Ummmm…wow….so long time, no post! I feel a bit like I’ve run across a friend I promised I would call last month in the freezer section of the grocery store. I’m sorry seems a little lame. I missed you seems disingenuous (even if it’s true.) I’ve been a little busy is a terrible understatement, but I am sure you have been too, so it feels a lot like an excuse. Anyway you cut it, I feel a bit shameful for not having written in several weeks…so, well, I bring you presents! Presents make things all better right?
Ok…so let’s dig in….
I’ve been busy:
Photo courtesy of Old Hat Studios
We have finally wrapped on Stage 1′s Fall Production of Alice in Wonderland. Cardsman #4 and Flower/Lobster/Cardsman both did amazing jobs in their roles. My dear hubby and I ran the sound for the show (woo…that was no easy feat) .
The following week zoomed by and by Thursday I was headed to Ransomed Heart’s Advanced Captivating Retreat in Buena Vista, Colorado. The weather was beautiful and the setting absolutely stunning. There was so much wonder and love to be had and shared there. I promise there are posts coming with what I learned, what God shared and how amazing an experience it was (but I am trying to get to the presents part 
!
But now to the nitty gritty….during this awesome experience in Colorado, I got to meet two of my favorite authors: John and Stasi Eldredge.
(I wish I had a photo with Stasi, but I forgot to bring my camera the day I chatted with her.)
John has written a new book and I was lucky enough to get a preview copy to review….and even luckier to get an opportunity to hear him speak a bit about this amazing work. Ya’ll this is one of his bests…a book that promises to help set the Christian heart free…and delivers.
Here is the review I wrote for Amazon:
Beautiful. Scandalous. Disruptive.
This book will change your view of Jesus. John Eldredge has written a book meant to set the hearts of Christians held captive to the religiousity free. Beautiful Outlaw walks us through the gospels, the scriptural stories of Jesus’ life and instills personality, motive and heart to each one. Seeing Jesus in this way has made me fall in love with him all over again. Seeing Jesus as truly human who experienced hunger, compassion, thirst, love, fatigue, and anger helped me to come to terms with my own human experiences.
Looking at the gospels through the lens of shaping a picture of a personality has helped me understand the man more thoroughly and in so doing, understand God more thoroughly. His playfulness and sense of humor, His gentleness and compassion, His cunning and disdain for the religious spirit of the age are presented in a way that is easy and quickly understood.
This is one of John Eldredge’s best books to date. If you are looking for the story of the real Jesus…not some “creepy, religious” version of Jesus, this book is for you. If you are looking to set your heart free from religiousity and legalism, this book is for you. If you just want to learn more about the man and love more about our Savior, this book is for you. Read it….more than once….you won’t be sorry!
What is so cool about this book and it’s message is how generous Ransomed Heart has been with it. They are making available an 18 video DVD series FREE by download or live stream as well as the companion study guide. There are also opportunities to take part in a live simulcast and a small live tour this fall. HOW COOL IS THAT? For more info go to www.beautifuloutlaw.net.
So, in the spirit of generosity that the Ransomed Heart team has started, I am giving away a copy of Beautiful Outlaw to one lucky reader….here’s how to enter: Watch the video trailer for the book below and leave a comment with your thoughts about the trailer before midnight on Oct 19th 2011.
