top 10 reasons why i am madly in love with rob bell

okay, "madly in love" is an overstatement. but rob bell is bomb. here's why:

1. he's written two of the most interesting books i've ever read: velvet elvis: repainting the christian faith and sex god. if you have not read them, i repeat, go to amazon, find them, place them in your shopping cart and immediately order them. with express shipping. now.

2. he wears stylish eyeglasses. what? he does. i love when men are stylish. it's so unexpected :)

3. he's read malcolm gladwell's book, blink. this book is written by one of the staff writers at the new yorker and it's about decision making through the lens of neuroscience and psychology. it's fascinating. he also wrote a book called the tipping point, which is about trends and social behaviors. again: fascinating.

4. he's read sheldon vanauken's a severe mercy. which is easily one of my most favorite books ever. and who the heck has ever heard of it? but he footnotes it. glorious!

5. he's relevant. need i say more? i'm so over christian writers writing garbage about "how to be the best pastor's wife" and crap like that that i'd rather burn to keep warm than spend time reading.

6. he says in a footnote to go read everything donald miller has ever written. i couldn't agree more. donald miller is a genius.

7. he makes jokes and they make me laugh. and i LOVE to laugh. ask my husband- it's the thing i love most in this life, besides him and the Big Man.

8. his nooma videos rock. go buy them all at http://www.nooma.com/ and start a bible study. ready? go.

9. he reads n.t. wright. hello?! have you ever read n.t. wright? yeah, it's no joke, people. get your hands on some of that action and see how quickly you can wade through it.

10. he's unpretentious about how smart he is. and he is clearly well read and researched. especially in jewish tradition and culture, which is so so integral to understanding the context of the bible. you read and you learn without realizing the weight of the theology he's just put into your brain. it's amazing. AMAZING.

i'm noticing half of the reasons i heart rob bell are because of books we both have read and share a love for. maybe i ought to start my own book club.

forget oprah, people. join the hot mama book club! (right lee?) ;)