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July 2008 Issue
"Questioning the unquestioned answers."
Image by Jacki Dahl
Guest Editor: Dena Brehm
The Next Questians - by Bill Dahl
(Click on Book Reviews Section in the Upper Left Margin of this page)
- Why We're Not Emergent (By Tow Guys Who Should Be) - by Ted Kluck & Kevin DeYoung
- Jazz Notes - By Donald Miller
- My Beautiful Idol by Pete Gall
- The Promise of Paradox -A Celebration of Contradictions in the Christian Life by Parker J. Palmer
- Chasing The Flame - Sergio Vieira De Mello And The Fight To Save The World by Samantha Power
- Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
- When The War is Over by Agathe Von Kampen
NOTE: Bill Dahl is on sabbatical during 2008. He will not be writing here (well...not much and certainly not every month anyway).
Enjoy what you find beneath the surface of this site. Dive in and Explore!
The August 1, 2008 edition of The Porpoise Diving Life is dedicated to Shall We Dance???
Send your articles, poems, songs and images by July 25th 2008 to:
Upcoming Guest Editors - 2008
August 1, 2008 - Sonja Andrews & Patrick Oden Sept.1, 2008 - Glenn Hager Oct. 1, 2008 – FOR WOMEN ONLY – Pam Hogeweide & Erin Word Nov. 1, 2008 - International Issue Dec. 1, 2008: - Inter-Faith Issue - Dr. Eboo Patel - Guest Editor
If you know of people who you think should be heard by a broad, global audience, have them get in touch with Bill at wsdahl(at)bendbroadband(dot)com.
The Porpoise Diving Life Audio Book has been Released! Click here.
4 CD set. Mastered in a professional recording studio by an incredibly talented narrator. Includes footnotes used in the written version of the book.
A GREAT GIFT For You, a Friend or Group Study!
Audio Book Endorsements:
Photography by Bill Dahl
4 CD set. Mastered in a professional recording studio by an incredibly talented narrator. Includes footnotes used in the written version of the book.
A GREAT GIFT For You, a Friend or Group Study!
Erwin Raphael McManus wrote:
"I am convinced the great tragedy is not the sins that we commit, but the life we fail to live." (a)
You don’t need to stand on the beach gawking at those who claim to have God figured out any longer. This site, and the associated book by the same title, are an invitation to you to get in the water and swim with me as we as we explore beneath the surface of what you may have been experiencing, watching and hearing. It involves the adventure of discovering new ways to see God, experience Him, and consider joining a pod of people just like you, who are perplexed by the same, unspoken concerns, yet yearning to swim in open waters. I’m not going to attempt to sell you a bunch of beliefs. My desire is to liberate you from the aquarium and restore you to your rightful place in the open seas of life, free to pursue a relationship with The God of More. The rest is up to Him and you.
There are millions of people, a species if you will, who are terribly confused, wounded, angry and fearful about life and God. No matter how deeply these folks feel about their faith in God, their lives don’t seem to match up with all the promises that are being sold in the name of Christ in this world. Deep within every human being is a voice that whispers within each of us (some more frequently and intensely than others)..."What have I done wrong? I never expected this to happen? Life is not turning out as I had hoped or had been led to believe. What did I do to deserve this? Where’s God? Am I some sort of exception? Is there a reality for the rest of us?"
Maybe you don’t feel that your purpose in life has been predetermined like a bullet fired from a gun headed for the target…there’s not much you can do about the trajectory of the projectile after your Creator has pulled the trigger at birth. Perhaps your life experience has been more like a ricochet, bouncing off one experience into the next. You’re not an exception.
Maybe you don’t feel driven all the time by some sort of burning passion, the need to succeed or a distinct sense of unwavering purpose. Maybe you did one of those 40 day deals and ended up at day 41 wondering, "Now What? If this is the case, relax. You have loads of company.
Just because your journey through the seas of life does not match up with the current mainstream promises of evangelical Christianity (peace, financial security, prosperity, always happy, loved by everyone, loving toward all, protection from disease, misfortune and the unexpected) does not mean that you are not loved by God just as the purveyors of these promises claim to be. News-splash! It’s all about us! God, you and me.
Those who claimed to have religion down pat consistently annoyed Jesus. His focus and compassion were always primarily directed toward those who were excluded and marginalized by the mainstream religious establishment…the people who live The Porpoise Diving Life.
Are you confused, curious or perplexed about life, God or postmodern culture? Have you been wounded by Christians or the Church? Do you have a sneaking suspicion that there's more to God than what you've been led to believe? Have you or someone close to you ever been whacked by the inexplicable...something that utterly defies explanation? Do you have fears, uncertainties and doubts about what you've been sold in the name of Christianity? Do you desire a safe place to come and listen or participate in the dialogue that is ongoing about these sorts of issues? Perhaps you have questions.
Guess what? You''re not alone. There are a species of people on this planet who swim in the same seas of life that you do. We are the people of The Porpoise Diving Life. We have created this resource just for you.
Dive in with us as we share our experiences, insights, resources, hopes, prayers, doubts, questions, struggles and triumphs as we pursue The God Of More...He Who created and lived The Porpoise Diving Life.
NOTES
a) McManus, Erwin Raphael "Seizing Your Divine Moment - Dare to Live a Life of Adventure." Nelson Books - A Division of Thomas Nelson Publishers/Thomas Nelson, Inc. Nashville, TN © 2002 by Erwin Raphael McManus p. 34.
Take some time to pray for people in the Shark section.
Enjoy by clicking Here to explore archived articles from 2006, 2007 and 2008 in Podworks:
During 2008, Bill Dahl is on Sabbatical
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