5 comments about God's Generals: Why They Succeeded and Why Some Failed.

1. This is a fantastic book containing the short biographies of twelve influential evangelistic people with healing ministries:
   
   John Alexander Dowie
   Kathryn Kuhlman
   Aimee Semple McPherson
   William Branham
   William Seymour
   Charles Parham
   Evan Roberts
   Smith Wigglesworth
   A. A. Allen
   Jack Joe
   Maria Woodworth-Etter
   John G. Lake
   
   The book is from a Pentecostal/Charismatic perspective and as the title suggests, discusses where these people had success and where they had failure. Personally, I found the book a treasure to read.



2. God's General's is one of the most inspirational books that I can remember reading. In addition, it gives the history of some of the most powerful men and women of God since New Testament times. This book is a must read!



3. A balanced, thoughtful, entertaining and useful look at some of God's major powerplayers over the past 100 years or so. Concerning the likes of Kuhlman, Wigglesworth and Branham, most writers either choose to vilify them or worship them. Author Roberts Liardon chooses a more accurate middle road that exemplifies a love for the truth combined with his own helpful Pentecostal insights.
   
   This is a VERY interesting read that Spirit-filled Christians particularly will find both fascinating and useful. Useful because there is much to be learned from the successes and failures of these saints -- much that can be applied to our own lives.



4. I Have two things to say about the purchase of this book: First, that it was delivered to my house in a timely fashion and in perfect condition. Secondly, the book itself is a wonderful look into God's hand on people's life in history. The Bible says that God created each and every one of us with a purpose. Sometimes, that purpose is to live a quiet life of ministry and love. Sometimes God uses us for extraordinary purposes. This book is an encouragement to all people that God can do anything, no matter who you are, if you put your trust in Him.



5. Here they are. The 20th century legends of Christianity. One of them, Wigglesworth, has been the target of numerous writers. Why are we so fascinated with these people? Because they are heroes, every one. They had the courage to step out of the boat and walk on that H20. They were God's Generals!
   
   Perfect people? No! They made mistakes. Some of them sank into the waters. But each and every one of them loved God and dared walk in the supernatural. Signs, miracles and wonders followed them wherever they went. They won multitudes to Christ, healed the masses and brought God's good news of deliverance to their generations. They were flawed, some had serious problems. But they didn't let that stop them. They were serving a mighty God!
   
   If you want to get inside the minds and hearts of some heroes, read this book. Mark it up, highlight the key principles. Heed the warnings. And follow in the footsteps of these faith giants. Their successes inspired me to produce the Super Heart Living film series. And their walks will inspire YOU to do great things.
   
   Want to know their SECRETS? How they were able to heal the sick, raise the dead and persuade thousands to follow Jesus Christ? It's all in the pages of this one powerful book. Right there for your learning. Dive into each chapter and listen to these great men and women whisper "Follow me as I follow Christ!"
   
   You'll love Dowie's boldness in the heat of opposition. Wigglesworth's daring in the face of dreaded diseases. And McPherson's great love of the crowds and desire to entertain them with God's Word! God's Generals is moving, insightful and life-changing. I dare you to study these lives and develop their SUPER HEARTS!

5 comments about Jerry Falwell: His Life and Legacy.

1. I was lucky enough to attend and graduate from Liberty University. In the years since I've graduated I've gotten used to the need to be prepared for all reactions when I tell people I was one of "Jerry's Kids". The opinions are rarely middle of the road..either love him or hate him. I can say I loved him..He was a great role model to students, he seemed to be a great father and husband and he was exactly as Mrs. Falwell presented him in her book. It was great to hear her side of the story after all these years. The book was excellently written and once I started it, I couldn't put it down. I appreciated hearing all of their stories from their life, and the excerpts from folks who knew him well only added to the book. Whether or not he agreed with a person, he always showed a love for them...perfect example is Larry Flynt. I count it a privilege to have been able to see how God can use someone when they are completely willing to serve Him. Jerry and Liberty truly instilled in me the knowledge that anything is possible with God. I would recommend this book to anyone who thinks that the Jerry Falwell presented in the media is the only side of him there was. There was much more to him than that, just as there is with all of us.



2. I am from Lynchburg,Virginia therefore I am very familiar with Jerry Falwell and TRBC. I think the book portrayed Jerry just as he is and I am very proud to be from Lynchburg because of Jerry! I was glad that Mrs. Falwell set the record straight on alot of things and I hope people will remember the good things he did during his life time. I had to reach for the tissue box when he was offering the waitress a scholarship but that was Jerry through and through. I purchased another copy of the book for my dad for Father's Day and I have passed my copy on to my sister and neice. I hope everyone enjoys it!



3. I bought the book because I herd so much haltered from the media I wanted to know why.
   
   I now know why. Jerry Falwell devoted his life to one thing, to telling everyone he could about the love and salvation of Jesus
   
   He did it well, and he did it with no hidden motive. This is impossible to understand if you don't know Jesus. They tried everything to make him mad, to find him out, to uncover his weakness and he just kept smiling and telling them about the love of Jesus. There was nothing to uncover, he said he cheated no one, and he didn't, he said he hated sin but loved the sinner, and he did love them. He said he cared about people and when they checked carefully it turned out that he cared about people. That made them mad.
   
   Praise God
   
   Frank



4. The book explores the life and times of a man who boldly stood for truth. The last review by Jason shows who is the real bigot. Was Jerry Falwell perfect? The answer would be no. But anyone who knew him personally can see through the hyperbole that the "liberal left" spreads in the name of being "moderate". All I know is that if you are in the middle you get ran over from both ways! I believe that you can learn who the real man was over how he was portrayed. After all, Jesus was accused of being the devil by the people of his time. I think people will enjoy this book or his autobiography entitled Falwell.



5. Falwell was a vile bigot. This book is a cheap attempt to whitewash his true history as a racist con man who bliked the eldery and the stupid to build grand palaces for himself. It is also very poorly written.

5 comments about Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret (Hendrickson Classic Biographies).

1. This book is simply one of the most powerful books you could read to draw you to the Lord, in increased trust, fervor and understanding of His love.



2. This work regarding the testimony of God's faithfulness to Hudson Taylor is truly inspiring and amazing. Hudson Taylor was truly a unique individual that sought to pioneer the mission movement in inland. While other missionaries were content to stay in the large metropolitan centers of Asia dotted along the coastline, Taylor ventured forth with a firm faith in God with the purpose of bringing the Gospel to the Chinese countryside. The title of the book is somewhat of a misnomer as the secret is no secret. Taylor bowed his knee in simple obedience to clear biblical commands. The secret of the book is how it documents Taylor's account of how God used him. God said "Go!" and Taylor went, and the influence of that is still being impacted on Asia. The book shows the uniqueness of Taylor as God worked in his spiritual formation, mission philosophy and practice. The Hudson Taylor's spiritual secret is attributed to his radical commitment to live a life in which he completely trusted in God and the living out of the Great Commission.



3. Very informative and honest account of what it is really like in practice to trust in Jesus Christ to fulfill your needs when you are loving and obeying the Lord's Word (the Bible).



4. Very well written and worthy of commendation. I recommend in for all, especially to those who are seeking, with hope, a trophy of God's dispensations in the diverse and many operations of this world about them, and in them.
   There certainly is a refuge in the midst of the storms, who is Christ Jesus...but, sometimes, it is neddful to direct thy bow to face the storm, and to ride the waves right into the storm. It is there, that we may find an "eye" in the storm, with peace and tranquility our anchors and mainstay.



5. This got me an A on a college paper on Missionaries in China. It is a great primary source.

1 comments about Francis Schaeffer: An Authentic Life.

1. I think it is safe to say that, of all theologians contemporary or ancient, few have had as profound an affect on my life as Francis Schaeffer. Though I've read little of what he wrote, though he died when I was only a young child, and though I have never heard even one of his sermons, I know that my faith has been shaped by him. He was, after all, a major influence on my parents and on so many of their friends. Shortly after their conversion, my parents went three times to various European L'Abri locations, spending upwards of a year at them. In so many ways Schaeffer shaped their fledgling faith just as they later shaped mine. I am indebted to him as I am to them. And in this I am hardly the only one. Though it has been almost twenty five years since his death, Schaeffer's impact is still felt throughout the Christian church.
   
   Despite my indebtedness, and despite his influence over me, I know so little about Francis Schaeffer. Though widely admired, it seems that few people have taken on the challenge of documenting his life (his son's recent attempt notwithstanding). It was with great interest, then, that I turned to Francis Schaeffer: An Authentic Life, a new biography written by Colin Duriez, who has previously written accounts of the lives of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien.
   
   The publisher's description aptly summarizes the content. "From his working-class childhood in Pennsylvania, to the founding of L'Abri, his personal crisis of faith, and his latter years as a compassionate controversialist in the worldwide spotlight, all the eras of Schaeffer's life unfold within these pages. But Duriez, who studied under and interviewed Schaeffer, also takes a deeper look, revealing those distinct life phases, as well as Schaeffer's teachings and his complexities as a person, within their historical context so that contemporary readers may better understand all of who Schaeffer was--and why he still matters today." Duriez depends largely on oral history he gathered--upwards of 150,000 words of it, to describe the life of this great Christian.
   
   I find that there are at least two kinds of biographies. There are some where the reader closes the cover and feels as if he now knows a lot about the book's subject; then there is the occasional sublime biography where the reader closes the book and feels as if he truly knows the subject. While I wanted this biography to fit in the latter category, I feel that it fits instead in the former. This is not meant as a critique as much as an honest assessment. Though the book has undoubtedly increased my knowledge of Francis Schaeffer, my respect for him, and my understanding of his impact on the church, I do not feel as if I really know him, as perhaps I did with Jonathan Edwards after reading Marsden's great account of his life or with Whitefield after enjoying Dallimore's two-volume masterpiece.
   
   Yet the book stands on its own merits and it stands well. It is thorough without being burdensome and grapples well with the complexities of Francis Schaeffer, his life, and his ministry. It describes a man who had a unique gift for teaching and a deep, reverent love for his Saviour.
   
   The best and, to my knowledge, the only full-length biography of Schaeffer available today, this one is well worth the read. I do not think it will stand in history as the definitive account of Schaeffer's life, but it is still a very good account and one that will bless you as you read it. If you have been influenced by Schaeffer or if you have sought to understand his ministry, you will want to secure a copy for yourself.

5 comments about Jesus Land: A Memoir.

1. This is a memoir of a little girl's family that adopted two little black boys. The story is disturbing about the hatred and racism that she encountered as well as her two brothers. People were cruel to black people in the late seventies and early eighties in these small little towns in the north as well as the south. This story is set in Illinois. The family was highly religious as the mother spent most of her extra time corresponding with missionaries and her father was a doctor. The father was abusive to the little boys while he was merciful to his girl. But when the boys left home, one ran away and the other was sent away, his angry and wrath turned on Julia. The book recounts the time that her and her brother David spent months at a Christian reform camp. The book was painful for me to read. People hate with gladness. There is a big difference between being a Christian in action and appearance and being a Christian in heart. This book makes you sad at how people treat one another, how Christians treat one another, and how love of one another is the strongest bond in life. This book is a page turner, in the sense of hoping for a better result, a happy ending. The book ends, but you are left to provide happiness in your own life. You will watch how you treat people, that is where the happiness is in the book.



2. I found this book to be a very good read; however, I will warn - it is quite depressing. I consider myself to be an eternal optimist, but this book really threw me for a loop. I had no idea it would be so sad, especially from the reviews that I had read. Either way, it's an excellent book, and I am glad I read it!



3. "Jesus Land" by Julia Scheeres is one of those rare books that one can read in a day, given enough free time. It is lucidly written, engaging, and very troubling. Fans of memoirs/biographies will likely enjoy "Jesus Land," though it reads like a novel, so fiction lovers will enjoy it as well.
   
   "Jesus Land" is about Julia growing up in her Christian fundamentalist household in Indiana in the 70s and 80s, and particularly about the relationship she had with her adopted African-American brother, David. The first part of the book focuses on Julia's experiences at home, and the second part on her harrowing stay at Escuela Caribe, a Christian reform school in the Dominican Republic.
   
   David & Julia are the same age, and so begin high school together. Unfortunately, David is the subject of ceaseless racial taunting, and Julia must keep to herself during the school day to avoid being seen as "the black kid's sister." Yet still, she is seen as an outsider. At home, things are no better. The Scheeres adopted another African-American, Jerome, since they thought that David "would want to play with someone of his own color." Unfortunately, Jerome is highly aggressive, and gets into trouble frequently. The father of the family is abusive, and frequently beats David and Jerome, while Julia is simply scolded. This sets the 2 boys against the white sister. Jerome then begins sexually abusing Julia, perhaps as a way of getting back at the father. The mother is emotionally distant (if not hostile), and resents it whenever the children ask her for something beyond the minimum food, water, shelter, and church that she provides. At their hard-line Calvinist church, Lafayette Christian, they are told lots about sin and repentance, but very little about how to deal with the problems around them. So Julia deals with them in her own way- she siphons liquor and has sex with her new boyfriend, Scott. Eventually, she is caught and sent to Escuela Caribe.
   
   Escuela Caribe is one of the worst places a parent could send a teenager. Everyone there is ranked, from 0 to 5, and must rank up points in categories such as Being Truthful, Being a Helpful and Positive Influence, Respectful to Authority, etc., to move up on the rankings. Only when one reaches level 5 is it possible to go home. The "program" rewards tattling on other people. For example, if a student catches another student cussing, then informs the teachers, then the informing student will get points in the "Being a Helpful and Positive Influence" category, whereas the offending student will be docked in points. Students at the school experience all manner of abuse, and Julia is constantly woken in her sleep to the shrieks of girls with nightmares. Throughout all of this, her one constant is the relationship she has with her brother David. In one particularly touching passage, after David finally learns about Julia's abuse at the hands of Jerome, he slips her a note saying "I know what happened to you is not your fault." In the end, despite all the hardships, Julia and David know that they have formed a bond that could not be broken.
   
   "Jesus Land" is fascinating in so many ways. It is fascinating in its exploration of racism and fundamentalism in the American heartland, the dynamics of a dysfunctional family, and how people can form bonds to overcome bigotry and dogmatism. David, who died in a car crash when he was only 20, was the inspiration for this memoir, and it shows. At the end of every chapter, in italics, there is a tale about David from childhood, giving the reader insight into the character. Despite the grim subject matter, this is not a bombastic, self-pitying memoir (like Jodee Blanco's "Please Stop Laughing At Me"). Scheeres never goads the reader into anger, sadness, or joy, but simply tells the story. And that's what makes it so powerful. I would highly recommend this book to anyone. (See my comment for some links)



4. Immediately absorbing, Jesus Land is a tribute to the author's younger brother, David, her soul mate. She goes to great lengths to make sure he is safe, indeed she gives up her own freedom to look after him. It will cost her much more in the long run.
   
   At first I thought this family had to be poor. As the story unfolds, you see the children sitting down to a meal of the most awful boiled-down leftover crap you can imagine, flavored with a little beef. But then the author casually mentions her father is a surgeon. Immediately, the reader's perception changes. Why is the family eating slop? And aren't surgeons supposed to be smart, and not radical religious fanatics?
   
   This was quite a harrowing journey and throughout the book, Julia's bravery shines through. She does not spare herself, however. She is upfront and honest about her own insecurities regarding having black brothers. Kids at that age are trying so hard to fit in, still finding their way. She spends their early years ignoring him while Jerome, the older adopted black brother protects him. Except he can't protect them both from their father. The surgeon has a sadistic streak.
   
   Strong and intimidating, Jerome violates a deep trust and places himself beyond redemption. Unspeakable things occur. Racial revenge? The reader finds himself engaged in a whole new set of philosophical and familial riddles.
   
   And Julia stays huddled over vulnerable David, doing her best to protect him.
   
   I don't want to give any of this book away. It just has to be read. It is a suspenseful account of a family subtly and then violently torn apart. But Julia's honesty and courage brings redemption in the end.
   
   Great read.



5. Julia Scheeres has tremendous courage. She tells the story of a dysfunctional Christian family where image is everything, and love is basically absent. The parents use religion and morality as a "mental wall" to keep themselves from healing and learning lessons. This is a telling indictment on religion in America today. Faith should enlighten and guide individuals, especially parents, to learn new and often difficult lessons. Instead, faith was used by Scheeres' parents to stubbornly deny the truth of what was going on in their family: sexual abuse, child abuse and racism.

5 comments about Shadow of the Almighty: The Life and Testament of Jim Elliot (Lives of Faith).

1. Jim Elliot is in many ways the very model of the modern major missionary, especially since he died so young and in the course of complete and utter commitment to his faith. "Shadow..." is a well-written and passionate account of a fanatic Protestant martyr.
   
   I read this book long ago when I was on staff with Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship after hearing his widow (and the book's author) speak at the triennial missionary convention held at the University of Illinois at Urbana. Even though Elliot's entire family were considered evangelical royalty (not my description of the Howard clan), reading this book in the context of the fervor of a missionary convention that had more than 10,000 college students in attendance was, in retrospect, a major turning point on my journey out of evangelical Christianity.
   
   Elliot was crazy -- crazy for the Lord! Yee Hah! -- and his craziness was held up as a positive model of the "100% committed Christian," dedicated to the salvation of native peoples through intrusive proselytizing. His wife was even crazier than him since she went in after him and successfully "converted" the tribe that had killed him.
   
   What a waste of a brilliant young man, and what an arrogant obliteration of native culture in the name of Christ. It occurred to me that Elliot and his ilk are perfect illustrations of the impact of Eric Hoffer's "true believers." Far from being heroes to be emulated, men and women like Jim and Elizabeth Elliot are examples to be avoided at all costs if we are to survive as a species. The absolutism and consequent monopolism of such faith -- which comes into inevitable and deadly conflict with ANY sort of fundamentalistic religious, political, or cultural philosophy -- in the end destroys rather than builds.
   
   Please, PLEASE, read this book as a cautionary rather than a laudatory tale and I hope it helps scare you away from evangelicalism as it helped scare me.



2. I highly recommend reading this book. The passion for being a missionary starts here in Jim Elliot's life. Don't miss this wonderful story and testimony of Jim's passion for witnessing about Christ.



3. The insight, sensitivity, and nobleness of character found in these pages would be notable if they were found in the words of a novel. The fact that they also serve as a historical record and the loving tribute of a devoted widow make them profound. The challenge offered to the reader by the example and set by Jim Elliot further enhances this book to palce it among the very finest I have ever encountered.



4. Shadow of the Almighty is by far the best biography I have ever read!!! It has been said that "You will be the same today, except for the people you meet and the books you read", I have found this to be very true in my life.
   
   I feel you can glean so many spiritual nuggets from this book. From raising kids, praying for them, allowing God to use them, the importance of eating healthy and exercising, the value of education and when education is taking the place of God and true knowledge of Him....
   
   Reading this book, almost makes the movie End of the Spear seem shallow. Unless you know the history of these men's lives before they went into missions it is easy to be disillusioned and think that a group of over zealous guys decided to go and reach the savage Auca Indianans, which is not the case. It was an absolute calling of God on each of their lives that God had been preparing them for most of their lives (at least this is the case with Jim Elliot). Even Elizabeth Elliot, Jim's wife, had the calling on her life. They were spiritually, intellectually, and physically prepared. Yes, they were a group of young, good looking, and fun guys, but they also were spiritually mature beyond their years and they knew their calling.
   
   Elizabeth Elliot began compiling journal entries and letters of Jim's immediately after his death to begin the writing of Shadow of the Almighty, while the hurt and sting of her lose was still fresh! You will not find regret, resentment, bitterness or anger in her writing; only a life devoted to God even unto death. So while the book focuses on the life of Jim, remember it was his newly young widowed wife who wrote the very words contained within its pages.
   
   I guess what so impresses me about this book, is that it is more than the retelling of Jim's life. Throughout the book are original writings of Jim's, you see what makes his heart beat, his passion, his frustrations, his surrendered obedience, his incredible faith. You will see God's sovereignty, His hand, leading and weaving Jim's life and death.
   
   The story begins with his childhood, and continues on up to his death. Really his story still carries on today. How many people has Jim's life impacted even now 50 years later? While in college ,Jim at one point lets His grades suffer a bit so that he can focus on earning the Degree of A.U.G. (Approved Under God). I am so impressed with chapter 3, here you will find a handsome, athletic, intelligent young man keep his focus on the Lord in an atmosphere that pulls most people away. At this point he doesn't even take his parents advice, if it is not what he is hearing from the Spirit. His obedience to Christ makes him a true leader among his classmates.
   Following is a journal entry of Jim's, it show the wisdom and insight he had as a young man. "No one warns young people to follow Adam's example. He waited until God saw his need. Then God made Adam sleep, prepared for his mate, and brought her to him. We need more of this 'being asleep' in the will of God. Then we can receive what He brings us in His own time, if at all. Instead we are bloodhounds after a partner, considering everyone we see until our minds are so concerned with the sex problem that we can talk of nothing else when bull-session time comes around. It is true that a fellow cannot ignore women-but he can think of them as he ought-as sisters, not as sparring partners!"



5. This is my absolute favorite book of all time. In an age when I struggle to find like-minded people around me, Jim Elliot encourages and inspires my heart. In an introduction recently added to the book, Elisabeth Elliot says it all. She describes how HUNDREDS of young men over the years have come up to her at conferences or book signings and told her "that book changed my life." God answered Jim Elliot's prayer that he would be "A testament to the value of knowing God." It's so amazing to me to think how God could use this one man to reach so many people. Great book. If you are a young guy like me and wanting to live earnestly for Christ, you've got to read this book.

1 comments about Why I Became an Atheist: A Former Preacher Rejects Christianity.

1. John W. Loftus has written an important book that should be read by every Christian who cares about truth and reality. This is not the angry rant of some disgruntled former believer with an axe to grind. Loftus is thorough, fair and convincing. As a former Christian minister and apologist who became an atheist, he knows both sides of the belief question very well.
   
   The insights and detailed information contained in this book make for enlightening reading. There is much for everyone, from believers who are courageous enough to think more deeply about their faith to nonbelievers who want to better understand the arguments Christians make in defense of their religion. I highly recommend this book.
   
   
   
   --Guy P. Harrison, author of 50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God

5 comments about Trespassers Will Be Baptized: The Unordained Memoir of a Preacher's Daughter.

1. I ordered two copies of this book by mistake, but I'm sure glad I did! I immediately started one copy and quickly gave the other to my Mother. We both finished and thought of two more people who "had" to read it! I'm not sure where either copy is right now, but I know whomever has it, that person is having a big laugh out loud time! This book brought back some of my fondest childhood memories growing up in a Southern Baptist Church.



2. Trespassers Will Be Baptized is a well written book, but if you are expecting belly laughs from it, look elsewhere. The humour is mild at best.



3. As a southern baptist myself, I thought the book was very entertaining. No politics or preaching--just a real and funny look at life in a baptist home.



4. I picked this book off a display at a local bookstore, mainly because the cover art looked interesting. I thumbed through the first few pages out of curiosity. As you might guess from my screenname, I'm not the kind of guy who normally would read a female coming-of-age memoir, but the first several pages had me chuckling out loud, so I bought it.
   
   In the end, it turned out not to be a female coming-of-age memoir, so much as it is a tale of any child's struggles with keeping faith, not only in religion, but in humanity. It captures perfectly the ripping away of the veil that usually occurs around age ten, when one realizes that adults aren't the superhuman beings we've imagined them to be, and that the line between childhood and "grown up" is often fuzzier than one imagined. While there are plenty of allusions to church politics and the changing nature of the Southern Baptist Church during the 1980s (about which I knew little other than conjecture), the main vehicle for the book is the touching tale of Hancock's comatose grandmother, whose deteriorating sends the book hurtling toward its conclusion, leaving Hancock and the reader with the realization that the grown-up world
   
   Even setting aside the overall theme, the book is well-written, entertaining, and almost guaranteed to make you laugh out loud.



5. Trespassers will be Baptized tells the story of Elizabeth Emerson Hancock's early childhood as the oldest daughter of a Southern Baptist preacher living in Kentucky. Miss Em was a precocious little girl who grew up certain that she knew exactly the way it was, only to find out that even her parents weren't always so sure. It is her experiences coming to learn and understand how her parents, most especially her father, live within the spaces between their holy" (public) life and their "human" (private) life that make this memoir interesting and applicable to almost anyone who once was a child.
   
   Although you should never judge the book by its cover, I really feel as though I got exactly what I was eagerly anticipating from the moment I first held the book in my hand. Hancock tells her story in a vivacious manner that pokes fun at her childhood notions and background while honoring it all at the same time. She sheds light on what it is like to grow up in a Southern Baptist home, but also provide insight on girls coming of age in the early to mid-1980s.
   
   The stories she tells specific to her religious upbringing ring true, but so do her experiences as an oldest child. She brought back so many memories for me. I laughed as much at her story about fishing a pair of acid washed Guess jeans out of the Missions box for herself as I did about times when I used my advanced reasoning with my younger siblings to get them to go along with my schemes. Once I convinced myself that what I was setting out to do was okay, I could often easily recruit the rest to go along with me. The tricky part was working it so that they would get the blame if we were caught...
   
   I very much enjoyed my time reading Trespassers will be Baptized. It was well paced and smoothly written. I reminded me of how much I enjoyed reading A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel. It's nice to read about childhood experiences that weren't traumatic or abusive. Living in a Southern Baptist area, I am happy now to know a little more about how my neighbors might have been brought up and some of the characters they might have encountered at church. Even still, despite doctrinal differences, growing up in an religious yet open home and regularly attending church is more alike than it is different. I would most definitely recommend this book.

5 comments about Prison to Praise.

1. The Lord directed me to read this book and my my my it was such a blessing it teaches you to stop living a me me me life and also learn to forgive so God can use you in the areas He created you for. The Lord told me to read this book twice in Iraq and one of the Bulkarina soldiers who wasn't saved at that time came to me and said Sadiq I read this book it was so great I want you to read and come to find out it was the say book the Lord had being telling me about, Prison to Praise. It is dont about been in a physical prison but better yet no matter what condition, situation you will find yourself you should learn to praise the Lord



2. This book had some good points that my husband and I both took away from it; information that we still use to help us through the hard times. The negative side is just that it is outdated. I think they called the black man a "negro" which sounded a little odd, and the square nature of the text made the book a little corny. The book had some very good points, some good food for the soul, but you have to read through some less interesting text to find it.



3. This is an excellent book to encourage a person to praise in all circumstances and watch for the Lord to respond.



4. In 1 Corinthians 1, Paul writes about the ways of God seeming foolish to man.
   In Isa 55:9 God says through Isaiah : For [as] the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
   In Prison to Praise, Merlin Carrothers shares with us something that sounds so foolish to my human ears. Unlike some other books, it doesn't have promises of great things like the Prayer of Jabez - only a heart change.
   I was assigned this book as part of a Biblical Counselor program. I found others to read because this looked like a 'formula' book.
   When my husband first starting reading this book, he was transformed - and encouraged me to read it....but still, my way was to put it off. One day I picked it up - and I was furious - "Praise God for the evil? Praise God for the bad?". I just couldn't line it up with my theology.
   Then, I was in a crisis in my life - and anxious, fearful, and discouraged and in despair. When I prayed for God to hear my cry, the verse "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise" (Ps 100:4) came to me, with "be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God" Phil 4:6.
   I have spent a month listening to God open up this teaching to me, and show me "If this had not happened in your life, you would not have this blessing....If that had happened in your life, you would not have that blessing" as well as opening up stories in the Bible where the ugly looking things ended up being the path to glory. This book opened the door in my heart to a new relationship with the Father, only behind my salvation in 1969 and my Baptism in the Holy Spirit in 1977.
   I don't know the deeper meanings of the words, I can't speak to whether we give thanks 'in' or 'for', but I know that as I embrace the principles illustrated in this book, my heart is changed, fear is chased off, and I am in the presence of the Lord more and more, and in His presence is fullness of joy(Ps 16:11).
   
   I didn't get cars, houses, lands or money - but I have the peace that passes understanding that keeps my heart and mind in Christ Jesus - I am walking in the joy Jesus wanted me to live in - and that is of far greater worth than anything on this earth!
   So if you are ready to give up fear for faith, despair for hope, and confusion for clarity in Christ, pick up this book. To me, that is worth trying something that seems foolish, and I encourage it, I challenge you to read this book, and open your heart to God.



5. This is a must have book. The stories are inspirational. I bought 7 and gave all away.

5 comments about Esther Great Lives Series: Volume 2.

1. Charles Swindoll is a tremendous author. He makes this series come to life. Queen Esther was an intelligent woman who did daring and great things for her people, the Jews. One lives the story with her and can realize what one person can do if they are willing to stand up for what is right regardless of the cost and let God use them.
   
   David: Great Lives Series is another book of the same caliber. Excellent books and fascinating reading.



2. Excellent book. Charles Swindoll writes in a way that is easy to read and keeps your attention. I recommend this book to both men and women.



3. Just what I was looking for was found in this book for our Bible study



4. Chuck Swindoll takes what is seemingly a fairytale story and opens one's heart and mind to see how God is in control of all. What valuable life lessons he teaches us through this inspiring Bible book. I highly recommend using this book as a study reference along with your Bible. I appreciated the way he brought the story to life and made it's messages relate to my life as it is today.



5. This second book in the 'Great Lives' series is excellent! As a Pastor, I used this book for a small group Bible study. We studied one chapter a week. What strength we all can receive from studing the life of Esther! Here was a woman who had to make a decision to be silent and let her people die, or to stand up and do whats right. It's extremely interesting that God is never mentioned anywhere in the Book of Esther, but as Charles Swindoll points out, He is working "behind the scenes" in all of the lives involved in this powerful book. Use this book as a study guide with the Book of Esther.