Book Review: Saving the Saved - Highly Recommend

I grew up in The Salvation Army. They believe a child of God, a Christian, can lose their salvation. One of the primary dangers in this view is an inflated sense of self-preservation. It leads to believing one has the power to negate what God has done on your behalf ("void His promise") because your actions supersede God's act of forgiveness that He has declared as FINISHED. Contrary to what they think, we are not the lynch pin holding our security in place! Praise God, He paid the debt I could not pay. He holds me, by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, a seal of promise, assuring my eternal ("eternal," not "temporary," not "probationary") life! He is the author/sustainer/perfecter of our faith.

While Salvationists would agree that we cannot DO anything to gain our salvation, they say we must DO something to keep our salvation. They assert we can "choose to come out from under that seal." In that case, what's the point of a seal? Living with constant fear one has not repented from each infraction (and, yes, we continue to struggle with SIN) leads to a performance-driven faith. I now believe that is an error, and a grievous one. It makes me think of a phrase I once heard stating there are only two religious camps: DO and DONE. I rest in what He has done, not what I do.

Salvation is a gift, an act of grace, "Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:9) First, He justifies; then, He sanctifies. On the cross, Christ paid the penalty for our sin. Once we are His child, sealed with the Holy Spirit, that Spirit helps us fight against the ongoing presence of sin we will battle until death. We are not out from under the consequence of sin, but we are FREE from the condemnation of sin. Again, I trust in Christ's act, not my actions, for my heart is desperately wicked and the battle against sin continues (Romans 7:14-25).

We are neither co-saviors, nor co-judges. God will decide each individual's spiritual destiny. Indeed, it is not our place to speculate. (We cannot determine someone in scripture ended up in hell because they did not repent of their waywardness.) Praise God, it is not our call. Yet everyone will answer for where they place their faith. Are you trusting in your sufficiency (your ability to remain obedient) or in a deep and abiding trust in Christ's sufficiency (His obedience in taking your sin penalty on the cross)? Are you wearing His robes of righteousness or your own?

I face tension with family members who believe in the Army's 9th doctrine, that "continuance in the state of salvation DEPENDS upon continued, obedient faith in Christ." It rankles all the more because I have a wayward son. I have a child who, despite attesting dependence upon Christ for salvation, makes harmful choices that others perceive as unrepentant rebellion. Indeed, if they pronounce judgment on one in scripture who, despite writing books of the Bible, strayed, they believe my child is in danger of hellfire. Yes, it's personal! Yet, Paul's letter to the Corinthians reveals it is possible to follow Christ and still indulge in seasons of sin. Indeed, those willing to pronounce judgment on my son should examine their own sin indulgences.

Perhaps all of this led me to Bryan Loritts' book, Saving the Saved: How Jesus Saves Us from Try-Harder Christianity Into Performance-Free Love. Loritts is determined to teach the reader how to rest in God's performance-free love. He argues against spiritual meritocracy (using our performance to gain God's approval). I loved this comment, "If anything I ever do of eternal value is because of God's grace, and if anything I ever do that brings shame is covered by God's grace, where is the boasting... the shame?" He urges us to come to Him "with the outfit He supplies. Life in the kingdom means I come out of my old clothes of performance and receive the new ones of abiding in Christ."

I loved his comments on prayer. He likened it to a 3-year-old, with arms outstretched, asking her daddy to carry her. He argues for the humility required to pray fervently. "Every day I spend in prayerlessness is a day wasted in pride--a day in which I say to God, 'I got this.'" And we don't hold the results against God. "He's worthy to be praised when breast cancer is cured--and just as worthy when the disease takes a life. We don't follow God for outcomes or for the benefits package; we follow Him because we love Him."

His discussion on Matthew 11:30 ["my yoke is easy; my burden is light"] brings special encouragement to my weary soul. He explains that, in the Greek, these words mean "custom-made." A carpenter measured the yoke to fit a specific ox's neck. "As the Divine Carpenter, Jesus knows you inside and out.... He customizes the yokes and trials of our lives so there's nothing we go through that we cannot handle.... You and Jesus are yoked together. He's in this with you, and there's nothing... you can't handle... in God's amazing love."

As Loritts speaks of why our failure is never final, he focuses on Peter's denial and subsequent use for the kingdom. He talks about our need for fresh, daily grace, and how that should make us gracious with others. Here is where the message hit me between the eyes. Unforgiveness is an affront, a sign of hypocrisy. I have exhibited this very problem and must repent of it. Loritts writes, "The unforgiving 'Christian' puts on a display of arrogance, assuming in their unforgiveness that they are the only ones truly worthy of being forgiven, of receiving God's performance-free love." Oh, how I need repentance.

Our repentance is not, however, to GAIN his love, but is an expression in RESPONSE to his performance-free love. We must be careful not to confuse salvation with sanctification. First, we repent of our sin and seek His forgiveness and His atonement (eternally expunging our sin debt). Then, our further repentance is a process of sanctification. It expresses our desire to become more like Him out of gratitude for the reconciliation we had no hope of attaining on our own. 

Our salvation makes us a child of God. It is an act of adoption that renders us secure. I would never look at my child and say, "That's it! You've gone too far. I no longer love you or call you my son." He is and will always be my son and nothing he does will negate that status. The truly saved do not need to be saved again, and again, and again. Indeed, believing such renders Christ's atoning work as equivalent to the Old Testament covenant sacrifices. (Here it would be good to look at Hebrews 6:4-6 - do we crucify Christ over and over to reclaim our salvation?) No, the saved rest in God's performance-free love and will greet the bridegroom wearing His robes of righteousness, not their own (filthy rags).

2025 - First Quarterly Review

To assist my blog readers, I summarize my reading four times a year, providing a brief description, genre, the page count, and a grading scale (💖5 page-turner - highly recommend, 4 page-turner - enjoyed, 3 page-turner - good, 2 page-turner - meh, and 1 page-turner - regret, wishing I could get back the time invested). I read the following books during the first quarter of 2025 (links to full reviews can be found in the side-bar, or after 2025, found through the search bar at the right):

💖The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife by Anna Johnston - When the deceased body of Bernard Greer falls into the river, Fred (an elderly, isolated homeless man), who bears an uncanny resemblance, is mistaken for Bernard and returned to Bernard's nursing home. While it certainly requires extensive "willful suspension of disbelief," this tender, redemptive story explores dementia, loneliness, found family, and kindness. Humorous Fiction. 320 pages, 📃📃📃📃📃

Positively, Penelope by Pepper Basham - After loving Authentically, Izzy, I eagerly jumped into this second installment (possible stand-alone). What great spunk and enthusiasm! Hard not to fall in love with Penelope, her love interest, and the island of Skymar. Rom-com. 416 pages (I listened on Hoopla, 12-1/2 hours), 📃📃📃📃

💖The Wright Brothers by David McCullough - Wilbur and Orville Wright had a dream they pursued with confidence and abandon. Fascinating history. Inspiration to stick with whatever you feel God is calling you to accomplish. Biography/History. 336 pages (I listened in audio form, 8 CDs, 10 hours), 📃📃📃📃📃

How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley - A group of senior citizens sets out to save a child-care facility and the young single dad relying on the facility. Humorous Fiction. 358 pages, 📃📃-1/2

This Must Be the Place: Following the Breadcrumbs of Your Past to Discover Your Purpose Today by Jami Nato - Every single thing that has happened to you, every place your heart aches or sings, every planned step and unplanned fall... all are breadcrumbs you can use to trace your place in this world and God's purpose for your life. Memoir/Christian Living. 192 pages (I listened on Hoopla, 4-3/4 hours), 📃📃📃📃-1/2

A Christmas Spark by Cindy Steel - Stuck in a cabin in a snow storm, love begins to blossom. Rom-com. 116 pages (I listened on Hoopla, 3-1/2 hours), 📃📃📃

Brightly Shining by Ingvild Rishoi - Depressing tale of two young girls struggling to survive their father's alcoholism and muster Christmas spirit where there is none. Maybe others found it, but I found little redemption in the tale. Christmas Fiction. 182 pages, 📃

The Intentional Year: Simple Rhythms for Finding Freedom, Peace, and Purpose by Glenn and Holly Packiam - Encouragement for intentionality in redeeming your time for God's glory, others' good, and your joy. Christian Nonfiction. 209 pages (I listened on Hoopla, 4-1/2 hours), 📃📃📃📃

The First State of Being by Erin Entrada Kelly - A time-traveller interrupts life for a tween and teen in 1999, teaching them to appreciate "the first state of being," the present. Middle Grade Fiction. 272 pages (I listened on Hoopla, 5 hours), 📃📃📃

Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney - An elderly woman walks across Manhattan. You'd think there would be no story. Alas, you'd think wrong! With spunk and vigor, Lillian weaves an entrancing tale. Historical Fiction. 284 pages, 📃📃📃-1/2

Lost on a Mountain in Maine by Joe Egan  & Donn Fendler - A middle grade book sharing the story of Donn's experience when he was lost for 9 days on Mount Kathadin as a twelve-year-old. Middle Grade Nonfiction. 128 pages (I listened on Hoopla, 2-1/4 hours), 📃📃📃

Holy Habits: 10 Small Decisions That Lead to a Big Life by Noah Herrin - This 28-year-old author offers 10 habits to deepen your walk with God. Fairly standard stuff. Christian Living. 176 pages (I listened on Hoopla, 3-1/2 hours), 📃📃-1/2

Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig - Haig opens up about his debilitating bout with anxiety and depression and reminds readers that there are multitudes of reasons to stay alive. Memoir/Novel. 264 pages, 📃📃📃

Happy & Sad & Everything True by Alex Thayer - Dee Diller is dealing with a lot: loss of a best friend, mortified by her mother, and unsure why her father abandoned them. Her sanctuary in the school bathroom opens doors to heal her own inner wounds and the wounds of others. Middle Grade Fiction. 288 pages (I listened in audio form, 5 CDs, 5-1/2 hours), 📃📃📃

💖Letters from the Mountain by Ben Palpant - Outstanding epistle from a Christian dad to his daughter on writing and working as a lantern for God's light to shine into the world. Wanted to buy it for myself after listening to the first hour of the audio book. So much to highlight and underline. Christian Writing Memoir. 201 pages (I listened on Hoopla, 5-1/4 hours), 📃📃📃📃📃 

You Are a Tree: And Other Metaphors to Nourish Life, Thought, and Prayer by Joy Clarkson - An excellent discussion on metaphors in the Bible. Christian Living. 208 pages (I listened on Hoopla, 5-1/2 hours), 📃📃📃📃-1/2

The Letter Tree by Rachel Fordham - A blend of Romeo and Juliet with You've Got Mail. Laura and Isaac are kept apart by feuding families, but will a mysterious correspondence bring them together? Christian Fiction. 352 pages (I listened on Hoopla, 10-1/2 hours), 📃📃📃📃-1/2

Tips on Staying Alive: Build Powerful Hope from a 10-year Cancer Survivor by L. Neal Pearcy - Part illness-battle-plan/ part resilience memoir. A quick and easy read packed with insights and information. I would have loved twice as many pages and a more in-depth look for the memoir section (proof again, that everyone's story matters!). Medical/Memoir. 45 pages, 📃📃📃

Delightful Reading Comics

Please forgive this filler post of delightful reading comics. My own reading has somewhat stalled out. Indeed, most days I'd even rather work on my purging tasks than pick up a book. Sob! Thankfully, that will be remedied soon. For my youngest son's spring break, he begged to visit Florida with his friends (who go every year - we can't afford that). He and I head down soon for a few days (not the whole week, like others), and I'm certain he will spend all his time with his friends leaving me alone in our Vrbo accommodation. I can't really hang out on the beach because my fair skin would burn quickly. Still, I will have ample time and plenty of Kindle books on my phone.

Stay tuned for my quarterly reading compilation post. It will have an abundance of suggestions (including 3 I highly recommend), in case you, too, are leaving on a spring break trip.

Finally, an image of a coffee table I'd love to own and put in my book room. If you ever see one up for sale, let me know. This one was supposedly made and posted on Facebook by Nerd Forge, although I couldn't find an active website for them (probably some AI-inspired spoof to make one think this kind of thing is possible and whet all our book-loving appetites):

Book Review: Tips on Staying Alive

At the beginning of the month, I reviewed a book called Reasons to Stay Alive. Now, I'm highlighting a book called Tips on Staying Alive by L. Neal Pearcy. I met the author at an author fair and we enjoyed good conversation. Pearcy is a ten-year cancer survivor. His little book can be broken down into two sections. The medical half is insightful; the story half is inspiring.

Tips on Staying Alive is an articulate, well-organized book. It provides tons of leads on places to secure information if you are battling illness. In fact, if you purchase the eBook version you can more easily follow the many provided links. Pearcy hooked me in the first sentence:

"The average life expectancy in the United States is 76.1 years, according to 2022 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)."

I began calculating how many more years I may have left if the CDC estimation is close. Since I'm facing a significant milestone year, it was unsettling. I read with interest the explanations of terms, outlines of treatments, and suggestions for staying alive longer. I fully intend to create some encouraging promises (or statements) to post around my computer and other areas in the house to encourage a positive outlook.

My favorite chapter, though, was the final one. What an interesting and unusual life Neal Pearcy has lived! He has triumphed over astonishing adversities. This makes his wisdom in the first half of the book credible and valid. He offers the heartfelt story of his challenging childhood. If someone can withstand and overcome parental death, abandonment, isolation, and low self-esteem, they can overcome illness with that same determined spirit. I'm so glad I had the opportunity to read Pearcy's book.

Book Review: The Letter Tree

Titles in my recent reads have been aligning in strange ways. After listening to You Are a Tree, I ventured into an audio Christian novel called The Letter Tree by Rachel Fordham. This is a modern Romeo and Juliet tale, emphasizing family, forgiveness, and freedom. I'm a big fan of novels that explore relationships forged through correspondence. This one was a love story, but I'm also interested in ones that develop friendships.

After losing her mother in a car accident, Laura Bradshaw lives under the bitter and overbearing hand of her father, head of the Bradshaw Shoe Company. While Laura feels suffocated and unable to follow her dreams, Isaac Campbell suffers from the opposite plight. His father, former business associate of Bradshaw and owner of the rival Campbell Shoe Company, encourages Isaac to do whatever he likes, keeping him out of the responsibilities of the business. The two fractured families have maintained a bitter feud ever since Mrs. Bradshaw's mysterious death.

When Laura leaves a poem in the trunk of a tree at the zoo, she has no idea that a "pine-cone throwing boy" will respond and embark on a lengthy trail of correspondence and friendship. As each day goes by, Laura grows more attached to this mysterious friend. But her father wants to use her as a pawn for a business deal. Thus, she seeks to break off the "letter tree correspondence." Both Isaac and Laura are desperate to learn what really divided their families and if resolution could ever be possible.

I adored this novel. It gave plenty to think about (especially thoughts on forgiveness and how unforgiveness leaves wounds in its wake). The characters were endearing and believable. The pacing kept the story moving. As always, I'm a big fan of books full of redemption. I will look for more by Rachel Fordham.

Mid-month Mention: Bereavement Resources

My heart has been heavily burdened since the end of February. I have a good friend, L, who lost her son years ago when he was a child. She is such a compassionate and encouraging individual. At one point, when my young boys were getting to me, I ran away from home and drove to visit her overnight. We ate at a fine Mexican restaurant and chatted well into the night. Indeed, she talked me down from a ledge. I adore her!

The last Sunday in February, I received a text saying her 34-year-old daughter (and L's only remaining child) had died in a car accident. The daughter leaves behind 2 young sons. This is a catastrophic loss! I am speechless (not that any amount of words could help when the volume of pain is so great). Every prayer begins with L's name and a request for God to comfort where no comfort seems possible. This great loss, combined with the intensity in my personal situation with a wayward child, has brought discouragement and depression.

I was curious to see if there were any resources on-line for parents who have lost all their children. My friend is not in this camp alone. Indeed, several weeks back, there was a police chase nearby where a collision caused the deaths of two small children. I cannot fathom this dynamic of grief. One morning, this mother was dressing and kissing her two little ones and sending them off with their dad. The next, she was grieving the loss of both her children and worrying over their dad's injuries.

The best online options I could find with this specific dynamic was on a resource page offered by the University of Iowa. They provide a list of a dozen books on the loss of a child and a half dozen websites. They also mentioned the only resource I could find to reach and comfort parents who have experienced the loss of all their children. Alive Alone is a support page specifically for parents who have no remaining children.

Music can soothe my soul when I'm consumed with trouble. I found a brief list of songs for a grieving mother on The Teacher's Wife blog. Lately, I have been comforted by some songs by Leanna Crawford. I first encountered her song, "Still Waters," reflecting the comfort from the 23rd Psalm ("Write scripture on your heart for when you need it."). Last week, I discovered "Better Yet."  When I searched these links, I found her song, "Honest." It is my constant prayer, these days, that God will carry L and all who are in the throes of extreme loss. The Lord can give comfort that none of us can provide. 

Book Review: You Are a Tree

I always appreciate learning about books that my friends recommend on Good Reads. My friend, Sarah Ilsters, posted about this book. I'm grateful I found an audio copy available on Hoopla. The book contained so much to glean that I also accessed the eBook version and took notes.

In You Are a Tree, Clarkson explores various metaphors we use for things like wisdom, depression, love, and faith. One reviewer found it too heady, but for this English major graduate, it was a pure delight to delve into the words we use to explain and understand our lives and our faith. Metaphors help us express profound concepts. In this book, the author explores seven metaphors, many of which feel very familiar (people as trees, wisdom as light, life as a journey). But her words, expounding on these ideas, are ripe with meaning. She discusses our drive to be productive, as we so often see ourselves as machines. The Bible is chock-full of metaphors to help us understand God and His ways.

I was eager to access the eBook besides listening to the audio. At the end of each metaphor chapter, Clarkson offers resources to explore in connection with the ideas she has presented. These sections provide a prayer, an activity, a list of paintings, films, poems, podcasts, etc. to consider, and an explanation of why she recommends them. They were rich and provided a great jumping-off place. Excellent books move you to incorporate and personalize what you've read.

What a joy to take apart words and examine how we use them to elaborate on what we experience! I loved how she used scripture to flesh out ideas of wisdom and light. Her words on journeys and sadness moved me. This is a book I would love to own to highlight passages and explore the suggestions for further consideration. At the end, Clarkson provides further reading to accompany each chapter. I could spend hours thinking about the metaphors discussed in this articulate and engaging book!