Religion and Spirituality Books

Fantastic book that gives you 30-second thoughts that help you view the world and your christianity different.

I first started reading Manning about three years ago and found that he presents a very practical, life changing "Christianity" that leads one to really think about what and why you believe what you do. You will not read another author like him! He wants us to live victoriously, loving God passionately and not being afraid to show it, and loving others with a boldness. It has changed my life for the better!

This devotional book written as only Brennan Manning can write, is excellent! I read it every single day and go back to many of the daily writings for more inspiration any time of the day or night. Get this book for yourself, your friends and even your enemies. It's a "keeper!" And while you're at it, buy anything Brennan Manning has ever written. You won't be sorry.

I bought this book mostly for my geeky husband who doesn't do "recreational" reading. We both recently saw Brennan Manning in person and were blessed and encouraged. I didn't think my husband would read a full text as readily as this devotional. He is reading this book daily! My only complaint is that on occasion the comments contain deep theologial verbage without a whole lot of explanation (would've been in the longer texts?). My husband wouldn't keep reading, however, if it happened too often. A good little text if you want to get a taste of Manning's work. I prefer the regular whole texts to delve deeper, but this works for my hubby! Yay!

Brennan Manning "cuts to the chase", lifting us into the deep, merciful, tender, truthful, absolute reality of the Grace of God
freely given to all who will believe, through Jesus Christ His
only Son. WHAT A HEALING, LOVING, VERY REAL BOOK...one that
leads us "from playing church, to being the Church"

This book is kindling for an epiphany! I had to put this book down more than 5 times and wrap my mind around what I'd just read and how profound it was for me. I found this book fresh and very insightful ( your mileage may vary ).

Everytime I read this book, it helps me deal with stress and setbacks that I am going through. I am buying several copies as gifts, it is helpful to most people to help them learn how to deal with everyday life disappointments and to learn to grow, to heal and evolve into the best we can be.

Do you believe in coincidences? Recently, at Harbin Hot Springs, a fabulous retreat center in Northern California, I was handed a book by an author who said, "I was planning to give this away to someone else, but it looks like you are the right person to hand it to." The attractive dark-haired woman who gave me the book was named Estelle Frankel, and is it turns out, I *was* the right person, at least in the sense that the book has made a deep impression on me.

A practicing psychotherapist and a "seasoned teacher of Jewish mysticism, Frankel studied and practiced Jewish mysticism in Israel for 8 years, and has been personally tutored by both Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi and Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. For someone like myself, who has been in and out of Jewish mysticism and Kabbalah as a dilettante, I have found parts of this book absolutely fascinating, especially Biblical-era stories and musings of what it was, exactly, that happened with Moses and the People of Israel out there in the desert... (When was the last time you were part of a group illumination, what my Pennsylvanian friends would call an "egregrore"?)

The book consists of modern-stay healing stories, Midrashic-level musings, Hasidic wisdom and tales, and practical rituals and strategies for self-transformation and spiritual upliftment. The Kabbalah is, of course, returned to time and time again, and many themes that I would call (perhaps anachronistically) gnostic permeate the text. Here is one of my favorite passages:

"At every transition point in the life cycle, when one stage of life ends and another begins, we inevitably pass through this death-rebirth cycle of creation, dissolutoin, and re-creation. The shattering of the vessels is, in a sense, the Kabbalah's unique idiom for talking about what the Buddhists refer to as life's essential impermanence. As soona s something is created, its dissolution is already at hand. The vessels of creation, the finite forms created to house the infinite, are always imperfect and impermanent. They must inevitably shatter to make room for the next manifestation of divine unfolding. The light of the infinite simply cannot be contained and limited by any finite form, and so by shattering, the vessels of creation continually allow more light to be revealed. And just when things seem most broken and shattered, that is when healing or tikkun begins."

I have found this to be a rich and evocative book, one that ties together modern psychotherapy with Jewish mysticism, from the perspective of someone who uses both these tools to help individuals in their day-to-day lives. Especially for those interested in the Western esoteric traditions generally or Jewish mysticism specifically, or anyone with a Jewish background, I highly recommend this book.

This book shifted my view of my life. My Jewish background is very rich in knowledge, learning and practice. Yet this book changed me in very meaningful ways. Estelle Frankel discusses her own life, her struggles and insights in such a generous and giving manner that it's as though she's giving the reader a gift, the gift of inviting you to gently examine your own life, your own belief system, your own relationships. By relationships, I mean with other people, with yourself and with God. Yes, the operative word is "gently". There is no hard challenge, no daring, just a gentle invitation to look inside, make discoveries and consider new ways. I love this book and I highly recommend it, no matter where you are on your personal or spiritual path.

This is an excellent book for anyone interested in the union between Jewish philosophy and psychology. The author bases her psychological discussion on kabalistic thought and beautifully weaved in stories from the Torah through which our personal stories and experience emerge and become meaningful. She also includes meditations and exercises that help to integrate the material. This is an excellent book for anyone interested in the relationship between spirituality and the psyche.

Sacred Wisdom is a great story about someone who gets caught up in the hustle and bustle of the daily grind without taking time to understand his purpose - until he was faced with some mystical experiences that made it clear that he had to. Isn't this something we all can relate to - too busy catching up with everything with no time to catch up with ourselves until we are forced to? I really enjoyed reading this book. Helga Schroder's style of writing is simple and descriptive which makes it a very easy read. A very suspenseful novel. I found myself just wanting to keep on reading to find out what would be next for Lou.

Ms. Schroder has given us all a special gift with Sacred Wisdom. Not only does she explore different religions, but we get to explore beautiful parts of our planet. And this leads us to the heart of the book...balancing man with planet and man with himself. Our young lawyer protagonist needs a change in his life and Ms. Schroder takes us along for a ride and it is done in such a way that slowly one is examing their own life, spirituality and touch with the earth. There is a positive message to the book that everyone will feel. Enjoy.

Helga Schroder, born and raised in Germany, is a graduate in Applied Linguistics. She is currently living in California where she is a Fulbright Scholar.

Sacred Wisdom is a story about Lou, the main character, who tries to find inner peace and a purpose in life. His journey into the spiritual world is adventurous and amazing bringing him a slow transformation of his soul as well as the love he is looking for. It is a positive novel that inspires and encourages people to start looking for their own inner peace and purpose in life.

The story is written in the first person and reads as a personal account. It is direct and vivid, truthful and fast- paced. It is a gripping story that inspires and entertains at the same time. It emits positive thinking and urges readers to discover themselves and work towards their ideals.

Helga tries to connect Christian religion to Buddhism by interpreting some Buddhism elements of faith into Christian ones. Thus, this story is a link between different cultures and religious beliefs, though it eventually focuses on Buddhism, which is evident that the author is in favor of.

The part about negative thinking on page 246 is quite interesting, as well as the part of the Lama teaching about death issues. The main concern of the author is the planet and the conservation of the eco system. She believes that each person should do something about our planet as the destruction is imminent. The whole story swirls around this issue and it certainly serves its purpose. The story is enlightening, yet entertaining and interesting. It involves vivid imagery, 'real' characters and some fantasy aspects such as visions of the spiritual world. The main character sees visions that eventually lead him to find the purpose in life: to fight for the planet.

The author uses clear language, at times colloquial-an interesting aspect of the book too. Readers learn about Sao Paolo in Brazil and read a lot of geographical facts and cultural aspects of the place. It is also interesting to read the meditation techniques Lou is practicing in order to get inner peace and relax. Undoubtedly the readers will learn a lot from this novel since it has got a lot of aspects found in non fiction books. Sacred Wisdom caters to all readers who have inquisitive minds and it is worth reading.

Liana Metal
Reviewer's Bookwatch

Lou van Helden is living his life according to the American dream. He has a good-paying job, a nice home, and he's searching for a beautiful wife to make it all complete. To his way of thinking, money can buy everything, and he wants as many of the good things as he can afford.

Then one day, while he's out taking a jog, he comes to a mysterious house in the woods and meets the Novemvirat, a group who tell him that he's a Knight of the First Order and he has an important mission in life. Lou is intrigued by their message, and is determined to find out what he needs to do to fulfill that mission.

His journey takes him to Brazil, where he visits with his Uncle Ray, a Catholic priest, who shares his experiences in living a simple and spiritual life. Then when Lou returns to the United States, he studies meditation with a Buddhist Lama. He also meets a wonderful woman who shares his vision of living a more spiritual life.

Lou's journey is not unlike the one many of us take at some point in our lives. We grow tired of material things, and instinctively know there has to be something more - something that really matters.

As Lou makes his discoveries about what's important to him, he inspires us to also search for and find that for ourselves. If we look within and learn to connect with our own spirituality, we can also find a path that brings us true joy.

Reviewer: Alice Berger
Bergers Book Reviews

This spiritual novel kept me interested from cover to cover. Well written and descriptive with just enough suspense to keep the story moving. Great messages throughout that help me to think about life and where my journey is taking me. Makes me want to take my own trip to Brazil!

I will keep it sweet nd short-YOU WILL LOVE THE BOOK. There is a requirement-You have to have a open mind and understand Wolf Moondance is real. REAL spiritual and Creative. She has gifted us with words from her family, not a natin or a fad or an movememt, from her heart and from her vision! GOOD WORK. I love Wolf Medicine also! Carry Strong Heart

I have always been looking. Spirit Medicine and the whole works of Wolf Moondance helped me home! I know my spirit and it is a great joy. You will like this book if you want to change your lif and apply good native teaching of NOW, it is not bill it is meat and truth! Oloe

I just recieved Wolf Moondance's books for my birthday. I want to say that I have NOT been disappointed by Rainbow Medicine and Spirit Medicine. After finishing both I was left with a sense of a deeper understanding for Wolf Moondance's vision. I also visited her web site. I have to say that there are differing concepts in her book and website, but I understand how this vision could be complicated and have more parts than what was in the book. Fortunately, both the book and the website make perfect sense and left me with a feeling of hope and understanding for my future. If you find things in the book that you don't understand, try going to the website and writing Wolf Moondance for clarification. This author's books are rich, and probably contain only a portion of the whole teaching. What you will find in her books is pure magical writing from a personal vision. Maybe if you are looking to "fix" your problems and haven't already addressed your issues you will miss the true meaning of the words in the book. Lots of people are angry and are looking for a way for someone or something to fix their problems. I am sorry for the last person that wrote a review on this book. The person sounds angry and confused. Wolf Moondance's books are not confusing or disappointing. They are a tool, one of many that you should use on your quest for a happy life. Don't let angry people influence you on buying the books. Take it from me, they are rewarding and consistently great.

I have read it and done the exersizes in the book and you feel worked over first and then you work on it and the doors staryt to open and the spirit changes and you grow. I know from reading all the books wolf has written that you will grow when you study Spirit Medicine. You have to know and want to know your spirit to find your spirit. No witch craft her. It is clear and clean that Wolf Moondance works from her vision, which is Native American. I know cause I am Native-Blackfoot. Thanks Wolf Like the work. Ronda Hunting Bear- Montana.

I think as we humans look we are also full of fear. We always listen to each other and not the true spirit. I have learned from my full blood granny that we have to listen to our spirit and not people. As an author Wolf Moondance shows she listens to the spirit. We as humans want some one to show us the way and give us the answers. We have to be open to your spirit and hear the voice of our vision. In the spirit Medicine book I had to work to get passed my human ways but after reading one chapter I relized I had found a true teacher. I could not get away with my old ways but was open to the spirit. YOU will love it after you get to the real spirit self, Great Book...Grand Teacher!

Frederick Buechner has a wonderful way of showing how the stories of our individual lives evoke and elucidate our common story of human experience. As for the darkest "secrets" of our individual and family histories - in Buechner's case, the suicide of his father - he holds out the hope of God's healing. In perhaps the most poignant passage of the book, Buechner is able to write down an imaginary conversation with his father (decades after the fact) that exemplifies the redemptive possibilities available for even our deepest wounds.

While fully cognizant of the challenges involved in making meaningful connection with fellow humans, Buechner provides instances in his life that encourage us to continue the difficult, upward path of love. He is astonished to find, for example, in the midst of a meeting of Adult Children of Alcoholics, people "speaking something extraordinarily like truth in something extraordinarily like love."

Spending time with some authors feels like making a friend. Along with Henri Nouwen, C. S. Lewis, and many others, I now count Frederick Buechner among my author-friends.

This book was shipped to me very quickly, and was in very good condition, with a small amount of highlighting.

Frederick Buechner is one of my favorite autbors. I have almost all of his books. His latest, Telling Secrets, arrived last week and I have not opened it yet. I was almost through reading another book and didn't want to peek until I could sit down and read and read. I am so glad to have Amazon.com to remind me of books by him and other favorites.

"I not only have my secrets, I am my secrets. And you are your secrets. Our secrets are human secrets, and our trusting each other enough to share them with each other has much to do with the secret of what it is to be human."

In Telling Secrets, Buechner does just that. He tells the details of his most intimate life. He tells of his struggles and his tortuous search for answers to life. And Buechner finds some answers. He finds that so much of the secret of live is to love and to love means being able to lay bare that core of our being, that soul with the "print of God's thumb still intact." And this book is just that. In an tremendous act of love, Buechner is baring his most essential soul and allowing the reader to connect and learn.

It's difficult for me to express how much I love this book. It is short, but each page holds enough wisdom to fill volumes. Telling Secrets is a book that has earned a prestigious spot on my bedstand where I can reach it easily the times I need it most.

In this book, Buechner places great stress on the influential nature of the secrets we tend to keep. He also places great importance on the power of memory to recall and grapple with the events in our past that impact our lives. I found much of what Buechner had to say to be searching, honest and incisive, if not altogether theologically tight.

Buechner describes 3 sore spots in his past that have greatly shaped his present outlook - his father's suicide, his mother's narcissism, and his daughter's battle with anorexia. He suggests that his over-controlling and over-fretting response to his daughter's illness was shaped by the loss of his father and even the potential loss of the memory of his father. This, he believes, fed a great fear of losing things close to him. He further intimates that his mother's tendency to wall off certain topics and events from discussion left a relational hole that he tried to fill by over-pursuing and over-analyzing his daughter both before and during her illness. He suggests that this suffocation actually contributed to his daughter's crisis.

The best portion of the book is the final chapter in which Buechner delves into spiritual realities. Here, Buechner tells a poignant story of his time at Wheaton, where he discovers that evangelicals are not the close-minded apocalyptics that the culture describes. Instead, Buechner found a principled tolerance that is anchored in a faith that sets a principled direction for all other endeavors. He contrasts this with his time at Harvard, where he observed how brute pluralism often degenerates into all-out factionalism. Buechner is very insightful here. Few are willing to flush out this 'dark side' of pluralism, but of course, the factionalism that Buechner laments is increasingly the norm in American culture today. Tolerance, pluralism, and acceptance tend to be popular buzzwords that in the end, rarely endure the trials and complexities of life unscathed by those who exalt them in theory. Buechner's honest grappling with this dilemma is very refreshing.

Buechner has other insightful points to make as well. He provides helpful balance in analyzing the great love commandment, believing that in addition to loving our neighbors, we need to reclaim some love for ourselves as images of God. Self-loathing defames the image of God as much as loathing others, and loving ourselves biblically doesn't mean being self-absorbed or wanting to bring glory to ourselves. There is a balance that needs to be struck, and Buechner is helpful on this. In addition, Buechner also applies his 'secrets' hypothesis to the church. He notes that the church often bears the marks of a dysfunctional family, where outward community abounds but inner connectedness is in short supply. Like people, the church tends to prefer keeping things unsaid (keeping secrets, of a sort) and unvoiced by chossing to put on a good show rather than acknowledge individual and shared struggle and dealing honestly with it. While Buechner perhaps goes too far in seeing the church more as therapy and group catharsis instead of a place of worship and union with Christ, it is hard to argue with his basic point that both the church and us are often defined by the secrets we keep.

I'm giving the book 4 stars because in the midst of penetrating observation, Buechner seems to not penetrate far enough in some ways. In particular, it appeared to me that the death of his father helped shape some of his views about God that he does not really flush out or hold up to examination. It's not enough to say that experiencing a loss in life makes me afraid of going through that experience again, so that I try to fight it through over-protection and over-meddling. This might be true for as far as it goes, but it also involves something deeper. It involves, at root, a distrust in the goodness of God, and a fear of pain and loneliness; even when we may know intellectually that there is a redemptive character to such pain. In some ways, Buechner seems to see God in everything, but struggles with trusting him in everything. He hints at this toward the end of the book, where 'letting go' is very difficult for him. So ironically, in a book that purports to tell secrets as a result of believing that people are their secrets, I'm not sure Buechner goes far enough in contemplating just how comprehensively his secrets have shaped his view of God.

In the end, Buechner offers us a very penetrating, vulnerable, and often insightful glimpse into his life. The reader will likely be impressed not only by the vulnerability they find, but also in how Buechner's core struggles and secrets might be ours as well. His rather strong statement that we have a right to be happy, as if such a right is owed to us, is no doubt a popular sentiment, though one will struggle mightily to build a biblical case for it. However, robbing ourselves of happiness by obsessing about our fears isn't right either, and this is where Buechner is helpful. Recommended for the discerning reader.

This book provides practical methods of meditation and focus to help us reach and attune our inner spirit with the Universal Supreme Creator Spirit so we live our lives in harmony and wholeness. This work is presented to help bypass the barriers to the Infinite. If you feel like you are not vitalized by Supreme Spirit and your life is off track, let this book show how you can begin to help yourself be fulfilled in Spirit.

Mr. Ram Varma's BE STILL AND KNOW as a sequel to THIS SPLENDID WORLD OF YOURS is quite an enlightening work of literature and a practical guide for those who seek inner peace through meditation, reflection and the seeking of self. The most distinct feature of this sequel from the author of THIS SPLENDID WORLD OF YOURS is its step by step approach to relaxation, pondering on the issues of life and death and all that falls in between.

The very fact that we have been associated with Mr. Varma's meditation groups for more than five years and have stayed connected with him and the group is in it is a testimony to the value of his contribution in our lives. This connection has brought about quite a revolution in the way we look upon our inter-personal relationship between the two of us and with others. The most important practical lessons that we have absorbed are "Let go" and "stay connected" at all times. Mr. Varma's techniques made us feel connected to the infinite powers of the universe. Because of the practice of meditation to which Mr. Varma has introduced, we feel so conscious of the infinite knowledge and the resources of the universe that we feel that we can tap into this resource in our moment of need.

Ram Varma's book "Be still and know" is a step by step guide for anyone to become still and meditate.It lets you see the connection with the light, with nature.Also not to be involved. This would allow you to experience more freedom, peace and joy. The book has raised my awareness to live in the present moment, to worry less and enjoy the abundance that is given to us daily. Thank you Ram, I think that every person should have this book to have a healthy, joyful life.

The title of this book, "This Splendid World of Yours" captivates the essence of it. I have learned to appreciate the splendor in my world. Some time ago, I yearned for something in my soul. This is my answer to this search. It started with regular attendance at the meditation classes which Ram facilitates at the Victoria School Center. The book sums up clearly the teachings and the meditation techniques. The connection with my Inner Spirit is like having a best friend. The connection manifests itself for me through feeling much more freedom. This, I believe results mostly from having more self-awareness. I can now regularly slip into the "Witness" mode and observe what is happening without getting too cought up in it. Thank you for this , loving guidance.
August 30, 2001
Teresa

This is one of the books that has impressed me and Iam keeping it as my guide for self empowerement and also my journey within me. I have dabbed with lot of books on meditation, Ram has just got everything in one goblet & all we need now it drink this nectar and start our journey. His style of writing is very distinct, not much of the high sounding words, but very practical and easy to understand terms and given step by step guidance. Best thing about this book is that it appeals to every one, newcomer to spirituality, & also who has been in the arena trying to absorb all essence. Everything he says as a rationale, not just mere thoughts. Definitely if i can adhere to his teachings i will be find the bliss which all souls are looking for. I must thank Ram for sharing his wealth with us. Iam looking forward for his second book which will be my second step

The Tiny Warrior is a collection of timeless messages that apply to business, personal life, and all people young and old. Look out Covey and Ziglar, D.J. "Eagle Bear" Vanas is a rising star that will inspire you in a whole new way. Vanas will open your eyes, challenge you to achieve your goals, and lead you to the path of a more effective life.

Everyone Can Learn the Secrets to Become a Warrior in their Everyday Lives!
Whether you're a corporate executive or a struggling student, heading in the right direction or languishing in what feels like a dead-end situation, The Tiny Warrior is a must read. Vanas has written a simple tale rich with inspiration and rooted in the Native American story-telling tradition. You'll find priceless gems of hope and motivation on every page!!

I have read and listened to many, many "motivational" authors and speakers. Not until reading The Tiny Warrior did I find the ultimate in inspiring and motivational guidance. Vanas has the rare skill of packing large messages into few words. Skilfully written, this book appeals to all ages from 7 to 70 and is a "must read" for anyone striving to realize their full potential.

This book is amazing!!! As a Sale VP responsible for the performance of a national sales team, I've read many books on motivation, leadership and sales success. This book is the best yet. It is concise, to the point, and an easy read for the busiest sales executive. It delivers a knock-out punch that grabs the soul and draws on the inner strength to succeed. It is formatted in a manner that can be quickly referenced, making it a great self-motivation tool. This is the perfect book to hand-out to every member of your sales team.

If you think you've read "all those inspirational books" before, then you haven't read this one. D.J. Vanas has crafted a tight and illuminating book that is guaranteed to make you see your life in a new way. Engaging, reflective, and often humorous in humble way, The Tiny Warrior condenses an amazing amount of wisdom into less than 100 pages. I spent more time pausing to consider what I had just read than I did actually reading it - and that's the way it should be.

After I mentioned just a little bit about a couple of comments this book made about the third chapter in Genesis, I had three people wanting to borrow it. This is a serious study. I appreciate that much of the commentary relates to a direct literal study of the Hebrew (even though it has poetic interpretations in the same book). Well worth the money.

Ardent feminists will love this book. Moderate ones may think it goes too far in emphasizing the significance of women in the Torah. The commentaries and the literary entries are excellent and the format is easily accessible. I would not recommend reading this commentary alone, without a less egalitarian version at one's side. Comparisons are always valid. I especially like the non-gendered usage, which doesn't hammer the reader over the head but makes its point nicely.

I bought this for my wife, a theology major. She has been very excited about the book, finding it scholarly, well researched and a new approach to the Torah from women's point of view. There are many significant insights to be gained from this work.

Wow! This is such a beautiful commentary on Judaism's holiest text. I love the symphony of voices that flow through this book. Not only are comments meaningful and well written but the general oranization of the book is wonderful. I am man who loves Torah and all of the commentaries that it produces. This volume will sit proudly on my bookself next Rashi, Hirsch, Sforno, Ramban, etc. I am recommending this commentary to every Rabbi I know regardless of affiliation. Even if the price is a stretch for you, buy this book because you won't be sorry.

The Torah: A Women's Commentary is a compilation of the most recent Torah scholarship that also includes a woman's perspective. Introductory essays by Carol Meyers, Judith R. Baskin and Ellen Umansky are outstanding in orienting the reader to the world of Torah history and post biblical analysis. Alterative perspectives enrich this multi-dimential effort. This volume produced by the Women of Reform Judaism makes me proud to be a scholar and a Jew.

Reviewed by Elizabeth E. Gibson-Evans for RebeccasReads (5/08)

The theme of this book, "Trust in the Lord," by Deen Kemsley, is the journey to know Christ; it is the journey to know the deepest, best element of ourselves. If we embrace this divine element within us by genuinely believing in Christ, we experience the wonder of being born of God, and we discover that Christ's power to heal is deeper than our deepest pain.

As Christ transforms us, He instills in us the genuine concern for others and the desire to serve and sacrifice without regard for worldly praise or reward. If Christ were merely an effective teacher, He couldn't evoke such enduring praise -- this is a witness of the literal Son of God.

We may not always receive specific answers to the questions we pose, but if we listen carefully we will receive a deeper answer -- Christ is in the Eternity overhead; Christ is in the eyes and faces of our young children; Christ is in the tears and joy of these whom He transforms; and Christ is deep within our hearts. "God is there, He hears our prayers, and He loves us."

Often it's in the common bond of Christ that we most clearly perceive our common eternal inheritance. "As we step out of the mire and temptations of this world and begin to ascend the mount of the Lord unto the tabernacle of Eternity that is within our hearts, we will find the true Holy of Holies -- Jesus Christ Himself. No matter how far we may have strayed from Him over time. We will learn He has always been there on the look out waiting for us to return.

"Trust in the Lord" takes you through a true spiritual journey of what it means to truly depend on the Lord our Savior as He Himself trusted in His own Holy Father during His walk as one of us. You learn the way to handle loneliness. Discover answers to the many tough questions we all have or have had. But, most importantly you learn true faith and that no matter what "He hears us and He loves us!"

If you have even small doubts about the reality of a living Savior that knows you, loves you, and is aware of you, this book was written for you. It's a book that will most likely change your life. I am half way through my second reading and I feel like a new person. The book doesn't tell me how to run my life, but because of this book I can feel my Savior's direction. He really does care about me and my life. Thank you, Deen Kemsley, for sharing this important message. This is a book for everyone.
-Ardent Reader

One of the first things I noticed about Deen Kemsley's Trust in the Lord is that I had initially misread the subtitle. Having mistakenly misread it as "Reflections on Jesus Christ", I was startled to find it actually read "Reflections of Jesus Christ". The distinction is not a minor one. In Kemsley's own spiritual sojourn, Christ is not just an abstract idea to be reflected upon but an active force in our lives that is reflected in the wonder of everyday things. The beauty of nature, the laugh of a child, the kind act of a stranger, all in some way reflect the love of Christ to a fallen world and give light to lead us back to Him.

Meditating upon the joys and disappointments of his own life, Kemsley points to the subtle ways in which God moves in all our lives that are often only noticed in retrospect. While there may not be an empirical demonstration of God's existence that would satisfy the doubts of skeptics, this is less a reason to abandon God than a reason to understand the limitations of our methodologies. God may not answer prayer in a loud roar nor the way we want but He does hear and He does answer. Moreover, He does love us.

The meditations cotained in Trust in the Lord are rich and one may find wisdon in reapeated readings that did not seem apparent at first glance. In this beautifully written and faith-filled little book we do indeed see the love of Christ reflected.

Deen Kemsley's writing resonates with uplifting encouragement, inspiring challenge, and amazing insight in is new book "Trust in the Lord." He captures the heart of Christ's own thoughts as he reflects and shares intimate experiences of his own spiritual journey.

Kemsley invites the reader to recognize the Savior at the cross to receive a fresh vision of who Jesus is. He draws from his own experiences and those of others as he speaks about the underlying foundation of the Christian faith as the undeserved, limitless miracle of the love of God demonstrated on the Cross of Calvary. He shows how this love produces joy in circumstances of tribulation, suffering, and persecution. These poignant illustrations draw the reader into an eager search for a fresh encounter with the Lord Jesus.

I experienced a personal call to revival, to recognize my own helplessness without the hope redemption provided through the cross. I am eager to sense the enrichment of God's presence in my life as he works to produce wholeness.

"Trust in the Lord" is for those hungry to contemplate and reflect on the sacrifice of Jesus and His great love, to see fullness replace emptiness and harmony replace loneliness. The book offers the readers freshness in purity as motivation for their actions in their search to fulfill their deepest, truest potential.

Professor Kemsley's personal stories bring to life eternal truths in this book. I found that I could relate to several of his stories making it much more enjoyable. This book truly brings one closer to Christ.

What started as the personal journey of one man to answer some of the mysteries of life turns out to be a discovery of universal truths that are common to all. The spiritual growth of mankind is at critical point as current events (9/11/01) unfold and the more we all understand how similar our journeys are if we are able to make the connection of rocks to clouds. A truly enriching book for people of all backgrounds and interests.

This is an excellent book, not only for people who are looking for answers, but for people who believe they have them. It offers insight into the minds of some of the great thinkers of our time, but more importantly, it offers a glimpse of the importance of seeking : to find things for which we didn't even know we were seeking.

The author, William Elliot is someone you might know, the boy living next door, who went away to the University, whose parents died when he was young, someone who was raised by loving parents, that is, until they died when he was a teen. He keeps alive the values and love his parents showed him but he is searching for something. He is looking for meaning - meaning to their death and his loss. He was a psychology major at the University of Wisconsin when he conceived of interviewing the "wise and spiritual" people who are alive today. His method was deceptively simple ... he sought answers to 25 - 30 questions that might unlock the secrets to his dilemma. Questions such as, "What is the meaning or purpose of life?" "Do you believe in G-d or Ulitmate Reality?" "Why is there suffering, evil in the world? and What is its cause?" "What is important to you?" "What are the three most important problems in life?" He was dissuaded from pursuing this endeavor, to write a book about his conversation with the "wise and spiritual" people whom he interviewed. He overcame challenges and obstacles to interview the people on his list, all the while holding firmly to his goal. He met and interviewed: His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Ram Dass, Norman Vincent Peale, Robert Schuller, Jean Houston, Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, Rabbi Harold Kushner, psychologist Albert Ellis, psychologist B.F. Skinner, Pir Vilayat Khan, Frances Vaughn, Stephen Levine and even Mother Theresa. He interviewed a total of 21 high-profile persons deemed 'wise and spiritual' by modern standards. The author does not interpret the answers for us, instead he writes out the answers given to him by each person interviewed. In some cases, he writes an introduction prior to the interview, letting the reader know how he managed to get an appointment or interview with the "important" person or else he describes some interesting event or circumstance concerning the interview. He seldom makes a judgement about the person or what they said ... his writing style is matter-of-fact and straight forward. This style of writing makes the book a valuable and worthwile reading experience. It is as if, you, yourself, decided what questions to ask and took the time to write out the answers, sometimes, in utter amazement, that you snagged the interview with his or her eminence ... The author also made a trek to Nepal to meditate and visit one of the most spiritual climates and areas of the world. We learn of his experiences and interactions with people he met there. This book is recommended for anyone who has any interest in spirituality or has read any book by the persons whom the author interviewed. It can be said the author found the truth which he was seeking ... Erika Borsos (erikab93)

This book took the author a long time to finish and just the project itself is an inspiration. The resulting product is a wonderful heart warming book. I got this book from the library and in the end had to buy it. You should too.

I used this book for a study session with 10 other people (common everyday Christians). Most felt that the language was a little bit above their understanding, and many had to really "work" at trying to understand what was being said. Over all I thought that the book gave a very good overview of perspectives that most Christians don't want to engage. Elliott was interesting, and I think that the average person would get lost in most of the interviews because of the language barriers if they weren't familiar with many terms and different religions and or spiritual sources used in this book. It was a little long and I am not sure if anything was resolved, but, we never though we would find the answer in this book. I just hope Mr. Elliott grew from and through it.