Blue Like Jazz

I just finished reading “Blue Like Jazz,” which was recommended to me by three of my good friends. I can’t believe how quickly I flew through it. Many chapters I read, especially the ones on romance and community, made me feel like the author was in my head. Everything he was saying made things much more clear. Here are a few excerpts that really stood out to me:

“I liked the story the folksinger told. I liked the idea of Jesus becoming man, so that we would be able to trust Him, and I like that He healed people and loved them and cared deeply about how people were feeling (pg.34).”

“Who am I to think myself above God’s charity? And why would I forsake the riches of God’s righteousness for the dung of my own ego? (pg.85)”

“I lay there under the stars and thought of what a great responsibility it is to be human. I am a human because God made me. I experience suffering and temptation because mankind chose to follow Satan. God is reaching out to me to rescue me. I am learning to trust Him, learning to live by His precepts that I might be preserved. (pg.101)”

“And that’s when I realized that believing in God is as much like falling in love as it is like making a decision. Love is both something that happens to you and something you decide upon. (pg.104)”

“And the scary thing about relationships, intimate relationships, is that if somebody gets to know us, the us we usually hide, they might not love us; they might reject us. (pg.146)”

“Loneliness is something that happens to us, but I think it is something we can move ourselves out of. I think a person who is lonely should dig into a community, give himself to a community, humble himself before his friends, initiate community, teach people to care for each other, love each other. Jesus wants us interacting, eating together, laughing together, praying together. (pg.173)”

 The book was very thought-provoking. I'd love to read it again some day. I just ordered Donald Miller's new book and can't wait to start it! :) Thanks to all who introduced him to me.