Reading the Word, Reading ourselves

1.  So many people, including most pastors I know, struggle with reading and pondering God’s Word.  Ken Wilson, a fine thinker from the Ann Arbor Vineyard church, says a good “remedy” to this is to prayer The Hours.  He’s been doing it himself for 10 years and strongly encourages his church members to do the same.  Try it. 

2.  Love others as you love yourself, Jesus says.  One way to love yourself is to know your strengths, and to the degree that you can, work your strengths.  I find Tom Rath’s StrengthsFinder 2.0 very good in this regard.  This #1 Wall Street Journal bestseller can be purchased at a good price from Amazon.  It’s really good.

Bob Pierce holding a Korean orphan in the mid-1950s

3.  For the upmteenth time I recently reread the story of Bob Pierce, the founder of World Vision.  Written by his daughter in 1980 when she was just 28, this story still has great staying power.  It’s simply titled:  Man of Vision.  Get it here.

4.  I have been trying to let the Bible read me each morning by practicing the ancient prayer model of Lectio Divina.  Now I am trying it by reading Stephen J. Binz’ Abraham — A transforming Experience with the Word of God.  These are Binz’ Bible studies on the life of Abraham using Lectio Divina.