Authentic Relationships Book Review and Quotes

Authentic Relationships: The Lost Art of One Anothering was one of my 12 Great Books to Read in 2012 selections and it was a great read. There were many good reminders and even some new thought provoking ideas as well as some solid calls to action for people looking to have stronger, authentic relationships. While reading nonfiction books I tend to use an index card to note the pages I want to come back to for my book notes upon completion of the text and this book's great ideas filled both sides of my index card. Here are some of the best quotes from the book.

p. 30 “[God] wants to set you so free in his love that it spills out of you and touches others...One anothering is not some onerous chore, but the joy of sharing God’s life, not only with his people but also with a world captive in darkness.”

 p. 40 “Hurting people do stupid things. Usually the more stupidly they act, the deeper their pain. When someone lashes out at me or treats me with contempt, I am tempted to respond in kind. When I realize, however, that people who do such things are in incredible pain themselves, it helps me to be patient with them , hoping that my love and gentleness might open a door for their healing."

p 53 “If we learn to love one another, we will need nothing more. We won’t need commitment, we won’t fall victim to expectations, and we won’t be disappointed when others don’t do for us what we have done for them. God’s love demands nothing in return.”

 p 71 “In a culture where most people are looking out for number one, random acts of kindness stand out as brightly as a lighthouse on a moonless night.”

 p 76 “Our life in Jesus, or the lack of it, is demonstrated by our compassion for people in need. He looks at those actions exactly as if we are, or are not, doing them for him. His compassion is 

contagious. Once we have experienced it from his hand, there is no way we can hold it to ourselves.”

 p 83 “‘Serving one another in love’ marks the transition from being slaves to the law to living in the Spirit.”

 p 92 “‘Whom can I encourage today?’ is a question we all can ask every day. When you know you are going to spend some time with someone, ask God what you might say or do that would help that person experience a touch of God’s grace.”

 p 94 “Your demeanor, thoughts, or simple affection can rescue people from their own anger, ego, or selfishness and free them to live on a higher plane in the life of Jesus.”

 p 96 “Stimulating people to love and good deeds does not happen by picking at their failures or by pushing them to try harder; it happens by helping them draw closer to Jesus.” 

p 114 “Picture talking to God like a five-year-old crawling into her daddy’s lap and sharing with him her hurts, frustrations, wants and needs. It doesn’t matter of she makes a mistake or is unsure of what to say; he already knows her heart and is thrilled to have the moment with her.”

I guess the main idea of the book is that we need to take time to truly understand and bask in God's boundless, deep and eternal love for us and then we'll be naturally overflowing with love for others. My prayer for both you and I, dear reader, is that we will do just that. May the love of our gracious Lord flow through you today!

12 Great Books to Read in 2012

Every year as part of my resolutions/goals for the year I have a goal of reading 50 books during the calendar year. It's usually one of my easy and enjoyable resolutions. This is the first year I've named some specific books as part of my goals. Other than the Bible (listed first), they're in no particular order. The general themes are faith, health and relationships as those are my priorities for this year. Hopefully at least one of the twelve books I've selected will inspire you. 

1. The Bible.  This year my plan is to read it in chronological order using the New American Standard version. No other reading is as important as God's word.

2. Everyday Prayers: 365 Days to a Gospel-Centered Faith by Scotty Smith.  This book was a gift from my Pastor brother, Joshua. I've been reading and praying the daily entries before bed. The book was probably meant to be read in the morning but my morning routine's rather full and I wanted something like this for my evening routine.

3. Disciplines of a Godly Woman by Barbara Hughes. Late in 2011 I joined a ladies' Bible study and even though they were wrapping up this book I jumped in and joined them on the last three chapters. Now I want to start at the beginning and read the whole thing.

4. Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke. I forget where but I remember reading that this book had inspired someone greatly and I was intrigued.

5. Mighty Be Our Powers by Lehmah Gbowee and Carol Mithers. After reading an article about Ms. Gbowee I knew I had to read her book and look forward to it.

6. Authentic Relationships: Discover the Lost Art of One Anothering by Wayne Jacobsen.  Came across this while looking for another book and decided I wanted to read it.

7.  Fix Your Feet by Philip Maffetone. I think this one was recommended by www.peertrainer.com and as I have some foot pain and don't feel like seeing the doctor in person I thought I'd read this book first and see if Mr. Maffetone's advice might suffice.

8. Super Immunity by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. I've been a fan of Dr. Fuhrman's since reading his Eat to Live book which I bought after reading my library copy (this is a rare thing for me as I'm at maximum book storage capacity in my home and have to purge an item from my collection every time I add one).

9. Love is a Verb: Stories of What Happens When Love Comes Alive by Gary Chapman. His The Five Love Languages book was really eye opening for me so I look forward to this book.

10. Treasured Moments with Mother Graham by Rose Adams and Donna Lee Toney. Hoping that this will read like a dear, faith filled, grandmother imparting her best spiritual advice and lessons.

11. Stage Your Home to Sell (or Keep): Easy Ways to Improve the Value of Your Home by Jean Nayar. It's unlikely that we'll be moving but making the house nicer makes my hubby happy so I consider this part of the relationship category.

12. The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-Term Health by T. Colin Campbell, Thomas M. Campbell II, Howard Lyman and John Robbins. This book may be one of my main motivators for wanting to pursue a vegan diet. I started reading it in 2011 and thought that I had finished it but as I was neatening a shelf I saw the telltale bookmark sticking out of it and, even though the reading can be challenging, I do want to finish this book this year.

What books are you planning on reading this year? Whatever your reading plans, I wish you the happiest of New Years and pray that God will shine His face and favor upon you!