His “charts” combine bullet point precision of a USA Today article with the theological depth of a systematic theologian’s multi-volume work. I expected maybe 40 “charts” to consider when I had signed up to review the book. There are 111 organized in 4 categories:

Paul’s background and contest (great way for an overview of New Testament life, not just Pauline life).

Paul’s life and ministry including chronology, cities he visited, major cities in Paul’s day, and even a look at why the book of Acts ends when it does.

Paul’s letters, a great snapshot of each letter, or in other words an outstanding reference guide when one teaches through the letters of Paul.

Last but definitely not least, Paul’s theological concepts bringing together not only Paul’s concepts but comparing different translations even though the primary translation used in the book is the New American Standard Version.

In the opening preface Lars writes, “My best hope is that these charts not only inform but also inspire the reader to analysis and discovery pages of the book.”

Yes it will! Yes it does! I give Charts on the Life, Letters, and Theology of Paul by Lars Kierspel 5 out of 5 stars. What a great reference tool for pastors and teachers and especially those who want to engage a bit deeper in Paul, his ministry and his letters. I love the 1-3 page charts that provide both a succinct and all-encompassing overview. These charts provide a great starting point for engaging Paul’s letters and Paul’s life.

My thanks to Kregel publishing for a free copy to review. What a great addition to digging deeper into God’s Word. Check out an excerpt here. Scroll down to see the list in the table of contents and the great examples given including why Luke ends Acts the way he does.

The key question not only for the book but for those who want to grow in taking risks is: “What’s one risk you can take to make yourself a better person or the world a better place?” Jason advocates not only asking that question often but asking it in a spark group. That builds accountability, encouragement, support.

Though the book is titled Spark. It’s real thrust is championing Spark Groups. As my church moves to missional communities, I thought this book is a great resource for discussing next steps as individuals and as a group. I appreciated Jason’s challenge to see that what once was a step out of my comfort zone (going to India on a mission trip, volunteering at a local school) over time becomes the comfort zone. Spark challenged me to see how these areas of life change can include not only myself, but the challenge to bring others into the adventure.

I give Spark 4 out of 5 stars. I appreciated the challenge to identify the next step in a risk to better the world. Instead of looking to identify the giant leap, I felt encouraged to take that first step and see what God can and will do. For those looking to get out of their comfort zone and believe God has put them here for a purpose this book will provide great encouragement to transform their world one small step at a time. Check out an excerpt by clicking here.

My thanks to Water Brook Press and Blogging for Books for a free copy to review. I wasn’t required to give a positive review, just an honest one. Thank you for taking the risk!

Week 5 of the Leading for Results class with the  LIFT project looks at orientation towards growth. Key question this week is where are you stretching and growing in new areas?

Henry Cloud identified a great 3 step process when you learn something new:

Step 1: Mess up.

Step 2: Re-group / learn.

Step 3: Take another step?

Leaders who are oriented toward growth are willing to take that 3 step process often because they are able to learn with humility and risk taking (and even failing) is okay to learning.

My favorite quote this week was: “If at some point during the day, I’m not 100% freaked out and having a panic attack, then I’m not embracing a big enough plan.”

Part of the challenge is not only being growth oriented, but planning strategically to do so. Key is to find those farther down the road who have navigated the next steps. Building in accountability provides good feedback. Best way is through structured experiences. That’s why I am a big fan of the variety of LIFT leadership classes/experiences that are offered.

Next round of classes start on June 10, why not sign up today?

1) 37 years of marriage — They have experience. They are still married. This is not just theory or isolated study, but the practicality of having been married for 37 years. If you are going to build a strong marriage, good to follow those who ahve been married longer than you have and are still growing in their relationship.

2) Experience with people at different stages of the marriage relationship. The Kellers many years of service in New York City provide not only a wealth of experiences, but a depth of relationships. This is not just a book about their marriage, but marriages they have encountered from the single relationship to the marital relationship.

3) Marriage input that is built on Biblical counsel. Of the 3, this is the most important. What gives power to this one is how those Biblical principles have been chiseled through study of the Word, application to their marriage and to the marriage of those they have served.

The 8 chapters that make up the book seem a bit like a Tim Keller sermon series. As a great communicator of God’s Word, Keller builds his messages on God’s Word, life experience, and a grace emphasis that points to the cross of Jesus and its practical implications in one’s life.

In an American society that experiences great confusion even over the definition of marriage, the Kellers provide great clarity over what marriage is and how the power of love operates with God at the center of marriage. For those who want to have a Biblical understanding of marriage, this is a great resource. For those who want to build a stronger marriage, this is an essential building block for a stronger relationship that grows closer to God and to each other.

I give The Meaning of Marriage 5 out of 5 stars. Well-written. Inspirational. Even more it helped me become a better husband. Check out the introduction here and additional resources here.

Week 5 of the Leading for Results class with the  LIFT project looks at Embracing Negative Results. In other words would do leaders who are optimistic by nature do with negative results. According to Dr. Henry Cloud, the best leaders embrace those results, they hug them. They fight the natural tendency of fight or flight and learn to flow.

Part of working through the class each week features on line videos and assessments as well as reading from Henry’s book, Integrity. As one who loves quotes some of the best lessons I picked up this week were quotes highlighted from Chapter 10: eating problems for breakfast.

“No problems, no profit.”

“Profit comes as a result of facing problems, so doing it is seen as a good thing, not a negative thing.”

“The only way out is through.”

“Blame is the parking brake for improvement.”

“You and I versus the problem.”

“Let the bad stuff go.”

“hard, easy versus easy, hard’

This week provided a good reminder that leaders deal with problems. It’s one reason why we are called to lead. Wise leaders embrace reality and leverage problem solving to learn from negative results, willing to take the hard road (perhaps the least traveled road of all) to the path where God leads.

1. Care for Others

My mom has a strong heart for compassion, not just for me, but for all people. She helped/helps friends in need of support. She’s moved to care for the less fortunate and those in need. As I grew up I watched her give of her time, her heart, her prayers to help others. Any care factor I developed in my life is thanks to my mom.

2. Enjoy Good Food.

I did not fully appreciate my mom’s cooking skills until I went to college and discover the difference between great food every night to well not so great food. My mom can cook! She fed us good food and food good for us. Hershey Torte tops the list as one of my favorites as well as her roast beef dinners when I was growing up.

3. Work hard

I don’t ever remember my mom telling me to work hard, but I do remember my mom showing me how to work hard. She still does when she comes to visit. Part of a strong work ethic that helped me in college jobs and in my work today I learned by watching my mom work.

4. Remember to love your family

Like good food, too often I have taken family for granted. Year in, year out, my mom demonstrated loving our family and reminding me to do so as well. She sacrificed and served. She gave and was gracious. She set an example I seek to emulate in raising my own family.

5. Know Jesus

When I was in high school, my parents took the Kennedy Evangelism program. I was one of my mom’s practice partners. She not only taught me the right  answers to the “if you were to die tonight” questions. She taught me the value, even more the joy of knowing Jesus. Who I am today is because her parents passed the faith on to her, and she passed it on to me, and Sharon and I pass it on to our kids. Jesus is not just a great idea, He is a great savior — personal, intimate, caring, loving. My mom taught me that one!

Thanks to my mom and all the other moms who transform lives each day. We take a day to give thanks for what you have done and a lifetime to reveal how much love you have poured into our lives.

What great lessons has your mother taught you that still feed your soul this day?

And if you need some other Mother’s Day quotes to feed your soul, click here.

Doesn’t that sound obvious? Who wouldn’t want to lead from a healthy soul? Why then do we find ourselves as leaders running on empty? Or making life decisions that lead to disaster when we know better?

That’s why this book is so valuable. Replenish not only lays out the challenge to grow healthy churches with healthy leaders, it provides the tools to do so.

I am so glad I read this book s-l-o-w-l-y. With its 41 short chapters, it would have been easy to zip through this book. Instead,  my pace was a chapter a night followed up the next morning by journaling through the questions each chapter provided. Such a pace provided room for pondering and reflecting, even more applying the lessons learned.

After a 3 chapter introduction to re-frame a church leader’s focus to one’s life in Christ, and not merely one’s work for Christ. Replenish covers 4 areas of filling one’s soul to overflowing:

1. De-toxing Your Soul

From managing one’s image to being addicted to approval to being fatigued, frazzled and fried. Replenish holds the mirror up for a closer look into one’s heart, into one’s life. Toxins easily and readily attack the soul. These chapters provide an awareness of what’s at stake and of the pitfalls ministry can bring to one’s own soul development. As Lance writes, “Busyness will not only distract, it will infect. Your busyness will damage your soul.”

2. Start Here … Start Now

Baby steps begin the way to soul replenishment. Too often we get to AWOL (A Worn Out Life) and are not sure how to navigate our way back to an invigorated life. These initial steps show that simplicity is not simple, but that in discovering the rhythms of leading from a healthy soul one’s life can be renewed.

3. Sustaining a Lifetime of Health

Powerful part of the book in building spiritual habits that care for one’s soul. This was my favorite part of the book as it helped me identify some areas to correct and how to correct them. I loved his Sabbath quote from Lynne Baab, “Sabbath is God’s gracious ‘five o’clock’ whistle’ that give me permission to stop and lay down my tools, ready or not.” And this gem from Tony Blair, “The art of leadership is not saying yes, it is saying no.”

4. Building Healthy Teams

Most challenging and most needed part of the book in my life were these chapters, especially Chapter 39: Are Your Systems Vitamins or Toxins? My favorite concept from this section comes from Lance as he states, “Ministry leaders are usually better quarterbacks than coaches.” Quarterbacks like to be on the field making plays. Coaches develop players. In ministry the greatest impact is made by coaches.

I give Replenish 5 out of 5 stars. Not only was it a great read, it is a great tool for building a healthy soul for leadership. I found the book so valuable I ordered copies for my fellow administrative staff to work through and hopefully to growth through. I figured it was a good coach move to make! Pick up your own copy of the book and check out more Replenish resources here especially the Soul Care Health Assessment.

As you look at your life and leadership, it it well with your soul? What is helping you these days to lead from a healthy soul?

In the Lift Project: Leading for Results class I am learning there is a balance between monitoring numbers (in church world numbers often equal people) and the growth of one’s character, my character. When numbers start tracking down, something needs to be addressed. But with character something always needs to be grown and developed. Results come from more than hard work, even more than smart work. Eternal results, lasting results, comes from the Spirit’s work within us.

In the 4th week of our online  class were  2 videos to watch and other  online resources that provide some great questions to ponder:

Does the way I am glued together get in my way?

Do I have the make up to make the hard call?

What about the ability to guard the vision?

How result oriented am I? How do I measure those?

Then came the video on pruning. The challenge to make that hard call to let go of some stuff (even good stuff) to focus on the best. This is not just one area of leadership, but in dealing with strategy, meetings, policy, and time with people.

One leadership saying is that when the horse is dead, it’s time to dismount. But what about when the horse is alive though perhaps slowing down? Do I know when to move on to a new horse?

In reading chapter 9 this week from Integrity, I loved how Henry laid out the well known sequence: Ready. Aim. Fire. That makes sense.

Then why the temptation to always focus on ready, or to be more willing to simply fire instead of first aiming? Often the answer is Character.

Results are part of leadership, but character builds a strong leadership core especially with Jesus Christ at the center and the Holy Spirit’s work in one’s life.

You won’t find 5 principles to save your marriage or 3 truths to marriage success, but you will find a compelling story of love that grows in Christ. Such growth has its bumps, bruises and breaks along the way. They are transparent with times of testing, times of strain, and times where they discover strength in dealing with Joni’s paraplegia with its every day challenges as well as a battle with cancer. Even more they show how leaning into Christ and who Christ has made them as individuals and even more as a couple has helped them navigate 30 plus years of marriage.

Those facing trials and tests in their own marriage or having to provide care for a spouse in need will find hope and strength. Those seeking to grow in their own walk with Christ and the path of self-discovery will find inspiration.

Before I read Joni &  Ken  I was a raving fan of Joni having heard her speak about the power of God’s sovereignty, the hope of heaven, and the work of Christ in her pain as well as her passions. Having read Joni & Ken I am now a raving fan of Ken Tada as well. The journey his life has taken. The lessons he has learned. The openness of the ups and downs of his love for Joni, for Christ, and for life itself is a powerful story of transformation and growth.

I give Joni & Ken 5 out of 5 stars. Larry Libby does a tremendous job of weaving together their memories and experiences to tell an untold love story that will inspire many and give hope to marriages desiring  to be stronger in Christ and in each other. My thanks to Zondervan and Booksneeze for a free copy to review. I wasn’t required to give a positive review just an honest one. Thank you for putting out such an inspiring book. Joni & Ken is a love story worth reading and living out each day.

“A leader is a person who must take special responsibility for what’s going on inside of himself or herself … lest the act of leadership create more harm than good.” – Parker Palmer

“To keep a lamp burning, we have to put oil in it.” – Mother Teresa

“The central question is, Are the leaders of the future truly men and women of God, people with an ardent desire to dwell in God’s  presence, to listen to God’s voice, to look at God’s beauty, to touch God’s incarnate Word and to taste fully God’s infinite goodness.” — Henri Nouwen

What is helping you lead from a healthy soul today?

“A healthy soul must do two things for us. First, it must put some fire in our veins, keep us energized, vibrant, living with zest and full of hope as we sense that life is, ultimately beautiful and worth living … Second, a healthy soul has to keep us fixed together. It has to continually give us a sense of who we are, where we came from, where we are going, and what sense there is in all of this.” — Ronald Rolheiser

“O how click and weasel-like is self-pride.” – Thomas Kelly

Humility “is the displacement of self by the enthronement of God. Where God is all, self is nothing.” – Andrew Murray

“We feel honestly the pull of many obligations and try to fulfill them all. And we are unhappy, uneasy, strained, oppressed and fearful we shall be shallow … We have hints that there is a way of life vastly richer and deeper than all this hurried existence, a life of unhurried serenity and peace and power.” – Thomas Kelly

“The history of God’s people is not a record of God searching for courageous men and women who could handle the task,but God transforming the hearts of cowards.” – Erwin McManus

“We have to ask ourselves, ‘Am I really trying to discern God’s will, or determine whether I want to do it?’” – Erwin McManus

“Sabbath is God’s gracious ‘five o’clock whistle’ that gives me permission to stop and lay down my tools, ready or not.” – Lynne Baab

“The vessel in which soul-making takes place is an inner container scooped out by reflection and wonder.” – Thomas Moore

“Ministry leaders are usually better quarterbacks than coaches. We like to be out on the field, personally leading the charge, calling the plays and directing the team. Coaches are about developing people and getting the very best of them. While quarterbacks make plays, coaches make players.” – Lance Witt

“Your outward circumstances may not change, but you can change the trajectory of your soul. With God’s help, you really can bring your soul back to life.” — Lance Witt