Book Review: The 5 Love Languages
So I began reading The 5 Love Languages for the second time. The first time I read it I
was single and knew everything. This second time I am 8.5yrs married and know nothing.
I really enjoyed the updated version of this book. Gary Chapman is a clear communicator and the chapters semed to flow quickly. I finished the book on my third night of reading it. As far as the love languages go I’m still the same as I was when I was single but the other four love languages jumped out at me as I started to think about where I would place the various members of my family and those closest to me.
Here’s a rundown of the five love languages:
Words of affirmation–Actions don’t always speak louder than words. If this is your love language, unsolicited compliments mean the world to you. Hearing the reasons why someone loves you sends your spirits skyward.
Quality Time–In the language of quality time, nothing says “I love you” like full, undivided attention. Really being there, with the TV off and all chores on standby, makes your significant other feel truly special and loved.
Receiving Gifts–Don’t mistake this love language for materialism; the receiver of gifts thrives on the love, thoughtfulness, and effort behind the gift.
Acts of Service–Can vacuuming floors really be an expression of love? Absolutely! Anything you do to ease the burden of responsibilities weighing on an acts of service person speaks volumes.
Physical Touch– Hugs, pats on the back, holding hands, and thoughtful touches on the arm, shoulder, or face can all be ways to show excitement, care and love to a person whose primary love language is physical touch.
This book is must read, however, the exercises in the book are a “must-do.” It’s one thing to read a book and agree or disagre with it. What I would suggest is that you use the exercises in this book over the course of the next six months to a year in you life and see what happens.
My only complaint about the book having such a world-wide audience is that it is still very American.
“Available now at your favourite bookseller”
Littleton School Remains Closed After Two Teens Shot
(Littleton, CO) — A Colorado school not far from the infamous Columbine High School massacre will remain closed today after a drifter shot two students.
Teenagers Matt Thieu and Reagan Weber were shot as they were leaving Littleton’s Deer Creek Middle School for the day.
Thieu and Weber were taken to Littleton Adventist Hospital but Thieu was transferred to Children’s Hospital, where he was in critical condition Tuesday night.
Officials say Weber was released from Adventist Tuesday night.
Nearby Stony Creek Elementary School will also be closed.
The campus is just four miles from the site of where 12 students and one teacher were gunned down in a…
Tom Brokaw Explains Canada To Americans
Tom Brokaw explains Canada to Americans during an NBC Vancouver 2010 Olympic broadcast with Al Michaels.
To Save A Life – Advance Sceenings for Youth Workers!
TO SAVE A LIFE is a powerful movie about the real-life challenges of teens and their choices. But it’s more than just a movie-it’s a feature-length film with follow-up opportunities. At some point, every teen has to decide: “What’s my life going to be about?” To Save a Life dares to bring that question into their world…,encouraging them to answer it with boldness, honesty and integrity.
Advance screenings for youth workers will take place in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton the week of February 22nd. Please email info@tosavealifemovie.ca if you would like to attend.
Canadian Show Times: http://www.tosavealifemovie.ca
Movie website: http://www.tosavealifemovie.com
Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/tosavealife
The Search for God and Guinness by Stephen Mansfield: Book Review
by Adam Clarke
Note: Disclosure of Material Connection: This book was received free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program.
To be honest, when I saw The Search for God and Guinness on Thomas Nelson’s Book Sneeze program, I was a little skeptical. I had no idea the social impact that the Guinness family had on society, nor did I know the strong moral code their company would portray to, first, the people of Dublin and eventually, the world. I thought the title was very fitting for the book as it is a strong historical look at the family, the role God played in their lives, and Mansfield’s own search for answers.
What I found unique about this historical look at Arthur Guinness and the Guinness family is the strong teaching of influence and good actions, along with a strong calling from God that goes beyond family: it impacts society as a whole. They knew they had the means to help Dublin, so they put their wealth to work by improving Dublin, its people, and its image.
However, my favorite “sticking point” of the story is the role of apprenticeship. You see that through the Guinness’ line, great men didn’t just happen. They were given the support, trust, knowledge, and experience of the older generation, so that they could excel and continue the good work God had blessed them with. They exemplify what many fathers today are attempting to do – teach their children quality lessons. The only problem is many times fathers today forget the key component of time and energy. The Guinness men had plenty of patience to pass on these traits.
I did find the book very difficult to focus on at times. It came across as a history text, more often than not. As one with a history major, I loved the historical lineage and facts about the Guinness clan, but if there is no historical interest in the reader’s hearth, this could be a tough book to make it through.
Think Youth Ministry Celebrates 1st Year!
ThinkYouthMinistry.ca is about to celebrate our first birthday in a few weeks.
This has been a great first year and we have you our readers to thank and our contributing bloggers to for their contribution.
Here’s a brief look back at our first year:
Books Reviewed: 19
Total Visitors: 6,093
Busiest day: 211 — Revealed: Hip 2B Holy
BIG NEWS is coming about ThinkYouthMinistry.ca that will begin to shift the landscape of youth ministry for youth workers.
Twilight Phenomenon: Book Review
by Adam Clarke
Kurt Bruner, in his work Twilight Phenomenon, does three things absolutely well:
[1] Expresses the true power of story on the readersʼ lives,
[2] illuminates the myths of both stories and vampires, and finally,
[3] allows the readers to see the greater good that comes from knowing the content of the Twilight series.
The power of art over argument – it worked for Dickens and child labour, it worked forBambi and the decline of hunting, so what is the power of this mega-hit?
Edward had always thought he belonged to the world of horror stories. Of course, Iʼd known he was dead wrong. It was obvious that he belonged here. In a fairy tale. – Bella
Stories are made to transform, encourage and challenge us. It is obvious that Bruner does not want that to leave the readerʼs mind as they work through Twilight. He points out three key spiritual concepts that Twilight raises:
[1] What it means to be human,
[2] the nature of the soul, and
[3] how romantic love inspires us towards our ultimate destiny.
The power of story for Bruner is found in connection with spiritual formation, which takes imagination, “Boys, girls, men, and women alike love stories because we are all hungry to connect with reality.” The power found in fictional realities is what brings us face-to-face with our own realities we experience everyday, the realities that we want to run away from, and the ones we would like to forget, but the power of story is what can provide answers.
The history of the vampire within the book is quite helpful and complete. It allows the reader to see the formation of the myth as well as the literary history of the character. The turn made by the author to point the reader toward the connections between the myths that make up vampires, and the truth that is spoken from the Bible about Satan, is incredible. There is a breakdown used, to show the nature of Satan and the myths that make up vampire methodology, that will prove how sinister a true villain really is.
The connections drawn to the Twilight series are done in completion, often citing the exact location of his findings which allows the reader to draw on his conclusions and also allows for the reader to form their own thoughts on the subject. In providing the reader with both positive and negatives about the qualities found within the characters, it allows for those both for and against Twilight to see both sides. The immaturity of the love portrayed, contrasted with the virtues illuminated through Edward, is only an example of the complete functionality of this literary critic.
Bruner is quick to point out that stories only have influence if we look at the authorʼs underlying assumption, as their spiritual agenda is often leaked out through their pen – whether they mean to or not. Thus, we need to be aware of the lenses that we, as readers, look at the story. The story is shaped by our experiences and influences, which is how we discern what is good or evil. When we become aware of these two filters, we can answer the three questions that Bruner wants his reader to focus on:
[1] What are we made for?
[2] What is wrong with our world?
[3] How will it be made right?
These are the questions he seeks out and provides the answers for. It is these three questions and the power of the complete story that makes Twilight relevant to anyone working with youth. How are the words shaping the worldview of those in our midst? What are the experiences that draw them to these stories? Ultimately, this book will allow youth to come face-to-face with many questions they may have about their faith and worldview. The complete breakdown of this process, done by the author, makes this book worth the read and purchase, as with two movies left to go this phenomenon, it is going nowhere fast.
