When I questioned Paul about writing to the Commissioner about this, he told me that this was perfectly okay. Near the end of the book, Phil quotes a pastor speaking after a school shooting which killed 17 in Scotland. To be honest I am, by personality and church background, a legalist, and for much of my life I have lived with a conception of God as a kind of stern parent or teacher who keeps a ledger of all my successes and failures. A farmer found me in a coma, slumped over the steering wheel. I Was Just Wondering, Eerdmans (Grand Rapids, MI), 1990, revised edition, 1998. I often get sentimental thinking how youve affected my journey, which we have shared for about 20 years now. Wellington, South Africa. If I had spent my time dwelling on the negative that I could not control, as I often do, then I would have been discouraged and depressed as I often am but as it was I was happy, content and fulfilled. The Bible ways what it says, I figured. We can all inhale and exhale. Sorry I had never heard of you before. Education: Columbia Bible College, Columbia, B.A., 1970; Wheaton College, Wheaton, M.A., 1972; University of Chicago, M.A., 1990. It seems like youre name keeps popping up as weve learned from these folks, so weve been reading Whats so Amazing About Grace. The author examines the discipline of prayer, not as a mindless recitation of church doctrine, nor as a laundry list of requests for God, but instead as an invitation to create a dialogue with the Divine. On January 24th, 2017, I was sitting in my office doing paperwork when I heard someone calling, Father Richard, are you in here?. Mainly, though, I have looked for healthy Christians to help heal my image of what wholesome faith looks like. Here is my email address. Soul Survivor, a Publishers Weekly contributor declared, "is one of his most hopeful [books], for in it he charts a spiritual path through all of the muck made by organized religion. This young girl was constantly ridiculed. (From Hungary). What Ive learned, though, is that the more specific and detailed I write, it summons up responses in others who had parallel experiences, though not the same. And how fortunate I am to read your writing & share it to help with that. Spilsby claimed that it was my couch, but it was the old urine- and sweat-soaked couch from behind the gym. Considering full term abortions, Benghazi, funding from Islamic nations, her husbands MANY sexual infidelities, and all the things she has contradicted herself on all these years. God bless. Korean young girls were dragged by Japanese soldiers, and they were terrible. Maybe just not as fast as many would like. Certainly Im not a doctrinaire Calvinist. The Philip We Never Knew. God wanted to know me. We paused to have a cup of coffee when I learned she was widowed the same year my spiritual quest had begun. While our life-paths did not run parallel, they sometimes veered close enough we might have offered each other a knowing lookthough my look would have included a touch of pity for you; as a Pentecostal, I had been taught your spiritual experience was deficient. A friend who an Edmonton police officer, when he found out about my same sex attraction drove me to a prostitute in his police car and was going to pay her to teach me to be a man, the police and Government did nothing and he has his job still. Just understand like that. Jesus would not have had this response, had he been condemning the young man. Are Christians truly called to do that, or are there circumstances where this doesnt apply? GulpIm blushing. Ive been an avid fan and faithful reader of your books over the years. More faithful. The reason is that you cite Switzerland and Iceland as the (supposed) leaders in world happiness (as a function of the ranking composition probably all due to wealth, health and public infrastructure), but you not perceiving the facial expressions and tone of the voice of those people as particularly happy when you speak there. His books have sold more than 15 million copies in English and have been translated into 40 languages, making him one of the best-selling contemporary Christian authors. Intellectually, I cannot accept the God of my conversion anymore. I always feel like Im five steps behind everyone else. Instead of talking it through with me and praying ,they reacted by removing me from the mens dorm, . I appealed to AWI Brad Sass and Paul for peace. I can never thank you enough for taking time to tell your story. To think that someone else had thought it too, separately, at a different time and country. (With Brenda Quinn) Meet the Bible: A Panorama of God's Word in 366 Readings and Reflections, Zondervan (Grand Rapids, MI), 2000. I have always been a regular reader of scripture but my goal was to improve my prayer life. In early 2000 I drove back to Alberta. Is he still at the same place he was when you originally wrote the book? I do think the Israelite story, which later became the Jewish story, may be an example worth considering; its no accident that so many spirituals and so many civil rights sermons hark back to those days of oppression and liberation. May I humbly inform you it has been pointed out by numerous (sound-minded) people on the internet that the shooting was nothing more than a hoax? There is NO CHANCE the equations and results are incorrect. Not bad for one verse in Genesis! Hi, Im Ana Paula, Im 32 years old, Im from the Methodist Church, Im a journalist and Im currently studying Letras (Portuguese) (I do not know how to say). It occurred to me recently that authors can be like mentors to us a thought that you have also expressed, and Im grateful to God for you being one of mine through your brave, compassionate and honest writing. microtech combat troodon tanto satin Im originally from Kenya, but now lives in Sydney Australia. Weve had a lot of struggles intense poverty and failed dream after failed dream. Thank you very much. "Prayer," explained a Publishers Weekly reviewer, "is a window into knowing the mind of God, whose kingdom is entrusted to all of us frail, selfish people on earth. How boring it must be to have the same kind of relationship with billions of people. Of course God will protect you. Blessings to you always. I havent been to church in 5 years, I think. A few days after Pauls verbal attack on me, the Warden asked me to meet with him. As you know, conversions at the age you mention are rather rare, so Im sure you have your own story! And its really very interesting. By the way, if I had the chance to meet anyone alive today it would be you. Ive been wanting to write to you for a long time. Of course not. A big hug. I thought that being a Christian meant experiencing God and Jesus in the same way that I would experience my human family and friends, which I have never been able to do. Man, were those prophets angry! Its been an important journey and one that I hope is resulting in opportunity to invite others to a walk with God based on grace and not fear. And all audibles are abridged, so dont include the entire book. In other words, the DVD player was brought in illegally. To attain salvation, should we trust the gospeland repent? This same dean initiated a program where during one chapel service each week, a senior preached. He was there for me when I was that child, teen, young adult and now. Of course God will protect you. I love the way you write about the Christian faith. We as chaplains had to send out memos concerning just about all our movements and programs in the Institution. We read the psalms, recited the Lords prayer and sang, Hes got the whole world in his hands! Then, in the silence that followed, Sharon looked up with tears to say, My people have survived more than this. Thank you. Theres either evidence or there is not. what Jesus meant when He said, I am the truth. I come from an insurance and banking backround. I reclused into this judgemental spiritual superiority bigot who saw heaven for myself and hell for everyone one else. (Jam. Ive been challenged again but not by pain or fear, but by God himself to continue writing, resting in Him for my needs and my familys, and, in the same way, growing on writing to be like old prophets pointing to God with words. Carl Sagan popularized the phrase, Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. Yes Carl, yes. Your book, I thoroughly enjoyed, but was nonetheless disturbed by it. (I was raised in the evangelical tradition and figured out early on how the system works and how to work it too.) I found it thrilling to write about my heroes. Thanks very much. I just need some reassurance. His books have sold more than 15 million copies in English and have been translated into 40 languages, making him one of the best-selling contemporary Christian authors. I have recently read and resonate w/ Tolstoy (Anna Karenina) . A small tact team, form Legal Ministry mostly lawyers, voluntarily supported Dad for legal advice. The chapter Why God Doesnt Explain is to me the most profound. I saw him one day in 1998 in the Segregation Control Room (a room I was not allowed to go into), watching a mentally disabled female Aboriginal prisoner stretched out on the floor with her gown pulled way up around her upper body, her legs spread apart and her private parts exposed. (But, we prayed for Him to forgive us!). I was about to go and have my own memos signed by AWI Amanda, so I thought it would be a kind gesture to also take Pauls memos at the same time. 2. Smith and she had told him the lies Janice Green from YWAM Colorado had spread right across the USA about what happened in Honolulu,which was just impure thoughts nothing more. However as you can guess, the Evangelical section is against this. Just curious because I would love to read about a biblical response to racial injustices that is coming from someone on the receiving end of it. Meet the Bible: A Panorama of God's Word in 366 Daily Readings and Thank you for the suggestion. About Philip - Philip YanceyPhilip Yancey I expect many of these felt a twinge of guilt not being on the battle front, but they were just as useful at home in the USA building war materials. In 2010 Bishop Dorrington of the REC was cruel beyond words ,never have I met such a cruel man in my life,he tortured me emotionally until he broke me. She was so mature when facing this, despite of her limitation on movement last year. many thanks, If the conclusion of commandments is love, then is forgiveness the conclusion of salvaton? I am a 38 year old video game developer. And I now have an entirely new perspective on Him, what he promises me, and what its like to know Him. Physical Assault Especially when 80 percent of the worlds population live on less than $10/day. Richard, The quote is from Shane Claiborne: How could I worship a homeless person on Sunday and ignore one on Monday? I saw it on a poster, so not sure of the original source. He claims to believe in grace and to have faith in a "Jesus." So what is grace? Your sermon was wonderful, but I wanted to thank you for your last comments most of all. Your books have been my refuge! Lewis Sorry, Bill, but that story rings no bells for me. Platinum Book Award, ECPA, US, 1992. Let me try that sentence again with a substitution: For us who believe in Germanic gods, the death and resurrection of Odin is proof positive that love is stronger than hate, that life is stronger than death, that light is stronger than darkness, that laughter and joy, and compassion and gentleness and truth, all these are so much stronger than their ghastly counterparts. Or better, how about from my perspective, For us who are non-believers, my life experience is proof positive that love is stronger than hate, that life is stronger than death, that light is stronger than darkness, that laughter and joy, and compassion and gentleness and truth, all these are so much stronger than their ghastly counterparts. Why use Jesus? This is a thank you note and hope one day, before the sun sets for both of us, I will meet you. We trusted God for everything, was faithful and active in Church, praying and tithing. I like to think of Mark 14:50/51, and that after the disciples fled a young man of dubious sexuality was still there defending Jesus. This topic may be worthy for you to write a book! Herbert Spencer and others created Social Darwinism and caused a huge amount of suffering. This great Q&A reminded me of a student film I made while at Chapman Universitys film school. May your grace journey never end. Also, are there any black authors you have read who have helped shape your faith in some way? You and I even exchanged emails for a time. My friend pointed out that even if we had put in a new trailer, it would also be neglected and in a few years end up in the same shape. In August that year he completed his goal of climbing all 54 of Colorado's 14,000-foot (4,300m)-plus peaks, the final three after his accident.[10]. I have not heard that criticism before, so I must (accurate, in this case) look into that. I asked him what he thought I should do and he said: Resign. I happen to be a very left-leaning Christian. Hi Mr. Yancey, what truth is? Thank you for your most straightforward response, Dmitri. Its small. Beyond that writers psychosis you were dead-on in describing, the truth is a huge part of me loves it. Pious fools believe that ritual and tradition can achieve perfection, COMMUNISM has fallen, let Christianity be the next to fall apart 2. The Jesus I never knew was the first of your books that really spoke to me, and this has been followed by many more, including, Whats so amazing about Grace, Soul Survivor, Disappointment with God and the one Im currently really appreciating Finding God in unexpected places.