October 15th, 2017
Hello. My name is Raegan Holle and I am writing this for my Religion 8 class. I am writing this final essay so that you may know more about the book Outlive Your Life and so that you may also know the main themes and ideas of this novel.
Chapter 3 Review:
Hello, my name is Raegan Holle. I am a world wide book critic out of Lincoln, Nebraska. I travel around the world Evaluating books so that you may know more about them and especially know more about the book Outlive Your Life. I am writing this for my religion 8 class for Mr. Weishaar.
I believe that the overall theme for chapter 3 is to not get stuck in your shell. Max writes on page 22 that “Most of us learned to insulate ourselves against the hurt and the hurting”. We all have our own shell, admit it. Some of ours are a little bit thicker than others so that we keep more things out. When we hear in the news of the people suffering in Africa or the people in much grief because they lost everything in recent natural disasters, we climb back into our shells. Climb out of your shell once, and you will be amazed at what you can do and what a difference it makes.
One major point that the author states that goes along with the theme of this chapter well is that we are to “Think of it as a bunker for the soul. In here the world has no hunger or orphans. And poverty? This shell comes factory coated with a sadness screen” (Lucado 21). The author has a great point in that quote when he says that our shell is like a bunker, but for the soul. While it keeps us safe on the inside, bad things are going on around us. The author also compares our shell to one of a turtle’s shells. Max states, “Racism? Injustice? They bounce of my shell like rain off a turtle’s back” (Lucado 21).
I think that the author’s goal/what the author is trying to imply is that we should step out of our shell every once and awhile because you never know what could happen. You could make a difference in the world by just giving a couple of dollars for there to be a well in Africa, or help donate canned goods to those who lost everything in the Texas hurricane. And all of this only happens if you step out of your shell.
Prayer:
Gracious Father, you reach out to me, even though I am a selfish sinner. I have tried to keep our grace and eternal life to myself inside of my shell, while hurt and and destruction is going on on the outside. Lord, unshell me so that I may reach out to those in need and those who are hurting, just as you have reached out to me. And Lord, please help your light and good news to shine through me as I am helping those in need, so they may also come to know you too.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
Chapter 10 Review:
Hello, my name is Raegan Holle. I am a world wide book critic out of Lincoln, Nebraska. I travel around the world Evaluating books so that you may know more about them and especially so that you may know more about the book Outlive Your Life. I am writing this for my religion 8 class for Mr. Weishaar.
The title of chapter 10 is Stand Up for the Have-Nots. I believe the theme for this chapter, which is no one can do everything, but everyone can do something, goes along with that title well. Max states that we are to “Preach the gospel to the poor. Heal the broken-hearted. Proclaim liberty to the captives. Proclaim recovery of sight to the blind. Set at Liberty those who are oppressed. And proclaim the acceptable year to the Lord” (Lucado 102). Max is trying to state that there are a lot of people in the world who are suffering and need of help down here on earth. But not just one person can help everyone in the world, it is a group effort. The more people that help the suffering and the hurt in the world, the more that get healed and come to know Christ. Max Lucado states on page 106 that “Some people can fast and pray about social sin. Others can study and speak out. What about you” (Lucado 106)? So what can you do? Max tells us in two steps how we can stop all of this poverty. Max tells us that “First, let the church act on behalf of the poor… Second, let the brightest among us direct us” (Lucado 105).
Max makes a couple of points in this chapter that go along with the theme well. Max states that “Some people are pouring every ounce of God-given wisdom into the resolution of these problems” (Lucado 106). Some people are using all of their efforts and abilities to help the poor, but not just a couple of people can do everything. This quote refers back to the theme which was no one can do everything, but everyone can do something. Everyone should do their part in helping get rid of poverty.
I believe that the author’s goal/the author is trying to imply that we should all do our part to end poverty. So what can we do to help? Max implies on page 106 that we can “Get out of our comfort zone for Christ’s sake. Why not teach an inner-city Bible study? Use your vacation to build houses in hurricane-ravaged towns? Run for public office? Help a farmer get an ox?” These are all small things that anyone can do to help out. Max’s goal is to inform us that if we all do our part, we can end poverty once and for all, and change the world.
Prayer:
Lord, there will always be the poor and distressed in our world. No matter how poor anyone is, everyone will have the greatest gift of all available to them, which is eternal life with you in heaven. Father, please help me to help, encourage, and lend a hand to the poor and those in poverty. And Lord, please help your love to show through my works and how I serve the poor, so that they may also bless you. May my serving and lending hand help with the poor and decrease the number of them, and increase the number of believers down here on earth.
In Jesus’ name I pray,
Amen
Chapter 14 Review:
Hello, my name is Raegan Holle. I am a world wide book critic out of Lincoln, Nebraska. I travel around the world Evaluating books so that you may know more about them and especially so that you may know more about the book Outlive Your Life. I am writing this for my religion 8 class for Mr. Weishaar.
I believe that the overall theme of chapter 14 is think twice before excluding. I believe that this is the overall theme because Max tells us that, “In our lifetimes you and I are going to come across some discarded people. Tossed out… And we get to choose. Neglect or rescue? Label them or love them? We know Jesus’ choice. Just look at what he did with us” (Lucado 151). I believe that Max is trying to tell us that we shouldn’t call others names or label them as a bad thing, but accept them, even though that isn’t a Worldly response. A person of the world might respond with something along these lines. “Categorizing others creates distance and gives us a convenient exit strategy for avoiding involvement” (Lucado 147). Christ accepted us dirty, sinners, liars, and thieves. So why can’t we accept others as well? As Christians, we should think twice before we exclude or discriminate others. God has called you and me to change the way that we look at others and stop evaluating others from a human point of view.
Max Lucado makes a couple of very good points that match up with the theme, think twice before excluding, well. Max states that, “Let’s view people differently; let’s view them as we do ourselves” (Lucado 150). This quote just really backs up the theme on how we should not exclude, but treat others how we would like to be treated. And I can almost guarantee that no one likes the feeling of being excluded.
The author of Outlive Your Life was trying to imply/the author’s goal was to inform the reader that we should include, not exclude, rescue, not neglect, and love everyone, not label them. Max tell us on page 151 that, “In our lifetimes you and I are going to come across some discarded people. Tossed out… And we get to choose. Neglect or rescue? Label them or love them”? So we get to choose? What will you choose. Max is trying to tell us to treat others how you would like to be treated. What if you were in that person’s place. Would you want someone to rescue you or to neglect you? The choice is yours.
Prayer:
Father, you have called liars, thieves, and even murders to be one of yours and do your will. Lord, you haven’t looked down upon those people like I have. But you have taken them under your wing and used them to do your will. Please help me to see others how you see them and not look down upon them. But help me to treat others how I would like to be treated so that you may shine through me.
In Christ’s name I pray,
Amen
Final Essay Questions
a. I think this book did an excellent job of illustrating the book of Acts in a more current way. Max Lucado chooses text from the book of Acts, and then states that story as if it were to happen in 2017, not in the time when Jesus was walking on earth. There was one story from Acts that Max turned into a modern story that really stuck out to me. Max used the story of Ananias and Sapphira to further explain why we should to good quietly. But instead of plainly stating the quote directly from Acts, Max reworded it to a modern story. Max stated that, ““He sold his beachfront condo and gave the money to the church?” “You’re kidding, the condo in Jaffa?” “That’s what I heard.” Whoa, that’s prime real estate.”” When Max translates it to a more modern era, we understand the story a little bit better and are able to learn more about the story.
b. Prior to this unit, I don’t think I was outliving my life in any way in particular. I was just going through the motions living everyday as the same boring routine. Now that I have done this work and read this book, I feel that I am taking advantage of my life more and living every day to its fullest because life goes by fast and if we don’t take advantage of it now, it will be over before we know it. But now that I have gone through this unit, every time I see a homeless person on the street corners, I imagine how I can help. Max makes a great point on how many people are tossed out or thrown away in our community, and when I see that homeless person, I think of how they have been thrown out. Then I question myself on how I can rescue and help them. In short, I think twice about people before I judge them. I question myself if that is something Christ would want me to do before I do it. This section has really just opened my eyes on how I view others and our world today.
c. One incident that was exciting for me when the Holy Spirit was working through me was when I shared the gospel with my British soccer trainer named Mark. I asked Mark a while ago if he believed in Jesus, and he said he didn’t believe in any God. So handed him a card that talked about the gospel and what the gospel was and what it meant. That was an exciting moment for me because I felt confident when I handed him the card. It was as if nothing was in my way or nothing could stop me from doing it because I was so confident. A future plan that I have that excites me is the fact that I am going to go and help out at Matt Talbot serving food to the poor. I am excited for this because I believe that this is a good way to give back to the community, but also let His light shine through me to the less fortunate.
d. 1. Acts 1:8 “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” I chose this verse because it shows that everyone is called to be a witness all around the world, and they are to spread the Word of God to anyone and everyone. This verse also suggests that anyone, even the poor, sick, and hurting are called to be a witness, not just the rich and authorities. Another reason why I chose this verse is because it matches up with chapter 2 very well and how anyone, even us hillbillies as Max puts it, are called to share the Word to everyone around the world.
2. 1 Timothy 1:16 “I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.” I chose this verse because this verse just showed me that even the worst liars, sinners, and thieves can receive that mercy from Jesus Christ which is eternal life with Him. This verse goes along with chapter 13 well when Max tells us that we shouldn’t write anyone off, but give them a second chance. Our Lord and Savior is a perfect example of this. He didn’t write us off when we lied, sinned, and made mistakes, but he gave us a second chance and gave us eternal life in Him.
e. 1. In this movie, Caiaphas ordered that five believers would be killed right in front of him. This movie showed me a how harsh the soldiers and leaders (Caiaphas) were in Jesus’s time when others did not follow their directions. This in turn helps me better understand why Jesus was put to death, because Caiaphas is such a harsh leader.
2. In this movie, the disciples prayed to Christ, even when Caiaphas didn’t want anyone praying or believing in Jesus. This movie made it clearer to me that the disciples didn’t care if they died because of Christ, so they kept on being strong in God’s Word, praying to him even in a major time of persecution.
3. In this movie, the wind(Holy Spirit) came upon Peter a lot when he was speaking. This helps me better understand how much the Holy Spirit guided Peter in his teachings and proclamations. Which then also helps me better understand that the Holy Spirit is always with me, and it will help me, guide me, and keep me in the faith.
