Book Review - Blue Like Jazz

Book of the Month - "Blue Like Jazz" (by Donald Miller)

It's a well written autobiography and I truly enjoyed this book as a leisurely read. I can see why it's sponsored by Cru, the organization in which I heard of the book, because it's an evangelistic tool with some great ideas on evangelism. More importantly, it has great thoughts on a true life that wrestles with churches and Christianity. There's a big difference between churches' Christianity and the Christianity of Jesus Christ.

At first, I thought this book was about nonreligious thoughts on Christian spirituality. But after reading this book, I can't say I necessarily agree with this note because there is a lot of hints of Christian thoughts throughout this book. I guess most people's childhood in the Bible belt of the USA will automatically steer the thinking towards a Christian mindset (i.e. spirituality). But can't Christian spirituality also have various definitions?

Main Points

Similarly to my journey of understanding how to be like Jesus albeit very different paths taken, there are quite a few good points mentioned by this author, Don.

• Jazz - like all music that we didn't grow up with (and if it sounds really different from the music we like while growing up), we won't like it when we first hear it. However, we can't appreciate the music (considering the sounds are good) if we don't learn what it's about it. And we can't feel the music unless we see someone else dancing to it. That's how people truly feel music - they dance to it. You can't just sit and listen to a song when it's really speaking to your soul. You gotta dance! Plus, there's more than one type of Jazz and I love smooth jazz, baby.
• Journey - understanding Christian spirituality is a journey focused on seeking more and more understanding of Jesus Christ.
• Chapters - his chapters are categorize very well and he doubles one on the crucial topic of "Love". Well, actually triples on "Love", but you'll have to figure that out for yourself. ;)
• Teenagers - I love how this is a good read for teenagers. I would expect college students to be too busy reading text books, but many teenagers are interested in knowing how college guys and girls think.

Favorite Quotes

There were a lot of nice quotes by the author, but I'll limit to one per chapter (20 total).

1. My father left my home when I was young, so when I was introduced to the concept of God as Father I imagined Him as a stiff, oily man who wanted to move into our house and share a bed with my mother.
2. The greatest trick of the devil is not to get us into some sort of evil but rather have us wasting time.
3. I couldn't give myself to Christianity because it was a religion for the intellectually naive.
4. I still had serious issues with Jesus, though, only because I associated Him with Christianity, and there was no way I would ever call myself a Christian.
5. She believed that all things that were true were rational. But that isn't the case. Love, for example, is a true emotion, but it is not rational.
6. Trying to love the right things without God's help...was impossible.
7. Who am I to think myself above God's charity?
8. Don't complain about the way God answers your prayers.
9. This is why he could be beaten one day, imprisoned the next, and released only to be beaten again and never ask God why.
10. If I walk away from Him, and please pray that I never do, I will walk away for social reasons, identity reasons, deep emotional reasons, the same reasons that any of us do anything.
11. Stop ten people on the street and ask them what they think of when they hear the word Christianity, and they will give you ten different answers.
12. First [thing I didn't like about churches]: I felt like people were trying to sell me Jesus.
13. ...marriage is worth the trade. You lose all your freedom, but you get this [incredible] friend.
14. When a person has no other persons he invents them because he was not designed to be alone, because it isn't good for a person to be alone.
15. Living in community made me realize one of my faults: I was addicted to myself.
16. There's not a lot of work in the Christian market if you won't write self-righteous, conservative propaganda.
17. A statement like this [of Mother Theresa] offends some Christians because they believe if aspects of their faith do not obey the facts of reality, they are not true.
18. The real issue in the Christian community was that it was conditional.
19. God's love will never change us if we don't accept it.
20. ...jazz music was invented by the first generation out of slavery...a language of the soul. I think Christian spirituality is like jazz music. I think loving Jesus is something you feel.

And then you dance to it!

Favorite Verse

No verses mentioned in this book. But, he does mention the Book of Matthew and in particular points out chapter 13 as a life changer.

What's Missing?

Well, if you're going to write an autobiography and compare it to jazz, then I would love some links to some good jazz music. :-)

Book Review - Reset (by Joseph W. Walker III)

This is actually the Book of the Month for September.

This is a good book if you are looking to start over with your life in addition to the Bible. If you're reading this on your own, then this is a great motivational book for churchgoers. However, I believe the best way to read through this book, similarly to "The Purpose Driven Life" (by Rick Warren), is in a small group of believers.

Personally, "Reset" sounds like a collection of sermons. For example,  reading through the contents page a reader will see chapter titles like "Reclaim and Rededicate" and "Reassess and Recalibrate". This is very helpful for people to remember like one would with a song which has been popularized in the Black Church. I also can tell that the author is non-white from the vernacular and diction. This is great for those, like me, who are looking to read more books from a non-traditional American author.

Main Points

If I had this book ten years ago when I was starting my life over again (for the third time), then here are the points that I would have instantly applied.

• Reflections - these questions at the end of each chapter are powerful and require deep, honest thoughts. I would write down my answers and, next to it, write future answers (to the same questions) that I would like to reflect.
• Rain and Revelation - this section is quite good; talks about getting breakthroughs instead of breakdowns.
• Recognize the Call - 'the call' defined as 'an urging of the Spirit.' This was very helpful in zooming into my focus because many distractions in this world will take you away from your main attraction in this world.
• Remake - in the section about 'Understanding...Lo Debar' the author talks about how someone has dropped us, abused us, lied to us, deceived us, and caused other damages that may have paralyzed us in some fashion. He reminds us those thoughts and feelings are painful and difficult to face, but need to be addressed if we are to progress towards God and forward with God. We can't reset family, friends, and others, but we can reset ourself. This message is something I could have used during middle school.
• I like his section on "Commitment and Promise". Basically, our commitment to God is what entitles us to His Promise and promises.
• I would actually debate with the author on his statement "This [tithing] shows us that it was pre-Mosaic covenant." Tithing implies a tenth for all things received. I don't see where Abraham and others pre-Mosaic covenant are actually continuously tithing. I see some sacrifices here and there, but nothing periodically.
• I like the section on "Sacrifice", too. Every true Christian understands the meaning and importance of sacrifice.
• I like how the author uses a lot of personal examples.

Favorite Quotes

• "There are also those men and women who think they are inside the will of God when they are not. These are the people who outwardly live the Christian life. They go to church. They tithe. They're on committees. But so many are guilty of working for God instead of with God." - Whoa, love it.
• "Only a few of us really have the capacity to be Hosea, to love like that. But all of us have been Gomer."
• "it takes pain to teach us the limits of behavior, people, or situations that can hurt us mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. It is there to push us away from danger. That is the positive side of pain."
• "Give yourself time to heal before God's next move." - Amen!
• "This is a distinction between information about God and revelation about God." - Amen.
• "If you have a dream that is of God, he will always give you the space to reach for it."
• "you will never reach your destiny if you don't know your history."
• "You can tell when people don't know who they are. It's easy to see when they don't know their identity, their destiny. It's in their posture."
• "there is a distinct difference between praise and worship. Praise is simply a response to what God has done for us."
• God is a God of timing. He operates in kairos rather than chronos - his time, not ours."
• "There can be no purification without separation, and there can be no separation without some agitation. Sin has attached itself to you the way dirt and grime attach themselves to your clothes. To remove it, there has to be agitation. In real life, that can mean disruption."
• "There are certain ships in life we all ride in - relationships, friendships, partnerships, fellowships. And some of those ships are too small to get you where God is taking you."
• "If you're not healthy, you can't fulfill your purpose."

Favorite Verse

"Let us reason together," says Isaiah 1:18. Let us talk this through.

What's Missing?

Here are my thoughts on what is missing in this book and could possibly draw concerns.

1. The author must emphasize the importance of starting life over with true believers that care about the person's reset. Church is insufficient on such a personal matter. Small groups, too, are not enough. There must be a few trustworthy believers, preferably of the same gender, that will personally befriend and assist with the reset.
2. A person resetting their life but having strong abusive addictions must get professional, Christian counseling. I didn't see this mentioned along with a list of counseling centers, contacts and resources. Such helpful resources should have been provided in an appendix. I must highlight this miss because my assumption of the audience will include individuals who are heavily broken, discouraged and depressed.

Overall, I'm glad I read this book as it's always helpful to be reminded of the importance to reflect and see which in areas in my life need to be reset, removed, reclaimed or refined. ;-)