Spirituality Books

My uncle sent me a review of this book and he recommended it and I have found the book rewarding. It is the first book of the Dalai Lama's that I have read. It is refreshing in this era of parochial adherence to rigid dogmas that a spiritual man finds no conflict between science and religion. They are parallel roads to the truth. It is remarkable that the Dalai Lama says that where science is found to contradict Buddhist belief then science must stand and belief must be modified. It's certainly a rare opinion for the leader of a major faith. In interesting and thoughtful book

As a Western Buddhist follower I've been overcome with a strong fascination in the discipline of science particularly physics. Through a deep introspective of my consciousness and intense meditation I attained deep insight and wisdom answering many questions that arise of my personal being however many questions were unfulfilled until I discovered this book. First and foremost Buddhism in my opinion should focus it's attention on the present moment without getting caught up in metaphysical questions of reality, needless to say we're human beings and as human beings we're entitled to seek the questions pertaining to the principles of reality to a certain extent without getting caught up in philosophical quarrels with existentialists.


The Dalai Lama did an excellent job attempting to open a dialogue between science and religion. He presents the reader with an introduction of basic scientific discoveries ranging from "The Big Bang Theory", evolution, neuroscience, biology, and concludes it with the role ethics play in science. The Dalai Lama in an open-minded fashion analyzes these scientific discoveries and provides his insight yet at the same time draws parallels to Buddhist philosophies. For instance he gives the reader a summation of the concept of evolution and identifies "random mutations" as being a deciding factor for the survival and sustainability of a particular species. Nonetheless he points out the idea of mutations being purely random events as inconclusive in being a theory attempting to explain the origin of life. Rather than list numerous other illuminating examples of his different perspective of scientific findings I welcome you to read this book. After reading this book I without a doubt will take a much more closer look at scientific topics of discussion in the world today. I attest to the Dalai Lama's rhetoric and insofar will say it's futile for humanity to shift their awareness level onto the scientific community due to the awesome power (positive or negative) science could impact on our beautiful universe.

Peace and Love

The convergence of science with spirituality is the enlightened path for finding the truth behind human existence. Delai Lama points out some very important issues to scientists and gives the Buddhist perspective towards their answers which weaves spirituality, altruism , ethics and morality. He points out on some of the limitations of science in understanding the truth of our existence.

The main ideas discussed in this book are:

1) The beginning of the universe: The scientific hypothesis of the big bang can also be viewed as a metaphysical assumption. How can something happen by itself out of nothingness without any external spiritual intervention?

2) The Darwin theory of evolution: How can life be created by itself from non living matter without any external intervention? Delai Lama is some ways support the theory in part which has scientific reasoning, however, he does not support the assumption that our present existence is an effect of randomness (natural selection) and "survival of the fittest". This assumption gives support to the materialistic and selfishness nature of the world at present. He discusses altruism in nature which contradicts selfishness in natural selection.

3) The mind and its representation of consciousness: Is consciousness only a result of the physical electrochemical brain? Does consciousness die with the death of the body? These questions are common in areas of "Near death Experience" and "Out of Body experience", Remote Viewing, Extra sensory perception, and in cases of individuals recalling previous lives.

This book is recommended for scientists of all disciplines and for those minds that out of curiosity ponder the truth behind human existence. This book may also intrigue atheists who have given up on spirituality. Spirituality is the core of our being which constituents altruism, ethics, morality and consciousness. Although the politics of religion has caused wars and suffering, the spirit is still is a part of the human body. It should also not be assumed that animals do not have the spirit and consciousness. Animals also feel hunger and pain and have consciousness. No justification can be made by non-vegetarians about the killings of animals for meat when protein is abundantly available in vegetarian diets. This is just selfishness.

This book is a must read.

Rohitash Chandra
Author of " A Hot Pot of Roasted Poems"
Editor of The Blue Fog Journal

Gere, though not my favorite actor, does an excellent job of narrating and his presentation was lively and articulate enough without going over-board. Well done.

HHDL does what he does, again, and as good as every. He gets to the meat and bones of the issues humbily and simply. He expressed many of the same thoughts and feelings I have had (and which I have been unable to articulate) when I examine current issues in Physics, Biology and Neuroscience with the added bonus of the insight of a highly trained Buddhist mind.

There is no fluff, no fuzzy bunnies to be had. Real spirituality working with real science to discover a real ethic and morality for the future.

This is an inexpressibly beautiful book, in which H. H. the Dalai Lama describes a kind of "middle way" between scientific materialism and spirituality without science. If only more people would embrace a combining of scientific endeavor with spiritual values as the Dalai Lama proposes here! We are extraordinarily fortunate that he has made his thoughts available to us at a time when both the wonders and dangers of science grow so rapidly and that he demonstrates the possibility of dialogue between a spiritual leader such as himself with members of the scientific community.

Great Book and was enlightening because this book helps you understand your place in God's Kingdom. Very inspirational and very good read.

All of the Kingdom books by Myles Munroe are a must for anyone and everyone seeking the truth about the Kingdom of God

After viewing his videos on this subject, this book seemed a bit awkward in its presentation. Too much time and too many words were spent explaining ideas rather than getting to the point with the excellent examples that Dr. Munroe used in his videos. I never finished reading it as a result.

This book presents the Bible and the teachings of Jesus in a perspective that I have never considered before. After I read this book and then re-read the teachings of Jesus, I realize I was not fully understanding what He was saying. This book will change your life.

Wow, what a great way to listen to a book. I enjoyed it so much. Talks about the Kingdom and how we are to have the Kingdom come to earth. Great way to listen and do our work at home at the same time.
Recommend to all that are busy in the home and want some good listening tools.

So many Christians struggle with every day life--just like the rest of the world. While some secrets place all the power on "self," which fails us more often than not, this one places all the power in God's hands where it belongs. This timeless classic stays relevant because it communicates biblical truths that make a difference for all eternity.

There are very few treatises on the Christian life written with more insight, humility, and honesty.

It is not an easy read, Ms Smith is writing in the language of her day, which is above the eighth grade level used in today's books. It is worthy of your efforts, however. The exercise for your brain, soul, and spirit will do you some good.

Kudos to Whitaker House for keeping this important book in print.

This is a wonderful book - written in a simple, clear style yet filled with deep insight. The author has a true heart for God, and writes with compassion for her brothers and sisters in Christ.

Of the reviews listed here as of this date, only one departs from a laudatory amen.

Ms. Smith has offered a perspective which I believe could be an advance for some but possibly a snare for others.

With only a an uncertain grasp of her life gleaned from surfing the net, these thoughts present themselves:

Much like Christ himself, she grew up in a religious tradition (Quakerism) that her spiritual journey required her to depart from. It is fairer to say the book has been written by a religious rebel than by a Quaker.

Again, like Christ, she looks to God the Father.

Like Christ, she attracted followers and supporters.

Like Christ, within the boundaries of loving God, she offers faith and hope. I come away from Christ with more of a sense of the importance of charity than I do after reading Ms. Smith.

Again, assuming that biographical material perused after reading the book is true, the encouragement and success of the book is understandable. However, material is never confronted which might have been had the book title been 'The Joy of Being Crucified With Christ'

ALL Christians ~ New and Mature NEED to read this book, absorb it, and allow God to work through it, you will never be the same, it is absolutely Life Changing, and yes IGNORE the 1 bad rating, they must have read it looking for "a secret" to be happy, or get happy, or something, not understanding that GOD HIMSELF is the secret. To Know GOD, and not to use HIM.

I've been a fan of Doreen Virture's work for a long time now. I love her meditation CDs, books and oracle cards. Her messages are very loving, peaceful, beautiful, relaxing, and help me connect with the Divine Source. She uses positive archetypes such as angels, saints, fairies, etc. Her Chakra Clearing Meditation CD is my all-time favorite meditation CD.

I've tried one of her oracle cards and several by other authors, but Doreen's Goddess Guidance cards are by far the most beautiful, accurate and inspiring I've ever come across. And I've also found this deck at the right time when I'm getting into Goddess spirituality more. Goddesses seem to resonate with me probably because I'm a woman and also because they're more human, less intimidating and less mythical than other archetypes. I am in the process of reclaiming my feminine power, which is not the same as power in the masculine sense or in the negative connotation of the word.

These cards I found have been the most accurate and useful oracle cards I've ever tried for myself. They seem to speak to me directly and are in tune with who I am and where I am in my life. I find that I get very helpful guidance and insight about myself and about other people that is just so right on. I really do feel like I'm getting clear and correct messages from the Universe when I use these cards.

I also like that Goddesses from different cultures around the world are represented. There are, of course, more of the more well-known Western Goddesses and there are lots of Celtic goddesses in the deck. But it's nice to see Pele and some other Polynesian as well as Egyptian and Asian Goddesses. I'm surprised not to see that many Graeco-Roman Goddesses, though. I would have like to see more of those. I'm also a little surprised to see Guinevere and Isolt as Goddesses, I don't think I would have ever thought of them as such until I saw them included in this deck. It's great to see Mother Mary and Mary Magdelene as well. Being a New Age Catholic, I like being able to integrate my religion of origin with my current, more eclectic and wider-ranging beliefs.

All in all, I am very happy with The Goddess Guidance Oracle Cards. The artwork by different artists is just amazingly beautiful, and there are so many messages that you can find in each one. The cover artwork of the Goddess Dana is what originally drew me to this deck. It really captures the essence of a strong, grand, beautiful, powerful and serene Goddess. The gilt edges on the card make the deck feel very sacred, which they are. The words on the cards and in the guidebook are very positive and nurturing as well. I intend on using these oracle cards for years to come.

These cards are not only extremely beautiful, but inspring and entertaining as well, with interesting information about the various deities depicted on the cards. Definitely recommendable.

I bought this deck primarily to use for learning about various Goddesses and having a form for calling in their energy in ritual (I am pagan BTW) rather than as an oracle. I have several Tarot decks I use for divination and am quite happy using them for that.

I have found images on the cards lovely and quite worthy of ritual use. However, the guidebook is written purely as an oracle deck. For each card it has a message and possible interpretations, but only a few sentences per card about the Goddess herself.

As an oracle is useful, but as a healing type oracle rather than a descriptive one. The interpretations are largely suggestions to improve a particular energy flow, rather than a description of current or future situations. For example, some interpretations are "slow, steady progress is best right now", "make time to rest", and "release guilt about receiving". I'm not saying this is good or bad, just pointing out that it is quite different from a tarot type oracle.

Love the cards. I read regular Tarot - and now after i read for someone, i pull these cards out and have the client pick a card. So far - what they pick totally relates to the reading i just gave them. Awesome! Beautiful colors, feel very spiritual to me.

I am new to reading cards, and I thought I could connect with these cards. It's difficult not to! The pictures are beautiful, each goddess card show a goddess with intricate detail and soulful eyes. I felt a connection right away with these cards and so far I am really happy with them. hopefully they continue to give me positive vibes!

If you are looking for an easy set to connect with, these should jump out at you. Literally. I did a quick reading on my husband and with little skill all three cards represented a life change and forward movement, and this is exactly what is happening with him!

I am happy with these cards and look forward to using them more.

I purchased this book because a phrase was mentioned in my daily meditation. I was so moved to further my inquizative, hungry mind & soul. I was very excited to receive the book and begin it imediately, as i did. I was not dissapointed as it kept me at my edge. I wanted to read more as i digested all the wonderful, hearty visions and fueling words and messages. This book lead me to my next and then to another and i realized i was on a journey of no return. Thank you both the author for providing me with the resources to feel whole and motivated and complete. :) Penny

A few things that were elusive to me such as supreme confidence, knowing how to stick to my truth despite what others asked of me, and fretting about what is going to happen in the future, were all explained in such a manner in Know Yourself that for the first time I get it.

Learning about what has caused upset within myself by soaking in this exceptional book has gleaned rare insight that I have not experienced before until now.
I highly suggest this book for learning how to feel self worth.

Make no mistake about it, Know Yourself is one of the best I've ever read because it covers it all. Each stage of life, what's been missing inside ourselves, how to regain what we feel we've somehow lost inside, and the chapter on abuse is right on target. That would only apply if you've been abused and the nagging effects of it can make you feel that you're not worth much at all until you discover you are.

One of my favorite passages comes from page 46 during the written exercise part of the book. It says in quotes:
"The choice of what to put on your list is all yours. No one on this earth can create your life. No one other than you knows exactly what you love, what brings you joy, and what fills your entire being with passion. What you are about to write is the real you that lays beneath should's, societal expectations, cultural attitudes, and what you have been taught that opposes what you feel is true for you. Now, it's writing time to bring the real you to up to the surface on the following pages."

Know Yourself taught me how to turn my attitude about myself around. It did its job and then some. It has been a gift to me that I'm sharing with friends.

In "Know Yourself" Barbara Rose did an outstanding job of bringing insight where I previously had confusion or uncertainty. There is a chapter covering abuse that helped me un-do more hurt from the past than I thought it would, and for that I am grateful.

I wanted to quote directly from the book from page 98 because I feel this can help anyone, which is the purpose of this great book.

"Letting Go of Criticism
Another part of cherishing others is to, with loving compassion, let go of any criticisms made of you; blame the criticisms on illusions the people had at the time; for had they had healthy and pure minds, they would not have taken anything out on you. Instead of blaming them, cherish them for being your teachers--and for teaching you how to feel self-value despite anything they may have said or done.

Do not ever take to heart hurtful comments others make. Do not make them a part of your being. Know yourself and you will know truth.

Know who you are. What you believe in. What feels right and true for you.
If you dream of changing your career because of the passion you feel for a new field, enjoy the process; never let anyone stop you with their illusions of so-called failure or impossibilities.
Nothing is impossible.

I learned this saying: "Whether you believe you can or you believe you can't, you're right!"

If your heart is pulling you in a certain direction, then this is a part of your truth, and you must honor it.

This is where a solid sense of self comes from. It comes from knowing your truth. You can be sixty-five years old and decide you want to go back to school to become a doctor because you have always really wanted to help people. Go back to school!

Don't ever let chronological age hold you back. Many people, both men and women, have uplifted countless lives and have achieved their greatest self-actualization later in life.

Wisdom is the hallmark of a life lived from the heart, without judgment, and with compassion for all others.

No matter what it is you want to do, do it because it is a true expression of who you are. The joy you will experience by honoring what your heart and soul came into this life for will far outweigh the pain and disappointment you will feel if you don't honor your truth."

There is much more that I can quote from, much more that has helped me.

While doing the written exercises, simply and clearly spelled out in the beginning of the book, I experienced what many people call "A-Ha" moments. Each one brought more about what was holding my back into my awareness, and then following the guidance in the book I was able to un-do the old, and replace it with truth that feels much better!

I read this book twice so far, and am now re-reading it again. It's an excellent book for anyone male or female!

I'm sorry but I found this book extremely unhelpful. It was very disjointed. It wasn't even clear what you were supposed to be writing in the workbook pages. It just seemed like a stream of consciousness of trite phrases like "everything happens for a reason". Maybe it's helpful to people who have never thought beyond their nose for their entire life. I don't know. I couldn't find anything redeeming in the entire thing. I ended up just skimming the second half so maybe there was something redeeming in there.

The Red Book was a great read, funny and inspiring.I bought copies for two girlfriends who also love it!

I thumbed through this book in a local bookstore and every page was an "aha!" for me. It was so good to feel that someone else was on the same journey that I am, and made the path wider to follow. This book urges you to find your own connection to the divine and not believe in dogma just because it was taught to you as a child. We all have a connection to the divine and it is our right and responsibility to seek it and follow it.

I was a little cautious about getting this book. The title kept throwing me off - but the description kept calling me in. Unorthodox it is. It might be offensive to some - but then they are probably not the ones too interested in having a spirituality that beams light of any kind (sorry if that offended the traditional or conservative spiritualist). Sara is brutally honest, blunt, close to her Creator, in touch with her divine and her feminine soul, soaks up wisdom and spews it out lovingly for all to hear, live, love. I would go a step further and recommend it for men - we all long for our feminine soul to sing and dance. Sara, I'm waiting for your next one...your sequel...The Redder Book.

I grew up in an environment that exposed me to a lot of different religions... Protestant, Jehovah's Witness, Mormon, Catholic, Seventh Day Adventist, etc. As I got older I found that more and more people would tell me that I had to choose one religion as the "right" religion. What was so confusing to me was that they ALL said their religion was the one that needed to be followed in order to get into heaven. This caused me to fall away from churches in general because I didn't know WHO was right and I drove myself a little crazy worrying that I would pick the wrong one. It wasn't until recently that I really started thinking about my spirituality again. The one thing I knew for sure was that I didn't want to pick a religion so much as get in touch with God and my spirituality through my own set of beliefs. I was searching for books on Spirituality and stumbled on to The Red Book and I am so glad that I did. This was exactly what I was looking for in terms of teaching me about all of the different types of beliefs and practices out there and showing how intertwined they all are with each other in so many different ways. Sera Beak has a beautiful way of connecting with the reader so that you feel you are sitting down with her and having a personal conversation. The book is filled with humor and wonderful insights into spirituality and individuality. She doesn't expect you to agree with everything she says and encourages you to delve deeper into the areas that resonate with you. This book had everything that I was looking for and so much more!!! As a matter of fact, I am giving this book to my family and friends as Christmas gifts! I think everyone... no matter how young or old, male or female, can take away and learn something from this book. I just hope that she will bless us with another book in the near future!!

I bought this book on the strength of 33 5-star reviews of a book I had never heard of. I am so happy that I did this! Although it's aimed towards "young women," it really is perfectly tuned to anyone open-minded and looking for exploring the beauty and excitement of developing your own spiritual path.


A lot of the other reviewers have already done a fine job discussing what they found brilliant about this book, so I'll address one concern that you might have before reading it: What if you do have a rather rigid set of religious beliefs? I don't think this book is for you if you're adamant that the place God or your spiritual equivalent as something that must fall within codified and clearly defined rules. This book does not, and I must emphasize this, does NOT advocate anything out-there or overtly objectionable like promiscuity, drugs, insistence upon rejecting your current beliefs, et cetera. It's really about the possibility of thinking about spirituality as a very living and evolving element in your life, wherever you are right now. If anything, I think it would help you find a lot of strength within yourself, and to take a deeper dive into the beliefs that really sustain and nourish you now. Very highly recommended in a sea of bland and sometimes troubling self-help or faux-spiritual hogwash.

New Slant on Life will show you things that you can use today to better enjoy your life. I was especially impressed with the section "How to Live With Children" that helped me greatly in my relationship with my child. If you only ever read one Scientology book, I'd recommend this one.

When of the first books I read when first starting to study Scientology. I still refer to it and use it 18 years later. Some basic ideas that can change your life!

ENjoy!

There was a chapter that changed my life and my idea on effort. The Chapter "Anatomy of Failure" explained that a person's downfall comes from things not happening the way they want. This was true for me. My life was a long chain of failures and I was miserable from failing. So, the change came with the advice to intend for life to keep on happening the way life keeps on happening--and a healthier way of living to try to change things for the better BUT not to be broken hearted when failure occurs. Hello! I thought I always had to be gung-ho and do or die and I was just killing myself because not everything goes my way. So I was stupid. I guess this is a confession, not a review. However, each chapter is a different subject and an excellent insight into the scope of the Scientology religion. Don't be scar'd! Books don't bite.

For anyone interested in finding out what Scientology is all about, I recommend this book first. It isn't "about" Scientology - rather, it is a little piece of the kinds of things we learn in Scientology.

Composed of essays, it gives a look into how the mind works, what the relationship is between the mind, spirit, and body, a brief look at what our capabilities are as spiritual beings, and some applicable rules about life and livingness. You can study the material, apply it to your own life, and see how it works FOR YOU.

This is a great first book for anyone interested in the subject.

Out of all of L. Ron Hubbard's works, this is the most straight forward and interesting. This book makes it easy to understand Scientology and apply it to your life.

I found this unique book of coincidences to be remarkable. While the authors relate it to Jewish principles, giving a moral or rule at the end of each 'episode,' their statements are applicable to those of all faiths.
There were short, short stories, short stories and those a few pages long. But all showed the positive human spirit that exists in everyone of us if we give ourselves a chance and don't close our minds. Sometimea a bad choice becomes a great move. An ordinary act becomes heroic to those on both sides. And, almost always, WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND. There are no stories of coincidences that backfired, although one can be sure scores of these exist too. But the purpose is to bring joy, hope,
confidence and more open-mindedness to the readers, with the desire that they will share this with many more. A brilliant person with a promising
future suddenly gets terminal lung cancer. But the person telling it mentions some small act that was done, often out of common courtesy. And in this case, one of the six items the dying person wanted in his casket was a letter of encouragement from the teacher.

This is a book for teachers, educators and all who desire to be educated.
I acquired it for $.50 at a flea market booth, after just noticing the
colorful (but also bland) yellow cover. This is the best $5.00 expenditure
I've ever made. I'll share my copy with others and have ordered another
version. Whether you are in the dumps or feeling great, the stories will
heighten your consciousness and create more appreciation for your present lot. I am fortunate to have found it. Please consider my words. Advice
is worthless. Words from the heart can be meaningful. My heart speaks.

This is a little treasure chest of wonderful stories that truly are uplifting. I really did enjoy reading this book!

I read SMALL MIRACLES, some years ago. This seems to be the same book, exactly, although, when I ordered it, I thought it was a sequel. I liked it better the first time around, when the anecdotes sounded more "golly-gee-wiz" than they do the second.

Miracles happen every day. Yitta Halberstam and Judith Leventhal are angels themselves, bringing these fantastic stories to millions of people. Buy and read every single one of their books. Not only are they hard to put down, you won't be able to look at your life with the same eyes ever again!

A really lovely little book that helps even the worst days.

Packed with tons of history and lore this book will give you a wider view of the pagan religious aspects. A must have for anyone who wants to get more detail on the religious side of Wicca or witchcraft. This book explains the spiritual background and lets you discover within yourself your own religion and personal prayers and rituals.

Finally, not a wicca 101 book but a beautifully written book on your personal spirituality of wicca.It fills in the gaps where other books did not!

I love this book. I literally have worn it to death. I'm sick of all the Wiccan books anymore. All they do is focus on spells, magick, candles, the tools, and on and on when their really is more to Wicca. This a nice change of pace. It talks about how to live Wiccan everyday. How to live comapssionately and with grace. It's a very informative book. And she is lighthearted about everything. She doen't try to cram it down your throat and she is knowledgeable about what she's writing. I would recommend this book especially if your sick of the mainstream Wiccan books and would like something with more heart and soul.

This is not a beginner's book to Witchcraft, or is it a book of spells. This is much more for those past the 101 stage who want to ponder new ideas, have their thoughts provoked or look at things from perhaps a different angle.

The first section of this book is really stunning and truly gets you thinking about what this spiritual tradition means to you. Chapter 3 "Living the path" was utterly profound for me. It encouraged me to reflect on what ethics I believe in, seeing as they play an immense part in how I feel, who I am and what I believe. From this I delived deep into what values, philosophies and beliefs are the core of who I am, what forms the essence that is me. From my point of view, you should buy the book just for this chapter alone! However, the thought-provoking doesn't stop there!

It's also worth to note that Dianne does not shove her thoughts down your throat in a 'my way or the highway' point of view, instead she shares her ideas with you, and encourages you to dig deep into YOUR spirit to find what it is that connects with YOU. She also does it with a wicked laugh. If you have a witty off-beat sense of humour, you will find yourself nodding at Dianne's antedotes and stories - Dianne, love your sense of humour! I also adore the fact that she does not take herself too seriously and has a laugh - even at herself - which I believe is part of the core of this spirituality/religion.

This is definately one of my top 10 books, I cannot recommend it enough.

This book is truly a blessing from the Goddess. I was wondering why I still wasn't feeling "complete" with my practice - like something was missing. For a while, this little voice in my head was telling me to get the book, and I kept saying,"No, not yet, not yet."
Finally, I listened and am so glad that I did.

I read this book within a matter of hours, and now it has a prominent spot in my Witchie bookshelf. It helped me realize a few things that I didn't pay attention to before, and I think, helped me to reconnect to what drew me to Wicca in the first place.

Please - if you were feeling like I did, get this book. Also, make sure to pick up her other book, THE BODY SACRED. I'm looking forward to more of Ms Sylvan's titles in the future.

My life in the past year has been an awakening - a series of conversions or events that have brought me closer to God. Reading this book was one of those events, and for this I humbly thank-you, Jim Palmer.

You reintroduced me to the Christ that I rebuked when I could not disassociate doctrine or dogma from the Spirit. I threw it all out, and it nearly killed me. The past year has been both horrible and wonderful for me. Wonderful in that I am awakening from a great sleep and horrible because I'm realizing the most of my life I slept.

As a father of four, I hope and pray that my children can gather similar insights into the precious, loving kindness of God.

I sent both of your books to two of my closest friends. I love it when I find a great gift!

I loved this book. It was not cliche or fluff -- it was real and thought provoking. It was not "preachy", but left you to draw your own insights.

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Jim Palmer gives us examples of the Jesus he sees in others, giving skin and words to the message of Christ in ways most churches wouldn't dream of. This book is great for people of religious traditions that have a lot of theology and tradition and that seem to claim an exclusive monopoly on Jesus at the expense of other Christian denominations. It will help you branch out and understand that the God whom you are seeking to find is sooooo much bigger than any religious tradition. Many people I have met who come from very "conservative" Christian denominations often do not understand that there is a difference between religion and faith as all that they have been taught is that you need one to have the other. This book helps one shed the shackles of that archaic idea and allows one to breathe the fresh, new air of spiritual freedom, released from well-intentioned yet misguided religious traditions through the experiences Jim has had with various people along the way. It makes a lot of sense to me that we will learn much, much more about Jesus from the sorts of people that He hung out with than from Fathers or Pastors or Priests. Jim allows us to share in his experiences and grow in our knowledge of Christ.

This is not a Bible study book, for anyone looking for that type of book. It is the refections of a guy who hit the wall and found meaning in surprising places. Think of this book as sitting on a park bench listening to a stranger tell you their life story when you simply ask, "How are you?" If you are like me, you will sit quietly, smile, laugh, and shed an occasional tear as you hear the accounts of the stranger. While I don't agree completely with all of Jim's conclusions, I'd like to believe I'm mature enough to glean from all the good within the book. God used the accounts of the waitress and checkout clerk to affect some needed change in my life.

Another Nobody who is only somebody because of Christ,

I read "The Shack" by William P. Young over Christmas vacation. I personally loved it, but I am not a huge fan of fiction. So when I was searching around on Amazon I came across "Divine Nobodies" as a similar type book, although not fiction. So I decided to pick it up. "Divine Nobodies" was the best follow-up to "The Shack" because it is non-fiction/true. I enjoyed each of the chapters and was very encouraged that a walk with God should be so freeing and real. "Divine Nobodies" helped me to see how it can all be carried out in our normal everyday lives. Pick it up you won't be disappointed.