Jim Hughes

Cover: A Million Miles in a Thousand Years

Donald Miller’s new book A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: What I Learned While Editing My Life is available from booksellers today.  I received a free copy early as part of Thomas Nelson’s Blogger Review Program.  Otherwise I’d have bought a copy today, as I’m a big Donald Miller fan.

The book tells the story of what happens to Miller when a couple of movie producers begin working with him to adapt his earlier book Blue Like Jazz into a movie.  He quickly learns that changes have to be made to his story to make a successful movie.  As he works to learn more about what makes a good story, he finds a new lens for looking at his life, and in turn, for making a better life.

If you’re a Miller fan, you won’t be disappointed.  You’ll love his quirky characters, you’ll smile and laugh out loud, and you’ll quickly get sucked into his story.  And then the twist hits — you’ll begin to see yourself in the story, and wonder how he suddenly began writing about you and your story.  You continue reading to find out how Miller’s story turns out, but you’re also reading to learn more about editing your own story.  And it works on both levels.

You might as well just buy a couple of copies.  You’re going to want to hold on to yours to reread, and you’re going to want one to give to those you love.

Posted via email from Alright!

Posted via email from Alright!

Posted via email from Alright!

Posted via email from Alright!

Trying something new with Dad today. Saturdays are really slow at the Terrace. M-F they have meals and activities, but things just kind of shut down on Saturdays. So today we’re having lunch. And we’ll try to do something most other Saturdays as well.
 
If you know someone in a similar situation, why not give them a call and go to lunch? You will both enjoy it!

Posted via email from Alright!

I awoke early this morning, able to see lightening flashes from a storm far to the northeast of us. Those flashes, even from a distance, were enough to start my mind thinking that maybe morning storms were brewing.

Apparently Jenny Dog had the same thoughts, because she became restless too.  So the two of us, neither really sure we wanted to get up, did.

We sat on the porch. I looked at the building clouds.  I checked the radar which told me that the storms were far away, but which also told me they were moving in our direction.

And as I sat there, other storms came to mind, some prompted by emails or Twitter or Facebook or blog posts. A man we prayed with Sunday whose sister died suddenly on Saturday and who is hurting. The woman whose husband committed suicide a month ago who is so graciously sharing her thoughts and feelings with my readers on Difficult Seasons. A Twitter/Facebook friend who is struggling this morning under the weight of family needs, which bring up another struggle that has been behind him for decades, but which lurks, ever ready to return.

Life storms are a natural part of life, just like the thunder storms brewing this morning.  The thunder storms are welcome, however, especially in this season of drought in Southeast Texas.  The life storms — not so much.  But I’m learning that they too bring the elements of growth, of new life, even as they leave marks of their passing behind.

Fearless, by Max Lucado

In Fearless, Max Lucado takes on our fearfulness straight up.

He enumerates all of the reasons we have to be fearful, and then boldly asks, “Can you imagine a life with no fear?” He then builds the case for a life of courage based on Jesus’ most common command recorded in scripture, “Fear Not!”

Lucado doesn’t sugar coat the difficulties all of us face in life. But as he addresses many of our major fears, he helps us understand how we can face them with more courage and less fear. “The promise of Christ and the contention of this book are simple:  we can fear less tomorrow than we do today.”

I’ve been looking forward to the arrival of Fearless since before I heard about it. I’ve witnessed the effect of fear on people struggling with unemployment, with other life circumstances. I’ve wished for an effective tool to help them deal with their fear, to find courage.  Fearless fills that bill.

But as I read the book, I was surprised by how much it also spoke to my life. I found encouragement for being less fearful, for being more courageous.  I believe you’ll find the same.

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I am a member of Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Blogger program.

Posted via email from Alright!