3 comments about The Life Story of Lester Sumrall: The Man, the Ministry, the Vision.

1. This book is a must read for anyone who needs to step out in faith. Lester Sumrall is an amazing man, and his life story will inspire anyone who has dared to step out in faith. I loved how real he is, and how transparent he allowed himself to be. We go from glory to glory, and from faith step to a bigger faith step. God's hand is shown in such a powerful way when the vessel He uses is willing to submit themselves to doing His will.



2. This book is a page turner, and all the more so because it is all true. Rev. Sumrall's sense of humor is evident throughout his life. He shows that you can do the Lord's work and still see the humor in life situations. A very inspirational book I read cover to cover.



3. Not only is this a great book, but a true story. I highly recommend this for anyone interested in the other side of the Spiritual veil. Lester Sumrall was in the Deliverance Ministry for over 5o years and has alot of wisdom, experience, and insight into dark and evil forces.

5 comments about Mary Magdalen: Myth and Metaphor.

1. It was Pope Gregory who began the notion that Mary Magdalene was a fallen woman and the story stuck even after Vatican 2 in 1969. This is a pre-Da Vinci code take on the historical Mary Magdalene. There have been many edits to the Bible, to church history, to the lives of key figures from the earliest origins of Christianity ... and in sorting out fact from fiction ... one must seek to understand the context of teachings first before just blindly believing anything presented to them. Mary Magdalene became an icon of the fallen dangerous women and was used to subjugate women in many levels of church politics. Her history is one of the most controversial topics in the church .... and well worth exploring to understand the intention behind her image.



2. Ignore my rating as I have only just begun reading this book but I did not want to alter the overall rating given to date. I have posted this 'review' simply to let it be known on Amazon that the book is back in print and is now published by PIMLICO with the ISBN 1-8459-5004-6.



3. It's a silly shame that this wonderful book is out-of-print when the Code Mania would sell it like hotcakes. It is, without a competitor, the best all-around book on Mary Magdalene. Buy Karen L. King's translation of the Gospel of Mary if you want an intense but engaging lesson in theology, Jane Schaberg's *The Resurrection of Mary Magdalene* if you want a solid feminist critique, or Margaret Starbird's *The Woman with the Alabaster Jar* if you are looking for New Age speculation, but it's Haskins who pulls it all together.
   
   Tracing the idea of Mary Magdalene from the Biblical (and "heretical") sources to present-day manifestations in film and novel, she provides a survey of the changing role of women and sexuality in Occidental culture, generously illustrated with depictions of the Magdalene. She shows how the "shamed prostitute" myth got its start, examines the claims of connection between Mary and France, and provides a very funny account of the Church supported habit of "relic snatching" that accounts for Mary's "relics" moving here and there from this monastery to that church.
   
   All in all, it is a heavy but interesting read, with no polemic axe to grind. Start here.



4. This is THE MOST AMAZING book on Mary Magdalen. Susan Haskins goes through the image/personna of the magdalen from the Biblical roots to our pop-culture. The primary references are excellent, it is well put together, it is PERFECT!



5. Haskins does an excellent job in bringing us virtually every relevant piece of useful information about Mary Magdalene. It's all discussed here -- Mary Magdalene in Scripture, non-canonical Christian literature, artwork, history, myths, and legends. An important work about an important historical and spiritual figure.

4 comments about Aaronsohn's Maps: The Untold Story of the Man Who Might Have Created Peace in the Middle East.

1. It is rare to have the pleasure of reading a serious work of scholarship which excites the imagination as well as informing the intellect. Patricia Goldstone has done an enormous amount of work in digging out the facts about a little-known figure who in the early part of the 20th century set out to map the water resources of Palestine and neighboring territories. The subtitle of her book: "The untold story of the man who might have created peace in the Middle East" makes her thesis clear: if Aaron Aaronsohn's advice had been accepted the continuing Israeli/Palestinian conflict might have been averted.
   
   In documenting Aaronsohn's life and work Ms. Goldstone has dug deep in archives, which have also revealed the story of Aaronsohn's unbelievably brave sister Sarah, who before her early tragic death after torture at the hands of the Turks, may have been the lover of another much discussed player in the Middle East, T. E. Lawrence.
   
   Without ever over-pressing her case for her new interpretation of their intertwined lives and with scrupulous attention to the surviving documents, Ms Goldstone vividly transports us into a world of spies, betrayals, and heartfelt devotion to a cause that holds our attention, while raising new questions about a much-disputed series of events in Middle East history.



2. Pearls don't live in shallow waters and this author really dove deep to get the historical story to the surface. It really is a necklace of creative and powerful events... a treasure trove of adventure and political manipulation. Goldstone smartly sets the fiery events up on page two, stating that Aaaronsohn was the product of big events and big changes. And...WHAM!...the adventure begins. "If we fail", Aaronsohn states "we alone shall suffer". And that's exactly what happens...and we are now living with the results. Of course we have the war which exposes all kinds of political foolishness as well as deft triumphs by the power players of the era. I especially enjoyed the fact that Aaronsohn really got Churchills guts in an uproar. I'm sure some of the basic truths are going to really upset a few...but...so what...the truth is often hard to swallow. I guess that's what I really enjoyed the most. See for yourself. When you're finished think about what the middle east might be now if only half of Aaronsohn's work and vision became reality. Adios. Enjoy.



3. Goldstone chronicles the life of Aaron Aaronsohn, who carved careers in science, diplomacy and espionage. Furthermore, Aaronsohn does not conform to the standard "Jewish molds" of his era. His numerous and disparate accomplishments and his unique world perspective make his biographer's task all the more challenging. Goldstone says that some of the information was denied to her as it is still classified - complicating her task.
   
   Goldstone's Aaronsohn was a refugee whose parents moved from Romania to Palestine (which was then under Ottoman rule) when he was six. While he was spiritual, he was not particularly religious. He was more liberal - and certainly more tolerant - than most of his fellow Jews. His vision of Palestine was a Jewish state in which Jews and Arabs co-existed. His Palestine would be a Jewish state with adequate civic and political spaces for other groups. Hence, citizens (Jewish or others) would strive for common secular goals. His vision of a state has striking similarities to the Ottoman model of governance.
   
   As a surveyor, agronomist, and hydrologist, he discovered a new variety of wheat, understood farming and compiled detailed maps of water sources in the Middle East. He then used his knowledge to map the boundaries of Palestine based on geographical realities and economic needs. However representatives of Britain and France, who ultimately drew political boundaries, had other considerations. His political career was less spectacular than his scientific one. His religious views fueled his nationalistic passion, and for this cause he sacrificed his life and more.
   
   One may question Goldstone's version of Aaronsohn's life, its historical importance, and its influence on Israeli-Palestinian politics today. However, Goldstone writes a compelling story and should be credited for writing about a less known (but important) figure like Aaronsohn. In the coming years more about Aaronsohn will enter the public domain as it becomes declassified. As additional historical evidence becomes available, and as other interpretations of Aaronsohn's life appear, a different Aaronsohn may emerge. As there is precious little about him outside the specialized literature, it is hoped that Goldstone's contribution will help spur additional work on Aaronshon and Middle Eastern history.
   
   Armchair Interviews says: Unique look at one important man.



4. Aaronson's Maps" is a misleading and confusing book. It claims to be a biography of an unsung hero of the Zionist revolution in the Land of Israel - Aaron Aaronsohn. A brilliant and versatile man, he won worldwide fame as a discoverer of wild wheat. During WWI, convinced that the British victory over the Turkish army was vital for the Jewish future in Palestine, Aaronsohn organized the NILI group, a spy ring which provided the British army with important information facilitating British victory over the Turks. In 1919 Aaronson joined the Zionist delegation to the Paris Peace Conference where the case for Jewish independence in Palestine was presented to "The Big Four". He died in a plane crash on his way to Paris to present maps of the future Jewish state. His arguments, used by the Zionist delegation, convinced the world that Palestine had enough water resources to sustain large Jewish and Arabs communities. Unfortunately, "Aaronsohn's maps" fails the memory of Aaronsohn and lets down many in Israel who sincerely cooperated with Patricia Goldstone providing her with documents about Aaronsohn and the NILI group. The author, not being a professional historian, displays a cavalier attitude toward historical facts. She reshuffles them with dexterity of a gossip columnist ill-prepared to deal with complex historical situations. The heroic image of Aaronsohn is besmirched by unfounded conclusions. His dreams and ideas of the Jewish revival in the Land of Israel are corrupted by insinuations of Zionist intrigues which allegedly precipitated WWI in Europe and, later, the intervention of the USA in that war. Goldstone fails to present her main claim that Aaronsohn is "a man who might have created peace in the Middle East". Instead she is rehashing the current events in the Middle East trying to prove that the wars between Arabs and Jews are about sharing water resources, not about the attempts of Islam to eliminate the state of Israel. The reader who is interested in an intellectually honest book on Aaronsohn and his times should read "Lawrence and Aaronsohn" - a compelling account written by professional historian Ronald Florence.

2 comments about Women of Sufism: A Hidden Treasure.

1. I am amazed at how women's spiritual lives from the past keep resurfacing to inspire us today. In Women of Sufism, Helminski has selected stories, dreams, prayers and visions of female saints through the ages, from the time of the first Sufi women in the seventh century through to the present day. The stories span the many regions of the world where Sufism has been practised, including Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe.
   
   The mystic women documented in this anthology weave their spiritual knowledge into their family life, their household tasks, daily actions, and even into their carpets and wall hangings. They are strong in their devotion and let nothing deter them from their personal connection with the Beloved. The stories give a sense of the importance and acceptance of women as teachers.
   
   The titles of the chapters are themselves intriguing and give a glimpse of what the stories hold: A Jewel of Knowledge, The Enraptured Ones, My Soul is a Woman, Mother Love and The Fragrance of Prayer are just a few.
   
   The book contains many short, penetrating stories about Rabi'a al-Adawiyya, an eighth-century mystic. In the chapter A Doorkeeper of the Heart, one of my favourite tales illustrates how Rabi'a's saintliness did not depend on showiness: "One day Hasan of Basra saw Rabi'a down by the riverside. He came and sat beside her, spread his prayer-rug on the surface of the water, and said, 'Come sit with me and pray.' 'Do you really have to sell yourself in the market of this world to the consumers of the next?' said Rabi'a. Then she unrolled her own prayer-rug in thin air and sat on it. 'What you can do fish can do, Hasan, and what I did any fly can do. Our real work is beyond the work of fish and flies.'"
   
   It is clear from the care people took to write down their dreams that they were important to the Sufis as instruments of the teachings. In this tradition, dreams are considered spiritual realities, often bearing glad tidings and providing a route through which God can communicate with devotees. The chapter Hidden Ways contains the dreams of at-Tirmidhi's wife, which he recorded in his autobiography. The inner link was so strong between husband and wife that she would dream teaching dreams for him.
   
   In another chapter, modern-day scholar Michaela Ozelsel documents her experience of a traditional solitary retreat. Isolated in a small apartment in Istanbul with enough supplies to last forty days, she describes how inner peace unfolded and a "polishing of the heart" occurred.
   
   Women of Sufism is a great resource for understanding women's ongoing search for the Divine. "It is becoming strongly clear that there will continue to be more and more stories of women of Spirit to shareas women in the current era rediscover their rightful role as equal partners on the spiritual path as well as in the world of daily human duties." It is very important that we open to the spiritual knowledge, intelligence and vision of the feminine at this time in history.



2. Knowledgeably compiled by Camille Adams Helminski (the first woman to translate a substantial portion of the Qur'an into English and the cofounder and codirector of the Threshold Society in Aptos, California -- an educational foundation in the Mevlevi tradition based on the teachings of Rumi), Women Of Sufism: A Hidden Treasure is a unique anthology of writings and stories by mystic poets, scholars and Sufi saints. The works presented here embody the Sufi world view. Sufi is a the mystical path of Islam with an emphasis on hope and spiritual development. Writings from the time of the Prophet Muhammad down to the present day fill the pages of this powerful and emotional volume of faith and testimony. Women Of Sufism is a welcome and strongly recommended addition to personal and academic Islamic Studies collections in general, and Sufi Studies reading lists in particular.

5 comments about Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board.

1. To be honest, this was an enjoyable and quick read. The writing style of the book was not difficult and had an easy flow to it. I did like how Bethany decided to focus the majority of the book around her life pre and post- attack. Only one chapter was really geared towards the actual attack, which wasn't described in much detail at all.
   
   By doing this, she focused on her personal faith in Christ and how that strong bond with her religion and family helped her through the ordeal. Rarely did the book come off as "preachy" or pushing her religious views, except for the ending chapter. This was a nice aspect of the book, because although her faith was a heavy part of the book, it did not discourage me from reading onwards. One part of the book even addressed the fact that many people think that her family may be too religious, but she countered that with the fact that this is just part of her life. Some people may not understand it, and that does not bother her in the least.
   
   It will be interesting to see how my students react to this book. I am asking them the question of the author's purpose for writing the book, and I will be eager to join that discussion. It is a strong lesson about following your drive and determination no matter what the obsticles, but I think they will focus more on the faith aspect of the book and say that trust in Christ was her main objective.
   
   Many of my students watched the news reports and have seen the billboards with Bethany's picture and story advertised, so it is definitely a high interest story for intermediate students. The format of the book is also reader friendly because it is sectioned into shorter chapters.



2. This is good book for any young person looking for inspiration from a positive role model in our modern world of spoiled pop princesses. Bethany has a rather matter of fact attitude to her predicament, taking it in stride. I read it last year on a trip to Oahu where I got a fin to the head and nine stitches, and as I lay there bleeding I thought how horrible it must have been for her and how my problem paled in comparison. While her attitude is based on her strong religious up bring, the message is not overly strong and is fine for any one's beliefs. It does need to be down rated a star for misspelling "Trestles." Shame on the ghost writer and editors for letting such an obvious mistake go: aren't there starving surfers who could have been hired for the job instead?



3. My daughter needed a book for her school's summer reading project. She picked this book off the list because she'd heard about the author who had her arm bitten off by a shark as an 11 year old, surfing. She was able to get through it quickly and she enjoyed it even though she is not an avid reader.



4. At just 13, Bethany Hamilton lost her left arm to a tiger shark, possibly affecting her goals and achievements dramatically in her life forever. But did that stop her from surfing? Of course it didn't! Bethany has been in the water constantly ever since she knew how to swim. She says, surfing is her life and has been since she was three. Her parents have been there for her every step of the way. Bethany has two older brothers, both surfers, and a best friend named Alana, another surfer. She mentioned that without her faith in God she would have never survived and He is the reason she gets up every morning. This book really inspired me to have goals and to achieve and never give up. Bethany Hamilton is a role model to many others and I. I am glad to say that now she is a professional surfer! The sponsor that stuck with her though all the hard times was RipCurl! Bethany is a wonderful girl, daughter, sister and friend to many and I am so glad that I picked up this book and was immediately drawn to it.
   Bethany throws her soul into surfing; she was born for the board. She may have lost her arm in the attack, but she could never lose her faith in God. He was and still is her greatest hero and model. I really think that her faith motivated her to get right back in the waves.
   Bethany Hamilton's first-hand account of the full-on fight to keep surfing is worth the read all the way. This teenage autobiography would interest any type of reader. I personally think that to everyone who has read this incredible book including me, there is no doubt that this book has made an impact on peoples lives. What a great book.



5. This is a great story for all ages! It is about a girl who suffers from a shark attack and loses her arm. Bethany shows a great example of still going no matter how hard times may get. This is defidently a favorite of mine. I encourage you to read this book, it will inspire you as it did to me!

5 comments about Torn Veil.

1. One of the best testimonies I've ever read. A must for everyone..Christian and non-Christian alike. A great gift to be given to a Muslim friend....first telling them to 'read about Jesus in the Qur'an'.
   (Jesus appeared visually, along with the 12 apostles' to the author, a Pakistani Muslim woman who now evangelizes all over the world...And more yet to read in her incredible story!



2. A must read. It is a captivating story of a Muslim woman who finds Christ and gives herself completely to Him regardless of the cost.



3. This is such a simply told story and appears to be honest and straight from the heart. I am amazed - God can do anything. I also heard Gulshan's story in her own voice and words on uTube. She is a real person of Pakistani origin.



4. A very interesting biography of a Muslim girl's conversion to Christianity. Very inspiring and humbling story. Recommended for Christian people, those week in faith will not believe this truly remarkable story.



5. This is an amazing book and I would recommend it to all Christians, and perhaps more importantly, to anyone else who is open-minded about the claims of the Christian faith. The book describes how a Muslim girl, Gulshan Esther, is miraculously healed of a severe physical disability by Jesus when He appears before her. The book also details Gulshan's rejection by her own family when she becomes a Christian, and her great courage and determination to serve Jesus and tell His people what He did for her. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

   For the reviewer below, Susan Mathew, who wanted to know Gulshan Esther's contact details, here is her address and telephone number:

5 comments about Short Trip to the Edge: Where Earth Meets Heaven--A Pilgrimage.

1. I too was eager to read this account of Cairn's trip to Mount Athos. The Mountain of Silence by Kyriacos C. Markides had given me a hunger for more. A trip to Mount Athos was exactly what I was looking for. As one of the 'weaker' halves of the human species there was no immediate trip looming in my future, but a vicarious trip, cozily esconced by my wood stove sounded like a great way to pass a few winter evenings. Neurotically self-absorbed is the most accurate description I can find. Since Cairn's is Professor of the English language I was deeply disappointed in use of language and his descriptive phrasing. I suppose he felt that it would establish him as a fellow seeker if he were to use common words though out the text, but I found the descriptions of his daily life, interspersed with words like crap simply pulled the narrative down. I really was looking for a description of the Inner world, both his own, and that of the Monks of Mount Athos. I have been to vigils at Orthodox monastery and know of the beauty of the worship. I was pleased to hear descriptions of the beauty of Mount Athos, but how scarce they were. What I really was looking for in this book was how his inner life was enhanced by the grace and Presence of God he found on the Mountain. To my dismay, this was most noticeable by it's absence.



2. Scott Cairns is a poet, apparently, and certainly his writing is clear and sparse, and to the point. But the simple beauty of his visual descriptions doesn't quite make up for his story's curious lack of heart. Ironically, given the subject of pilgrimage, Cairn isn't very successful at conveying why he's on this particular journey - a series of trips to the various monasteries of Mt. Athos, in Greece. He goes on (quite frequently) about prayer and how often he prays and how he's searching for a spiritual father to guide him, but, apart from a short attempt that uses an episode with his dog on a beach, we never get a real sense of what specifically is driving him, what is fueling this need to switch churches (several times, apparently), join the Greek Orthodox church, and then go off on these pilgrimages. Because we never get a real grounding in his motivations, and don't quite understand what he's looking for, his experiences at different monasteries come across as fairly unmoving and repetitious. He does a good job at capturing the personalities of some of the monks and priests he encounters, but even there, one gets the notion that they are just as confused about his pilgrimage as are we. After finishing this book, I couldn't help but get the feeling Cairns is spending so much time praying (and telling people that he's spending so much time praying) that he's missing the point of it all: if god, (or jesus) is everwhere and in everything, then no one phrase or prayer is capable of summarizing him, and in fact by focusing so intently on this prayer the pilgrim is missing out on the divinity that is all around him. A couple of times in his book, most notably when he returns to Mt. Athos with his young son, Cairn describes a scene in which they are standing outside at night, looking up at the stars shining in the jet black skies above Athos. Cairns notes how he feels joy and a sense of peace...but then goes right back to his obsessive praying and the joy is replaced with a feeling of inadequacy because his prayer isn't delivering the same sense of calm as those beautiful stars. The reader gets the impression Cairns could travel back to Mt. Athos a hundred times and still not find what he's looking for (whatever that might be) on his pilgrimage...despite the fact it's probably right there in front of him.



3. In his book, A Short Trip to the Edge, Scott Cairns takes the reader through a series of journeys to the Orthodox holy site and monastic sanctuary Mt. Athos (with a brief side trip to a monastary in Arizona also detailed). The book is a record of Dr. Cairns' journey on two levels. One aspect of the book describes his travels on a purely physical level; the places he goes, the people he encounters, the things he sees and the obstacles he overcomes. Intertwined within this narrative is also the spiritual journey he takes in order to discover how to live a life of prayer and how this is different than having a prayer life. In both attempts the author sets out to record his authentic journey and his honesty and candor are refreshing as is the simplicity with which he tells his story. Unlike many works on Athonite spiritual life or prayer life in the Orthodox tradition, this book tries to keep things on a level that is accessable to someone who is not a monastic.
   
   The first aspect of the book is relatively successful in conveying the author's experience of gong to a place as different from the rest of the world as Mt. Athos while dealing with the intrusions the world inevitably makes on a place it deems has having something it values, even if it keeps that thing at arm's distance. I found the simply humanity of this part of the narrative refreshing enjoyed Cairn's stories of meeting with other pilgrams on the roads and with sharing coffee and tea with the monks of the mountains. Both brought home the theme that this is a place where heaven and earth intersect in very real and powerful ways.
   
   In weaving in the second aspect, Dr. Cairns attempts to introduce us to the traditions and ideas of Eastern prayer and spirituality. It is here that I found that Cairns' ran into difficulty. The author tries very hard to bring out the important ideas and practices of the Eastern Orthodox church in a way that someone who isn't Orthodox might understand. Unfortunately, he is trying to do it in writing about a culture that is anything but understandable in modern North American terms (especially if one is used to the hyper-rationalistic tendancies found in many expressions of the Christian faith today). He does an admirable job explaining the ideas of nous and hesychia but without some background in Orthodoxy, these explanations are likely confusing and imcomplete. Additionally, there is much assumed of the reader regarding an understanding and acceptance of Orthodox worship and monastic practice. Finally, I hate to say it as I expect it will make me sound too parochial, but there's a point where there is just a bit too much Greek. Perhaps those who are used to worshipping in a Greek Orthodox context will not find the language a bit overwhelming.
   
   With these issues in mind, I still found the book to be lively, engaging and challenging. The prose is lovely and wry and it carries the story lightly when it needs to while never trivializing the struggles the author is undergoing on his journeys both spiritually and logistically. The subject matter asked me to examine my own thoughts about prayer, spiritual mentorship and living my faith in powerful ways. Additionally, I found the authenticity of this travelogue, especially where Cairns' shares his last journey to Mt. Athos with his son, truly moving. I would recommend this book without reservation to those with some background in or understanding of Orthodox spirituality. For those who lack such a background, much of the book will seem strange and unfamiliar and the material may require a good bit more work to access. That having been said , the ideas regarding prayer being something we live are well worth the effort should the reader be willing to undertake the journey.



4. Reading this book is a pilgrimage in itself. After l listened to an interview with the author, I was intrigued and excited about reading the book's novel approach to Mt. Athos. The majority of the books published on the topic are either for academic study or seminal interest. The book is basically, a regular Joe's travel journal about his experiences on the Holy Mountain.
   
   After reading the first 80 pages or so, I thought what a waste of my time and money. Pages and pages were full of numerous details about rustic roads, and gripes about waiting for free hospitality at overcrowded monasteries. The book is missing a full account of details about these unique places, I found this disappointing. I seriously thought about recycling the book before I finished it.
   
   Cairns' struggles with the book parallels his search for a spiritual father. There appears to be many dead ends on different levels with the text itself and his journeys. Surprisingly, the last 50 pages or so made the initial time spent, worthwhile. I have never been moved to tears on different occasions by a book before, his self revealing insights after numerous frustrations are very enlightening. I would recommend this book to anyone who would like a challenge. In the book, Cairns transports the reader along with his own ups and downs to arrive to the beauty that is beyond the landscapes, and the treasures of the Holy Mountain.



5. Ever since reading "The Holy Mountain" by Kyriacos Markides, I've been fascinated by the monks who live in the ancient monasteries of Greece, so I bought this book with great anticipation, and finished the first chapter before I ever left the bookstore.
   
   But I'm sorry to say that Short Trip To The Edge quickly stalled. Cairnes is by many accounts a fine Christian poet, but his writing here is surprisingly unpoetic and at times redundant as we're told in almost every chapter that an experience is "palpable" or "sweet." We don't need to be told every time he stopped to "venerate the icons."
   
   But most annoying is Cairnes' neurotic, self-absorbed quest to find a spiritual father who can help him develop a life of prayer. He makes three trips to Greece, and one visit to a monastery in Arizona to find the elusive father, but comes up empty.
   
   Most Christians struggle in their prayer life and I do appreciate Cairne's honesty, but I couldn't help but wonder what would happen if he took the focus off himself. Never once does he ponder Jesus' command to serve others.
   
   Is journeying to Mt. Athos three times to find a spiritual father what Jesus had in mind when he said "take up your cross and follow me"? Cairnes seems to think that the goal of a Christian life is to "find peace." I almost felt sorry for him as he describes waiting hours for a meeting with a potential spiritual father, only to be given some flippant advice.
   
   Short Trip To The Edge is a case study in the dangers of idolotry. Despite the subtitle of the book, Cairne's story makes clear that no place on earth will ever resemble Heaven.

2 comments about Confessions of an Adulterous Christian Woman: Lies That Got Me There; Truths That Brought Me Back.

1. We know it's wrong, but it feels so right. God gives us built in radar to know the difference between right and wrong and if we choose what feels right, we will not suffer the consequences of choosing what we know is wrong. We tend to repeat history in our relationships. God does not want us to go by "feeling" because those feelings go away and what are we left with. Read this incredible book that says it better then anyone has said it before. Lyndell is a passionate woman, full of life and giving and she will capture your heart and your breath with her story. Lyndell said that she did not want to write this book but God told her she cannot keep what she has learned all to herself. Learn from her experience that you might avoid the pitfall before you. You will not be disappointed.



2. After the Bible, this is one of the most remarkable books I've read. I highly recommend it to married people, divorced and separated people and those contemplating divorce. I truly think this short book can have a profound and life-changing impact on many, many readers.

5 comments about Elizabeth Prentiss: More Love to Thee.

1. After reading this biography of Elizabeth Prentiss, I love her book "Stepping Heavenward" even more. Her life is an incredible story of submitting to God's soverignty in all of life, no matter what tragedies and hardships come. I laughed, I cried... it moved me, Bob.
   
   Honestly, I don't think the book was incredibly well-written, in some aspects, but it still communicates an amazing story and I would recommend it to anyone.



2. I first read Elizabeth Prentiss' most famous work, Stepping Heavenward, about 10 years ago during the fall semester of my junior year of college. The main character, Katy, exemplifies a woman of noble character who cares for her family, loves Jesus, and is passionate in her pursuit to be more holy. Not only did this book completely change the way I view womanhood, it has become one of my favorite books over the years as I have married and entered motherhood. Quite eager to learn more about Mrs. Prentiss and the circumstances life afforded her to write such a moving story, I ordered Sharon James' Elizabeth Prentiss `More Love to Thee' without a moment's hesitation. Using Elizabeth's personal letters and other writings, James develops a faithful, detailed picture of Elizabeth Prentiss' life and faith.
   
   Sharon James begins Elizabeth's story at the most logical place: her birth. Born October 26, 1818 in Portland, Maine, Elizabeth was a much desired and cherished daughter of Pastor Edward Payson and his wife Louisa. Through the writings of friends and family members, James paints an endearing picture of `Lizzy,' as those closest to her were fond of calling her. James details many interesting facets of Elizabeth, her five siblings, and their happy, Christian home. But Elizabeth's life drastically changed with the long illness and subsequent death of her father just days before her ninth birthday. Even in just nine years, her father made a profound impact on Elizabeth's life. From Life of the Rev. Edward Payson, D.D., Edward Payson writes, "O what a blessed thing it is to lose one's will." This attitude coming from his heart no doubt greatly influenced Elizabeth in the way she sought to live her life joyfully surrendered to God, and further finds a place in Katy's life in Stepping Heavenward.
   
   At the age of twelve, Elizabeth and her family moved to New York for a very short time. It is during their time in New York that Elizabeth professes her faith in Christ and joins Bleecker Street Presbyterian Church. Here, James sheds light on another very interesting aspect of Elizabeth's personality. "She did nothing by halves." James treats her readers to insights into Elizabeth's closest friendships, favorite authors and books, leisure and entertainments, interesting visitors to her mother's boarding house, those who influenced her growth in faith, and her passion for Jesus and teaching others about Him.
   
   From 1840 to 1843, Elizabeth accepted a teaching position at a girls' school in Richmond, Virginia. Far from home, Elizabeth wrote and received many letters during these years, which James shares. Included in this portion of the biography are Elizabeth's thoughts on the best ways to educate young people, on the importance of loving one's students, even the (seemingly) worst ones, and on her own path to living a more holy, dedicated life. Of the latter, James lets us in on some new teaching, called `Christian perfection', Elizabeth learned from her sister, Louisa. At this point, James begins to unfold Elizabeth's struggle to discern true doctrine from false, an important element of her life that James revisits throughout the book as Elizabeth reads more about `Christian perfection' and the writings of Madam Guyon.
   
   James explains that Elizabeth had a determined mind regarding the kind of man she would be willing to marry, and she would not budge. Set on a man with a passion for Christ that could match her own and a keen intellect, "On 11 September 1843, Elizabeth accepted a proposal of marriage from George Prentiss," writes James. This portion of the book, Elizabeth's courtship and marriage to Mr. Prentiss, is one of the most enjoyable and instructive. "Apart from anything else, she was clear-sighted enough to see that a wife needed `oceans of self-sacrificing love' and only a union with a real `soul mate' would make that sacrifice worthwhile" (p. 41). From this point to the end of Elizabeth's life, James details married life, motherhood, and everything that goes with them. James guides the reader through Elizabeth's life through letters and journals to reveal her very passionate and pure love for Mr. Prentiss (a rare sight these days), her love for her children, her intense grief over the deaths of two infants, her struggles with her health, her desire to comfort those who mourned, her love for her church family, and her fervent desire to be with her Savior. In all of these things, James shows the preeminent place Christ held in Elizabeth's heart. James writes, "Elizabeth firmly believed that a Christian could know `peace' whatever the circumstances through submitting to the will of God" (p.165). It is this conviction, and faith that said, "God never makes mistakes," that helped Elizabeth through the hardest trials of her life.
   
   A prolific writer, Elizabeth found time to write around the needs of her family. James brings all of Elizabeth's experiences (from rubbing elbows with the great theologians of her day to European travel to the Civil War) together to illustrate what she believes most likely influenced each of Elizabeth's books and her most famous hymn, "More Love to Thee." In the conclusion, James compiles Elizabeth's personal writings to illustrate what Elizabeth thought of herself as a Christian, a wife and mother, and her thoughts on the `cult of true womanhood'. Finally, James offers her opinion of whether or not Elizabeth Prentiss contributed to the feminization of American culture and the "move to a more sentimental approach to religion" through her writings (p. 215). The "Suggestions for Further Reading" lists Elizabeth's books that are currently in print and where to find them.
   
   Sharon James has written a widely accessible, enlightening, and inspiring biography of Elizabeth Prentiss. Young Christian women today are in desperate need of solid, God-glorifying older women to watch and imitate. Though Elizabeth has been living with Jesus for the last 129 years, Sharon James has put her into our hands. I am eager and joyful to recommend this book to all women!



3. I first heard of Elizabeth Prentiss a few years ago when her novel, Stepping Heavenward, was recommended to me. Since that first reading, I have re-read it many times. But, until recently, I did not know much about the author. But, because I enjoyed her writing, I was excited to learn more about her. I originally ordered this book as part of the GirlTalk Blog Book Club, but on the day it arrived, I peeked at the first chapter just to see what I was in for. Instead of reading along wit the group, I ended up starting, and finishing, it within 2 days of it's arrival!
   
   I love reading biographies - especially biographies of men and women who spent a lifetime pursuing the Lord. I love getting a little peek into their world. My husband observed that reading a biography requires that you invest yourself in someone else's life. While I never really thought about it that way before, I think he is absolutely right. When you read the story of someone's life, you get to know them in a real and intimate way. As the book opens, Sharon James observes that, "All her life she was petite, observant, softly spoken in company, reserved and yet deeply affectionate. And, throughout her life, she quickly won the love of those who met her." (pg. 1)
   
   You cannot help but love Elizabeth Prentiss after meeting her in this book. Not because she was a perfect, saint-like individual, but because she was real. One childhood friend noted that one of Elizabeth's most endearing qualities was "...an entire absence of all attempt to show her best side, or put the best face on anything that concerned her. An ingenuous frankness about herself and her affairs - even about her little weaknesses - was one of her most striking traits." (pg. 5) She had struggles, quirks, and flaws. But, she also had a sense of humor, a love of life, and an intense passion for the things of the Lord.
   
   As I read through the letters, and excerpts of journal entries throughout the book, she refuses to put a good spin on her own sinful, selfish heart. She writes about her frustrations with herself honestly. Shortly after her engagement to George Prentiss, she wrote a letter to her cousin expressing a fear that her love for God would grow cold as she grew in love for her fiancé/husband. And, after she and George were married,
   "we see her determination that in becoming a wife, she should not simply fulfill the role of a `cook and manager'. She wanted to organize a happy home, as well as keeping up her reading, so that she could provide intelligent and spiritual companionship to her husband." (pg. 57)
   
   Like many women of her generation, becoming a wife and mother was Elizabeth's expected future. But, so often, the joys of motherhood were overshadowed by the death of their young children. For many, the breakdown of their own health was a consequence that they must also pay. Elizabeth was no exception. She loved children, and was excited to be a mother, but experienced the deep pain of losing 2 of her children within the span of 3 months. But, during this difficult time, she clung to the truth that, "God never makes a mistake." (pg. 75) Her book, Stepping Heavenward, gave her a vehicle for sharing this comforting truth with other women who were also grieving similar losses.
   
   Though Elizabeth had a strong desire to honor the Lord in all she did, she was occasionally influenced by incorrect theological ideas, the trends of her day. She was impacted by the writings of a French mystic, who advocated introspection. She toyed with the ideas presented by the "perfectionists" on several occasions, though she eventually rejected their teachings. Her novels, often a reflection of events in her own life, though filled with biblical principles about parenting, marriage, courtship, and life in general, sometimes also advocated culturally acceptable roles, rather than exhorting women to fulfill their roles as ordained by God in Scripture.
   
   Although this is the story of a woman who lived in the 1800's, many of the struggles, temptations, and difficulties that Elizabeth faced transcend generational lines. Throughout her life, we see Elizabeth's unwavering confidence in God, her sincere love for Christ, her passionate pursuit of her own personal holiness, her devotion to her family, and her desire to serve and minister to those around her. And, those qualities are just as relevant to women today.
   
   In the Foreword to this book, Barbara Hughes warns, "If you would rather avoid a painfully sanctifying comparison of your own faith with that of this woman, perhaps you should stop reading now." (pg. xi) But, as Proverbs 13:20 observes "Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm." (ESV)
   
   If you truly desire to "walk with the wise" in your daily life, even if it requires a little "painful sanctification," I would highly recommend that you start with the life of this woman.



4. I really enjoyed Elizabeth Prentiss's book "Stepping Heavenward" so I decided to learn more about her. The book "Elizabeth Prentiss: More Love to The" has been very inspiring and provoking. Elizabeth Prentiss has been such an example of someone who is living her life through mundane activities, as well as through suffering, but she was also striving to continue to grow everyday in godly character.



5. I also loved this book. Not only did the book challenge my faith it was also an enjoyable read. I would highly recommend this to anyone - but especially a married woman wanting to learn more about living a Godly life in the midst of various challenges (raising children, illness, etc).

3 comments about Martin Luther: The Courage to Seek (Heroes of the Faith).

1. Synopsis: A brief biography of Luther's life. Part of a series of approximately 20 books entitled Heroes of the Faith. Evidently, it is edited and abridged from a larger work by one Dan Harmon.
   
   My review: Mr. Harmon has done a poor, poor, poor job of editing a larger work. Really bad. The book has large, direct quotes from other sources, including big chunks of the questioning of Luther at the Diet of Worms in 1521. This is most appropriate since Luther was a well-spoken as well as plain-spoke debater. His text is lively and interesting to read. Even to the modern reader his meaning is quite clear and devoid of all of the flowery Renaissance nonsense that entraps other writers and bores me to distraction.
   
   However, Harmon edited out Luther's most famous line: 'My conscience is captive to the Word of God...Here I stand I can do no other.' This is the image of Luther presented in every school book in the world - the solitary monk standing up to the entire church and against all of Europe's kings at the Diet of Worms on a matter of conscience and refusing to blink because, by God (literally), he thinks he is right and is willing to die for that belief. In my mind, this is one of those moments of heroism that everyone should admire, even if you are not a believer. But, this editor edited it out!!! The height of his shining moment - gone!!
   
   Ironically, that quote is featured on the back of the book - it is in bold print and serves as the headline for the description of the book! AARRGH! Even sillier, the editor has left in a one page description of Charles the Elector's retinue and the parade as they entered Augusburg in 1530. Wow!!!! - if they were trying to limit the size of the book, they really edited out the wrong part!!!! Who really cares what color his men wore as they paraded into town!
   
   My grade: The book is, in general, informative and would serve as a decent introduction to Luther. However, I cannot forgive the very poor editing job. Imagine a Lincoln biography without the Gettysburg Address, a Martin Luther King, Jr. biography without his 'I have a dream speech' or a Julius Caesar biography without 'Vini, vidi, vici.' Man, my blood is up. Imagine, printing this whole book and EDITING OUT THE POINT!!!!!!! Really, I cannot stress my irritation enough, as you all can surely tell by this point...
   
   ***Reviewer's note: please read the comment section. The editor of the text made a few comments that explain the "Diet of Worms" section was left out. Thanks, DWD 3-14-07



2. This German-born Martin Luther was the most prominent of all the Sixteenth Century reformers (as well as counter-reformers). His life became his religious struggle. Though he won some and lost some, he became a symbol of religious defiance to his adversaries, and an anchor-point to his disciples.
   This book did not detail us on the reason why some of his co-reformers parted ways with him; but I did enjoy the time I invested on reading it.



3. I picked this up at a Christian book store for half price. This is an abridged book in a series on famous Christians (mostly Protestant). The author, who is clearly sympathetic with Luther's cause, devotes more attention to Luther's personal relationships and political struggle than to his theology. However, this is probably appropriate for the intended audience (the book store located it near the young readers' section). I can't compare the book to others since this is the first I've read on the topic, but I've personally found it to be an enjoyable read.