Chris Maxwell
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Pause With Jesus
$19.99Read moreThink of reading the biblical stories of Jesus as a written travelogue. Each verse, story, chapter, account stands alone as an example of the exquisite life of Christ as each snapshot from a vacation individually reflects a unique experience of life. Unless surveyed as a whole, the completeness escapes and leaves us grasping mere fragments. The totality of a vacation, missed when viewing individual photos, can be seen by observing the album containing all the pictures, or a video showing the story in motion. Places and people. Good days and bad. Events comprising the entire trip come into focus, accurately portraying a journey that would appear out of balance when only certain pictures were noticed. This biblical travelogue presents description, like snapshots of a historical person. Knitted together, stories from Christ’s life bring into focus a true and astounding picture. More than a portrait of a movement, it is representation of the Man Himself. A Man who loved all the characters of the drama. The lonely? He loved them. The misfits? He loved them. The legalistic, religious, gotta-do-it-our-way-or-we-will-kill-you folks? He loved them. Demonstrations of that love differ with each scene, but uniqueness merges with unity; the same pure, profound love shines in every sighting. What I’ve offered here is an awareness, a glimpse, of what the Gospel writers were telling us. And what life seems to be revealing. These stories have caused me to see Jesus in fresh ways. I am more aware than ever of both my imperfections and His love for me in spite of my frailty. Watching Him with sinners in Matthew’s house, seeing Him gaze at the impish Zaccheus while certainly grinning, hearing His powerful words stifle the storm: such scenes moved me despite my familiarity with them. Moments of study offered me the impossible task of laying aside my preconceptions long enough to live through the events unfettered by prematurely drawn conclusions. Along the way, I met Jesus. Again. And He is very real, very alive. And He seems to think we are all important. May we refuse to think lightly of Jesus. May we refrain from closeness to Him that merely leaves us callous to His majesty. May we refuse to be ordinary. May we not work so hard to rise above others. May we pause. May we pause with Jesus.
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Pause For Pastors
$19.99Read moreI remember my final Sunday as a lead pastor. Though I often forget things, I can’t forget that. Faces and voices, a sanctuary and a pulpit, many years and many moments.
Memories were breathing-all replaying at once. Life and death. Marriages and funerals. Prayers and songs and laughter and disagreements and meals and conversations and pain. And more prayer.
As I think back to those experiences, I’m asking myself, “What did I learn?” Not, “Did I succeed?” or “Did I fail?” Pause for Pastors is filled stories of lessons learned. Stories that just might help a pastor and his family smile when they hear this word, church. Stories that just might help a pastor and his family pursue help when they’re carrying too heavy of this weight, church. Stories of honesty-told by myself and many others-that just might offer a little bit of peace in the storms of pastoral life.
As we’ve emphasized in each book of this series, pause in your rush through life and notice yourself. Visit your own stories. The stories of hurt, of grief, of anger, of regret. The chapters of life and death and nothingness. The words of healing on those rare perfect days.
For now, for this now, choose to stop. Read the nouns and verbs. Slowly. During the storm, read and receive and rest. -
Pause : Secret To A Better Life One Word At A Time
$16.99Read moreImagine a quiet walk, hand in hand with a loved one, really listening, really connecting. Bask in the moment, feel the love. It sounds wonderful, doesn t it? Much too often these potentially precious moments are swept away in the rush of everyday life. Now is the time to enter the world of PAUSE…a time to think, evaluate, listen, observe and enjoy. Pause with author Chris Maxwell as he explores a collection of words. Words of wonder, confession, hope, longing and dreams. Words we often rush past, rather than taking time to ponder their meanings and true value. Immerse yourself in each story. Ponder and meditate on each reflective word. Reconnect with life and all it has to offer. Pause.