Fiction reading

[Guest]

11 hours ago, John_Leung said:

Hi, Which specific genre of fiction, if any, are you referring to?

I read and write Christian fiction. Most of the Christian novels I've read are about lack of faith in God to overcome life's biggest hurdles or past guilts. The stories I've written are mostly based on my personal experience with God or church life.  

Lately, I've been reading more non-fiction, mostly about men who have found a deeper faith on the battlefield.

[John_Leung]

5 hours ago, Saved.One.by.Grace said:

Lately, I've been reading more non-fiction, mostly about men who have found a deeper faith on the battlefield.

I haven't read too many of them, but there are probably just as many good Christian non-fiction books as novels. 

[Willie T]

The ultimate Christian fiction book I think I have ever read is The Shack.  Like the Bible, it certainly is no example of literary excellence, but it spoke to me (and thousands of others) just as clearly.

[frienduff thaylorde]

10 hours ago, GandalfTheWise said:

On some things yes, on others no.   In hindsight, I wish I had not expended so much energy and intensity on being a good employee, working hard, etc.  I was not a poster child for being a workaholic, but I all too often took what I was doing way too seriously and it affected my personal life more than it should have.  Combining this with being very active in many ministries and active in the lives of our kids, I ran myself into the ground without realizing I was doing so.   Over the years, stress slowly built up to the point where I thought it was normal to feel that way and where it started seriously affecting me health wise.  If we had not lived frugally, been out of debt, and had a good rainy day fund in place, I cannot imagine what shape I'd be in if I had not been able to semi-retire and take a sabbatical from just about everything for a few years.  Since then, I've been amazed to hear how many of my colleagues and other people I know have had a trip or two the ER worrying about heart or stroke problems which was basically too much stress. 

I am somewhat at a loss right now to know what good tangible advice to give younger people about how to treat employment, education, and a career that will maximize financial freedom, personal health, and personal liberty.  Changing trends in economics, demographics, politics, and the like mean that what were good recommendations 20 years ago are unlikely to be as good today.   I'm now trying to set myself up to understand times and seasons so that I'll be able to leave a legacy of useful wisdom to my grandkids on matters such as this.

HERES a nugget of golden tangible advice you can give them.     WORRY not over the morrow , TODAY has enough evils to contend with .

The birds of the air store not up ,  yet are they not fed .    WHY on earth worry over squat .    THE LORD has me ,   if I die tonight amen , if I am still here tomorrow

well I will face tomorrow WITH THE LORD .    And no matter what is coming against me  , no matter if I lose it all,  I SHALL ABOUND FOR THE LORD IS WITH ME .

I HAVE ALL AND I ABOUND ,  was written by a man IN PRISON awaiting his sentence .   YEP PAUL SURE DID HAVE ALL and HE SURE DID ABOUND EVEN IN THAT PRISON

even at the hour of his death .    MY MIND has its peace , no matter what happens .    THE LORD is my peace and loss is only seen as gain to know HIM more

and if any riches do increase , ITS ONLY MEANT TO GIVE to those who lack .  SO WHY even worry or desire anything of this world .  I GOT MY TREASURE and MY RICHES

THEY JESUS and HE IS ABOVE .       NOW HOW BOUT we throw those hands up and PRAISE THE LORD .   TELL THEM THAT .

Edited July 31, 2018 by frienduff thaylorde

[Fidei Defensor]

5 hours ago, Willie T said:

The ultimate Christian fiction book I think I have ever read is The Shack.  Like the Bible, it certainly is no example of literary excellence, but it spoke to me (and thousands of others) just as clearly.

I say this with the utmost respect and no mocking or condescension in my heart:

What translation of the Bible are you reading? The KJV (King James Version), ESV (English Standard Version), The Orthodox Stidy Bible are examples of literary excellence. Do you know how many times great authors quote the Bible? 

Edited August 1, 2018 by Fidei Defensor

[Guest]

19 hours ago, John_Leung said:

I haven't read too many of them, but there are probably just as many good Christian non-fiction books as novels. 

Lone Survivor is especially good, as was 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi.  Not especially related to personal faith, but I can't recommend highly enough Enhanced Interrogation: Inside the Minds and Motives of the Islamic Terrorists Trying To Destroy America.  These books should be required reading for every voter.

[Willie T]

16 hours ago, Fidei Defensor said:

I say this with the utmost respect and no mocking or condescension in my heart:

What translation of the Bible are you reading? The KJV (King James Version), ESV (English Standard Version), The Orthodox Stidy Bible are examples of literary excellence. Do you know how many times great authors quote the Bible? 

I know that has become the popular and properly  accepted thing to say, but we all know much of any Bible is not a breathless page-turner.  The TPT does do a little better job than many others, but most people want to call that one a heresy.

Edited August 1, 2018 by Willie T

[Fidei Defensor]

1 hour ago, Willie T said:

I know that has become the popular and properly  accepted thing to say, but we all know much of any Bible is not a breathless page-turner.  The TPT does do a little better job than many others, but most people want to call that one a heresy.

Oh I don’t say it out of popularity. I say so out of experience. The Bible translations I mentioned have poetic, intellectual, and spiritual balance that makes the God breathed Scriptures page turners. I particularly like the NLT of you want a more modern tounge that is closer to the Greek than even KJV and NASB. 

[Willie T]

12 minutes ago, Fidei Defensor said:

Oh I don’t say it out of popularity. I say so out of experience. The Bible translations I mentioned have poetic, intellectual, and spiritual balance that makes the God breathed Scriptures page turners. I particularly like the NLT of you want a more modern tounge that is closer to the Greek than even KJV and NASB. 

OK.

[HisFirst]

On 7/30/2018 at 11:13 PM, Willie T said:

In all honesty, I think the more we allow God to control us, the more we can see Him in fiction that we often would have shunned due to concern of not appearing to others to be totally devoted to studying the Scriptures.  (Yes, God can often be found in fiction.... after all, are not parables [just like many books] fiction based upon a true concept?  And, it is written that Jesus only spoke to the crowds in parables.)

*Regarding parables - "The Good Samaritan", I believe actually occurred. 

The Samaritans were a despised group, Jesus is responding to an intellectual, I'd say there were hard nuts to crack in the " audience", so a mere feel good story would not suffice, but an actual event that was out of the ordinary( a Samaritan helping an Israelite). Thus scenario of an actual event would hold more weight with thinking people.  That is my honest opinion.

Jesus then directs to "Go and do likewise." 

Edited August 1, 2018 by HisFirst