It’s called Story. Wish I could go!
This looks really cool
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Category Archives: Believing
Blog book tour: Holy Roller by Julie Lyons
Finally, a blog tour for a book that is truly unique. Holy Roller (Finding Redemption and the Holy Ghost in a Forgotten Texas Church) by Julie Lyons is unlike any book I’ve featured here before. Holy Roller is a book of much personal confession, as well as an eyewitness account of God’s power in a black Pentecostal church.
The heck with bland inspirational fiction. Christians should be reading more creative non-fiction like this one.
From the cover:
This is Lyons’ firsthand investigation into God’s power, the activities of the Holy Spirit, and the inspiring results of prayer and faith in the lives of society’s overlooked people. It’s an eye-opening, entertaining, and inspiring tale that takes readers to unexpected places. In South Dallas, people search for answers and find them. They ask for help with overwhelming problems, and receive it. And when God performs a miracle during a Sunday church service, no one is surprised.
For more about Julie Lyons and the story behind Holy Roller, read an interview at Beliefnet.
To win a copy of Holy Roller, leave me a comment here. For an extra chance to win, use the Tweet This button to send this post to your Twitter followers.
Why Vacation Bible School should last all summer
That logo at the top of this post is our Vacation Bible School theme this year, “Crocodile Dock.” I’m not exactly sure what crocodiles have to do with Jesus and the Gospel, but I’m not complaining. I’m a huge fan of Vacation Bible School. In fact, I think VBS should last the entire summer.
(Somewhere there is a pastor shuddering at the thought of a bunch of kids tearing up his church for the summer. Ha.)
Without further ado, my reasons for all-summer VBS:
Why Vacation Bible School should last all summer (a partial list)
10. The snacks. Trail mix with M&Ms. Vanilla wafer cookies topped with strawberries and whipped cream. Homemade pizza bagels. All the food moms never have in the house because we’re too busy or scattered to think up interesting snacks. My kids compare snack experiences on the way home, that’s how much of a Big Deal the snacks are to them.
9. The games. Water balloon toss, parachute games, relays.
8. Being with your friends. Combine with No. 9 and it’s a win-win combination.
7. Hanging out with the teen helpers. The youth group’s finest; I love these young people. Full of energy and humor (that’s always helpful when working with children).
6. Being with church folk everyday.
5. Alive, Alert, Awake, Enthusiastic. If you don’t know what that is, you’re not going to the right VBS.
4. Crafts! Oh, how I love the crafts! Sand art, necklaces of multi-colored plastic beads, fake stained glass crosses. Give me more! More! I have crafts saved that I will never through away, each one a special memory. Love the crafts.
3. Bible memory verses and stories. My seven-year-old is now an expert on the plagues against Egypt and it’s Pharaoh. Every seven-year-old boy should have such Bible knowledge.
2. The room decorations. Can’t we drape the entire building in Crocodile Dock? How colorful the sanctuary would look!
And the number one reason to have VBS all summer -
1. The music. My children just spent the past hour rocking out to “Swamp Stomp”, my coffee table a stage to their dancing and singing, complete with hand motions. Long after the room decorations are packed away, the games forgotten and crafts lost or broken, it’s the music that will stay with them. I bet there are enough VBS themes available to have a new selection each week, each with it’s own soundtrack. How fun.
So there you go – I hope you get your kids to a Vacation Bible School this summer. Even if it only last for a week.