Browsing Tag

ash barker

Favorite Books of 2014

Just in time for your shopping list, here are my favorite books of 2014:

The coveted, “Would you shut up about that book … it’s all you ever talk about” Award goes to The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown. Easily my favorite book of the year. History, human interest, love stories, Nazi propoganda, politics, sports … it’s all here.

The “This changed how I think about my faith” Award goes to Soul Keeping by John Ortberg. I’ve always wondered what a soul really is and why it’s important. John wrote a brilliant book that explains it all …

Book Reviews,

Risky Compassion

The burly guy met us at a McDonald’s in downtown Bangkok. A friendly smile and Aussie accent made him immediately likable. He introduced himself as Ash Barker. My first impression was of another big hearted missionary type who wanted to change the world by loving the poor. An admirable goal, but I meet such people all the time. Few of them have the gravitas to hold my attention for long, and I assumed Ash was going to be much the same.

Boy, was I wrong.

A group of us followed Ash through the Klong Toey Slum of Bangkok. He greeted …