Book Notes

I realized I haven't posted about what I've been reading in a long time. Here are my thoughts on two books I recently finished.

The Happiness Project, by Gretchen Rubin
This was a quick, interesting read. I agreed with lots of her ideas; there are plenty of practical things I do that make me a a happier person. Cleaning out a closet gives me a thrill. Spending money wisely can relieve stress. Trying to speak only positively to my children and limit my use of "no" makes me a better parent. (Does it really matter if Annie wants to wear pink shoes with a purple dress? Does it really matter if JJ wants to dump the entire box of blocks on the floor?) I am trying to lighten up and cut others some slack.

But on a deeper level, I don't think you can make yourself genuinely happy with what you do on your own. True happiness--what Christians call joy--comes from inside yourself, not from outside things you seek to change. Jesus says, "The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." Luke 6:45. It is what inside of you that comes out in your actions. So, as a Christian, if I find myself lacking joy, I stop and reflect on what I am filling up my heart with. Bitterness? Doubt? Anger? Or am I steeping myself in God's Word, meditating on His mercy and His love? When my heart is filled with Christ, I can be joyful in any circumstance. Happiness comes and goes, depending on outside factors often beyond my control. Instead I seek to be satisfied in Jesus and find contentment in Him.

The Hole in our Gospel, by Richard Stearns
Wow, what a book. I know I'm a bit late to the party, but this book was a real eye and heart-opener for me. God does not save us just to sit around and enjoy life and wait to die. He saves us to do good works, to carry His redemption to the ends of the world, to be the hands and feet of Jesus here on earth. He saves us for a purpose. If you call yourself a Christian, you need to read this book and pray sincerely about what part God would have you play in reaching out to the poor and suffering around our world.