A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller

A Million Miles in a Thousand Years

by Donald Miller

After Miller's first 4 books, there was a lull in his writing, in that, he didn't appear to be doing any. Having been deeply moved,

as well as entertained by them, I have been looking forward to this one for sometime. Don did not disappoint.

AMMIATY is a result of that silent period, in fact, it details what was going on during that period of time.

The first third of the book seems a bit slow compared to the rest, but it is the calm before the storm of his life that becomes a

flurry of activity and searching out what it really means to live life as a "story". As with his books, Blue Like Jazz and Searching For God Knows What, the humor and vulnerability come through...which is wonderful, and Don's style has only gotten better. As he told about new friendships

and events in his life, I was drawn into a friendship with this man and truly wanted be a part of what he experienced.

It would not be enough to say I merely enjoyed AMMIATY...I wallowed in it, especially a part that, I believe, was a major turning point, both in the book and in Don's life. I won't tell you what it was, but I will tell you that I wept. The Biblical concepts presented are lightly veiled. You must be

rather sensitive to pick up the nuances, although there are times that Don is very clear, even abrupt. That is why I have come to love this

writer and look forward to more from him. You must read A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, because a great journey is like a great story, and if you combine both, you get a great life.

Book Review of Fresh Start by Doug Fields

Fresh Start

by Doug Fields

A Fresh Start...don' t think that the title tells it all. Starting over is what God is all about, after all, like the bumper sticker says,

"God Allows Do Overs".  Doug Fields, who is a teaching pastor at Saddleback Church, does an excellent job pointing out,

(Biblically I might add), that no matter what you've gone through, no matter how far you may have "fallen from grace", God

still offers the awesome possibility to truly have a fresh start. With all the Biblical characters that Doug mentions, it is clear

that God has a plan for everyone that begins with a fresh start.

Having said that, I must say that I can tell that Doug spent 25 years as a youth pastor. Although his writing is very clear, and

again, has a good Biblical base, it is loaded with a stylized humor that, for me, is rather distracting. I love humor mixed with

theology and spiritual thinking, but the rule of comedy or humor is timing, and his timing can be a little off.

I did enjoy the book very much, though. The encouragement to me personally, was much needed. I really felt that this book,

being my first from Thomas Nelson Publishers for me to review, was planned by God. I do recommend this book to everyone,

because truthfully, everyone needs a Fresh Start.