Spirituality Books

I love this book! It was highly recommended to me and I know why. Reading Donna's story was like seeing a reflection of my own experience of entering midlife.

The more I read, the more I love Donna's work. I'm just getting into the juicy parts now about self-love and self-blessing.

Thank you Donna for helping me to recognize the Queen I've become.

As the founder of Women of Intentions:Ordinary Women Making an Extraordinary Difference and Vicki Fox Productions, my mission for the last six years has been empowering myself and other women. As our culture and society has changed, entering our middle years has been relatively uncharted territory. God bless Donna Henes and her powerful book.

Telling her life story, she has written that middle age is a profound time of loss -- experiencing the loss of our youthful beauty, our parents, our children becoming adults, losing our spouses through divorce or death. Yet despite this time of "letting go" she informs and reminds us that most women report never being happier. What a breath of fresh air for those of us at the beginning of the journey.

I recommend this book to all women. Donna relates personal experiences and gives us exercises to get in touch with how to live the second half of our lives with "moxie, meaning and magic."

I am 50 something, and eagerly looked forward to this book. Initially I was disappointed. It seems to get off to a slow and self aggrandizing start on the part of the author. Also, as a book written for women in middle age, the color and size of the font is perplexing - especially the script used for the poems scattered liberally throughout. I frequently would have to take off my glasses (that already have a bifocal) and hold the book up to my face to be able to read them. However, I stuck it out and was well rewarded. She speaks to us middle-age women in a new, open and refreshing way. Her suggestions for claiming our "queenhood" are insightful, fun and expanding. It is a fresh start for us facing all the changes - physical, emotional and mental - that we encounter as we enter this phase of our lives. Well worth the price of admission!

If I were to recommend three books to a friend in need of some reassurance that is - truly - great to be a woman, and even finer to be a woman pushing fifty or beyond, this triad would be "The Queen of My Self" by Donna Henes, along withThe Woman in the Shaman's Body: Reclaiming the Feminine in Religion and Medicineand The Woman's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets. Well, I'd have to add The Wisdom of Menopause: Creating Physical and Emotional Health and Healing During the Change.

I am writing this during the breaking news of the unearthed mummy of the Queen of Egypt - a woman who died in her fifties. The "alpha female" of the ancient world, the newscaster blares. It is delightful to hear about a woman ruler (and it is great that she was fifty and not some maiden queen). But this review is about a book about women ruling none other than herself. And that is far more important a discovery than the mummy.

"The Queen of My Self" is unusual and counter to the culture. There are not many books that contradict the idea that life is essentially over for a woman of "a certain age". Partly it is due to lingering taboos. There are self-help books that "help" us defy our stage, fend it off or conceal it. These books are not empowering, because it is a lie and we know it, it fools no one, so they feeds the terror. We may feel invisible, but why? We are everywhere. And we are full of power, but we may not know it or recognize it. Mostly we disappear from imagery and stories in books and films, though in reality we run society (even if not compensated for it). Though rising in our eroticism, we vanish as erotic beings, and we are pressured to dye our hair and insist we mostly bake cookies - trapped in the Mother archetype - if we dare to be actual queens of the land. So much of our creative energy seems to be wasted on hiding what we are slowly - irrevocably - becoming. This has got to be as destructive to one's self esteem as racism.

Donna Henes comes to the rescue! She is a rift healer, a paradox mender. A soul retriever. It is fitting that she is also a professional celebrator of celestial seasons - for we humans also have our seasons, and she celebrates our long autumnal glory. Life isn't just Spring, Summer, and Winter, but somehow the Autumn and its bounty got skipped. Henes bridges this immense gap.

As I passed forty and began to grow out of the Mother (Summer), I knew the looming Crone archetype (Winter)did not fit me or define me, and speculated that this image arose when most women were dead by fifty, or at least toothless and wasted (as you can see in women of many poor agricultural countries today). "The Crone" did not describe my midlife friends; it didn't describe my mother when she turned a robust, imperial seventy. It really only described my great grandmother of 105. The decay aspects of the Crone seemed to have been dreamed up by men - and probably women - afraid of their mortality and projecting death onto the Feminine. Carl Jung didn't help. The Crone was an outmoded archetype - and I decided to not take it on. I would create and live my own archetype, and categories be damned.

That can be a lonely hermit road though. As Henes shows, part of the dilemma of this stage is we often isolate ourselves to process the transformation, and this isolation can make us feel we are going it alone. For women, erstwhile social creatures, that can be especially strange. Turns out, I am in good company in my "ruminations and regenerating". Uncannily (well, she is a shaman)Henes sent me her book at the time when I most needed some external sisterly affirmation, and explanation of, and highly accurate description of the amazing psychic journey I have been on.

I gladly embrace the Queen archetype: I am Queen of my Self - if not of the Land! This is not about power over others - it is about power of oneself and power over highly destructive confusing imagery and stereotypes.

Henes exactly describes what I have been going through and mulling over. Here is a favorite "aha" quote:
"Despite the rude awakening, the unsettling physical and emotional chaos of midlife and all its frightful, presumed ramification, an amazing number of women find this stage to be the most personally fulfilling and satisfying one of their lives so far...Just what are we to make of this apparent feeling among so many women that we believe ourselves to be better off once we have lost possession of the very characteristics and trappings that society seems to value in us -- our sexual allure and childbearing capabilities?".
Pleasurable, iconoclastic, great writing, great wisdom (from someone not yet a Crone), bold vitality: This book will be valued companion for me in the years to come.

Lesley Thomas, author of
Flight of the Goose

I looked forward to my 50th birthday with more joy and anticipation than any other birthday in my adult life. There was just one problem: Traditionally, women have identified age 50 and menopause as the time when they segue from Mother to Crone. But I didn't feel like a Crone! I still loved to hike in the woods, ride my bicycle, play with paints and clay and toys.

Then I met Donna Henes and read her book, "Queen of Myself." It was one of those rare, "Aha" moments for me. Here, at last, was a woman who understood the old archetypes were outdated; that menopausal women in this millennium are still vibrant and full of life. Smart, yes; wise, well....maybe in another few years.

Henes explains how the idea of the three stages of a woman's life--Maiden, Mother, Crone--are not, as often thought, the faces of the triple goddess. Rather, they are the creation of a man, a man who clearly feared the strength, power, and bohemian spirit so prevalent in today's midlife woman.

She offers lots of fun and fanciful ways to celebrate Queendom, from rebirthing and coronation ceremonies to personal affirmations and chants. And she doesn't do this from an impersonal distance. Henes bares her soul, talking about her own path to Queendom, writing in such an intimate manner the reader feels like the book is a personal letter from the author to her, and her alone.

Read this book. Give this book to every woman you know who is a Queen, or is approaching Queendom. Then, pour yourself a delicious bubble bath, a glass of wine or cup of soothing tea, put a crown on your head--one you've made yourself, of course--slip into the tub, and sing, "Hail to the Queen!"

You deserve it.

A very good personal develpment aid. Integrates a psychodynamic, buddhist and humanistic approach. As a psychiatric nurse I work hard to provide groups for people who are looking for ways forward and feel desolate and lost. This CD helps me live and helps me help others too.

Very insightful and useful. Tara's voice is very soothing and I found her excercises enlightening. If you have self acceptance issues, and are ready to face yourself with all of your doubts and insecurites, I definately would suggest buying this Audio Book.

This book is brilliantly written by a therapist with great depth and kindness. As a Buddhist for over 20 years I applaud her presentation of Buddhist beliefs and as a person training to be a psychotherapist, she has given me lofty goals. My meditation practice will be far stronger.

Thank you Tara for sharing so much of your heart....wonderful job.

Danny O'Neill

Lot of people suffer from self hatred inspite of so much material progress..The refreshing and stimulating approach of Tara sees the fundamental problem of suffering. It offers great approach to NOT rate the Self and 'accept things the way they are' without judgement. Then we are better equiped to not hate ourselves. Self-improvement is myth although behaviour can be altered with acceptance.
Contemporary approach worth listening to for problem of self-hatred by Buddhist Psychologist.

Tara's gentle, soothing voice makes this a great CD to own. The companion book, Radical Acceptance, teaches the wisdom of understanding the self and appreciating the present.

I have turned away from pictures of swollen-bellied starving children.

It's not that I don't care. It's that I care so much.

I've helped emotional basket cases until I couldn't tell where they ended and I began and I had to step away to save my own sanity.

I made eye contact with a two or three-year-old-girl one day. I watched her walk down the hall and smile over her shoulder until she disappeared around the corner. My heart broke for her because her little face was dirty and her adult seemed harsh. I still pray for that child, years later, and my eyes still fill with tears.

My friend just surrendered an eleven-month-old foster baby back to the conditions into which it was born. A mother who has no children though she's given birth eight times. An addict who was clean for four months and therefore earned her right to a child she poisoned with drugs.

To say that Red Letters - a Faith that Bleeds sucker punched me is an understatement. I didn't want to read the statistics of pandemics and poverty. I live so far away. What can I do for those dying in Africa and India when I can't seem to make a difference in my own neighborhood?

But Tom Davis tells the truth without leaving bleakness and hopelessness behind. Little steps towards help and healing are all it takes. After presenting the history and the medical details of AIDS and extreme poverty, Tom then encourages and charges believers in Jesus to offer cups of water and mercy to the "least of these."

I appreciated the practical help options and I appreciated Tom's charge.

If you have someone who is difficult to buy gifts for then buy them this book and make a donation on their behalf.

Red Letters -- with a little work -- could be a great small group/youth group discussion piece. Make Red Letters a building block for a learning project -- try something like looking into the provided medical and historical information regarding AIDS and then making it personal. Assign each person in the group to bring a local story and then as a group do something about them. Or decide as a group to begin a weekly five hour fast and/or one less pop or coffee purchase then pool your money and "adopt" a child or ministry. Take it outside of church. Why not start a "healing" fund at work. Maybe those who are involved could take turns making treats from Fair Trade products, selling them, and sending the proceeds to an organization. There are additional suggestions in the back of the book. Selling products made in a third world country to help supplement income is one of the options.

I'd suggest Red Letters to anyone who is sick and tired of feeling selfish, or who is disgusted with a society made up of millions of people who are out for Number 1.

Warning: This is a heavy, but quick and well-written read, and it will leave readers feeling convicted.

Davis wondered what the world would look like if we all chose to do something to help others. As I watch out my window at the falling snow I can't help but realize that one tiny, unique snowflake falling from the sky, mixing with other unique snowflakes, within hours, even minutes changes the face of a neighborhood. Couldn't one good decision after another mix into a warm blanket of love and charity that can change the world? I think so. If you do too, then start today.

This is a book that will really open your eyes to the rest of the world and how it all relates to us. It reminds us how Jesus served and what being like Jesus really means today.

A child becomes an orphan every 14 seconds because of AIDS.

The number of children orphaned by AIDS is expected to exceed 25 million by 2010.

With these realities, someone is desperately needed to "stand in the gap" (Eze 22:30) on behalf of Christ's church for the children and adults in the world suffering with HIV/AIDS, especially those affected most in Africa. Author and President of Children's Hopechest, Tom Davis, has answered this call. In his book, RED LETTERS: Living a Faith That Bleeds, effectively persuades all of Christ's followers to be Jesus' hands and feet to our neighbors effected by HIV/AIDS in Africa and around the world and provides practical steps on how each follower of Christ can begin to do this. In RED LETTERS, Tom Davis beautifully captures and portrays God's heart for the poor and oppressed, namely those living with HIV/AIDS in Africa, and what it means for those who confess to be Christ-followers to live out their faith by being Christ to the hurting world. Through his gift of storytelling, Tom brings the reader into the lives of those suffering because of HIV/AIDS. Tom builds a bridge by helping the reader relate to those suffering, by putting faces, names and stories on individuals who were once merely seen as statistics. Being confronted with the reality of the enormity of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, it is easy to become overwhelmed and frozen by not knowing where to start ministering. Tom clearly gives the reader practical ways to help and minister to the children, women and men in Africa and around the world who are suffering because of HIV/AIDS.
I was deeply moved, encouraged, inspired and empowered by RED LETTERS. Just like Tom's other book, Fields of the Fatherless, I am sure I will use RED LETTERS time and time again in my ministry to orphans. I enthusiastically recommend every Christian read this book and then give it to a friend to read. RED LETTERS will inspire and empower you to see Christ in others and, by living the words of Jesus, become His hands and feet to your neighbors, those suffering because of HIV/AIDS in Africa, the orphan, the widow, the stranger and those living right next door. Please purchase this book (by purchasing it you will feed and orphan for a month), read it, and live the words of Christ.
[...].

Social concern is a hot topic these days. Fires seem to be burning in the hearts of men and women who are tired of injustice and who seek to make this world a better place. Author Tom Davis invites us to join him on his own journey of living life as Jesus would, reaching out to widows, orphans, and the poor. Davis reminds us that we are to be "doers" of the Word, not only hearers.
This book is powerful. It's definitely not a "feel good" book, but after reading it you will be called to change for lifestyle...not only for your own benefit, but for the good of others.

I really liked this very readible, convicting yet practical book. With heart-wrenching stories Davis shines the spot light on the devastation surrounding the issues of world poverty and the HIV/AIDS pandemic. His message to the church is that the gospel is not just to be read, but it is to be lived. Furthermore, there is absolutely no excuse for the church to not step up to the task. He writes:

"Poverty has many faces and none of them is pretty. Consider these difficult-to-comprehend facts: 1.2 billion people are estimated to live on less than one dollar per day, and almost 3 billion on less than two dollars per day. Do the math: That's 3.9 billion of the 6.5 billion people who live in our world.

Doesn't it seem ridiculous to you that billions of people are living in poverty? With all our wealth, all our technology, and all our resources, why haven't we solved this problem? Almost 2.5 million children die every year because of malaria. Hello? We have medicine that kills malaria. It's cheap. It's easy to transport. Yet, we aren't doing what it takes to get the medicine to the people who need it. Here's a surprising and disturbing truth about poverty that really ticks me off: It's preventable."

In regards to AIDS, which Davis calls the "greatest crisis" he states the following:

"Experts tell us World War II killed 62 million people. Even with all of the advances in medicine, AIDS continues on a path to eclipse that number, having already killed 25 million people since the first case in 1981. The UN estimates that 39.5 million people are now living with HIV. Of that total, 4.3 million were new infections in 2006. There were 2.9 million AIDS deaths in 2006, the highest number reported in any year. How do you describe a crisis like this? Catastrophic? Disastrous? Devastating? Words just can't paint an accurate picture of what this disease is doing to our world. Dr. Peter Piot, the executive director of UNAIDS, said, "Countries are not moving at the same speed as their epidemics." Without rapid improvements, the pandemic will only worsen, the officials said. This is the greatest crisis humanity has ever faced."

Davis doesn't leave the topics of poverty and AIDS without some specific ways to get involved. "Taking a step of faith can rescue someone from poverty, provide life-saving medicine for a person suffering from AIDS, or offer an educational opportunity otherwise unavailable to a school-age child."

In the last chapter of Red Letters Davis shares 5 things every person can do to help the 50 million people in our world suffering from HIV/AIDS. Here's how it works:

Give 5 minutes a day to pray for those suffering from HIV/AIDS.
Give 5 hours a week to fast for those suffering from HIV/AIDS.
Give 5 dollars a month to the Five for 50 Fund and support worthy causes.
Give 5 days a year to travel overseas & help alleviate poverty & suffering.
Give 5 people an opportunity to join you on your journey.

You can learn more about what you and your church can do at www.fivefor50.com

I have purchased Steve Murray's Books, DVD's, CD's and Stones. I review them frequently and every time I do, my experience travels deeper. I have recently performed Reiki on people in New Hampshire, Alaska, California and Pennsylvania. I have also performed Reiki on a client from Aftganistan, I was raised Catholic. The Universal Power has unlimited power, unlike we think here on Earth.

Cheryl Ploetner
Jasper, Indiana

Steve Murray's Ultimate Guide Vol. 4 is the icing on the cake. Very clear and concise, this book guides the reader through understanding the importance of removing psychic debris, finding root causes for issues in this lifetime, and retrieval of information that will help clear that root cause. Practical, easy to follow explanations and illustrations help the reader through relaxation techniques that allow one to get in touch with the Source.

If you're a seeker of knowledge, this book is for you. Whether it is Reiki, or past lives, you will learn great techniques in this book. We highly recommend this one, as the rest of Steve Murray's books and DVD's. Well done.

I've just recently started to become interested in Reiki and was referred by a family member to the books and dvd's authored by Steve Murray.

I've just read "The Ultimate Guide Vol. 4" and found it very informative and the book is clearly written and the diagrams are vivid and easy to follow.

A real must read for those interested about Past Lives.

Steve Murray's Reiki books are well worth purchasing, whether you are a beginner wishing to learn, or an intermediate student looking for reference material. His detailed instructions and lavish photo demonstrations of the various attunements and techniques are invaluable for those who don't want to memorize or can't remember something they've been taught in a weekend class.

The attunement DVDs are a wonderful low cost way to receive the attunements, especially for those who are not intending to go into Reiki as a business, but simply want to learn how to do Reiki for themselves, family and friends. My personal belief, based upon my own experience is that long distance attunements do work. I've been doing Reiki for myself and for those near and dear to me. I feel the success of the treatments is vouched for by the number of people who've been referred to me.

I appreciate Steve's attitude that the actual healing is the important thing, and that lineage and apprenticeship to a Reiki Master should take a back seat to that. Some people do need that sort of structure and instruction, and that's fine. Those so inclined should definitely pay the money and take a class to receive their attunements. Personally, I already had a background in Therapeutic Touch and Crystal healing, & I view Reiki as an enhancement of what I was already doing.

I found Steve Murray's books and DVDs valuable, & I'm pleased with his maverick view of a subject which should be allowed to grow and evolve, lest Reiki fall prey to too much ceremony and institutionalism.

I had taken Reiki Level 1 and Level 2 from a Reiki Master in Sedona, AZ, and felt that I wanted to further my Reiki education, but didn't know where to start. I had questions about Reiki that my Reiki Master couldn't answer, and so, I didn't feel confident to go out into the world and practice Reiki in a professional setting. I knew that clients would ask me questions that I, like my Reiki Master, wouldn't be able to answer. So, I prayed for guidance and asked to be directed to someone who could help me.

Not long after my prayer, I found Steve Murray purely by accident. I had gone into a bookstore in Sedona, AZ and on a shelf in front of me was his "Reiki Psychic Attunement" DVD. I was a little skeptical at first, since my Reiki Master had told me that attunements needed to be received in person, but something about his creative use of Reiki intrigued me, so I purchased the DVD, along with Steve's "Reiki Healing Attunement" DVD, and I still can't believe the results I received!

I received such powerful attunements from his DVD's!! I had always been psychic with natural healing abilities, but his attunements seemed to amplify my skills even more! I began having consistent clairvoyant visions after taking his "Reiki Psychic Attunement" DVD, and I received almost instant healing of some stress related conditions, I had been dealing with for some time, shortly after taking his "Reiki Healing Attunement", from his DVD. The results I received were nothing short of miraculous! I definitely knew then that there was power in his DVD attunements! And that attunements didn't have to be taken in person in order to be effective!

So, I purchased all the rest of his DVD's and Books and have never been disappointed!! His Books are written so clearly and concisely that anyone, no matter what their educational background can understand them . Steve is very generous with the wealth of information he provides in both his Books and his DVD's , and when I was finished (reading his books and taking his attunements) I truly felt I had finally attained a solid foundation from which to practice Reiki professionally.

I ended up finishing my Reiki Master with Steve Murray, and I truly feel it's the best decision that I have ever made! All my questions about Reiki have finally been answered through his Books and DVD's and I feel so grateful to have found him!

If you are interested in Reiki education, there is no better person to work with than Steve Murray! I have read many, many Reiki authors and there is no one that comes close! I am convinced, that the results you'll receive, from Steve Murray's Reiki Books and DVD's, will truly astound you! As they have truly astounded me! I don't care what anyone says, distance attunements really work!!!

My dream has been, for sometime now, to practice Reiki professionally, but I was afraid to, because I didn't feel I had all my questions answered. I didn't feel I had a solid foundation from which to work from, but now, because of Steve Murray's Books and DVD's, I feel that I finally have the knowledge and confidence necessary to succeed! Steve Murray's Reiki Books and DVD's have truly made my dream a reality! And for that, I will be forever grateful to him!

Whether your goal is to work professionally with Reiki, or to use it to heal and enhance your everyday life, you can't go wrong with Steve Murray's Books and DVD's. They are truly worth the investment! I know I will be referring to them for reference, and reinforcement, for many years to come! God bless Steve Murray!

This book has been out of print for over a year now. However, a new edition will be published in December 2008 under the title Neopagan Rites: A Guide to Creating Public Rituals that Work now available here at Amazon.com.

A wonderful resource for anyone who wishes to expand their rituals to more than just preaching to the choir. Bonewits gives lots of tips on how to incorporate the "audience" into the ritual in order to make it a meaningful experience for all present.

The information given on raising energy & why it is done sparked a nice discussion / debate within our coven on why we have ritual and what we give back to our deities & community.

The chapters on props & costumes is wonderful and something that I had overlooked prior to reading this book.

Since our coven has a disabled member the information on making the rituals more accesible was wonderful.

At last, a book on the subject that covers every aspect of ritual: concept, construction, composition, performance and review. For many years I have read tomes on Ritual only to find that it had omitted key aspects and considerations, let alone the absence of proper structure.

Rites of Worship starts with a clear definition of terms and concepts and then proceeds with a challenge to the task, then breaks down every step with a review of even more detail. At times Isaac prints the obvious (make sure you have wheel chair access, make sure that you have an alternative to alcohol for those that have issues with it and so on) however other insights such as understanding mana and its flow are breath taking.

The book is clearly targeted toward Neopagans in that there are several comparisons between mainstream religion and the New Movement. If you come from a monotheistic background, you might find some of the subject matter uncomfortable, perhaps even insulting. However for those that are true scholars (and used to reading opinions that differ from their own), they will find gems embedded within these pages.

The final section: 12 Afterwards holds a true gem: a challenge to do better and to take criticism as a blessing for improvement. In fact, one of the main emphases of the test is the importance of making ritual better, there by improving one's relationship with the Gods.

For those that are working a path towards Pagan Clergy, have been a function Priest(ess) and need a refresher or perhaps interested in strengthening their understanding of Ritual in general and religion (and it's purpose) as a whole, I strongly recommend this read. No third degree anything should pass this one over.

-Kirk McLaren
Amulets by Merlin

Isaac Bonewits is just about the only person who can write a book like this and the theory and practice WORKS! With his years of experience and studying various Pagan traditions, he really knows his stuff.
If you are like me when I read this book, I thought that my style of ritual was one of the best and it may be able to be done differently and still be successful- but not much better. WRONG!! Isaac takes readers through the stages of ritual and precisely describes each one in everyday language without being redundant. He explains why each step is done- without saying or believing that his way is the only way of doing things.
He goes through every factor that can positively or negatively affect public liturgy. He describes different ways of dealing with all factors and then states his preference and why.
When it comes down to putting the theory into practice, if you follow the template he recommends, and fill it in with your own groups personalization, you will have a hard time going wrong! My groups rituals have improved greatly since using his method. I had the privilege of taking a workshop of the same name by Isaac himself. When he went through the process with the workshop participants, the process of writing and creating a ritual was so easy! Again, if the template is followed, creating a spiritually successful liturgy is much simpler than it seems.
If you: plan to lead/create liturgy, are already creating liturgy, part of a group/circle that creates liturgy (especially public)- Then this book is ESSENTIAL!
Five Pentacles, point up, for Isaac and RITES OF WORSHIP!

Some people seem to know how to create and lead effective group rituals, but ask them how they do it and chances are they can't put it into words the way this book does. I've read many books about ritual, and some of them are very good, but this book gets to the real heart of the matter - how to get to that indescribable place the a good ritual takes you to. Every ritualist needs this book. Your rituals need never fall flat again! :)

One of the Pagan groups I belong to, Agave Spirit Grove, is having a monthly discussion group regarding this book. I think this is a great way to help increase the effectiveness of a group that works together in a ritual setting.

One thing I like about Isaac Bonewits is that he doesn't expect anyone to agree 100% with his opinions and observatons. Even if you have many different points of view, you will find something useful in Rites of Worship.

This book will really help you know and understand the different types of worship that people experience. Like the "love languages" many have learned about, I would say this explains the various "worship languages".

This book is valuable in both self discovery and in communicating with other Christians. When speaking with others they give clues to their dominate pathways thus, an insight of where they are 'coming from'.

If you are trying to find a way to connect better with God, then this little guide may point you in the right direction.

Thomas provides a keen analysis of the various pathways we use to relate to God. He also provides insights that all believers need if they are to be tolerant of other peoples pathways. This is a much needed resource for those experiencing a disconnect due to changing worship styles. Traditionalists can better understand those desiring a contemporary experience and "Contemporaries" would be well-served to seek understanding of the validity of the traditionalist's preferences.

Having already read Thomas' "Sacred Marriage," I had extremely high expectations for this book, and I would say that they were largely met. Gary Thomas manages to write in a style that is both intellectual and personal, challenging the reader to ponder at a deeper level than many Christian books while never allowing his style to seem distant or arrogant. It's a tricky balance, but Thomas manages to strike that balance.

"Sacred Pathways" sets out to establish the reality that Christians do not naturally connect to God in identical ways and that this is not only acceptable but part of God's plan. It's the type of message that many of us need to hear, as we play the dangerous game of comparing our spirituality to other esteemed believers and realizing that we don't measure up to them. Thomas instructs us to consider that we are not meant to try to mirror anyone else's walk with God. Rather, we need to identify how we have been created and head down that "sacred pathway" with all diligence to "cultivate and grow" our relationship with God.

Thomas managed to tell very personal stories from his own life about every one of the nine sacred pathways, while managing to explain which ones came more or less naturally for him. This articulates the crucial point that though we may be bent toward one pathway more so than another, none of us have the right to ignore any of these sacred pathways as somehow irrelevant in our lives.

One particularly commendable component of Thomas' writing is his respect for the history of the church, and he constantly refers to our spiritual predecessors to gather their thoughts from the past centuries on so many different topics. What a refreshing approach to contemporary Christian writing! How much richer would the spiritual vitality of the church be if we were able to better learn from the past two thousand years of collective wisdom and experience?

I look forward to reading more of Gary Thomas' books. I would recommend "Sacred Pathways" to any Christian interested in learning more about the diverse ways that God has created us to seek after Him.

One thing that keeps book reviewing an interesting task is the sheer variety of the books I am privileged to read. In the past month I've read biographies, theology and devotionals. I've read about marketing the church, reclaiming the church and new ways of doing church. And now I've read about singlehood, admittedly a topic I know little about. Because my wife and I began dating when I was eighteen and we married when I was twenty-one, I have difficulty relating to the situations of men and women who find themselves single or single again in their late twenties, early thirties and beyond. Because of this I assumed that Single Servings by Lee Warren would have little to offer me. But it turns out that I was wrong.

Single Servings is a devotional book targetted at single adults. Author Lee Warren ministers to singles as a columnist for Christianity Online. He has been published in several other publications and often travels to speaking engagements. He is well-qualified to write a book to challenge and encourage other singles.

I must admit that because my schedule did not allow me to spend 90 days on a single book, I read the entire book in just a couple of days. I felt afterwards like I had eaten 90 single servings in only a couple of sittings. While I enjoyed it, I know I would have been able to digest more of the book if I had been able to read it the way it was intended.

The book is divided into nine parts: Community, Completeness, Emotional Health, Physical Desires, Longing For Love, God's Timing, No Fair, Expectations and Embracing Life. Each of the 90 chapters follows a typical devotional format. It begins with a verse of the Bible and that is followed by the author's reflection. There are also five questions that help apply that day's text.

A chapter that especially caught my attention is one entitled "Our Spiritual Act of Worship," in which Warren discusses the satisfying of physical desires. He writes, "Why then do we as singles dwell on what we're missing? God's people have no rights over their bodies. We have no right to demand that our physical desires get met. God is happy to do so within the context of marriage, and someday he may choose to give us a spouse. But until then we can show our love for him by laying our physical desires on the sacrificial altar as an act of worship. And in so doing, we will experience the joy and contentment that always come from sacrifice" (page 95). Insights like that are as valuable to a married man as to a single man. There are plenty of similarly valuable reflections throughout the text.

There are a couple of areas I might suggest some improvement. I would liked to have seen some serious interaction with Paul's statement about those who are given the gift of celibacy and how these people differ from those who are single because God has not yet seen fit to bless them with a spouse. The author also writes quite often about hearing God or listening to God's voice, but without indicating whether this is to be done only through Scripture or whether he refers to hearing God's voice through subjective impressions and so on. Clarity in this matter would have been useful. An index of Bible passages would also be welcome for later reference. And while I'm putting together a wishlist, the gratuitous mention of Mother Teresa on the last page could also disappear without harming the book's impact.

I found this to be a valuable book, not only in edifying me, but also in helping me to understand the unique challenges faced by singles. Warren works well within a restrictive format. He is transparent without being exhibitionist, vulnerable without being whiny. He does not back down from presenting a serious challenge to single adults. At the same time, he does not offer them false hope or allow them to bemoan their condition. He rightly sees singlehood as an opportunity for great blessing and unrestricted service to the Lord. Singlehood, while it may be difficult, can and should be a great blessing to the church. And Warren clearly hopes that all singles who read his book will accept this challenge. I am happy to recommend this book.

The devotionals in this book lift you up and help you to realize, you really are not alone. So many churches aren't really addressing the issues of singles, but this book does not back off from any of them. I love the "Digging Deeper" questions into the Bible passages at the end of each devotion. If you are single, for whatever reason, or you know someone who is--this is the book. Get it.

I wish this book had been around when I was single. Warren's devotionals are insightful, thought-provoking, and above all, encouraging. It's tough to be single when you're surrounded by couples and families, but Single Servings points out that God's plan is perfect for everyone, and His timing is always the best. Highly recommended.

Lee Warren's Single Servings lives up to its subtitle as it filled this single's soul. While so many singles' books-even in the Christian market-are focused on finding your mate or becoming the perfect mate for someone in the future, Lee's focuses on our value as singles, our lives in the here-and-now, and how we in this season of singleness can live our lives to the fullest, complete in Christ.

From dealing with the longings we face and nosy relatives who question our marital status to being content as singles and allowing God to use us in amazing ways, Lee's book encouraged and inspired me to use this time for God's glory. Lee urges readers to not put their lives on hold for marriage, but to live life to its fullest where God has you right now! While I still pray for a future mate and family, I can honestly agree with the author's closing devotion-"I Like Being Single!" A must-read for Christian singles!

Lee Warren makes every word count in each of these power-packed devotionals for single adults. In a culture that questions people's singleness, this book is truly a gift to anyone whether they have chosen to remain single or are waiting for God's choice of a mate. Single Servings uses scripture, true-life stories, biblical examples, and thought-provoking questions, to help singles find their satisfaction in Christ.

Single Servings is one of the most relevant, well-written books on the market for single adults. Every single adult ministry needs to buy this book by the case to use for small group discussion or individual study.

I purchased several of these books to lead a spiritual formation group in my parish. The book has helped my people share their faith and their struggles in that faith. It has also introduced them to the concept of accountability, which is always good.

The only problem that I encountered is the tremendous amount of oral reading required for each lesson. Some of my folks are self-conscious about their reading skills and as you take turns reading, it can be laborioius. Other than that, I would highly recommend this workbook to anyone wanting to go deeper in their spiritual life.

Adding in the how to the why. This book is a great handbook to go along with Streams of Living Water.

Streams is a book that takes about the different "streams" of Christianity and provides references and information on those different streams.

This handbook brings out the how of each stream. Each chapter deals with a different stream and how to practice that stream. There are real live applications for you to use to become better immersed in the particular stream.

This is a great book for someone who is working on the spiritual formation and needs help in the direction of figuring it out. This is also a useful guide for a small group or Sunday School class who wants to review the history of the church and the many streams that make it up.

I really enjoyed the Charismatic stream and what it had to offer in terms of understanding spiritual gifts and also fruits of the harvest.

I've worked as a small group minister for years now, and I feel that this workbook is excellent for starting a group of established Christians. Each discussion is clearly mapped out with leader's instructions in the margins. Through the course six different aspects or facets of Jesus are presented, and almost no one is intimately familiar with all six, so it stands to minister to long time church goers. But the new Christian will be strengthened too.
Other Christian authors are writing about Jesus as presented by various denominations (like Brian McLaren and Philip Yancey)but this little book is very easy to use for generating discussions.
What I found most important is that each section ends with several exercises or disciplines to practice in the time between sessions. Group members will surely experience spiritual growth if they practice the disciplines.
Lastly, it ends with an invitation to continue on as a group, using what has been learned through the study as a format for continued group life.

This is a great resource for bringing more balance into your life. The book describes six ways of meeting God - Holiness, Charismatic, Contemplative, Social Justice, Incarnational, and Evangelical - and sometimes these words don't mean what you think they mean. The authors encourage the reader to broaden their relationship with and vision of God, and for me, I was able to see God working more powerfully, and in many more ways, than before.

What separates this small group guide from others is that it provides a framework for all future groups that actually contains concrete paths to real character transformation. That framework has some key components: (1) An emphasis on trying spiritual exercises in your everyday life, with plenty of ideas for exercises provided; (2) An emphasis on growing toward a balanced spiritual life, centered around 6 areas of spirituality: personal prayer, holiness, interaction with the Holy Spirit, compassion for others, gospel knowledge/sharing, and interweaving the sacred into the secular life; (3) Seeking spiritual growth in partnership with other believers who will encourage and listen to one another; (4) A non-judgmental, non-legalistic attitude.

The content of the studies is solid, based on the life of Jesus as He modeled for us the 6 areas of spiritual life. There are also well-thought out discussion questions that allow for deep reflection. There is virtually no prep time because each session is read through and discussed together.

I am currently going through this study for the second time with a larger group (15-25), and it works well even in the larger context, especially when we break up into smaller groups for some segments. I have heard from several people how great this study is. I believe that if churches used a framework like this one for their small groups, the Church of Jesus Christ would see an astonishing amount of fruit that would surprise the world.

"The problem we face today needs very little time for its statement. Our lives ... grow too complex and overcrowded ... in frantic fidelity we try to meet at least the necessary minimum of calls upon us. But we're weary and breathless. And we know and regret that our life is slipping away ... in guilty regret we must postpone till next week that deeper life of unshaken composure in the holy Presence, where we sincerely know our true home is, for this week is much too full" (89-90).

Originally published by Quaker author Thomas Kelly in 1941, these words from A Testament of Devotion have never been more applicable than today. We live in a time of unprecedented complexity and confusion. Our high tech culture is obsessed with novelties, gadgets and an endless variety of "time-saving" electronic devices. The world has never known a society with more leisure time on its hands, and yet, we are among the most chronically exhausted, stressed-out people on the planet. There must be a better way!

"For over the margins of life comes a whisper, a faint call, a premonition of richer living which we know we are passing by ... we have hints that there is a way of life vastly richer and deeper than all this hurried existence, a life of unhurried serenity and peace and power. If only we could slip over into that Center!" (92).

Thankfully, the author offers hope for those of us who continue to struggle against the forces that would keep us from "slipping over into that Center" of Divine Love, out of which we are enabled to love others as we have been loved by God. The hope Kelly offers us can be found not only in the words he writes, but in the life he, and others, lived. Citing the examples of prominent Quakers such as George Fox and John Woolman, Kelly highlights those traits that set these spiritual leaders apart as passionately devoted followers of Jesus Christ.

The greatest insight for me, however, came through my reading of the biographical memoir written by Kelly's close friend and colleague, Doug Steere, which is attached to the end of the book. Here we discover that living out of the Divine Center came late in life for this intellectually restless, professionally ambitious, Harvard-trained, Quaker scholar. According to Steere, the pivotal event took place sometime in the autumn of 1937, during which time "a new life direction took place in Thomas Kelly. No one knows exactly what happened, but ... a fissure in him seemed to close, cliffs caved in and filled up a chasm, and what was divided grew together within him" (118). A year later, following a summer visit among Friends in Germany, Kelly himself testified to Steere, "It is wonderful. I have been literally melted down by the love of God" (120).

Could it be that each of us is not so different from Thomas Kelly, not to mention George Fox, John Woolman and every other prominent spiritual leader who has gone before us? Could it be that the quickest way to the Divine Center is to recognize and renounce our tendency to live on the fringe of God's purpose for our lives? Could it be that the only way for the spiritual fissures in our lives to close is by allowing the retaining walls we have built up around our souls to cave in? Could it be that the best antidote for "frantic fidelity" is a "holy meltdown"?

Thomas Kelly's A Testament of Devotion is a nugget of solid gold, carefully refined in the furnace of God's purifying love. As such, it issues a call for each of us to surrender our own lives to this same holy fire, with deep confidence that the One who melts and molds us is utterly trustworthy and has our best interest in mind. In the process, we are relieved from the burden of "frantic fidelity" and we can find rest for our weary souls as we recognize that it is God's work, not ours, that will stand the test of time:

"Thus we have begun to live in guidance. And [we] find He never guides us into an intolerable scramble of panting feverishness ... for after all God is at work in the world. It is not we alone who are at work in the world, frantically finishing a work to be offered to God ... we need not get frantic. He is at the helm. And when our little day is done we lie down quietly in peace, for all is well" (100).

I bought this book (the original 1941 version) for 25 cents at a used book store. When I go through a day and find too many plates spinning with several threatening to fall and crash, this book never fails help me find a calmer place from which to work.

Here's two of my favorite passages:

"Our professional status, our social obligations, our membership in this or that very important organization, put claims upon us. And in frantic fidelity we try to meet at least the necessary minimum of calls upon us. But we're weary and breathless. And we know and regret that our life is slipping away, with our having tasted so little of the peace and joy and serenity we are persuaded it should yeild to a soul of wide caliber. The times for the deeps of the silences of the heart seem so few...

"We haven't been able to say No to them, because they seemed so important. But if we center down, as the old phrase goes, and live in that holy Silence which is dearer than life, and take our life program into the silent places of the heart, with complete openness, ready to do, ready to renounce according to His leading, then many of the things we are doing lose their vitality for us...There is a reevaluation of much that we do or try to do, which is done for us, and we know what to do and what to let alone."


I think that even the non-christian would find the book helpful and offer this quote as evidence of the open beauty of the the book:

"The Inner LIght, the Inward Christ, is no mere doctrine, belonging peculiarly to a small religious fellowship, to be accepted or rejected as a mere belief. It is the living Center of Reference for all Christian souls and Christian groups--yes, and of non-Christian groups as well--who seriously mean to dwell in the secret place of the Most High. He is the center and source of action, not the end-point of thought. He is the locus of commitment, not a problem for debate."

If you've read a few of my reviews, read my book, been to my website, or have seen me as a patient, then you probably know that I consider peace to be an important part of keeping excellent health. I've found this book to be an excellent description of how to find peace.

Charles Runels, MD
Author of "Anytime...for as Long as You Want: Strength, Genius, Libido, & Erection by Integrative Sex Transmutation"

I read this book 25 years ago and find that it gives me a feeling of the Inner Light and grounds me in what the spiritual life is all about. It is deeply Christian and yet can resonate with anyone who feels God as a living reality in all religions or no religion. It also touches upon what the Quakers call "consensus", how to let the guiding of the Spirit lead people into an understanding filled agreement about how to live, to heal, and to forgive. I have read other Quaker books, but it seems everything is here in this book. It uses less words than all the others and says everything.

What a beautiful book!! It you are into contemplative prayer, or have devoted a significant part of your life to meditation on God's purpose and direction, this book summarizes your life. Kelly has an amazing ability to describe the joys of inner peace, sifting the things of the world beyond through the sieve of the world within. Inspirational and delightful - enjoy.

Not many books cause me to want to be quiet and small. Welcome to reading Thomas Kelly's A Testament of Devotion. Simple, profound Kelly invites us to an inner journey into the presence of the holy. Words fail-buy it

This book has both great teachings and real (not to mention practical!) examples from Kathleen's own life. I tried some of the tools listed and had success. This book is really for anyone, new ager or not, as it offers ways to empower yourself using the gifts you already have. Well worth the purchase price.

Kathleen,
Mahalo> (Thank-You) for this "Higher Knowledge" in sharing "Spiritual" growth and personal "Empowerment". Thus giving us expansion of "Awareness" and connection to the "Universal Spirit" we find ourselves getting in touch with the "Consciousness". Reading these pages have awaken something inside us.
"No Ka Oi" <(your the Best!) when it comes to "Ancient Wisdom" with a "modern application". You are improving the "QUALITY OF LIFE" in which makes us remember "I AM THE LIGHT" we are truely blessed to have walked paths with you.
We give you a "Thumbs UP" with "7" STARS ******* On this Book
Sending Positive energys your way so that you can keep publishing
more books like this one!
ilima & Edwin smiling on a job well done!

I purchased this book for my mom for XMAS but I ended up reading it before she did. Kathleen's adventures in life are absolutely amazing and truly exciting!! Once I picked up the book; I found it very difficult to put it down. It was very easy to read and informative. This book gives you a ton a different tools to use to better your life; and, all around becoming a better "healthier" person. I learned so much from this book. I've used Kathleen's tools and so far, they have worked. Its incredible! For anyone who is "debating" on purchasing this book; stop! Because you won't be sorry!! It is one of the most interesting books I have purchased and can't wait for Kathleen to write another edition!!!!

This was a good read and I found it very helpful for a bad situation I wanted to straighten out. There was a bad situation at work with a supervisor who was just bad news. I used the tools as directed. Within a week this person was fired! I received some long overdue recognition from the boss, an apology and even a hug! What could be better than that! Don't forget to smudge the area after the issue is over and the person is gone. Thanks Kathleen! I can now smile on the way to work!!
Novella

This book is a "must have" for all spiritual seekers. The information is ancient wisdom which is metaphysically based. The author teaches excellent techniques useful for paranormal investigators. The experiential stories are fascinating