If you have visited here before, you can probably see that I have changed the name of the blog again. I started blogging at 4URuthie to tell the story of our journey to adopt our 1st daughter. I changed it to Mountains for Maggie when we were praying for God to move mountains on behalf of our 2nd daughter. Well now it is no longer just Ruthie’s or Maggie’s stories. It is now our family's story, and the stories of those we share life with, as we Conquer Mountains together. Both ConqueringMountains.net and 4URuthie.blogspot will lead here.

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I am a pastor's wife, mother of 4 kids (2 adopted and 3 with special needs), physical therapist, and photography junky. This is where it all comes together for me. Feel free to join along as I process life out loud.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Black and White Wednesday- Radical

I started a book this week after several friends, who I have a ton of respect for, recommended it to me. It is called Radical and was written by David Platt who is a pastor in Birmingham, Alabama.  I am less than 1/2 way through but am challenged by much of what he has said so far.   Here are a few quotes from the first 4 chapters that caused me to pause and think.


"Because we are starting to redefine Christianity.  We are giving in to the dangerous temptation to take the Jesus of the Bible and twist him into a version of Jesus we are more comfortable with."



"We are molding Jesus into our image.  He is beginning to look a lot like us because, after all, that is whom we are most comfortable with.  And the danger now is that when we gather in our church buildings to sing and lift up our hands in in worship, we may not actually be worshiping the Jesus of the Bible.  Instead we may be worshiping ourselves."


"What if we take away the cool music and the cushioned chairs? What if the screens are gone and the stage is no longer decorated? What if the air conditioning is off and the comforts are removed? Would his Word still be enough for his people to come together?"


"I invite you to consider with me a proper response to this gospel.  Surely more than praying a prayer is involved. Surely more than religious attendance is warranted. Surely this gospel evokes unconditional surrender of all that we are and all that we have to all that he is."


"But here the gospel and the American dream are clearly and ultimately antithetical to each other.  While the goal of the American dream is to make much of us, the goal of the gospel is to make much of God. "


"In the process we have unnecessarily (and unbiblically) drawn a line of distinction, assigning the obligations of Christianity to a few while keeping the privileges of Christianity for us all."


 I am looking forward to the message of the next 100 pages.  I think.

the long road

7 comments:

Kayce said...

Wow! Powerful and thought provoking excerpts! I'll have to add that to my reading list. Thanks for sharing! Beautiful pictures of your girl!!

Rachel B said...

I have heard of this book through someone else, recently and I am hoping to get it in a couple of months when I go to the UK!
Great photos of your girl.

Jenn said...

Love. I'm going to have to steal one of these quotes. :)

Hunan Mommy said...

I was thinking of getting the book until I watched an expert on YouTube.

Beth @ Snaps Of Our Life said...

So sweet - love the hammock shot!

Jessie said...

Love these photos of Ruthie! And the quotes are great - thanks for sharing those.

Holly S. said...

"While the goal of the American dream is to make much of us, the goal of the gospel is to make much of God."

I don't know anything about this book, but the above quote reminds me a lot of what Piper says in Desiring God.

I love the pictures of Ruthie.

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