Just Give Me Jesus

Lotz treats issues ranging from hell to suffering, marriage(including some of her own struggles) to life-threatening illness (including her son's recent diagnosis with cancer). Still, some of Lotz's heart-warming stories are decidedly warmed-over (haven't we heard enough yet about World War II evangelical hero Corrie Ten Boom?). There is very little in this book that hasn't been said many, many times before--even some of the personal anecdotes have a curiously familiar ring to those versed in the stock stories of evangelical preaching.Lotz is in some ways a thoroughly modern woman, so even as conventional a book as this makes for an interesting comparison to its devotional predecessors of a previous generation. Not only is Lotz pursuing a traditionally male career by preaching and running a growing para-church ministry; her life, and the lives of her assumed readers, betrays a busy sophistication that would have been puzzling to a generation of less "worldly" evangelicals. (Beliefnet, May 2000) -- From BeliefnetAfter two pressure-filled, life-changing years of professional exhaustion and personal turmoil, Anne Graham Lotz found herself with only one heart-cry, "Please, just give me Jesus." In this faith-inspiring book, she stares intently at the realities of life with her Savior. To those needing a fresh start, to those still searching for happiness, to those in need of forgiveness, to the suffering and the self-righteous alike, Jesus was, is, and will always be the answer.Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.CHAPTER ONE: Jesus Makes God Visible . . .To Me John 1:1-9Years ago my mother was invited to a very prestigious dinner party in London, England. The glittering affair included members of the royal family as well as other aristocrats and leaders from British society. The dinner, softened by candlelight, with the tinkle of silver and the sparkle of crystal accompanying the sounds of accented conversation, had an ambiance of elegance.The occasion might have been intimidating for someone unaccustomed to such a setting, but my mother was as at ease as a queen holding court. Dressed in a simple black gown with a triple strand of pearls around her neck, she looked stylish and sophisticated. Heads turned as people whispered their curious inquiries about who she might be.But my mother was so interested in the other guests at her table she was oblivious to the small stir she had created. Her expression was not the duly bored, arrogant look adopted by many of the socially elite. Nor were her words stilted and self-conscious. Instead, her eyes danced with the joy of life, and her conversation was lively and peppered with questions as she sought to draw the others at her table into a discussion.As she conversed, Mother discovered that the distinguished-looking older gentleman seated beside her was the former head of Scotland Yard, Great Britain’s equivalent of the FBI. Fascinated, she respectfully began to probe him for anecdotes. As he opened up under her genuine interest, he revealed that the departments under his authority had included those for forgery and counterfeiting. When she surmised that he must have spent a lot of time studying counterfeit signatures, he corrected her. "On the contrary, Mrs. Graham. I spent all of my time studying the genuine thing. That way, when I saw a counterfeit, I could immediately detect it."Today, our world is cluttered with lies, deceit, hypocrisy, and fraud at almost every level. From government leaders to salesclerks to airline ticket agents to restaurant maître d’s to business associates to secretaries to friends to neighbors to advertisers,everyone seems to play loose with the truth.This "whatever works is right" attitude has even crept into the Christian community. Too often, we focus on methods instead of missions, programs instead of prayer, organization instead of inspiration, pragmatism instead of power. Many preachers preach