PLAY WITH FIRE

Discovering FIERCE FAITH, UNQUENCHABLE PASSION, and

a LIFE-GIVING GOD

I had the privilege of being on the book launch team for Bianca Olthoff's debut book Play With Fire.  I loved it!  

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I'm a story girl.  I love to tell stories.  I love to hear stories.  Stories are how I relate to everything.  I enjoyed history class when it was all about the stories--not so much when I needed to remember the dates.  And I love that Jesus taught important heavenly topics in parables.  He wanted everyone to be able to understand and relate to them.
Bianca wrote this book as her personal story.  She tells it in a way that allows you to really dive in and feel her heart.  When I was done reading it, I felt like I really knew her.
I was able to relate to her even though my story is nothing like hers. We all go through desert experiences and though my deserts have been different than hers, I connected with the pain and longing of the heart.
Bianca often refers back to the story of the Isrealites.  Moses brought them out of slavery and got them to the Promised Land but fear and lack of trust in God prevented them from entering it and left them wandering in the desert for 40 years.  Even while they were in the desert God was providing for them daily, but their hardness prevented them from seeing His goodness.
We all go through our own deserts and I think a lot of us feel very alone.  Our heads know God is there but our hearts don't always remember.  It feels like His silence is Him ignoring us or not caring.  Really though, He is still providing for us (we just don't notice) and He is waiting for us to surrender and call out to Him.  We go through deserts and fires and are refined.  They are not fun times, but they bring us to a better place.
Bianca talks about growing up very poor, being bullied as a child, wanting to fit in and belong.  She moves on to the desire for control-- Controlling any area of your life so that you look your part no matter how big of a mess you are secretly.
She was pretending to have it all together through college, in an unhealthy relationship, and then her mother ended up with cancer.  She was stretched past her capacity and relying on herself instead of God.  We were not designed for that kind of pressure.  God wants us to surrender that control so that we don't have to worry about handling such heavy burdens.
At that point Bianca totally surrenders.  That didn't happen in a moment though.  Complete surrender is a journey too.  It takes swallowing pride, admitting weaknesses, and stepping out in uncomfortable ways.  As she goes through this season she starts to really tune in to the Holy Spirit and starts experiencing God in powerful ways.
Her story moves from pain to transformation.  Through fire being refined.  From control to trust and surrender.   From knowledge of the Holy Spirit to experiencing Him fully.  She has an inspiring unquenchable passion for our God who is always there.
This book left me with a more personal connection and understanding of the Old Testament, desire to experience God more, and inspired to live fully surrender.

Play with Fire now!!!

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