True Religion, Palmer Chinchen, PhD

It is time to “abandon your small ambitions God is bigger than them” (page 79), what a compelling way to start off this book! I was very impressed with this book and the candor and openness of Palmer Chinchen.
There are stories in this book that broke my heart and tied my stomach in knots, while others inspired me to do greater things in my life. At times I had to put it down for the tears in my eyes and the conviction on my heart. Then there were times that the bile rose in the back of my throat at the description of injustice and the thought that I and my children have things so easy while others suffer under the cross of Christ. I have lost very little in this life of much personal value in my service to the Lord. In fact all my physical needs are more than supplied through His grace and our local church. Sure I have had to draw boundaries with family and suffer some things that have caused me some discomfort, but nothing compared to my brothers and sisters in foreign countries. I must agree with the author that many have developed a callous soul to the hurting and abused of the world. Our world is not only sex-saturated but violence saturated to the point that in America we are not even moved to compassion. When you turn on the t.v. it is there, our children play video games dominated by graphic violent images, our church members attend and watch movies filled with all types of physical, and emotional violence - - to the point that this is almost deemed acceptable or someone else’s problem. I am glad there are those called to remind us in writing of the “places of hell on Earth” and the desperate need to take a piece of heaven to the people in these places. To be the good Samaritan, not afraid to get dirty in the service of the Lord. Palmer states that we need to “ Give your life away, pour it into people,”.
If I could afford to I’d give copies to everyone in our congregation. This is a must have book. I have used it in our ladies meeting and will be using it with our youth group as we learn about sold-out living. We are having our own Bare-foot Wednesday with our youth at the end of July. My four young children have already filled one garbage sack with shoes of all sorts.
My heart is to live an authentic, sold-out, completely surrendered, passionately poured out, blessedly broken, nothing sparing, mountain-moving, water-walking, Jordon-crossing, giant slaying faith that brings glory to God the Father the I AM. This book is further encouragement to do so. It does not matter when we die if any remembers our names, but that they remember a man or woman that lived out their life walking in the love and grace of God.
Thank you B&B Communications for this review copy. Thank you Palmer Chinchen for faith that stirs others to good works.