Crazy Love Book at Amazon

I just got an email from Amazon that they are currently selling Crazy Love for $10.19. If you haven't gotten it yet but want to participate, now might be a good time to order it.

Anita

"Crazy Love" Preface and Chapter One

Chapter One: Stop Praying

Welcome! Here we are at week 1 of the "Crazy Love" discussion group!! Remember this will only work if you actually DISCUSS, so be sure to participate in the discussion via the comments form link at the bottom of the post. Try to answer all the questions, but if you only feel led to answer 1 or 2, that is OK. If something spoke to you in the chapter that isn't touched on in the post, feel free to begin a discussion on that topic. We want this to be engaging and beneficial for everyone.

In Chapter 1, Francis Chan challenges us to think about our own perception of God. He encourages us to "take a long, hard look at Him." Jesus asked the disciples in Matthew 16:13, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" and then in verse 15, "But who do you say that I am?" How do WE answer that question? Do we have an accurate view of God? Too often our view of God is narrow and small. Are we seeking an accurate view of Him? Let's take the time and make the effort to take that "long, hard look at Him."

Did you take the time to watch the two videos - "The Awe Factor" and "Just Stop and Think"? If you didn't, please stop right now and go here and watch them.


Discussion Questions:

• What about the title "Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God" attracted you to this book?

• Francis Chan asks on page 27: "Have you ever really thought about how diverse and creative God is? Have you ever marveled at it?"
  

• On pages 35 - 37, Francis Chan describes the responses of John and Isaiah upon entering into the presence of God. If you could enter into the presence of God as John and Isaiah recount in Revelation 4 and Isaiah 6 respectively, what would be the first words out of your mouth the moment you saw God in all His glory?

• Francis Chan says on page 31: "He (God) already has a name, an identity. We don't get to decide who God is." What is your response to that statement?
  

• How was your prayer life different this week after reading Chapter 1?

Please feel free to respond to these questions and share any thoughts or questions you have. I would also like to hear your response to the section on God's attributes. You may want to comment on something in the forward or the preface as well.

Let's be blessed by focusing on seeing the truth of who God is. The evidence is all around us.

Anita

Crazy Love Discussion Group

Here are the details about the discussion group:

• This will be a discussion of the book "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan. Check out the book's website: http://www.crazylovebook.com/. Since it is an online discussion, you can participate at whatever time of day on whatever day of the week works best for you each week. You can also participate from any part of the country or from any country, as long as you have Internet access. So please share this with friends and family members. The more participants we have, the more in-depth our discussions will be.

• The book has 10 chapters and we will cover one chapter each week. The website lists retailers from whom you can order the book (about $14). In Tucson, I have seen the books in stock at Wal-Mart and Borders. We will begin the discussion group on June 24, which gives you plenty of time to purchase the book and read the Preface and Chapter 1. On the 24th, an overview of Chapter 1 along with a few comments and questions will be posted on this blog. You will be invited to leave your own comments and questions. Feel free to address each other's comments, but please be respectful and Christlike in your words.

• Even if you have never left a comment on a blog, you can participate by signing up for a Google ID or even just leaving an anonymous comment. We do ask that all anonymous comments be signed, please.

• Finally, if you are interested in participating, please leave a comment on this post and let me know that you will participate.

I am eager to start this discussion group and hope that many will be blessed through it. I look forward to hearing from you.

Anita

God's Everlasting Love

God, the Creator of the Universe, the Most High God, has loved me (and you) with an everlasting love. He has drawn us with His great lovingkindness. How do we respond to that?

Why do we turn from the love above all loves and crave instead a "love" that falls short in every way? Can we not see that what is labeled "love" by our society is a poor counterfeit of the love of God? Even among those who love God, we see people settling for the counterfeit when God can empower them with love as He defines it. How do we allow God to empower us? It begins with our relationship with Him. When we get that right, His love can flow from us to those around us.

A friend and I are reading the book Crazy Love, Overwhelmed by a Relentless God by Francis Chan. We're going to use this blog to facilitate a discussion group - we will cover one chapter each week and blog comments: thoughts, questions, etc. Please let me know if you are interested in joining us. Thanks.

Anita