Update

Has it really been a week since my last post? Have I really joined the ranks of absentee blog-writers? Bad blogger! Negligent blogger! No biscuit!

A few items:

YWAM DTS

We're having an incredible time with our Crossroads DTS; I mentioned earlier that two students became followers of Jesus in the first couple of weeks, and in the time since, we've also seen some significant healing in peoples' lives in terms of past hurts and even marital tensions. We're halfway through the lecture phase, and our outreach is being planned to take place in Australia & Western Samoa.

Which, being translated, means Wendy & I would really appreciate any and all prayers for financial provision -- for our family of five, we're looking at around $15,000+ for the two months of outreach.

Book Reviews

I have requested my removal from the list of "50 select bloggers" doing book reviews for theOoze.com. Mike Morrell, the brains behind the idea for reviews, is a great guy who I consider a friend, and he has been gracious and understanding towards my reasons for excusing myself from the list. I was honoured that he invited me to participate, but it was somewhat awkward considering my usual "code of conduct" re: online book reviews.

Specifically (to avoid spurious speculations), I like to choose which books I review for this blog. When I get books carte blanche, so to speak, then I feel obligated to publish a review about them, even though my personal code of conduct has been that I simply don't publish negative reviews. Some books I have found both encouraging and infuriating at the same time, and I'll publish a review about them.

Also, in the past, I have turned down offers of free books (for the price of a review), because I knew what the author(s) stood for and I didn't want to be a platform for their agenda.

All that being said, Mike Morrell and I have agreed to revisit my participation when the next round of books is ready for distribution, and we'll see how things float at that time (did I mention Mike is a really gracious guy?).

I also mentioned that I would be blogging about Alan Hirch's Forgotten Ways, but I want to spend some time reading and listening to some teaching CD's on the Kingdom of God, as Jesus and His first-century hearers would have understood it. I'd like to revisit the whole foundation of the Kingdom of God before building on that with Hirch, and probably revisiting Frost's Exiles, as well.

Speaking of books...

Post-Charismatic has gone through the first edit completely, and is now in the hands of one of the senior editors. Believe it or not -- and I was, myself, completely shocked -- while I'm chomping at the bit to see it published, my book ISN'T the only one Kingsway Communications has on its plate, and these things just take time.

Contacting people to ask for them to read your work, and request an endorsement from them is a weird feeling. Not unexpectedly, some have declined for various reasons (one merely saw the title and refused to even look at the manuscript), but others have been gracious and encouraging in their responses & endorsements; it leaves you feeling encouraged and humbled all at the same time, which is good for my soul.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!