Saint The Books

I've been looking for resources on saints and/or Christians to contribute to our history this year. I am thrilled with this series and had to get all four volumes. The book contains stories of 15 saints in wonderful storybook form. Each section begins with basic info. on the saint then goes into the story. (They are not the dry, factual info. one usually finds.) They also include the dates to use with our timeline. Pictures are rich and beautiful. Each story ends with a think about it question or two and a brief prayer.

This book features 3 to 4 page vignettes of about a dozen saints, some well known, some not. Each vignette ends with a couple questions to discuss and a prayer. Very appropriate for the 6 to 10 yr old age group... a great gift to a godchild.

EAST OF THE ARCH is the third installment in the Joe Keough detective series from master story teller Robert J Randisi. Considering moving on in his career, Joe's mind is changed when he is loaned out by his boss, the mayor of St. Louis, to investigate a serial killing spree that is occuring there. Keough has assigned to him a "task force" consisting of a young Mark Twain quoting dective, Marc Jeter( who I would like to see teamed up with Keough again) and their "girl Friday" Jenny Sykes. The three begin the investigation of a serial killer who is killing pregnant women. Also showing up from Joe's past is Valerie Speck and the boy Brady who were involve in Keough's first case in St. Louis and the IA detectives Mason & Gail who are still out to get Keough any way they can. Add a seperate murder to the mix and once again Randisi weaves a first rate mystery. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND EAST OF THE ARCH and hope there are many more Randisi Joe Keough books coming out.

Detective Joe Keough is a St. Louis Detective who is the mayor's "top cop" which means he is little more than a bodyguard. He misses working in the field. Joe is actually thinking of leaving and moving on to someplace where he can do some actual police work when the mayor of East St. Louis in Illinois asks the mayor of St. Louis to loan him a police officer who has had experience in apprehending serial killers.

Joe is the logical choice and he jumps at the chance to find out who is killing pregnant women and ripping out their fetuses. When Joe sets up his new office there are two such killings and he knows it is only a matter of time before there is a third. He is paired off with police officer Marc Jeeter, an idealistic man who badly wants catch this maniac and put him and put him in a cage but that won't be an easy take because there are political forces at work with a different agenda.

Robert J. Randisi is an author who knows how to write an excellent police procedural. He shows a step-by-step investigation in progress and the reader gets so caught up in it that he can't put the book down until he learns how it all turns out. Part of the book is told by the viewpoint of the villain. This is exciting and horrifying at the same time. EAST OF THE ARCH is a fantastic installment in this long running series.

Harriet Klausner

Este libro es excelente. Relata la vida de Maria y la de Jesus de una manera tan bonita que los hace palpables. Es como un diario de Maria, hermoso. Relata todos los sucesos biblicos desde la anunciacion hasta la muerte de Jesus. Presenta la vida humana de Maria y Jesus y aclara muchos vacios que existen en los Evangelios. Realmente es un libro que todo cristiano debe leer.

Wonderful book. You will know how much God loves you and you will learn that we have to love God in our daily activities imitating Virgin Mary life. Also you will be able to learn more about the life of: 1) Kid, Young & Adult Jesus Christ, 2) Virgin Mary, 3) Saint Joseph. Also you will learn about the Family and Spouses' Love under God's plans.

He leído EL PRINCIPITO toda mi vida desde que tengo unos siete años... Si hay libros que me han marcado para siempre y que han influenciado grandemente mis decisiones, el Principito compite muy de cerca con Gibrán.
SI es que la palabra competencia hace justicia al hecho de crecer entre tan bellas parábolas y tan altos conceptos de lo que es una existencia.
De niña tuve una vida difícil. Mi madre la tuvo más difícil, pero dentro de su devenir, ella tuvo sabiduría suficiente para enseñarme a amar a EL PRINCIPITO, esta historia me dejaba y me seguía intermitente durante mis múltiples travesuras y otros soñares despiertos.
Les invito a que compartan esta linda historia con sus hijos... que conste que es una historia de amor, explicada de la manera más inocente posible, desde la perspectiva de un niño que apenas empieza a descubrir las complejidades que encierra el mundo de la vida adulta.

Es una hermosa historia en la cual hace mención a un pequeño niño inocente y sabio... nos hace recordar aquellos momentos cuando eramos niños y teníamos un corazón inocente... Es una hermosa historia SE LAS RECOMIENDO

3 of my children have been diagnosed with ADD and ADHD. I have felt that there was no hope except medication and struggle. At last I see them for who they are... Strong and sensitive Children of covenant who have been sent here at this time to be able to stand firm in a day of turmoil.

I Love this book!! It opened my eyes to the Strengths and gifts that have been given to my Children. What seemed to be combative, distractable and completely frustrating behavior now not only makes sense, butcan further be developed into strength of charachter and focused into positive aciton, and will become great assets in the lives of my Children.

My wild, impulsive, stubborn, noisy, Know-it-all drama King has become Energetic, spontaneous, perservering, tenderhearted social, and Sensitive.

My compulsive, distracted, slow to adapt, full of fear, antisocial, angry, bossy and argumentative boy has become an unshakable, aware, steady, cautious, reserved, passionate boy who stands by his convictions and is devloping leadership abilities.

My Introverted, disorganized, impetuous, extreme, unpredictable, overly sensitive, too hard on himself loner has become Reserved, unconventional, quick, passionate, caring, conscientious, and independant.

My Children have not changed as of yet, (I'm, just half way through the book), but my perception of them has. Though I know that there is a lot of work and struggle ahead, the suggestions given to turn these character traits into strengths are easy to understand, and easy to impliment.

Thanks to this book, I have hope that my Ephraim's Children will Stand strong in these last days as Covenant keepers who are anxiously engaged in good works and God's work.

Thank you!

Parenting the Ephraim's Child is the answer to my prayers! The book not only explains my child's baffling behavior, but offers real, effective methods to work with my child's temperament. After reading this book I see my child in a different, more positive light, and now can see the strengths of my intense child. I recommend this book to anyone who feels that their child is somehow more challenging, but don't know why. They probably have an Ephraim's Child, and this book is a MUST for parents of one of these super-intense, incredible children. I am telling everyone I know about this book!

In this groundbreaking volume on the new shape of ministry editor Michael Christensen employs the ancient metaphor of "three streams, one river" to ask a crucial question: "How can ministerial leadership (clergy) move the people of God (laity) from the baptismal font into the full flow of ministry in the church and in the world?" Proclaiming that the New Reformation of the Laity has already occurred, he states that "what remains of the revolution is whether the clergy or the laity will be abolished in favor of 'one body with many parts.'"

Equipping the Saints seeks to help congregational leaders re-invent TheNextChurch
for the challenges that lie before it. Chapters and contributors include:

Out of the Pew, into the World: Motivating for Ministry by Jessica Farish Moffatt

The Loss and Recovery of the Biblical Basis for Lay Ministry by Russell Moy

Life Together: Reclaiming the Ministry of Small Groups by Christine M. Anderson

Team Building Through Spiritual Gifts by Brian K. Bauknight

The Seeker Service in the Mainline Church by Eric Park

Circuit Riding in the Twenty-first Century by Robert Duncan Jr.

Three Streams One River by Michael J. Christensen

"The NextChurch has two next challenges: getting clear and clearing out. The first challenge is getting clear who Jesus is. The second challenge is clearing out spiritual deformities that dis-order the church's structural life and dis-able its mission. This book picks up the second challenge and runs...."

(Leonard Sweet, from the foreword)

Michael J. Christensen is director of the Doctor of Ministry Program at Drew Theological School and affiliate assistant professor of spirituality at the Graduate School of Drew University.

Carl E. Savage is associate director of the Doctor of Ministry Program and a Ph.D. candidate in New Testament and Early Christian Studies at Drew University.

Leonard Sweet is a visionary. He looks at what's going on today, and he can see changes that need to be made if Christianity is to remain a viable option for people. His style of writing is unique, and his outlook is fresh and exciting. Anything Sweet has written is worth reading!

"Prayer is a state of the intellect (noia), actualized only through the light of the Holy Trinity by means of ecstasy." Evagrius Ponticus


As soon as I identified the authors name, to whom I read one book, I picked up the book which upon examination proved to be a compendium on prayer, the core of eastern Christian spirituality. In his second volume on Eastern Christian spirituality, he explores in depth the final two chapters of his earlier book; 'The Spirituality of the Christian East: A Systematic Handbook.' Fr. Špidlík follows John Cassian's methodology, in writing his Conferences, while he surveys in a systematic western style themes of eastern orthodoxy, tracing their history, with prayer as its exclusive theme. He shares and exposes the teachings of many generations of eastern monastics through their spiritual writings, but he does not advocate a particular pattern of prayer.
In nine chapters and a conclusive summary, in which he underlines theological and liturgical issues, and methods of prayer, stressing the unceasing instruction. He stresses contemplation pre-eminence, and how God's rememberance was in the thought of Basil, concluding with John of Kronstadt that, 'Prayer is therefore the life of the Spirit.'


Fr. TomᚠŠpidlík is one of the greatest experts on the spirituality of eastern Christianity today, and has been a professor of patristic and eastern spiritual theology at various universities across the Atlantic. Lately, he was elevated cardinal by Pope John Paul II.

The author, Mr. Spidlik, deserves admiration and praise for his great knowledge and for his most apparent devotion to bring the depth of Christian tradition to modern readers. Who could not profit from a contemplative reading of this author? Most will undoubtedly discover fresh perspectives and approaches to a prayerful life. The devoted Christian can not live without prayer. The reading of this volume is an apprenticeship in holy methods of the ages. Drinking From The Hidden Fountain: A Patristic Breviary is also by Tomas Spidlik and highly recommended.

I was first introduced to this author with "The Healing Place" a friend had recommended since I didn't like to read and needed a healing time and a place to do it. I found myself so deep into that book, tears welling many times as I too began to heal.
When the Fairhaven Chronicles came out, I didn't want to start reading until I had all of them. Without knowing exactly how many there were going to be, I had purchased 4 volumes one at a time after each release. I had had them for a few years but could not wait any longer as they sat on my book shelf as I would add a new volume to my collection and through 2 moves. I started on volume 1 and read for 2 days as much as time would permit me until I finished them all through volume 4. I just can't wait for the next volume to come out. I almost want to read them over again before I start on volume 5.
Its a must have for the "don't really like to read" person, and the one that may be going through some personal trials and often wonder if others do too.
Wonderful christian writing, simply read with great understanding, empathy and love for all the characters. For the young adults to older adults, truly a great selection of reading.

This is billed as the "Mormon Mitford" series, and I'd say that's a pretty fair comparison. If you are familiar with the Jan Karon series set in North Carolina, you'd feel right at home in this series set in rural Alabama. There's the same small town feel with an emphasis on faith and family life. I got totally caught up in the characters and couldn't wait to see what would happen next. Maybe it's not 'great literature', but it was a lot easier and more enjoyable to read.

I loved this book. My sister is in the Air Force and says taht we don't have any clue what is really going on because there is no positive media reports. This really shows the good things that are going on and how faith sustains people in hard times. Thanks to all who serve our country!

In many ways, Chad Hawkins' book `Faith in the Service' is an indispensible primer for families who's Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines or civilian workers are yet to deploy or redeploy.

As it turns out, `Faith in the Service' is a wonderful mosaic of praise, practicality and promise.

When I was writing for the book, I had in mind not only to share a testimony of what our son Loren had gone through in Iraq, but also the true story of hope that developed as a result of it. I drew from our families' experience - Loren's whilst on duty with the 1st Cavalry Division (and as previously written about by ABC reporter Martha Raddatz in her book, The Long Road Home) - and ours as we shared in his assignment.

With our sons, Ryan and Logan, also facing imminent tours of duty in Kuwait and Iraq with their Alaska National Guard units, we were highly motivated to devise a practical signal method that would allow us to know when to be extra concerned. Think of it as knowing that you can step back, breath, ease off a bit emotionally, knowing that yes he's still in a war zone, but not necessarily in a deadly force-on-force situation. We all agreed that we'd refer to the cue term as `hunting trips'.

As we'd speak or write emails, if Loren responded that yes, they were shortly headed out on a hunting trip then we'd know (and Ryan and Logan subsequently experienced) that our prayers and supplications to the Lord would increase accordingly.

The fact is Heavenly Father put this true gem into my mind. I had prayed for some relief, some way in which not only these young men would be safe during the challenges they were to confront in faraway war zones; but, also that we could cope, endure and provide loving support they needed most at that time.

Loren recently returned home after completing his second tour of duty in Iraq. This practical signal method we'd previously designed served us well again - as it had with his brothers, Ryan and Logan, who'd returned safely just six months prior.

It is these simple things that relieved tension, increased resolve and allowed us the ability to truly endure to the end. I am grateful for the many testimonies expressed in `Faith in the Service'. You'll find each story is a purposeful expression of truth; a testimony of mercy, kindness, resolve and determination.

Mike Haller

Spencer W. Kimball wrote an eloquent and comforting work that details what the Christian must do before the miracle of Christ arrives. Kimball emphasizes that faith in Christ, a deep and abiding faith, not a shallow one, must come to one's heart before Christ can work a miracle in your life. Christ says, "Knock and the door will be opened to you." Kimball's work tells us how to knock.

I have read this book, and thoroughtly enjoyed it. If any of you are wondering what the LDS religion is about, this will answer a lot of questions. For those of you that are LDS, it is a great reminder of what we already know. Beautifully written.