I was deeply stirred by these chapters. For as long as I can remember, my mind has been a battle ground between what is good, encouraging and God-centered and what is bad, discouraging and me-centered. Through these chapters, I was drawn once more to the inviting vision of peace that is possible for those who choose to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in the renewing of their mind.
I was especially challenged by Ortberg’s call to action. For years I have kept a single page from a torn Bible in a folder s as a standing reminder that I don’t need any more information about God – including any more Bible knowledge. If all I had was that single page it would be enough to nourish my mind for a lifetime, and sustain my pursuit of maturity in Christ. We don’t need any more information. We need to engage in the practical exercises shown throughout the Scriptures and history to strengthen our life in Jesus. For me, these days, that means carving out a block of time every day to spend with Jesus. I’m rediscovering this as an essential to a life well ordered in Jesus. I know it sounds basic. It is. You may think that this is easy for me because I’m a Pastor. It isn’t. The same distractions and excuses that keep others from spending time with Jesus, keep me from doing it as well. I’m convinced that my desire for peace in my soul is impossible unless I spend unhurried time with God on a regular basis.
What struck you in these chapters? What action do you feel you need to take? This forum is one way to “never worry alone.” So feel free to share your thoughts and lets spur one another on toward a renewed mind!
Let nothing trouble you
Let nothing frighten you
All things pass
God alone never changes
Patience can do all things
Whoever has God has everything
God alone is sufficient
Mike's Blog 
My six year old daughter has come alive with personality and her character in the past two years. I see the artist, her shyness, and her quiet unyielding strength. She is also a bit of a sneak. Chapters 7-10 capture concepts that I have had running through my head as I experience raising children. My children are so different, my son so incredibly focused, sensitive and also a tremendous worrier. His ability to work on a project for hours almost frightens me; I wonder “what does God have planned for you”? My oldest is so comfortable on stage, so unafraid, and confident in her skin. She is also almost embarrassingly uncensored with little tact. I pray with them and talk to them about how they will embrace their gifts and weaknesses and use them to further Gods word, trying to convey the concept that God has placed desires, gifts, and skills in our heart and is waiting for us to harness them.
I agree with Ortberg’s ideas regarding positive thoughts and feeding the mind with excellence. This has often challenged my family, as I have interpreted this to mean we should edit the culture we live in. I feel passionately that if we fill our house with vulgar images, conversations, and violence we expose our children to sin especially if this is done at an inappropriate age. This has been increasingly hard with television today. Programming focusing on a collection of bored individuals with competing sarcastic one liner aiming for the most humiliating insult seems the goal to most programming. Our media greedily searches for adultery, debauchery, and criminal activity for what purpose? Do I or my children really need to know? Does being informed protect me or make me more vulnerable? I believe that Satan has many tools to enter into our hearts, I see so many Christian families watching rated R movies with 8 year olds, mature video games played by the whole family and I wonder what seed has been planted.
These chapters have validated and encouraged me. I feel that while it can be really embarrassing to discuss the limits I have on my children and our home, fearful that I am perceived as prudish or backwards, I cannot deny that God has placed a voice inside me that shouts to continue. I do have my weaknesses, while I edit tv, video games, and movies, my language when pushed can sometimes be crude!! Yet, God gave me a child (you can guess which) who told me “stop using bad words when you are angry, it sounds awful, and I don’t like it!“ I truly believe God has a plan and knows when and how to speak so we will listen.
Very nice Rose 🙂
I can definitely relate to many of your comments about raising kids in this current culture. Although we probably didn’t do a steller job of editing out all the TV showes, movies, music etc we have always tried to set an example through our marriage, our involvement with church, our relqtionships with our families, and the people we spend time with of how life in God’s kingdom can be lived. A lot of this was making a focused effort to just be with them so they could learn from us. Just by spending time with them, I think our kids inherently become like us. Now that our kids are older it’s a blessing to watch the young fine adults they are becoming. I bet one of the worst things you can say to our teenage daughter is “you are becoming just like you mother”, but you know what she is…and I think that’s a good thing!
I think it’s similar with us and Jesus. The more time we spend with him, the more we become like him. It’s just natural. The things that he thinks about, we will start to care about. The things that please him, will start to please us. The things that break his heart will break our hearts. The material things that we worry about and treasure in this world will mean less to us in light of eternity. Thus, for me, it takes some of the pressure off to push myself so hard to be like Jesus. I really just need to find ways and make the time to be with him and thus, being like him will come naturally. I think that is the challenge for all of us.
I really enjoyed chapter 9, particularly ‘setting your mind’ (Dog’s diary!). Also, ‘how to get fed from the Bible’. Stuff we all know, but great reminders. Enjoy it! I forget that so often.
I had a lot of trouble getting through chapter 10. Maybe I was worrying about finishing it…. 🙂 Anyway, as one in the trenches with little children, I am looking forward to the next section on time.
but..”Life is too short, joy is too precious, God is too good, our soul is too valuable, we matter too much to throw away a single moment of our one and only life on anxious striving. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid.” Good stuff!