In case you forgot, I love to read.  Stacks of books seem to pile up all over the house — most of them half read.  Other women buy shoes; I buy books.  For 2012,  I am purposing to be a bit more intentional about my reading plan.  I hope to read 12 books and post a “Net Out” here on the blog using a  format similar to Michael Hyatt’s.

The Peacemaker by Ken Sande provides Biblical principles for resolving our differences.  This practical and challenging book examines how we interact with each other in light of the Scriptural mandates to prefer one another and live peaceably with our brothers.  Each chapter outlines how to restore, be reconciled, and examine the plank in our own eye with clarity and conviction.

Here are some “take away” truths that captured my attention:

God has a purpose for our conflicts: “…every conflict that comes into our lives has somehow been ordained by God.  Knowing that He has personally tailored the events of our lives and is looking out for us at every moment should dramatically affect the way we respond to conflict” (p. 62).

We must remember how much God has forgiven us in order to resolve conflicts:  “When we admit that our own sins are so serious that Jesus had to die for us, and remember that He has forgiven us for all our wrongs, we can let go of our illusion of self-righteousness and freely admit our failures” (p. 78).

Resolving conflict requires dying to self:  “Just as seed must be sacrificed to produce a crop, our personal rights and material assets must sometimes be surrendered to sow the Gospel and produce a spiritual harvest…” (p. 96).

We must examine our motives during a conflict:  “As James 4:1-3 teaches, inflicting pain on others is one of the surest signs that an idol is ruling our hearts.  When we catch ourselves punishing others in any way, whether deliberately or overtly or unconsciously and subtly, it is a warning that something other than God is ruling our hearts” (p.109).

Up next will be Boundaries:  When to Say Yes, How to Say No – To Take Control of Your Life, a book written to explain how to develop physical, emotional, and spiritual limits that foster personal freedom and peace.   Want to read it with me?  I will be posting about it on September 28.

I would love to hear about what you are reading.  Feel free to share in the comment section below to be entered in a Giveaway — I will be giving away a copy of each of these 2 great books.

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Just make sure to enter on or before September 7th to participate.  Thanks for stopping by!

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