Bear Trap Ranch is a place that holds a significant spot in my heart. God has done some pretty incredible things in my life at that place in the mountains, and it is one of my favorite locations on this planet because of that.

Bear Trap is run by a ministry called Band of Brothers, who seeks to encourage men to be who God has created them to be. So the gift shop at Bear Trap carries a few books that help meet that goal. It’s small, and they only carry a few titles. But one of them caught my eye.

Before I could purchase it, a friend of mine bought it and gave it to me as a gift. And he couldn’t have given me anything better.

The Story Of With, by Allen Arnold, is a fictional allegory of a young lady who is seeking out the meaning of her life. As she struggles to discover her identity — not what she does, but who she is — she is taken on a journey where things are very black and white, allowing her to see the reality of our world. Combining allegory with application, this intense story helps you to see yourself more as God sees you, and more as God loves you.

It’s a quick and easy read, but it bears a closer scrutiny than just simply reading through it. Even though it is fictional, it contains several insights and nuggets of truth that may just knock the breath out of your lungs.

As I strive to “be” and not just “do,” this idea of “with” takes that whole learning process to a new and deeper level. It is impacting my soul in ways that I couldn’t have imagined as I looked it over in the gift shop at Bear Trap Ranch.

Thanks, Ron, for the gift that has impacted me deeper than you’ll ever know.

If you would like to read The Story Of With, you can get it on Amazon.

I am in the mountains near Colorado Springs this week for CIY Wilderness, and one of the books I am reading is DiscipleShift, by Jim Putman and Bobby Harrington.

We are called to make disciples. Jesus made that very clear in the Great Commission, and elsewhere throughout the New Testament. But how do we become churches that produce disciples that produce more disciples?

Throughout history, the church has taken different approaches to disciple making, not all of them effective. And in an increasingly apathetic culture, how can we continue to fulfill this mandate? Perhaps it’s time for a shift in our thinking. Perhaps it’s time for a shift in our mindset. Or, as these two authors point out, perhaps it’s time for five key shifts in our approach to disciple making.

I’m really excited about reading this book where I can discuss it with so many other ministers. I am excited to see how God might impact my thinking in this area through this book in the context in which I’m reading it.

If you would like to read DiscipleShift, you can order a copy on Amazon.