Releasing The Inner Geek

Part two to my favorite books topics. Here are my top 10 Non-Fiction Books.

10. Overcoming the Dark Side of Leadership - Gary McIntosh

The Christian world has been rocked by the number of prominent leaders, in both church and parachurch organizations, who have been compromised by moral, ethical, and theological failures. This pace-setting volume addresses this alarming problem and offers Christian leaders valuable guidance in dealing with the inherent risks of their work. Using biblical and current examples, the authors describe the characteristics of five types of leaders and the problems that are most likely to develop if their particular dysfunctions develop unrestrained. McIntosh and Rima offer a series of steps for leaders to consider so they can take control of their dark side and learn to harness its creative powers. This edition includes a new introduction, updated information throughout, a self-assessment tool, and other additional material.

9. Unstoppable Force - Erwin McManus

This title jumped out at me and I had to pick it up. Erwin McManus is an awesome preacher and his writing complements that as well.  An Unstoppable Force will excite and inspire readers about being part of the Church that God had in mind! A “force” created to change the world. A Church that is engaged with its community, daring to cut itself free from atrophied practices and programs to flourish in creative and compelling worship. A Church that risks reaching out to our jaded culture with “outside the box” expressions of faith and love.

8. The Bondage Breaker - Neil T. Anderson

A revolutionary view at how Satan can control our lives through the bondage of Sin. Featuring a new introduction by Neil T. Anderson, this freshly re–covered edition of his bestselling book The Bondage Breaker (more than 1.2 million copies sold) leads readers away from the shadows and shackles in their lives and toward the freedom that comes when they

• realize they have the right to be free
• confront the power of Satan
• fight the temptation to do it their way
• trade deception for grace
• affirm their identity in Christ

Neil Anderson ultimately helps people break negative thought patterns, control irrational feelings, and break out of the bondage of sinful behavior. Those struggling will discover how to embrace the promise of Jesus to win the spiritual battles that confront them.

7. Purpose Driven Church - Rick Warren

Piggybacking on his book, The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren takes those principles and applies them to the church. The thesis of The Purpose Driven Church is that when churches think first about their health, growth is sure to follow. “If your church is healthy,” writes Rick Warren, “growth will occur naturally. Healthy, consistent growth is the result of balancing the five biblical purposes of the church.” These five purposes are to “Love the Lord with all your heart,” “Love your neighbor as yourself,” “Go and make disciples,” “[Baptize] them,” and “[Teach] them to obey.” And those purposes can only be accomplished, argues Warren, when church leaders stop thinking about church-building programs and shift their focus to a “people-building process” involving fellowship, discipleship, worship, and evangelism. Warren, the founder of the fastest-growing Baptist church in American history, has taught seminars to thousands of pastors from all over the world, many of whom have successfully implemented his techniques.

6. Christian Wisdom of the Jedi Masters - Dick Staub

When I got this book I thought the person who gave it to me was crazy. Star wars isn’t Christian in any sense of the word, but I was pleasantly surprised when I read the book. An excellent book for anyone who wants to make an impact on youth through discipleship.

5. A Call to Grace - David Nasser

An excellent Devotional book written by my second favorite youth speaker. A 39 day look at how the grace-filled life is not about doing but about being. After going through this your understanding of grace will be revolutionized.

4. Boy Meets Girl - Joshua Harris

This book changed the way I looked at dating and helped me to find my wonderful wife. Joshua Harris follows up his bestselling I Kissed Dating Goodbye with Boy Meets Girl, the story of how he met and married his wife, Shannon. Where Harris’s first book encouraged readers to throw off modern ideas of romantic fixation, Boy Meets Girl goes to the next level and urges single Christian men and women to pursue courtship, and ultimately marriage, thoughtfully and prayerfully. Knowing that many readers will balk at the idea of premeditated courtship, Harris insists that dating should not be emotional recreation but rather a careful decision rooted in obedience to God. While the anecdotes used to reveal true-to-life scenarios about dating pitfalls are somewhat elementary (and geared to those in their 20s), Harris succeeds in hammering home the point that obedience to God’s word, selfless love, community, purity, and satisfaction in God are the most important aspect of any relationship. The last section of the book is particularly practical, discussing forgiveness of past sexual sin, questions to ask before tying the knot, and how an understanding of our sinful nature can lead to conflict resolution. For Harris’s mere twentysomething years of life experience, his maturity and devotion to God are sincere evidence that he has indeed practiced what he has preached, resulting in a passionate relationship with the love of his life.

3. My Utmost for His Highest - Oswald Chambers

Another excellent devotional, Oswald Chambers brings deep theology to us through easy bitesize portions.  One of the most enduring bestsellers of our time, this book has touched the lives of millions, leading them into a deeper and more passionate walk with God. Shedding fresh light on the Scriptures, Chambers explores the depths of our humanity and our profound need for a God-focused life. Now, this special edition offers Oswald Chambers’ rich spiritual insights and life-changing perspectives in an appealing format for a new generation. Features include: subject index, Scripture index, a brief biography of Oswald Chambers, and wider margins for personal notes.

2. Battlecry for a Generation - Ron Luce

There is a battle raging. It’s not in the Middle East. And terrorists are not the threat. But millions of souls are at rish. There is but one hope, and if we fail - the youth of our nation could be lost…forever. Now is the time to read the Battle Cry for a Generation. In North America today, there is the largest number of teens since the baby boomer generation. These teens hold the future - yours our ours - in their hands. Battle Cry for a Generation tells us why and how to reclaim our youth for Christ.

1.  Praise Habit - David Crowder

Praise is something we are, not something we do. This book reflects on psalms from The Message//Remix and explains how to develop a habit of praise in your everyday life. Learn a new way of thinking about praise––focusing on it as a lifestyle, not an event. This book will have you laughing till your sides split as you learn new ways to worship our God and Creator.

*With Excerpts from Amazon.com*

I’ve shared this with numerous of you guys but wanted to post it out here for anyone else.

Quiet times are not an invention to make students feel bad about not spending time with Christ. They are very much a huge part of what it means to be a Christian. Take it from a guy that struggled for so long with not having them, it’s what makes my days worth living. Quiet times are IMPORTANT and REWARDING.

On a day that I wanted to quit my job and go back to dealing with inanimate emotionless objects, this was the devotion in my book for that day……

“And the parched ground shall become a pool.”
Isaiah 35:7

We always have visions, before a thing is made real. When we realize that although the vision is real, it is not real in us, then is the time that Satan comes in with his temptations, and we are apt to say it is no use to go on. Instead of the vision becoming real, there has come the valley of humiliation……

Quiet times are huge and it’s the time that God gets to speak to us through our prayers and our readings. If you aren’t doing quiet times I URGE you to start them. If you need help let me know. Here are some suggestions.

1. I have some “Life’s Promises for Students” books. It’s a half page devotion packed full with application.
2. My utmost for his Highest Praise is another good one, a full page of devotions but still not too much to read in a quick sitting.
3. A Call to Grace by David Nasser, a little bit deeper than the other suggestions, there are two areas for journaling, one for immediate application of the writings and one to reflect on the day and how it went. An excellent devotional.

Whatever works for you…find it…and DO IT! It will be the second most important decision of your life!

<>< CJ

Now before I begin I don’t want to hear anything about my miscategorization of these items or the fact that they may or may not be vegetables…..just leave my list alone

10.  Chickpea - I just recently started eating these…not bad….though I’m not overly fond of Hummus but the chickpea I can do.

9. Mung Bean - Don’t really like the taste…just the sound of the name

8. Onion - Grilled, fried, sauteed, maybe even raw….a versatile vegetable that’s great on taste and harsh on breath. Crazy about the veggie…not so crazy about the tears….here is the wikipedia entry on how to avoid eye irritation when slicing onions….

Supplying ample water to the reaction while peeling onions prevents the gas from reaching the eyes. Eye irritation can, therefore, be avoided by cutting onions under running water or submerged in a basin of water. Rinsing the onion and leaving it wet while chopping may also be effective. Another way to avoid irritation is by not cutting off the root of the onion, or by doing it last, as the root of the onion has a higher concentration of enzymes.^[20] Using a sharp blade to chop onions will limit the cell damage and the release of enzymes that drive the irritation response. Chilling or freezing onions prevents the enzymes from activating, limiting the amount of gas generated. Eye irritation may be avoided by having a fan blow the gas away from the eyes as the onion is being cut. The volume of sulfenic acids released, and the irritation effect, differs among Allium species.

It is also possible to avoid eye irritation by wearing goggles or any eye protection that creates a seal around the eye

7. Bok Choy - See number 9

6. Green Bean - Another stable…though I am really picky about the consistency of this vegetable..I don’t like it to crunchy or chewy or waxy tasting.

5. Corn - I know it’s a starch..but I don’t care….I like corn, cream corn, corn on the cob, corn bread, corn muffins, corn nuggets, baby corn, popcorn, corn dogs, and candy corn.

4. Lima Beans - or as I used to call them, fat beans. I grew up on these things…my great grandmother used to make them with ham or bacon. I could eat them as a whole meal!

3. Carrots - I have good eyesight and I enjoy eating carrots….coincidence? Carrots are tasty and nutritious. I like em a little sweet but I can eat them just about any way they’re made.

2. Beets - I know I am one of the few human beings who enjoy beets…and I bet you’re wondering how in the world it’s made it to my number two. I actually ate a meal that consisted entirely of carrots and beets one night and I was too lazy to cook anything else…mmmmmm beets!

1. Sweet Potato - that’s right…the number one vegetable on my list is a starch! Sweet Potatoes make up my favorite side dish, favorite thanksgiving favorite, favorite frech fry alternative, favorite desert substitute. Sweet potatoes are wonderful.

What an awesome video! Check-check-check it out!

Just so Brandt can no longer say that I dissaprove of any books besides the bible here’s part one of my favorite books series

10.The Odyssey - Homer

This is an excellent classic which numerous books and movies have taken parts from. If you’ve read much greek literature chances are you’ve read parts of this story. It’s a really long read but a wonderful story as well.

9. At the Earth’s Core - Edgar Rice Burroughs

Being one of my few family members with any notability, I’ve read most of his literary works including the tarzan stories and this little gem. An excellent story about the idea of a world at the earths core. In writing this post I’ve found out that there is a sequel to the story and I plan on picking it up soon and reading it as well.

8. The Long Dark Tea Time of the Soul - Douglas Adams

One of Douglas Adams works. This is an excellently funny story written by the famous brittish author. The story follows characters from norse mythology as they walk amongst us in the near present and as detective Dirk Gently investigates an unusual murder circling around the song “hot potato”. Very funny if you enjoy brittish intellectual humor.

7. House - Ted Dekker/Frank Peretti

One of the scarrier books I’ve read. The story follows a group of individuals trying to escape the murderous plans of a mad man trapping them within a spiritually evil house. Very fast paced and suspenseful. Written by two great Christian authors.

6. The Running Man - Stephen King

If you’ve seen the movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger, it’s almost nothing like it. This book has been on my list since the fifth grade. A story about a father who puts his life on the line to take are of his daughter. He enters himself into a contest involving a nationwide manhunt. Again..an excellent read!

5. Salvage Diver - Zachary Ball
No Cover Image Available
Good luck finding this one. This is an old book set in the florida keys that follows a pair of guys searching for sunken treasure. My dad gave me the book when I was little and it took me about 10 years to actually read the thing. But I’m glad I did.

4. Dune - Frank Herbert

Another book recommended by my parents that I fought against reading only to have it end up on my top 10. The story is one about a desert world of Dune and the people that live there. In constant fear of the sand worms and the Freeman wanderers. All hail MUAD’DIB!

3. Homeland - R.A. Salvatore

The book was so good I read the following 14 installments. The story is set in the “Forgotten Realms” Universe. THe main character is Drizzt Dourden, a drow elf and the youngest of his family. The only true fantasy series I’ve enjoyed reading. The characters in the series are masterfully drawn and the action believable and captivating. Excellent read.

2. Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams

ANOTHER book my mom told me to read that I thought looked sooo stupid. These books are so short that I wonder why I didn’t want to give them a shot. This is also the second book by adams that I have on my list. His sharp witted humor is impecably timed and makes space funny! If you’re a nerd you have to read this…it’s part of the code!

1. The Time Machine - H. G. Wells

My favorite book since I was 9. The story has been turned into movie after movie. Like the title says, it’s about a time machine! The period is set far in the future. The human race has seperated into two distinct species, the eloi above ground and the morlocks below. If you don’t want to read the whole thing there are abriged versions, a must read for any sci fi fan.

Alright I’m going to take Friday’s to either tell you one of my stories or one I’ve found to lighten things up before the weekend.

So here’s this weeks story. It’s an oldie….comes from waaayyy back like middle school. My brother and I have birthdays that are two months apart and sometimes we would have a party in the middle together rather than separately and this was one of those occasions.

We had a bunch of friends out to my grandparents house to stay the night. They live out in the sticks in Lochloosa. That’s halfway between  hawthorne and Citra which is halfway between Hawthorne and ocala. They live on a five acre pond which is fun for fishing and other goofing off type activities.

So we were out around the campfire hanging out…throwing anything we could find in when my aunt came out and wanted to tell a ghost story. We thought it was lame but she’s pretty cool so we let her tell her story. Halfway through the story we see my grandmother trying to sneak up on us to scare us…..there’s just a couple of problems with this….number one she’s not the stealthiest of individuals, she’s a bigger lady…and it didn’t help that she strode through a giant floodlight. Needless to say we weren’t impressed.

The story continued and we got more and more enthralled….then at the height of the story my grandfather came running stomping hooping and hollering from the woods waving his arms in the air…man looked like a gorilla. Two of the guys fell out of their chairs and sprinted off in the woods….the rest of us jumped back or flinched but there was one in of the guys who just sat there motionless….we looked over at him and he had a slightly ashamed look on his face….

“I think I need to change my underwear….”

I’d like to take Thursdays as a time to encourage leadership and leadership qualities. Check back here weekly for a tip or strategy to become a greater leader.

As stated in the title of the post…..Leaders HAVE to read. In a survey of the top 50 most successful people in America, the corresponding characteristics were monitored and provided as the steps to greatness. One of the few things that was consistent across the board was the fact that they all read at least one leadership or skill related book a month.

In our culture today reading is a lost art and we are constantly looking for a quick bit of entertainment rather than taking the time to learn how to do things better whether it’s relating to people or a skill for working. We need to start reading more as a culture especially if we want to be successful at what we do.

The challenge for this week is to find a great non fiction or skill book and start reading it. Check the website for some suggestions or post a topic here and I’ll find a good one for you. But get out there and start reading!