I love to read. I love to curl up with a good book, a cup of coffee in my sweats and just spend the day reading. My book selections vary from fiction to non-fiction and I am very picky about my books. I will not read trash. I will not read really good books with some trash. Any more that sometimes makes my book selections a little more difficult and I depend a great deal on reviews and recommendations from friends and family. My latest book has been one of my favorites, not because it has a great plot, stirring characters but because it is the story of a family and their journey finding the true God of the Bible and His grace. The book is called "Unveiling Grace" and it is a story about a families journey out of Mormonism.
Many of you may not know that I grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah. My family moved there from Texas just before I turned 5 and my family is still there. Growing up I learned about Mormonism and the differences in our beliefs. I remember staying to my parents one day as a child that we believed the same thing as my best friend Debbie, except they read the Book of Mormon and we read the Bible. At the time I did not understand the differences, but when I would talk to Debbie she would tell me how she did believe in Jesus, how she believed he died on a cross and how the Bible is the Word of God. Now as a child that seemed good enough for me but I remember my parents responses were very dramatic in their answer of "No, we do not believe the same thing!" It was at that point I remember my parents being very deliberate to help me understand exactly what I believed and why it was different than the Mormon church. This was one of their greatest gifts to me because it has helped me all throughout my life, not just in Utah. There is great power in not just being able to talk about what you believe but why you believe it and be able to defend it with scripture.
When I saw that my sister was going to read this book I wanted to read it but it was not in my budget at the time. Then I received a sweet email from her letting me know she bought me the book and wanted me to read it. I was so excited to dive in. Part of my desire to read this book was to understand why a good friend of mine from Utah who is apart of the Mormon church would not leave it. She heard the gospel and was receptive to it, even came to church with me but finally told me one day that she could not talk about it but she would NEVER be able to leave the Mormon church. I did not understand. I will tell you now after reading this book I still don't totally understand but it has given me wonderful insight into their beliefs and how hard it is to leave and walk away from.
My favorite thing about the whole book is you can see the hand of the Lord and his grace all throughout their lives even in the Mormon church. Times the Lord would reveal himself trying to draw them. What I loved most about the story was that this family did not leave the church based on anything anyone said or argument anyone made to them. They left because one member had been challenged to read the New Testament. When he did it allowed the Holy Spirit to do it's work to minister, speak, challenge and draw him. Then you see this spreading throughout this family. I loved how you were able to see the Lord doing all the work and meeting this family where each member was, in a very personal way dealing with how they think and react, yet you see each of them have their eyes opened to the Word of God and the power of its truth.
What I have learned most about reading this book is the reminder that when we just point people to the Lord, challenge them to read His Word, then we are allowing the Lord to do the work and it gets us out of the way. When you care about people it is hard to not get emotionally involved and want to say the right thing that will draw them but that is not our job, its the Lord's job. Growing up in Utah allowed me to really learn about ministry in everyday life, what it is like to purposefully stand out so people don't assume you are Mormon, share the gospel with people feeling like it is falling on deaf ears and then see some of them die knowing they did not know Jesus and the pain of that. Living there kept me on my spiritual feet all the time because the reality of ministry everywhere was there and in your face.
Now I live in Nashville, TN and I have to work so much harder to be vigilant. There are truly Christian churches on every other corner and most of the time the question is not if you are a Christian but where do you go to church. Compared to Salt Lake the churches out here are huge and the perception of ministry is so different because the culture is so different. I know that the Lord will probably never take me back to Salt Lake to live and I am good with that because I want to be where God wants me. However, I desperately want that vigilant heart and desire for ministry I had there. It was easier there and here it is easier to be comfortable and complacent. The Lord has used this book to remind me of that heart and give me a desire to have it back. It has also reignited my desire to pray for the lost, wherever they are. My prayers have also changed from just the lost finding salvation but that the Word of God would go out each day with power, changing the hearts that read it, drawing people to it and equipping those to minister and assist as the Lord directs.
"...so My word that comes from My mouth will not return
to me empty, but will accomplish what I please
and will prosper in what I send it to do."
Isaiah 55:11
No comments:
Post a Comment