I finished reading this book, Because He Loves Me by Elyse Fitzpatrick, a few weeks ago. It took a few months to finish, but was so worth my time. The book describes how Christ's love isn't just something to think about in church, but how His love connects with our daily lives- doing dishes, being stuck in traffic, struggling with envy, etc. I'm thankful that I read it. Most of its reviews on Amazon describe it as a book that's helpful for a "new" Christian, but I think "new" and "older" Christians alike could all benefit from it.Here's some of what I got from the book: In living the Christian life, we have left Jesus behind. Christianity becomes a self-improvement project - "getting your act together" and "doing good" - not simply coming to Jesus. When we leave Jesus out of the picture, we live like foster children instead of God's own beloved children; always worrying that we won't measure up, comparing ourselves to others, wanting what others have . . . Rather than realizing that because Jesus loves us, His love for us swallows up all our goodness to nothing, and silences the voices and vices of the world. His love is active - it's not just a nice fluffy thought: "Jesus loves me!" - but demands to be brought into daily life. His birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension all have connective dots to our daily lives.
"Do you need hope? Look at the tiny baby in a cow trough. See the adult's gentle hands blessing the children. Hear his words of invitation and see those hands pierced with spikes. Contemplate the blood-soaked mud. View the empty tomb and the folded grave clothes. See him rise physically to return to his Father, clothed in human flesh. Anticipate his return on the clouds and your eternal union and reign with him. Don't turn away from the hope of the Gospel: Christ is utterly and eternally preeminent. You need this hope to face your day; don't look away to yourself or to any other person." --Elyse Fitzpatrick, BHLM, pg.89
On a completely different note, I am a huge fan of the cover and interior design of this book. :)
