When in doubt buy books

What do you do when you feel a little blah, a little out of focus? Why buy some books of course!

This time around I focused on theological and spritual issues. Here is what I bought:

Renovation Renovation of the Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ by Dallas Willard:
Willard (The Divine Conspiracy), a professor of philosophy at the University of Southern California who is also a Southern Baptist minister, here tackles the central Christian question of how to be more like Christ. He claims that the church’s failures throughout history are a result of Christians’ reading biblical passages that adjure them to Christ-like perfection and then trying to reach that perfection by behaving more perfectly. Instead, he argues that believers should allow God to transform them internally so that their actions, though never quite perfect, will at least be more aligned with God. Willard delineates six areas of such transformation thought, feeling, will, body, social context and soul and delineates a general process toward transforming each.
I have struggled recently with spritual growth and character building and this seems like a challenging and rewarding look at the subject. I need a jump start and I hoping this helps provide one.

Chosen.jpg Chosen But Free: A Balanced View of Divine Election by Norman Geisler. The reason I bought this book is that I was getting frustrated with the debate/discussion of Calvinism and Arminianism that often surfaces over at He Lives. I think Geisler is the closest to my position so I wanted to go back over the arguments and then read a strong book from the other positions. Also my wife has been wrestling with this issue in one of her classes.

ESVbible.jpg Lastly I bought a new Bible for study and reading. I wanted a sturdy and yet easy to carry Bible with a accurate translation (I seem to have too many NIVs lying around). This one seemed to fit the bill.

Now, if I could just find more time to read . . .

Kevin Holtsberry
I work in communications and public affairs. I try to squeeze in as much reading as I can while still spending time with my wife and two kids (and cheering on the Pittsburgh Steelers and Michigan Wolverines during football season).

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