Let’s be wonderstruck, shall we?

Jan 4, 2013Heal from the past, Mind if I pray for you?

Blog Post Wonderstruck Cover Art Image

My friend, Margaret Feinberg, has a new book and 7-session DVD Bible study called Wonderstruck: Awaken to the Nearness of God which released Christmas Day. Hers is a personal invitation for you to toss back the covers, climb out of bed, and drink in the fullness of life. This book will turn your prayer life upside down, stir your desire to live more abundantly, and take your relationships with others to the next level, which is why I’m so happy to feature it here on Live Uncaged.

Margaret recently posted a great warning on her site that those who have read Wonderstruck have experienced the following symptoms:

-An inability to stop smiling
-An uncontainable desire to pray
-A loss of interest in judging others
-A quiet, unshakable confidence in God
-A renewed ability to see the wonders of God all around

Here are some stick-to-the-ribs quotes from Wonderstruck that I suspect will bless you:

“I have a hunch that I’m not the only one who has misplaced the marvel of a life lived with God. Faith invites us into an enchanting journey—one marked by mysteries of divine beauty, holy courage, irrepressible hope, unending love. But in my life, any sense of the splendor of God had faded. I knew I needed God to reveal himself once again to awaken me from my sleep, to disturb me from my slumber. And so I prayed for wonder.

Mary here. Oh how I resonate with that. As one who loves to pray, particularly for other folks, I resonate with Margaret’s pointed and invitational words. There have been times I’ve lost the wonder of prayer, when it’s become rote or agonizing or faith-lacking. How about this? After you read this post, would you take a moment and pray for wonder?

I’ll do it right now: Jesus, I pray You would bring back the holy anticipation and wonder back to my prayer life. Renew my verve for You and reignite my faith to believe You can move the mountains in my life and in the lives of others.

Another amazing quote:

“God is not merely at your fingertips but within your grasp. Live each day like a child digging through an antique treasure chest rifling for the next discovery. Open your arms and your eyes to the God who stands in plain sight and works miracles in your midst. Look for him in your workdays and weekends, in your meeting-filled Mondays and your lazy Saturdays. Search for him in the snowy sunsets and Sabbaths, seasons of Lent and sitting at your table. Pray for—and expect—wonder. For when you search for God, you will discover him.”

Mary here. Being in Texas in winter, I can’t look for God in snowy sunsets (more like warmish, sunny), but I can take this admonition to heart. To spend my days with eyes and heart wide open. To live in anticipation. I’ve lacked that of late, so this convicts me. You?

One more quote that may just change the way you look at folks:

“The wondrous calling of God on our lives is to become conduits of a holy replenishment. As children of God, we’re meant to live on high alert, watching for the possibility of divine restoration in the lives of those around us. We’re called to look where no signs of life are found, where others dismiss its possibility. And we’re invited to speak life—words of encouragement, hope, and peace that embody the goodness of God—whenever possible.” 

Mary here. I think about this when I’m checking out at the grocery store. Often I’m distracted, and I don’t treat the person checking me out as someone needing encouragement. They’re a checkoff from a list. May it be that I look (and we all look) to be an infusion of redemption in people’s lives, no matter how we encounter them.

Follow Margaret’s snarky, funny, and inspirational posts on Twitter, Facebook, or her blog. You can learn more about this life-altering book by visiting www.margaretfeinberg.com/wonderstruck. I’ve seen the book for as low as $7.95 ($14.99 retail) on Barnes & Noble for all you savvy shoppers.

0 Comments