3 comments about Edith Stein: A Biography/the Untold Story of the Philosopher and Mystic Who Lost Her Life in the Death Camps of Auschwitz.

1. Edith Stien was a Jew who in the 1920's of Germany converted to Catholicism and then became a nun much to the dismay of her orthodox mother. Those who are have heard of Edith Stien know that ultimately she was martyred in Auschwitz because of her outspokenness against the Nazi's as well as the fact that the Catholic Church in occupied Holland was the only large church organization willing to preach against the nazi regeim.

   What must people don't know about Edith Stien was what an incredibly couragous and brillant woman she was even long before she was martyred. As this book tells the story , often in her own words and in the words of those that were close to her, she was a college professer, philosopher, and political activist at a time when a professional woman was at best a grade school teacher or nurse. Even as a nun she worked on her philosophy and her writing.

   Waltraud Herbstrith does an excellent job portraying the complete Edith Stien, Her faith Her family and her intellect. An excellent book.




2. I consider this a "must read" for anyone interested in great women in history. The spiritual insights, life story, and heroic sacrifices of this brilliant woman, who was both a Jew and a Carmellite nun are amazing. Look closely at the cover art, as my interpretation was that Edith Stein possessed the "ear of God." The only complaint I have is the print was far too small. If it comes in a large print edition, you might be wise to order it. My eyesight is fairly normal.



3. This book is an excellent introduction to the life and thought of Edith Stein (St. Theresa Benedicta). Waltraud Herbstrith presents a biography that encompases the philosophical, spiritual, and personal aspects of her subject with great care. I came away from this book with a true appreciation for Edith Stein, in particular her writings on women and her deep love of God.

5 comments about Me, Myself, and Bob: A True Story About God, Dreams, and Talking Vegetables.

1. This book had to have been an exercise in humility to write. I have nothing but the utmost respect for Phil Vischer after reading his story. My wife and I learned about the Veggie Tales in the late 90's after receiving a recommendation from some of our friends. We've been fans ever since and have 3 kids who have all grown up with Bob, Larry, and the Veggie crew. It's hard to believe so much was going on (good and bac) behind the scenes at Big Idea as we all laughed and sang along with the Veggies at home.
   
   A great story about one man's Christian journey through the world of business and his growing relationship with God! As an entrepreneur in the early stages of several companies, the lessons taught are invaluable. As a Christian who is always dreaming, setting goals, and striving for worldly "success" this book has made me step back and re-evaluate my life and relationship with Him.
   
   On business, Phil talks about the early stages in computer animation world in which he was a revolutionary. He teaches about money and cash flow in relation to running a company. He discusses leadership and his struggle to run a profitable "Christian" company in a secular world with non-believers all around. What's amazing to me that through it all, this is not a book that points blame anywhere but the on it's author. In fact, the names of anyone in which others might have placed blame are not ever mentioned!
   
   On Christianity, it's inspirational to read a true story showing the Christian walk and struggle illustrated by Henry Blackaby in his devotional study Experiencing God. Blackaby writes, "If you start something and it does not seem to go well, consider carefully that God, on purpose, may not be authenticating what you told the people because it did not come from Him, but from your own head. You may have wanted to do something outstanding for God and forgot that God does not want that. He wants you to be available to Him, and more important, to be obedient to Him."
   
   What a powerful book! A must read for Veggie Tales fans, Christians, and business people alike. Lessons to be learned by all.



2. I just got finished reading this and was totally blown away. I really appreciated his honesty and openness about what happened to Big Idea and this reaffirmed my feelings about the other so-called business books out there: it's easy to look like a genius when you study successful companies and draw contrasts, but the same methods don't work for every company.
   
   Phil is a great storyteller, and I'm pleased to have been let into his world for a few hours.



3. Raised as I was on Sesame Street, it took me several episodes before I realized, "Hey, there are no females here. Isn't this show about good role models?" (VeggieTales came out the same year CTW launched Zoe, Sesame Street's first popular female muppet, to great fanfare.)
   
   But the Veggies were fun so I continued to watch, as Bob, Larry, Pa Grape, Junior Asparagus, Mr. Nezzer, Mr. Lunt, Jim and Jerry all got personalities and subtexts. Poor Little Laura remained a whiner. Junior's mom hardly gets to speak. And Esther? A one-note.
   
   So I was interested: Did some executives force Vischer onto this lopsided stage, or did it just happen? And the answer is: he really is that way.
   
   He says that when he and his now wife (wife of 16 years, no doubt happy) found they were expecting, she "had" to drop out of college in her freshman year. We are just supposed to accept that. As it takes longer than one school year to go through a pregnancy, he didn't mention any complications, and this was the '80s, not the fifties, I found that puzzling. He just as cavalierly dismisses her singing aspirations--again, this is the '80s.
   
   Again and again, his theme is that "kids" and "families" need good examples. This is good. He condemns Madonna. Understandable. And it doesn't occur to him that some kids might be females who need good examples, and that families might include women. Interestingly, Vischer even quotes the Bible to explain creating Bob: (paraphrasing) The Cucumber came first, but he was alone, and that was not good. So I created a sidekick.
   
   Wait a minute, didn't the original tale mean creating a ...?
   
   There are many intentionally laugh out loud moments in this book, and some that I think occurred by accident. After working himself into a heart condition, he states that while his wife and in-laws played with the children, he went into his wife's childhood bedroom and started to sketch the Veggie Tales Theme Park. Shades of Harry Chapin, here.
   
   I absolutely expected more about __valuing__ his wife and children. It would have been possible to do that without compromising privacy. But they barely get a mention.
   
   But, to be fair, all that is puzzlement at the man. To review the book, I have to say it was well-written, humorous, and told a great deal about the writer and his philosophies. He is absolutely driven to create, and does so, despite odds. He gives as clear, and as beautifully written, an account of how CG changed the entertainment scene as I could ever hope to see.(Vischer covers so much material it would have been helpful to have had an index.)
   
   He is true to his vision as long as he is able, and doesn't let failure tear his faith apart.



4. This is a great book for everyone who wants to run out and do great things for God without stopping to ask what God actually wants. The only drawback in my opinion was the way "apologized" to the people he had hurt. If he would have just offered an unqualified apology it would have been great, but for some reason he felt the need to mention that he had been prompted to apologize and then follow it up with, "there, I've said it." But, part of the point is that we're all growing and learning, and I did see real humility in the way he's running his current business. No longer playing the same games as before. Very entertaining and insightful book.



5. I laughed and cried, but I learned as much from this as a management textbook. Very captivating, entertaining, but emotionally charged with what do we do when God allows our dreams come crashing down around us.

5 comments about Mormonism, Mama & Me.

1. Back when "Mormonism, Mama, and Me" was first published in 1980 a rare 1830 Book of Mormon was offered to anyone who could disprove the claims made in this book.
   
   The book was a family heirloom and, for those of you who are unaware of this, an 1830 would be a First Edition and extremely rare! Granny Geer was a descendant of John Lee, the notorious villain (or scapegoat if you prefer) of the Mountain Meadows Massacre. He was the adopted Son of Brigham Young and the only person tried and executed for the massacre.
   
   Granny Geer died in 1999 and I've wondered for a while what happened to that book. So when I stumbled across Granny Geer's MySpace page I sent the family an email and here's how they replied:
   
   "As long as Thelma was alive no one could claim the book, of course, so when she passed away it was given to her daughter along w/other family treasures."
   
   Since I figured that I probably wasn't the only one curious about that book I thought that I'd put this post up here on the Amazon's book list.
   
   And I hope that you all enjoy this noteworthy ex-Mormon testimony book that is filled with interesting historical gems regarding this fascinating non-Christian cult through Granny Geer's story.
   
   And, while I'm in the neighborhood, here are some other books on Mormon history that you might enjoy (with a focus on the Mountain Meadows Massacre since I mentioned it).
   
   Mormonism Unveiled: The Life and Confession of John D. Lee, Including the Life of Brigham Young
   
   John D. Lee (1812-1877): Zealot Pioneer Builder Scapegoat (Western Frontiersman Series, Volume IX)
   
   Writings of John D. Lee
   
   The Mountain Meadows Massacre
   
   Massacre at Mountain Meadows
   
   The Mormon Mountain Meadows Massacre: From the Diary of John I. Ginn
   
   American Massacre: The Tragedy at Mountain Meadows, September 1857
   
   September Dawn DVD
   
   September Dawn Book



2. Good Lord, I should have known. Any time an author's name appears in quotes, be warned. Granny Greer's book begins with a tantalizing offer to any believing Mormon who can successfully dispute facts presented: A first edition print of The Book of Mormon circa 1830, valued at $7,000. This book attempts to unwrap the history and intentions of the Mormon Church, but unlike other more objective disucssions, this book appears to have the goal of dissuading readers from recognizing that Mormonism is Christian. Translation for this reader? Nothing wrong with religious extremes, but Mormonism isn't the "right" extreme. I've heard that song and dance before, ironically when I was learning how to be a good Mormon. This was a woopsie read and I finished it reluctantly then dropped it in the recycling bin.



3. I have read several books on Mormonism and was a little put off by the author's folksy style at first, but once I got into the meat of the book I found it to be very informative and seemed to be well researched and documented. Very interesting subject. Well worth reading.



4. This is a great book, shining the light of truth on the darkness of Joseph Smith's deceitful prophesy.



5. I received a copy of this as a missionary in Texas in 1996. I skimmed through it and found many errors and what appeared to be intentional misrepresentations of the Mormon church, its doctrines, and its members.
   
   If you receive a copy of this book, I suggest you take an honest look at it, write a complaint letter (this is what I did), and mail the book and the letter back to the publisher. They need to be reminded they are making money off of making a mockery of an extraordinary religious faith, and that is unethical, if not immoral. It is absolutely NOT what Jesus would do. It is what Jesus had done to him.

4 comments about Rastafari: For the Healing of the Nations.

1. Having read a lot of books about RastafarI by non-Rastas, it was very rewarding to experience one by a Rasta for a change. This one is a mix of a general upwise on the mysticism within RastafarI in an universal embedment with an ancient Egyptian source and reports from the personal quest of the author. As such, it is less about the myths and rituals of RastafarI and much more recommendable to read than the booklet Rastafarian Mysticism: An Introduction to the Mysteries of Nyahbinghi for those who are interested in mysticism. Instead of relying solely on the King James Bible, a lot of quotes from "The Gospel According to Thomas" are rightfully used. The author reasons about the individual's evolution in RastafarI from the entry via the lion to the lamb. That there isn't a higher or better, but a backward/forward, Iverybody has to go along. Haile Selassie-I is sighted as turning from lion to lamb as well.
   
   In-depth sections of the book are devoted to the spiritual use of ganja, to the seven chakras within I-and-I humans and to the Caribbean concept of the (anti-)hero Anancy, which has to get overcome.
   
   There are some minor errors in the book, e.g. spiders have 8 legs and are not insects, who have 6 legs; there aren't any races; "Hottentots" is a Boer colonial term meaning "Stutterers" for the people who are better called Khoi Khoi. The term "Jah" is not short for "Jehova" and not really derived from Hindu "Jai", though there is a relationship to both, as both are derived from the preceding African term "Jah" (female version) and "Jahwe" (male version). For details read The Africans Who Wrote the Bible.
   
   Originally written in 1983, therefore please keep in mind that RastafarI is constantly progressing. Which this book did, and now it is Imes to progress further. Ranking foremost the complete elimination of separations to find back to Ithiopia / the Oneness this book is generally referring to. As such I have to reason to drop the beliefs in the concepts of different nations, cultures and genders (and thereby forms of love based on that), all of which this book is more or less intensely engaging in. Nationalism is an European construct exported into the world, only a few centuries old. Read e.g. the also 1983 classic Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism, New Edition in line with more recent works.
   
   Culturalism is quick to fall into the abyss of the racist culture clash theory of Samuel Phillips Huntington and should be countered by the knowledge that no clear-cut divisions of culture Iver existed among humans, but variations and constant rearrangings. As for the separation of genders I am surprised Dennis Forsythe writes that in Babylon "the line put by Jah between man and woman is blurred", for he quotes at another place the Gospel According to Thomas: "When you make the two the one, (...) and when you make the male and the female into a single one (...) then shall you enter the kingdom."
   
   Accordingly the entire concept of the existence of gays and lesbians (and in fact heterosexuals) has to be put in serious question, when no genders exist, but one. It isn't really surprising to find erotism/amorism (in the West termed "homophobia") in this book, as I-and-I are all aware that RastafarI fell into a downsession against gays approximately around that Imes, fuelled by dunza (money) greedy reggae stars who fed themselves on the colonial-induced brainwash of the Jamaican general Anancy population. There have been extensive reasonings against that separation of both Jamaican and Western love-constructs sin-ce then. Rastas do know that leaving Babylon is a transgenerational process, considering the severity and scope of Babylon brainwash. Which becomes obvious with this book: The anti-gay meme pool is this strong that the author disregards his own words in this context. Next to the above gospel quote he also reasons about the concept of "livity" in a mystical way, saying we can only become happy, when all around I-and-I are able to be happy as well. He quotes the "lover who stands accused of love and is found guilty". He seeks the capacity to overstand the universal language of love: "the wealth of one's soul is to be measured by how much it can feel, and its poverty by how little." And he is warning about Babylon agencies using one section of separation against the other. He is putting the Bible story of Sodom and Gomorrha in the sexual context of the colonial/popish/double-u misinterpretation (instead of in the real context of the sin of greed). In 2006 the post-Apartheid South African government warned against such a misinterpretation of the Bible, when it introduced gay marriage and adoption, as the Noah/Ham story had been falsely used to legitimize slavery. (For those interested in pre-colonial Africa, read e.g. Boy-Wives and Female Husbands: Studies of African Homosexualities.)
   
   The author upwises that I-and-I have to leave the Anancy state before we are really able to successfully enter mysticism. Very wise indeed. Be aware that putting (and terming it that way) "homosexuality" into a row with murder, rape and deceit symbolizes that the Babylon world of separation hasn't been left yet.



2. This author knows whats up. Done his soul-searching research on his path. I am only half way through this book, but I had to give it five stars already because it is a revolutionary book. The revelations you will find are infinite. May the healing tao be with you, harvesting healing and peace among all nations. Trust in one love and you can acheive any dream.



3. This book is full of rasta knowledge. Is a great choice among people, who want to know more about rasta, and a little of black history. The author of this book, explains the beggining of a rastaman, and its way to Zion. This a must buy book, just sit down to read, and enjoy the philosophy of life.



4. This is the best book I have read so far. Since it is written by a Rasta,who is also a professor, the book reveals deeper insights into the Rasta experience. I especially liked the chapter on Ancient Mystic Foundations. There is alot of info here which I haven't read anywhere else. The chapters on herbal meditation and the Chakras can help you on your road to Enlightenment. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in Rastafari and to those on the Mystic Path.

5 comments about Contending for Our All: Defending Truth and Treasuring Christ in the Lives of Athanasius, John Owen, and J. Gresham Machen (The Swans Are Not Silent, Book 4).

1. Like the others in this series of biographical books, this one consists of sketches of the lives of three historical christian leaders along with discussion of lessons the reader can learn from each. The men whose life stories are featured in this volume are Athanasius, John Owen, and J. Gresham Machen, who each defended truth in the Christian controversies of their day.
   
   The introduction of Contending for Our All is a defense of those who fight for "the truth and meaning of the gospel" when the truth of the gospel is at stake. The reason this defense must be made is that "[i]n every age there is a kind of person who tries to minimize the importance of truth-dening and truth-defending controversy by saying that prayer, worship, evangelism, missions, and dependence on the Holy Spirit are more important...."
   
   Of course, these things are important, but they all depend on clear teaching of foundational truths. As Piper explains,
   
   "I love the passion for faith and prayer and evangelism and worship behind those statements. But when they are used to belittle gospel-defining, gospel-defending controversy they bite the hand that feeds them. Christ-exalting prayer will not survive in an atmosphere where the preservation and explanation and vindication of the teaching of the Bible about the prayer-hearing God are devalued. Evangelism and world missions must feed on the solid food of well-grounded, unambiguous, rich gospel truth in order to sustain courage and confidence in the face of afflictions and false religions. And corporate worship will be diluted with cultural substitutes where the deep, clear, biblical contours of God's glory are not seen and guarded from ever-encroaching error."
   
   Athanasius, Owen and Machen all understood how high the stakes were in the controversies of their times. They did not love controversy for controversy's sake, but they all understood how vital certain truths are to the health of the church, so they contended for the truth out of love--"love to Christ, his church, and his world."
   
   Athansius defended the deity of Christ against the Arians way back in the fourth century. At times, most of Christendom stood against him. For more than forty years--all of his adult life--Athanasius fought for the truth of Christ's deity, even though for much of that time, those in power were working to get rid of him, exiling him five times. Eventually, however, the orthodoxy Athanasius fought for won out, although he did not live to see the successful outcome of his work.
   
   John Owen, a Puritan pastor of the 1600s, wrote to defend against errors that diminished the gospel. He worked hard to uphold the truth throughout his whole life, despite the heartbreak that came from burying all eleven of his children. His writings include, among other things, defenses of the doctrines of perseverance of the saints and definite atonement.
   
   J. Gresham Machen did his contending in the first half of the last century, standing against the errors of liberal Christianity. His most important work was Christianity and Liberalism. My favorite story about Machen is this one. As he lay dying, he sent a telegram to his friend John Murry that said, "I am so thankful for [the] active obedience of Christ. No hope without it." You have to love a man who finds his comfort in death in the doctrine of the imputation of Christ's righteousness.
   
   John Piper draws out many lessons for us from the lives of these three men who contended for the truth against false teaching, but his central lesson is this:
   
   "Faithful Christians do not love controversy; they love peace. They love their brothers and sisters who disagree with them. They long for a common mind for the cause of Christ. But they are bound by their conscience and by the Word of God, for this very reason, to try to persuade the church concerning the fullness of the truth and beauty of God's word."
   
   I love biographies and I love church history, so I loved Contending for Our All. However, if you are looking for detailed life stories like you would find in most biographies, you may be disappointed. But if you want to learn lessons from the lives of these historical figures of the church, lessons that you can apply to your life now in our times, this book will suit you well.



2. John Piper shows the solid and sober Christian Athanasius was:
   'He is surrounded by an atmosphere of truth. Not a single miracle of any kind is related to him. The saintly reputation of Athanasius rested on his life and character alone, without the aid of any reputation for miraculous power.'
   pg 41, quoted from Archibald Robertson.
   
   The fourth and final instalment of 'The Swans Are Not Silent' enters the deep fray of doctrine, and the struggle for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints, in the lives of Athanasius, John Owen, and J Gresham Machen.
   Piper's emphasis is again on historical truth, and to commend others not to jettison the lessons learnt in the preservation of biblical truth. How it came to be defended before is not irrelevant, but definitive for our contemporary church.
   
   'The problem with modernity is that it has bred forces that are hostile to biblical faith and yet produced a world that believers readily embrace.' pg 131
   
   'When the preference for what is new combines with a naturalistic bias and a scepticism about finding abiding truth, the stage is set for the worst abuses of religious language and the worst manipulations of historic confessions.'
   pg 133
   
   'It makes very little difference how much or how little of the creeds the church the modernist preacher affirms, or how much or how little of the biblical teaching from which the creeds are derived. He might affirm every jot and tittle of the Westminster Confession, for example, and yet be separated by a great gulf from the Reformed faith. It is not that part is denied and the rest affirmed; but all is denied, because all is affirmed merely as useful or symbolic and not as true.' pg 134, Gresham Machen, quoted from What Is Faith? pg 34
   
   'This utilitarian view of history and language leads to evasive, vague language that enables the modernist to mislead people into thinking he is still orthodox.' pg 135
   
   'When you take away any norm of truth, you take away the only means of measuring movement from lesser to greater, or worse to better.' pg 136
   
   'As over against... (the pragmatist, modernist) attitude, we believers in historic Christianity maintain the objectivity of truth. Theology, we hold, is not an attempt to express in merely symbolic terms an inner experience, which must be expressed in different terms in subsequent generations; but it is a setting forth of those facts upon which experience is based.' pg 138, Gresham Machen, quoted from What Is Faith? pg 32
   
   'If we do not know history, we will be weak and poor in our efforts to be faithful today. Our hope for the church and the spread of the true gospel lies not ultimately in our strategies, but in God. And there is every hope that He will triumph.' pg 139



3. John Piper has given his life, I am convinced after reading this book, to the supremacy of God in all things through a spread of the pure gospel. In this insightful volume, which is part of the "Swans are Not Silent", Piper looks at the life of Athanasius, the beloved bishop, John Owen, the greatest mind of the puritans, and J. Gresham Machen, one the last great theologians of the old Princeton Theological Seminary.
   
   Each biographical sketch surrounds what was pivotal in the lives of these men. This volume is by no means a detail work, but it is nevertheless a powerful one. It is a primer for the reader to be engaged in the lives of older saints, who surrendered their all for the cause of Christ. Buy and Read!



4. The fourth book of Piper's The Swans Are Not Silent series on the lives of the great saints of the faith, Contending for Our All exposes the reader to the lives of three great warriors who battled for truth against great odds and in the face of great persecution. Athanasius, one of the early church fathers, became bishop of Alexandra in 328 and passed away in 373. He was almost single-handedly responsible for the battle against the heresy of Arius who claimed that Jesus, as the son of God, was a created being; not one with the Father from time and eternity. Athanasius fought this false doctrine and his teaching and influence resulted in the creeds from the Council of Nicaea as well as the Council of Constantinople shortly after his death.
   
   Piper next explores the life and teachings of Puritan pastor John Owen, a man tremendously influential in the lives of some of today's outstanding Christians leaders such as J.I. Packer and Sinclair Ferguson. Some, including Gordon-Conwell Seminary professor Roger Nicole, consider Owen to be the greatest theologian who has ever written in the English language - even greater than Jonathan Edwards. Owen's most outstanding works are The Death of Death in the Death of Christ and Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers. In addition to his writing Owen was a pastor, the Vice Chancellor at Oxford, and heavily involved in the affairs of Parliament. He also suffered the death of his eleven children during his lifetime. Owen is buried next to his contemporary John Bunyan in London.
   
   Finally, Piper tells the story of the short, but controversial life of J. Gresham Machen, a man who stood at the turn of the century here in America and sounded the alarm regarding the liberalization of the church. As a professor at Princeton Seminary, Machen was in a key position to witness this cultural shift that he called "modernity" and that he defined not as a subset of Christianity but rather as a hostile competitor to the traditional and historical faith grounded in Scripture. Machen watched as Princeton Seminary "died," so he and several others left the once-great seminary to start Westminster Seminary. Machen was not only a New Testament scholar, but also one of the first cultural apologists whose influence shaped the life of the great Francis Schaeffer among others.
   
   This series by Piper is quite extraordinary giving the reader a glimpse into the lives, struggles, victories, personalities, and ministries of some of the great saints of the faith. I highly recommend these books to every Christian wanting to know more about the Christian faith and the men and women included in the "great cloud of witnesses."



5. This book gives a good introduction to these three men; Athanasius, Owen and Machen. It walks through their lives and a little on their theology. I guess I was hoping for a little more on their theology but since the book is less than 200 pages what can you expect? Very concise and easy to read and follow and like most of what Piper does, there is good application to what these men lived and believed. I would recommend this book to anyone looking to be introduced to these three vital men of Christendom.

5 comments about Karla Faye Tucker Set Free: Life and Faith on Death Row.

1. There is so much to say about Karla Faye Tucker, she was a woman who did a complete turn around from who she was in 1983. Set Free is unlike any other recordings of Karla's life, it shows the TRUTH. It was a book not only about Karla, but about the women on Life Row and how they in the end affected others in their transformation. It's a healing book, you realize that no matter how different your life is from hers, you have similar struggles in your walk with the Lord, and you see exactly how Karla got through it which in the end helps you over come obstacles. God bless Linda Strom for writing such a wonderful book about a woman no one will forget. Rest in peace Karla.



2. Karla Faye Tucker A Life Changed By God
   
   Linda Strom has captured the real story of Karla Faye Tucker. As a Member of the Discipleship Unlimited Ministry Team and having the privilege of walking with Dallas and Linda Strom, I had the privilege of meeting Karla Faye. She prayed for me. I was going through a tough time and she knelt at my feet, held my hands and lifted up the requests to God. What is written in this book is the truth. She never denied she was a murderer. When you read of her life before the crime, you will understand what could bring Karla to circumstances, situations and a place of bad choices. She never made excuses for her past. She accepted responsibility for her actions. She met Jesus in the county jail. From that day forward there was a spiritual, mental, emotional and physical transformation that changed Karla and allowed her to touch the lives of so many and share the love of the Lord. Karla had a tough exterior and a rutty complexion when I met her the first time. Right before her execution, I saw a transformed woman of God with a bright smile, a clear and glowing complexion, a woman who spoke scripture and recited Bible verses. She was a totally and committed Christian who knew Jesus had forgiven her. She was at peace. She was ready for what ever God had for her to do on earth and she was also ready to go to Heaven. She said she was the murderer crucified next to Jesus and knew that He paid the price for her sins and was forgiven. In the knowledge of this forgiveness, Karla Faye loved others to the fullest and many loved Karla inside and outside the prison. Her story will live on forever and will be recorded in the Christian history for the future generations. This story will bless you and give you hope to see lives transformed before your very eyes. Our God is a God of forgiveness. Read this book and pray for the lost souls of this world. Believe in miracles and transformed lives. Read and learn about our mighty God.



3. How slick can you get? If I read one more book about some savage
   killer, serial rapist, or habitual pedophile "finding" Jesus AFTER savagely killing several innocent people or raping and killing two dozen young boys over a 10 year period, I'm going to lose my breakfast, lunch, dinner, and TOMORROW'S breakfast too. Karla Faye Tucker truly did get exactly what she deserved; she just got it 14 years too late! This book is so one sided, you'd think her mother wrote it! Save your money for a much less one-sided book, if one ever gets written.
   I imagine that the Lord must be wondering by now, or long before, if some of these types of clowns will ever find him
   B E F O R E they they commit such heinous crimes against their fellow men and women and not try (or seem to) to use it as a crutch to a lighter sentence. Hoo Boy.



4. Great story about a real woman whose face shown with a radiance that only comes through knowing the forgiveness and peace of Christ. The author doesn't sugarcoat the crime, and she doesn't downplay the miracle of transformation that took place in Karla's life.



5. Karla Faye Tucker first became known to the world when she was convicted of the brutal pickax murder of two people in 1984. A brief rundown of her childhood history reveals how Karla found herself on such a violent path, which led her to Death Row and no hope or future. But her story doesn't die there...it is only the beginning. The Karla who was executed on February 3, 1998 was in no way the same woman who entered Death Row 14 years before. She was transformed by God's Spirit shortly after entering prison. This is her story of redemption, hope, faith, grace, and the power of God in a life wholly yielded to Him. I actually found myself jealous of this pickax murderer on Death Row because of the consuming peace, joy, and hope, which filled her life. She even renamed her unit from Death Row to Life Row.

   The author Linda Strom was Karla Faye Tucker's spiritual advisor and dear friend. Linda tells not only Karla's story, but she also tells her own story and the testimonies of many of Karla's fellow Life Row Mates. These testimonies overwhelmed me and revealed that without question, the Spirit of God is able to bring sheer joy out of any person yielded to Him, no matter what their circumstance. It portrays the power of forgiveness...not just the forgiveness of others who have sinned against us, but perhaps even more difficult for some, forgiving ourselves of our own sins and accepting God's forgiveness as well. And these testimonies show vividly that there is nowhere we can go where God is not able to use us. If we are willing, God can and will use us powerfully to change lives and encourage our fellow believers. This is an incredibly joyful, life-changing book, which every believer should read!

5 comments about The God I Love: A Lifetime of Walking with Jesus.

1. Joni Eareckson Tada is the author of several books, but this is the most revealing look at her life ever. She spends several chapters talking about her childhood and her early teen years before her paralyzing accident. Joni talks about the suicidal thoughts she had after she became paralyzed. "The God I love" tells very sad stories, humorous incidents, poignant recollections, and the romantic story of how Joni and Ken Tada fell in love. Through it all, Joni's devout Christian faith has always been growing.1
   Today, besides being an author, artist, and advocate for the disabled, Joni Eareckson Tada is an outspoken opponent of embryonic stem cell research. It's too bad the general public has not heard as much from her as they did from the late Christopher Reeve (as much as I respected his and his wife's courage.)
   Joni Eareckson Tada is a modern Christian heroine.



2. For Joni Eareckson Tada's memoir to turn out to be anything less than stellar would be difficult to imagine. A long-time bestselling author with an amazing story and a highly successful ministry, Tada outdoes her remarkable record with an autobiography that may be her best book so far.
   
   The basics of Tada's life are well-known in Christian circles. Reared in a Christian home, Joni Eareckson was planning to enter Western Maryland College in the fall of 1967. But a trip to a Chesapeake Bay beach in July of that year permanently changed her life. A "simple" dive went wrong, and Joni ended up paralyzed from the neck down, confined to a wheelchair for life. In the following decade, Christians in America would become familiar with the once-unknown young woman who had learned to draw and paint with her mouth and was steadily producing a successful line of artwork sold in Christian stores. Her story was told in print and on film, and her voice later became a mainstay on Christian radio. In the intervening years, she has become an advocate for the disabled, not only in the United States but also around the world.
   
   In no previous book has Joni Eareckson --- now married to Ken Tada --- been quite so transparent and open about the highs and lows of her relationship with God, particularly in the years immediately following the accident but also amid the day-to-day frustrations that come with being dependent upon others for the basic necessities of life. Through it all --- through the extraordinary accomplishments of someone who at one time had every reason to give up on life --- you get the sense that many of Tada's inner struggles are very ordinary, very human, and therefore very easy for others to relate to.
   
   Tada writes about social issues, such as her firsthand experience with oppression in former communist countries, with as much sensitivity as she writes about highly personal issues, like her disappointment and sorrow after learning that she was infertile. She seamlessly intersperses detailed accounts of her many international trips with loving stories about her close-knit family, her circle of friends, and her marriage to Ken. Especially poignant are passages relating to the deaths of her mother and father.
   
   Throughout, of course, the focus always returns to Tada's relationship with God and the subtle irony inherent in the subtitle, "A Lifetime of Walking with Jesus." Even from her wheelchair, Tada "walks" with God. She writes, "Ah, this is the God I love. The Center, the Peacemaker, the Passport to adventure, the Joyride, and the Answer to all our deepest longings. The answer to all our fears, Man of Sorrows and Lord of Joy, always permitting what he hates, to accomplish something he loves...There are more important things in life than walking."
   
   Fans of Joni Eareckson Tada's previous books will not be disappointed with this one. It's a beautifully written tribute to the love of God as seen through the life of one woman who found freedom and joy in Christ in the midst of what another might consider a cruel confinement.



3. This is by far the best of all the books that Joni Eareckson Tada has written. Once I started it I couldn't put it down. I have a personal interest in anything Joni writes..I also had a diving accident and I'm also a quadriplegic. Joni expressed it so well in this book...living in a wheelchair does not have to be a burden but an ADVENTURE! God is GREAT and I wish everyone could come to know the love and peace He gives us.



4. This is a wonderful, inspiring, honest, heartwarming, encouraging and inspirational book. I so enjoyed it, it was hard to put down. I learned so many things about Joni I hadn't heard before and plan to buy it on tape to share with others. What an encouragment to trust in our Lord no matter what! Don't miss this one.



5. When Joni Eareckson Tada completes a book, I buy it immediately.
   Since her first book detailing her accident, I have purchased every one since and given many as gifts. I love them all but this one is the most revealing.

   The God I Love, is wonderful. I relate to Joni and her horse accomplishments and her life before the accident. She is an incredible writer. Now in this book, she fills us in on her entire life up to the present.There are several surprises. Her family, her friends, her travels thruout the world, how she deals with her physical condition, and what makes her joyful, are all here, written so beautifully and so sincerely.

   I recommend this book to everyone - young and old - no matter what your religious affiliation - this book is about a life well lived despite being confined to a wheelchair because this talented intelligent woman reached out to God.

3 comments about Aisha: The Beloved of Mohammed.

1. Aisha bint Abu Bakr was, by all accounts, a strikingly beautiful and intelligent girl. She was also the Prophet Mohammed's favorite wife and, in his words, "the only woman in whose company I receive any revelations." She came to be called "the Mother of the Believers."
   
   It's surprising that so little has been written about her. You can fill a library with books about Mary, Christ's mother and even Mary Magdalene has been the subject of a number of books and articles. I was unable to find anything about Aisha, except for Nabia Abbott's AISHA: BELOVED OF MOHAMMED. Published originally in 1942 by the University of Chicago where its author served on the faculty, it was reprinted in 1988 and 1998 by Saqi Books in London.
   
   The tone of Professor Abbott's writing is formal and somewhat stilted, in my opinion. She was an educated woman and fluent in the formal English of the college classroom, but I don't believe English was her native tongue. She was born in Turkey and fluent in Arabic. She was also the first woman to join the prestigeous Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago. She passed away in 1981.
   
   Her biography of Aisha starts with her marriage to the Prophet at the age of 6. It then describes how she joined Mohammed's harem at the age of 10. She was approximately 18 at the time he died and was buried beneath the floor of her apartment.
   
   Abbott includes a lot of information about Aisha's role after Mohammed's death. She demonstrated her mettle, as she had before, and reminded me of Elizabeth I in terms of political acumen and insight. Abbott's book includes a lot of information I've never seen anyplace else, especially about this critical period in Islam's early history.
   
   At the end of her life, Aisha expressed the wish that she'd never been born. That's both tragic and ironic considering her contributions to Islam's formative period and the fact that her name was Arabic for "She who Lives."
   
   If you're interested in Islam, the Middle East, women's studies, the Prophet or religion you'll like this book. Abbott strives for scholarly objectivity, but is intent on making sure the reader understands the historical context of the times into which this memorable girl was born.
   
   This book is scholarly, well-written (if a bit dated in tone) and the only book I've seen on Aisha. I gave it five stars.



2. An unfortunate and disgusting play on "research" -- inauthentic sources and second-hand guesses at best. Definitely a biased Orientalist book with biased and prejudiced information. Books and information by author Karen Armstrong are much less biased and more honestly developed.



3. Nabia Abbott's lack of respect and insentivity to Islam and its leaders is very rude and unpardonable. The introduction and early chapters put the reader off, especially Muslims, as it un-necessarily catagorizes and opinionizes the Prophet's actions, motives and the Quran's contents. It is unfortunate to read a well researched book with such slanting views. Her account of Muslim history seems balanced and unbiased from a sectarian point of view, though her own prejudices and preferences, as customary in her times, of an orientalist are evident throughout when she comments on individual actions and events. The book carries many themes and agendas of the writer in itself. At times, it reads like a history book, though on occasions, it has a flavour of a sociological commentary of the period and at times, a critical review of Islamic Injunctions and practices. It is unfortunate that a book that could have been a valuable historical reference has lost its impact due to the biases and bigotory of the writer towards a religion that has over a billion following on earth.

5 comments about Glorious Companions: Five Centuries of Anglican Spirituality (Five Centuries Anglican Spirit).

1. We just completed a Sunday school class using a chapter each week for study. The discussion questions at the end of each chapter are thought provoking and facilitate group discussion. It is an excellent way for "cradle Epicopalians" and those new to the faith to learn about those who have shaped who we are. It will be a shock for some to learn about those in our past. It would be a good follow-up after Confirmation classes. This is an easy book to read.



2. A good idea, but a rather disappointing achievement. There's very little to sink one's teeth into here. Mere snippets from 29 Anglican authors' writings are offered. None of them are longer than a third of a page, many of them are no more than 2 or 3 sentences. As a consequence, the reader doesn't get "Five Centuries of Anglican Spirituality" so much as "300 pages of Anglican quotes." Quotations are tricky things. If they're epigrams or one-liner witticisms--the kind of stuff Oscar Wilde, for example, churned out--they can stand alone. But quotations that are taken from larger works, particularly theological and spiritual ones, rarely do well apart from their contexts. They may provide raw material for lectio divina or meditative prayer. But they hardly give an idea of the depth or breadth of Anglican spirituality. It's all well and good, for example, to know that Dorothy Sayers wrote that "It is curious that people who are filled with horrified indignation whenever a cat kills a sparrow can hear that story of the killing of God told Sunday after Sunday and not experience any shock at all" (p. 273). But what does this quotable quote, which first appeared in the Introduction to Sayers' "The Man Born To Be King," actually mean? Read by itself, it's a commonplace, almost trite observation. It's only Sayers' reflections on this strange indifference to the killing of God, as well as her thoughts on scriptural "realism"--all of which Schmidt omits--that makes the passage worth attending to.



3. An excellent introduction to Anglican thinkers, although these interesting and informative essays are essentially starting places for more in-depth reading. And once we get past the obvious early figures, the choices of the profiled sometimes seem a little arbitrary, with echoes of an editor somewhere saying, "Can't we get some more women and people of color in here?" But Schmidt+ has done his homework, and there's food for thought between the covers.



4. As a concept, "Glorious Companions" rates five stars. In execution, it occasionally falls to three. So let me give it four stars and say at the start I recommend the book highly, although with several caveats.

   "Glorious Companions," a selection of the Episcopal Book Club, is a anthology or compendium into the hearts and minds of twenty-nine significant figures in Anglican spirituality. Proceeding chronologically, the author, Fr. Richard Schmidt, begins with Thomas Cranmer, the father of the Book of Common Prayer, and ends with Desmond Tutu, the prophet of forgiveness. In between, he covers figures as representative and as diverse as Richard Hooker, John Donne, Joseph Butler, Charles Gore, Dorothy Sayers, C.S. Lewis, and Verna Dozier. Some of his choices are inspired; it was a delight to see Samuel Johnson, a powerful writer whose writings on spirituality are largely unknown. Others, however, seemed arbitrary. Why Hannah More, for instance, but not Florence Nightingale? William Law but not William Laud? Thomas Traherne but not Benjamin Whichcote? Why Madeleine L'Engle over T.S. Eliot or W.H. Auden?

   An especially strong feature of the book is its excellent Introduction. Schmidt writes his introductory essay as a road map not just to his book, but to spirituality, Anglicanism, and theological imagery as well. Each of the twenty-nine sections of the book are divided into four parts: an ink drawing of the subject by Dean Mosher; a short spiritual biography of the author; a selection of passages from the subject's writings; and questions for reflection and discussion to be used by study groups.

   Generally Schmidt does a good job of placing his subjects in their historical, literary, and spiritual contexts and selecting appropriate passages for consideration and edification. But he can misstep on occasion. The section on John Donne was a disappointing example of these lapses. Schmidt focused more on Donne as a preacher of sermons than as a major English poet. Donne's poetry is difficult, but to ignore it in favor of his lesser talents is a lost opportunity for real spiritual discovery.




5. Although the author says this book is aimed at laypeople, rather than clergy, I wish every member of the clergy would read it, especially those who think a sermon has to be long and address every possible angle. Using clear language and examples from people's everyday lives, a skillful writer -- like Schmidt -- can convey deep thoughts without beating the issue to death.

   Schmidt's introduction was, for me, the best part of the book. It really got me thinking and examining my own views.

   The selection of profiles of influential Anglican thinkers was excellent, although I wished he would have included even more non-white, English men.

   Because of its structure, the book is perfect to pick up and read when you have a few minutes. It is also suited for use by a discussion group.

No comments about The Life of St. Catherine of Siena.