2nd Stop on the Max Marathon

Just Like Jesus, is the second book I read through on my Max Marathon. It was jammed packed with good reminders about what it looks like to be Just Like Jesus( go figure).

I have to say, as I read each chapter I was again reminded of how much I am NOT Just Like Jesus.! Truly by the end of this book I felt like having a lil pitty party because of how far from the reminders in this book I really am.
The past month has been one challenge after another. Maybe that is why I have felt so much like a schmuck because all my schmuckiness has been brought to the surface by these events. I could go into great lengths to tell you all the gorey details but despite the fact that I have been brought to a place of total exhaustion with these trials I am not giving up. I can't give up. I want to see the end of this movie that is my life and I want it to be a happy ending.


So, just about the time I was going to self this one again for it's ability to make me feel like a total schmuck I came to the end. The final chapter is called, Finishing Strong An Enduring Heart.
Max has such a great way of explaining the human plight. He opens the final chapter talking about unfinished projects and how we all fall prey to them from time to time. We set out to do something with the best intentions and somewhere along the way we lose the motivation to stick with it.
Just when I thought I was in for the final blow to my character, being that I just walked away from one of the biggest financial responsibilities in my adult life, he says it's probably good that we don't finish everything we set out to do. Wait, what? Yep, he says, " My desire is to encourage you to finish the right thing. Certain races are optional - like washboard abs and speed reading. Other races are essential- like the race of faith."



He then goes on to say, "How can our hearts have the endurance Jesus had? By focusing where Jesus focused: the joy set before him." Heb 12:2

This made me think of joy and what really brings me joy. What is the joy set before me? I have been thinking a lot about joy lately because it seems I have had many, many things that have tried to rob me of my joy but I am not going down that easy.
I thought instantly of my family. My husband. My children. My friends. But even more than all of them Jesus brings me joy. Knowing him not for what he gives or what he has done but just for him. Who HE is right now to me, is pure joy . Then I thought if I could have all the time in the world with all of them it would be so nice. Then it brought me back around to the joy that was set before Jesus. What got him through all the times when he sat across from Judas knowing full well what he was going to do? What got him through the time when he was spit on and beaten and he could have said one word to stop it all but he didn't?


In all my trials I am reminded I have not been tried as much as Jesus was, not even close. What got him through all of those trials? I think He knew there would be a day when he would have all the time(eternity to be exact) with the ones he loved and he wanted everyone to make it to that place. It reminded me of what is ahead of me as well as what is really important right now. Jesus had more than just the hope of what was ahead, he KNEW what was ahead having been there already and he not only wanted to get back there but to have everyone, and I do mean EVERYONE there with him to enjoy it even more!! It is a good reason not to give up, don't ya think?

First Stop on the Max Marathon

Next Door Savior

I think this book stood out to me to read first in the Max Marathon because I don't know who lives next door anymore. It's a daunting realization that I had recently knowing that, "Toto we are not in Kansas anymore" or "Bella we are not in Sparks anymore". I chose the top picture to go with this blog because somewhere in the last few weeks it hit me, I live in a BIG city now. Not just a little city but a very BIG city with many people, places, and new things to behold and somewhere in reading this book I took great comfort in knowing that one thing in this BIG move that I made did not change, Christ came with me.

First, I have to admit that although my intentions were to go through three Max Lucado books over winter break I only made it through one. The reason for this is not so much that I didn't have plenty of time to read, I did. It has more to do with the fact that this book, Next Door Savior had many important reminders and I wanted to dig a little deeper into instead of skimming through the pages just to get to the other side. I also didn't realize the first time I read this book that in the back there is a study guide to help with said,"digging deeper" which I utilized fully this time.


I will start by saying that this quote sums it all up, " Nothing compares to " the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord" Phil 3:8 The reward of Christianity is Christ. Fellowship with him. Walking with him. Pondering him. Exploring him. The heart-stopping realization that in him you are part of something ancient, endless, unstoppable, and unfathomable. And that he, who can dig the Grand Canyon with his pinkie, thinks you're worth his death on Roman timber. Christ is the reward of Christianity."
For me that above quote is what this book is all about. The fact that many things in this life can distract us of simple truths. Many things even in Christianity can distract you from Christ and this book reminded me, (as well as many, many nature walks while singing in the woods to my Creator) that I have been given my reward in this life. It's not who I am married to, or how many children I have(although I do consider those to be very BIG BONUSES) It's not success at my job or material possessions. It's not what kind of car I drive (let me tell you I have seen some spendy cars here in Redmond) or where I drive that car to every day. It's not how many people I know or accomplishing any earthly dream (of which I have many) but it is to know Christ and to be known by Him.




I think the older I am getting I am realizing this more and more that I will never fully know and understand him, but He knows and fully understands me and I take great comfort in that. He is the one person I don't have to explain myself to. I don't even make sense to myself sometimes but to Him that doesn't matter. There is a portion of this book that talks about Joni Eareckson Tada wedding day experience. For those of you who don't know who Joni is she is a girl who became paralyzed from a diving accident at the age of 17 but she didn't let her handicaps, handicap her. The portion Max shares about her life though, found in chapter 6, is on her wedding day. It tells of how she felt like the less than picture perfect bride all up until she saw the smile on her grooms face and forgot that she was going down the aisle in a wheelchair. This is truly such a good picture of what it is like to be known by Christ. You look to other faces and see disappointment, jealousy, doubt, but when you look to his face you see nothing but love baby! You listen to other voices telling you to do more, be more, have more, but you listen to his voice and you hear You are enough! Nothing but love baby!! " You can't just say I love you, You have to live I love you," sang Ben Harper. Indeed Jesus lived and died I love you.



There is a freedom that words cannot express when you realize the Savior you are looking for is not so far off , not so hard to get to know, not so hard to receive love from, and not so easily offended. "There is nothing that can separate me from the love of Christ " this is in fact my reward. I give my life again to honor Him, My Savior King.

Max Marathon

I used to only ever read self-help/spiritual books or the bible. A while back I realized that was the same with music. I used to only listen to Christian music. Secular/Non Secular call it whatever you want, but over the years I have realized it's all the same to me. That is my 2 cents worth about that topic, take it or leave it. It's funny when Moses and I talk about music because many of the bands of the 80's and 90's I have no recollection of because of this. He will say something like, "Don't you remember that song" to which I will respond " Nope never heard it" to which he will say, "Man where were you?" and I will think in my head I was in a bubble. I am glad in many ways to have bursted that bubble. Who did the bursting I am not exactly sure but all the same it has bursted wide open.
So anyway, that was a rabbit trail thanks for following back to the topic at hand... back in the day when I was inside the bubble my favorite author and still he is one of my favorites now is/was Max Lucado. I used to work at a Christian book store and every new release of his was quickly purchased, read through, and placed on my self at home. I just love the way this man writes in pictures. Well, since outside the bubble I haven't picked up any of his new releases and or read the old ones in a long time
SO.....(the whole point of this blog is coming.... wait for it... wait for it....)

I have decided over the course of the next few weeks of Christmas Break that I am going to go on a Max Lucado Marathon. While studying the shelves of books that my hubby so masterfully assembled from Ikea I realized that I have almost everyone of this man's titles(except new titles as stated above). After realizing it has been a while since I have dug deep into one of them I thought it's about time, so I am going on a Max marathon. His books always make me cry so I will make sure I have kleenex nearby.

The titles on the road map are as follows:

Next Door Savior

Just Like Jesus

And The Angels Were Silent


I will report back in a few weeks if I survive this marathon without a bucket load of tears and hopefully a good reminder or two.
Until then please enjoy some more new pictures.



The pics are of the Space Needle in Seattle, A butterfly that Landed on Sol's hand while in the Butterfly garden at PSC, and one from Sol's birthday party in October right before moving(seems so long ago now).



When I look at all the boys in that last photo my heart aches to think of the next time we will see them all. I sure do feel a case of homesickness coming on. Good thing this city has many distractions to hold me over until the next time we all are able to meet again.