He is Risen!

We just got home from my favorite church service of all time: Easter Vigil. It is at one such service at Sacred Heart in Alamosa that I was confirmed. Maybe that has something to do with why I love it so much.

Everyone crowds into the silent and darkened church up to an hour before the service is set to begin. It is dark because it is at this time that we continue to commemorate the death of Christ. There's just something remarkable about the stillness and then the increasing glow of light as we all pass our candle flames from one to one another. The lights once turned on in celebration of Christ conquering the grave seem to burn brighter after so long of sitting in darkness. The whole evening is a love song to Christ.

This obviously was not my first Easter Vigil service but it was my first time having properly observed the Lenten season. As you all who follow my blog know, I chose to give up literature for Lent. I replaced this pleasure reading with reading that would grow me spiritually. The ten books that I chose, I chose by complete accident. In fact they were all library books and I chose them based on their availability. I did however end up with a good variety and some very wonderfully insightful books.  I have blogged on each one and if you want to go back and re-read my reviews go on ahead. I will though recap these great books. Just as the darkened room gradually grown to be fully illuminated by nothing but the tiny candles, so these books ignited a thirst in me to no longer live in silent acceptance of my faith but rather active and continual worship; love for my neighbor and my enemy. What began as a simple idea has truly changed my life. Thank you to all who went on this journey with me!



1) Jesus: The Greatest Life of All by Charles Swindoll

• This book explained the cultural norms of the time of Christ.

2) Thirsting for God: The Spiritual Lessons of Mother Teresa

• Probably the single best picture of the love we are called to give to everyone as Christians.

3) God's Story, Your Story: When His Becomes Yours by Max Lucado

• A hopeful book about God's will for your life

4) Great Day Every Day by Max Lucado

• Another powerful Max Lucado book this time showing how to navigate through lifes every day challenges and being able to praise the Lord through anything.

5) Love and Respect by Emerson Eggerichs

• A in depth discussion on Ephesians 5 offering couples insight into what their partner desires most Love for the women and Respect for the men.

6) Too Busy Not To Pray: Slowing Down to Be With God by Bill Hybels

• This book brigs to light the amount or rather lack of amount of prayer in ones daily life. It invites the reader to create a sacred space in which you go to pray. This is much like the Garden Jesus chose to retreat to in order to pray Hybels also reminds the reader not to read a wish list to the Lord but instead talk and gain a true relationship with the Lord through prayer.   

7) Hope Unseen: The Story of the U.S. Army's First Blind Active Duty Officer by Scotty Smiley

• This is a beautiful and inspirational book. In it we see several things including the strength behind a God filled marriage, that even those who pray continually can fall and that no matter what happens God will see you through it and use your struggles to bless others.

8) Why?: Making Sense of God's Will

• This book invites the reader to think in a way they may never have before about God's will, free will and the evils of the world.

9) Cast of Characters: Common People in the Hands of God by Max Lucado

• Just like it says this book shows how God used the common people to do great things. The bible is full of unlikely heros and this book helps to show how culturally Gods choices were not extraordinary individuals but rather common ones with extraordinary faith.

10) Called Out Of The Dark: A Spiritual Confession by Anne Rice

• A vivid journey through one authors catholic upbringing, period of deliberate atheism, a writing career reflecting the nudging of God on her heart ad her ultimate return to her Lord.