The Irresistible Revolution

My friend Lindsay is from Vancouver, BC but is currently living in Toronto, listening and waiting on God to call the shots. I love her sense of adventure and her willingness to just pick up and go. She's the one who first told me about the book The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical by Shane Claiborne. That was back in August. Since then, I've had conversations with at least two other people about this book, including my hairdresser! [Okay God, I'll read the book]

Shane Claiborne’s an ordinary guy - doing pretty extraordinary things – just trying to be more like Jesus. He's living a life that reaches out to the neglected and impoverished through love. This autobiography is filled with stories about some of his incredible experiences so far. It’s been a long time since I’ve picked up a book and found it difficult to put down. I am truly amazed by the passion, commitment and obedience of this man and the people he writes about. I highly recommend you put it at the top of your list of books to read!

Here are some snip-its that have really hit me so far…

“Over and over, when I ask God why all of these injustices are allowed to exist in the world, I can feel the Spirit whisper to me, ‘You tell me why we allow this to happen. You are my body, my hands, my feet’.”

“We can do all sorts of miracles but if we have not love, it is nothing.”

“God seems to be in the business of messing [plans] up.”

“What we do is not nearly as important as who we are.”

“Many spiritual seekers have not been able to hear the words of Christians because the lives of Christians have been making so much horrible noise. It can be hard to hear the gentle whisper of the Spirit amid the noise of Christendom.”

“Perhaps we are too quick to assume folks cannot speak for themselves… The truth is that there is a lot of noise out there drowning out quiet voices and many people have stopped listening to the cries of their neighbours.”

"Vocation comes from the same root as voice, denoting the hearing of a divine call. Beyond knowing that God has a purpose for our lives, most of us spend little energy seeking our vocation, especially in light of how the needs and sufferings of our neighbours might inform how we use our gifts for divine purposes. There are plenty of people who are miserable in their jobs, for they have not listened to God's call."

“We can do no great things, just small things with great love. It is not how much you do, but how much love you put into doing it.” – Mother Teresa

“Following Jesus is simple, but not easy. Love until it hurts and then love more.” – Mother Teresa

“Preach the gospel always. And when necessary, use words.” – St. Francis of Assisi

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Be blessed.