Unleashed Book Club: Chapter 7

Welcome to the Unleashed Book Club! We're reading Unleashed, by Sonja Corbitt.

Many times, I've picked up a book and had the experience that I was meant to read it. In recent years, as I've been writing reviews and participating in online book clubs that have me writing about books as I read them, I have that feeling amplified as I find myself faced with a chapter or an excerpt that screams my name.

God knows that it takes a two-by-four to get my attention. (And that's on a good day.)

As I wandered through Unleashed, I found myself nodding in parts and wondering why the heck I was bothering in others. I was entertained and annoyed, inspired and intimidated, cajoled and stuck.

And then I read Chapter 7. My chapter to write about. The chapter written for me.

Enter two-by-four.

I was raised to love scripture, and it's been on me for a while that, well, I've not been reading enough scripture or sharing enough (read as: any) of my love and knowledge of scripture with my kids. Oh, I can give you a list of excuses, reasons, and alphabetized tasks. I can make a case that would stand up to any criticism...except the criticism of my heart.

Because I know. I know the power of stories. I know the capital-T Truth in that library of books of the Bible. I know that God speaks through his Word.

I know.

But I'm not acting like I know.

In this chapter, Corbitt reminded me, in a very practical and smack-your-face way, that I know better.

She also highlighted, in a tangible tattoo-it-on-my-forehead-so-I-don't-forget way, the importance of silence. Not quiet, mind you, but silence:

Only silence produces the quality of listening. Did you know that silent and listen are the same word with the letters in a different order? We live in a world polluted with noise. We pollute our own homes and lives with noise. How will we ever hear God speak if we cannot be silent?

I need to spend the time with God's Word so that I can really hear him. I need to still myself and let him be the sound. I need to open myself to listening, so that I can want what he wants and pursue the holiness I know he has in mind for me.

To Ponder, Reflect, and Discuss:

How can you begin spending time with scripture today? Take your first small step, and make a plan so that you can keep going!
What's keeping you from spending time with God's Word each day?
When can you share scripture with your family? Who can you ask to help you, if you don't feel confident?

Feel free to comment on your own thoughts from this week's reading, your impressions and reflections, and/or your answers to these questions.

Next week, we'll cover Chapter 8. For the complete reading schedule and information about our Book Club, visit the Unleashed Book Club page.