the Jesus i never knew...

i have just finished a book that i am going to encourage each of you to read. i think that the book is several years old, but the content is incredibly refreshing!

'the Jesus i never knew' by philip yancey is fantastic!

i returned from my trip to prague and paris about a month and a half ago. the depression i felt after returning to ivanovo was overwhelming in a way that i haven't felt here before. i wanted to begin counting the days until i would be home again... with my family... with my friends... with the things that are familiar to me... after days of staying inside, dreading going outside to say even 'hello' to my neighbors, or hearing it back, i was listening to a sermon from online. i don't remember exactly what was said, but i what i remember thinking was, 'i am down. i want to go home. and the only solution to my problem is more of Him. so... i will get to know Him some more.'
i began re-reading the Gospels and reading this book. it has done a world of good! it's not that i didn't know or had never read or studied these things that the book talked about, but i was reminded that He knows and understands EVERYTHING that i am going through. He's already done it! He's already left home... He's already been homesick. He's already been uncomfortable... He's already been misunderstood... He's already cried the tears... He's already laughed the laughs! He's made Himself credible...and i can trust Him to lead me through it!

so... maybe you just need a reminder... maybe you just need something good and encouraging to read... either way, pick it up. you won't regret it!