welcome to the blog of tom roepke. follower of Jesus. husband to melinda. father to sarah, jedidiah and emmah. pastor of student ministries at new hope community church. much like my friend, samwise, i am just trying to find my place in the Story.
In a 2008 survey of USA’s religious beliefs and practices found that 55% of all adults — including one in five of those who say they have no religion — believe they have been protected from harm by a guardian angel. An interesting thought.
Dr. David Jeremiah is one of my spiritual heroes. i’ve enjoyed hearing him preach, teach and especially have enjoyed his writing. I’ve enjoyed reading one of his newest titles: Angels: Who they are and How they help…What the Bible reveals. Dr. Jeremiah tackles all the details of where angels come from. what their purpose is and even wrestles with helping us understand the concept of guardian angels. Seems almost providential as the
The book is a great read. Its easy and there’s lots of great elements that he helps the reader wrestle through, even the concept of fallen angels and satan’s role in the whole created order.
One good take away for me came in chapter 11, entitled Showing us how to work. Here’s a clip:
Calvin reflects the “in accommodation to us,” “Scripture has shown us the wings of seraphim and cherubim “to assure us that when occasion requires they will hasten to our aid with incredible swiftness, winging their way to us with the speed of lightning.”….God can count on them, and so can we. There’s no sloppy workmanship or laziness or negligence on their part….When David summons the angels to praise God in Psalm 103, he call the ‘you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word…you his servants who do his will.”
In talking about guardian angels, Jeremiah is quick to tell a boyhood story that almost secures the idea of “something” that kept him from harm so that he could pastor, minister and even right this book.
The good folks at Multnomah/Random House have provided me the review copy and an additional copy to give away. Please leave your name, email and a comment (if you like) about how a “guardian angel” has intervened in your story, to allow you to continue as part of the Story. I’ll draw a random name on Wed, Feb 10th. and get it to you.
I’ve learned some interesting insights from reading this book the least of which is “that angels truly love the Lord, and will always love to serve him”…and so like Dr. Jeremiah, will I.
Great Read! I’d encourage you to Get it.
Review Grade: A
there is simply so much coming out of haiti that one isn’t sure how to process it all. one of my advocations is photography…i did some time as a serious photojournalist so in times like this i look to the talented “shooters” of our great news agencies. the lens blog with its stunning images and an equally stunning interview with damon winter gives just a glimpse of what is seen through a talented lens. click on the image below to read and see…
in the pages of The Male Factor Shaunti Feldhahn offers may useful things…near the end she offers…
We have an incredible power and role we’re supposed to fulfill in the business world. God never intended us to play second fiddle, but we are supposed to allow his life to come through us instead of looking at people and trying to do it the world’s way. There’s incredible power in that.
This book is an excellent read. To be honest i was eager to get a review copy, because i wanted to get her take on guys in the work place. We all know that God created humanity at the level of gender. There is incredible mystery in that. And it takes many years…for men and women to clearly understand their role in the created order.
Feldhahn has taken her amazing research over eight years and pulled together a very useful volume in the public arena offering true insights to how men and women can relate better in the marketplace.
There are many good and useful observations that she provides from her surveys…with real bits of wisdom offered, here’s a clip…
Many, many men in my interviews told me that they too often saw women believe that surviving in the marketplace required transforming their personality into someone they weren’t and becoming “like a man”…Matthew, the North American sales manager… described it this way…(he) saw an overcompensation among women who felt like they had to change who they were in order to be successful. And that overcompensation often seemed to impact those characteristics that were decidedly female. But you can see strong female leaders who haven’t done that– and haven’t needed to. Margaret Thatcher was someone with the intellectual discipline and acumen to best any man in the room. She could be tough, but she maintained that characteristic that is distinctly female.
Lady Thatcher meets my oldest and my bride.
Personally, I saw that on several occaisions when i had the pleasure to host Lady Thatcher as a speaker. There was a command that she brought to those she spoke with in her capacities, but an incredible presence as a woman. The section heading of this particular discussion is “Be yourself; be confident in who you are”, and seems exactly on task.
The book is filled with many great reminders of embracing who God has created us to be, as men and women. The Male Factor is very useful roadmap to better understanding our place, together in the workforce. I heartily recommend you get yourself a copy and read it…men and women.
Great Read! Get it.
Review Grade: A
I can help one of my blog readers, the good folks at random house/ multnomah provided with a review copy and an extra copy to give away. To win, please leave your name and email in the comments section between now and Wednesday, January 20th. The winner will be randomly selected on Thursday, January 21st.
About the Author: SHAUNTI FELDHAHN is the best-selling author of For Women Only:What You Need to Know About the Inner Lives of Men and For Men Only: A Straightforward Guide to the Inner Lives of Women. Her books have sold two million copies and have been translated into fifteen different languages. A longtime nationally sydicated columnist, she holds a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University, has worked on Wall Street, and now lives in Atlanta, Georgia.
trying to just imagine the impact. i spoke briefly this morning to a mentor and friend, steve storkel (pastor to students at our mothership -berean baptist in mansfield). steve is incredibly passionate about the people in haiti and has led numerous trips there with students and adults. his own daughter, brittany is there now. she is safe and is on the north side of the island opposite the epicenter. not sure what any of us can offer this far away…but this video appeared earlier today via the good folks at student life. passsing it along to my friends.
As we continue to pray and wait from word from friends, missionaries and ministry partners, we want to encourage you to use your voice and influence. Please consider put ting links to Compassion’s Disaster Relief Fund on any social media, blogs, websites you might have or use.
Compassions Disaster Relief Fund helps families recover after a disaster’s like this earthquake. The relief fund helps with:
Food and clean water
Temporary shelter
Basic sanitation and personal hygeine items
Medical attention and preventive health care
Family reunification and/or counseling
While this is just one place to contribute it is a good one to help the churches in that community rise up and meet the needs of the people in the name of Jesus. We also know there are numerous Christian orphanages that are going to need our help.
In a 2008 survey of USA’s religious beliefs and practices found that 55% of all adults — including one in five of those who say they have no religion — believe they have been protected from harm by a guardian angel. An interesting thought.
