A Conversation with God by Alton Gansky

It took me nearly a section before I was comfortable in the reading of this book. Part of this was because of the momentary hesitation at reading what God said about that particular subject, and then Jesus, and then anyone else who might have written about the subject in the Bible. It is multiple conversations on various subjects based on Biblical thought, theology and writings. But it took me some time to think about such possibilities! In the end, I became attuned to the intention of the writer and found the book to provide depth to me as a reader in every section.

The best feature of the book, so far as I was concerned, was the definition of words that theologians toss around freely. Church people accept the word but have very little idea of its meaning. These are words like "sanctification", "redemption", "the kingdom of God", "salvation" on and on and the author did a masterful job in taking the time and space to make individual explanations of each term which he used.

My next favorite feature of the book was the groupings of subjects together. At the end of the section, I would look back and see if the author could have omitted any part of the composite groupings without hurting the total picture. In the end, I thought that he asked the right questions and provided excellent sources for answers. The explanations at the beginning of each question were top-drawer and urged the reader to think! The notes at the end of the book are an invaluable resource.

My favorite section was the Kingdom of God followed closely by Christian Living. However, there were some questions which I underlined and marked to be read again. Some of these were "How do we know if we are saved?" and one that lingers in my mind, "Why is there so much suffering?" I recommend this book for the person who is contemplating the call to Christianity and for the Christian who long ago made a profession of faith! There is something in it for both.

Finding Our Way Again by Brian McLaren

This book is not what I would define as an "easy read". It required constant attention and persistent re-reading to keep everything in focus. Nonetheless, it gave insight, experience, and background. I was especially interested in Part 3: Ancient. In the author's three point sections of Katharsis, Fotosis and Theosis, I found much on which to reflect.

Katharsis (Via Purgativa), as the author explains "is the gate through which we enter the ancient way and its practices." The use of the symbol of the abbess adds a provocative dimension to the section. In this katharsis, the author urges all to purge the present of all the things that have accumulated in one's present spiritual experience and study the ancient way and its practices. This includes the way one lives, worships, works, pleasures ones self, all elements of one's life. I especially pondered the words: "Purgation has everything to do with practice, not penance." These simple words gave me a new view of this basic, major step for the person who is ready and able to confront himself and go from there.

It was easy to guess what the next step was to be about by simply looking at the name of the process: Fotosis (Via Illuminativa)--Once a purging has been done, light must make sight possible. Or, to use a more modern vernacular, after the blinders are off, one must deal with the blinding light. The author makes a wonderful point that "Light makes sight possible, and the spiritual life is, in many ways, about seeing." The Scripture of Matthew 6:22-23 came alive to me after that reading.

One of the most thought-provoking sentences in the book to me was "One learns about light not just by being in its presence, but also by experiencing its absence." The comments in this section of the author must be contemplated again and again by the reader. As I went back through the book, I read again lines and phases that I underlined and I remembered, again, their impact. I think you will find the same.

The Sacred Journey by Charles Foster

This is an excellent thought-provoking book. From the first words of the chapter, I realized that I would be on a trip of thoughtfulness and I was proved right. The idea of pilgrimage lures and repels different readers but the author manages to give ideas to anyone who is truly seeking to explore the subject.

As I finished the book, I thought of the most unforgettable passages for me personally and these are the three areas that I intend to pursue further: "thin places", synchronicity, and the words "Every pilgrim's step is a step toward his childhood." Each area of searching should lead me on new pilgrimages of faith-building. As someone who has traveled extensively, I found his words so true about Jerusalem and Rome and the Holy Land. And yet, the book is also geared to the person who will not or cannot leave the confines of home and the author spends many chapters addressing the person who searches in a solitary manner.

There are several constant strains which run through the book. One is that Jesus was constantly on the move and commanded his followers to follow him. The reader is asked to move also and not be content with the status-quo of the religious experience. A verse quoted often in the text is "Seek and Ye Shall Find." Where should you go? the author asks and then goes on to answer, "Follow your heart."

The person who skips "The Sacred Journey" and reads all the other Ancient Practices Series will miss a real confrontation with his inner self. It is an excellent book on a subject that has not been exhausted by other writers. I continue to reflect upon its messages and shall re-read it often.

In Constant Prayer by Robert Benson

This is an excellent book --you read a couple of pages and then you stop and think about what you have finished reading. It is thought-provoking from beginning to end. The author relates his pilgrimage while, at the same time, encouraging his reader to live out his/her own pilgrimage. One identifies with the author's faults and frailities by thinking of one's own. The author makes no attempt to set himself up as an authority on all things sacred but talks about his own questions, conditions and ponderings. I must confess that I had no concept of the "Daily Office" before reading this book so much of it was transformative in my ideas about prayer.

During my reading and later scanning, I was amazed at the few pages without my personal markings on them. I made note after note of provocative ideas which demanded my further thinking. One of the sections I marked read: "There is a temptation for all of us to feel as though worship is not really worth much unless we are personally moved by it. If we are not somehow emotionally touched, then our worship does not seem spiritual to us. It helps to remember that liturgy is the work of the people, not the magic wand of God."

This book is more than worth the reading. It makes you think from beginning to end. Keep your pencil handy to make your own notes. Excellent work. So was the Foreward. If this book is any indication of the calibre of work and authorship involved, I want to read the rest of The Ancient Practices series.

Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo

This story is about the near-death experiences of the author's son, Colton, who kept revealing parts of his experience as he resumed the normalcy of life. It also takes the reader through the agony of dealing with a child's illness and facing decisions --right and wrong--that doctors make about that child. As a pastor, the author felt he should react one way but as a father, he had a completely different opinion of how he wanted to react. In the midst of the worry about the son, there was another worry -- how to pay the bills for all of the medical care.

In the four months following the surgery the family began to pick up little snippets from Colton about what kind of experiences he had during this time when he was in surgery. At first, they were discounted by the parents but gradually, because of the simplistic faith of the child, and the fact that the parents knew that the experiences were real to him and not a figment of his overactive imagination, they became to listen far more closely to the experiential messages from a child-like faith. Colton talked about the rainbow colors of heaven and the "markers" of Jesus on his feet, and meeting his grandfather in heaven.

The book details how dealing with this experience has changed the family and their religious community. It also shows the profound effect it has had on the child who lived through it giving him a faith to know that God loves him and loves all children. He reveals much of what he "saw" in heaven including the throne room. Heaven, to this family, is no longer an unknown but a visual of the future.

Holy Bible, International Children's Bible

This is an excellent translation. I was first drawn to the art work in the Bible because it is so compelling and modern. It fits with the translation.

Then I checked out three sections with my Bible of choice. All three sections measured up, added clarity to the reader and were written with explanations in parentheses, red print taken out and far more conversational and less stilted. I looked at John 4 (The Woman at the Well) and it made both people involved in the conversation more real. The theological implications of the verse were certainly not neglected, misstated or downplayed.

Then I went to Revelation and the 2nd chapter with the letter to Ephesus. Revelation, to me, is most difficult for children to understand in light of the fantasy worlds that they experience every where around them. The translation was on target and true and did not try to be a Scriptural Harry Potter.

The last section I read was Proverbs 25 which is an amazing translation and I wish that I had had the translation when I was young. It flows while conforming to the original words. In fact, it enhances the poetic nature of the words. I will read continue to read Proverbs and Psalms from this translation. Excellent translation.

The Kings Christmas List by Eldon Johnson

The King's Christmas List, with its beautiful illustrations, tells the fanciful story of a little girl who instinctively followed with her heart even when it cost her something to do so. The message, to me, was to those who had much (a new playhouse, a dog, a toy, a set of parents who was supportive in every way) the biggest thing that they had was a sense of sharing and giving.

It is a wonderful story, especially in the Christmas season, to examine the virtue of why we give and ways that we can instill this in others around us as the primary gift of the season. My favorite line in the book is "It takes a lot of love and courage to share the things that are dear to you. When you stopped to help others on your way to the castle today, you showed them what My love looks like." It is the updated version of the Good Samaritan and a true lesson to a child who is far more interested in getting than in giving!

I also thought that the "Give a Gift to the King" was an added bonus instead of a cagily designed advertisement (as some might take it.) I did have a thought that the parent who reads this book and helps the child give the gift should be most careful in explaining that giving demands each of us to sacrifice what is ours to keep. The book made this act specific and individual.