I dare you to read this!

I'm asked, but no one recommended this... I found it by chasing links. Thanks everyone.Imitation of Christ

praise God for your find Paula! lookig forward to the challenge.There's another writer on the same site who's definately worth gleaning from - William Law.His book "A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life" is very challenging.http://www.ccel.org/ccel/law/serious_call.ii.html?bcb=0

That book has been such an incredible blessing to me...we all need to return to this kind of humility and reverence to God. I HIGHLY suggest this book to all Christians everywhere.Another book I have found just as helpful and challenging is the biography of Jeanne Guyon. She was a woman in France in the 17th century- wow! these were some real devoted people and have challenged me to my core- I have been so inspired to go deeper with the Lord and it has been truly wonderful. I thank God for these works- I really think that is the normal way of life and thinking for ANYONE who calls them by the Holy name of Christ.You can get the bio of Jeanne Guyon on Amazon.com. Great role models for us- thank You God for these wonderful lives that were poured out for You. Mary

You can get the bio of Jeanne Guyon on Amazon.com.Hi,Or download it for free - it's public domain after all! Same site mentioned in the other post, i.e., Christian Classics Ethereal Library. http://www.ccel.org/g/guyon/There are so many great and challenging books available for free on the internet. Beside the ccel.org site, check out Christian Corps International's Website (Ernest O'Neill's web presence) at:http://www.worldinvisible.com/library/bookcat.htmA. W. Tozer, Andrew Murray, Thomas A Kempis, E. M. Bounds, Watchman Nee. I believe it's all in public domain, or permission to publish it online has been obtained.I dear you to read this dare ones! ;)No library card! No late fees! May the Lord bless this to you!Jeffrey

Man, I'm just starting to read through it, and it's packed with things that I could use to read every morning."The more you know and the better you understand, the more severely will you be judged, unless your life is also the more holy. Do not be proud, therefore, because of your learning or skill. Rather, fear because of the talent given you. If you think you know many things and understand them well enough, realize at the same time thatthere is much you do not know. Hence, do not affect wisdom, but admit your ignorance. Why prefer yourself to anyone else when many are more learned, more cultured than you?"There's a good start for me. My flesh desires to be more in man's eyes, but the Lord demands that I become less.Grace and Peace...

Yeah, I don't agree with the monastic life part."MONASTIC LIFEIF YOU wish peace and concord with others, you must learn to break your will in many things. To live in monasteries or religious communities, to remain there without complaint, and to persevere faithfully till death is no small matter. Blessed indeed is he who there lives a good life and there ends his days in happiness. If you would persevere in seeking perfection, you must consider yourself a pilgrim, an exile on earth. If you would become a religious, you must be content to seem a fool for the sake of Christ. Habit and tonsure change a man but little; it is the change of life, the complete mortification of passions that endow a true religious. He who seeks anything but God alone and the salvation of his soul will find only trouble and grief, and he who does not try to become the least, the servant of all, cannot remain at peace for long.You have come to serve, not to rule. You must understand, too, that you have been called to suffer and to work, not to idle and gossip away your time. Here men are tried as gold in a furnace. Here no man can remain unless he desires with all his heart to humble himself before God."Grace and Peace...

Good principles, just we're told to go out into the world, not shy from it. I'm not saying we be of the world, but we go out into it.Grace and Peace...