Spirituality Books

There is so much advice on how to be a good mother. Jean Stockdale teaches that it is impossible to be a good mom without being a godly mom. What our children need are mommas who are walking in the Spirit, submitted and obedient to the Lord. How do we do that? Jean makes it clear - become a faithful student of the Word of God. There is no other way! God used this book to radically change the way I study and apply God's Word to my role as a wife and mother.

Jean Stockdale has truly changed my life and the way that I mother my two girls. She has so much wisdom and provides so much insight on how to raise Godly children. She is also very practical on how to handle such things as sibling rivalry, discipline, and releasing your children one day to go into the real world. I have learned so much from her. I recommend this book VERY much. You will be blessed.

Jean Stockdale is such a Godly example of what a mom should be. I love how Jean incorporates her own life experiences as a mom as well as God's word to teach. I recommend this to any mom or expectant mom. It is very insightful and uplifting.

The author's sense of humor from her own experiences as a mom mixed with truths from God's Word make it an easy read. She shows how relevant and applicable the Word is to our every day lives as moms. She teaches how important it is to be a student of God's Word and how to pass that on to your "built-in disciples". Even those times you feel exhausted as a mother, she shows you how to run your race well and to finish strong. Excellent study! Would highly recommend to all moms!!!

I absolutely LOVED this Bible Study! What an encouragement for busy moms to give it all they've got for the sake of their children. I love the author's honesty about women's issues and transparency about her own life. I highly recommend it!

This is a beautiful book and I feel it is so wonderful for family caregivers who have just "gotten the call." It has so many personal insights and helpful tips, and I feel it gives a lot of strength and empowerment to caregivers. Please read this. You will be so glad that you did.

Beth has been there for all of us as the head of our "Caregiving" support group. Her experience and knowledge has helped us through, and her beautiful book has helped us know, why she is so caring of others. A must read for all CAREGIVERS.

Beth Witrogen McLeod's book Caregiving The Spiritual Journey of Love, Loss, and Renewal is a must read for any person taking care of an ill loved one, whether they are a child, spouse and/or aging parent. My interview with Beth revealed a strong woman with a fierce detrmination to help other caregivers make the most of a very painful situation. Beth includes her own personal journey along with the stories of hundreds of people she has met online in her chat groups or in person during her many public appearances in her incredible book. As the creator and editor of HotFlash! a woman's online perimenopause/menopause magazine and online support group, I have found women in the same place as Beth. She has described so well in her book the guilt, the pain, the sorrow and yes, at times, the joy of taking care of a sick loved one. In attempting to find hope and love in a truly difficult situation, Beth guides us to make good decisions not only for the person needing care but for the person herself. She pulls back the curtain on this often overlooked yet important topic.

This is a must read for anyone taking care of a loved one and for the rest of us who will one day be in these extraordinary shoes.

In an ideal world, we'd all have parents who we would want to help in old age, and it would be our honor to help them in their old age as they have helped us in our youth.

However, for the children of substance abuse parents and/or mentally ill patients the answers do not come easy. Things are much more complicated than simply finding a place to live, and deciding how much time you can spend with said loved one.

I'm not trying to over simplify, because all decisions dealing with older loved ones are difficult, but I was kind of hoping it would have given me more direction as to when its important to protect yourself as well. Its easy to get caught up in the caretaker role, feeling like a matyr without thinking about wheither or not this is the best desicion for you and your immediate family. Especially, if its puts you at risk for other health issues.

This is a fascinating book. I highly recommend it, although I was hoping it would have more concrete ideas for caring for an elder. I would recommend something like the Fourteen friends Guide to Eldercaring if you are looking for comcrete suggestions and a unique support group.

This book is an excellent way to introduce the LOA to your kids. It's a sweet story for any age -young and old- and reinforces the idea that we do have the ability to change our circumstances at any given moment. I enjoyed the story so much and feel the message is so important that I have given the book to my daughter's teacher. I am hoping it will become a message that she agrees is vital to share with everyone.

After years of reading "Notes from the Universe" and dozens of other spiritual philosophies, I found Dandelion to be a little oversimplified. It struck me as the perfect read for a pre-teen or teen who is struggling with life's meaning for the first time, or perhaps an adult who has never explored spirituality before. With the right audience, this book would be very enjoyable and insightful, but if you have strong experience in spirituality, buy it for a teen in your life instead.

Every child and every Adult should read this book. It is a beautiful story, wonderfully told of a little horse growing up. Just like little anyone growing up she is subjected to the pressures of life. Parental, peer, job/school pressure and it shows the reader beautifully how to cope with that pressure. Dandelion, goes from being a misfit. She starts of in the eyes of those around her, a weedy little Dandelion. But, along with her struggles she emerges as a wondrous flower in full bloom.
Every age group will benefit from reading this book...those of us who have forgotten the wonders of childhood, those still in childhood or adolescence it's a must for those going through it and finding it tough. A wonderful gift for Grandparents to give to their Grandchild. A Real GIFT!

Amazingly simple yet so deep, well written, fun yet moving story, with incredibly powerful, inspiring reminder of this truth so many of us had forgotten. Well worth the short time to read it! I have purchased 15 books to present to loved ones- the message is that profound, life changing, and yet simple once we begin to consciously think about it. Horse lovers will love the picture the story paints in their minds, yet non-animal people will still be able to identify to the characters and appreciate and comprehend the message just as much, too. Cannot say enough good about this book!!!!

Dandelion is a book for all ages. I think this is a wonderful book for those that have children to encourage them to follow their own path in life. I highly recommend this easy and quick read for the kid in you, regardless of age.

I had borrowed this book from a friend and had difficulty putting it down. I knew I had to order my own copy and I had four friends that I wanted to give a copy to. Tim Challies is a young man committed to knowing what the Bible actually says. He explains with clarity the need for us to seek with God's help to observe what the Bible says, to interpret it accurately and then to apply it to our lives. Those to whom I gave the book were just as enthusiastic and some of them have ordered copies for friends or family.

This book uses simple principles that every Christian should learn. I am now more confident in my discernment skills. Instead of being overwhelmed, I now at least know where to start when faced with theology questions.

In the flooded market of Christian book publishing, it is indeed rare for a book to truly break new ground. Rarer still is a book that breaks new ground in a clear and practical way on a topic that is important to the life of every follower of Christ.

And yet that is exactly what Tim Challies has done in this debut book. While we have multitudes of books on prayer, love, humility, obedience, and other aspects of our walk with Christ, there have been few that specifically and comprehensively deal with this other crucial aspect of Christian living: discernment.

Challies first calls us to the importance of discernment in our lives, as a mark of spiritual maturity and as a guard of the gospel. He next takes time to review the significant challenges to living a life of discernment in this culture, dealing specifically with internal, spiritual, and cultural influences.

From there he spends a chapter building a specific definition of spiritual discernment based on its use in the Bible. He defines discernment as "the skill of understanding and applying God's Word with the purpose of separating truth from error and right from wrong."

There is a chapter on discerning and judgement, which compares things which the Bible instructs us not to judge ("motives or the righteousness of other believers") vs. things the Bible commands us to judge (such as doctrine). From explaining that discernment is primarily concerned with the truth of God, he next moves onto a helpful chapter devoted to an overview of discernment as it applies to the will of God.

Chapter seven of the book looks at discernment as a spiritual gift, while chapter eight is devoted to the dangers of discernment when used improperly. Lastly, Challies describes the spiritual disciplines that equip us to develop discernment, and goes through a detailed practical example of discernment in action.

The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment really is a book for every believer, that lays out a solid foundation and a useful guide to becoming a more discerning Christian. I was personally challenged in reading this book to apply discernment as a more serious and systematic discipline in my own life. Highly recommended.

I have not finished the book yet but have read a lot of it. It has been extremely helpful to me, as I try to grow in my ability to discern. In today's world, there is so much that is false. Much of it is "just true enough to be dangerous" and it is easy to be taken in. I think it is imperative that we make a real effort to discern the truth in all things. Should be required reading for any Christian.

Tim Challies is one of the most respected Christian bloggers out there.

This book came highly recommended by Todd Friel on Way of the Master Radio. Wisdom and Discernment are very important to me (much more so now that I've read half of it book) and when I heard it recommended on WOTMR I knew I had to read it.

As I said I've only read half of it book so far but it's absolutely amazing and full of wonderful information that every true Christian needs to read. Discernment is so crucial especially in the world in which we live. You cannot be too trained to identify falsehood. And this fairly short book will pack a wallup of info.

I will be reading this book a few more times.

I read Embracing The Mystic Within and loved it! I could read this book over and over and never get tired of it! This book really makes you slow down and pay attention to everything around you and all of the signs that you never would have noticed before. I'd recommend this book to everyone.

A must read for anyone whoever wanted to know 'what it's all about', how to get it, or just maybe....I've had it all along. Spellbinding, captivating, enchanting and heart wrenching, Denise shares her journey with compassion, humor and sincerity. We all have the gifts within ourselves that Denise so candidly shares, and she is such a natural at bringing it out in all of us. She's a great teacher. This is a great 'how-to' book for anyone who wants to learn more about connecting with the spirit world and their angels.

Each of us have a Mystic within! "Embracing the Mystic Within" is a wonderful book to work with that can teach us how to discover our own spirituality! Denise explains the Spirit World, along with her experiences in a manner that is understandable and interesting. Thank you Denise for being an inspiration to all of us!

For lack of a better word I am a psychic. Denise's book hit a cord with me. But don't think that you have to be a psychic to enjoy this book, quite the contrary. "Embracing.." is an awesome starting point in the journey towards dusting the cobwebs off your psychic and spirituals gifts ( and we all have them). Connecting with spirit is normal and natural and Denise brings that point home with humor and grace. Bravo!

This book is a non-stop page turner. Denise explains how to explore the mystic within each one of us. As a devout Roman Catholic, I was a little afraid to read the book, but knowing that Denise has a deep spiritual faith and after attending one of her seminars, I am no longer afraid. She is truly gifted and teaches the reader how to search deep inside to bring out their own given powers. The angels are ever present and she constantly confirms this. The way Denise has written the book makes it so easy to follow and understand, and leaves the reader wanting more. I plan to read it again and again! Every word in this book is kind and gentle, just like Denise. She presents a formula for living life to it's fullest making the reader aware of all things, great and small bringing about the realization that no matter who we are, we all have a Mystic Within.

I was given a copy of this book many years ago..it sat on a shelf for a number of years before one day I picked it up and started to read it. It is one book both men and women should read. I have given it as gifts at least 60 times and just recently purchased 3 more for gifts. It truly hits the soul...if you want to do something for "yourself"...read it!! You won't be sorry.

It's a great description of the Spritual Cure.... but we never analyze what was wrong in the first place... it's a type of Narcissism which in her case comes into conflict with her religious values and forced her to develop her spritual walk as a cure.

And it's a good cure, often overlooked because we neglect to name the Beast thats at the core.So the spiritual cure goes untried.

"Everyday Sacred; A Woman's Journey Home" by Sue Bender is a book about the author's spiritual journey while living amidst the Amish. Bender highlights that each day, and the 'everyday' within each day is sacred. There are many opportunities to experience sacred encounters in one's life, by focusing on appreciation of simplicity and the little things in life such as enjoying a warm cup of tea or noticing the beauty of flowers in your garden. All in all 'Everyday Sacred' offers clarity, optimism and hope amidst our modern world that is all too often hectic and stressful. What I enjoyed most about 'Everyday Sacred' is that reading the book really did take me on an experiental journey into the sacred; most remarkable! Congratulations Sue Bender on writing such an inspiring and successful book.

If you like 'Everyday Sacred' then you'll love NEXUS by Deborah Morrison and Arvind Singh, a successful, new age debut novel, an absorbing guide to the dazzling universe of spirituality in terms of life's joys and sorrows. NEXUS enriches our understanding of heart-centered, soulful living, enlightenment and compassion. All over the planet people of all faiths and backgrounds are suddenly experiencing an intense attraction for the wisdom and knowledge of NEXUS, a book that has already achieved top 100 status on several bestsellers lists! Nexus: A Neo Novel

After witnessing the recent horror (school massacre) inflicted upon the Amish community, "Everyday Sacred" is a timely reminder that they and the human spirit will endure.

It reminds us to ask not what we lack, but to appreciate, daily, what we already have. My favorite quote from the book is: "Don't try for perfection. Trying to be good enough will be plenty."

I am giving it my highest recommendation because it is more than good enough - it is a spell-binding read!

Reginald V. Johnson, Author, "How To Be Happy, Successful And Rich"

This book fell into my lap at a time when I was "most ready" to hear it, so my review may be tainted. It was so inspirational to me, and I absolutely loved the analogies and word pictures that Sue Bender used. I refer to those illustrations in my mind nearly every day. I use this book as my nightstand "go to book" when I need a spiritual pick-me-up. It is beautiful, articulate, and powerful. I have sent copies to nearly everyone I know because I believe anyone and everyone, no matter what your spiritual beliefs are, can benefit from Ms Bender's eloquent writing.

This devotional is a gem. I thought all devotionals were about the same. This one is invaluable for me. He hits the target every time. He chooses a scripture and expounds on it so eloquently and wisely. I am blessed each time I read it. I hate to start my day without it.

Easy to read. Brings me to Gods word daily.I really like Henry Blackabys quote If we walk with HIM closely today, we will be in the center of HIS will tomorrow.

I am very glad I purchased this little devotional. Even though each devotional is very brief, they are always very thought provoking and challenge me in at least one area in which I need to be challenged. Each one is scripture based and not just an inspirational story from someone's life and I like that. My only problem with it is that the print is quite small and not as easy to read as I would like; however, I llike the compact size of the book so that is the trade-off.

This is a wonderful, thought provoking, inspiring devotional. We love it!!
So many times , we read just the PERFECT thing on exactly the day we need to hear it !!!

I am about halfway through this devotional. Over the time I've been reading it, I have continually felt condemned and have questioned some of the things written in here. I've brushed them aside until now, thinking that if I feel condemned there is probably good reason and that I shouldn't just read "encouraging" devotionals.

However, I must disagree with the one of the statements in this book, that "there should never be dry spells in the Christian life" - April 23. That was kind of the last straw for me. Throwing out blanket statements about what "should" or "should not" be in a Christian's life is very dangerous thinking. Also, saying that dry spells do not exist ignores about half of the Psalms and all of the book of Job. This book continually states that most or every problem in the Christian life is most likely brought on by something you are doing or not doing. I disagree with that statement and believe that God sometimes withdraws the "feeling" of His presence to test our faith. That is not to say He withdraws Himself or isn't with us, but no one can deny that sometimes we just cannot feel Him.

There is some great stuff in this devotional, but I must say I do not look forward to reading it everyday. If anything it has taught me to question what religious leaders say and to make my own opinions about what I believe is true. Read carefully, and decide for yourself.

This short book is an excellent source for meditation, or just general spiritual reading. Behrens uses events and common items to create a jumping off point for his short reflections on, of which, all is useful whether you are an "aspiring Monk" or not. He is very good at taking the everyday and making it uncommon.

The book was well written and came from the author's heart. It offers peace and healing to those who are stressed and in need of the calming hand of God.

GRACE IS EVERYWHERE is a collection of short essays by Trappist monk James Stephen Behrens. Trappists are Catholic monks who follow the Rule of St. Benedict living most of their religious lives in one place, believing that while the mystery of God is great, very often God can be found in the simplest of places and situations. Life has a certain pattern and a regular schedule of work and prayer is the stuff of Trappist life. Behrens, who worked in parish ministry prior to joining the order, takes basic daily events of life, many rather routine, and shows ways that God can be found in a variety of situations. The essays contain insights Behrens gained from his life in parish ministry as well as his training in the traditions of the Trappists. The essays and stories are meant to help the reader find God at work in the daily events that we all experience. An added bonus of the book would be the personal touches found in Behrens' writings. Throughout the reflections he shares bits and pieces of himself, his life, musings on family and friends and the like which helps readers see that while Behrens may live a life that is cloistered, his joys and struggles, successes and failures are not unlike those of so many others and we find not so much a spiritual guru as much as a companion.

James Stephen Behrens writes with disarming simplicity and unerring poise. He sees the wonder of life in the tiniest detail; like all true artists, nothing is lost on him. And his gift is to share that with his readers in these short, sweet meditations about life in and around his monastery in Georgia. The people he meets, the wonder he encounters, the miracles he enjoys -- all are beautifully filtered through his pen.

Grace is everywhere, and so is God, and we have Behrens to thank for reminding us of that, again and again.

On my many retreats to Monastery of the Holy Spirit, I've received God's gift of grace through the community of brothers. Fr. Behren's "Grace is Everywhere" allows us to look into the cloister life, and bring monastic grace all the way home.

For another title on monastic spirituality, a book written specifically for parents and families, look at "The Family Cloister: Benedictine Wisdom for the Home", by David Robinson (New York: Crossroad, May 2000).

This is masterfully written, solid, proven, best of the best, based on Scripture and years of God confirming His Word with signs following,just as He promised in His Word. The proverbial Philadelphia lawyer could not have laid out a more airtight case. Don't miss it. I sent a copy to a friend just diagnosed with cancer. He could not thank me enough.

I highly recommend this book for anyone , especially for those who need Physical or Spiritual Healing.

I am enjoying the book as a bibile study with my church. The book is easy to follow and understand.

A great book! If you only half believe that Jesus wants to heal you, read this book. If your faith in divine healing is wavering, read this book. One of the best ever written on this subject.
If you want to balance it with someone else's teaching, grab The Real Faith for Healing by Charles S Price and read that as well.

This was a life changing book for me, as were FF Bosworth "Christ the Healer" and Norvel Hayes "How to Live and Not Die". I actually read the latter two first. While reading the scriptural teachings in those two books, I received healing and cancelled a scheduled surgical consult. While reading the scripture in "Healing the Sick," I received healing again from a different condition. Praise His Holy Name!

The latter two books are available on audio tape or CD.

A foundation from the Bible and the Holy Spirit, with the combination of teachings in these books, along with Kenneth E. Hagin Sr, Kenneth Copeland, and Keith Moore (all his are free on his website) have been invaluable healing resources for me. I pray you are blessed as well. Peace to you.

I picked this book up after leafing through it a bit, and what I found intrigued me to buy it. It's an interesting journey through life and growth, offering insight along the way. "The Laws of Spirit" can be read quickly, but should be savored for its rich content. Our life is always open to transformation, and only we have the power to fully direct that transformation. All life is a journey, and this books helps lay it out in simple terms to achieve balance in life. Elaine Williams

I came across this little book completely by accident (fate?) in a bookcase/library of about 800 books while renting a house for a few weeks scouting locations for my company. I was at a very low point in my life and this book taught me a new way of looking at almost every detail. This particular Dan Millman book shows you how we make life so much more difficult than it has to be. I have purchased and given away almost 40 copies of this book to friends, family, and sometimes to people I have just met or barely know that seem lost or overwhelmed with life. Suggestion: Find a spot that is special to you to sit back and absorb this book...it's an easy "short read" and I hope it speaks to you as it has to me and many others.

This book is short and to the point. The problem is that once you have the tools in this book, can you apply them. That seems to be my downfall. Another good guide book out there by my favorite author.

This book is one of my all time favorites. I have bought over 40 copies of this book and given them to friends (many of them in turn told me they bought copies of this book for friends and family). If you want to give a gift that will be appreciated, give this book as a gift!

I have reread this book several times!

I was not expecting such a moving book when I just picked it up at the book store. It is full of life long daily formulas to live by and share.
I have recommeded it to many people.