Religion & Spirituality

Waking the Dead- The Glory of a Heart Fully Alive

2 stars (Try it at your own risk) - I certainly wouldn't be the first to question the wisdom of meddling with nature to the extent outlined in this book. Down the ages, commentators from Mary Shelley to George A. Romero have illustrated the potential negative consequences of achieving what this book shows you how to achieve; the "glory" can soon turn sour indeed. Credit is certainly due to the author for his revolutionary method of integrating the four "streams" to achieve a state of total animation. Now that this knowledge has been made so publicly available, though, we await with foreboding the terrible consequences for humanity... 5 stars (Waking the Dead) - This is a life changing book. It is very well written. The author is insightful and touches on how we can really live life. There are just a few books that I have read that have had a real impact on my life. This is one of them. I have the audio version and it likewise is terrific. 5 stars (Waking a Long Forgotten Heart) - I have had experiences with John Eldridge before in "Wild at Heart," but "Waking the Dead" awakens a many times forgotten side of Christianity. Eldridge brings to light the side of humans so often forced into hiding by society, sin, and religion. Jesus Christ came to sacrifice his all for our hearts which when turned over to Him offer a new depth to the Christian walk. Not only does the author offer therapy for a wounded spirit, but also he equips the reader with a strong exhortation in Christian warfare about which I often forget but about which Paul teaches us at the end of Ephesians. Live from your heart, but guard it as a fortress for God. All in all, this book deserves a read by any Christian looking for a new depth or perspective. Personally, I would recommend it for everyone! ...
Nelson Books :: Spiritual Growth :: Religion & Spirituality :: Christian Living :: Spirituality - General :: Religion - Prayer & Spirituality :: Religion :: Christianity - Theolo :: Waking the Dead- The Glory of a Heart Fully Alive

Celebration of Discipline- The Path to Spiritual Growth- 25th Anniversary Edition

5 stars (The title is not an oxymoron) - The writer of Hebrews tells us in chapter 12 that no discipline seems pleasant at the time we are receiving it, but if we can receive it, learn from it, and apply it, then it will produce "a harvest of righteousness and peace" in our lives. Richard J. Foster gives his readers a beautiful and inspiring look at how spiritual disciplines work in our lives and cause us to become deeper and stronger people in Christ and His Word. In so doing, the process of discipline becomes precious--even joyful--to the mature believer who embraces it. There is a beauty in the simplicity of Foster's words and in the actions that he advocates. There are...to paraphrase a popular television exercise commercial..."no high impact gyrations, no tricky dance moves" here in this book. It's just good, solid, basic information that will bring about real results. But, it's far from dry. Foster is a patient and empathetic teacher. This special 25th anniversary edition is beautifully done, spare but elegant (a lot like the prose inside). This is one of those books that's not only a must for every Christian's bookshelf, but a must to read and apply. In a world full of noise and confusion, Foster offers a doorway into a "place of quiet rest, near to the heart of God." 4 stars (significant challenges...) - Since college, when a number of my dormmates read through this book, I have desired to partake in a 'Celebration of Discipline.' When a fellow brother suggested that I choose something that several of us could study together my thoughts we immediately thrust to this work. I knew I would need the accountability of a group to not just read but seek to apply the principals present by Richard Foster. The book is separated into 12 individual disciplines and further broken down into three groups, 'The Inward Disciplines,' The Outward Disciplines' and 'The Corporate Disciplines.' Foster opens with a warning, encouragement and guidelines for emba...
HarperSanFrancisco :: Religion & Spirituality :: Spirituality - General :: Spiritual life :: Religion - Prayer & Spirituality :: Religion :: Inspirational - General :: Christianity - C :: Celebration of Discipline- The Path to Spiritual Growth- 25th Anniversary Edition

Plan B- Further Thoughts on Faith

3 stars (I wanted to love this book, but...) - ...I got so weary of the incessant complaining about the current government administration. I would've rather she filled those pages with more stuff about her family, her mom, her son. But every time she turned around she was complaining about the government. It was the same kind of thing that really hurt Tony Hendra's "Father Joe" in my opinion, but here it's much more damaging to the flow of the book. Once I "kinda" got past that it was a great read, but not nearly as memorable as her previous memoir, "Traveling Mercies." Worth a read if you love Annie's writing, and I do, but probably to be missed otherwise. 4 stars (For Lamott Readers, But Certainly NOT For Bush Fans) - Anne Lamott is a writer's writer. And what I mean by that is that she writes on a level most writers would LOVE to make it to. She's easy to read while, at the same time, having a deep message, and a raucous sense of humor. I got hooked on her years ago when I read BIRD BY BIRD, a book that I still refer to often whenever I need to "get real" about my own writing life. I was pleased to learn that these are short memoirs of her life, a collection of short stories. The short story form seems to be making a modest comeback, and I loved the fact that a collection of them made it to the New York Times' list, too. But lets get into the meat and potatoes of the book now ... This is a look at Ms. Lamott's life through her own eyes, and she wears everything on her sleeve, including her disdain for the Bush administration, her dislike of young children, her poor motherhood skills, and her struggles with faith. Examples ... Lamott has to deal with the death of her Alzheimer's mother, pulling the urn that contains her mother's ashes out of her closet. And as she does, she reminisces about the final months of her mother's life: "Her purse was a weight, ballast; it tethered her to the earth as her mind floated away. It was also health and preparedness, filled...
Riverhead Hardcover :: Religion & Spirituality :: Women :: United States :: Spiritual :: Religious :: Religion :: Novelists :: American :: Lamott :: Anne :: Inspirational :: Faith :: Christian biog :: Plan B- Further Thoughts on Faith

Wild at Heart- Discovering the Secret of a Man-s Soul

5 stars (Every man should read this book!) - Frankly, I do not understand how any male Christian could give this book anything less than 5 stars. Outside of the Bible, no book has impacted my life in the way this one has. From the first few pages on I was hooked because this book was speaking to something that I knew in my heart was true. John Eldredge has a deep desire for men to recapture a Godly, masculine identity that is lacking so much in our culture today. This goes way beyond just being a nice guy. He challenges men to capture the danger and risks that come from a deeper relationship with God. The author backs up these ideas with solid scriptural teaching and the simple fact that the truthes expressed in these pages strike a nerve at the very center of your heart. This book is a must read if you are a man and especially if you have had the feeling that there is something missing with the our current Christian culture's attitude toward true masculinity. 5 stars (Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul) - At age 64, I have read many books, novels, autobiographies, et. al., but I have never read a book written in TRUTH and LOVE like this book is. EVERY man should read it, and then, should re-read it with his wife...and maybe even his daughters and sons....this is the most dead-on, God-filled book, save the Holy Bible, I have ever read!!!!!!! John Elredge should get a Pulitzer Prize for this book. It is his heart, his soul, his Lord! If there were 10 stars, I'd go a 10!!!!!! Blessings! Ken Skeen 5 stars (Wild at Heart-A Must Read for every Baby Boomer Guy) - At the urging od 3 guy friends I ordered Wild at Heart and I must say I could not put it downn. I'm a 52 year old "successful" Baby Boomer" who couldn't figure out why I was unsettled with my life. John Elderedge's Wild at Heart explains what we who grew up in the 50's and 60's missed out on-a sense of true masculinity conferred by our fathers. Prior to the 60's dads and sons were at "murde...
Nelson Books :: Religion & Spirituality :: Christian Living :: Spirituality - General :: Religious life :: Religious aspects :: Religion - Christian Living :: Religion :: Masculini :: Wild at Heart- Discovering the Secret of a Man-s Soul

The Dance of the Dissident Daughter

5 stars (Realizing Possibilities) - Having read "The Secret Life of Bees" I bought " The Dance of the Dissident Daughter " without reading what it was about, but only because I liked the author's other book. Amazingly, the book was not fiction, but of the authors journey to her own feminine divine. Ironicly a journey that I am currently on myself. The book came to me at a time when I was not sure what my next step should be and revealed to me that I am not the only woman that has gone on this journey. I think every young woman should read this book before they go out in the world. It is an awesome book that teaches a woman that it is okay to stand up and be heard and not allow the world of men to silence women. And it shows how one woman found faith in something that worked for her and made her feel more in touch with the divine then she had ever been in her life. I recommend this book to all women. 5 stars (Changed my life) - Before 9/11, but especially after I have been having problems with religion and the fact that so often wars are committeed in the name of some faith. I was also raised Southern Baptish so I identified with her feelings about religion being written to control us and especially women. She has started me on my own awaking and a new spiriual walk. I am so blessed to have read this book. I just wish I had someone to discuss it with. 4 stars (Looking forward to more) - When an author such as this shows up, it is necessary to have a copy of everything written by that author. This new book does not disappoint, and this author can look forward to selling at least one copy of any future work. ...
HarperSanFrancisco :: Religion & Spirituality :: Women :: United States :: Spirituality - General :: Spiritual biography :: Religious aspects :: Religion :: Personal Memoirs :: Kidd :: Sue M :: The Dance of the Dissident Daughter

Searching for God Knows What

2 stars (Uh... yes I will, actually) - One of the soundbite reviews on the back cover of SFGKW claims, 'For fans of 'Blue Like Jazz,' I doubt you will be disappointed.' Well, squelch that doubt, soundbite-reviewer man, for I was most certainly disappointed with this offering by Don Miller. Let me say, for the record, that I LOVED 'Blue Like Jazz.' That book, to me, did an amazing job of reflecting not only a relaxed writing style, but also a relaxed theology, less encumbered by Evangelicalism's general desire to fit God into its 'understandable box.' Miller is a great storyteller, and he allows his stories to communicate his ideas about spirituality. It works gangbusters. Yo. SFGKW, admittedly, addresses a subject which would be difficult to communicate wholly through narrative. But I found myself wishing that Miller would at least try! Any time he would begin to tell stories, I was hooked... and then the writing would spin out into a very orthodox version of evangelistic theology. Miller, again and again, criticizes the 'formulaic theology' so prevalent in the still-Modernistic American church. But one gets the sense that the author is not (yet?) willing to embrace a theology divorced from categorizing, step-outlining, and bullet point divisions. While Miller's loose style FEELS different, it represents seemingly little more than a stream-of-consciousness veneer on a familiar set of principled beliefs. The book does have some good things to say, by the way. Miller's lifeboat analogy, in which he describes our culture's obsession with the popularity/success cult, is helpful. His critique of misplaced energy in the chapter on 'Morality' charged me up for fighting the right battles (rather than the tired ones against homosexual marriage or abortion). But overall, I don't know that there's much new here. Perhaps the free-flowing format would appeal to new believers (and that may be Miller's intended audience), but, for longer-time progressives in the Church, 'Blue ...
Nelson Books :: Religion & Spirituality :: United States :: Spirituality - General :: Religion - Prayer & Spirituality :: Religion :: Miscellanea :: Miller :: Donald :: :: Devotional :: :: Searching for God Knows What

Blue Like Jazz- Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality

5 stars (wonderful!) - This book was wonderful! I would recommend it to anyone, especially those who don't like Christians or for Christians to challenge them to go deeper and find real freedom. It's worth it, whatever the cost. 5 stars (One Man's "Garbage", Another Man's Treasure ) - This is one of those books that brings out the beauty and honesty of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. Don understands that the only way we can survive this world is through community in the body of Christ, and the only way that can happen is through honesty. Miller uses his testimony to tackle some tough issues like freedom and artistic creativity. He also reminds us through expereinces with his 'liberal friends' what Christ looks like when it comes to social action and where many follwers of Christ have been taking naps. "There is no holiness but social holiness". Miller is able to paint a picture of who he is in a way that, when you put down the book, you feel like you just had a conversation with him. This book isn't scripture, it's an autobiography [Which means it's about his personal life experiences :) ]. Donald Miller's testimony is one that has the potential to impact many people. Pick up this book today! 5 stars (Not a 5-step guide to living the Christian life - just one person's perspective on life and Christianity.) - After reading some of the reviews posted, I decided to write one of my own. I'd like people to remember that this book isn't a step by step guide on how to live the Christian life. I don't think Donald Miller's intentions (if I may be so bold) are anything other than getting the reader to think about his or her own flawed thinking about Jesus and Christianity. Some of the reviewers (Garbage comes to mind) ironically fall into that fundamentalist, legalistic category that Miller has written about in his book. I think Miller just wants us to be as honest with ourselves regarding our beliefs and lives and direction, as he has been with hi...
Nelson Books :: Spiritual Growth :: Religion & Spirituality :: United States :: Theology - Lay :: Spirituality - General :: Religion :: Miller :: Donald :: :: Christianity - Disciplesh :: Blue Like Jazz- Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality