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A Resurrection Shaped Life: Dying and Rising on Planet Earth
Can we begin to experience the resurrection in our ordinary life on earth? Bishop Jake Owensby says yes as he re-examines the biblical concept of resurrection and how Jesus’ resurrection influences his followers every day.A resurrection-shaped Finds hope through honest reflection on the past. Discovers meaning in suffering. Moves beyond shame and blame toward self-acceptance and compassion. Emerges from loss and regret to find contentment and joy. Develops forgiveness as a habitual way of life. Transcends “us-them” divisions to form inclusive community. Draws strength from the hope of life after life.The Resurrection-Shaped Life explains how we begin to experience resurrection in Christian practices such as repentance and forgiveness and discusses how new life emerges from our small suffering, shame, regret, and loss.
- GenresTheologySpirituality
130 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 18, 2018
31 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
About the author
Jake Owensby
8 books19 followersJake Owensby is the fourth Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Louisiana and the twenty-sixth Chancellor of Sewanee: The University of the South.
The most recent of his six books is Looking for God in Messy Places (Abingdon). He is currently working on a manuscript about discipleship in the contemporary world.
Before attending the School of Theology at Sewanee, Jake earned a PhD at Emory University and was an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Jacksonville University. He taught the history of philosophy and wrote about human consciousness and theories of meaning and understanding.
Jake and his wife Joy have been married since 1983. They have three adult children, three young grandchildren, and a very affectionate rescue dog named Gracie.
The most recent of his six books is Looking for God in Messy Places (Abingdon). He is currently working on a manuscript about discipleship in the contemporary world.
Before attending the School of Theology at Sewanee, Jake earned a PhD at Emory University and was an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Jacksonville University. He taught the history of philosophy and wrote about human consciousness and theories of meaning and understanding.
Jake and his wife Joy have been married since 1983. They have three adult children, three young grandchildren, and a very affectionate rescue dog named Gracie.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
April 15, 2019
An inspiring look at how Easter and the Resurrection can inspire us to live in today's world. Jake Owensby, who is the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Louisiana, draws upon his own experiences, including a traumatic childhood, to make this book deeply personal as well as universal in its application. Reflection questions at the end of each chapter inspire deeper thought. Perfect for individuals or book groups, for the Easter season or year-round.
April 20, 2019
Author of three previous books, including "Gospel Memories: How Future Can Rewrite Our Past" (2016), Dr. Jake Owensby (b. 1957), Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Louisiana, has written this new book about resurrection not as a theological treatise but as a practical guide for seeing the significance of resurrection for our daily lives now in this world.
The author’s central assertion is stated clearly in the Prelude: Jesus’ “resurrection is shaping our everyday, ordinary lives” (p. xiv). This work of grace is illustrated by the Japanese use of kintsugi, the art of repairing broken pottery using lacquer mixed with gold dust. That sort of mending becomes an ongoing image of a resurrection-shaped life.
Much of the first part of Owensby’s slim book is based on the story of his remarkable mother, who was 20 years old when she emigrated by herself from Europe to the U.S. He ends the first chapter by stating that just as his mother was inspired to set sail for a new world, Jesus invited us all “to leave an old world, an old life, behind and to set sail for a resurrection-shaped life” (p. 14).
Trudy, author Owensby’s mother, was not a Jew, but she was sentenced to a Nazi death camp for being “an antisocial element.” After being freed, she embraced “two related marks of a resurrection-shaped life. First, she embraced life with an inextinguishable sense of hope.” The second mark was “a compassion that made her frightfully vulnerable to the suffering and the sorrows of others” (pp. 20-21). Indeed, hopefulness and compassion are key characteristics of a resurrection-shaped life.
“Recovering from Shame and Blame” is the title of Owensby’s perceptive third chapter. Sharing his own boyhood experience of shame, which he describes as “a strong and painful feeling of deep unworthiness” (p. 34), he asserts that overcoming shame “involves changing our minds about ourselves”–and the good news is that “Jesus came in part to help us do precisely that” (p. 36). Moreover, “Jesus shows us that God is a healer, not a blamer” (p. 39), and this helps us move from blaming others to having compassion, that core characteristic of a resurrection-shaped life.
In the following chapter, Owensby asserts that “it’s in the depths of loss and sorrow that hope brings us to new life” (p. 51). Jesus had said to his disciples, “Blessed are those who mourn” (Matt. 5:4). Even though they did not understand this as they mourned Jesus’ crucifixion, they experienced that blessedness when Jesus was resurrected. So, “the resurrection of Christ gives new meaning to our experience of grief” (p. 52). Those who live a resurrection-shaped life embrace, and are embraced by, the blessing of hope in the midst of grief.
The last two chapters relate the resurrection-shaped life to justice. “Our compassion,” he writes, “expands into a passion for justice” (p. 70). That is because “the resurrection refines and deepens our perception of other people.” Thus, “From the perspective of the resurrection, there is just us. There is no longer an us opposed to a them. We are one” (p. 80).
In his Postlude, Owensby states, “The resurrection-shaped life we lead in our ordinary coming and goings foreshadows life beyond this life” (p. 97). This leads to his important assertion that “resurrection is not the same thing as what philosophers call the immortality of the soul. And that’s a crucial distinction for understanding the idea of a resurrection-shaped life” (p. 98).
"A Resurrection-Shaped Life" is a book that I found it insightful and inspiring. I recommend it to all who are interested in thinking deeply about what it means not just to “believe” in the resurrection but actually to live a life shaped by that belief.
[Note: here is the link to the blog article I wrote based on this book: https://theviewfromthisseat.blogspot....
The author’s central assertion is stated clearly in the Prelude: Jesus’ “resurrection is shaping our everyday, ordinary lives” (p. xiv). This work of grace is illustrated by the Japanese use of kintsugi, the art of repairing broken pottery using lacquer mixed with gold dust. That sort of mending becomes an ongoing image of a resurrection-shaped life.
Much of the first part of Owensby’s slim book is based on the story of his remarkable mother, who was 20 years old when she emigrated by herself from Europe to the U.S. He ends the first chapter by stating that just as his mother was inspired to set sail for a new world, Jesus invited us all “to leave an old world, an old life, behind and to set sail for a resurrection-shaped life” (p. 14).
Trudy, author Owensby’s mother, was not a Jew, but she was sentenced to a Nazi death camp for being “an antisocial element.” After being freed, she embraced “two related marks of a resurrection-shaped life. First, she embraced life with an inextinguishable sense of hope.” The second mark was “a compassion that made her frightfully vulnerable to the suffering and the sorrows of others” (pp. 20-21). Indeed, hopefulness and compassion are key characteristics of a resurrection-shaped life.
“Recovering from Shame and Blame” is the title of Owensby’s perceptive third chapter. Sharing his own boyhood experience of shame, which he describes as “a strong and painful feeling of deep unworthiness” (p. 34), he asserts that overcoming shame “involves changing our minds about ourselves”–and the good news is that “Jesus came in part to help us do precisely that” (p. 36). Moreover, “Jesus shows us that God is a healer, not a blamer” (p. 39), and this helps us move from blaming others to having compassion, that core characteristic of a resurrection-shaped life.
In the following chapter, Owensby asserts that “it’s in the depths of loss and sorrow that hope brings us to new life” (p. 51). Jesus had said to his disciples, “Blessed are those who mourn” (Matt. 5:4). Even though they did not understand this as they mourned Jesus’ crucifixion, they experienced that blessedness when Jesus was resurrected. So, “the resurrection of Christ gives new meaning to our experience of grief” (p. 52). Those who live a resurrection-shaped life embrace, and are embraced by, the blessing of hope in the midst of grief.
The last two chapters relate the resurrection-shaped life to justice. “Our compassion,” he writes, “expands into a passion for justice” (p. 70). That is because “the resurrection refines and deepens our perception of other people.” Thus, “From the perspective of the resurrection, there is just us. There is no longer an us opposed to a them. We are one” (p. 80).
In his Postlude, Owensby states, “The resurrection-shaped life we lead in our ordinary coming and goings foreshadows life beyond this life” (p. 97). This leads to his important assertion that “resurrection is not the same thing as what philosophers call the immortality of the soul. And that’s a crucial distinction for understanding the idea of a resurrection-shaped life” (p. 98).
"A Resurrection-Shaped Life" is a book that I found it insightful and inspiring. I recommend it to all who are interested in thinking deeply about what it means not just to “believe” in the resurrection but actually to live a life shaped by that belief.
[Note: here is the link to the blog article I wrote based on this book: https://theviewfromthisseat.blogspot....
April 26, 2019
As someone who is passionate about spiritual growth and helping regular people see the relevance of Christ’s death and resurrection in their everyday lives, I was excited to read A Resurrection-Shaped Life: Dying and Rising on Planet Earth by Jake Owensby. I was not disappointed! It was an invigorating read. The book explained the concepts of salvation, resurrection, and God’s kingdom in very accessible terminology. The use of personal stories and illustrations made the book’s concepts come alive in ways that relate to real people in their everyday circumstances. It combines sound theology with new and refreshing interpretations of what it means to experience the resurrection life of Christ right here an now in our present time. The book tackles challenging subjects like the meaning of suffering and the processing of loss and grief in a satisfying way. It grounds the concepts of forgiveness, reconciliation and the pursuit of social justice in a solid theological framework that is rooted in Christ’s redemptive work on the cross and in his resurrection. The book’s brevity and accessibility make it ideal for small group study in a church or faith-based context. There is much positive material for reflection and application in this work. Christian ministry leaders and laypeople alike would benefit from reading and studying this book. Highly recommend!
#AResurrectionShapedLife
Disclosure: I received this book free from the author and/or publisher through the Speakeasy blogging book review network. My review is an honest, unbiased review reflecting my own opinion of the work. I was not required to write a positive review of this work. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16CFR, Part 255.
#AResurrectionShapedLife
Disclosure: I received this book free from the author and/or publisher through the Speakeasy blogging book review network. My review is an honest, unbiased review reflecting my own opinion of the work. I was not required to write a positive review of this work. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16CFR, Part 255.
June 6, 2019
A real thought-bender
This book is best read in small "bites"so you have time to think, ponder, consume the very words and thoughts the author shares. Philosophy and theology are messed to make this seemingly short read into a monumental work that could easily be read multiple times. Recommended read! A great addition to any library!
This book is best read in small "bites"so you have time to think, ponder, consume the very words and thoughts the author shares. Philosophy and theology are messed to make this seemingly short read into a monumental work that could easily be read multiple times. Recommended read! A great addition to any library!
April 27, 2019
Missing the Messenger
Mark 16:9-15
Thursday night I was a bitch to a volunteer, and what was going on was simply projection, the projection of my own wishes upon him. For my deepest desire is for everyone to see my street kids as I see them--my friends.
Earlier he overhead a fight with a nineteen year old over some school stuff, and I am sure he thought I was crazy, fighting with an adolescent, but the truth is I do not see age, race, creed, but the individual. On my desk are the photos of seven 17-19 year olds who call me their homie, or a part of their team. They are the ones who this past year and a half who walked with me through the surgery, and the pain of the recovery afterward. They are my closest friends. Physically and emotionally they have been there.
I have been joking on face book with Michael, who has been in my life since he was 14 sleeping on the streets. He and his wife have just bought a house in a poor neighborhood in Albuquerque, and I told him to buy one with in a rich neighborhood and give me the poor one it is so nice; Andrew, who is 30, and was my friend since he was 15, has called me from Baltimore many times to listen to me, and the list goes on and on. They are my friends.
Once I was invited to give a presentation on my work in Minneapolis, and there was a 150 people present--they heckled me, everyone of them because I had no "boundaries", and was a threat to out reach workers, to their jobs. They were so caught up in their own fears, they would not even give me the respect to listen.
Jesus told his family that they were a part of his universal family, and they called him crazy. What he meant was that the boundaries that constrain us, limits us, and hinders growth into universal love must go. We are all family, there are no walls. Mary Magdalene in our story today is one who was outside the bounds and Jesus embraced her.
We miss the Messenger because we fail to hear his message of liberation, of walking with people in their pain and of not trying to fix them. For when we walk with people, just as they are, in the moment what happens is they see us and and feel our love, and gradually begin to change. They change out of our love for them. It is painful. I have scars on my body, I am scared emotionally, and I am hurt a lot, but when we move out of ourselves,and see the other, we embrace the Other. We meet the Christ, he is embraces us. Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God!
A BOOK REVIEW: A RESURRECTION SHAPED LIFE : Dying and Rising on Planet Earth by Jake Owensbey
This book is about living the resurrection in our daily lives. We grow into eternity on earth through living our lives in a resurrection faith. "If we see in the cross God's embrace of the world's sufferings, we will see in the risen Christ God's response to that suffering. The empty tomb assures us that, in Christ, suffering and death can lead to new life, " in this quote what he is saying that each of us is the 'body of Christ" each of us bears Christ in our bodies. We each journey the walk of crucifixion in loving and caring for people, and in doing so we experience the resurrection. Discipleship and eternal life are dreams--that is until we commit ourselves to the suffering of living those dreams through loving and serving others, all people.
We are called to live the dream in grace, not in judgment, in forgiveness, not in punishment, and in that we grown in the resurrection to eternal life.
Mark 16:9-15
Thursday night I was a bitch to a volunteer, and what was going on was simply projection, the projection of my own wishes upon him. For my deepest desire is for everyone to see my street kids as I see them--my friends.
Earlier he overhead a fight with a nineteen year old over some school stuff, and I am sure he thought I was crazy, fighting with an adolescent, but the truth is I do not see age, race, creed, but the individual. On my desk are the photos of seven 17-19 year olds who call me their homie, or a part of their team. They are the ones who this past year and a half who walked with me through the surgery, and the pain of the recovery afterward. They are my closest friends. Physically and emotionally they have been there.
I have been joking on face book with Michael, who has been in my life since he was 14 sleeping on the streets. He and his wife have just bought a house in a poor neighborhood in Albuquerque, and I told him to buy one with in a rich neighborhood and give me the poor one it is so nice; Andrew, who is 30, and was my friend since he was 15, has called me from Baltimore many times to listen to me, and the list goes on and on. They are my friends.
Once I was invited to give a presentation on my work in Minneapolis, and there was a 150 people present--they heckled me, everyone of them because I had no "boundaries", and was a threat to out reach workers, to their jobs. They were so caught up in their own fears, they would not even give me the respect to listen.
Jesus told his family that they were a part of his universal family, and they called him crazy. What he meant was that the boundaries that constrain us, limits us, and hinders growth into universal love must go. We are all family, there are no walls. Mary Magdalene in our story today is one who was outside the bounds and Jesus embraced her.
We miss the Messenger because we fail to hear his message of liberation, of walking with people in their pain and of not trying to fix them. For when we walk with people, just as they are, in the moment what happens is they see us and and feel our love, and gradually begin to change. They change out of our love for them. It is painful. I have scars on my body, I am scared emotionally, and I am hurt a lot, but when we move out of ourselves,and see the other, we embrace the Other. We meet the Christ, he is embraces us. Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God!
A BOOK REVIEW: A RESURRECTION SHAPED LIFE : Dying and Rising on Planet Earth by Jake Owensbey
This book is about living the resurrection in our daily lives. We grow into eternity on earth through living our lives in a resurrection faith. "If we see in the cross God's embrace of the world's sufferings, we will see in the risen Christ God's response to that suffering. The empty tomb assures us that, in Christ, suffering and death can lead to new life, " in this quote what he is saying that each of us is the 'body of Christ" each of us bears Christ in our bodies. We each journey the walk of crucifixion in loving and caring for people, and in doing so we experience the resurrection. Discipleship and eternal life are dreams--that is until we commit ourselves to the suffering of living those dreams through loving and serving others, all people.
We are called to live the dream in grace, not in judgment, in forgiveness, not in punishment, and in that we grown in the resurrection to eternal life.
April 2, 2019
I can’t wait to get to heaven! This may be the sentiment of a child or a person of deep faith on their death-bed. It is a sentiment that holds to a certain level of innocence and naïveté. It is not a sentiment that is easily carried through the entirety of one’s life. We cannot go through the decades of life excited about the prospect of going to heaven; the excitement will get exhausting. And yet that is what some consider a major role and hope that is offered and found in Christianity: a ticket to heaven. Such a faith becomes shallow and forced.
Jake Owensby is offering the reader a different way of understanding and embracing the hope of life that is found in the resurrection. Rather than waiting and anticipating the time when we all “get” to heaven, Owensby invites us to consider how our life is changed and redeemed here and now because of the resurrection. Weaving powerful and personal stories of his life, Owensby shows how the resurrection does not offer a way out of suffering, but instead a way through suffering that is redemptive and full of hope.
Owensby’s writing is clear and accessible, and his stories of his experiences in life bring the reader into a place where one can find an application of the ideas that Owensby is trying to describe. It feels like a good sermon: point followed by illustration. Perhaps the best part of the book is the “Postlude,” where Owensby shows all of his cards, describing exactly what it is that he is trying to share. I would have liked to have read that section first so I would have a sense of what it was that Owensby was trying to do. It is a very short book, just over 100 pages, and many of the ideas that Owensby was offering called for further development. There was just not enough ink spent on some wonderful ideas, and I found myself desiring a longer, deeper conversation with the author.
Despite the brevity of the work, it is a good book with helpful questions at the end of each chapter. It is a book that would do well with a small group. Owensby is trying to call believers to consider how the resurrection shapes and changes one’s life here and now, and that is a worthwhile pursuit.
Jake Owensby is offering the reader a different way of understanding and embracing the hope of life that is found in the resurrection. Rather than waiting and anticipating the time when we all “get” to heaven, Owensby invites us to consider how our life is changed and redeemed here and now because of the resurrection. Weaving powerful and personal stories of his life, Owensby shows how the resurrection does not offer a way out of suffering, but instead a way through suffering that is redemptive and full of hope.
Owensby’s writing is clear and accessible, and his stories of his experiences in life bring the reader into a place where one can find an application of the ideas that Owensby is trying to describe. It feels like a good sermon: point followed by illustration. Perhaps the best part of the book is the “Postlude,” where Owensby shows all of his cards, describing exactly what it is that he is trying to share. I would have liked to have read that section first so I would have a sense of what it was that Owensby was trying to do. It is a very short book, just over 100 pages, and many of the ideas that Owensby was offering called for further development. There was just not enough ink spent on some wonderful ideas, and I found myself desiring a longer, deeper conversation with the author.
Despite the brevity of the work, it is a good book with helpful questions at the end of each chapter. It is a book that would do well with a small group. Owensby is trying to call believers to consider how the resurrection shapes and changes one’s life here and now, and that is a worthwhile pursuit.
January 10, 2020
I met the author at a conference and he seemed like a good guy, so I thought I'd try one of his books. Boy am I glad that I did! It is a small book, but so packed with wonderful little gems that I had to re-read it as soon as I finished reading it, then buy some copies for some friends so I'd have someone to talk to about it. What makes it so powerful is the personal stories Jake adds to each chapter that open us up to see how the less than perfect parts of our own lives can be touched by God. He has the most wonderful, pithy sayings interspersed and some novel interpretations of some of my least favorite parables to bring them to life in a way that shows God's love, rather than judgement. He's not afraid to directly address some difficult issues, like the baggage we carry from our past, shame and blame, and the presence of suffering in the world. What do we do with all that? We can live life differently, living a resurrection life here and now. A step beyond The Kingdom is here and now, but this requires our active participation. This book would be especially meaningful to those who feel a little kicked down by life and a nice complement to a 12 step program. The stories make it very relatable.
Here's a few good quotes I enjoyed:
When we repent, we admit that the sorrows, the losses, the wounds, the betrayals, and the regrets of our past have made us into someone we don't want to be anymore. We die to that self and entrust ourselves to Jesus.
Only love--in all its vulnerability to the suffering of others and with all its risk of injury to ourselves--will heal and transfigure the world. So, when Jesus says, "Do not resist an evildoer," he is not advocating passive submission to cruelty and abuse, oppression and deprivation (Matthew 5:39). Instead, Jesus wants us to resist evil without becoming evil ourselves.
Shame is the visceral sense that we are unlovable.
The heart of the gospel is that God loves us because God loves us.
Check out his blog at: https://jakeowensby.com/
Here's a few good quotes I enjoyed:
When we repent, we admit that the sorrows, the losses, the wounds, the betrayals, and the regrets of our past have made us into someone we don't want to be anymore. We die to that self and entrust ourselves to Jesus.
Only love--in all its vulnerability to the suffering of others and with all its risk of injury to ourselves--will heal and transfigure the world. So, when Jesus says, "Do not resist an evildoer," he is not advocating passive submission to cruelty and abuse, oppression and deprivation (Matthew 5:39). Instead, Jesus wants us to resist evil without becoming evil ourselves.
Shame is the visceral sense that we are unlovable.
The heart of the gospel is that God loves us because God loves us.
Check out his blog at: https://jakeowensby.com/
January 30, 2019
Jake’s book is in part a reflective-autobiography and spiritual discernment. His honest and humble look at a life that was often tumultuous and difficult is incredible. His stories and his way with words draws you into the narrative so that you feel you are literally there. His use of story and Scripture invites the reader into a deeper discussion and discernment in their own life. He sure did that with me and I found some incredible connections as a result. This book, despite the difficult and often painful nature of his story, is literally soaked in hope! The discussion questions at the end of each chapter invite the reader to continue the discussion. This would be an excellent resource for small group study or even a congregation wide study. Thank you, Jake, for this offering of your life, story, and faith!
February 3, 2019
Jake Owensby's book is an invitation to reflect on the hope and healing that offered by God--no matter what hardships one may have experienced. Owensby has a gift for looking at everyday experiences and situations and seeing a spiritual depth in them. And he invites us to do the same with our lives--to look at the people and events of our past and present lives and see where God in inviting us to conversion and new life. Each chapter ends with reflection questions, making it ideal for faith-sharing groups. Its design makes it perfect for Lenten reflection--either individually or as a parish.
January 22, 2020
I've followed his blog so some of this is familiar, but it's all tied together very well.
March 14, 2020
Jake Owensby makes a compelling case for the possibility of experiencing the resurrection in our earthly lives. Simultaneously honest, realistic, and hopeful. Thanks be to God.
June 16, 2022
Very good post-Easter reading for clergy and laypeople alike. Took many notes that I believe will be helpful in future sermons and pastoral care.
September 22, 2020
title: A Resurrection Shaped Life: Dying and Rising on Planet Earth
author: Jake Owensby
publisher: Abingdon Press
date: 2018
This is not a book to be read quickly. You need time to think, ponder, consume the words and thoughts that Jake Owensby shares.
It's a short read, but it is loaded with philosophy and theology. It is a book about spiritual growth and formation that helps ordinary people see the significance of Christ’s death and resurrection in their everyday lives.
Owensby describes the concepts of salvation, resurrection, and God’s kingdom using very accessible terminology. His use of story and personal illustrations made these concepts come alive.
But his description or interpretation of what it means to experience the resurrection life of Christ right here, right now is not divorced from the meaning of suffering and the processing of loss and grief. Owensby grounds forgiveness, reconciliation and the pursuit of social justice in a solid theological framework that is rooted in the redemptive work of Jesus on the cross and in his resurrection.
There is much here for reflection and application in this work.
I would recommend it!
#AResurrectionShapedLife
Disclosure: I received this book free from the Speakeasy blogging book review network. My review is an honest, unbiased review reflecting my own opinion of the work. I was not required to write a positive review of this work.
author: Jake Owensby
publisher: Abingdon Press
date: 2018
This is not a book to be read quickly. You need time to think, ponder, consume the words and thoughts that Jake Owensby shares.
It's a short read, but it is loaded with philosophy and theology. It is a book about spiritual growth and formation that helps ordinary people see the significance of Christ’s death and resurrection in their everyday lives.
Owensby describes the concepts of salvation, resurrection, and God’s kingdom using very accessible terminology. His use of story and personal illustrations made these concepts come alive.
But his description or interpretation of what it means to experience the resurrection life of Christ right here, right now is not divorced from the meaning of suffering and the processing of loss and grief. Owensby grounds forgiveness, reconciliation and the pursuit of social justice in a solid theological framework that is rooted in the redemptive work of Jesus on the cross and in his resurrection.
There is much here for reflection and application in this work.
I would recommend it!
#AResurrectionShapedLife
Disclosure: I received this book free from the Speakeasy blogging book review network. My review is an honest, unbiased review reflecting my own opinion of the work. I was not required to write a positive review of this work.
May 26, 2019
I highly recommend this book that is filled with truth, sometimes hard truth, about what it looks like to actually live like we believe in the resurrection and not just the cross. He addresses many areas including our aversion to the reality of suffering and our tendency to assign blame while offering a logical example of how we could respond more like Jesus and suggests resurrection living would make us look more like the disciples.
"Jesus breathed life into his disciples. His resurrection animated them with the dream of a New World, a world where love dissolves hatred. Where compassion displaces fear of strangers. Where generosity eliminates deprivation and respect guards the dignity of all."
The book was encouraging for those who are seeking "on Earth as it is in Heaven" rather than waiting inactively to show up in Heaven.
Note: I received this book free from the author and/or publisher through the Speakeasy blogging book review network. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR,Part 255.
"Jesus breathed life into his disciples. His resurrection animated them with the dream of a New World, a world where love dissolves hatred. Where compassion displaces fear of strangers. Where generosity eliminates deprivation and respect guards the dignity of all."
The book was encouraging for those who are seeking "on Earth as it is in Heaven" rather than waiting inactively to show up in Heaven.
Note: I received this book free from the author and/or publisher through the Speakeasy blogging book review network. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR,Part 255.
April 5, 2019
by Jake Owensby
Thoughtful, yet easy to read. Offers better answers (and questions) than what I inherited.
Doesn't avoid hard truths about what it means when we pattern our lives after Jesus.
"Following Jesus is an ongoing pattern of repentance and resurrection, letting go of our own lives so the Jesus can remake them."(p.9)
"How will God make the world's suffering mean something". If we see in the cross God's embrace of the world's suffering, we will see in the risen Christ God's response to that suffering. The empty tomb assures us that, in Christ, suffering and death can lead to new life." (p. 20)
"We are the Body of Christ. We 'bear God in our bodies.' Jesus loves through us to heal and renew our scarred and weary world...Only love––in all of its vulnerability to the suffering of others and all its risk of injury to ourselves––will heal and transfigure the world...Resurrection happens through us. (p. 23-24)
Jake challenges us to live lives shaped around self-giving love, as Jesus did:
* to allow compassion to fill us and then expand into fuel that leads to seeking justice;
* to reject the "us vs. them" mentality and remind everyone... It's just us... all together... one.
* to look for heaven coming here on earth in this life every time we die to ourselves, Christ brings new life... creating something new and beautiful
and he reminds us... "hope does not disappoint." (p.83)
I'll go back and read and reread the underlinings I've made to keeps these words with me.
Thoughtful, yet easy to read. Offers better answers (and questions) than what I inherited.
Doesn't avoid hard truths about what it means when we pattern our lives after Jesus.
"Following Jesus is an ongoing pattern of repentance and resurrection, letting go of our own lives so the Jesus can remake them."(p.9)
"How will God make the world's suffering mean something". If we see in the cross God's embrace of the world's suffering, we will see in the risen Christ God's response to that suffering. The empty tomb assures us that, in Christ, suffering and death can lead to new life." (p. 20)
"We are the Body of Christ. We 'bear God in our bodies.' Jesus loves through us to heal and renew our scarred and weary world...Only love––in all of its vulnerability to the suffering of others and all its risk of injury to ourselves––will heal and transfigure the world...Resurrection happens through us. (p. 23-24)
Jake challenges us to live lives shaped around self-giving love, as Jesus did:
* to allow compassion to fill us and then expand into fuel that leads to seeking justice;
* to reject the "us vs. them" mentality and remind everyone... It's just us... all together... one.
* to look for heaven coming here on earth in this life every time we die to ourselves, Christ brings new life... creating something new and beautiful
and he reminds us... "hope does not disappoint." (p.83)
I'll go back and read and reread the underlinings I've made to keeps these words with me.
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