Tuesday, September 7, 2010

The Butterfly Effect

At some point while reading this short but powerful book by Andy Andrews, I asked myself why the need to come up with a book with - how do I put this - only a few words in it.

I mean honestly, it's my first time excluding kindergarten to read a book with a sentence or two only on every page!

Then, I realized that maybe, just maybe, the author is trying to stress something extremely important. Something he wants to cut across without fail.

The first time I read it, it took me less than 5 minutes. The second time, it took me days. Until now, my mind is stuck in a few of the pages, in its inspiring stories, in its challenging quotes.

Over all, I guess what I am simply saying is, that until now my mind still can't grasp the fact that whatever we do now - no matter how small or insignificant they may be - really have an impact in this world beyond our minds could ever comprehend.

Now that's amazing.

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Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Same Kind of Different as Me

Books on friendships always have a special place in my heart. When I read "Same Kind of Different as Me," I realized the last time I cried so hard from reading a book was The Shack. Of course, the two have different stories, but the impact to me is almost the same: It was as if I ended up broken only to be made whole again.

Authors Ron Hall and Denver Moore with Lyn Vincent all did a great job in coming up with this New York Times Bestseller. It is the most compelling and most inspirational book on friendship I have ever read.

It reminded me of how simple Christianity really us. And really, it's about relationships. First of course, with God. Then, with everyone else.

I am hoping this book will challenge you to step out of your comfort zone and start living the life Christ died to provide. Coz really, it did the same thing to me.

God bless you.

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Thursday, July 1, 2010

A Guy's Guide to Life by James Boyett

I know, I am too old for this book but I chose it nevertheless thinking I could give it to my kid brothers after reading.

I must say I enjoyed reading the practical guides to life written by James Boyett. If only there were stuff like these around, it would probably have saved me from a lot of trouble. And confusion. Or an odd mixture of the two.

The mere fact that the questions were captured into words is admirable. How much more this time that it came with answers?

As much as I really want to keep this book with me safely tucked in the corner of my shelf, I can't help but give it away to my siblings who will surely benefit from it.

I know they will. Coz I honestly did.

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Sunday, June 6, 2010

Derailed: Five Lessons Learned from Catastrophic Failures of Leadership

In an era when companies act like nations and nations act like companies, this book would be a timely read. This book by Tim Irwin focused on the lives of six leaders of well-known companies - the stories of what they did wrong and the consequences of such crucial decisions.

Most importantly, he then discussed on how we - whether in a position of leadership or not - could avoid such mistakes. What hit me in the book is somehow its emphasis on character over skills, which is sometimes overlooked in the workplace that is obsessed with results and productivity.

In the end, humility, honesty and integrity matters most.

And while most of us who read this may not be on a position of leadership, we might as well learn from these people's mistakes. As they say, we may never live too long to make all of them and thus, learn.

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Thursday, June 3, 2010

Coffee

Talking over coffee with my friend last night, I realized how there are absolutely no coincidences in life.

Listening to his stories how everything just came together smoothly for his move to Paris to come through, I found myself amazed at how God could move in a person’s life anonymously, even if it meant not getting all the credit He deserved.

I can’t help but smile at how our conversation moved from Spartacus, to “Eat, Pray and Love” to ex-relationships to life. And how everything seemed orchestrated by Someone for some unknown reason.

Unknown until last night that is.

Perhaps, the Eureka moment came when from nowhere, he blurted out, “I feel so blest, and I don’t feel I deserve any of what I received.”

I smiled.

All too many times in our lives we ARE inundated by so many blessings to mention, and yet, rarely do we ever feel undeserving, don’t we?

We feel like we earned the right to be there. Hard work, we justify, has finally paid off. And so, instead of looking up and be grateful, we walk chin up for being self-made men.

And here, comes our dilemma.

If there is one thing worse than not giving God the credit, it’s trying to earn his favour. My friend doesn’t even believe in God but he feels like the universe has given him so much than what he deserved. But God blesses him anyway.

I think atheists are so much easier to deal with than some self-confessed believer trying to earn grace.

It has been years now since a new revelation of Grace impacted my life. But if the lessons I learned so far could be summed up in a statement it would be this: We are all undeserving; deal with it.

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