Christianish.

as the tagline says "what if we're not really following Jesus at all?" that caught my attention. I mean what if I'm not following what God wants from me? It's obviously a daunting concept to even think about. This book is fairly indepth in a sense that it covers some strong points that are hard to grasp. The format of the book itself is of normal standard, meaning it follows a narrative, his message which goes context with the narrative and a summary of the important points and questions. By the title "Christianish", Mark Steele demonstrates what it means to be just Christian-ish. He questions you, 'if you taken that step with Christ, where are you at now?' and 'are you being christainish?' Sure, it's a lot to consider, but this book does it all. Separated in eleven chapters, Steele provides you a way from being Christianish to becoming a Christian! It's read book for any individual wanting to do personal reflection. As mentioned before, at the end of every chapter, he provides reflection by devoting a couple of pages worth full of self-evalution questions. There are even pictures :O! This book takes a little longer than others since it is one that requires reflection, so it's also one that can be shared amongst others if you're ever thinking to do a book session together (it'd be better that way, in my opinion).

i am not but i know I AM.

Aha, the second Giglio I've read. What can I say? This guy is amazing, in a sense that I feel like he's talking directly to me, in an audience at one of his conferences. Once again, another read that takes you all over the world. The book focuses on you and God, how you're insignificant in comparison to his strength and how He's willingness overrides all. It's definitely one that sets reality straight, specifically what is means to have a relationship with God . Giglio also comes up with a clever way to change your usual method of bible study. When I was reading it, yeah, there were moments where he reiterates some of his points on his 'Indescribable' tour, but who the hell cares? It only made much more sense after hearing and reading it a second, third time and putting it all into the context of our lives and God's presence within it. One point that stood out: if you're doubting and confused about where you are in this world and where God fits into all, then yeah, this book is for you. It's worth the read.

The Air I Breathe.

So this is the first book I've read out of the library. I'm using my twinge as a medium for reviews, I won't be explicit in what I say because that's for you discover. It's totally an opinionated stance, a small window if you don't know where to begin and you what you're getting into. Obviously, I'm not going to get around all of the books. So if you read something, and would like to put in your two-pennies worth, just email your thoughts or interests to me.

So I have to say that I was pretty excited getting my hands on this one. If you don't know, the author is Louie Giglio (the guy from the Indescribable series) and I really wanted to know what he had to say in his book. There's no mistaking it: this book really opens your eyes to another perspective. The book focuses primarily on life and it revolving around worship. An aspect that people would normally think and stick to the tendencies of a typical sunday service. Giglio does an excellent job of covering all the aspects your journey with God and how it should be celebrated. I know, you may think that that's a lot of ground to cover. But surprising, what I like about all of his books, is that they are the EASIEST reads for anyone. His message is one that isn't complicated because life in God's eyes wasn't intended to be. So if you're wondering what it means to breathe air then pick it up. And also for all of you who aren't so much readers then this is a great start.

four times the fun.

yeha, it's been a while but here I am doing the same junk ever since started this thing. I've read a lot during this time and I'm actually wondering where the hell did I get the time. Anyway, I'll do short reviews of the following, going from the most interesting to the least.

so Spells by Aprilynne Pike - I'm completely hooked and hyped for the series. The story continues with your beloved characters and introduces the unknown world of Avalon. Turns out to be like an alternate world in itself (imagine the wizarding world of HP) only with LoTR scenery. The story is descriptive, giving the fundamental basics of how everything runs and that makes it exciting! Of course, the book also continues the obvious love triangle and all the evil villains etc. I'm crazed about it, so much I'm contemplating on taking it with me over the summer holidays. I mean, why the hell not?!

next up: the intertwined series. There's only two novels so far in the series. I picked up the first book earlier on in the year and was half interested by it. It was one of those books where it's like 'yeah, this book's good. wait, what the hell just happened? dude, this book's awesome!' and I can say the same for the second installment without the bore factor. Anyway, it's tada surprise surprise a vampire novel. I know, that's one of the main reasons why I wasn't interested in the book. But it follows a boy who was born with four souls in his head. That's the thing I liked. The souls are an intrusion for Aden (the main character), they can talk, zone out, can't hear Aden's thoughts themselves (so most of time Aden looks like he's talking to himself) and they all possess a power. Aden can switch then on and off by letting the souls take over. One soul can time travel, one has the ability to possess other people's bodies, another can predict the future and the last one brings the dead back to life. It's great coz the first scene in the series starts off in a near cemetry. I never really heard of a story that took that kind of spin to it. So yeah, a worth a read for sure.

Gone is a sci-fi is that takes place in a world where everyone fifteen and over are... gone, like literally disappeared in a blink. So the story followings certain characters and their fight for suvival as the world they know begins to crumble. The book is like the Lost series, where it's very fragmented and you really don't know what's going on at times. People are poppin out with powers every so often that it's hard to follow. But when it's that intensive, it's all the more interesting. I'm not banging the series (I mean I like sci-fi and alternate worlds) but come on, kids ruling the world, I'm so over it.

one for the month

can't take to long on this, but I'm still here. It's that time of year, soI'll probably stay away for awhile. But afterwards, I promise you once this madness is coming to an ease, there will be a list full of things.

cheers guys.

total Procrastination.

hell, I'm alive. Few things I got to my head around: STUDY, STUDY, STUDY. That's an understatement, My schedule is so full, I refuse to look at it. Keep thinking it's all gonna be okay, but I seriously need to crack down. Yes, so that's what I'll be doing for the next few weeks, I think. Probably won't have time to do some emotionally deep thinking (wow, do I said like the biggest emo of the century or what?).

things, things, things, I gotta do, do, do. Totally wants to chillaxx...

circumstances.

today's talk at church was something of a coincidence for me and what has happened throughout the week. How do I know I'm living the right way, God's way? During the week, on the way home from the city, I jumped onto my regular bus. This time round it was just past rush hour and emotions of stress were buzzing around everyone including me. Anyway, it was one of those buses that didn't permit prams to be let on unless you folded it and packed it away to the side. Then, what happened? As soon as the bus driver pushes the button to close the doors, a mother knocks on the door with her truck of a pram. I know, and everyone knows, that they can't help feel judgemental about this mother, she looked like a single mother who had a troubled lifestyle. So I sat on the bus, with my headphones in and buried my face in my book (still a coincidence?). I wanted to ignore what was going on, honestly who doesn't?

the mother was giving the bus driver a lot of trouble, edging him on how she needed to get home, but the bus driver was just doing his job and saying it was against regulations for him to let her on with her baby. She'd look like she lived in a life bordering poverty (by our social standards) and just needed a helping hand. You'd think, "just let her on!" but for me, I was against it. I know that seems really wrong for me to say coz at first you'd think I'm being cruel to this woman. But the truth is I knew her, and I had a feeling she knew me as well, although we were complete strangers. 

this woman is in fact, a regular on this bus. She also has her partner that occasionally accompanies her as well (that trip, she was alone with her baby). I knew this woman to the point where I observed her progress with her baby - the baby in her womb, the mother and her partner were gently holding hands. A couple of months later, a girl was being lifted into the bus, her 'father' giving all his attention to his treasure. As weeks turned into months, the baby starting to grow and the father becoming all the more distant and tired. On the rare instance, I caught a glimpse of the family passing through my campus, always the mother would shout and swear disturbing things to the father. 

so call me a bitch in saying that I was being judgemental. I wanted her to leave the bus driver alone and wait just another fifteen minutes for the next bus to come. But things didn't go my way, when another woman starting arguing her case to the bus driver, saying that the bus driver should let the mother and the child on and I quote "should just be a decent human being." Minutes passed and it was a struggle to get the pram onto the bus. I was quietly observing in and out of the commotion, hating myself for not assisting anyone. 

despite the reading and listening in my own world, I thought to myself (on my forty-five minute bus trip) why I was so bitter toward this mother. Why couldn't I be a decent human being? Given what I knew about her, I disliked the way she got away with the things the way that she did, people were always helping her. I'm bitter toward the lower class of our society because their circumstances. I know it's a bold and one-sided statement, but hear me out. We can play the blame with this, accusing society for not giving people a chance but, in the end, we are the choices we make. Consequently, we're stupid for not thinking about the results of our choices. I didn't hate the mother personally, I hated the way she choose to take advantage of her socially crippling lifestyle and forcing others to 'help' her. So, I didn't feel the need to sympathise for her, but I was also wrong to judge her for it.

by the time the bus arrived to the mother's desired bus stop, there was hardly anyone left, five passengers and the bus driver. Remember when I said, the bus driver struggled helping the mother with her pram? well, you really needed at least four people to help this woman out: the mother obviously held her child out, the bus driver holding the pram, another person to carry the mother's belongings (two bags, her purse, and a 2L coke bottle), and another to constantly hold the back door open (it'd shut close if you didn't hold it). We had three - the mother, the driver and surprise yours truly.

When I did my job, I didn't feel obligated to do it. That's the truth, what was going through my head at the time: there's obviously not enough people on the bus, what are of the chances that one of the other passengers would actually give would a crap? It was just logical, someone HAD too, but I didn't feel bitter about it when I helped out. Well, because she was already on the bus. In a story that centred me and my thoughts, it ended up being about her. That's the way it should be - about others.