ALL THINGS NEW

Favorite author meets favorite subject. ❤

I knew I would love this book. I got so much out of the Hope in the Coming Kingdom CDs, and I remember wishing back in 2013 that John Eldredge might write a book about that someday.  Now he has. =)  (I was thankful to be part of the early launch team, getting a free copy to read and review. I will buy more of them soon as gifts for others. The book releases on September 26th, and you can preorder it HERE.)

This book covers a lot of ground, and it stirs up a lot of wonderful HOPE for Christ followers. It reminds us of the restoration of all things... that Christ will rule as King, that evil will be overthrown and destroyed, that nothing we love will truly be lost... that our favorite places and animals and memories and people will be a part of our lives there, forever. There will be great music and food and joy and love and a completely trustworthy, strong community where we are all both family and friends!  There will be no racism, hatred, terrorism, death, shadow of death, sorrow, sin, etc. We will be completely free from bondage to death and decay, forever young and vibrant and healthy and whole!  We will finally understand what God was doing in our darkest moments and see His plan throughout history. There will be so much to do and learn and explore and discover! This beautiful future is promised and it is coming for all who know Christ as Lord, yet most Christians spend very little time thinking about it...

Our kingdom hope is meant to be the "anchor for our souls."  John talks about God being our first love -- that when we get that right, it rescues us from so much heartache and pain. (I can attest to that on both sides!)  Similarly, the coming Kingdom of Christ is supposed to be our ultimate hope, and when we place our highest hope there, it rescues us from so much -- from the enemy's attacks and from being devastated over the many things that fall short of our hopes and expectations here on earth.  When our first love or our ultimate hope are placed elsewhere, we will suffer painful letdowns and often struggle to recover.  I wish I could convey how much THIS MATTERS.  Having this firm and secure hope in Christ helps to ground us through the ups and downs of earthly life, and this book awakens and strengthens that hope.  We will live forever and reign with Christ. No eye has seen and no ear has heard all that God has planned for us who love Him, but we can trust that we will not be bored or disappointed in it!!  So I would encourage you to press into this hope, to let your heart go there, and of course, to buy and read this book. ❤

Now we see things imperfectly,

Like puzzling reflections in a mirror,

But then we will see everything with perfect clarity.

All that I know now is partial and incomplete,
But then I will know everything completely,
just as God now knows me completely.

-1 Corinthians 13:12

Favorite quotes from the book:
"Far too often Christians experience the death of a loved one as devastation... I am not making light of grief nor loss. I am very familiar with them. But we must, we must keep before us the reality that our dear ones are not dead at all. They are more alive now than they have ever been."

"When I speak of hope, I mean the confident anticipation that goodness is coming. A rock-solid expectation, something we can build our lives on. Not the delicate and fragile hopes most people are trying to get by with... An unbreakable, unquenchable hope."

"God has given you a heart for His kingdom - not the wispy vagaries of a cloudy heaven, but the sharp reality of the world made new. This is one of the most important things you can know about yourself... That is the only hope strong enough, brilliant enough, glorious enough to overcome the heartache of this world... So let us chase it now with all of our being."

"Pause and let this be true: evil is judged and utterly destroyed. Forever and ever. Not just in the fairy tale, but here in reality... Oh, the hope that begins to rise at the thought of a world where the enemy no longer gets to do what he does. To see our loved ones released from their lifelong battles. To be released from our own lifelong battles, knowing with utter surety that the kingdom of death and darkness is forever destroyed... You look to your right and left, and you only see people you can trust completely." 

"See, I will create new heavens and a new earth...

Be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create,

For I will create Jerusalem to be a delight

And its people a joy."

-Isaiah 65:17-18

"If you will begin to choose the kingdom - "seek ye first" - if you consciously and deliberately give your heart to the renewal of all things, you will notice the effects immediately . So much pressure will be lifted off your current hopes; when things don't go well, you'll find yourself less angry, less dejected... you'll find yourself freer to risk, especially love." 

"Justice cannot be justice if God were to simply ignore those who persist in hating Him till the end... Not everyone wants the joys of heaven-on-earth for the simple reason that they do not want Jesus to be King."

"Salvation is found in no one else,

For there is no other name under heaven

Given to mankind by which we must be saved."

~Acts 4:12

"Jesus is our defender. And, friends, Jesus will come to our defense. Your story needs to be told rightly... There are so many stories that need to be brought out into the light and so much vindication that needs to take place if justice is real and healing true."

"God does not merely scrap creation and our intended roles along with it. He restores everything!"  
~John Eldredge, All Things New

Finally, this was unexpected and fun - I got to be on the radio this past weekend!! I prefer writing to speaking, but I did okay for short notice (Annie messaged me on Thursday asking if I would be willing to meet her at the studio on Saturday.) You can listen to the podcast below! =)) I'm very thankful that I got to share about Jesus and the coming Kingdom and promote the All Things New book! ❤