Walking With God

When’s the last time you heard God’s voice? What if it was just a second ago and you missed it? Wouldn’t it be amazing to hear God speaking directly to you; to know His counsel and encouragement for today? In Walking with God, John Eldredge, author of the bestsellers Wild at Heart and Captivating, shows you what it’s like to have “conversational intimacy” with the Father. Through personal reflections from his own spiritual life, Eldredge helps you recognize the sound of God’s voice. You can experience a spiritual life more rich and exhilarating than you’ve ever known.

John Eldredge's newest release, Walking With God, (Thomas Nelson, 2008) is one of th emost extraordinary books I've ever read. For more, click here:

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=25a7575ebf6c3112dbfa

"A River Runs Through It"

“Long ago, when I was a young man, my father said to me, "Norman, you like to write stories." And I said "Yes, I do." Then he said, "Someday, when you're ready you might tell our family story. Only then will you understand what happened and why."

These are the poignant, mysterious lines opening Robert Redford’s A River Runs Through It (1992, PG). I missed this movie when it first came out and just saw it recently on video. It was a garage sale cast-off. My neighbor couldn’t sell it and gave it to me. I watched it, didn’t like it, and promptly consigned A River to dust bunny exile until another friend suggested I check out the soundtrack. I did. Something unexpected happened while listening to Mark Isham’s Academy-Award nominated score over and over again: I began to understand the movie’s unspoken undercurrents and emotion. Intrigued by its hauntingly beautiful music, I decided to give A River another go. I’m glad I did.

Set in the early 20th century in Missoula, Montana, this enigmatic story centers around brothers Norman (Craig Sheffer) and Paul (Brad Pitt) Maclean, two sons of a Scottish Presbyterian minister played with consummate skill by Tom Skerritt. The quintessential big brother, Norman is reserved, scholarly and sensitive. Younger sibling Paul(ie) is rebellious, loquacious, a hard drinker, gambler, and brawler. Neither is an entirely agreeable character, neither is entirely disagreeable. Like most real people, these brothers have unique strengths and weaknesses and try to help each other through life without fully understanding who the other person truly is.

While I still don’t “like” A River Runs Through It in the sense that it’s an upbeat, easy-to-watch, “feel good” fluff piece, the movie offers a rare blend of affection, distance, dimension, beauty, insight and heartbreak that’s both mysterious and captivating. At times the river seemingly embodies the Maclean family history: placid and serene on the surface, with occasional ripples and swells suggesting deep water or dangerous rapids ahead.

Based on a novella by author Norman Maclean, through whose eyes the story is told, the screenplay brings a literary quality to the screen that’s beautiful and moving. Combined with Academy-Award winning cinematography, solid performances all-around, and a story that’s alternately evocative, taciturn, lively, and tragic, A River Runs Through It represents a formidable cinematic achievement of depth, perception, and substance.

In the opening sequences, both young boys and father are united in their love for nature, the Big Blackfoot River and fly-fishing. Rev. Maclean teaches his boys the fine art of casting to a four-count rhythm cadenced by a metronome. Along the river they share experiences, casting techniques, stunning scenery, stories and life. Fishing scenes throughout the film create the sense that each man is at peace with himself and each other at the river while remaining distinctly separate and alone, as does the whole family in this elegant, elegiac story.

Much of the power of this story is gained from its subtlety, which is created and sustained by the narration and masterful direction of Robert Redford. Rather than resorting to spectacular special effects, mind-numbing dialogue or the gratuitous sex and violence so commonly employed by lesser storytellers with thinner plots, A River expects audiences to pick up on various cues and clues peppered throughout the screenplay with just enough seasoning to maintain full flavor. A refreshing change from the typical bash-you-over-the-head-with-its-point kind of movie, A River relies on nuance and subtlety to convey its message.

Some viewers – perhaps the less literary among us – have tagged this movie “boring.” So did I, until I gave it a second chance. The story moves at a graceful pace while requiring viewers to engage their minds and hearts to follow a film that ultimately offers more questions than answers.

Underlying themes may include a covert sibling rivalry between Norman and Paul. It breaks into the open just once – in a kitchen fist fight – but the undercurrents in tone, gesture, facial features and other non-verbals continue throughout the film. The movie obliquely hints at a dichotomy between Paulie “the tough guy” whose ready grin and lackadaisical, lassie-faire attitude belie an inner insecurity and perhaps some envy toward his “Rock of Gibraltar,” respectable older brother. Note Paulie’s reaction to Norman’s announcement regarding the offer of a professorship at a prestigious university in Chicago. Paulie doesn’t respond verbally, but his face and eyes speak volumes. This is coupled with Paulie’s subsequent decline of Norman’s invitation to join him and his future bride, Jessie, in leaving Montana to write for a Chicago newspaper.

“Come with us” Norman urges. “Oh, “I’ll never leave Montana, brother,” Paulie replies, chewing his lip before plunging back into the river with his rod. From the way the line is delivered and Norman’s reaction, you’re not sure if it’s a rebuke, a prophecy, or an eulogy. Whatever it is, the assertion underscores Paulie’s continuing struggle to find his own way in life outside of his big brother’s shadow. He then determinedly skims down the rapids to land an “unbelievable” fish. Narrates Redford, “At that moment I knew, surely and clearly, that I was witnessing perfection.”

“You are a fine fisherman!” proclaims Rev. Maclean as “mother’s pictures” are snapped by Norman.

“My brother stood before us, not on a bank of the Bigfoot River, but suspended above the earth, free from all its laws, like a work of art. And I knew, just as surely and clearly, that life is not a work of art, and that the moment could not last.”

*** SPOILER ALERT ***

Norman’s premonition proves true in the movie’s compelling closing scenes. The Missoula police inform Norman that his brother has been found dead, “beaten to death by the butt of a revolver.” We’re not told exactly how or why this happened, but gather that Paul’s murder is connected to his gambling debts and profligate lifestyle.

The impact on the family is quietly immense. Echoing themes throughout the movie, family members are both together and alone in their grief at the same time. Visibly shaken, his mother wordlessly retires upstairs. “Is there anything else you can tell me?” Rev. Maclean quietly asks.

“Nearly all of the bones in his hand were broken” replies Norman grimly, his stoic monotone belying a face etched with pain, shock, and traces of guilt.

Pause. His father, still in his bathrobe, stands and gently asks, “Which hand?”

“His right hand.”

As has occurred before in this under-stated film, the obvious is left unsaid: Paul’s right hand was his fly-fishing casting hand. We get the impression that Norman spends the rest of his days struggling with his brother’s untimely death as well as the bigger question: Who was this brother of mine?

“Maybe all I really knew about Paul is that he was a fine fisherman” Redford narrates. “`You know more than that’,” my father said. ‘He was beautiful.’ And that was the last time we ever spoke of my brother’s death.”

Only at the end does it become clear that Paul is meant to be a beautiful mystery. He’s an enigma to viewers because Norman can’t understand him any better than we can. Shortly before his own death, Rev. Maclean preaches a sermon that sums up the meaning of the film: "It is those we love and should know who elude us. But we can still love them. We can love completely, without complete understanding."

A River isn’t for everyone. I found the profanity and alcoholic consumption excessive and some minor scenes objectionable but not unreasonable given the subject and its characters. It’s not an “easy” movie to watch in the sense that you can allow your mind to wander and still pick up on the visual and non-verbal clues concealed within its gentle subtext. This movie takes some attentive digging. But for those who appreciate a lavishly photographed, skillfully sequenced, superbly acted and subtlely nuanced study of family life and relationships, A River Runs Through It is one of the finest.

“I am haunted by waters” is the final emotion-laden line of this remarkable movie. An old man who’s out-lived nearly everyone he loved, Norman once again stands solo in the river with his fly-fishing rod and his memories. “Alone in the half-light of the canyon with the sounds of the Big Blackfoot River and a four-count rhythm and the hope that a fish will rise. … Eventually, all things merge into one. And a river runs through it. I am haunted by waters.” Bring Kleenex.

Above All

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Endurance: An Epic of Polar Adventure

Endurance: an Epic of Polar Adventure
By F.A. Worsley
W.W. Norton & Company, 1931
ISBN: 0-393-04684-2

They say truth is stranger than fiction. Endurance: An Epic of Polar Adventure is a sterling example. This riveting first-person narrative of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1914 – 1916 recounts an extraordinary survival story replete with close calls, near misses, imminent disaster, and harrowing escapes. It’s a true story “of invincible endurance and irrepressible humor through hardship and danger” in the face of overwhelming odds.

Sir Ernest Shackleton set off to cross Antarctica, a journey of more than 2,000 miles. Although his ship Endurance was wrecked before he set foot on the “most desolate, storm-swept place on earth,” Shackleton and his men pulled off the greatest escape in the history of polar expedition. I’ve read and seen several accounts of this “bottom-of-the world” adventure, but none so detailed or compelling as the account of author Frank Arthur Worsley, commander of the doomed HMS Endurance.

Shackleton and his crew leave South Georgia, an island in the South Atlantic Ocean, in December 1914. While the ship makes good progress initially and pushes her way through thick pack ice off Antarctica, the wind shifts and closes the narrow channels or "leads", packing ice floes around the ship until she’s stuck like a fly in honey. During the long winter the pack ice carries the Endurance almost 600 miles north.

In July 1915 Shackleton conferences with Worsley and Frank Wild, Shackleton’s second in command. “The Boss” prophesies of the Endurance: “She’s pretty near her end.” He’s right. A “splendid little ship,” the plucky Endurance eventually succumbs to the enormous pressure of thousands of tons of ice and hoves onto her side. The crew salvages what supplies and stores they can just before she goes under, along with three life boats. The ship finally shatters and sinks, leaving twenty-eight members of the Expedition shelterless in the one of the harshest, most inhospitable regions imaginable.

At Shackleton’s direction, the crew initially camps on drifting ice floes dubbed “Ocean Camp” and “Patience Camp” and allows the current to carry them north to safety. During this time Worsley recounts encounters with sea leopards, Emperor penguins, and deprivation – “we had been living for some weeks principally on seals and penguins” and when these migrated away, the men were reduced to “fourteen ounces of food a day” - which resulted not only in physical weakness but also a significantly reduced ability to fight the intense cold. Worsley recalls the “sad day” when all of the dogs, save one team, “had to be destroyed, to save food.” Despite the omnipresent threat of exposure, frostbite, thirst, starvation and other adversities, Worsley dubs “the dreaded monotony” as the expedition’s worst enemy. They are saved from starvation by a flock of migrating Adelie penguins.

After five months of drifting and countless dangers on the floes, the crew sights the Antarctic Continent in March 1916. Shackleton has brought them safely through two thousand miles of pack ice (p. 65). Deciding upon a safer but longer route to the nearest island to avoid more deadly pack ice, Shackleton orders the men to prepare to sail for the forbidding Elephant Island.
Worsley narrates the crew’s reaction to Shackleton’s decision, “… for most of us, I think our former lives had receded to that dim and shadowy vagueness usually associated with drams… I was unable to picture an existence in which a desert of ice and snow, battles with sea leopards, the dread killer whales, and a regard for penguins as almost personal friends did not play a part.”
The floe cracks and the crew hurriedly launches the boats and embarks upon a hair-raising journey across the Southern Ocean to Elephant Island. On the stormy crossing the crews of the three boats – the Stancomb Wills, Dudley Docker and the James Caird – fight to stay together against blizzards, contrary currents, starvation, exhaustion and a voracious ocean that constantly threatens to swamp the small boats. Only the thinnest sliver of hope and a huge chunk of confidence in Sir Ernest keep his men going. Worsley describes the journey through “white hills of ice-clad sea, capricious currents, constant, unrelenting cold,” sleep deprivation, exhaustion and exposure in an orderly, almost calm narrative without a trace of self-pity, panic, or despair. The men had such faith in their leader that the thought of failure never took hold. (See pages 83, 84, 86 and 88.)

Separated from the two other boats, Worsley and his men endure a hellacious night in the Dudley Docker before finally sighting the forbidding the coast of Elephant Island. Worsley and his crew eventually land on “a low, rocky beach” and are overjoyed to find the two other boats at the same location, which Worsley describes as “a gigantic mass of rock, carrying on its back a vast sheet of ice.”

The full weight of responsibility for the safety and well-being of his men falls solely and wholly on Shackleton, whose self-sacrificing devotion to his men was legendary: “He was not only the leader of a great expedition but a true brother and shipmate to each one of us, thinking of us always before himself.” In the wild, inhospitable, inaccessible environment of Elephant Island, this responsibility would have crushed a lesser man than the indomitable Shackleton:

- “It was due solely to Shackleton’s care of the men in preparing … hot meals and drinks every four hours day and night, and his general watchfulness in everything concerning the men’s comfort, that no one died during the journey (to South Georgia).”

- “Shackleton’s popularity among those he led was due to the fact that he was not the sort of man who could do only big and spectacular things. When occasion demanded he would attend personally to the smallest details, and he had unending patience and persistence which he would apply to all matters concerning the well-being of his men.”

- “Shackleton had always insisted that the ultimate responsibility for anything that befell us was his and his only. … My view was that we were all grown men, going of our own free wills on this expedition, and that it was up to us to bear whatever was coming to us. Not so Shackleton. His view was that we had trusted him, that we had placed ourselves in his hands, and that should anything happen to any one of us, he was morally responsible. His attitude was almost patriarchal. True, this may have accounted in some measure for the men’s unquestioning devotion to him, and it always seemed to me that they bore toward him the love of sons for a singularly noble father…”


In the chapter entitled On Elephant Island, Worsley describes Shackleton’s extraordinary leadership abilities. The Boss quickly discerns that a severe food shortage is imminent on Elephant Island. The consummate commander, Sir Ernest acts swiftly and decisively. He readies a twenty-two foot boot for the “forlorn hope” of sailing across “the most treacherous seas in the world” in the dead of an Antarctic winter to South Georgia Island, some eight hundred miles away. The odds of success are staggeringly slim, but Shackleton and five others remain undaunted and resolute. Reaching South Georgia Island and launching a rescue effort is the expedition’s sole hope of survival.

Leaving Frank Wild in charge on Elephant Island, Worsley and Shackleton and five others set out. Worsley describes the scene the night before the leave: “It is a dreadful thing to face your shipmates, men who have been through thick and thin with you, and to realize that in all probability it is for the last time; nor does it add to your serenity of mind to know that if you fail to come back they will starve to death.”

Worsley concludes On Elephant Island with thoughts of the men left behind: “…I felt that whatever hardships we might be called upon to face, we were the fortunate ones. Inactivity and uncertainty would come harder to men of the type of my shipmates than the unknown adventure that was before us.” He adds pointedly, “We had in fact started on the greatest adventure of our career.”

In chapter VI, The Boat Journey Begins, Worsley chronicles some of the challenges facing the determined little crew of the James Caird in their desperate attempt to sail north:

- Finding a way of breaking through the encircling line of pack-ice to north of Elephant Island so they can make for the open water
-Constant risk of being smashed by sea ice
-Being constantly wet for the duration of the journey
- Frozen reindeer skin sleeping bags
- Contaminated fresh water
- Being battered by blizzards and ferocious storms

Deciding upon the best point to make for, Shackleton emphasizes getting north as quickly as possible, “even though the route might be lengthened, so as to avoid all danger of ice and to relieve us from the almost overwhelming cold”:

“What do you think of Cape Horn?” he asked, adding, “it’s the nearest.”
“Yes,” I replied, “but we can never reach it. The westerly gales would blow us away. With luck, though, we might fetch the Falkland Islands.”
“I am afraid that, although it is the longest run,” he remarked, “we shall have to make for South Georgia, as you originally suggested. The gales will drive us leeward.” And do they do, but not without incident on what Worsley understates as an”eventful and truly dreadful journey.”
They finally land on South Georgia, but on the opposite side of the Norwegian whaling station and help. The boats isn’t safe to put to sea again, nor are some members of the crew, who are too weak to continue. So Shackleton, Worsley and Tom Crean “rope up” and set out to cross the uncharted “impassable” interior of South Georgia Island. Worsley later records:

Without sleep, halting only for meals, we had crossed South Georgia in thirty six hours. Incidentally, he continues, “I learnt afterwards that we had crossed the island during the only interval of fine weather that occurred that winter. There was no doubt that Providence had been with us. There was indeed one curious thing about our crossing South Georgia… which I have never been able to explain. Whenever I reviewed the incidents of that march I had the sub-conscious feeling that there were four of us, instead of three. Moreover, this impression was shared by both Shackleton and Crean.

The exhausted trio stumbles into the whaling station on South Georgia on May 20. Three days later Shackleton and Worsley leave the island aboard a whaler bound for Elephant Island, determined to rescue their marooned shipmates. Weather forces them to turn back within sixty miles of Elephant Island. Heroic efforts to secure another vessel and safe passage finally pay off – on their fourth attempt. The strain of Shackleton and concern for his men is recorded by Worsley, who writes: “Lines scored themselves on his face more deeply day by day; his thick, dark, wavy hair was becoming silver. He had not a grey hair when we had started out to rescue our men the first time. Now, on the third return journey, he was grey-headed.”

It is August 30, 1916. “One hundred and twenty-eight days since we had left them” writes Worsley, “days covering the worse of the Antarctic winter.” One of the most poignant passages in this narrative appears on page 179 as Shackleton, on his fourth attempt at rescue, peers “with almost painful intensity through his binoculars” at the near coast of Elephant Island. He’s counting: “There are only two, Skipper!” Then, `No, four!’ A short pause followed and he exclaimed, `I see six-eight-‘ and at last, in a voice ringing with joy he cried, `They are all there! Every one of them! They are all saved!””

A boat is lowered and Shackleton leaps into it. “And as he drew close into the shore I hear him shout: `Are you all well?’ Back came their answering yell, `All well!’ followed by his wholehearted `Thank God!’

It is an historical fact that not a single man was ever lost in any expedition headed by Ernest Shackleton.

The narrative drops off precipitously following the Elephant Island rescue, but picks up steam on page 251, Southwards Again, when Worsley rejoins his old friend for another assault on the Antarctic. The year is 1922. Sadly, the return expedition isn’t meant to be. The author’s “best friend” dies of a massive heart attack in his cabin on South Georgia Island on January 5, days before his return to most desolate, storm-swept place on earth” that proved his mettle and made him a hero. Shackleton is buried on South Georgia Island.

Worsley’s final chapter, The Death of A Hero, sensitively records the final scene with affection and admiration that shine through in every paragraph. “He had a way of compelling loyalty” writes one who sailed with him. “We would have gone anywhere without question just on his order.” Asks Worsley rhetorically, “What more glowing tribute could any man wish for?”

Indeed, Endurance isn't just “a tale of unrelenting high adventure,” but a tribute “to one of the most inspiring and courageous leaders of men in the history of exploration.” This book is a compelling look into the heart and soul of a man whose extraordinary sagacity, capability, kindliness, courage and “wonderful capacity for self-sacrifice” set a standard for Leadership that still makes the world sit back and wonder. An outstanding read.

Walking With Saints

Of Walking with Saints Through the Best and Worst Times of Our Lives (Calvin Miller, Thomas Nelson, 1995), Dallas Willard (Professor Philosophy, USC), says:

“Walking with the author and these saints for a few weeks of meditative reading will open your life for Jesus to walk through it.”

You betcha.

To be sure, most of the saints referenced in Walking are of the Catholic tradition. I am not. I may not necessarily embrance every word of every Writing featured and elucidated by author Calvin Miller, but that’s not the point. To be redundant, The Point is to point readers to Christ. Miller does this masterfully, even majestically. Writings include:

Beginning the Journey with Saint Augustine: Seven Footsteps of Christ’s Coming into Our Lives

Arriving at Security with Madame Guyon: Six Defenses for Triumphing Over Fear

Finding Purpose in Life with Brother Lawrence: Five Means of Attaining Purity of Life

Healing Depression with Teresa of Avila: Five Windows of Light

Winning by Oneing with Julian of Norwich: Julian’s Three Gifts

Pilgrim’s Progress with John Bunyan: Seven Stations on the Journey of Life

The Penial God with the Unknown Author of The Cloud of Unknowing: Distinguishing Active and Passive Christianity

Conquering Pride with Bernard of Clairvaux: The Descent into Decadence

Sanctifying the Secular with Jean-Pierre de Caussade: Four Ways to Sanctify the Secular

Imitating Christ with Thomas a Kempis: Submission vs. Ambition in the Obedient Life

To be sure, Walking is not a “coffee table” type welterweight of a book. Miller expects - indeed, requires - his readers to think, to actively engage with the text on a level far beyond a yawn or a shoulder shrug. For those willing to do the work, however, Walking serves up hearty helpings of “soul food.” Well worth the read!

Just Like Jesus

Just Like Jesus
By Max Lucado (Word Publishing, 1990)

Max Lucado has long been one of my favorite authors. Why I missed JLJ until I hauled it out of the church library last week, I can’t explain. But I’m glad I found it.

Max’s thesis is simple: “God loves you just the way you are, but he refuses to leave you that way. He wants you to be… just like Jesus.”

Max shows us how with his signature homespun homilies, gentle humor and personal anecdotes. But he does more. In chapters such as A Heart Like His, A Changed Face and a Set of Wings, Nothing but the Truth, Finding Gold in Garbage, When Heaven Celebrates, Hearing God’s Music and Finishing Strong, Max not only shows us how but why God transforms us to become more and more like His son.

In typical Max tympany, Lucado tunes up our heart strings and urges closer attention to the Conductor while directing his unique harmony of wholesome humor (defining “Stuckitis” from chapter two, Loving People You Are Stuck With, for example), quick wit and artful arias of insight and inspiration. The result is a wonderul, articulate symphony of Biblical exegesis and practical application.

Just Like Jesus is just another great Max book. Includes a chapter-by-chapter study guide. Great small group study.

Ruby Slippers

Book review: Ruby Slippers: How the Soul of a Woman Brings Her Home
By Jonalyn Grace Fincher
Zondervan, 2007
ISBN:-10: 0-310-27243-2

Talk about a breath of fresh air.

I ordered Jonalyn Grace Fincher’s Ruby Slippers with some misgiving, especially when I noted the subtitle: How the Soul of a Woman Brings Her Home. I hoped this book wasn’t another worn-out rehash of “the Proverbs 31 woman” or a trip down the “yellow brick road” equating Christian femininity with Suzy Homemaker, June Cleaver, and “married with children.” It isn’t. Carefully integrating philosophy, psychology, theology, history, women’s studies and “my own walk with Christ into a primer on the woman’s soul” (p. 193), Ruby Slippers is a much-needed and long overdue look at God’s ideas about womanhood. It shows how women are unique bearers of the imago dei and celebrates the soul of a woman within a thoroughly sound context of biblical truth.

Intelligent and incisive, Ruby Slippers is alert, agile, and penetrating without being pompous or trite. It avoids strait-jacketed “Christian stereotypes” and clears the way of narrow definitions, presumptions and prejudices to find out what makes women different and precious. Through careful biblical exegesis, meticulous research, thoughtful analysis and a well-rounded philosophical approach, Fincher shows us the real soul of a woman and its inestimable worth as a unique reflection of God’s nature.

Early on, Fincher issues “one important caveat: I am not claiming to have the final words on women” or “an exhaustive index on femininity or the only biblical model for Christian womanhood,” leaving the door open for further discussion. She also provides “Soul Care” questions at the end of each chapter for further thought.

In terms of writing style, Fincher’s is generally tight, crisp, and lean. She shares personal anecdotes and experiences and analyzes vast quantities of data through a biblical grid. The author also brings an essential that’s often lacking in many “women’s ministry” paradigms and “women’s Bible study” authors: demonstrable expertise and impeccable educational credentials. She’s done her homework and has the background and qualifications to give this book gravitas. (Fincher holds a double Bachelor’s degree in English and history from the University of Virginia and a master’s degree in philosophy of religion and ethics from Talbot School of Theology, my alma mater.)

Sumptuously sprinkled throughout the main text are relevant observations from such Christian luminaries as C.S. Lewis, Henri Nouwen, G.K. Chesterton and Dorothy Sayers, to name a few. The material bogs down momentarily in Chapter 2, Uncorking the Soul, with a somewhat overlong discussion of soul and spirit, but it picks up steam thereafter. The discussion on The Same Planet in Chapter 3 regarding “gender roles”, “equal without being identical” and “similar though not the same” is delicious.

Further on, Fincher masterfully deconstructs John Gray’s “men are from Mars, women are from Venus” mythology, and the inadequate, incomplete “helper” rendering of Genesis 2, among others: “… contrary to popular pagan myths, contrary to Goddess Earth myths, and contrary to much Churchianity, God makes Woman to provide and offer the hope, the ezer for Man.”

Other myths put to rest include: “East of Eden” femininity, “godly submission,” “the weaker vessel” and “boutique form(s) of gnosticism and neo-paganism” which glories “fertile, female bodies over female souls.”

More stand-out sections include Prescription Lists, Corsets and Slippers that Don’t Fit (pp. 14 – 18), Why the Trinity Dignifies Women (pp. 156 -158), Natural Femininity (pp. 102 -140), Learning from Women (pp. 159 – 164) and Jesus in Female Form (pp. 185 -186).

As beautifully and as nimbly crafted as the Emerald City, Ruby Slippers is a ground-breaking work with much to offer in the on-going discussion of gender theory, cultural stereotypes and authentic Christian femininity. This fine work is perhaps best summarized in Fincher’s own words: “I am becoming more free. Not free to live out my dominations or check off my lists or squeeze into a corset. But free to be more like the triune God, the way he has redeemed me: fully female, fully human.”

Indeed, these Slippers are as welcome as Glinda’s “Toto, too.” Five stars.

Becoming the Woman God Wants Me to Be:
A 90-Day Guide to Living the Proverbs 31 Life
By Donna Partow
Revell, 2008
ISBN: 978-0-8007-3072-7
(This is a shortened version of a detailed review by our friends at HEvencense. The longer version will be available soon.)

Becoming the Woman God Wants Me to Be is a mixed bag. It has definite strengths and some distinct weaknesses.

On the plus side is Becoming’s readability, style, tone and format. Partow’s style is brisk and engaging. Her tone is warm, congenial and passionate. Becoming offers readers numerous strategies for change in different areas including physical health, family relationships, finances and spiritual growth in an easy to follow format.

Chapters average three to five pages in length and are easily digested. Also included is a daily Scripture to memorize, a Bible passage, and a guided prayer, followed by Personal and Practical sections. Each week wraps up with a Weekly Check-Up, a Practical Checklist, and a Weekly Reflection and Evaluation.

Sound or Silly?
There is much to commend in Week One, Faith Foundations, and Week Two, Godly Habits. However, bits and pieces of “excuse me?” seep in occasionally. Some readers may file the recommendations on Day 11, Sleep in Peace (p. 56), and Day 12, Be Diligent (p. 59), under Micro-Managing Minutia or Just Plain Silly:

“I’m sure the snooze button was inspired by the devil. It’s his secret weapon against Christians… if he can get you to snooze away the thirty minutes you would have, could have, should have spent with God, the devil has the upper hand against you for the rest of the day.” (p. 61).

Insufficient and Curious?
Becoming the Woman God Wants You to Be stumbles in two areas: sourcing and biblical exegesis. Support from credible sources and/or credentialed experts within this work is insufficient or M.I.A. It also offers some curious biblical exegesis. Since it is beyond the scope of this review to undertake an intensive page-by-page analysis of this book, we’ll focus primarily on these two areas.

Sources?
Take a look at Week Three, Healthy Eating (pp. 68 – 88). Some great ideas and guidelines here, but a fair amount of this material is either attributed to sources with questionable or unlikely credentials, or not sourced at all. In this week the author lays out what foods to eat and avoid, urges a ten-day vegetable and water only diet, and lands at Day 17, Limit Your Sugar Intake (pp. 74 – 77).

Day 17 references data from www.drbob4health.com/FoodsToAvoid. The information on this site is credited to Dr. Robert F. DeMaria, D.C. (Doctor of Chiropractic) of “Drugless Healthcare Solutions.” The site focuses primarily on “correcting the spine and aiding the nervous system… so the body will draw upon its own ability to heal itself” – not on nutrition or healthy eating specifically.

Wouldn’t a registered dietician or nutritionist make a more credible source here? Additionally, declarative statements such as the following cite dubious sources or appear to be unsourced (further information may be available in other Partow books or resources, but we’re not reviewing the gamut here – just the single title noted.):

-- “The up and down motion of rebounding stimulates the lymphatic system, promoting more efficient cell-cleansing processes.” (p. 101)
-- “In addition to eating right, one of the kindest things you can for yourself… is taking time to bathe. Did you know that bathing is important for your physical well-being? A shower may be convenient, but it doesn’t accomplish the same degree of cleansing a bath can.” (p. 104)
-- “A cleansing bath can purify your body from the toxins that have built up in your body. This is especially important when you start to exercise and eat foods that promote detoxification.” (p. 104)
-- “Furthermore, if toxins are not rapidly eliminated from the body, they can become reassimilated.” (p. 105)

“Points to Ponder”
Week Six, Financial Planning (p.134-155) is perhaps the weakest part of this book. The author makes huge assumptions regarding income level, homeowner status, assets and liabilities, investments and the like. Partow tosses dollar amounts - often in the ten of thousands - which may leave some readers shaking their heads. Others may detect a sneering attitude toward “the poor and middle class” (see p. 139). The number of times the word “millionaire” appears borders on rapacious. This reviewer also questions the numerous “become a millionaire” schemes or proponents referenced. Again, sources such as Allen, Brach and Kiyosaki are problematic.

A quick “Google” of Robert Allen shows why he’s earned the title of “con artist,” “snake oil salesman,” “fraud,” and “scammer,” among others. (Check out the Business Program Reviewer for one example.)

“Financial guru” David Bach, author of The Automatic Millionaire, is noted in Days 40 and 79 and elsewhere. Click here for some feedback on Bach’s figures and techniques: http://www.thetaoofmakingmoney.com/2007/05/31/383.html.

What’s Ringing?
“Scam”, “fraud” and “one of the worst” are linked with Robert Kiyosaki (Days 37 and 51. Also see p. 139, etc.). Kiyosaki’s 'Rich Dad' organization recently joined with the Russ Whitney Information Network, “a provider of postsecondary education focused on individual wealth creation and personal success.” This organization’s marketing activities came under grand jury investigation by the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia in 2006. (http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/226/RipOff0226341.htm.)
Does this ring any warning bells? If sources are dubious, marginally credible/ethical and possibly illegal, how sound are the principles and practices they promote?

Direct What?
In Day 52, Try Direct Marketing, Mary Kay Cosmetics, Pampered Chef and Creative Memories are mentioned (p. 193). Not mentioned is that each company requires a start-up fee or a similar capital investment, some of them hefty. Consultants for these companies typically offer credit and payment plan options to potential clients unable to pay cash for their purchases, contradicting Partow’s advice in Days 38 and 39, Reduce Your Debt (pp. 141 – 144) and Pay Cash (pp. 144 – 147).

Look Before You Leap
The section on “Home Enterprises” (pp. 184-201) may be risky. Legitimate “work from home” businesses can be hard to find. Look before you leap – or invest. (As noted above, Robert Allen and Robert Kiyosaki-isms referenced here may give cause for pause.)

Hmmmm…
In addition to dubious sourcing, alert readers may wonder about some of Partow’s biblical exegeses/applications. In Day 16, Resolve to Control Your Eating Habits, Partow uses Daniel 1:11-15 as a basis for taking “the ten-day vegetable-and-water-resolve challenge.” (p. 74a).

In its historical-cultural context, the Israelites were in Babylonian captivity at this time. They avoided food from King Nebuchadnezzar’s table because it was considered contaminated, having first been offered to idols. Likewise a portion of the wine was poured out on a pagan altar. Daniel and his young comrades avoided meat from the king’s table because ceremonially unclean animals were used and were neither slaughtered nor prepared according to the regulations of the law. Daniel “resolved not to defile himself with royal food and wine” (vs. 8) because of religious convictions. Coupled with Proverbs 31: 14-15, Day 16 seems to miss the point of this passage. (See Romans 14:2 for another view on eating vegetables.)

Also consider this statement from pages 75 - 76 (under Week Three: Healthy Eating):

“I find it fascinating that Adam and Eve both needed new outfits after demonstrating their inability to resist food temptations.”

Is she trying to be funny? Apparently this is a reference to Genesis 3:21, where God provided clothing for Adam and Eve to cover their shame, post-Fall (cf. v.7 and 10). Healthy eating is one thing, but attributing God’s clothing Adam and Eve to a mere “inability to resist food temptations” is curious. It also trivializes the context and consequences of the Fall and Original Sin.

Real Routines?
Check out some of the suggested routines, such Day 26 (p. 104-105). Here Partow urges readers to Purify Body and Soul by eating “cleansing foods.” This includes a breakfast of “two eggs scrambled with vegetables (for example, broccoli, onion, garlic, pepper) or a protein shake made with one cup cranwater, one cup frozen blueberries, one-quarter cup frozen cranberries, one tablespoon flax oil, and one scoop of protein powder” (p. 104).

Can you just see a young mom with small children sitting down to a breakfast like that? “Not now, kids, Mommy’s eating her cleansing breakfast!”

Yea or Nay?
Some women may find Becoming the Woman God Wants Me to Be a useful guide or tool. If fill-in-the-blank exercises, check lists, and step-by-step programs appeal to you, this is your book. Ditto those who need help with how to dress, choose colors, accessorize, eat, exercise, live within their means, and “implement the universal 80/20 rule.”

On the other hand, readers may find dubious sourcing, flimsy or unsubstantiated claims and curious application(s) sufficient cause for pause. They may also take issue with matters of opinion, personal preference or taste which this book sometimes raises to the level of religious dogma.

Finally….
I’ve taken several Old Testament Literature and Inductive Bible Study courses on Proverbs 31 at the graduate level and elsewhere. I’ve also read a dozen-plus titles and numerous Bible studies on this passage. Becoming the Woman God Wants Me to Be is better than most, but it also has some distinct weaknesses. Be advised and take it with a grain of salt.