Setting the record straight ~
It's long been on my heart to do so.
Recently, Trisha wrote a post on a book,
which I read upon its release, and was troubled by.
"One Thousand Gifts" by Ann Voskamp is the book.
I used to be one of Ann's regular blog readers.
Faithfully, I would link to her "Multitude Monday" posts.
Her words often blessed and challenged my heart.
Because of all this, I read her book.
Very quickly, uneasiness set in.
There was error contained within its pages.
Unfortunately, I could not endorse it.
But, by association, was I?
Click here to read a thoughtful post
addressing similar concerns.
Thank you, Trisha, for doing so in such
a gracious and loving way.
At the time, my actions included removing
the link to Ann's blog from my sidebar,
as well as the link from the bottom of each of my
"Thankfulness Journal" Posts.
It grieved my heart to do so.
It was a silent statement, but a necessary one.
My husband advised me against launching into
a thorough critique of the book at the time.
He continues to oppose that course of
action due to time constraints.
He does, however, endorse
the content of this post.
It is not my intention to open up a debate.
Since so much time has passed,
it may seem a little *out of place* to address it now.
But, I am aware of the fact that I have been associated
with "One Thousand Gifts" since my numbered list
of thanks is still being published here.
Because of this, I cannot remain silent.
My thankfulness journal had its beginnings
long before the book ever came out.
It was a direct result of Ann's posts about being thankful.
For that influence (as well as for other things), I am grateful.
Without a doubt, it has been a great blessing to
keep my own journal of thanks.
I plan to continue.
My concern is that it seems, perhaps by default,
that I am persistently linked to Ann's book.
And, through my silence, I may actually
end up being mistaken as a promoter.
That is not the case.
There were many lovely things about
Ann's blog which I enjoyed.
Her beautiful stories, thought-provoking articles,
and lovely photography were all greatly appreciated.
Friendships were made as a result of linking up on Mondays.
Articles which were written by Ann
have been referenced in some of my posts.
Those particular articles continue to be a blessing to me.
It would appear that she is a lovely lady who also loves the LORD.
The intent of this post is not to judge
her heart or her motives.
However, it is imperative that the record be set straight.
I am unwilling to promote something that contains error,
no matter how seemingly *small* or *insignificant*.
There is nothing *small* or *insignificant*
about error in any way, shape, or form.
"Sanctify them through thy truth:
thy word is truth."
~ John 17:17 ~
Truth matters.
And no matter what the cost,
I must proclaim it and live by it.
By God's Grace.
For HIS Glory.
"Thy word is true from the beginning:
and every one of thy righteous
judgments endureth forever."
~ Psalm 119:160 ~
May the LORD grant us each wisdom and discernment
as we walk this path with Him.
If you are not a believer in the LORD Jesus Christ,
please Click Here and prayerfully
consider what your future is without Him.
Nothing else really matters.
"Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him,
'If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.' "
~ John 8:31-32 ~
In HIS Love,
Camille
It's long been on my heart to do so.
Recently, Trisha wrote a post on a book,
which I read upon its release, and was troubled by.
"One Thousand Gifts" by Ann Voskamp is the book.
I used to be one of Ann's regular blog readers.
Faithfully, I would link to her "Multitude Monday" posts.
Her words often blessed and challenged my heart.
Because of all this, I read her book.
Very quickly, uneasiness set in.
There was error contained within its pages.
Unfortunately, I could not endorse it.
But, by association, was I?
Click here to read a thoughtful post
addressing similar concerns.
Thank you, Trisha, for doing so in such
a gracious and loving way.
At the time, my actions included removing
the link to Ann's blog from my sidebar,
as well as the link from the bottom of each of my
"Thankfulness Journal" Posts.
It grieved my heart to do so.
It was a silent statement, but a necessary one.
My husband advised me against launching into
a thorough critique of the book at the time.
He continues to oppose that course of
action due to time constraints.
He does, however, endorse
the content of this post.
It is not my intention to open up a debate.
Since so much time has passed,
it may seem a little *out of place* to address it now.
But, I am aware of the fact that I have been associated
with "One Thousand Gifts" since my numbered list
of thanks is still being published here.
Because of this, I cannot remain silent.
My thankfulness journal had its beginnings
long before the book ever came out.
It was a direct result of Ann's posts about being thankful.
For that influence (as well as for other things), I am grateful.
Without a doubt, it has been a great blessing to
keep my own journal of thanks.
I plan to continue.
My concern is that it seems, perhaps by default,
that I am persistently linked to Ann's book.
And, through my silence, I may actually
end up being mistaken as a promoter.
That is not the case.
There were many lovely things about
Ann's blog which I enjoyed.
Her beautiful stories, thought-provoking articles,
and lovely photography were all greatly appreciated.
Friendships were made as a result of linking up on Mondays.
Articles which were written by Ann
have been referenced in some of my posts.
Those particular articles continue to be a blessing to me.
It would appear that she is a lovely lady who also loves the LORD.
The intent of this post is not to judge
her heart or her motives.
However, it is imperative that the record be set straight.
I am unwilling to promote something that contains error,
no matter how seemingly *small* or *insignificant*.
There is nothing *small* or *insignificant*
about error in any way, shape, or form.
"Sanctify them through thy truth:
thy word is truth."
~ John 17:17 ~
Truth matters.
And no matter what the cost,
I must proclaim it and live by it.
By God's Grace.
For HIS Glory.
"Thy word is true from the beginning:
and every one of thy righteous
judgments endureth forever."
~ Psalm 119:160 ~
May the LORD grant us each wisdom and discernment
as we walk this path with Him.
If you are not a believer in the LORD Jesus Christ,
please Click Here and prayerfully
consider what your future is without Him.
Nothing else really matters.
"Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him,
'If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.' "
~ John 8:31-32 ~
In HIS Love,
Camille
12 comments:
I just love you.
Your boldness and honesty is refreshing in a world of followers (like I can be :)
It would be unwise to be too proud for correction and guidance, if needed. I will look into this matter a little deeper. I personally, have read a little of the book and loaned it for so long that I haven't had a chance to read the whole thing!
I read Trisha's post and I suppose I need to either read the book or the reviews to discover what the concern is.
Bless you for your courage to stand for what you believe is true, Camille.
Thanks, Camille, for writing this! I don't know anything about the controversy about this book, I only know that I tried to read it and I just found it very weird! Perhaps it was God's prompting that kept me from reading more than a few pages. I'm really not a follower of 'trendy' people, whether in blogland, celebrities, or today's popular Christian 'it' person. I listen to pretty conservative pastors on the radio ~ Chuck Swindoll, Alistair Begg, J. Vernon McGee and John McCarther. I'm not 'the brightest star in the sky' so I will glean what I can from these trusted men of God. And I am thankful for friends like you who help me to stay true to Jesus!
Be Blessed, my friend.
Thank you so much Camille! I also used to read Anne's blog and I bought the book but do you know what I never finished it 1. Because it was so much to decipher - I kept asking myself what she was actually trying to convey and I am someone who loves beautiful writing and poetic language and 2. There was an uneasiness in my spirit - something just did not sit right and I was concerned about what I perceived to be mysticism and the 'over- romanticism' of the relationship we have with the Father. As I flicked through the book I came across the chapter on Paris and its content caused me concern. I was actually too timid to speak up in blogland and for a time I thought I was the only one who actually did not enjoy reading 'One Thousand Gifts'! Then recently, I began to read of critical reviews by respected leaders and my own concerns started to have some validation. And as the secular media began to embrace the book I knew I had to take a closer look. As the Word says 'Test all things; hold fast what is good. (1Thess 5.21) and 'Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world and not according to Christ.' (Col 2.8)
You have so graciously addressed this issue Camille and I am so thankful you shared your heart.
I have never read the book and most likely won't but I have enjoyed both your viewpoint and Trisha's on this.
A good fact to be aware of in case my dtr ever comes across it. That was we can both proceed with caution, just in case. But as you said "uneasiness set in" and I'm sure the Holy Spirit will guide and direct us.
Thank you for sharing Camille.
~Cinnamon
Interesting, it was because of your blog that I just finally got the gumption to read it. I saw the fruit of your thankfulness and I wanted to focus on gratitude. I just hit 500 in a week and a half. I was shocked to see how quickly I hit that number.
I am saddened to hear there is controversy regarding this book.
I personally was not enjoying Ann's book the more I get into it. I found it very hard to read and it put me to sleep in about five minutes. I feel like it is OK to put it down. I am a simple girl who likes simple language.
Let's be careful though, how we judge another sister's heart. I do not believe the internet can be trusted in regards to such things. Having said that, we need to be as wise as serpents and gentle as doves.
I hope this makes sense?!?!
Dear Heather ~ I am sorry for being vague...it is an unfortunate result of avoiding the thorough critique. I do appreciate you and your friendship...we met through Ann...remember? I am thankful for you! :)
Dear Raeann ~ It is not an easy (or comfortable) thing to write a post like this. Thank you for your kind and encouraging words (as always). How wonderful it is to know that you have access to some good sermons...we all need that! :)
Dear Ann ~ I so appreciate that you quoted Scripture here in this comment section! Thank you for your encouragement...it is a blessing. :)
Dear Cinnamon ~ How wonderful it is that we have the Holy Spirit to guide us and lead us according to HIS Word! Isn't HE Wonderful? Your daughter is blessed to have you looking out for her. Precious! Thank you for your kind friendship...I appreciate you. :)
Dear Stacie ~ 500? How wonderful!! I surely do hope you are going to continue...it is such a sweet habit to get into. I am so glad you are finding it to be a blessing. Yes, we must be both wise and gentle, I agree! May the LORD give us the needed grace to do so for HIS glory! :)
In HIS Love,
Camille
I guess my head has been in the sand, because I had no idea about all the controversy. I can't say that I am surprised, though. If someone speaks of their faith (in whatever form) there are those who attack and those who defend. I started but never finished the book because I experienced a negative heaviness about it. Like another commenter above, I was having trouble discerning what she was actually saying some of the time. I like there to be no doubt about what it is I am allowing into my mind. Thank you for speaking out in such a respectful way, Camille.
Thank you for this post. I am glad I'm not the only one who thought about these things. I had a really hard time reading it. I'm like Stacie. I have to have it simple. Thank you so much for sharing.
I completely understand this. I too use to have a link to Anne's blog on my blog. It has been removed for some time. I have not read the book but browsed through it in the book store and did not purchase it. We all need to remember ~ when you feel a check in the spirit, we need to check the spirit.
Dear Jane ~ How wonderful it is that the Holy Spirit does indeed graciously lead us according to the Word of God! Isn't it a blessing to belong to HIM? Thank you for being a kind encouragement my friend. :)
Dear Chelle ~ Having things simple is not a bad thing...I sure hope you don't think it is! What a blessing it is that the LORD's Word is very clear and direct! How precious HE is! :)
Dear Patty ~ How true...we must always check everything against the Truth of God's Word. HE will never fail us or lead us astray. Thank you for your encouraging words my friend. :)
Many Blessings,
Camille
Thank you, Camille! A group of homeschool moms in my town got together to do a book study on it this last year. I love all the women, and they raved about how it had blessed them. I was happy for them, and thought maybe some time I should read the book. I didn't know there WAS a controversy, but I read an exerpt from it and "mysticism" was the word that came to my mind.
I tell people I'm a stodgy old traditionalist. I actually believe a Bible study should be on the Bible, not on a book someone wrote about the Bible (maybe) that is more of a discussion than a study. A certain (nameless) popular teacher adored by Christian women everywhere also sends up red flags to me for the same reason. It seems that Christian mysticism packaged attractively appeals to women. God help us all to discern the wolves dressed in sheep's clothing. That doesn't mean they are not saved, it only means they should be more learning from the Master and not teaching others. "Let few become teachers."
Blessings to you.
Dear Lois ~ Thank you for your thoughtful response to this post. How much we need the LORD and HIS wisdom in all things as we walk this pathway of life! What a blessing it is to have HIS Word to study and glean from...HE is so gracious to us, don't you think?
Blessings to you!
Camille
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