Yours, Jack: Spiritual Direction with C. S. Lewis

I am reading Yours, Jack: Spiritual Direction with C. S. Lewis. This is a book of selected letters of C. S. Lewis, whom close friends knew as Jack. Already within the first 20-30 pages I have found a few spiritual truths that are worth the price of the book. It also offers some insights into Lewis himself. I have just read, in one of his early letters, of a conversation he had with friends Hugo Dyson and J. R. R. Tolkien that turned out to be pivotal in his conversion to Christ.

There are three kinds of letters in this book, moving chronologically through Lewis' spiritual development. The first are letters of spiritual companionship, followed by letters of discipleship in which he asks for spiritual advice. The last are letters of spiritual direction, in which he answers those who have asked him for spiritual advice.

This is indeed a book to relish.

Fontains of Wayne >> Valley Winter Song

Heard a snippet of this song on an L. L. Bean commercial and was caught by the sound and the harmonies.

My Blogs Have Personality Types?

Just came across a webpage that analyzes blogs according to Myers-Briggs personality type indicators.Its called Typealyzer. I have a number of  blogs/websites. Here's how they were typed:

• www.TheFaithLog.com - Thinker (INTP)
  
• www.JeffDoles.com - Doer (ESTP)
  
• www.HolySpiritMiracles.com - Inspirer (ENFP)
  
• www.WalkingBarefoot.com - Idealist (INFP)
  
• www.ChristianBookDesign.com - Mechanic (ISTP)
  

Interesting. But it kinda makes sense.

Interview with Garrison Doles

Here is an interview with my brother Gary Doles (free MP3 download), on AM Ocala Live, about his folk music. Includes a few of his songs.

Below, you can also hear some clips from one of his recent albums, available at Amazon:

Soaking Music

Good music for soaking in the presence of the Lord. Take some time to marinate in His glory and goodness. For more information about the artists, got to www.soaking.net and click on "Artists Pages" or "Ministrils."

The Passion of Christ in Sand Art

Artist and narrator Joe Castillo presents the message of the Cross in sand art. Amazing presentation.

Partakers of the Divine Nature

Currently, I am reading Partakers of the Divine Nature: The History and Development of Deificiation in the Christian Tradition. It is about how the Church historically has understood 2 Peter 1:4, concerning the promises of God through which we have been made “partakers of the divine nature.” In it, I have located a few intriguing quotes from early Church Fathers.

From Irenaeus (2nd Century):

Our Lord Jesus Christ, who did, through His transcendent love, become what we are, that He might bring us to be even what He is Himself. (Against Heresies, Book 5, Preface)

From Athanasius (4th Century):

For He was made man that we might be made God. (On the Incarnation, chapter 54)

Therefore He was not man, and then became God, but He was God, and then became man, and that to deify us. (Against the Arians, Discourse 1, Chapter 11)

For He has become Man, that He might deify us in Himself, and He has been born of a woman, and begotten of a Virgin, in order to transfer to Himself our erring generation, and that we may become henceforth a holy race, and ‘partakers of the Divine Nature,’ as blessed Peter wrote. (Personal Letter 60:4)

Godfrey Birtill >> Just One Touch from the King

Godfrey Birtill >> Lord, Turn Your Footsteps

Looking Forward to Reunion

Suzanne and I are looking forward to the upcoming reunion of the alumni and former students of Florida Bible College, our old alma mater (over 30 year ago). It will be in Marietta, GA over the Labor Day weekend. It will be a time of looking back, but we hope it will also be a time of looking forward.

The Bible says, in Joel 2 and Acts 2, that when the Spirit comes, the young men see visions and the old men dream dreams. It is good to remember, but it is striking that He did not say that the old men would reminisce, but that they would dream. Memories speak of what was. Visions speak of what is now. Dreams are about what will be. They look beyond the present generation.

When we were young, we had engaging visions. But now that we are ... um ... not so young, what are the dreams? When we gather, I will greatly enjoy hearing the memories of what once was and catching up on what now is. But what I really want to know are the dreams, what will be, because there is yet more to be told.

Garrison Doles >> This Man's Heart

Here are some MP3 clips from my brother Gary's album, This Man's Heart. Gary is a songwriter, folksinger and storyteller—in no particular order. These tracks were produced and engineered by my other brother, Greg. The full songs are available from Amazon. So is the entire album.

Jesus Culture >> How He Loves Us

"Heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss."

Sufjan Stevens >> Fount of Every Blessing

Simple rendition of a great old hymn. Very nice.


Here is a bit of my own arrangement of the same song, from my CD On This Pilgrim's Way: A Barefoot Hymnal. You can also listen to a streaming audio that includes samples from all the arrangements on that CD.

That's My King

Do you know Him?

If you have never received the Lord Jesus Christ, but would like to, The Most Important Prayer will show you how.

Sweet, Sweet Glory Rave

"For these are not drunk, as you suppose." (Acts 2:15)

Dreams a Thousand Generations Long

"When you know, even for a moment, that it's your time, then you can walk with the power of a thousand generations."

— Bruce Cockburn, Dream Like Mine

Your young men shall see visions,
Your old men shall dream dreams.

Acts 2:17

Young men see what is, old men see what will be. Both aspects speak of awareness of who we are, where we are and why we are. God is from eternity—He takes the long view. His plans and purposes endure. "He remembers His covenant forever, the word which He commanded, for a thousand generations" (Psalm 105:8).

God has dreams a thousand generations long.