Christian Publisher in Greenville, SC & Belfast, Northern Ireland

A Mother’s Day Book Gift-Guide

This May, in honor of Mother’s Day and the great moms in the world, Ambassador International would like to highlight books written for mothers with its Mother’s Day Gift Guide! The perfect Mother’s Day gift for a mom in your life, and a gift that keeps on giving.

The High Calling of Motherhood (Book and study guide): written for the mom who seeks so much more.

Why Did You Choose Me: a book for the adoptive or foster mom to share with the children of her heart.

Time Out for Tired Moms: a book for the exhausted mom, in need of her own time out and rejuvenation.

The Inconceivable Truth: a book for the woman struggling with the heartbreak of infertility.

The Life She Once Knew: a book for the mother struggling against impossible odds and searching for faith.

52 Conversations to Have With Your Teen: a book for the mother looking to reconnect and grow in her relationship with her teenage children.

Chickening In: a book for the mother searching for a guide to quenching anxiety, fear, and hopelessness, and turning her gaze towards God.

Chronic Love: for the mother struggling to parent and love her children in the midst of chronic illness.

Enough of Me: a study for mothers looking to win in the tug of war between an Instagram-perfect life and the truth of the Bible.

The past year, the world has relied heavily on the capabilities of mothers everywhere, as many women balanced it all, all while striving to still grow in their faith and relationships. This year, give Mom the gift of a good book, a cup of coffee, and a quiet space to enjoy it.

Happy Mother’s Day from Ambassador International.

Social Justice Goes to Church: The New Left in Modern American Evangelicalism | Book Review

Social Justice Goes to Church:
The New Left in Modern American Evangelicalism

(Ambassador International, Belfast, 2020)

Jonathan Harris

Reviewed by Colin R Reeves

The idea¹ of ‘Social Justice’ has been creeping into the evangelical church for some years, although many believers were probably unaware of it. Even many pastors in the UK may not have seen it as a significant threat. But with the rise of ‘Black Lives Matter’ in 2020, we are now saturated with it. Christians are becoming ‘woke’ in the UK², if not yet as much as in the USA. A narrative based on ‘critical theory’ has taken hold, especially in the area of ‘race’ although feminism, LGBT and transgenderism are coming down the tracks.

How did this happen? Jon Harris has studied this phenomenon³ for several years, having come across it while a student at Southeastern Baptist Seminary. There he found lecturers emphasizing categories taken from critical theory: the fundamental idea being to divide people into two groups based on power relationships; you are either a power-less ‘victim’ or a power-full ‘oppressor.’ These categories do not depend on actual sins of oppression, or actual victimization; rather they are based on group identity—black people, women, homosexuals are victims; white people, men, ‘straight’ people are oppressors. On this basis, terms such as ‘systemic racism’, ‘white privilege’, ‘standpoint epistemology’ have become embedded in our culture, and are now making headway in the church⁴. Rather than viewing culture through the lens of biblical categories, ‘woke’ leaders now apply secular categories to the Scriptures.

As a historian, Harris knew that a similar emphasis had arisen in evangelicalism in the 1970s, before apparently fading away. I am old enough to remember when books by Ron Sider and Jim Wallis were popular. Harris shows that it did not go away, and he traces the way in which some in the next generation of evangelicals quietly absorbed the message of social concern as defining the gospel. Moreover, the social action promoted was not the older idea defined by the Lausanne Covenant of 1974, but was taken from critical theory—a blend of the cultural Marxism of the Frankfurt School with post-modernism. More central social concerns of the 1970s, especially abortion, were largely ignored.

One of the key personalities in this ‘progressive’ evangelicalism, besides Sider and Wallis, whose Sojourners magazine carried the post-1970s torch, was Richard Mouw (Fuller Seminary), who sought to provide their ideas with a theological underpinning. Harris provides a clear analysis of his thought and influences. But the revival of progressivism in the early 2000s owes most to Timothy Keller. His book Generous Justice (Penguin, 2012) was a milestone in the introduction of what are now called ‘woke’ ideas into mainstream evangelicalism.

That book has not been without its critics, both for its re-definition of what the Bible means by justice, and for his misuse of a famous sermon by Jonathan Edwards. But Harris’s Appendix, devoted solely to Dr Keller, discusses his influences, starting from the cultural Marxists of the Frankfurt School, and moving on to progressives like Mouw, Sider, Wallis and John Perkins, and post-modern thinkers like Foucault. He then shows Keller’s development through acceptance of systemic injustice and white privilege, documenting this from his sermons. Keller’s big idea all along has been to ground Marxist solutions on a biblical basis; unfortunately the Marxist house is incompatible with the biblical foundation.

Harris reports all this largely without comment—in fact, the book as a whole is dispassionately written; his aim is to describe the different streams of thought that have brought evangelicalism to a state where (apart from a significant movement of the Holy Spirit) a separation of ‘woke’ and ‘unwoke’ leaders and churches is becoming likelier by the week. Harris’s own views on these developments are clear from his video channel, but here he is content to act as the historical reporter and leave the drawing of conclusions to the reader. As such, it is highly recommended to elders and concerned laypeople alike.

I had several reactions of my own, which could fill pages! I will confine them to a few comments on what is exemplified by Tim Keller, since he is the most well-known of these names. He is also one whose writings have benefitted many people (including myself), and I know of people who have been saved by reading The Reason for God or The Prodigal God. But Harris’s “deep dive” into his works has raised some important issues.

Firstly, his fascination with Marxism: according to Harris, Keller believes that Karl Marx was the only “major thinker,” other than God Himself, with a high view of labour. This is astonishing! Marx was a notorious workshy free-loader; surely Dr Keller is aware of the stress laid by both Luther and Calvin on the dignity of work—a view that goes back at least to St Benedict of Nursia in the 6th century, and, of course, to the apostle Paul.

Then there is Keller’s unsettling view of truth is; not as objective, but (with the post-modern thinkers) as a means to power, while agreeing with the idea that has become known as ‘standpoint epistemology’—the notion that certain ‘oppressed’ groups (e.g., black people, homosexuals) have insights into ‘truth’ that oppressors do not. The black preacher Voddie Baucham calls this “ethnic gnosticism.” In theory, Keller does not hold this view himself, rather he argues for Christianity as a third way: progressives and conservatives both have some things right, so Christians need to carry out a sort of triangulation.

But the Frankfurt ideology he admired as a young man keeps surfacing, particularly in his way of understanding Scripture. Thus the “central story of the Old Testament is liberation of slaves from captivity;” while the “storyline of the whole Bible is God’s repeated identification with the wretched, powerless, and marginalized.” Really? How about “God glorifying His Son by redeeming a people for Himself”?

Perhaps the most worrying aspect of Keller’s adoption of critical theoretic categories is his application of them to the work of Christ. He speaks of the Incarnation in ‘Social Justice’ terms: Jesus laid aside his ‘power and privilege’ to suffer ‘oppression’ at the hands of ‘elites’. Using CRT categories and vocabulary is a problem in itself, but he goes on to apply them to the Cross:

through endurance of violence and human injustice he paid the rightful penalty of humanity’s sin to divine justice.

This should sound alarm bells. What is meant by through endurance…? It could be no more than the fact that Jesus was crucified at the hands of men (Acts 2:23). But it sounds as if the human violence and injustice was the instrument whereby the penalty for sin was paid. That injustice, however, was not the rightful penalty for our sins; rather, it was the wrath of God. As Turretin remarks, the sorrow and agony of soul that Jesus felt in Gethsemane was not caused by the fear of what men would do, but the prospect of being made sin for us, of facing God the Father’s “avenging justice” as our substitute. Why invoke power dynamics rather than the traditional biblical categories of atonement?

It is becoming increasingly clear that ‘Social Justice’ is a different religion, and I commend a thoughtful study of Jon Harris’s book as a means to understanding this religion, and how it differs from Christianity.

Learn more about Social Justice Goes to Church.

Notes:
1 There is nothing unbiblical about social justice, as generally understood in the past: applying the norms of biblical justice within society; see the Dallas Statement at https://statementonsocialjustice.com/. ‘Social Justice’ (in quotes, upper case S and J) is used here to denote the secular version based on critical theory.

2 See the report on the AberLite conference in the October 2020 issue of Evangelical Times.

3 See the extensive archive of podcasts at https://www.socialjusticegoestochurch.com/archives/

4 Ben Lindsay’s book We Need to Talk About Race (SPCK, 2019), highly recommended in some quarters, is a prime example of how these unbiblical ideas are getting into evangelicalism.

Spring Reads Coming Your Way!

It’s finally SPRING!

After a long winter and an already- difficult year, spring has finally sprung. And with it – new books for all to read.

Here’s our April book list. We hope everyone can find one, two, or more to add to their “to be read” stack!

Someone Like You

From the pen of Michelle Dykman comes a Young Adult novel about teen pregnancy, choosing life, and redemption.

Candice Hillman is on the precipice of completing her senior year at Bethel Private School. Although her parents are mostly absent from her life after their divorce, Candice finds support in her housekeeper, Mrs. Potter, and her boyfriend Brad. When a night of too much partying leads to a pregnancy, her carefully-constructed world comes crashing down forcing Candice to relook at her life and the choices she makes regarding her baby.

Someone Like You is a heartfelt look at the struggles of teenage pregnancy and takes readers on a journey of acceptance, forgiveness, and the wonders of God’s grace with a little bit of romance thrown in along the way

Sabal Palms and the Southern Squall

From award-winning author, Terry Overton, comes a story of a supernatural squall and those who chose to ride out the storm.

Elaine Smith lived in the small coastal town of Sabal Palms long enough to know when to worry about a squall and when to simply close the windows and wait for it to pass. This one would be significant. It would be significant in terms of damage, but that was to be expected. What no one expected was the profound effect it would have on the lives of people from the Texas coast to New York City. Positive qualities of humanity are often displayed during times of natural disaster.

But a supernatural power had attached to this storm and subsequently worked within the hearts of the most needy, the most lonely, and the most sinister. The lives of four delightful women, a homeless teen, a rebellious son, a grieving lover who is at the bottom, a son who lost his faith, and a hired murderer are all intertwined in the aftereffects of a Category 3 hurricane thanks to a few passages written by one determined woman.

Second Chance at Happiness

From the talented Greta Picklesimer comes a love story about second chances and the power of standing for what is right.

After Catherine Reed’s husband dies in a tragic logging accident, Catherine and her four-year-old daughter, Clair, move home with Clair’s mother and brother in order to accept a new position as the teacher for the town’s one-room schoolhouse. But Catherine carries a dark secret that she hasn’t even shared with her mother. Will she ever find forgiveness?

Samuel Harris has suffered his own loss, losing his wife and unborn child over a year prior. Although he is the town’s preacher, he struggles to trust God, blaming God for allowing him to be absent when his wife died. The guilt has burdened him ever since. But when his old flame Catherine Reed comes back to town, he wonders if they can find healing together.

Catherine believes that anyone who wants to learn should be allowed to learn, but she is quick to find a town divided on that issue. As she and Samuel set out to change people’s minds in a post-Civil War era, they find themselves drawn to each other over and over again. As they join together for the same cause, could they also find a Second Chance at Happiness?

From the desk of Sara A. Jewel flows Solomon’s Concubine, a historical and biblical fiction novel about the women in King Solomon’s harem, and one girl’s journey from ordinary Jewish girl to glorified concubine.

Nalussa is a simple Jewish girl, living with her family in a small town a day’s travel from Solomon’s kingdom. When a strange man meets her one day at the town well, Nalussa suddenly finds herself whisked away from all that she wants and desires to fulfill the lusts of a king she has never met. But one word of outcry can lead to her family’s harm and her own disgrace and removal from society.

While giving in to her new life at Solomon’s palace, Nalussa still holds onto hope that God will rescue her. When the king suddenly dies, the kingdom is in turmoil over who will be king next. Could this be her opportunity to escape? But where will she go, and will anyone want the king’s concubine?

S.A. Jewell looks at life in Solomon’s harem through the eyes of a concubine, taking the reader on a quest through Scripture to see a different side to the king who was given great wisdom and wealth from the one true God. Did Solomon die outside the will of God? And who is the mysterious woman he writes to in Song of Songs?

Amazing Grace: A Novel

From the pen of Malanya M. Donaho…

When Dr. Sam Gray is sent to Africa as a volunteer physician, he is counting down the days until he can go home again. During a trip to the local school to take care of the students, he runs into the Cloverdales, a missionary family determined to win every soul in Africa to Christ. While fun-loving, brightly dressed Esther Cloverdale befriends him from the start, her more serious twin sister, Grace, is not as easily won over by the agnostic doctor. And Dr. Sam is convinced all their father, Thomas, wants to do is convert him.
Try as he might, Dr. Sam can’t seem to resist the family and finds himself being pulled into their midst again and again. As he battles his own beliefs, Dr. Sam begins to find that maybe he’s in need of a Physician as well, but Who will ever be able to heal his hardened heart?
Grace Cloverdale has only one purpose—to serve God. She has determined she will only fall in love with a man who is strong in his faith. So when she meets Dr. Sam Gray, she has no interest in pursuing anything other than a professional relationship. But the more time she spends with him, the harder she finds it to keep her resolve. Will she give in to temptation and fall under the charming doctor’s spell? Or will she remain faithful to her God?
Amazing Grace answers the questions so many people have—what’s so amazing about grace?

Just Who Was St. Patrick?

It’s a question we all ask ourselves on the one day that we’re all Irish. Except for those pesky orange-wearers.

We all wear green and say funny things like “top ‘o the mornin’ to ya!” But have you ever wondered what’s at the root of St. Patrick’s Day? Journey back to the early part of the 5th century, a time we knew little about until the discovery of Saint Patrick’s writings, through the pages of Saint Patrick: The Man & His Mission.

Those writings provide a vivid picture of this faithful man, offering a voice from the distant past, spreading hope and joy. You’ll be amazed to discover the real St. Patrick. And here’s a hint: it has nothing to do with corned beef, cabbage or even leprechauns! Pick up Saint Patrick: The Man & His Mission to learn more about the man and missionary so oft-celebrated yet misunderstood in the modern world.

Fancy a pot o’ gold? The kindle price is even better!

St. Patrick’s Day Book Guide

We’re all Irish this time of year and what better way to celebrate March 17 than with an Irish cookbook or by learning about the man himself– Saint Patrick. This is a special time of year for us at Ambassador International– after all we got our start in Belfast more than four decades ago. Here are some books perfect for helping you celebrate our Irish heritage:

Shamrock and Peach: A Culinary Journey From the North of Ireland to the American South

The Shamrock and Peach is a unique book in many ways.

It is a cookbook that explores the best of Ulster-Scots cuisine but is also the tale of an immigrant’s journey, following in the footsteps of those Scots-Irish settlers who forged the trails of Appalachia years ago.

It is a story of the many cultural overlaps that exist between the North of Ireland and the Deep South, celebrating those cultural expressions through the language of really good food.

The first half of The Shamrock and Peach is set in the green fields of Ireland and from there we cross the ocean to the American South to discover some wonderful food experiences that have their roots in the Emerald Isle.

Filled with beautiful photographs of both regions, The Shamrock and Peach will be a fun and interesting resource to browse through and use in your kitchen for years to come.

Saint Patrick: The Man and His Mission

Saint Patrick: The Man and His Mission will take you on a journey back to the early part of the 5th century. Little information exists regarding life and conditions prior to that time in the land named Hibernia – the island lay on the edge of the known world beyond the fringe of the Roman Empire. It took the mission of the man we call Saint Patrick and the discovery of his writings to see the beginning of any real history of Ireland. More important still is the fact that these writings provide such a vivid picture of Patrick himself that the force of his personality and the fervor of his faith still live today. Here then is a voice from the distant past! Not a faltering voice or a melancholy voice but a voice full of certainty and hope and joy. The voice of a man in touch with God.

A Little Irish Love Story

Set in post World War II Ireland, this retelling of the Biblical story of Ruth is an incredible love story . . . with a twist.

Elderly Sarah returns to her hometown of Adare, Ireland, with her daughter-in-law, Anna. The suffering that World War II brought them was unimaginable, but they still have each other. With all their loved ones killed in the war, the two women have nothing but a hope that one distant relative will help them. Will this new beginning bring the healing that both of them have prayed for?

With heart-pounding suspense, romance, and mystery tied up in one, A Little Irish Love Story contains unforgettable, human characters that bring humor and sweetness to the sweeping Irish backdrop.

Follow along as incredible moments of passionate faith are gleaned from the pages and a heroic young woman finds the truth about her life—that she is loved beyond what she could have ever imagined.

Ireland to the Wild West: A True Story of Romance, Faith, Tragedy, and Hope

Born in 1846 in Ireland at the start of the “Great Hunger,” James Kinnier Wilson emigrated to Philadelphia to start a new life at seventeen years old.

After his life took a dramatic turn, he found himself attending Princeton and then a college in Scotland, where he met Agnes Hately, the talented daughter of a famous figure in the Scottish “Disruption”-the emergence of the Free Church of Scotland.

Agnes and James, now newlyweds, crossed the dangerous Atlantic and settled in rural New Jersey. While there, Agnes wrote intimate letters home about her children, the people around her, the church, and the dangers of endemic disease.

Called in 1878 to the Wild West to found churches and to farm, Agnes again revealed in detail the conditions of her life on the frontier and her impressions of American women, cowboys, servant girls, church-goers, and provides some never before seen detail to what is called the “Last Indian Raid in Kansas.”

In Ireland to the Wild West, Marcus Paul uses these letters penned by Agnes to take readers on a journey through Agnes and James’ engagement, marriage, dangerous travels, and their arrival and life in America.

Through her letters, a treasure trove for historians, readers will gain a unique insight to that time period and will find an engrossing and inspiring story of romance, faith, tragedy, and hope.

A Shiver of Wonder: A Life of C. S. Lewis

He was an intellectual prig who was transformed into a man who had a mind and heart awake to holiness. He had no posterity, but few men in history have been so deeply loved by children. He was but a mirror reflecting another Face.

He was an Oxford Don and a Cambridge Professor. He was an expert in Medieval and Renaissance English who gripped the imagination of millions through his wartime broadcasts of Christian truth for the BBC—broadcasts that later became his famous book, Mere Christianity.

He was C. S. Lewis, a name synonymous with legendary kindness, intellectual rigour, a love of nature and perhaps his greatest creation, Aslan and the land of Narnia. His writings still compel countless readers to shiver with wonder at the great imagination and depth of understanding he possessed. Controversial genius that he was, his life is a beacon for all who struggle with doubt and faith in Christ.

The Titanic’s Last Hero: A Startling True Story That Can Change Your Life Forever

The Inspiring Love Story That Will Change Your Life

Over one hundred years ago, an “unsinkable” luxury liner sank on its maiden voyage. More than 1,500 men, women, and children tragically lost their lives after the RMS Titanic struck an iceberg on the night of April 14, 1912.

Shockingly, many who perished had refused to board the lifeboats at first, believing the ship as truly indestructible and would not sink!

From that dark disaster shines an inspirational love story—the true story of one man’s great love for his Savior and for humankind. This is the story of John Harper, the Titanic’s last hero, who set his only child in a lifeboat before setting his sights on the salvation of the lost souls around him.

Re-live John Harper’s last hours as the ship took on water and passengers swarmed the decks. “Let the women, children, and the unsaved into the lifeboats!” was Harper’s cry.

Discover, through the testimonies of those who knew him, what inspired this man to go down with the ship and flounder in icy waters under a starry sky as he searched for doomed souls who needed his message of love and salvation.

The Titanic’s Last Hero presents a hero whose courageous story you will never forget.

Favorite Flavors of Ireland

Favorite Flavors of Ireland invites readers, cooks, and armchair travelers alike on a nostalgic tour of one of Europe’s most beloved destinations. From her first visit in 1984, Margaret Johnson has forged an indelible bond with Ireland and Irish food, and she shares this unique relationship with you in her eleventh cookbook. You’ll find recipes that have become her favorites along with a few recent discoveries that are sure to please. The book brings home all the classics—Shepherd’s Pie, Bacon and Cabbage, Seafood Chowder, Bread and Butter Pudding—and provides an insightful look into the seasonal ingredients that shape the country’s cooking. With over 100 recipes and evocative photos that transport you to the Irish countryside, this colorful collection will awaken your senses to the delicious food of this warm and welcoming land and keep those Irish eyes smilin’ all through the year.

We’re Bringing Home the Medals – Illumination Book Awards

Who wants to be a medalist-reader? Who is fascinated by award-winning books?! We LOVE it when our authors become award-winning authors! Ambassador International is thrilled to announce that three of our authors medaled in the 2022 Illumination Book Awards!

𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗨𝗟𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲!

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘉𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘵 by Christine Paxson and Rose Spiller received 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘇𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗼𝗿𝘆!

𝘓𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘰𝘰𝘳 𝘐𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 by Judy DuCharme received 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘇𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗱𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗙𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗼𝗿𝘆!

𝘍𝘰𝘰𝘭’𝘴 𝘓𝘶𝘤𝘬 by Dave Milbrandt received 𝗦𝗶𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆/𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗼𝗿𝘆!

Want to hear more from these authors? Each author has an author interview with our publicity director and these episodes are on both Facebook and YouTube!

In today’s climate, Christian media has the double uphill climb of carving out a niche and reaching their audience. Our readers’ support of Ambassador International and its authors include reading our books, leaving reviews, recommending our books, and following our authors. THANK YOU for all you do. If you would like to pick up one of our award-winning books, please do and leave a review! We appreciate you partnering with us as we spread God’s Word and Christian books to a dying world!

{image source: unsplash}

The Golden Rule

February. The month of love. But what is LOVE?

Valentines Day is right around the corner and shops are filled with heart designs, shades of red and pink, chocolates, and of course, roses! During this season of celebration, we often celebrate the love of our spouse, our children, a friend, or a special family member. This is wonderful, but do we ever stop to celebrate the love of our Heavenly Father? And although it is good to take time to show our appreciation to those whom we love, are we showing this love to them year-round, and are we showing the love of Christ to even those whom we don’t hold in high regard?

Matthew 7:12 tells us, “’So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.’”

This sums up the second half of the Ten Commandments as well, love others. In order to be a true reflection of Jesus, we have to love everyone… whether we like them or not! And how do we do this? By doing unto them what we would want done to us in return.

Dan Crabtree, a pastor at Immanuel Bible Church, examines what it would look like if we, as the church, stepped outside of our comfort zones and showed the love and unity of God to those around us in his new book, A House Without Walls.

He specifically examines and attempts to realign discussions about race under the Lordship of Jesus Christ and focus on Biblical understanding and applications. How can the church show the love of Jesus to the world if they are divided by ethnic and social division? The answer is, they can’t.

“There must be a better way to talk about race in the Church! Shouldn’t we be able to find a path forward that doesn’t lead to fracturing parties and mass migrations from the Bride of Christ? Recent, divisive conversations about race have revealed a deep ideological fault line underneath the Evangelical surface. Where did that chasm come from , and how can it be bridged? Shouldn’t the one household of faith, the pillar and buttress of the truth, the Church of the Living God, be able to maintain some semblance of unity even in a dark and divisive world? How might God bring His diverse people together as one?”

“The Bible’s answer to ethnic division in the Church is surprisingly simple and not at all what the world would tell us. Here it is: The church is united by Jesus.”

“Rather than giving demands or ultimatums to our brothers and sisters in the Church, let’s surpass one another in service. Paul says, “Outdo one another in showing honor” (Rom. 12:10). Instead of outlining the ways your fellow believers need to behave, try to find out what they need and how you can meet that need. It may be as easy as asking, “How can I serve you this week?” Or it may require a little more digging. If we excel still more in service over demands, we will emulate the heart of our Savior, Who came not to be served but to serve (Matt. 20:28). And in so doing, our unity in Christ will blossom into maturity.”

One of the best ways to love one another and obey the golden rule is by serving each other, by putting someone else before ourselves. Love is an action, and it is a choice. We can choose to put our love into action by serving one another daily.

In Kanat Yesmagambetov’s book, What’s Wrong with Western Missions?, he looks at (and addresses) some of the biggest issues that are keeping the Gospel from spreading in many nations.

Although there are many well-intentioned methods to spreading the Gospel and the love of our heavenly Father, they are often ineffective for various reasons. One thing in particular that Kanat examines is, what part does the Golden Rule play in sharing God’s Word.

Kanat begins by examining Luke 10:25-37 where an expert of the law seeks to test Jesus.

Kanat breaks down what is happening and how Jesus responded by pointing out that the lawyer came to Jesus “with a question, and Jesus, as usual, answers the question with a question. The lawyer gives an answer, and the Lord praises him. Not many people, including the disciples, could get a similar assessment. However, the lawyer asks another question, “And who is my neighbor?” This is the crucial question in the passage. It is not by accident that the lawyer asks this particular question.

The fact is that the phrase “love your neighbor as yourself” is taken from Leviticus chapter nineteen. We open the original source and see that this is the second part of the phrase, which reads in full, “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD” (Lev. 19:18).

Studying the passages, we come to one conclusion: the neighbor is an Israelite. When speaking with the lawyer, Jesus expands the boundaries of the Pentateuch. If we additionally refer to Paul’s letter to the Colossians, we see that the New Testament erases religious, national, cultural, and social boundaries. But despite all this, the question “Who is my neighbor?” remains relevant to this day. Theologically, love has no limits. Practically, the borders of love can be fenced with barbed wire and guarded by dogs.”

How true this is! It is so easy to say the words, “I love you.” But to live them out is much harder. We have to choose to love our neighbor as ourselves! And who is our neighbor? Everyone is! Either they are our brothers and sisters in Christ, or they are in need of the saving knowledge of Jesus, Christ. We are to be the example of God’s love to everyone.

Without Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, there can be no mercy… and no ultimate act of love. Desiré Grogan demonstrates this as she takes the average, everyday believer and walks them through the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. In her new publication, Revelations from the Revelation of Jesus Christ, Desiré sets out to empower the believer in the pew with the most accessible tool to navigate and understand this last Book of Scripture, and that tool is the Bible itself!

Although many don’t see this final Book of the Bible as a love letter from God, it truly is.

When you love someone, you tell them and prepare them of what is to come. God gives wisdom and discernment… if we only ask and seek Him. There are many ways to love someone, and Desiré demonstrates this by pointing out how Jesus’ time here on earth and death on the cross was Him showing/bearing witness to His love for us and His dedication and love for The Father.

“The witness that secured His death was His witness to His heavenly Father and, more precisely, to the truth that He and the Father are One (John 10:30; cf. 8:58). As a testimony to Jesus’ singular qualification as the Father’s Witness, John begins his Gospel by affirming that “No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known” (John 1:18). Jesus Himself confirmed that He was the Witness to His Father by what He spoke:

For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say (John 12:49-50).

In addition to saying everything His Father told Him to say, Jesus was the Witness to His Father by what He did:

Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself; He can do only what He sees His Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does” (John 5:19).

The biblical record also affirms that Jesus witnessed a good confession before Pontius Pilate (1 Tim 6:13; cf. John 18:36-37) and was obedient in fulfilling His Father’s plan of salvation, even to His death on the Cross (Phil 2:8). Jesus articulated the voluntary part of His sacrifice as being part and parcel of His witness and submission to His Father’s will:

The reason my Father loves Me is that I lay down My life – only to take it up again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father (John 10:17-18).

Jesus, therefore, consummated the legacy of the prophets who preceded Him; who, as witnesses, received, proclaimed, and typified the revelations entrusted to them. Jesus, however, holds the singular distinction of being ‘The Witness,’ for unlike His predecessors, He personified, declared, revealed, and fulfilled His Father’s will.”

There is no greater act of love than sacrificing oneself for another (John 15:13). This is what Jesus did when He came to this earth, lived a sinless life, and sacrificed Himself on the cross for us. He loved us more than He loved even His own life, and He loved His Father by being obedient. Jesus demonstrated the ultimate act of love and demonstration of The Golden Rule through His death and resurrection.

Part of loving someone greater than yourself is the ability and choice to forgive them when they wrong you, it is the ability to let go of the past… even if it isn’t yours.

Sarah Marin Byrd’s newest fiction release, Shackled to My Father’s Sins, examines this idea of being bound to the sins of a father and whether one can truly escape. In this sequel to In the Coal Mine Shadows, Sarah follows the life of nineteen-year-old Katherine Paddington. She is finally able to see an end to her own misery when her Uncle Ben is jailed for the murder of his brother. In this sequel, Katherine knows she must start a new life after her Grandmother Mame and Grandfather Clint pass away, but will the coal mine shadows of her past control her future away from the hills of West Virginia? Will Katherine succeed in making a new life for herself in North Carolina, away from the lies and deceit of her forefathers? Or, will the sins of yesteryear haunt her and her cousin Benny forever?

“On the hill behind the homeplace where Mary Margaret Blackwell, “Mame,” lay six feet under the cold, black coal, there were no angry rumblings under the earth, no headstones shaking. Finally, there was true peace. The dark-haired son had forgiven his mama, a mother that had never hugged or cuddled him. A mother who never spoke the words, “I love you.” For the first time in his life, Ben Paddington felt a peace he’d never experienced.”

“Love each other as I have loved you” (John 15:12).

Cozy, Winter Reads!

Book that belong on your bookshelf and your February reading list!

We’ve all heard of a runaway bride, but what about a kidnapped bride? Love’s Lost Star combines romance suspense and intrigue in a rosy-wrapped package. The perfect Valentine’s Day month read for the novel-lover! The author, Caitlin M. Smith, is also featured on Suspense Sisters.

Cece Burbin thought she knew what love was: people using and
discarding you. “Beauty doesn’t make someone love you. What did it have to do with real
life? It was a lie—the master tool of manipulation. It tricked women into an illusion of safety
and secured their loyalty while the man did whatever he pleased. Soon, the woman hated
the man, and everything fell apart.” Love, to Cece, was a fleeting mirage.

The world is searching for answers right now, and sometimes finding answers that us away from the omniscience of God. Genesis of Original Intent takes Christians back to the beginning and God’s plan for humanity.

Genesis of Original Intent encourages Christians to align themselves with God’s Word and His plan for their lives, while reminding the individual of how we all play a part in the greater Body of Christ. “It was always about relationship; it was never about religious icons or empty rituals, or even about belonging to a religious organization. It is not about lighting candles or wearing crosses as jewelry. It is about belonging to a Person—the Person of Jesus Christ.

The Great Comission leaves some Christians terrified – afraid of social discrimination or censure. The Ministry of The Unveiled Face lifts the veil from the Christian’s calling and presents it in understandable terminology.

The Ministry of the Unveiled Face grounds believers in the simple act of sharing Christ every single day. The meekness of the calling lies in the Christian being responsive and obedient to God’s prompting as he interacts with others.

In an era of aching hearts and minds, when all hope feels lost, there are books to draw us closer to God. For The Display of His Splendor is a book for such a time as this.

Professor Amilliah Kenya wrote For the Display of His Splendor for the generation that struggles with anxiety, depression, and emotional exhaustion. Christians are struggling in this world. Fear, anxiety, depression, and emotional trauma grip even the strongest souls. It’s easy to wonder where God is, and why He placed people in this world during this time.

In times of suffering and hardships, Christians look to heroes of the faith in reverence. But in reality, they were just humans, flawed as we are. David: The Godly Heart of A Sinful Man dives into the mystery of King David, the man after God’s own heart, yet famous for his sins. Christians everywhere will be challenged and convicted by this account.

Science Fiction is a popular genre of entertainment, but Christians need to use discernment when engaging in it. Enter Conflicted Man, a sci fi adventure about a man on quest for the truth; he ends up finding the one, true Truth along the way. Christians looking for an entertaining, convicting read will find this book checks the boxes for them!

Looking for a pastor’s quiet reflection about his days of ministry in rural Alaska? Northern Roads is all that and more. The perfect winter reading book for your bookshelf.

Whatever books you are looking for, and in whatever format, Ambassasdor International has the books for you! Our hope and prayer this month is that you experience the love of Christ and read GREAT books that point your heart towards him.

New Year’s Hope

A New Hope

As we welcome in the new year, I find myself reflecting over the tumultuous past year. Although this past year was filled with many challenges, it was also filled with many blessings. It is important for us not to become so distracted by the difficulties that life can bring that we forget to acknowledge and thank God for the favor He shows us in the midst of a struggle. One word that has continued to speak to me and come up this past year has been the word “hope.” It can be so easy to lose hope in the midst of a trial or challenging circumstance, but the Bible tells us in Romans 5:3-5 that “we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.”

In our own ability and strength, we are not able to say or see this.

When we place our hope and trust in the things of this world, whenever something happens to upset us, we will not be able to maintain a joyful spirit and keep on hoping. But thank you, Jesus, that our hope is not found in this world or what it has to offer! Romans 15:13 says, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” God is our hope. He fills us with His own strength so that even when everything around us may be changing or even falling apart, we can have comfort, peace, joy, and hope in knowing that He will see us through. It’s like the lyrics in the song Hope Has a Name by River Valley Worship say, “Hope has a name, His name is Jesus. My Savior’s cross has set the sinner free. Hope has a name, His name is Jesus. Oh, Christ be praised, I have victory.”

Hopelessly Hopeful

Our difficult situations may differ. For some, it may be dealing with the death of a loved one. While for others it may be dealing with severance in a marriage. Both are types of separation; however, one is a choice, and one is not. Sometimes, someone choosing to leave is harder than if they had passed on. Dr. Mollie Bond explores the idea of resting in God and seeking His path while in the waiting period of separation within her new book, Hopelessly Hopeful During Separation: 28 Daily Devotionals of Hope for Those Experiencing Marital Separation. It can be difficult knowing what to do. Should you reconcile or seek to go your separate ways? Instead of bombarding readers with opinions or condemnation, this book speaks words of hope and encouragement to the hurting heart with no judgment.

Dr. Mollie Bond describes her own personal experience within the opening pages of Hopelessly Hopeful During Separation, “I was separating, long-term. The flight attendant called my name. I walked on the plane, holding in tears, as I passed my nurse friend who just smiled at me. I was on my way to a new start. Still, I wonder today, what if someone had told me in the prior months that there was hope for even me? That my life didn’t have to be like this? That God was close and that He cared? I knew I was bitter, but I just couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. There was no exit until I saw that nurse’s smile… a bit of hope. And that’s what I offer to you. A bit of hope, a smile when it seems like your life will never change.”

“My prayer echoes Psalm 20, especially the verses for today. When your heart bleeds, I pray He finds and heals the crack. I pray your church supports you or that you find a good group of people to support you.I pray God saves you and that He shows you that He’s got you, that there’s nothing to fear. We trust in God, and that’s good enough.”

Hope Amid the Pain

Sometimes, our circumstances are outside of our control and are not our choice or even the choice of another, they just are. Leslie McKee expounds upon this fact of life and how it pertains to the effects of dealing with chronic illness and how to continue to remain hopeful in her book, Hope Amid the Pain: Hanging on to Positive Expectations when Battling Chronic Pain and Illness. One of the biggest struggles faced by those experiencing chronic illness or pain is the feeling of being alone in their circumstances. We want to know that we are not alone. Within the pages of her book, Leslie seeks to show readers that they are not alone and show how it is possible to “Hang On to Positive Expectations (HOPE) even [in the midst of] the pain.”

“God promises to use all things for His good. For those living with chronic pain and illness, it could be hard to believe that’s true. But He sees the big picture. He offers hope for those who feel hopeless, comfort in times of trouble, courage to squash fears, and strength to take that next step.”

“Life is full of choices. You can choose to be unhappy with your situation, or you can grab on to hope and live the best life possible. It’s impossible to change the past, and you have little influence over the reactions of others. When you are living with chronic pain and illness, your life may often seem out of control. There will be some things you can do nothing about, no matter how hard you try. However, you can always control your attitude and perspective.”

“It’s easy to focus on how things didn’t go as planned and to get depressed. That’s a natural response to grief and loss, particularly in response to chronic pain and illness. However, Philippians 1:6 is a wonderful reminder that while you may not be where you want to be or thought you’d be, God’s not finished with you yet. You can be confident that God has begun a good work in you, and He will perform it until the day Jesus returns. Life may not be as you envisioned, but you can be certain that God has a plan for you. Be thankful for what you can do and have done instead of focusing on what you can’t do or haven’t done. Abide in the Lord daily. Like the Philippians, you are a work in progress – God’s beautiful creation. Nothing, not even chronic pain, and illness can change that.”

“Your plans may have changed as a result of chronic pain and illness, His calling on your life has not. As God’s children, we have no reason to settle for anything less than God’s best for our lives. Years of struggling with chronic pain and illness can take a toll on a person’s mind, body, and spirit. However, God is the Source of all hope. It’s never too late to begin expecting His goodness in your life. You are valuable and precious to Him. There’s no need to settle for anything less.”

Whether we are facing chronic pain and illness or not, these words are true for all of us. God is the Source for our hope and nothing (and no one) can take His place in our lives. We need to stand strong is His truth (the Bible) and His faithful promises over us.

Destination Hope

We face many struggles within the journey of life. Marilyn Nutter and April White discuss not only the difficulties of separation from a spouse (through widowhood), but they also discuss the struggle of dealing with chronic illness and pain in Destination Hope: A Travel Companion When Life Falls Apart. Marilyn and April seek to encourage their readers to see loss and hardship as part of life’s journey that defines us, and they remind us to continue to look to our Saviour, Jesus, Who is the provider of all Hope. This is our destination, our resting place, and the only place that hope can truly be found.

In life, we often “travel to unexpected places and live in plans we didn’t make or anticipate. Perhaps we temporarily visited those places and are now on another itinerary. Some find support to manage living in the new location, others find resolution and move on. Still, others struggle and wonder where and when the new road will emerge. Expectations continue to be unmet. For some, however, the unexpected place is permanent. There is no opportunity to leave or fix your loss. It’s not easy. The partly cloudy weather report is the daily forecast.

We all meet itinerary changes. Life seasons bring changes, but some are permanently life-altering. They are accompanied by lifestyle adjustments, changes in relationships, and perhaps, a struggle with identity. Emotions rise and fall, new challenges surface, and loss is present. Like wearing a lanyard for a group tour, loss can mark us and become our identity if we allow it.

In our journeys, we don’t deny where we are. We need to mourn our loss – our disappointments of where we were and wanted to be – but we can learn and grow. We can reach for hope and find our “Holland” [path we didn’t choose for ourselves] may offer something we would have never otherwise seen.”

Although we are not alone and many of us are facing the same (or very similar) storms, “we are not all in the same boat.” What we are going through, or the way things happen to us, may vary. So, what does this look like? “What is the name of your boat? Perhaps your boat has several names. Marilyn, a widow at retirement with grown children, understands grief and the loss of her husband. But her situation is different from a young widow with littles at home. A person who has lost her job and needs to relocate for work has a different boat compared to someone who finds a job locally. Playing financial catch-up from a falling stock market is different at age thirty than age sixty. Each different boat, however, whittles down to grieving over the loss of our former familiar life. The storm is not one size fits all. Losses vary in magnitude from person to person. When and how they occur in our life affects our perspectives. Even family members who experience the same loss, such as the death of a loved one, are impacted in different ways.” But we can be encouraged, because “whatever storm we endure, we can have hope.”

If you are hurting or finding it hard to press on and maintain hope in this journey we call life, I encourage you to read these books on finding hope in the midst of the storm. God did not promise us a life without pain or challenges if we follow Him, but He did promise to be there right beside us in every step of the way.

Stand strong, be of great faith, and continue to hope in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, as we welcome in the coming year. I pray this year will be a year filled with rest and Hope in the promises of God.

Happy New Year from our team here at Ambassador.

Ambassador International Books

Get Published

About Ambassador