Sunday, October 12, 2008

Enter to Win a FREE Copy of C.J. Mahaney's "The Cross Centered Life"!

At Sovereign Joy Community Church we have a book table filled with all sorts of solid books to encourage our members. This is one of those books. I've been wanting to read it for some time now and on Friday night after our church service a few different people told me "it's a must read".

Then Daniel, a young man who attends Sovereign Joy, walked over to me opened the little orange book to a specific page and said, "Read page 18." He pointed to where I should start and stop.

After I read what you're about to read, I bought a copy from our book table. Here's what I'm going to attempt to do...I'll read it on the plane ride to Atlanta for Deeper and the plane ride back home (this should give me plenty of time...it's a small book--85 pages). Then when I return, we'll do the drawing and the book will go home with one of you!

Now for the portion that I read, starting at page 18:

"On Monday, Alice bought a parrot. It didn't talk, so the next day she returned to the pet store.

"He needs a ladder," she was told. She bought the ladder, but another day passed and the parrot still didn't say a word.

"How about a swing?" the clerk suggested.

So Alice bought a swing. The next day, a mirror. The next day, a miniature plastic tree. The next day, a shiny parrot toy. On Sunday morning, Alice was standing outside the pet store when it opened. She had the parrot cage in her hand and tears in her eyes. Her parrot was dead.

"Did it ever say a word?" the store owner asked.

"Yes," Alice said through her sobs. "Right before he died, he looked at me and asked, 'Don't they sell any food at that pet store?' "

THE MATTER OF FIRST IMPORTANCE

Many good causes and activities can occupy a Christian's time and attention. But just as no amount of parrot-cage amenities can make up for a lack of parrot food, nothing can replace the gospel in the Christian's life. Without it our souls will become like Alice's pet--starving in a crowded cage. It's importatn to ask honestly what we're building our lives around. Before we can talk about how to live a cross centered life, we have to identify what our life is centered on right now. We're all living lives centered on something. But is it the right thing? So think about ithis for a moment. What is the main thing in your life?"

When I read this, I immediately thought it was a great analogy. It's so true. Just think about it, the Gospel should be an all consuming passion of ours, not only when we share our faith...but all the time! We should be thanking God for the Gospel day and night. Centering our lives on it.

When we rise and before we go to sleep--meditating on the goodness of God in the Gospel.
During good times and in dark seasons of our lives--rejoicing in our salvation.
When we eat and when we drink--savoring the glory of God and finding our satisfaction in Him.
The Gospel should be a "matter of first importance"!

To Enter the Drawing, Here's What You Should Do: Leave a comment below with your name and some way for me to contact you if you win (email or blog link is fine--as long as there's an email address attached to the blog link). If you aren't able to leave a comment send your entry to email@fishwithtrish.com. Comments will be opened through next Monday and a winner will be randomly chosen next Tuesday. Open to U.S. residents only.

45 comments:

Lydia said...

This is a great book! If you don't end up winning it, pick up "Living the Cross Centered Life" by C.J. It's a combination of "The Cross Centered Life" and another of his books.

Re said...

I'd love to read this. Thanks for a great giveaway

Whitney Brents said...

Thanks for the offer Trish!! I love your blog!!

whitneybrents@gmail.com

Mark Sohmer said...

Sounds fantastic. I'd like to enter please. :)

Anonymous said...

Go Fish, Trish!

cpullum said...

Wow I would love to read this book! Any book that can draw me closer to Christ and is a nice read, I would love to read!
God Bless!

Carla
cpullum(at)yahoo(dot)com

Aaron said...

Count me in Trish.

anix@answersingenesis.org

Renee said...

Great...would love to win this.

evangewoman.blogspot.com

Nate said...

Count me in for the drawing. Thanks

Anonymous said...

I would love to read the book it sounds wonderfull. I will be attending deeper so I hope I get a chance to meet you there
My email is Kingkarrem@aol.com

Marcey said...

sounds like a great book, Trish!

thedaniel6@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

Hey Trish,

I love your blog! I would love to win this for my husband for Christmas :)

Blessings,

Jamie Collins (Neil's wife)

luvtobeathomemom@hotmail.com

Guess Family said...

I am so glad that there are churches like yours out there that still teach the Word of God.

gabrielguess@sbcglobal.net
theguessblog.blogspot.com

Misty*Dawn said...

Thanks for offering this book Trish! I'd love to win it!! Servingchrist@altiusbb.com

Timothy Glass said...

So cool that you have contest!! I would really like to read this book, Thanks Trish for all you are doing for the LORD JESUS!!
Tim
http://deliveringevangelism.blogspot.com/

Unknown said...

Got goosebumps reading that excerpt.

gordy@voicecrying.com

Anonymous said...

Hi Trish,

Put me on the list! Looks like a great book!

I love what you do. God Bless!

atarara@charter.net

Andrew said...

This book looks like it will help me understand the main focus of my life

Jon and Kelly Pack said...

I love it! Have you ever read Tally Ho the Fox by Herb Hodges? From what you described of this book, Tally Ho is alot like it. I think you would love it. God Bless!
Thanks, Kelly Pack

Melanie said...

Thanks Trish! melaniee_stevens at yahoo.com

Tisa said...

I'd love to read this! ~ :) Thanks!

cvcraven said...

Oh! I really like that analogy! I've never heard of this book before but now I want to read it too! LOL

Thanks!
Valerie

cvcraven@comcast.net

Wretched said...

Hey Trish,

As promised, here is my blog comment to go with the e-mail I sent to be entered into this.

Thank you Trish!

Bryan

nancy said...

Thanks for the review, please count me in!

The Real Pae said...

Hey Trish, Thanks for these giveaways! We love you in NY!!

bcoming1@gmail.com

Curtis said...

I love CJ, and would highly recommend him to anyone.

I just recently came accross this book, Death By Love: Letters from the Cross By: Mark Driscoll, and am excited to read it.

Driscoll is fast becoming the next great preacher, he started off quite contraversal but has really shown himself to be a Lover of God and His word.

If ever you start doing give aways accross the border, count me in.

Tisa said...

Please count me in! ~ :) Thanks

jmagloro[at]ywave.com

Linda Martin said...

What a great analogy. Sounds like something I should read!

lindamartin9262@sbcglobal.net

Douglas said...

Hi Trish, this would be a great addition to my personal library. DefenderofFaith315@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

Please count us in as this looks interesting.

Stang said...

sgucwa@gmail.com

judybrittle said...

The book sounds wonderful. Thank you so much!
judybrittle at aol dot com

Karen said...

If I don't win this I'll have to add it to my "wish list".

karendg8@gmail.com

Amy said...

May the Lord bless and keep you; May His face shine upon you; May He be gracious to you, and give you peace. Love from NJ!

Jack said...

This sounds like just the book I need to further my life in Christ. I would love to enter.

Jack

marshall.jack24@gmail.com

LivingForHim said...

Count me in!

I2173 [at] aol.com

Johnny Wayne said...

Thanks for all that this ministry does!

jwfusilier@aol.com

DarrinB said...

Please drop my name in the hat for the book. I haven't read the book before.

darrinb@hotmail.com

General_Wretch said...

WOW this looks like a great book! Thanks for the opportunity to win it! Guy R- Ashland,Ky

Chaotic Order said...

WHAT UP GIRL!? This is Aaron and Karen. We read that and read what the parrot said and just died laughing. It's okay, we're not dead. We're still here. I promise.

We would love to see you guys really soon. Love ya'll!!

Buki Family said...

sounds like a challenging book!

Misty*Dawn said...

I would LOVE to win this one! count me in! ~Misty~ servingchrist@altiusbb.com

klp1965 said...

PLEASE COUNT ME IN ON THIS AWESOME GIVEAWAY :)

calgirl said...

I would love to read this book and live closer to the cross, then pass it on to someone else.

Fish With Trish said...

Congrats to Elizabeth Crook for winning "The Cross Centered Life"!