5 comments about A Man Called Peter: The Story of Peter Marshall.

1. Peter Marshall was a man of God and yet he contemplated suicide in the play, "A Man Called Peter," based on this book. One of the school plays during the year I took Dramatics class and we were able to watch rehearsals. He was an inspiration to all who knew him. Some of his sparkling observations in our country are expressed here where he had a great ministry as minister to the presidents (before Billy Graham), he began in Birmingham, Alabama, as a newspaper reporter. He believed that each of us is responsible for helping our Christian brothers and sisters, especially the weaker ones.
   
   In one of his soul-searching, gut-wrenching sermons, he compared America to his native Scotland: "We have in the United States today a higher standard of living than in any other country, or at any other time in the world's history. We have more automobiles, more picture shows (movies), more telephones, more money, more swing bands, more radios, more television sets, more night clubs, more crime, and more divorce than any other nation in the world." In another, this truism based on Jesus' teachings" God speaks through our circumstances and guides us, closing doors as well as in opening them." All things work together for good for those who love God. The promises of God found in the Bible can give us hope, but many times we do not claim them as our own until we face a crisis.
   
   Andrew was chosen to be the Patron Saint of Scotland, and Saint Andrew's cross, a diaganol white cross on a blue ground, is the foundation on which St. George's cross of England and St. Patrick's cross of Ireland were laid to make the Union Jack. Alec, my youngest (son of the oldest son) was born on March 17 and reportedly looks just like Geoffrey (named after Chaucer). "A tired-ooout rail splitter, crouched over his tattered books, by candlelight at the day's end, preparing for his future, instead of snoring or sky-larking like his co-laborers, Abraham Lincoln cut out his path to later immortality in his spare time. Georgia Sharpe, an admirer of Peter Marshall, wrote: "A stranger entered a church during the sermon and took a seat in the back row. After a while, he leaned forward and asked the elderly man in front of him, "How long hs he been preaching?" "For about forty years, I think," the man replied. "I'll stay then," said the stranger;" he must be almost finished.
   
   Peter Marshall left behind just such home-spun philosophy in his teaching and ministering to the members of government at First Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C. and a wonderful wife who shared (as did JoNell Allen) her husband's sermons with the public.



2. Dr. Peter Marshall's story about his rough childhood with the endless desire to go to sea,
   his eventual immigration to America after the LORD's calling him into the ministry,
   his seminary education,
   his marriage to Catherine Marshall (then Catherine Wood),
   his pastorate at N.Y. Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington
   D.C.,
   the birth of his son Peter John Marshall,
   his appointment to the position of Chaplain to the U.S. Senate,
   and his tragic death in 1949,
   are all wonderfully brought to life in this amazing biography of one of America's greatest preachers.
   Catherine Marshall has been a blessing to my life and has brought me closer to Christ through her many Christian books. Dr. Marshall himself has allowed me to probe deeper into the meaning of salvation by faith alone and his audio tape entitled "Can You be Wrong?" available at Peter Marshall Ministries - have been instruments used by God in the event of the salvation of many. His sermons included at the end of this book, especially the one entitled, "The American Dream", has been especially pertinent to issues that still exist in the USA today, and served as my Speech and Debate piece as a high school senior. Although Dr. Marshall was more of a story teller, rather than an exegetical minister, his sermons are up there with Dr. John MacArthur and other ministers who I love and trust. I would recommend this biography over the biographies of any other minister I have read to date.
   If the LORD had this much in mind for a poor Scottish immigrant with nine and a half dollars in his old brown wallet when he arrived at Ellis Island almost 90 years ago...imagine what he could have in store for you and me!



3. I have both the movie and the book. I saw the movie when I was a child and it made an impression on me. I never forgot it. I have a grandson who is becoming a minister and I wanted him to see the movie. I haven't read the book yet, but I will soon. I feel sure it is better than the movie. I believe Peter Marshall was an outstanding minister and we can learn a lot from him. I am now 60 years old. This man has touched many lives over the years even since he died. I also have the book of his sermons. Catherine Marshall has kept his memory going and she is an awesome writer.



4. As someone related to those who have served in the clergy, I found Catherine Marshall's ardent tribute to her late husband, Senate Chaplain Peter Marshall particularly heartwarming and inspiring.
   As her husband (who became affectinately known as "Twittering-Birds Marshall" because of the flowery phrasing he gave to his wonderful sermons) painted vivid imagery with the parables he told, she paints a vivid image of his all-too-brief life.
   Through her words, we see the winsome Scottish lad who suffers the tragic loss of his father at age four, whose hardscrabble experiences and humble beginnings would lead him to have great compassion for others in similar circumstances, the spiritual depth he developed on the occassions when his Inner Voice saved him from accidental death, the inspiration he received from fellow Scottish churchman Eric Liddell, his Scottish wit, and fun-loving style. He was a man I feel I would have liked, as did many, and had he lived a few more years, he might have been highly instrumental in the struggle for Civil Rights, judging from the deferrence he gave to the writings of African American men of faith, James Weldon Johnson, and George Washington Carver, and his expressed concern for underpriviledged minorities. His sermon, "The American Dream", is still very timely in the modern world.
   Readers follow him through his immigration to the United States, his entrance into the clergy, his meeting of Catherine, the difficulty of finding time to spend with her due to mounting ministerial duties, his marriage, his camaraderie with other ministers, the high emotion of embracing U.S. Citizenship, the use of his sharp sense of humor to win people over to Christ, his enthusiasm for board games, sports, life itself, and also his great love for his family and humanity in general.
   I can hear the melodic trill of his brogue when his quotes appear in the story as his wife recaptures the rhythm of his speech patterns, and each chapter is headed with appropriate Biblical verses that summarize their contents.
   Dr. Marshall was nonimated as Senate Chaplain while serving in the church where Abraham Lincoln once worshipped, and upon his election became a much-loved confidant of Senators on both sides of the aisle. Michigan Senator, Arthur Vandenberg (who himself passed away around the time of this book's publication in 1951), affectionately called him, "Dominie", the Dutch word for "Parson".
   We share the couple's delight at the birth of their son, "Wee Peter" in the years prior to Dr. Marshall's rise to the Chaplaincy of the Senate, the challenges to their faith brought on by Catherine's bout with tuberculosis, and Peter's heart trouble, and see how much prayer meant in their lives at such time. We also see how Peter's illness inspired others to pray. But we are also made aware that not everyone admired the Marshalls and that the Good Reverend was subjected to anti-immigrant backlash as well as misinterpretations of the meaning of his sermons. He had his moments of self-doubt, as does everyone.
   Dr. Marshall's instinctiveness in changing his sermon for the graduating class of the Annapolis Naval Academy, which he gave just hours before the announcement of the attack on Pearl Harbor is formidable, and through his warm, consoling mannerisms, Christ became warm and alive in the hearts and minds of many. Through Marshall's example, many lives were changed for the better.
   We also see how this spiritually attuned couple helped produce some of Peter's best sermons in joint ventures that made their life's pilgrimage a real partnership.
   Five days after his attendance of President Truman's second inaguration, this fine representative of Christ on Earth was lost to the world. But his sweetness, and love for his wife were evident until the very end. As he passed from this life, the Holy Spirit gave Catherine the strenghth to carry on with her life, and to console others. As she worked on her late husband's story, he appeared to her in a dream, providing encouragement, but still letting that sparkling Scottish wit shine through, perhaps more eminently, in the afterlife.
   The last words he spoke to her, "See you in the morning", would carry her through the years.--Through the acclaim of this biography, the 1955 film of the same name in which Richard Todd gave an adorable performance as Peter, an eventual second marriage, the entrance of her son into the Presbyterian ministry, her own success with the novel, "Christy" and other religious literature, and eventually, her own undoubtably happy reunion with Peter in March, 1983.
   Her son honors the rich spiritual legacy of his parents by continuing the family tradition. As did his own father, Peter John Marshall lost his father in childhood, and perhaps strives to know him by following in his footsteps. Perhaps he knows the Senate Chaplain who was his father better than the elder Dr. Marshall knew his father through the availability of the Senate Chaplain's recorded sermons and writings.
   Christ said"...Whosover liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?"--John 11:25, 26
   As the life of Dr. Marshall continues to inspire many all these years later, I'll say that I do.



5. The works of both Peter and Catherine Marshall live on even though they are no longer among us. Fortunate for us that their legacy is still available, as we're richer for it.
   Peter was Chaplain of the U.S. Senate, a position he had not sought. He was a Scottish immigrant to this country. This book describes how God orchestrated the circumstances that led to a life of accomplishment from an eternally significant perspective.
   On page 15 she tells us, "Peter Marshall did not grow up wanting to be a minister. That was God's idea--not his." She says often God has to shut a door in order for us to go through the door he wants us to go through.
   Eric Liddell was a significant influence in Peter's younger years. He was the Scottish olympian who was more committed to Jesus than to winning international acclaim.
   I underlined what was said about dreams in the part of the book on Peter's early years. "I learned that just because God loves us so much, often He guides us by planting His own lovely dream in the barren soil of a human heart," she notes. Later on she adds that if the dreams are really of God, even though they may be carried a long time, they often suddenly become reality.
   I also love what the way she describes the book-lined place Peter inhabited. "Books lined one wall--good books--inspiring and instructive--good books--good friends."
   One of several idiosyncrasies I share with Peter Marshall is that we're both "night owls." She says he was usually his best and brightest around midnight.
   Throughout this book on her late husband, Catherine puts her thoughts into a reflective framework. She talks about Jesus and living life with the long view in mind. Along those lines she talks about Jesus, noting that he never refused anyone who came to Him for help. She says even if we lack faith, we can ask Him for it because faith is a gift of God.
   She modifies the phrase which is so commonly cited, "God helps those who help themselves," by writing that actually, "God helps those who trust Him to solve their problems."
   This is a well-researched, well-written, inspiring, faith-building, positive book that will make you a better person from having read it.

5 comments about Jack's Life: The Life Story of C.S. Lewis.

1. This book was very good, I could not put it down, I have read alot about C.S. Lewis and this is by far the best. It give the reader a real sense of the life of this great writer. I loved the stories about the real life and how the family came together.



2. I found this book to be a most touching tribute to a wonderful man of great ethical and spiritual integrity, who through the touching circumstance of a "late-in-life" deep love affair he never ever had dreamt could have been part of his "entrenched bachelerhood", enabled a young boy, in his turn, (He was to become the stepson.) to be profoundly inspired. This life-transforming experience for a young boy was sustained long past the time of C.S. Lewis' (he rathered being called "Jack"!) death, and impelled him, (Douglas Gresham) as an adult, to write this heartfelt biography of a great, yet perhaps troubled, man.
   I found it to be most a heartwarming reading.



3. This book is written as if the reader is a child (Douglas Gresham is constantly defining terms he uses as he writes). I really wanted to like the book and find it helpful insight into the life of C.S. Lewis but it wasn't.



4. For those interested in a light yet informative biography of famous Irish author C.S Lewis, this may well be the perfect book. Written by Lewis' stepson, this is a piece of work that will delight not only young adults, but adults as well.
   
   Gresham recounts Lewis' life from birth to death with obvious love, care and admiration, creating a touching portrayal of the gifted man who invented such unforgettable children's fantasy works such as The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.
   
   Lewis was a highly intelligent, funny, compassionate and courageous man who suffered all throughout his life and whose mind and health were deeply influenced by major painful episodes, especially by World War I, when, like many other English young men of his time, he fought in the trenches and saw many of his friends get killed. He keenly pondered the reason for so much pain in the world, and this showed in his writing.
   
   The book is full of interesting information--how Lewis used walking for inspiration, his full transformation from Atheism to Christianity, his friendship with Tolkien and other famous authors, his education at Oxford, the "club" he created, called The Inklings, which came to be an elite group of gifted literary and philosophical minds. There are several other biographies about Lewis, but while those others concentrate mostly on Lewis' work, this one concentrates on the man himself.
   
   This particular edition comes with an exclusive author interview on DVD, the perfect complement to the book.
   
   Now that the motion picture of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe is soon to be released for Christmas, this timely work will make a worthy, beautiful gift for Lewis' fans. Highly recommended.
   
   
   



5. Reviewed by Beverly Pechin for Reader Views (8/06)
   
   "Jack's Life" is truly an inside look at the life and times of famous author, C. S. Lewis from a perspective nobody else could give you but his own step-son, Douglas. First glance at the book and it's elegant cover tells you immediately that not only was there a lot of thought and care put into the making of this book, but no scrimping on presenting the reader with a wonderful personal view of Lewis' life was ever even an option. An exquisite hard cover book with a detailed embossed cover to protect this cherished book is only the beginning of the author's way of expressing the care taken. At a mere list price of under $20 the elegant hard cover book not only offers some great reading material, but a bonus DVD that adds yet another touch of class to the experience.
   
   Even the most well read of biography lovers has not been given a chance like this to see the inside life of the world renowned C.S. Lewis. Focusing not as much on his writings and his thoughts as a writer, but more on his every day life and hardships that helped to create the man he was. A wonderful look at what later became known as the true "home" of Lewis; Douglas fondly remembers the stories told by so many others regarding the beginning of the love/hate relationship Lewis came to have with his beautiful Estate. With so much work needing to be done, Lewis was remembered not only as an extremely hard worker, but a determined man with so much character that he took on the extended family of a friend who died at war while serving with Lewis. Submitting to a life of poverty at times, simply to take care of them all! This alone shows the intense character of the beloved author and, after reading the life Lewis accepted as his own to simply fulfill the obligation of a pact he shared with his close friend, brings one to realize that this is a man of integrity.
   
   The author shares everything from the relationships Lewis had with the "inherited" family, the mother and sister of a friend and fellow soldier in war, to the often shaky relationship he had with his own father; the touching love and relationship he shared with his brother, Warnie; and later the loving and tender relationship he shared with Douglas himself. Touching ever so briefly on the friends and acquaintances with whom he also shared numerous conversations and intricate details of the books he wrote, the author shows the inside influences of other famous authors, such as J.R. Tolkien, and some not-so-famous people that met together in a group weekly for intellectual discussions. This small group of intellectual geniuses and intimate friends became known as "The Inklings" and provided Lewis with many intense conversations and criticisms that influenced nearly all of his writings.
   
   "Jack's Life" is simply one of the best biographies I've read in ages and shares intimate details and touching antics of Lewis' life that no other author could share accurately. Seeing the loving relationship and utter admiration that Douglas Grisham had for his step-father gives the reader a feeling of truly knowing the inside workings of an intriguing man. Sometimes humorous, always intimate and completely touching, this is one biography that will not only leave you smiling from the knowledge shared but remembering to add on the many other books of C.S. Lewis that you may not have read yet, simply to experience the man you've learned about all over again.

5 comments about American Priestess: The Extraordinary Story of Anna Spafford and the American Colony in Jerusalem.

1. This is one of the more informative books written regarding the history of Americans who had influence in Jerusalem and the holy land in the last century. The author has researched her subject thoroughly and made a complex story interesting and understandable. Well worth your time and effort.



2. A Book for those who love the Exotic and the Unusual
   
   Jane Geniesse's book "American Priestess: The Extraordinary Story of Anna Spafford and the American Colony in Jerusalem" brings alive another time. Geniesse follows the passion of a Chicago heiress, Anna Spafford, to search for the exotic beauty in ancient Jerusalem. Following the footsteps of Gertrude Bell and Freya Stark, Geniesse creates yet yet another devoted heroine of the Near East in her book. Starting as a wealthy pasha's fort like villa, The American Colony Hotel has survived for more than a century as a place where international diplomats, correspondents, American and English expatriates met and discussed the issues of the day. The lure of the hotels' oriental decor with its Moorish arches and tiles, wooden coffered ceilings, and a cool enclosed courtyard with fountains and lemon trees which can still be found on the outside of the old walls and the Old city's Damascus Gate.



3. And to think that after 40+ years in the Middle East, I thought that the American Colony was "just" a hotel!! Thanks to Jane Geniesse, and after reading her fascinating book, "American Priestess," I now know the convoluted and incredible history of that site! For anyone who has stayed at the hotel or has the remotest interest in the historical events that occurred in Jerusalem at the end of the 19th century until the founding of the State of Israel, this is a "must read" book.
   
   And now to realize that the American Colony all began with a fanatic American and his fanatic American/Norwegian wife, all brought back to life by Geniesse...incredible!!
   Karen Asfour



4. A real page-turner, beautifully written. Deep scholarship, fascinating characters. A story, largely set in Jerusalem in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, of the American fundamentalist movement and the birth of modern Palestine and Israel. A story that provides a nuanced understanding of today's problems in that tortured part of the world.



5. Through a masterful weaving of history with personal narrative, Geniesse has created an indelible, living portrait of the seemingly continuous and always tragic struggle for power, even when it comes to matters of faith. Beginning in Chicago, during a period of intense religious revivalism, the story concludes in that most sacred yet conflict-ridden city, Jerusalem, and casts an unsparing light both on American idealism and religious fundamentalism."

5 comments about Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor: The Life and Reflections of Tom Carson.

1. I've long had a theory that the most effective pastors are ones we'll never hear anything about. It's hard to believe this in a day of celebrity pastors and megachurch conferences, but our values are so far out of line with God's that I'm sure we'll be surprised one day at how God's estimation of things is different from ours.
   
   Chances are that you've never heard of Tom Carson. He was an ordinary pastor who gained respect but never rose to prominence. He planted a church in Quebec when this was no small feat. He eventually left the church when he was not seeing the conversions that he had hoped for, and he finished his working life as a civil servant and a tent-making pastor. Throughout his ministry he struggled with a sense of inadequacy, no doubt in part because he was just an ordinary pastor. I'm sure there many pastors who can relate.
   
   If Carson's son, noted New Testament scholar D.A. Carson, had not written this book, we probably never would have heard of Tom Carson's life, or benefited from his story. But I'm thankful that he did. Any pastor who feels ordinary, and who sometimes feels discouraged - and that's pretty much every pastor - could benefit from reading this book.
   
   Memoirs helped me see the beauty of ordinary pastoral ministry as I observed it in Tom Carson's life. I was inspired by his example of faithfulness, integrity, and humility, especially when lesser men would have compromised. I recognized some of my struggles in his life. I was frustrated to see Tom Carson get discouraged when he probably did a better job in many areas than I'll ever do. The book helps us understand how the Gospel can help the pastor deal with discouragement in ministry.
   
   D.A. Carson has managed to write an account of his father's life that is neither hagiography nor a tell-all memoir. The book concludes:
   
   "Tom Carson never rose very far in denominational structures, but hundreds of people...testify how much he loved them. He never wrote a book, but he loved the book. He was never wealthy or powerful, but he kept growing as a Christian: yesterday's grace was never enough. He was not a far-sighted visionary, but he looked forward to eternity..."
   
   "When he died, there were no crowds outside the hospital, no editorial comments in the papers, no announcements on television...But on the other side all the trumpets sounded. Dad won entrance to the only throne room that matters, not because he was a good man or a great man - he was, after all, a most ordinary pastor - but because he was a forgiven man."
   
   May God raise up more ordinary pastors like Tom Carson.



2. very humbling, very encouraging, very challenging to see the way Tom lived despite the hardships difficulty in spreading God'sword. He is faithful and loving, generous, just like Jesus. Read it if ur'e a christian!



3. You don't have to be a pastor to profoundly benefit from Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor: The Life and Reflections of Tom Carson, a moving biographical account written by Pastor Carson's son, eminent author Dr. D.A. Carson. This is a simply an outstanding book for any Christian who wants to fight sin, grow in grace, and be faithful until the end. I read it straight through, and was quite moved.
   
   Dr. Carson writes poignantly about his father, Tom Carson, who spent much of his life in pastoral ministry in small churches. Tom Carson never wrote a book and was never a sought-after conference speaker, but he was a faithful, consistent, Christian man. Though imperfect, Mr. Carson was an overwhelmingly godly example to his children, leading them in both family worship and by his own exemplification of Christian virtues. He faithfully prayed for and loved his congregation, and sought to redeem every relationship for good.
   
   The book begins with a brief history of Canada, to give the reader some perspective as to where Tom Carson ministered. Interesting historical details are given as to how Canada viewed and was impacted by the American War for Independence. Carson gives emphasis to language issues; much of the Quebec area (where Carson's life centered) was predominantly French speaking. This would become an issue in Mr. Carson's ministry because the congregation he served was bi-lingual, and toward the end of Carson's life most churches were bifurcating into English-speaking and French-speaking congregations. Chapter 2 walks us through Carson's early years. He was soundly converted in high school through the influence of a godly mother. Carson's father, however, was not a Christian until the last few years of his life--long enough, however, for Don Carson (a grandson) to discern the difference conversion makes in an older man's life. [An application: Don't stop praying for your unconverted father.]
   
   The next few chapters walk us through some of the difficulties of Mr. Carson's ministry. He occasionally received unfair treatment from denominational leaders, but never returned evil for evil. The book quotes at length from Mr. Carson's journals and we're given access to how he led his family. Mr. Carson's story motivates me greatly to authentically live the Christian faith before my wife and children. It also motivates me to want to suffer well and work vigorously for the Audience that truly matters. Mr. Carson, even to the very end of his life, was one who redeemed his time. His journals document that he was up early for intimate prayer and devotional reflection in the Word, and then sought to be fruitful in study as well as in visitation with his parishioners. He also did not neglect to pursue healthy relationships with his children (e.g., encouraging Don in his sports and his studies).
   
   Mr. Carson died well, three years after his wife Margaret succumbed to a painful, extended season of Alzheimer's disease. Mr. Carson's final suffering was relatively brief, a persistent cough, then a fever. A month later he breathed his last. The last two paragraphs of the book are particularly moving--but read this 148-page book straight through -- regardless of your calling, you will be blessed:
   
   "When he died, there were no crowds outside the hospital, no editorial comments in the papers, no announcements on television, no mention in Parliament, no attention paid by the nation. In his hospital room there was no one by his bedside. There was only the quiet hiss of oxygen, vainly venting because he had stopped breathing and would never need it again.
   
   But on the other side all the trumpets sounded. Dad won entrance to the only throne room that matters, not because he was a good man or a great man--he was, after all, a most ordinary pastor--but because he was a forgiven man. And he heard the voice of him whom he longed to hear saying, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; enter into the joy of your Lord.'"



4. In Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor, New Testament scholar D.A. Carson says his book is "a modest attempt to let the voice and ministry of one ordinary pastor be heard, for such servants have much to teach us."
   
   He has succeeded in his purpose. This little book, obviously a labor of love, is a jewel. This account was pieced together using excerpts from his father's journals, the author's own memory, and recollections from friends and family. Carson follows the career of his father as he served as a pioneer Baptist church planter in French Canada from the 1930s until his death in 1992.
   
   There were a few times I felt slightly bogged down in all the backstory. A good portion of his father's life and career was affected by things that happened in his denomination during that time. Explaining these things was essential to understanding the rest of his father's career. They couldn't have been left out.
   
   Church politics, whether it's denominational or just in the local church itself, are part of life (a sad part of life that reflects our sinful natures, but part of life nonetheless). I doubt there is a pastor alive whose life hasn't been affected by these things. To leave them out would leave the story incomplete.
   
   This is a wonderful biography that can edify any Christian who is occasionally discouraged by the ordinariness of his or her life. There are plenty of books about people who thrill the world with great an amazing things. To read the story of a man who lived a lifetime of faithfulness in the small things, who labored diligently without seeing a lot of earthly rewards, is a refreshing change from most biographies, and the kind of thing there needs to be more of.
   
   In our Purpose-Driven, Megachurch world, I think this book could be a fantastic edification for any ordinary pastors out there. Since only a handful of pastors in each generation receive any sort of professional notoriety, I think that would include most pastors you know.
   
   I'm not a pastor, just an ordinary Christian, and I enjoyed the book very much.



5. I was at once drawn in when I first heard of Don Carson's project to write a book reflecting the life and ministry of his late father. I eagerly awaited the book's publication, then received a copy and was, ironically, in a very busy period of ministry and so therefore unable to get to the book. However, I picked it up during my son's baseball practice last weekend and pretty much could not put it down. This book was a tremendous blessing to me.
   
   Tom Carson was involved in ministry for a span of six decades. His station was the French Canadian area around Quebec. The younger Carson combed through the journal entries, letters, notes, and sermon notes that were left behind. Apparently Don was significantly aided by Tom's regular notes and his tendency to hang on to everything. What results is this book that I will refer to as a `journal-ography'. Don Carson interacts with the development of his father's ministry via his journal, the letters and his own first hand observations.
   
   The title is fitting: Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor. Carson notes in the introduction that many men seem to be extraordinarily blessed by God; their ministries grow, they see many conversions and they leave a large imprint as they pass from the scene. But, Carson writes, "Most pastors will not regularly preach to thousands, let alone tens of thousands. They will not write influential books, they will not supervise large staffs, and they will never see more than modest growth. They will plug away at their care for the aged, at their visitation, at their counseling, at their Bible studies, and preaching...Most of us--let us be frank--are ordinary pastors."
   
   In chronicling the development of Tom's ministry there are several encouragements that I took away:
   
   1- Tom was faithful to do the important things because it was what God wanted, regardless of the human concept of success.
   
   2- Tom's burden for French Canada to be saved seemed only to increase amidst the persecution from Roman Catholics, the lack of conversions, and his own shortcomings.
   
   3- Tom believed that faithful preaching would accomplish God's end.
   
   4- Tom believed that God was sovereign while at the same time laboring with tenacious zeal for souls.
   
   5- Tom was a pilgrim. He loved ministry because it emphasized the transcendent message and the coming kingdom.
   
   6- Tom did not get disqualified. He was faithful to his wife, his family, his church, his city.
   
   7- Tom loved his wife. The chapter on Marg's Alzheimer Years was a heart wrenching chapter. Tom and Marg were very much in love with each other, even till the end.
   
   8- Tom did not fire in vengeance back when wronged. Several times in the book he was unjustly accused or mistreated. Instead of retaliating he was prayerfully compassionate. Even his children had not heard of some of the conflicts until they were older. When Don asked his father why he had not told them he replied, "he did not went to become bitter."
   
   9- Tom taught his family the Bible.
   
   10- Tom took a job as a civil servant after his Drummondville ministry and still was as engaged as ever in ministry while also being a faithful evangelist at work.
   
   Some other interesting points, particularly if you, like me, enjoy D.A. Carson... "...after he (Tom) was gone I found he had carefully gone through most of the books I had written, often with little ticks or marginal notes or question marks, neatly written in pencil."
   
   As a pastor this book was a delight to read. Tom Carson is a pastor I wish I could have known, now, thankfully, it is as if I had. He has influenced me greatly, causing me to be more thankful for the blessings of divine grace, the power of the gospel, and the time remaining in ministry, that I might be more faithful. That is, more like Tom Carson.

4 comments about Amazing Love: True Stories of the Power of Forgiveness.

1. I have many books written by Corrie ten Boom, I find this book to be a wonderful addition to my collection.



2. This is an interesting followup to "The Hiding Place." You learn more about this amazing woman.



3. This is a daily devotional by Corrie Ten Boom that has been sitting in my library all my life. My copy is tattered. Everytime I need to reach for moral courage, integrity, kindness, endurance and empathy, I turn to this 'little' book.
   This particular order was for 10 men that I know through a prison ministry who are living in very difficult situations for long periods of their lives. If you need to learn forgiveness, try reading"The Hiding Place." Only the spirit could work through a person to forgive the people she encountered during her stay in a Nazi concentration camp......and forgive...she did!!!!!



4. I love this book! I have learned so much reading about these strong, brave, loving and ever so forgiving people. I highly recommend this book to everyone!

5 comments about Paul: The Mind of the Apostle.

1. All I wanted was a closer understanding of who Saul was. What I got was a harsh doubting editorial. Wilson continuously unfocuses his train of historical narritive to cast shadows upon Saul, Jesus, and Christianity' roots.....Book Quotes: "Paul was to develop into a richly imaginative, but confused, religious genius" pg27. Luke's gospel is "a rather strange introduction" pg 67. "Luke is a ham-fisted historian who attempts to put a shape on recalcitrant material" pg 67. Regarding feeding the five thousand; "We do not even know whether these events took place" pg 64. Regarding Stephen's martydom "It is hard to know how much of this story to believe" pg 64. Wilson calls Saul's conversion "Christian Mythology" pg61. Are you sitting? Hardy little Wlison goes onto attack the New Testament "the absurdity that bodies really come to life or float through the clouds" pg 73. Brothers and sisters he then turns upon you. "The modern Christian who bravely continues to believe in a real star of Bethlehem or an actual Garden Tomb in Jerusalem from which Jesus rose is making the same mistake....as Finding Homer's Troy" pg73. In one bold sentence Wilson slashes the reader, the resurrection and reduces Christianity to a myth. Doubtings and accusations fill this supposed biography. Page 205 "We can now guess" about Peter and Paul. Do you think that Wilson forgot to chip away at the Christian church? On page 163 he compares it to a "club" or "Freemason's lodge". He accuses the church as being "incorrigbly misgynistic" pg 143....... A biography is exactly that; a related culture bound experience. This fixated psychotic book does no justice to the indexes of 'biography'. It reduces early Christianity to the notion of a fantasy and Christ as a myth. This virulent editorial's ambition is raging gauze covered Christ bashing. Looking for history I was frustrated. Reading as a Christian I was exasperated.



2. Full disclosure up-front: I am not a Christian though I was raised in a semi-Christian household by a Catholic mother and Lutheran father. I knew the stories but they were never forced on me. I was never asked to believe anything, religious or otherwise, without testing it out first for myself.
   
   It is probably for this reason that "Paul: The Mind of the Apostle" appeals to me so strongly. Wilson admits right up front that there are no extant non-biblical references to Paul which makes his task as biographer extremely difficult. Nevertheless, there is a fair amount of non-biblical historical data of the era and a great amount of literary scholarship of the past 1900 years that he utilizes to paint an incredibly detailed picture of the eastern Mediterranean of the first century. Within that framework, he creates as definite a portrait of the wandering tent-maker as he can without grossly overstepping the boundaries of speculation (or at least qualifying those few occasions as speculative).
   
   Other reviews on this page cite him for picking and choosing his sources, agreeing with parts of Acts and discounting others, crediting certain sources above others, etc. This is true. However it is accompanied by an explanation of why he is doing this that is always well researched and well justified. Numerous times he pulls out the original Greek of the text he is critiquing and demonstrates how the original word has been corrupted by translation and what the original actually means. His critique of Acts is specifically along the lines of comparing the fiery temperament of Paul in his Epistles to the Rome-appeaser portrayed by Luke in his pseudo-history.
   
   In the end, it is a compelling and entertaining read that walks a road considered dangerous - even blasphemous by one reviewer - by those who blindly accept traditional biblical history. For those who are interested in the process of searching for the actual story - and even some suggestions as to what "The Way" might have been had orthodox doctrine not taken it over - I have yet to find a better read.



3. The first tip that we are in the realm of the skeptic is the blurb by Karen Armstrong on the back of the hardcover. Then as we read the first chapter we find the author's aside that although first century Christians probably did not deliberately start the fires in Rome that Nero used as a pretext to slaughter them, maybe there might be some truth to the mad Emperor's claim as the fire may have accidentally started in a Christian's home. Then a few pages later we read that although Nero's immolation of Christians and feeding them to wild animals was cruel, certainly later Christian Church endorsed acts such as the persecution of the Albigensians were more terrible in scope and nature. Hmm, if one were reading a book that touched incidentally on the Cambodian genocide or the Holocaust and one read sentences like "Perhaps the Cambodian victims inadvertently brought their persecution upon them by their dedicated adherence to a foreign culture..." or "Although the Holocaust was terrible, later acts of oppression and apartheid by the Israeli state were far worse..." one would think one was reading the work of a kook with an axe to grind. That is about the scope of what we are looking at in A.N. Wilson's book. He has a marked distaste for Christianity as an irrational peasant religion (Gibbon is quoted frequently and admiringly) and feels Jesus was an ordinary preacher whose death created a synergy with the messianic and apocalyptic mood of the times to offer a ready-made myth that was developed and expounded into a more universal religion by Paul and others.
   
   No matter what one makes of Wilson's premise, the tools of his analysis are clumsy and ill-wielded. The only evidence we have of the preaching of Jesus and Paul's life and career come from Scripture. Wilson postulates the entire New Testament is inaccurate propaganda written long after the event that occurred and is mostly fictional, intended to justify certain ideological conclusions that the actual events did not necessarily ratify. The problem then is that if every piece of evidence offered is tainted and flawed, how can you use it to argue any position let alone a contrarian one? That is Wilson's dilemma, and he cannot fulfill this impossible mission. He selectively cuts and pastes texts, opposes Gospel to Acts, Acts to Epistles, Epistles to Gospels and sometimes finds one source convincing and other times the other source, based on, you guessed it, whether or not that particular source agrees with his thesis. So some parts of Acts are good, others bad, some parts of the Gospels useful, others unreliable, etc. He also completely ignores the Gospel of John, saying it is entirely propaganda and not at all truthful, which is necessary for Wilson's premise as some elements in John (Jesus' claims of divinity and ministry to Gentiles) completely sink Wilson's main ideas.
   
   The extreme arbitrariness of Wilson's judgment and overt manipulation of relevant texts suggests to the reader that his argument is not to be taken seriously. Basically Wilson says don't listen to the Christian interpretation of the Bible, listen to his instead. I see no reason why we ought to do that, as his jumbled argument and cavalier attitude towards his main sources would be unacceptable in a college freshman's research paper. The Biblical story as presented and interpreted by mainstream Christian thought is far more persuasive, compelling, and logical than anything Wilson offers in opposition.
   
   Strengths of the book? Wilson appears to like Paul more than he thought he might. As a result, he does a bit to clear Paul of the slanders made against him by post-Enlightenment secular culture. Paul's attitudes to women, homosexuality, and oppressive political authority are justified in Wilson's view because of the eschatological mindset of the apostle and the intellectual and cultural background he was raised in. (It is a sad sign of the state of scholarship in our times where an author recognizing such obvious points is unusual, but I will give praise where it is due.) Besides this relative and limited open-mindedness, Wilson has done much research into the ancient world, and his knowledge of the history and culture of ancient Rome is impressive, although again very selectively presented and interpreted so as to buttress his conclusions. He is a witty writer, and very entertaining at times, and his willingness to speculate wildly can occasionally produce some interesting insight, like in his chapter on Paul in Arabia. Overall though, much of Wilson's narrative is utter speculation and not in the least well-grounded in any objective historical evidence.
   
   I am hard pressed to define an audience for this book. Devout Christians will find Wilson's condescension, anti-Christian bias, and utter skepticism to be off-putting, if not actually blasphemous. Open-minded believers willing to at least listen to secular interpretations of the Biblical world will be disappointed as the wild-eyed manufacture of radical theory and overt heavy-handed arrangement of history and Scripture into a tortured knot that supports the radical premises is paradigmatic of bad scholarship, an exercise in futility that makes "The Da Vinci Code" seem realistic and nuanced in comparison. Atheists who could care less about Christianity won't want to waste time on this odd little diatribe when they could be reading that new book by Dawkins instead, and anti-Christians will be annoyed by Wilson finding anything good to say about that "nasty paternalistic homophobe", Paul.
   
   In conclusion, this book's overly partisan mindset and flawed historical and text analysis methodologies leave much to be desired. Wilson wants to twist the evidence to suit his idea of what Christianity is and how it started, and unless you agree with his every premise and will turn a blind eye to his dishonest and biased mishandling of the historical record, you will find this book to be a dead end. Occasional moments of wit and generally good writing cannot justify a wrong-headed intellectual premise and inept literary execution.



4. Wow!!!!Unbelievable garbage...I guess the author never read the Didache...I can't believe the 5 star reviews praising his scholarship...Notice they are by people with an ax to grind against Christians.......One even suggested the movie" The Last Temptation Of Christ." as a companion to this worthless garbage....
   
   No research.Just the author's own suppositions..A great read for those with narrow minds and limited I.Q.'S...



5. The first impression about a book such as this is that is going to be a little difficult and somewhat boring to read it. But the truth is the total opposite: Mr Wilson have made a very interesting book, trying not to be bias in his presentation and with a delightful background of history. If you want to know more about the history of the bible, the foundations of Christianity and the biography of Paul, read this book and Make your own opinion!

5 comments about Surprised By Truth 2: 15 Men and Women Give the Biblical and Historical Reasons For Becoming Catholic..

1. This book puts together a collection of powerful testimonies from people who discovered or re-discovered the True Faith laid out by Christ (the Catholic Church and its teachings). I was most inspired and deeply moved by these testimonies. I will contact at least one of the contributors to this book. I felt particularly identified with his story and will seek advise on how to follow the path he took to "Rome". Buy and distribute among your friends the Surprised by Truth series. I did give away my copy of the preceding book of this Surprised by Truth series and I am pleased to inform that it helped to convert my friend to Catholicism. I am looking forward to read the third book of the Surprised by Truth series.



2. I highly recommend this book and the first "Surprised by Truth" book. Very inspiring testimonies by a wide variety of people who write about their search for religious truth. If you have questions or doubts or just want to know the facts, this is the book to read.



3. This book was as good as the first. I think it gives a good understanding as to why someone would convert. As a Catholic myself it has made my faith stronger. I bought the book to then pass on to someone who is considering becoming Catholic. I would not however try to force my beliefs on someone but if someone is interested to understand more it is a great book to read.



4. Conversion stories are always a fun read, when one is reading the stories of those who convert to their own faith.
   
   Of course, when the conversion is one away from one's own tradition, that is another thing entirely.
   
   However, fair is fair, and evangelicals have been publishing and telling conversion stories about how people were "saved" from the Catholic Church since the beginning of their movement some 400 years ago. It is remarkable therefore that some would criticize these humble and powerful stories of people who "swam the Tiber" in the other direction as "triumphalist" (whatever that word means) or inappropriate. Yet that is exactly what many evangelicals have done regarding the renaissance in Catholic apologetics that has occurred over the last 20 years.
   
   However, in my opinion, this renaissance is neither "triumphalist" in a negative sense, nor inappropriate. For, in theology, the only way to get at the truth is to use the time honored tool of philosophical reasoning when discussing Divine Revelation. That means making arguments from Sacred Scripture. Arguments invite counterarguments. Reformationists reject the authority of the Church to settle arguments when they get out of hand, or threaten unity. Therefore, we will continue to argue with each other, even while we often work side by side in the trenches fighting things like abortion.
   
   This book clearly shows that ideas have consequences, especially when those ideas are religious ones. Every person whose story is in this book is someone who had the courage to not only challenge received "dogma" but also live their life in a way in conformity with their ideas, regardless of the consequences.
   
   Luckily, these brave individuals are not building their houses on the sand of their own understanding, but rather on the rock of Jesus Christ and the teachings of His Church.
   
   This book and its companion volumes are a great tool when one needs the support they provide. They are also useful for explaining to reasonable non-Catholics why people would find it necessary to call the Catholic Church their spiritual home.
   
   I struggled with whether to give this book series 4 or 5 stars. As collections of conversion stories go, these are excellent. However, conversion stories are monologues, not dialogues, and are therefore less interesting to me than a good discussion of various theological issues. I feel good editing and inclusion of other ideas (perhaps a commentary?) could have addressed this weakness to some degree. However, fair is fair, and most other faith traditions (especially Fundamentalist Protestantism) don't extend the same intellectual courtesy when discussing the conversion stories of those who choose to leave the Catholic Church.
   
   At the very least, these books prove that the Catholic faith is compelling, and reasonable. I, of course, believe it to be true. However, until He comes again, I fear that debate will continue. When we are Christian it will be a good discussion. When we fail, it will be shouting match. Such is the Christian experience post the reformation.



5. I have read both the first and second book of Surprised By Truth. Both were excellent. Anyone reading them objectively, with an open mind and heart, will learn a lot about the Christian faith in general and Catholicism specifically. I could say a lot about these essays; they are so well-written. What is most important is that they are written from the point of view of love and truth-seeking. I recommend Surprised By Truth.

5 comments about Luther: Biography of a Reformer.

1. For Lutherans and all others this provides some of the best history on Martin Luther, what he knew to be right and practiced. This is a very good book for anyone who has no knowledge of Luther's beginnings.
   
   All will find this enlightening when you think of where we are today and the influence Martin had on the world before, during, and after the reformation. It's also an easy read.



2. The "Biography of Luther" is a product of Concordia Publishing House, the publisher of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. The book is more of an inspirational novel than an objective historical account. Also, the book is not based on primary research documents, but is a summary of the movie staring Joseph Fiennes, so, be prepared for a somewhat overly dramatic version of an infallible paragon of righteousness. Glossy photos of Martin Luther as portrayed by Joseph Fiennes are provided throughout. Written simply in the manner of a children's encyclopedia, "Luther" is an enjoyable and quick read.



3. Concisely written, Nohl gets to the point without many scholarly flourishes. This volume would make an excellent confirmation gift for Lutheran youth. Frederick Nohl's work is a reprinting of his original 1962 biography "Martin Luther: Hero of Faith" (Concordia Publishing House). The current version was meant to coincide with the 2003 release of the major motion picture "Luther" starring Joseph Fiennes, Alfred Molina and the late Sir Peter Ustinov. If you thirst for a more in-depth scholarly but still readable approach to this subject, try the classic "Here I Stand" by Roland H. Bainton.
   Nohl accurately depicts reformer Luther's "middle way" between the Roman Church traditionalists and the newly spawned radicals like Andreas Carlstadt and Thomas Müntzer, advocates of complete political and theological revolution. Nor does Nohl soft-pedal Luther's frustration and awkward position during the Great Peasants' War in the Germany of 1524-25.
   Of greatest importance, however, is that Martin Luther rediscovered the "Gospel of grace", freeing the true Gospel message from its obscurity by centuries of layered fear and superstition, the bitter fruits of self-serving human traditions and the general biblical ignorance of the populace. Europe was slowly emerging from the Middle Ages and could ill afford to look back. The message of a gracious Gospel would in time be disseminated to all Christendom and provide a safe haven for the concept of "freedom of conscience".
   But the message isn't about Luther. He was both a self-acknowledged sinner and a saint (if only in the New Testament sense.) He would be taken aback by all the attention directed at him since the Reformation and be embarrassed that a major Protestant denomination had attached his name to themselves-quite against his wishes. He could not have imagined the extent of the social and political repercussions of his life.
   No, it isn't about Luther: It's about the Christ to whom Luther pointed; it's about the Jesus who said that God has given us what we don't deserve and will never earn by our efforts. If you think of Martin Luther without remembering this, you've missed the point.



4. It is a wonderful thing to know that there are so many excellent biographies of Luther available out there. This volume is the best "entry level" biography of Luther out there. This is the perfect volume for anyone who knows nothing, or only very little, about Martin Luther. It is well written, clear and gives you a great overview of Luther's life and work. Plus, it is very nicely printed, in hardback, with full color photos from the recent Luther movie. A tremendous bargain for only $10.50 or so.



5. Frederick Nohl was a North American Lutheran who had degrees in education (B.S., Concordia, River Forest, IL) and history (M.A., Northwestern, Evanston, IL). In his working career, he was a teacher and principal for a couple of Lutheran elementary schools in Illinois. So his abilities converged that allowed him to write an easy-to-read biography, which he did so in 1962. Luther: Biography of a Reformer is a renamed version of Nohl's original book, Luther: Hero of Faith.
   
   Luther: Biography of a Reformer covers the early life of Luther and that segment of the Reformation well, but dedicates only a few pages to the last decade of Luther's life. Nohl paints with broad brush-strokes and is sometimes inaccurate in his descriptions. For example, after chaos began to hold sway in Wittenberg's churchly life in 1522, Luther returned from Wartburg to help to restore order by preaching his Invocavit sermons. Luther's fellow professor Karlstadt had changed the way the Lord's Supper was received: the laity were told to receive both the body and the blood of Christ--if not, they would be sinning! Nohl writes that when Luther returned, "Those who wanted to receive both the bread and the wine could do so, while those who wanted only the bread were also taken care of" (pg. 133). However, Luther did not do that; he restored communion under one kind until the situation could be sorted out without troubling anyone's conscience. For Luther considered liturgical changes as a blessing only if they came as Gospel gifts and not as coercive mandates of the Law, as Karlstadt had made them.
   
   On Luther's revision of the Mass, Nohl writes that Luther's German Mass became the official order of service for Saxon churches in 1526 (pg. 150). This is true, but incomplete. Today, we hail Luther as a champion of the laity and promoter of the vernacular in the Divine Service. But Luther is not so simple to be classified so quickly. Luther intended his highly simplified Deutsche Messe (German Mass) only for small village churches with few resources--not as a repudiation of his own earlier and more strictly liturgical work, the Formula Missae of 1523. Luther's intent was that the poorly educated of Saxony could worship using the Deutsche Messe liturgy, especially in country congregations. Today, we should note this well when many among us use services so lacking of any formal liturgy that some among us now consider the Deutsche Messe of 1526 to be "high church"!
   
   And the few times Nohl uses his pen to explain Luther's theology, he comes up wanting. On the term "Lutheran," Nohl correctly writes that "Luther and many of those supported him did not want to be called Lutherans" (pg. 182). Then he writes, "They preferred to be known simply as Christians, or as evangelicals" (pg 182). Again, what Nohl contends is true, but incomplete, for Lutherans also preferred the term "Evangelical Catholic." For Luther, true reformation was marked by a recapturing of Christianity's evangelical, catholic, and orthodox past. Luther did not want his reforms to end up within a sect; he wanted them to stand within that "great cloud of witnesses" (Hebrews 12:1) and testify to the living God in the "one holy, catholic, and apostolic church" of all time and space. The following quotation shows the philosophical view of the Lutheran reformers: "So we teach nothing . . . that is alien either to Scripture or to the church catholic. We have simply cleansed and brought into the light the most important statements in the Scriptures and the [Church] Fathers that had been obscured by the sophistic quarreling of recent theologians" (Kolb-Wengert, Apology of the Augsburg Confession: 1, I, 32)
   
   When Nohl writes about Luther's understanding of the Gospel, he records, "Because of his faith in Christ, the believer is a `free lord, subject to no one'" (pg. 83). Luther understood that St. Paul never said that one is saved because of faith but through or by faith--the cause is always God's grace, Christ's work. Faith is God's gift to the believer and through God-given faith, the believer simply believes. To be correct, Nohl should have written, "By faith in Christ, the believer is a `free lord, subject to no one.'"
   
   Concerning Luther's "Gospel discovery," Nohl describes it in this way: "I see the answer! God punished Jesus in my place, the same Jesus who had kept God's holy Law. By punishing His Son, God carried out His threat that sin will be punished by death. All I have to do is . . ." (pg. 47). Nohl's error to direct the reader inward is appalling because it misapprehends Luther's understanding of justification. Nohl's improper explanation directs a person to look to his own works, decision, or belief instead of Christ alone for salvation. It also robs a person of salvation's certainty because it directs him to his own efforts instead of Christ's. When Nohl explains Luther's Gospel discovery, he unwittingly puts the reader back under the Law. From that, Christ has set us free; the Gospel has no "ifs" or "strings" attached. I can hear Luther now cursing anathemas on Nohl's misunderstanding of the Gospel.
   
   On the purely positive side, of all the chapters in the book, I found Chapter 10, "The Family Man," to be jewel to seek out. It that chapter, Nohl gives a glimpse of the man Luther, and his relationship with his wife and children. Nohl's retelling of Luther losing two of his daughters to death shows forth Luther's humanity for all to see, as well as his confidence in Christ in such a true, personal way. Especially touching was a letter Luther had written to his son, Hans (pgs. 170-173).
   
   In his book, Luther: Biography of a Reformer, Nohl has written an engaging and quick read. However, Nohl takes some license when he "connects the dots" of Luther's life, taking some liberties and distorting what may have really happened. In addition, parts of his book are more of a hagiography than a biography. Finally, Nohl's casual explanations of Luther's theology makes Luther seem more like an American Protestant than a German reformer. Despite the parts of the book I enjoyed, and its very beautiful format, I do not recommend Nohl's biography.

5 comments about Sisterhood of Faith: 365 Life-Changing Stories about Women Who Made a Difference.

1. Shirley Brosius has written a beautiful and important book that I would highly receommend for every woman (and even man!). SISTERHOOD OF FAITH provides a stunning array of strong Christian women (365 in all) who have powerfully influenced the world for the better. From Abigail Adams to Catherine Marshall and more, Brosius insightfully captures the essence of their different committment and courage, and she reveals their power through her words. Each woman's story also includes a helpful Biblical verse and a question for thought. My wife and I very much appreciated their stories and the way in which they inspired our own. In a society that is often rocked by demeaning culture, Brosius's book shines as an example of love, courage and risk. It is, indeed, a beautiful and inspiring work.



2. I highly reccomend this book, it shares very interesting stories about others experiences with life, very upbeat and inspiring.



3. This just a great book, and I liked the way it was delieved so fast.



4. At first glance, I thought this was just another devotional book written by the women on the cover. It surprised me that it is not a devo but a collection of inspirational short stories, written by the author, about women who have made -- some who are making -- a difference in the world. Then I discovered the alphabetical order of names, making it an easy reference to locate a woman and read about her. The enormous variety of women was a surprise; one funded a seminary, "Biddy" Chambers published her husband's sermons, one was a martyr for Christ, some were preachers, monarchs, reformers, stay-at-home moms who founded companies, others today are singers, songwriters, and evangelists, and one is our First Lady. What a surprise to discover the scores of websites and resources listed in the back. I'm pleasantly surprised with the easy-to-read format and challenging "My Response" question at the end of each short story.
   
   As a professional speaker and writer on child behavior, I recognize many of my colleagues. This book is well-written and enlightening. It's definitely a delight and a keeper!
   
   The Birth to Five Book: Confident Childrearing Right from the Start



5. I was so inspired by the pages of Sisterhood of Faith. Each page tells of women making a difference for the cause of Christ. Sometimes we look at our lives and struggle with our day to day issues. When I begin my morning reading a page from this book it helps me put my life into perspective. The women of this book took their ordinary lives and focused their efforts towards the cause of Christ. If you are a housewife that needs encouragement, a woman in ministry who is struggling with her call or someone who wants to start her day being uplifted, this is the book for you! You have got to have it!

5 comments about Signs and Wonders.

1. I was so fascinated with this book as a gift that my husband gave me for Christmas, that I in turn gave it to my Mother, Step-Mother and Grandmother for Mother's Day this year... knowing they would all thoroughly enjoy it as much as I have... I have the fortune of my husband reading a few chapters to me in the evenings every now and then... and even if he re-reads some of the same passages, it is still so wonderful to hear it again... You will not be disappointed, and if you pay attention you will see her strategy as it were.



2. I HAVE HEARD MY FATHER TALK ABOUT THIS BOOK FOR MANY YEARS. BUT HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET A COPY AS IT WAS OUT OF PRINT. I WAS SO PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO GET ONE. THE BOOK IS SO INSPIRATIONAL. I LOVE IT.



3. Etter was a champion of the Faith. She lived through great emotional hardship and still served God unwaveringly. Through her God healed and spoke to a generation. She was the grandmother of the Pentecostal movement.



4. Bearing the emotional wounds of a tragic childhood, Maria Woodworth-Etter embarks upon the journey of motherhood only to lose her children, one heartbreak after the other. The sufferings of her life were so great that sorrow nearly broke her. I have read her book but I still don't undertand how she managed to endure. Who would have thought that God would chose such a person to imprint His Name and dispaly His power upon a generation?

   If God wanted to prove that He choses the weak and foolish things of this world in order to confound the strong and the wise, He found His vessel of choice in this little woman, Maria Woodworth-Etter.

   A shy and timid woman, barely able to utter a word in public, Maria Woodworth Etter became one of the most legendary vessels of God since the early church age. When she took the platform and opened her mouth He filled it with His Words, and with power. Her natural voice was small but when the anointing of God came upon her she could be heard clearly from a great distance. Travelers passing through the villages where her meetings were taking place would find themselves falling under the "slaying anointing" or "falling down anointing" as custom would call it, as they came near her meetings. Record has it that railroad men finding passengers falling down mysteriously would suddenly realize that Mother Etter was preaching nearby, and they would understand what was happening to these passengers in their railroad cars. In both the Old and New Testaments it is recorded that there were times when people could not stand in the Presence of the Power of God. And this was just one manifestation of her ministry.

   Some of the greatest miracles of God ever recorded were wrought in the ministry of this unlikely little woman. An awesome record of the outpouring of the Holy Ghost in her generation, this book is an inspiration. If He did it once He can do it again. And if He could use her, perhaps He could use...well.

   For every student of the great moves of God this book is a must read, and a keeper for your library. You won't want to part with it. I predict that you will make a special home for it on your shelf alongside the works of John G. Lake, Smith Wigglesworth, Kathryn Kuhlman and the few others like them.

   Not sure that you believe in miracles but would like to read about them and about the people used to perform them? This is a great place to begin. But remember, faith does not come from reading about miracles, it comes from knowing the miracle giver, and by reading His book. The books of Maria Woodworth-Etter will point you there.




5. An anointed(still!)record of the meetings of Maria Woodworth-Etter(1844-1924)in her own words and sermons as well as contemporary reviews, testimonies of healings, and eyewitness accounts of the real power and presence of the Holy spirit . Though the coming of the Lord for the church may not have come as soon as she seemed to be saying, I believe she spoke as the Lord directed in a prophetic voice. I would recommend this book to any one searching for God as well as to those who long to see His power today.