries or weaknesses do you want to give to God—need to give to God—in exchange for His hope and renewing strength?


Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;

but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 40:30-31
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

Psalm 119:105

Friday's Fave Five #49

It's time for another Friday's Fave Five (hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story).

My Fave Five this week:-
1. I spent $6.70 at the library's book sale and came home with 2 bagfuls of great books, CDs, and DVDs. Thankful and excited :)!

2. I had so much fun taking senior pictures of my 17 yo daughter, Alyssa! God made her so beautiful (inside and out :)). Such a delightful blessing she is! Here are a few samples out of over 200 pictures I took.

3.We enjoyed watching a series of magnificent lightning in the sky (60+ lightning strikes). Very cool light show :)! "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge." Psalm 19:1-2

4. I'm participating in 21 Days of Prayer for Sons and I have been blogging about this prayer challenge on my homeschool-related blog, Fruitbearers. I love praying the Scriptures for my sons (and daughter).

5. Alyssa was leaping on cloud nine on Tuesday :)! It's impossible for her (and me) to express all her excitement in words. She got accepted by OM (Operation Mobilization) to serve onboard the Logos Hope for 2 months. She will leave in August to get onboard the Logos Hope in Phuket, Thailand and in October, she will leave from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to come back home. I'm so excited to see what the Lord will do in her, for her, and through her. What a mighty God we serve! (Alyssa used to sing that song out loud in public when she was a toddler :).)

Mother of Pearl #2: 3 DIY Mother's Day Gifts that Celebrate Family

Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother's Day blog series. The series is week long celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today's best writer's (Tricia Goyer, Megan Alexander, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Beth Engelman, Holley Gerth, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, and more). I hope you'll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother's Day.

AND ... do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/1-5/8 and the winner will be announced on 5/11. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit http://www.pearlgirls.info/ and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products (all GREAT Mother's Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

And to all you MOMS out there! Happy Mother's Day!

3 DIY Mother’s Day Gifts that Celebrate Family By Beth Engelman

This Mother’s Day, celebrate family with this crafty games the whole family can enjoy.  

Block Photo Puzzle
Not only does this 6-sided photo puzzle provide hours of family fun, but it’s also a great way to reuse favorite family photos.

Materials:
•    9 - Wooden Blocks (Use old alphabet blocks)
•    6 - 8 x 10 Photograph Prints or Colored Copies
•    Ruler
•    Scissors
•    Mod Podge and Paintbrush

Directions:
1.  Arrange blocks in a square and measure the length and width of the square.
2. Measure and cut print to the exact same size as the 9-block square.
3. Place blocks in a square on top of print. Position blocks so they’re lined up neatly and as close together as possible.
4. Trace and cut the outline of each block.
5. Glue print pieces to blocks using Mod Podge. Set aside to dry and then seal with 1-2 top layers of Mod Podge.
6. Repeat process until all 6 sides of the blocks are covered with different photographs.
Thank you to the creative folks at www.photojojo.com for sharing this idea!

 “Go Fish with the Family” Card Game
This gift is perfect for Moms who like card games. Another bonus?  There’s always room to “grow” the deck.

Materials:
•    Camera
•    Double stick tape, or a glue stick
•    Several pieces of cardstock (one color)
•    Scissors

Directions:
1.    Take pictures of each family member and develop the pictures in duplicates (3x5 or 4x6 is fine, just make sure all the pictures are the same size).
2.    Turn the pictures into playing cards by gluing or taping a piece of card-stock to the backside of each picture.
3.    Game ideas include “Go Fishing with the Family” which is similar to “Go Fish” but, instead of matching numbers, the object is to collect matching pairs of photos. “Memory” is another fun game to play.  Place the cards face down in a grid and try to find matching pairs of photos.

Family Bingo
In my house, Bingo is always a big hit because regardless of age or skill level, everyone has the same chance to win.  However this version is extra special because the playing boards are populated with pictures of family members.

Materials:
•    Color Coordinated Game Boards (download here)
•    Images of Family Members (use photographs, drawings or clip art)
•    Bingo Markers (pennies, pebbles or buttons)
•    Glue and Scissors

Directions:
1.    Create the game boards:  Download and print desired number of game-boards. Remember each player gets a different game board.
2.    Color-copy and paste images of family members onto each game board.  Remember to paste one person per square and make each board slightly different.
3.    Make “call-out cards” by writing the name of each family member in yellow, green, blue, purple and pink (which coordinates with the colors on the board)
4.    To Play: Game play is similar to traditional Bingo except the caller will randomly select a call-out card and then read the color and person.  For example, “Blue, Grandma Mary” means there is a picture of Grandma Mary in a blue square.  Just like Bingo, the first person to get 5 in a row (horizontally, vertically or diagonally) wins!

Beth Engelman is a columnist for the Sun Times News Group’s Pioneer Press. Her column “Mommy on a Shoestring,” appears in over 30 local papers around Chicago area as well as on the Sun-times website where you can also view her Mommy on a Shoestring video series. She is also a regular on “You and Me this Morning” on WCIU and is frequent contributor for WGN America’s Midday News at Noon.  Recently, Beth was chosen by a celebrity panel from NBC Universal and iVillage to become one of 15 national  “mom” correspondents for NBC’s popular website, http://www.ivillage.com/ (over 3 million visitors a day) where she reports on issues that affect moms, families and communities such as bullying, divorce and weight loss.  For more information visit Beth at http://www.mommyonashoestring.com/

Friday's Fave Five #10

It's time for another Friday's Fave Five (hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story).

My fave five this week include:
1. Nice visit with a friend/sweet sister in Christ.  She and I went to a coffee shop.  We had a great time and before she left, we prayed for each other.

2. Taking a walk and taking pictures during my walks.  It's fun to exercise and enjoy God's creation at the same time.

3. Faithful Feet.  I am one of the nine contributors to this new international blog where we share and learn together what it means to be true followers of Christ and to walk faithfully in His steps.  My first article there is, "Don't Waste Your Life!"

4. Ultimate Blog Party 2010.  I'd like to invite y'all to visit my blog party post which includes a slideshow and a giveaway.  I've had fun blog-hopping and "meeting" new bloggers :).

5. Singing joyfully to the Lord.  I love singing hymns and praise/worship songs while my husband plays the piano.  What song(s) do you like to sing to the Lord?

More Blessed

"In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus Himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" Acts 20:35  And you know Jesus is always right!  It is indeed more blessed to give than to receive.  It's such a joy to be able to share God's love, joy, and hope with others, especially those in need.  Every year, our kids enjoy packing shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child.  I've recently found the above picture which was taken in 2002.  If you are not familiar with OCC, please read this post.  If you already are familiar with OCC, I'd like to remind you that the collection week this year is November 16-23 :).


Previous WFW:
- My Soul Pants for You
- Without Excuse
- Plentiful Harvest

- Brotherly Love

- Fruit Bearer

- More Than Conquerors
- Where Does My Help Come From?
- Jubilant, Joy, and Judge
- Rooted in Love
- Who Daily Bears Our Burdens?
- Reflecting the Lord's Glory
- The Rock Eternal
- His Eye Is On The Sparrow

Best Brothers...Best Buddies

 

Tomorrow, my son, Josiah, will turn 11 and on Sunday, my youngest son, Isaiah, will turn 8.  The pictures above were taken in Oct., 2004.  Can you tell they were "King" Josiah and "Prophet" Isaiah? :)  I am so thankful that my boys are each other's best buddies.  They both can't wait to celebrate their birthday's party together tomorrow.

"How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!" Psalm 133:1

P.S. I just spent hours making a Smilebox (slideshow) with my boys' pictures (72 total) but then the computer froze up on me and all that I did was gone.  I will try again when I get a chance :).

Previous Friday Photo Flashback:
- Harvest Festival
- I Love Mommy & Daddy
- Corn Roast Festival
- A Taste of Thailand
- I Could Never Promise You
- In Father's Hands
- Thai Version of Wipe Out
- My Graduation Day in Thailand

Corn Roast Festival

 

The 45th Annual Corn Roast Festival in Forest Grove, Oregon will take place this Saturday.  We used to live in FG and attend the festival every year.  We now live in a different city but still plan to attend it tomorrow.  The pictures above were taken at the festival in 2005.  My sons looked so young here; it's hard to believe that they'll turn 11 and 8 next month.

The highlight for the kids besides enjoying the delicious fresh-roasted corn on the cob, was the Reptile Man.  His show was always educational, exciting, and entertaining.  In the second picture, the kids had the opportunity to touch a Burmese Python.  My boys hesitated at first but did touch it :).  I did, too.  It felt smooth and rubbery, not slimy at all.  Burmese Pythons can grow up to 23 feet long or more and weigh up to 200 lbs.  The female coil herself around her eggs (up to 100). God gave her the ability to raise her body temperature by making her muscles tremble. The Burmese Python is the only snake who is able to do this (a snake's temperature is usually lower than ours; reptiles are cold-blooded) and the increased body heat helps keep the eggs warm enough to develop properly. Our Creator made all kinds of cool animals, including some very exotic reptiles.

Previous Friday Photo Flashback:
- A Taste of Thailand
- I Could Never Promise You
- In Father's Hands
- Thai Version of Wipe Out
- My Graduation Day in Thailand