January 2010: Same Kind of Different as Me, by Ron Hall and Denver Moore

Title: Same Kind of Different as Me

Author: Ron Hall and Denver Moore

Genre: Biography

Year Published: 2008

Synopsis:

A dangerous, homeless drifter who grew up picking cotton in virtual slavery.

An upscale art dealer accustomed to the world of Armani and Chanel.

A gutsy woman with a stubborn dream.

A story so incredible no novelist would dare dream it.

It begins outside a burning plantation hut in Louisiana . . . and an East Texas honky-tonk . . . and, without a doubt, in the heart of God. It unfolds in a Hollywood hacienda . . . an upscale New York gallery . . . a downtown dumpster . . . a Texas ranch.

Gritty with pain and betrayal and brutality, this true story also shines with an unexpected, life-changing love.

Chosen by: Kristin

Reason this book was chosen: My pastor has referred to this book several times, piquing my interest.  So I decided to give it a try.

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Jaimie's Review:

Same Kind of Different as Me was a quick, but illuminating look into the lives of two very different characters. I enjoyed watching the stories unfold, wondering when their two lives would finally lead to the same place, literally. And, although their lives led to the same physical location - and then to friendship - it surprised me that their spiritual lives ended with widely different conclusions. I finished the book with the impression that Denver’s hardships led to a deep and trusting relationship with God, while Ron’s hardships left him only with questions, and possibly some anger towards God.

Both authors of this book are very transparent about the story of their lives, and their view of God’s work in them. So, although this book is a short, quick read, I think it does have something to offer: relatable human experience.

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Kristin's Review:

These book reviews are great for me because they make me reflect back on what I've read and find application to my life, strengthening and shaping my worldview.  I cannot tell you titles and authors of books I have read...hundreds!  But I can clearly remember our book club books.  This is good.  :)

I really enjoyed jumping back and forth between the two men's stories.  I was shocked to hear some of the stories from Denver's upbringing.  The things they ate (gross!), the fact his first present was when he was a teenager (the bike), the place he lived in, how he always owed The Man even though he worked SO hard every day...just didn't make sense.  In contrast, Ron excelled in the artsy world and earned megabucks selling paintings.  It amazed me the homes, cars, and trips he could take with his family.

Debbie's story is amazing.  Her vision for the homeless shelter was clearly from God.  Her boldness and sincere care for those people was utterly selfless, a complete model of Christ.  She could see their souls past all the drugs, alcohol, and filth.  She could see the gem inside of Denver even through his brick wall facade.  Her real struggle with cancer makes her story full.  She was God's servant and completed His plan for her life.

Ron and Denver's friendship was fun to follow from the first time they saw each other.  Their impact on each other's lives and their transformation was awesome.  The story of their friendship challenges me to look past outward appearances.  I definitely have a comfortable tendency toward one social class.  Had I been serving food next to Ron and Debbie at the shelter, whose heart would I have resembled?  It was also interesting to hear the homeless perspective.  Are we serving out of guilt because we have so much, or do we serve and give out of genuine love for others...no matter WHAT they look like?     
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Lindsay's Review:

Same Kind of Different As Me...this is a charming story about life, love, and hardship. I really loved the fact that it is a true story about real people just trying to make a difference. Same Kind of Different As Me...this is a charming story about life, love, and hardship. I really loved the fact that it is a true story about real people just trying to make a difference.

I will admit though, I had already read half the book before I realized it wasn’t fictional! Up to that point, I was judging it with a more critical eye; the writer had a slightly annoying habit of mentioning the same things more than once. After I actually read the cover (I started this book very late in the game, and was trying to read it in a week) I started to enjoy it a lot more because the characters were real and had an amazing story to tell.

I found all the historical facts about modern-day slavery extremely interesting. It showed me how incredibly blessed I am to own more than one set of clothes and to know where my next meal is coming from. I really liked Denver and his simple, yet profound way of viewing God and others.


Deborah was a very self sacrificing and genuine person. I really connected with her character because she had a strong will to live for God and was honest about her feelings toward the possibility of dying so young. She wasn’t some perfect saint of a woman who accepted sickness and pain without complaint, but she trusted God even though she was afraid. I found her very inspirational.


In conclusion, I liked this book very much and would recommend it to anyone interested in a story about overcoming obstacles, strength in spite of pain, and the redeeming power of love.
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December 2009: Flickering Pixels, by Shane Hipps

Title: Flickering Pixels: How Technology Shapes Your Faith

Author: Shane Hipps

Genre: Christian

Year Published: 2009


From the back cover: Flickering pixels are the tiny dots of light that make up the screens of life---from TVs to cell phones. They are nearly invisible, but they change us. In this provocative book, author Shane Hipps takes readers beneath the surface of things to see how the technologies we use end up using us.

Not all is dire, however, as Hipps shows us that hidden things have far less power to shape us when they aren't hidden anymore. We are only puppets of our technology if we remain asleep. Flickering Pixels will wake us up---and nothing will look the same again.

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Jaimie's Review:

I think I was predisposed to liking Flickering Pixels because I usually prefer non-fiction to fiction. The first two chapters of this book were a bit rough, as I thought the examples the author gave to illustrate the point of his book didn’t convey his ideas very clearly. It picks up in the third chapter, however, and I found myself very much engrossed in his theories and the topic after that.



I liked the idea of the book, that the mediums we’ve created (like TV, cell phones, even the alphabet) to experience the world aren’t neutral, but in themselves convey messages regardless of their content. You’ll have to read the book to understand what the author means by that! I also really enjoyed his comparison of individualistic and group (tribal) societies, and how the difference between these societies colors how we (in an individualistic society) interpret the Bible (written mainly from a ‘group’ perspective) and our faith. Furthermore, in summation of all the theories that he presented in the book, he ends with a worthwhile question: if the medium IS the message, what does it mean that God chose Jesus as His medium for salvation and the church for spreading that message?


However, I’ve definitely read better non-fiction, and better apologetics. The author seemed to vacillate between writing an informational book and a call-to-action book. And sometimes, as he transitioned between information and a call to action, he made assertions that weren’t backed up by evidence. His most frequent error was jumping very quickly from correlation to causation, like when he implied that the organization of pews were a result of what the page of a printed book looked like. So, I would say that while this book has an interesting topic and theories that do spark the imagination, it’s more like apologetics ‘light’.

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Kristin's Review:

I must admit it took me a while to get into Flickering Pixels. I felt the content was interesting but somewhat disconnected as the author Shane Hipps includes a large assortment of facts and trivia about the history of technology, the Internet, the power of pictures, the secret codes in texting, and more. Despite this fact, I enjoyed his perspective, his trivia, and his modern analogies and stories found at the beginning of nearly every chapter.


Other than raising awareness about how I should be careful to not substitute the Internet for direct communication in relationships, the part that stuck out to me the most was the last couple chapters when he focuses on the Christian church, broken and imperfect as we are, as the bearers of light in this dark world.

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