A Gift That's The Size of a Drop In The Bucket, Plus Some Writing News
It seems the world is on fire these days, doesn’t it? Scenes of devastation splash daily across our TV and computer screens, opinions from pundits pack our newsfeeds, and we may know people who are living in conflict zones. In the face of so much suffering and grief, there is a temptation for many of us to feel like there’s nothing we can do to make a difference. It may seem to us that our prayers and expressions of practical assistance are like we are trying to douse and inferno with a drop of water.
But a wise friend once reminded me that it takes many drops of water to fill a bucket. Every single drop matters.
I’d like to add a drop to that bucket by providing assistance to a couple of organizations that are serving faithfully in Israel and across the Middle East, while making your holiday gift shopping list a little shorter, too.
I’d love an opportunity to ship you a signed copy of one or more of the following book titles for your donation of $20 per title – perfect for gift-giving! (Of course, you’re free to give more than that if you wish!) Every penny of this effort will be going to two organizations who are doing good work for those caught in the crosshairs of the Israel-Hamas War. The first, CMJ Israel, is the oldest Protestant community in the Land, and is providing food, housing, and ongoing ministry to some of those who’ve been displaced by the war. The second, World Central Kitchen, shows up on the front lines of conflict zones and in the immediate wake of natural disasters to provide nourishing meals to those in need.
Born to Wander: Recovering the Value of our Pilgrim Identity
Becoming Sage: Cultivating Meaning, Purpose, and Spirituality in Midlife
Translating Your Past: Finding Meaning in Family Ancestry, Genetic Clues, and Generational Trauma
You can make your donation to me via Pay Pal. My email address there is mishvl@yahoo.com. On the PayPal page where you list your dollar amount, you’ll find a box that asks “What’s this for?” You can use that box to tell me which book title(s) you’d like and the U.S. mailing address to which you’d like me to ship your package. The deadline for this “Drop of Water” initiative is midnight Eastern time, November 27th, which will allow plenty of time for your books to arrive before Christmas.
If you’re not a PayPal user, you can also use this form by November 27th to let me know which title(s) you’d like, along with the mailing address you’d like me to use. In turn, I’ll send you my snail mail address and you can mail me a check.
Bless someone on your gift list with a good book, and help add a drop or two to the bucket.
Announcement: My next book is on the way!
The late Phyllis Tickle noted that about every 500 years or so, the Church has a rummage sale to purge the accumulation of theological trash while refocusing on the treasure of the Church’s identity and mission for new generations. The last major rummage sale took place a half a millennium ago during the Reformation and Counter-Reformation.
Though Evangelicalism is a grandchild of the Reformation, the upheavals and changes that have touched this once-ascendant stream of the Church has all the signs that a tag sale is already in progress. I’m delighted to announce I’ve signed a contract with Eerdmans Publishing to write a book with the working title Downsizing: Rummaging Through Evangelicalism’s Recent Past in Search of the Future Church’s Treasure. (I am also delighted to say that I’m pretty confident the Eerdmans marketing team may do a little tweaking on that l-o-n-g subtitle!)
Downsizing will explore modern Evangelicalism through the confederation of alliances, trends, habits, and communities that emerged in the wake of the Jesus Movement in the late 1960’s. It will include pieces of my own story, but will also take a look at the larger streams that have shaped Evangelicalism. It is my prayer that Downsizing will help readers both reflect on the recent past and prayerfully consider what is worth carrying into the future of the Church. I’ll have more to share about this project as I dig into the writing process in the coming months.
Whether you’ve spent time in Evangelical circles or have simply observed the movement from afar, I’d love to hear your thoughts about what is worth carrying into the future from this stream of the Church, and what should be left behind.
Finally, Advent begins Sunday, December 3rd. The penultimate Advent hymn, O Come, O Come Emmanuel, has its musical roots in the 8th century, but its lyrics are as timely as today’s headlines.
To offer you a fresh hearing of this song, I’m sharing below an English and Hebrew language version sung by Messianic Jewish musician Joshua Aaron that was created to accompany the popular video series The Chosen. May these ancient words become our prayer in this season - and in the coming year.
Let’s keep in touch! Connect with me on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, or via my website.
Friend, I pray the words of Numbers 6:24-26 for you today. May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord turn his face toward you and give you his shalom.
Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash
For me the greatest value of the evangelical church has been its focus on biblical learning and bible study. I miss that now I attend an Anglican church.
As for what should be left behind: politics. Trying to gain earthly power is not working well for the church imo, as it's pushing it into unwise relationships.
Congratulations on the new book, Michelle! Also, thank you for offering a way to give to organizations in Israel. I'll be sharing this with my readers.