Resources Books

I had essentially no knowledge of "spiritual direction" before reading this book and picked it up because I was curious about the subject. What a great find! The author has done a magnificent job of explaining the principles and methods of spiritual direction through both narration and example. She shares her experiences with us through her interaction with nine "directees" who have come to her with various spiritual issues, many in the midst of life-changing events. You feel like you are in the room with them as these people relate their fascinating stories from many walks of life and religious perspectives. The author shares so much of herself that you get to know her, too. I was so impressed with the many spiritual insights I gleaned from reading this book and was astonished to see how God worked in these people's lives. This book is superbly and sensitively written, very well researched and yet a very down to earth look at a deeply spiritual endeavor.

As a spiritual director, one always wonders how others perform their art. This book was insightful and rewarding in that regard. The reader is allowed to be behind closed doors to sit in on the sessions with the directee, experiencing both the responses of the director and nuanced interactions. One is not TOLD how direction is done but SHOWN how it is done in a variety of scenarios. The author provides a myriad of situations/needs and the issues span across human experience. My only suggestion for improvement would have been placing the directees' spiritual direction journeys sequentially instead of having to locate the next installment several chapters away. I understand her desire to give us three separate phases of direction, but it made for challenging reading.

Susan S. Phillips' Candlelight: Illuminating the Art of Spiritual Direction, is the book I wish I'd had when I first became interested in spiritual direction and it is a book I wish I'd had when I was learning to be a spiritual director. By following nine people from their entry into a spiritual direction relationship until the conclusion of the relationship, it is easy to see what spiritual direction looks like; the difference between spiritual direction and therapy or pastoral counseling; and the ways the person receiving direction grows in relationship with God. At every step, Susan makes explicit the assumptions and methods that are important in spiritual direction. In addition, this book also clearly shows the way the director's own internal experience in each session informs his or her responses to the person being directed. During my training and in the first days of my own direction practice, this internal listening was the most difficult and elusive part of spiritual direction for me. In all my reading, until this fine book, I had never read or heard such a helpful description of the director's decision making within a session.

Susan was my director for several years while I lived in California. Much of what I know about doing spiritual direction, I learned from Susan as she helped me orient myself toward God. Now, reading her explicit description of doing direction, I find my understanding of my own work as a director is enlarged.

Candlelight is a great read, probably even for those who don't practice spiritual direction. What's so terrific about this book?

* Great stories make great books, and this book is structured around nine readable, captivating stories. Will Charles find a mate? Is Jim's health going to hold? Will I, when the time comes, be able to die as beautifully as did ... well, I won't ruin the ending. But it is beautiful.

* Held gracefully within the context of these stories are short but excellent discussions of suffering, theodicy, Sabbath, death, decision-making, evil, Keats's "negative capability," the prayer of examen, the "middle voice" as a metaphor for the life of engaged faith, ... etc. etc. The book's one fault is its lack of an index. When I reread the book I plan to create my own rough index as I go along.

* Candlelight gives a view into what normally cannot be observed. As a spiritual director, it is extremely difficult for me to know whether my practice is like or unlike that of my colleagues. Just what ARE those spiritual directors doing behind those closed doors?? Well, read Candlelight and sit in on sessions with a master. Your style might differ, or you might disagree with Phillips's approach at points, but merely finding out exactly what she does during direction sessions is fascinating.

* Candlelight offers helpful definitions of spiritual direction, as do many other books and web sites. What is special here is that Candlelight offers definitions of spiritual direction as practiced by the erudite, mature, faithful, humorous Susan Phillips. Seen through her eyes, spiritual direction takes on a whole new glow.

* Phillips uses words beautifully and seems to know precisely what they all mean. She's not just flinging them around.

* Finally, and maybe best of all, Candlelight shows God in action. Maintaining faith in God's goodness can be challenging for those of us who hope to do so; it's delightful to have a book that says, over and over, in concrete terms, "Look over there, at that faint light! Just a bit to the left ... there! Do you see it now? THAT is the benevolent God at work." Reading Candlelight is like looking at the world through God-vision goggles. Transcendent goodness, purpose, and beauty can shine, sometimes quite subtly, through human experiences and suffering, and we need all the help we can get if we are to stop and pay attention long enough to see them.

When starting out with very basic knowledge of carpentry and building, this is the perfect book for learning. This book explains many aspects of carpentry, tools, and equipment. This book also explains the importance of zoning and would be beneficial for all interested in the construction or carpentry industry. You could benefit from this book if you are interested in making improvements to your land or home.

"..... this new edition presents information that has been updated, reorganized, and rewritten.
All photographs and drawings are new....."

"..... Those who carefully use this book to
INCREASE THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOP CARPENTRY SKILLS
should be able to:

* Identify career opportunities in the building trades.
* Demonstrate competency in the use of the materials and tools used in building construction.
* Understand the building codes used in residential construction.
* Read the prints and technical materials used in residential construction.
* Demonstrate carpentry skills meeting or exceeding recognized standards....."

[from the book of the preface]

This book has alot of details, pictures, diagrams, and charts and makes it very easy to read and understand for the newbie in construction. I highly recommend it.

This is an excellent book that covers all aspects of building construction. The layout and content of the book are designed for easy reference and reading. A must for those who plan to take the Virginia Contractor's license exams.

It was hard to choose how many stars this library worths. It includes 3 completly different books. The Caslow book is absolutly perfect. It's a very good tutorial, probably the best I know. I passed real written test and even I couldn't find answers to some questions from the test in this book, if you want to read just one book and get the maximum information - that's it! You might be not able to answer all questions, but I believe it gives you enough information to pass.

But two other books are completly different. First of all, they are not about cisco. It's just a general theory, a lot of packet structure diagrams and protocol description. Language sometimes is very dull and dry. Many topics, especially in the ATM book are beyond the scope of CCIE exam. Routing book contains a lot of interesting information about routing history, current problems and possible ways of future improvements. Probably, these books are interested to some readers, but it's not the best choice for CCIE preparation.

I put 4 stars just because Caslow book is so good that it makes whole library useful too. But I'd strongly recommend to buy this one book only and spend the rest of money to some other tutorials.

Prentice Hall is fast becoming a name in the IT publishing world for producing material and books that will help everyone obtain just about any certification and the CCIE Resource Library 2001 edition is one set of books that should make passing the exam easier.

The three-book set is comprised of material starting with Book 1 - Routing in the Internet. Over 370 pages covering topics like the Internet and the architecture of the Internet. Also IP v4 and v6 are discussed and compared and then you begin to delve into the routing protocols, both interior and exterior.

The book finishes up with new ideas such as multicasting and overall seems to layout the Internet in fairly easy language. Book 2 - Voice over IP is new to the set and is written by Uyless Black. Black starts this excellent book off with an overview of telephony and the Internet.

Also covered is DSPs, Voice coders, DSL, modems, PPP, the role of the ISP, performance issues, VoIP Protocols, Voice alternatives and ISDN. Black is very good at breaking down the subject matter and making sure the reader can understand the concepts.

Finally comes book 3 - Cisco Certification: Bridges, Routers and Switches for CCIEs 2nd Edition, written by 2 well-respected CCIEs and authors. Over 900 pages broken down into six parts, part one is the configuration of the hardware.

Part 2 is breakdown of IP and the configurations of the routing protocols like RIP, OSPF, IGRP, EIGRP and BGP. Part 3 deals with non-ip routing, part 4 is bridging and part 5 is for management. Overall the entire collection is some of the best technical material I have seen so far.

One of the toughest, if not the toughest certification to get is CCIE. That's why it's very important to make sure that the books you use are the best out there. Prentice Hall has put together the only CCIE Library I have seen.

In book 1 of the 3 - ATM Volume III - the entire world of ATM is taken apart and dissected for you. Encapsulation, frame relay, DXI and FNNI, LNNI and ARP, multiprotocols over ATM are but a few of the topics discussed in great detail. In the second book - Routing in the Internet 2nd Edition - the book is broken down into 4 parts. Part1 discusses IP and associated protocols including IP V.6. Part 2 takes a look at the interior routing protocols like RIP and OSPF, it does breakdown both RRIP1 and RIP2.

Part 3 is the exterior protocols like BGP and CIDR. Finally in part 4 you have explanations of new developments in multicasting and mobile hosting. The book is well written and well documented and the author really gives a complete look at the internet and how routing is used.

The final book - Cisco Certification - Bridges, Routers and Switches for CCIE is written by Andrew Bruce Caslow a CCIE himself. Caslow has written several other book on the CCNA certification and as with the other books this is an excellent reference manual.

The advanced routing techniques like ISDN and DDR as well as excellent coverage of the Catalyst 5000 switch are some the topics Caslow goes over is this book. Caslow also sheds light on ATM and extensive detail on IP Addressing and routing.

Protocols like RIP, IGRP, EIRGP and OSPF as with non-IP routing protocols AppleTalk, DECNET and IPX are broken down for you. Caslow's knowledge of bridging, which includes source route, transparent and translation is nothing short of tremendous.

Caslow's book has sample scenarios, about the only thing it doesn't do it take the test for you. Prentice Hall has a great number of book on computers and networking and you should checkout their website today. Overall this book can be used as a handy reference manual and a study guide for Cisco tests. The price is small in comparison to what you get.

If you prepare for CCIE written test, buy Ccie Resource Library. This 3 volume set will gain your knowledge and experience about internetworking skills. Full of some very usefull case studies, network design, etc. No matter where you are in your progress towards the exam, this book is a worthwhile addition to your Cisco library.

The entire book contains output from numerous working configurations. These examples confirm that the authors did not just throw together another theory book, but have taken the time and effort to create scenarios that can be recreated by the reader. A CD accompanies the book, and contains complete configurations so that the reader can copy and paste them into home lab hardware.

In short, this book is one of the most interesting books concerning certification topics. After you read these 3 set books, I guarantee you pass the CCIE written test. Buy it, and plan to stay up late the night of your purchase. You won't be disappointed.

I was hoping for a little more information than I found in this book, but it is a very unique and nice quality book/journal.

When explaining the difference between Cesar's first two books I frequently use the following analogy:
* 'Cesar's Way' by Cesar Millan is like when one learns how to drive a car (dog/human interactions), to successfully apply useful solutions for problem dog behaviors.

* 'Be the Pack Leader' explains how the car (dog/human relationship)works, is applied to the understanding of WHY being a Pack Leader works (and which can also be applied to the human/human relationship!

Cesar's Way Journal brings these pieces into an integrated whole by first helping us examine OUR real interactions with our dogs in Section one: "Know yourself, Know your dog" Concrete exercises help us to see accurately how dogs are our true mirrors, teachers and healers.

Section 2, helps to decide how best to put Cesar's formula into practice by examining our unique environments, lifestyle, choices and individual dog's needs. There is a through check list to help ensure we address all elements of the dog's needs. One o the most important elements of this section for me was the exercise that got me to take a HARD look at how I work with issues around power - those who have power over me and how I react, as well as those I have power over - and how I treat them...on good days and bad!

Section 3 has a system that is so easy to work with to help me keep track of all the history, vet care, and resources I rely on all the time in hard copy form so I can lay my hands on it right away! There were some interesting recommendations of new reading material in the back I want to follow up on too.

I have helped to rehab over 25 problem dogs who were going to be euthanized if someone didn't step forward to help. I'm no one special or especially skilled - just a dog owner who cares that these dogs don't die! Had to use Cesar's way because the way with dogs that I was raised with never seemed to work with problem dogs, only dogs that were already good!

I stepped forward to help because there was no one else - "professional" or not. All but one, the first one, were brought to me by rescue non-profits who had run out o options to change the dog's behaviors into something that could be adopted out. Did it using the solutions I learned from watching the Dog Whisperer on National Geographic and then buying and studying the season 1 and 2 episode tapes:
Dog Whisperer With Cesar Millan - The Complete First Season
and
Dog Whisperer With Cesar Millan: The Complete Second Season

So for people like me - just people who want to help save dog's lives, one day at a time, this is yet another tool that is really helping me to up my game another level!

this was bought as a birthday present for my mam and she absolutely loves it as it incorporates sections of both of his boks along with giving you space to write in how the training is going and any important information like vaccination due dates operation dates all the things you would need to keep regarding your dog and their health, it is a really pretty little journal inside and out.

It is 99.9% you and only 1% the dog and Cesar once again describes it all in this book. He is one of the first who proved to dog owners AND even to trainers that you CAN get results using your knowledge, technique, proper body language, attitude, and have the right goal and expectations from your dog and from yourself.

Unlike clicker training or PetSmart training where you give your dog treats just for being alive and call it training, I have been compared to Cesar a lot. This is because I always tell my clients you want to rely on your Love, Leadership, Praise and Technique and NOT Hotdogs, Ham, Sausage and Dried Liver. Kevin "The Dog Prodigy" Salem.

This book is great for those of us who spend our days caring for others-young and old alike. People who are always focused on caring for the needs of others need to be reminded of how important their own physical needs are and how important it is to develop a routine to take care of themselves so they will be able to care for others. If our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, then we have been charged with the upkeep of those same temples. This book does a good job of reminding us of that! Great reading and definitely one I will recommend to all my friends-especially mothers with kids at home!

I was a divorced mother with two pre-schoolers, overweight and unhappy with my job. Then I got breast cancer. I'm okay now that the treatment is over. I figure it's time for an extreme makeover. So, I heard about Changing Habits from the People's Pharmacy Radio Show and I love it. I read it over and over again to remind me how much control I really have. Debbie's words are so inspiring and real. I don't feel like a victim or act like one anymore. My children are happier, I lost a dress size and my job isn't so bad - at least I have one. Changing Habits really did change my life.

Changing Habits is the ideal book for people who don't have enough hours in the day. We superwomen often forget to add ourselves to the To Do list. This book offers a sensible plan to take care of yourself first so that you have the energy and stamina to take care of everyone and everything else in your busy life.

This book is a MUST for all parents, children, siblings, teachers, friends and spouses. Debbie talks right to you, as if she know what you're thinking.
She stresses how important it is to take care of ourselves, and enjoy ourselves in the processs. I loved the section on how to make housecleaning spiritual (and fun).
I will buy this book as a gift for a friend who just had her first child.

I found Dr. Iorg's approach to be refreshing. He addresses key components of successful leadership by examining the need to develop our internal core values, without ignoring the need of external training. I found his use of subtle shifts in focus extremely practical, soundly biblical, and sometimes humbling. A personal favorite was Dr. Iorg's discussion of facing unpleasant circumstances; being able to shift the focus from ourselves, that despairing and unfruitful "Why me?" approach, to the more teachable "Why this?' approach. One subtle little shift that will broaden our perspective from 'our' world to see our Father's Kingdom and His desire to grow us to be like Christ. A simple and practical way to not just persevere in tough times, but even anticipate relational and character development as we allow our Father's purpose in those unpleasant circumstances to take root in our lives. This teaching is a very good read and is a valuable addition to any leader's library.

I must have said to myself a dozen times in reading The Character of Leadership this is so simple yet profound. About the second chapter I quit thinking about how this applied to others and how it applied to me as a Christian leader. There were many places I was convicted and challenged in my own personal Christian walk, BUT NEVER felt defeated. Dr. Iorg motivated me to strive to be a better Christian leader as I continuously examined my life and continue to examine my life. I read the book two times and will pick it up often as I strive to implement the nine qualities Dr. Iorg refers to in the book. A must read.

Jay McSwain

So many "leadership" books basically say the same thing, just with a little "twist" for flavor. This is not one of them. Iorg speaks about the character that forms our values that shapes our leadership style. It doesn't matter how many leadership books you read, or how many leadership principles you attempt to practice, if your character is bent on selfish, self-centered intents, your leadership is destined to fail. If you want to see your leadership traits "reshaped" based on the true essentials of godly character, this is a book you must read!

Every Christian leader needs this book! Wow!
I read it in one sitting--just couldn't put it down. Although Dr. Iorg is definitely an academian, this is much more than just an intellectual thesis. It's power-packed with ministry-enhancing challenges for anyone in Christian leadership. I particularly enjoyed Dr. Iorg's personal illustrations and very practical suggestions for character-building. Buy this one for every Christian leader you love.

I think that Chemical Chaos is a great and horrible book because it tells you about horrible chemistry and alchemists!

It's also a book that teaches the truth about chemistry and how it was invented.

I like the facts in the book and the way they use comic strips to tell you things with jokes!

I have it on good authority that Nick Arnold is no chemist! But reading his excellent children's book 'Chemical Chaos' you'd never know it. He demonstrates remarkable knowledge and research ability, and this book is sure to keep children amused across the world. The whole 'Horrible Science' series is wonderful, and makes learning a pleasure for everyone, young and old alike.

My dad first found these in England. He thought I might like them so he got a few for me. I really LOVED reading them in grade and learning stuff. Now, in sixth grade, we are learning the things that I already knew! I showed it to my science teacher and I still haven't gotten it back because she's loaned to so many people! She would read exerpts from it every morning, AND I passed the class with an A+! It's a great book and Nick Arnold is such a good writer, you don't even know how much you're learning. :-)

Chemical Chaos presents a delightful history of scientific development while teaching basic chemistry. Information is presented in cartoon-style which is readable by ages 10 and up. The experiments are not extensive but are well-thought out to demonstrate scientific principles. And the experiments are easy, use readily-available materials, include safe practices, and apply to everyday life.

Jane Creswell has years of coaching and teaching coaches under her belt. She has done a great job of sharing some of the most basic and most important information on coaching in this great book. This book is also very helpful for those of us who want to do coaching in a Christian context. If you are considering coaching or being coached, this book is a must-read.

Christ-Centered Coaching: 7 Benefits for Ministry Leaders is a excellent introduction for Christian leaders to what coaching is and how it can help. The author, Jane Creswell, is no hack when it comes to coaching. She's the founder of the IBM Coaches Network and a Master Certified Coach, she's also a Christian with a passion to bring coaching to ministry leaders.

The strength of the book lies in Creswell's ability to dig into seven coaching approaches, which also serve as seven mental models or attitudes of a coach. Each chapter is illustrated with useful case studies of coaching situations that take the book from theory to real life. The seven are:

1. Leveraging strengths
2. Provide clarity and focus
3. Instill confidence
4. Catapult learning
5. Foster intentional progress
6. Coach others
7. Encourage God-sized goals

These seven may not sound particularly unique, they are not, what is unique is the way Creswell illustrates how coaching accomplishing these things in a non-directive way and integrates these with Scriptures. As such, this book is helpful to learn the mindset and approaches of a good coach. Both potential coaches and clients would benefit from reading it.

Christ-Centered Coaching adds to a growing library of coaching books for Christians.

I believe "Christ-centered Coaching" is a great book both for those who coach and those are coached. It gives clarity as to what coaching is and is not and what it can strive to attain. The book is easily understood, even by the novice to coaching. I would recommend this book as one to be read first by those who are just beginning to explore coaching.

A well-written book which appears to be targeted towards men and women who serve on the staffs of churches, it also provides valuable insights into how coaching works and how it can benefit everyone. It is organized in a manner that makes it easy to read, easy to understand, and easy to refer back to. I recommend it for everyone's library.

Mr. Sullivan wrote a fantastic book for those who are interested in the true church of Christ - the Roman Catholic church - from the perspective of a church of Christ convert.

Sullivan's book outlines a fascinating journey of faith that took him from his roots in the Southern Baptist church to the pulpits of the Churches of Christ and ultimately to experience "Christ in His fullness" as a Catholic.

As a non-Catholic reader and someone who attends a Church of Christ, I found his theological arguments for the sanctity of the Holy Roman Catholic Church both compelling and truly interesting without being at all strident or self-righteous. Sullivan's approach is more intellectual than emotional - with demonstrable detail paid to research and documentation. I call it "theology for smart people" because the reader soon discovers that Sullivan has spent many, many years in intense theological study. It's not light reading. That said, his conversational style kept me truly engrossed. While I have no plans to convert to Catholicism, the book allowed me a deeper understanding of Catholic doctrine and prompted me to further investigate my own theological arguments.

I have recommended this book to many friends and family members affiliated with the Baptist church and Churches of Christ as a means for better understanding the beliefs of our Catholic brothers and sisters.

I am currently reading this book for the second time.

I have read many conversion stories, including Scott Hahn, Steve Wood, Steve Ray, and Jeff Cavins. All are very interesting and unique, but I find Bruce Sullivan's short and to the point yet leaving plenty of documentation for further discovery and discernment. For someone who wants an introduction to how the Holy Spirit works in one's faith life, this book would be a good starting point

I remeber an old Baptist preacher who never wavered from His faith. Always stood alone when it came to those around him. He was a Light to me even though he wasn't catholic and scathed by sooo many. His name was The Rev. Jerry Falwell. Whatever you may think of him now. I know in my heart many people in the Christian world knew and understood him. I was a Baptist and am a Catholic now thanks to Bruce's Book. This was my first. But I will always have a dear and special love for The Rev. Falwell. When values were at steak, he was with The Catholics at the forefront. I remember His relationship with the Now Deceased also Card John O'Connor of New York. He is my role model for standing tall amidst the "reed" as Simon "Peter" was called before his name change. Simon means, "like a reed" that blows in the wind to a "ROCK", something that stands firm. Peace... Thank you Bruce for this Book and know that many are blessed through you because of it! Pray for one man here in Chicago who is having a tough time, but is doing the Journey, too!

FINALLY, after thirty-something years, Jesus Christ makes sense to me! I finally see why and how it all happened. Kumar pulls in references and quotes from some of the best Christian minds and publications. For such a bargain price, one might expect a small pocket book with tired arguments. But this is a large book chock full of great information and thought-provoking descriptions. I would highly recommend this book to anyone searching or to any Christian who is helping to answer a searcher's questions.

This book is an excellent introduction to the philosophical arguements that support Christianity. When I first looked at the illustrations of htis book I expected it to be on the Junior High level but it is more indeapth. While only an introduction to the subject Steve Kumar does an excellent job of encapsulating the basic arguements for 1) the existence of God 2)the existence of Evil being consistent with the existence of God 3) the irrationallity of Atheism 4) the Deity of Christ 5) the divine origin of the Bible and 6) agruments against Eastern religions and Islam.

This book is not only a good evangelical tool but also should be read by Christians to better understand the logical validity of their faith.

I recommend this book for skeptics who need an "in a nutshell" coverage of the basics of Christianity. I also recommend this book to any Christian who has deep faith in Christ, but also needs a deeper intellectual understanding of what he/she believes.
It doesn't "beat the bush" when confronted with questions like "Is the resurrection real?" or "Is the Bible the true word of God?" The answers are given in plain English, not in academic gibberish, so that I would not be worried that some people would find it too hard to understand or too simplified to be credible. It also exposes the weaknesses of the other religions when put in the presence of the light of Christianity. I consider it a priceless tool in answering questions raised by an unbelieving and confused world.

Don't underestimate Mr. Kumar he does a masterful job at explaining complex arguments in simple understandable terms. This is a great tool for evangelism. If you are not quite sure how to answer those hard-nosed intellectual snobs, this book is a great starting point. Kumar deals with some of the most relevant objections of our time. How would you answer an Atheist? Can you really trust the Bible? Kumar deals with these questions and much more. The reason I gave this book a five star rating is because it maintains simplicity yet incorporates complexity!