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Galileo by Mitch Stokes, a Review

12 Thursday Apr 2012

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Galileo, by Mitch Stokes.

This book is one in the Christian Encounters series.  From the front cover flap:  We learn about life through the lives of others.  Their experiences, their trials, their adventures become our schools, our chapels, our playground.  Christian Encounters, a series of biographies from Thomas Nelson Publishers, highlights important lives from all ages and areas of the Church through prose as accessible and concise as it is personal and engaging.

And from the back cover:  It’s no mystery how profound a role Galileo Galilei played in the Scientific Revolution.  Less explored is the Italian innovator’s sincere, guiding faith in God.  In this exhaustively researched biography that reads like a page-turning novel, Mitch Stokes draws on his expertise in philosophy, logic, math, and science to attune modern ears with Galileo’s controversial genius.

This book was sent to be for review, and I was very excited to receive it.  But to be honest, I have struggled through the book.  Rather than reading like a page-turning novel, I found myself very distracted by all of the annotations and index references.  It felt that much of the story was left for the reader to discover by gathering the resources listed in the index.

After reading Galileo I do have a little more knowledge of the Catholic Church’s counter reformation and the Inquisition which finally did condemn Galileo.  There are thoughts expressed in this book which have helped me put into words some of what I am hoping to communicate as I look to teaching some science classes in the next year.

                “In 1605, Francis Bacon had famously said that God gave us two books to study: his world and his Word.  Because God is the author of both books, they can never-when properly interpreted-conflict.”

And

                “…science as a natural outworking of a Christian desire to know God and his creation”

There are others who I know that have read this book and did not find it a troublesome read at all, and it may be that in another season of life I could have a seat and enjoy this story.  So, while I have not enjoyed this book, and it has been a labor to read, I am thankful for what I have been able to glean and feel confident that it can join other reliable resources on our science book shelves.
This book was sent to me in exchange for an honest review.  I review for BookSneeze®“>I review for BookSneeze®

sketch Tuesday, Something that Starts with B

10 Tuesday Apr 2012

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Two weeks of a fever and ache virus seems to have influenced this week’s sketch.  To join in or see other creative works visit Harmony Art Mom.

Always Thanks to be Given

09 Monday Apr 2012

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This practice of Eucharisteo has become a habit, that even while in bed with fever and pain the gifts run through my mind.  What greater gift can a practice give?

It was a sad pondering the week following, as I tried to make up for a lost week with hurried busy work, when I struggled to find even one gift in the day.  There I find a nugget of truth.  Gratitude is more easily found in the quietness of a spirit that seeks rest in the Holy Spirit, , even on a busy day.

Gifts given while marme is sick in bed with fever and pain… through #925

popsicles which lowered the internal heat
Sweet girl who read me to sleep and sat with me a long while
Husband who tended to me, knowing just how I felt, as it is the virus he just suffered through
Children who want to love on me and be close, even as I protested, I didn’t want to share the sickness
 Soft blankets
Rice cuddlers on my aching knees and ankles
Cold water
Warm tea
Motrin
 Inhaler
Allergy meds and antibiotics to deal with the “other” symptoms
No sore throat!
Two soft stuffed animals tucked in with me by my sweet youngest, which I did wake and find myself holding
Quiet days to be home to recover
Audio books to listen while I rest

Praying for Your Future Husband, a review

05 Thursday Apr 2012

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Praying for Your Future Husband, Preparing Your Heart for His by Robin Jones Gunn and Tricia Goyer.  This book was published by Multnomah and provided to me by Waterbrook Multnomah for a review.

 “…no one had ever asked me what could be done to change this dilemma of an unbalanced between god-honoring young women and their male contemporaries who were slow to seek God.  What could I tell her?

The words that came out of my heart were, “You have work to do, dear God-Lover Girls.  You must start praying for your future husband now.”

“What sort of changes will God bring about in the life of your future husband as a result of your praying for him now?  We don’t know.”

“As you pray for him, what sort of changes will God initiate in your heart?  We don’t know that either.” 

“but we do know there’s only one way to find out.”

 This book reads as a conversation between the reader, the authors and other women whose stories are told in part.  Each chapter covers a topic over which the reader is invited to pray for her future husband.  There is a Scripture passage to introduce the chapter and Robin and Tricia  each share what is on her heart or a piece of her own story.  There are scripted prayers to help the reader begin to form her own prayers and encouragement to look inside her own heart,   The book is like a journal, with places to write the reader’s own thoughts and discussion questions.

The topics covered in this book are:

Pray for His Heart
Pray He Will Be a God Lover
For Patience
For Understanding
For Trust
For Loyalty and Faithfulness
For Strength
For Protection
For Intimacy
For “The List”
For Contentment
For Commitment.

There are closing thoughts from Robin and Tricia as well as Scriptures to pray for the reader’s future husband.

This book could be a useful tool in disciplining young adult women.  There is discussion of painful mistakes, regrets in relationships so I only recommend this book for high school and older young women.  It is my hope that girls can hold onto their innocence and not have idea planted to early into their minds, and this book does discuss a slightly more mature content than preteen and early teen girls might think about.

The authors appear to have a real desire to encourage young women to allow God the timing and purposes in their lives that lead up to marriage, to pray over their future husbands and to prepare their own hearts.  The younger generations need this kind of encouragement, mentorship and love.



This book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

Waiting for a Sponsor

04 Wednesday Apr 2012

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***Update!  Jesus David has been SPONSORED***
Jesus David is the cutest little guy, just look at those cheeks.
He is 5 years old, and waiting for a sponsor through Compassion International.
Would you like to take part in this little guy’s life?  Speaking hope and love into his heart through your letters, and providing essential life things like clean water, medical care, education and Biblical teaching with a monthly gift of $38?
If so, please email me and I’ll get right back in touch with you!
byquietwaters at gmail dot com.
with joy

Child Sponsorship and 2 Giveaways!

02 Monday Apr 2012

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As a mom, I want all children to have access to the necessities of life, just like my own kids do.  I can’t imagine not being able to get my daughters the medication they need when strep makes it’s ugly self known, or clean cool water when they are thirsty.  Nor can I imagine life without Jesus to comfort them when the deep ugliness of this sin wrecked world brushes by, or when our own sin wrecked words sting.

Yet, so many mothers just don’t have access to medication, clean cool water, adequate shelter nor the knowledge of Christ’s love and redemption.  Living in poverty withholds the basic needs, stripping away dignity, hope, even life.

Our family sponsors children in Guatemala, and in all the ways this opportunity touches our lives, the way that might mean the most to me is to think that Lesbia’s mother, and Bryan’s mother are not alone in the fight against darkness, against the claws that seek to pull young ones away.  These mothers are not alone in their hopes for their children.  I’ve joined their team. 
Beautiful Lesbia
the Guapo Bryan

I’ve joined the “mom” team, to pray for these precious young ones, to offer words of hope and encouragement to do what is right and good in the letters that I write each month.  And that $38 a month we send for each of these children?  It does far more for each of those children and their families than it could for me if I stuck it in my pocket.

How would you like to join the team?  To sponsor a child, even?  To give $38 a month to provide

  • Food and clean water
  • Medical care
  • Educational opportunities
  • Important life-skills training
  • Most important of all, your sponsored child will hear about Jesus Christ and be encouraged to develop a lifelong relationship with God.

That’s just what your money will cover.  Your prayers and letters full of words of hope and encouragement can tell the child how precious and loved she/he is.  And your act of sponsorship will tell a mom and dad, or a single mom or dad that they are not alone in their hope and fight for a life above poverty for this child.

Really, this just amazes me.  Here we are, able to offer hope to a mom, a child, a family far away, hope that can help them rise above the grip of poverty.

If you are interested, here are children who are waiting for sponsors in the Compassion Program.

And just until 9:59 AM PST next Monday, April 9, if you sponsor a child, Sevenly will give you a free tshirt! 

You must sponsor through this link for the tshirt offer.

Now are you still with me?
If sponsorship is not for you today, Sevenly has another opportunity for you to make a difference in the fight against poverty.

Buy a tshirt and Sevenly will donate $7.00 to provide a life-saving mosquito net to children in Rwanda.

And if you have read this far,
please leave me a comment. 
I will enter your name into a drawing for
a book by Compassion International President, Wess Stafford.

These giveaways end next Monday at 9:59 AM PST.