Showing posts with label discipleship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label discipleship. Show all posts

Friday, October 28, 2022

Book Review: Invest Yourself: A Guidebook for Spiritual Mentoring by Stephanie Ziebarth

 


If you have ever considered spiritual mentoring, but aren’t sure where to start, or if you fear you might not be qualified to be a spiritual mentor, then Invest Yourself: A Guidebook for Spiritual Mentoring by Stephanie Ziebarth can help. 

This invaluable resource with foreword by Norman and Kristy Hubbard, discusses the impact of mentorship, the basics of mentoring, the concept of spiritual multiplication, different mentoring approaches, lesson plans, helpful tips, and more.

Ziebarth uses her own experiences as a mentee and a mentor to guide you along as you consider opening your heart and mind to how God can best use you as a spiritual mentor. Filled with insightful discussion questions and Scripture readings, Invest Yourself will help you prepare for your role as a spiritual mentor and also uplift you in your journey. Appendices provide more resources.

Are you considering this worthwhile commitment? Then pray on it and explore the helpful advice offered in Invest Yourself.

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Mercy & Moxie (May 27, 2022)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 88 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1945169745
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1945169748
  • Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ThriftBooks

I received a digital copy of this book from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.



Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Book Blitz: Unlocking Your Spiritual Greatness with Jim Greene - Win $25 Amazon Gift Card

Title of Book # 1: Unlocking Your Spiritual Greatness

ISBN:  978-1-105-46980-0
Genre: Spiritual Maturity, Christianity, Discipleship Training
Publisher: LuLu Enterprises, Inc.
Publication Date: 2005, 2011

Just like there are specific physical exercises that are good for physical conditioning, there are specific spiritual exercises that are good, in fact, essential for our spiritual conditioning and growth. If you want to grow spiritually, you have to do spiritual exercises. (1Timothy 4:8)

This book looks to Jesus for “duplicate-able” activities for the model for our growth. For years Christian writers have identified specific activities regularly evidenced in his earthly life and called them Spiritual or Christian Disciplines. I believe that if it was useful for Jesus to be disciplined in his worship and praise to God, then it is useful for us as well. Further, I believe that the inclusion of Christian Disciplines in our lives, or what I call the Disciplined Training Approach places us in obedient submission to God and that is where we are supposed to be. 


Book excerpt:

God has outlined a plan for living that when followed will bring us into a closer fellowship with Him. All the treasure in the world will not purchase it, but God will provide it for free to whosoever really wants it. No matter how worthless you may think you are, you can become one of the greatest treasures in the world.  You can become the person God wants you to be, equipped with all the supernatural power for the Kingdom work He wants you to do!  

Simply put, if you hear what God tells you, trust that He will not lead you astray and do what you’re told to do, you will experience the peace God planned for you. More than that, the consequences of ignoring God can be anxiety, frustration, depression and even eternal separation from Him.

People, however, are not simple.  In fact, we go to great lengths to take something simple and complicate it.  Our relationship with God should be personal, based on the time we spend with Him.  We can’t manufacture a relationship with Him, but we can come to know him based on our personal experiences.

If you want to be blessed, comforted or reassured in a small way, then exercise a small amount of faith.  If however, you need your life changed… it may take more. It starts with regular prayer, regular meditation and regular listening. It continues when we do things outside our comfort zone and that’s exactly where faith begins.

Your life will change when you realize God’s ability
zone is greater than your comfort zone.


Purchase at


Title of Book #2   God’s Answer, Praying the Scriptures Back to God

God gave us the Bible as a constant reminder of His love and plan for us. More than a historical document, it is truly alive. As we read His Word and become heart-linked with Him, a supernatural transformation begins to take place in us.  God’s Word is alive and we can’t comprehend it all at once. That explains why you can read a passage several times over weeks or months and receive a different message from the same verses.
God gave us prayer as an avenue or vehicle that He designed for us so we could be in constant communication with Him. God’s Answer seeks to bring you to His Throne of Grace, where prayers are answered, (Hebrews 4:16) so that you can claim the promises God makes about today’s problems. That’s a tall order, so let’s look at what He said about prayer in His Living Word, the Bible.

Several times He promises us that He will hear and in fact, answer our prayers. It would be great to think that we always get what we want or that we could just name it and claim it, but that simply is not the case. What we can claim is the promises God makes and we will be exploring those. Let’s examine a few passages and see what they reveal beyond God hearing us and answering our prayers.
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Title of Book #3        A Place of Faith, When There is No Place Else to Go

What or where is the place of faith?  Is it a physical location? No, it is where we are when we step out into the unknown in a blind, yet obedient faith because that is all we have left.  Our Christian vocabulary is filled with ideas, quotes and even promises from God that are meant for comfort and reassurance. As real as God’s Word is, what happens when all has been recalled and rehearsed and we still find ourselves alone at the place of faith. A Place of Faith defines faith from a real and practical viewpoint, then develops it’s progression from a measure of faith, to a step and then a leap of faith.  Most importantly, time is spent on the Enemy of Faith and the Trial of Faith and finally, The Results of Faith. Each chapter concludes with a hymn that reinforces the points made in the chapter and a few reflection questions.

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Title of Book #4  Living on the Dark Side of Faith

While faith has two sides, they are both sides of the same thing. The word faith cannot be substituted for the word belief or theology. It is more than a collection of thoughts about religion. It is more than simply believing in the existence of God, the demons in Hell do that. The faith we speak of is in God and how, though we may not see how, He will provide for His beloved. The faith we have is certain; it is the evidence of things to come. It begins with a measure and increases with experience and that often means a trial or test of our faith.

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About the author:

Jim Greene makes his home in Knoxville, TN in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. An avid backpacker, his countless hours in the outdoors have often blessed him with many topics to write about.
As a layman Sunday School teacher, he challenges himself and his class to strive for and enjoy a closer relationship with God. Each of his books look to God as the ultimate authority in our lives. He is the author of Unlocking Your Spiritual Greatness, God’s Answer, A Place of Faith, When There is Nowhere Else to Go, and Living on the Dark Side of Faith. His next book is entitled, When Waiting isn’t Working.
Jim feels God speaks to him personally through journaling and his books primarily came to answer a question in his life. They may just help you too.

Pump Up Your Book and Jim are teaming up to give away a $25 Amazon Gift Card!
Terms & Conditions:
§  By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
§  One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive the prize.
§  This giveaway begins September 2 and ends on September 26, 2014.
§  Winner will be contacted via email on October 1, 2014.
§  Winner has 72 hours to reply.
§  VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.
Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN!

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Friday, August 8, 2008

Moving "Beyond Me" to Freedom by Kathi Macias



Our guest blogger today is Christian author Kathi Macias. Kathi's latest release is titled Beyond Me: Living a You-First Life in a Me-First World (New Hope Publishers). Today Kathi shares with us how we, too, can answer the call of true discipleship.


Moving “Beyond Me” to Freedom by Kathi Macias

My 4-foot 10-inch German grandma was famous for saying, “Good things come in small packages”—a true statement, particularly in her case.

But here’s another true statement, one that most of us wrestle with at some point in our lives: “When we get wrapped up in ourselves, we make very small packages.”

We all do it, don’t we? We may not mean to, but life is busy—and sometimes it’s hard. In addition, we live in a society that bombards us with the message that “it’s all about us.” This message really hit home with me the day I took my pre-teen granddaughter shopping. We’d no sooner gone inside the store than she headed for the cosmetic counter, where she quickly became enamored of a perfume called “It’s About Me.” As I watched her open the sample bottle and sniff the contents, I knew I had my work cut out for me to try to counter that all-about-me message.

Of course, we’re not surprised when our young people get caught up in that self-centered, self-serving message, but what about us? Do we do any better? Do we even recognize it as it inundates our daily lives?

We hear songs that brag about doing it “my way” or declare that it’s “my life” and I can do what I want with it. We see commercials on TV that entice us with “you deserve it” come-ons and “treat yourself” temptations. It’s easy to get sucked in and start believing that—and living accordingly.

What the world doesn’t need is one more “it’s all about me” poster child. What it does need is Christians who are willing to move beyond serving self and start living like the One we claim to follow—the One who came to serve, rather than be served, the One who laid down His life…for us. Why? Certainly not because we deserved it, but rather because His love was so great and His humility so real that He put “self” aside to fulfill God’s purpose for His life here on earth.

God has a purpose for each of us, but we’ll never fulfill it so long as we buy into the world’s “it’s all about me” message. But if we willingly lay down our lives—daily—in service to God and others, that small package of self will begin to blossom and bear more fruit than we can ever imagine.




A pastor friend of mine once said, “So long as I consider it my life and my ministry, my influence will never move beyond where my arms can reach. But when I lay it down to partner with and serve others, there’s no end to what God can do in and through me.”

That’s the message we want to live out ourselves, as well as convey/model to others. It is the message that spurred me to write my newest book, BEYOND ME: Living a You-First Life in a Me-First World, which is full of illustrations and teaching about “beyond me” living. Here are a few practical ways you might consider living and modeling that sort of living to others:

• First, does your church have an outreach ministry to the homeless? Maybe your entire family could commit one day a month to going to the park and handing out sandwiches and blankets or ladling out soup to those less fortunate. This is an especially meaningful way to spend Thanksgiving, and countless ministries in nearly every city welcome volunteers for such occasions.

• Second, does your church sponsor or participate in a short-term mission project, such as going to another country (or a poverty-stricken area in our own country) to help build homes or offer medical or educational assistance? Though this is the type of ministry we often send our young people to do, how much more effective might it be if we went with them so our children could see us actively involved in giving ourselves away to others?

• Third, are there hospitals or nursing homes in your community that would welcome regular visits from you and your family? This type of ministry not only blesses the patients and residents of these facilities, but those ministering often develop close and loving relationships with those patients and residents that equally bless all involved.

Finally, how can we model beyond-me living right in our own homes? Do those closest to us see us willingly and lovingly giving of ourselves to our spouse and the rest of the family? Do they view us as cheerful givers—or grumbling complainers? Ultimately, regardless of the words we speak, the actions we display will have the deepest impact.

If the package that represents your life seems small and insignificant, try moving “beyond me” and giving yourself away for the sake of the One who has “bought you with a price.” Why not live your life for Him and experience the true freedom for which you were created?

Kathi Macias, popular speaker and prolific author, is an Angel-award winning writer who has published twenty-one books and hundreds of articles. Whether keyboarding her latest book, keynoting a conference, or riding on the back of her husband's Harley, Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias is a lady on a mission to communicate God’s vision. Her insightful words—filled with passion, humor and soul nourishment—refresh audiences from all walks of life. To book Kathi for your next event, email kenbarry(at)thebarryagency.com. For more information, visit http://www.kathimacias.com/.

You'll find my review of Beyond Me here.


The BEYOND ME VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR '08 will officially begin on August 4, 2008 and continue all month. You can visit Kathi's tour stops at http://virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/ in August to find out more about her and her book!

As a special promotion for all our authors, Pump Up Your Book Promotion is giving away a FREE virtual book tour to a published author with a recent release or a $25 Amazon gift certificate to those not published who comments on our authors' blog stops. More prizes will be announced as they come available. The winner will be announced on our main blog on August 31!


This virtual book tour has been brought to you by:

Monday, July 7, 2008

Beyond Me: Living a You-First Life in a Me-First World by Kathi Macias--Book Review



Looking for a guide to help you along your spiritual journey? Need a gentle way to reflect upon your relationship with God and with others? Are you searching for insight into how you can become a true disciple of Jesus?

Then pick up a copy of Beyond Me: Living a You-First Life in a Me-First World by Kathi Macias.

Combining powerful stories with Scriptures and discussion questions, Macias provides readers with a tender and encouraging call to true discipleship, and therefore, a more meaningful and loving relationship with God and their neighbors.

Indepth insights into such Biblical parables as "The Good Samaritan", "The Prodigal Son", and "The Sower" bring readers closer to the Word of God than ever before; making each story relatable to readers no matter where they are along their spiritual paths. Reminding us that the Church is Christ's Bride and of the commitments believers have in their union with Jesus, Macias leaves readers eager and encouraged to take up their crosses and follow Him.

Beyond Me is a book like none I've ever read. The power of its words caused deep reflection, so that I could not just rush through it and toss it onto my pile of "books I've read". Reading Beyond Me is a personal and emotional experience; a gentle call to review what is in your heart and to see if you not only accept Christ as your savior, but are willing to put aside your wants and desires to obey His commandments and follow Him.

Anyone who reads Beyond Me and answers its call will be changed forever!


Title: Beyond Me: Living a You-First Life in a Me-First World
Author: Kathi Macias
Publisher: New Hope Publishers
ISBN: 978-1-59669-220-6
U.S. Price: $12.99