Religion Books

This book is great and perfect for someone like me who gets bogged down in the negative self talk. Jennifer Rothschild does a great job of identifying the problems and offering scriptural solutions. Great book that speaks to my soul and is a perfect small group study!

Great book. Jennifer is excellent at taking a woman's thoughts and relaying them in such a way that you can understand what God wants for you. Women need positive affirmations and what better way than to apply God's own words to help us become the woman he desires.

I received this book as a Christmas gift and read it once. I am now reading it a second time. Not only is Jennifer's writing easy to follow, but it is so interesting, real and applicable to every aspect of our lives. I have most of the pages marked with notes. I plan to read it over and over until I am living and breathing it!!!! I have given several copies out and recommended it to several people as well.

This book exceeding even what I was expecting. I have already purchased three additional copies for others. It is a definite must for every woman. Jennifer teaches the importance of what we allow into our "thought closet" and making sure that only TRUTH resides there! It is an easy read but a powerful one. As soon as I finished, I started reading back over my "highlights" to allow the truths to sink in. This book is a must have!

I have truly enjoyed this book and been uplifted by the message. I love how Jennifer takes the truth of Gods word and shows us how it applies today to our daily walk and to our thought process. Women can be hard on themselves almost daily, and I love how Jennifer reminds us of how important it is to see ourselves the way God sees us and to speak the words that have already been laid out for us in His word- words of life! I am so encouraged to begin applying what I've learned and so excited to share it with others. I have already bought this book for 3 girlfriends and I think it is such a great book, I plan to buy more as gifts for each girlfriend in my life.

This book has a very detailed description of the whole event. Well written in a typcial novel style, the book goes through all the happenings in a manner that keeps the reader engaged though I felt this book could be shorter and still have the same sort of impact as it does.
An ideal book for a future movie script on an important event in the history of islam.

Overshadowed by other world crises in 1979, especially in Iran, the siege of Mecca has been largely forgotten. But it should not have been forgotten because it has set the stage for much of the terror that has ensued in the last 28 years. It was not exactly the birthplace of Al Quieda and Bin Laden but it gives a great insight into the trouble nature of the extremist regime of Suadi Arabia and how Saudi Arabia made a 'deal with the devil' by bringing in extremist cleric to help root out the more extremist people who had taken over the mosque. Rumours that a relative of Bin Laden was involved, the story of the beheadings of those who had participated, the claim that the French special forces called in to help converted to Islam so as not to 'offend' the Saudis and the story of the assault on American embassies throughout the Muslim world in the days that followed are all covered here.

The book begins with a discussion of the history of Saudi Arabia and its extreme religious foundations, its apartheid like legal system for men and women and the origins of the Wahhabi movement. THen the story jumps forward to describe the radicalization of several groups of Muslims, including Juhayman Said al Otaibi and his brother-in-law Muhammad bin abd Allah al-Qahtani as well as other gulf Arabs and even some African-American Muslims. On November 20th, 1979 this group of men invaded the Al-Masjid al-Haram mosque in Mecca, the Grand Mosque, and in the battles that followed some 250 people were killed. Saudi National Guardsmen were shot down easily by the well armed and trained rebels. This necccesitated the regimes work with the conservative cleric Sheikh Abdel Aziz al Baaz and the calling in of non-Muslim foreigners to help with the siege.

This is an expert story and the author not only tells it well but relates its history, its context and its aftermath, trying to show how this was pivotal in the increasing rise of Islamist terror in the Middle East that eventually culminated in Sept. 11.

Seth J. Frantzman

Purchased: May 2008 (Kindle)

Pro: Fast-paced, concise story of an intriguing event. Illuminates the present state of affairs by presenting convincing evidence that the leader "...Juhayman's multinational venture,...was a precursor of al Qaeda itself."

Con: Considering how hard it is to get accurate information about Saudi Arabia, I was initially suspicious that I was reading another "A million Little Pieces". I suggest scanning A Note to Readers at the end of the book to better understand how information was gathered.

Overall: Buy it now

The "Siege of Mecca" is a book that every serious reader should read. If you are an advocate or a beach comber or a pretender, you don't need to read this book - you wouldn't enjoy it because it would not suit your interests or needs.

For "Serious Readers" (i.e. people who read everything including cereal box ingredient lists or those tags on mattresses and then think about it) the "Siege of Mecca" is simply a delight. It describes one of those weird historical moments (like the Bonfire of the Vanities) that seems to represent much more to the future than it did in its present. As far as this Serious Reader knows, Trofimov provides the most complete, dispassionate, and interesting description of this incredible act of stupidity and/or courage. It appears to be one of those "tipping point" moments in history to use the current hipster jargon.

For English readers, the writing may seem just a bit ragged. Trofimov's grasp of the English (American) idiom is a bit . . . lubricated, shall we say? It slips just a bit now and then, but Mr. Trofimov's facility with English is much better than my skill with his native language, so I'm quibbling here. Sometimes his expressions are quaint, quirky, or merely violate the grammarian's whip, but in the spirit of Strunk and White, it nonetheless works. Get over it and focus.

This book also provides one of those incredibly interesting tangents on the Global War on Terror. After you read this book you realize that there is a lot more going on than the New York Times, National Public Radio, or the current Presidential Administration is telling you. This is flip: If you like the really "good" restaurants, the ones even the cool guys don't talk about, this is the book for you. The "Siege of Mecca" is the truth, or at least the Current State of the Art.

I highly recommend this book.

I was prepared to dislike this book, suspecting an "action pack thriller", full of loopy historical inaccuracies, if not outright fantasy - all because of the jarring black and red cover. Instead I found a lean, scholarly, and almost certainly dispassionately accurate account of one of the more important and not very well understood events in the last quarter of the 20th Century. It is written in a fast-paced action style, flipping back and forth among the major actors in this drama, but that enhances and does not hinder his story. Ramifications of this siege are affecting us today.

Mr. Trofimov knows his subject well, amazingly well. He deftly describes the numerous disparate historical antecedents to the taking of the mosque by Islamic fanatics, and the reactions of the major actors. The Ikhwan, the religious brotherhood which was instrumental in Abdul Aziz's conquest and consolidation of what would be the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and his decision that they overstepped their limits, and so he had to mow them down with borrowed British machine guns in the early `30's, leading to a sense of martyrdom in the remnants of the defeated communities. America was tired of "foreign adventures," Vietnam being the prime reason, and therefore the CIA was severely constrained, with the coups it directed in Chile and Iran very much in mind. There was the Kingdom itself, being overwhelmed by the "future shock" of oil revenues, and the attendant rapid "modernization," with its own ills, inevitably leaving some people behind

As with many events of this magnitude, ironies abound; they are described but not overplayed. The Royal Family must obtain a ruling from the Ulema, the chief religious body, that force can be used to remove the rebels, yet philosophically, the Ulema is in large measure in agreement with the complaints of the rebels. For days virtually no one knows the exact identify of the people who seized the mosque, so the United States insists it was Iran, and the Shiites; meanwhile Iran is insisting it is the United States and the infidels. Perhaps the best trained Arab force that could assist the Saudis is the Hashemite Jordanians, but they can not be used since they were once rulers in the Hejaz, were defeated by Abdul Aziz, and if they returned, "may not leave." Eventually the Saudis turned to the French, "because they were discreet and could keep a secret," which also proved false.

I found the section of the French involvement particularly fascinating, since it dispelled the rumors that had dominated this topic, and described in an authoritative manner the exact nature of the fairly limited intervention (3 men, and supplies). Characteristically of Trofimov's account, he states the facts which he could ascertain, but does not speculate whether Barril, one of the three Frenchmen, actually entered Mecca.

Equally important was the depiction of the immediate ramifications throughout the Muslim world, who blamed the United States, in large part because of Khomeini. US Embassies in Libya and Pakistan were burned, with loss of American life.

John Burgess, on his CrossRoads Arabia website, pointed out some (relatively minor) flaws in Trofimov's book, citing the reason that the Bedouin were settled was not, as Trofimov contends, to better perform their ablutions, but rather to stop their raiding. I'd add a couple of my own: the Nejd would never be described as the "central Arabian highlands" (p14), and, of course, 1400 is not the first year of new century, 1401 is.

On a personal note, I traveled by road in the Asir, from Abha to Taif, one week prior to the taking of the mosque, and may very well have passed some of the participants. On that trip, at a police checkpoint, was the only time in my 20 years in the Kingdom, that a Muslim did not give the proper response to my "As-Salaam Alikum" greeting; the followers of Juhayman believe(d) that a Muslim should not respond to an infidel when he gave the traditional greeting.

In Trofimov's summing up, he correctly identifies Juhayman's deed as only one of the currents which lead to the formation of Al Qaeda. He also points out a second one, arriving from Egypt, in the person of Ayman Al Zawahir (who had been inspired by the execution of his hero, Sayyid Qutb). Of course, a third could easily be postulated: the unintended consequences, a/k/a "blowback" in CIA jargon, of America and Saudi Arabia funding and arming Islamic fundamentalist to fight the Soviets in Afghanistan. And a fourth: the CIA coup against the democratically elected government of Iran in 1953.

Epilogues can be used to examine some of the "what ifs" of an event. One of the rumors concerning Juhayman's capture stated that he had asked: "But where are the armies of the north"? Trofimov does not cover this, and only alludes to the self-delusional nature of individuals who succumb to millennial dogmas; the alleged Mahdi believes that he is "bullet proof," with the attendant fatal consequences. How many of my fellow citizens believe in the "rapture," the postulated end of the world when Christ returns, and would actually like to hasten the date? And "what if" they took concrete actions to accomplish this goal? Our own Juhayman...

Trofimov account is almost certainly the best account we will ever have on the seizure of the mosque in Mecca in 1979, and is highly recommended.

I am impressed by the writings of Robert Louis Wilken in this history book. He tells us that the purpose of his book is "to depict the pattern of Christian thinking as it took shape in the formative centuries of the Church's history."
His purpose leads me to believe that he understands that the Bible is the central factor that appeals to all the religious writers from the very beginning to the present time. I cannot help but to be aware that the central theme for anyone will be to understand what God has helped man to write in this great book, The Bible. Readers should come to an awareness in the introduction of this book that we need to understand the history, rituals, and the text to have the proper knowledge of Christian history in order to convey facts and thoughts to all concerned people.

This book explores Christian beliefs and practices, shown in its major Latin and Greek writers, through the first seven centuries of the church's history.

Each of the twelve chapters is devoted to a particular theme, such as worship or social ethics, but the discussion is wide ranging, and themes tend to flow into one another. "Spirit" is a good word in the title since the material isn't treated in a systematic way. At the end, the reader has less an analysis and more an aroma of early Christianity.

The book isn't a critical appraisal--it's a loving appropriation. And it's clear Wilken loves his subject matter deeply. This is a beautiful book, written with depth and style.

It is hard to believe that this book is by the same man who wrote "The Christians as the Romans Saw Them". What a difference 19 years makes.

This is one of the most inspiring books I have ever read. I must have highlighted the whole book since I found almost every sentence edifying.

I had become accustomed to reading the Church Fathers from an apologetic or polemical standpoint. This book made me realize how I had overlooked the faith and piety of the Early Fathers. Prof. Wilken shows among other things how they sought to ground their all their arguments Biblically, and how little Christian doctrine actually owes to pagan thought, other than perhaps a few philosophical terms.

If you really want to understand how Christian doctrine was shaped by faith and inspiration, and not by cerebral distillations, you simply MUST read this book.

In a previous volume called The Christians as the Romans Saw Them (1984), Robert Louis Wilkin, professor of the History of Christianity at the University of Virginia, explored the broad and deep antipathy that developed in the first five centuries toward the Christian movement, at least as that was expressed by the cultured elites. He presented the views of the pagan critics with both sympathy and understanding, devoting one chapter each to the views of Pliny the Younger, the physician Galen, Celsus, the Neoplatonic philosopher Porphyry, and the Roman emperor Julian. In a short epilogue, Wilkin acknowledged that Christians responded to their critics: "There was a genuine dialogue, not simply an outpouring of abuse. The credit goes as much to the Christians as to the pagans." In this present volume Wilkin explores the emergence of what eventually became a distinctly Christian view of God, the world, the self, and human history.

Although his task requires him to consider the history of theology as it developed in the early church, and its relationship with thinkers of Judaism, Greece and Rome, Wilkin warns us not to be be overly preoccupied with intellectual ideas. The Gospel, after all, does not intend to make us smart, but to transform our hearts, minds, and our very lives. Early Christianity appealed to history, reason, ritual, experience, and most of all to the Scriptures, all with the goal of authentic faith expressing itself in true love. What we seek is not barren knowledge but the very face of God (see Psalm 105:4). In his panoramic survey Wilkin describes how we know God in worship, the sacraments and the Scriptures; the struggles to define the Trinity, the nature of Christ, and creation; the relationship of faith to reason and the church to broader society; poetry and icons; and then the nature of Christian virtue and the spiritual life. From start to finish the book is a feast of the early Christian fathers, with special emphasis on Origen, Gregory of Nyssa, Augustine, and Maximus the Confessor. These forbears are, as he says in the last sentence of the book, "still our teachers today."

This book left me feeling very torn. On the one hand, it was really a great read. On the other hand, it seemed that there was an underlying agenda that the author refused to admit (or realize). At times, it seemed a little like Bart Ehrman's book--only half the story gets told to bend the conclusion. Of course, Wilken admits that he is not telling the whole story, but he leads the reader to believe that he is being fair. Allow me a few examples. Wilken admits that Augustine is the giant of early Christian thought, and quotes him in every chapter, and on almost every subject. However, when he begins to talk about free-will, there is no talk of Augustine, and Wilken says that all the early fathers believed in free-will. While Augustine may have been in the minority, the average reader (to whom the book is written, as purported by Wilken) would have no other idea. Also, Wilken talks about the monothelite controversy. Usually, he deals with all the bishops and emporers on both sides of a debate. However, in this discussion, he fails to mention Honorius, prelate of Rome. This would be unknown to the average reader, but seems (to me) that it would be important enough to mention. There are a few other, mostly minor, examples of things like this. It all seems to be an apologetic for Roman Catholicism. While that's fine to write an apologetic for your church, telling half the story is deceitful.

That being said, the book is a good read. It flows well, and is enjoyable. Technical terms (usually Greek or Latin words) are explained and used in useful ways. The book contains a good amount of information, yet is presented in an understandable way and is made easy to remember. It isn't just another book on early church history--it traces other things like poetry, etc. Another underlying theme is that knowledge of God is not true knowledge until it is experienced. It seems simple enough, but Wilken explains it quite well. And to this end, I agree with another reviewer, that there is a devotional, not just academic, use for this book.

The negative side of this review shouldn't deter anyone from reading it. This book is a great read, but it needs to be read with discernment (of course, everything does).

THIS IS A GREAT DESK REFERENCE GUIDE FOR TERMS REGARDING SPIRITUAL WORK. IT ALSO IS A QUICK REFERENCE FOR FAMOUS SPIRITUALISTS NAMES, PLACES, AND SUCH.

If you're curious as to the purpose of our very existence as human beings, I highly recommend you read this book. It is a question and answer format that makes sense of the human experience.

This is the one of the most comforting book I've ever read in my life. I found out more about Spiritual life and God's promises through Jesus. It's a real step ahead of our time, and very clarifying book for the ones who are really serious about spiritual evolution. You will not be able to stop reading this book!

According to the text, the suffering we receive in this life is a result of sins committed in a previous life. The text also states that we are not permitted to remember our previous lives because it would "dazzle" us. It wouldn't dazzle me. How can a person understand the consequences of their evil deeds if they're not permitted to remember the deed that brought about the punishment in the first place? If I could remember my sins, then I could accept the punishment. Otherwise, I am to assume that the God is dealing out punishment at random without rhyme or reason. I'm sorry, but I don't buy it. Religion was created to provide hope to those that couldn't accept the fact that we don't live forever. It was also created to control the people and to keep them calm. When we die, we rot. There is no afterlife, there is no spirit brother, there is no God. I wish there were. It would certainly give me purpose to my life, but there isn't. That's why we can't find the God. Because he doesn't exist in the first place. I gave the book three starts because it made for good fiction.

Amazon, are you listening? I originally read this book in French and really loved it. It is a wonderful book for those searching for the meaning of life, spiritual truth etc...and is a very serious, credible work by someone whose main line of work was scientific study and medicine, Allan Kardec.

I was so thrilled that I ordered copies in English for friends and was disappointed to find out that this copy is the original English translation dating from the late 1800s!! The book is still worth a read, but why suffer needlessly? The language is difficult, and the typeset is even worse. Great news: a new, modern American English version does exist, and frankly, it is a huge mystery to me as to why it is not being sold here. FYI: I bought my modern copies fon the Allan Kardec Education Society's website...

This book really is a great foundation for any teenage student or young adult. Esp. for the teens, this book will help the through college and through many questions they may have. For $18 bucks, its well worth the price!

-Taylor U.

'stand your ground' was a awesome book that answered many of my questions on logic and philosophy. It provides support for those going to college and those who have unanswered questions.Mr. Hardy is a amazing person and a amazing writer. I would recommend this book to anybody with unanswered questions.'Stand your ground' teaches struggling Christians to stand their ground. I would read this book twice.

Stand Your Ground is thoroughly enjoyable. This book provides you with the basic tools needed to defend your faith, and will also help to make you grow stronger as a christian. I recommend this book to anyone looking to learn more about how to defend ones faith. It also provides information on how to lead more people to Christ. You will not regret if if you buy this book!

Stand Your Ground is a must read for any students or adults interested in learning the foundations of apologetics. It is not too hard to read and will "wet your interest" in a subject that is simply too interesting to pass up! If you purchase the book and stick with it, not only will you become a smarter/stronger Christian, but you will rest assured that when tested, you can defend your faith. So go ahead, grab a copy and be prepared for an all nighter, because once you start this baby you wont be able to put it down. You wont regret it, I know i dont!

I just finished the book and still dont have the words to describe how helpful it has been. It walks you through the basics of how to defend your faith. It is really easy to read and well broken down so if you just need help in a certain area you can skip around. The chapters have nice reviews and it builds well so that you can be without fault in your theology. I have learned a lot thanks to this book and it has helped me on a number of occasions. I highly recommend this book as an intro to apologetics or as a deep thought provoking piece. It is well written and fulfills both tasks completely. Hope you enjoy

I purchased this book when I began to explore Buddhism and mindfulness practices three few months ago. It was difficult reading, one chapter at a sitting, but it has taught me so much and inspired me to practice meditation almost every day since. This weekend I attended a stage-one Shambhala training on mindfulness. I credit this book for much of that. If you're looking to learn more about the application of Buddhist principles to life through meditation practice, this is excellent. If you want to learn about mindfulness/meditation but not as it relates to Buddhism, check out one of John Kabat Zinn's books.

I loved this book. A friend recommended it to me when I said i was interested in meditation. Pema Chodron has a wonderfully practical down-to-Earth way of putting things, and she has a delightful sense of humor. If interested in Buddhism, meditation, or simply learning to live more fully in the present, with all of life's trials and beauty, you will find much to inspire you in this lovely book.

My girlfriend bought me this book over the holidays, and I blew it off but finally had a chance read it from start to finish in a matter of 2 days. Pema Chodron wrote this book with clarity for everyone to understand her beliefs. I've read numerous other books pertaining to Buddhism and this one is by the far the easiest one to understand and comprehend. This book is based around the idea of being compassionate to yourself which in turn will penetrate others around you to develop some level of compassion. Chodron does an excellent job of motivating oneself to clear their mind and avoid unnecessary feelings of anger, aggression, pleasure, etc. Not only does Chodron explain the necessary steps to clear your mind, but she compliments this explanation with examples from her personal experience with students and teachers. The verbage outlined in this book is very easy to comprehend versus other Buddhist books I picked up and read. I've noticed in the past I've had to re-read certain passages quite a few times to fully understand it's meaning, but not with this book. This book motivates me to "start" working on myself, and in doing so it will encourage me to open my eyes to everyone and everything in this world.

I truly enjoyed this book as it awakened a sense of compassion for myself and others, with insight and humor Pema Chodron guided me to a state of joy, and well being. I also discovered the 59 traditional Tibetan Buddhist maxims and was able to relate them to every day life. This book reminded me of one of my favorite authors, Ariel and Shya Kane and their book Being Here: Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment their short stories are inspiring and fun, and I felt a sense of ease and grace that lasted well after reading their book.

Compassion is born of the heart and served by a disciplined mind. What heals our dense energies and emotions is the capacity to embrace in our cells a sense of the seven virtues ... such as compassion. Now compassion is not allowing someone to hurt us constantly but rather it is seeing the pain in the other that provokes them to act out. And by that one can see and perceive beyond our ego's filter and into what really is going on. Often when someone hurts us it is because of their own hurt and corresponding vindictiveness to extend the pain. The Buddha once said that hate never begets hate ...only love begets hate. Detached love is still love in the agape sense ... and compassion is the key to opening the heart once more to allow this remedy to flow. It is a gift to yourself ... when you release yourself from the attachment of what you want a situation to result in. Self-love is your birthright and it is in self-love that you can experience compassion along side strong boundaries.

What an inspiring book. Anthony made scripture come alive in our every day lives. I appreciate the research he put into it. He gave such clear examples of faith, not only in his own life but in the lives of people, such as Theodore Roosevelt.I'm sure this book will deepen the faith of anyone who reads it.

I like the way the prayers and the sure response is validated by experience and proved by the Word of God.

This book will have you crying tears of joy. It is a great meditation for the journey through this frustrating and painful world. God loves us more than we love ourselves and wants us to have eternal happiness above all else. So take heart, do not be afraid; grab this book and refresh you soul.

Ten Prayers God Always Says Yes To: Divine Answers to Life's Most Difficult ProblemsThis is one of the best books I've read in years. I wish everyone would read this -- I learned so much! I have since ordered 4 more of these books to give as gifts.

Over the years I have come to learn that God answers every prayer. The answer is either yes, no or not yet. When I saw the title of this book, I was curious to questions that the answer is always yes. I was ready for some yes answer prayers. This book is a universal one, I ended up giving to older people to encourage them as well as teens for graduation as they are seeking direction in life. Wonderfully real and touching and promises to receive YES answers for your life as well!!

Buy this book immediately if you have a sincere interest in dream practices. The information is appropriate for the beginner as well as the advanced yogi. Don't waste one third of your life in the sleep of ignorance. Make it the fertile pure land it is when seen clearly.

I highly recommend this Book on Dreaming and Sleep. It's very enlightening.

Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche presents Tibetan dream yoga in full detail, and most importantly, fully contextualizes its practice in the Dzogchen spiritual tradition. As I slowly worked my way through this illuminating book it increasingly dawned on me that this work was not only the clearest practical manual on dream yoga ever penned, but that it ranks as one of the most enlightening spiritual treatises I have ever encountered. The author starts by outlining the conceptual foundations of Dzogchen teachings as related to dream yoga, then presents preliminary practices necessary for developing the "mental muscles" needed for genuine engagement in the rigors of dream and sleep yoga. Then comes the meat of the text, where Tenzin Wangyal elucidates all the elements for the complete practice of these esoteric yogas. He repeatedly stresses that the ultimate aim must be a consistent abiding in clear, non-dual awareness, or "rigpa"--throughout waking, dreaming, sleeping, and ultimately in dying (bardo). As heavy as this sounds, the author actually carries it all out with the light touch of a true master. He gently leads the reader into a realm of wondrous mystery...

Very hip writing about PREPARING FOR DEATH... Amazing material being able to see life as a dream and hence waking up in your dreams to transcend death, and the subject of a new Hollywood big budget sci fi film, CONVERGENCE, by a director named Wake.
Simple and beautiful. Achieves what Casteneda makes complicated. But we know this one is real.

I think this is a really good book to get some alternative info on lucid dreaming. I still prefer Stephen Laberges EWLD, but this one is great in a different way. I'm not into buddhism. And if you don't have any experience with buddhism, then it's not very easy/clear. You'll just have to ignore some of the buddhist slang to get the best out of it. Anyway, it's nice to read about the subject from a different angle.

There are some that believe Catholics worship the Virgin Mother. There are some they believe this book is filled with blasphemy, yet reading this book I found none. I found a book that taught that Mary helps us build a deeper and meaningful relation with Jesus. This book is about how Mary is part of God's will.

The book may be a little hard for some to read, but do not be worried. It is filled with so much rich and beautiful text, that will have you want to know anything and everything about Our Lady.

This book gave me a phrase that I will hold close to my heart:

Maria Numquam Satis " Of Mary, there is never enough!"

This is the best book written about Mary. How simple! Easy to follow and great inspiration for my life and devotion to Mary, the Mother of God. If you love her, your love will grow deeper. You most buy this book and certainly feel more attached to her. Seller is excellent. Buy at ease from them. GOOD PRICES!!!

I have spent the past four years discovering my Catholic faith after spending decades chasing professional goals of far less importance.

I have found this book to be the most important "writing of the saints" book I've read while on this four-year journey.

I highly recommend reading it slowly and prayerfully, and making the formal personal consecration. For me, this has been a life-changing discovery for which I am very grateful.

This is an important book. I am a recent convert to the Catholic Church. I grew up in a protestant denomination and Mary was someone who appeared for a couple of weeks at Christmas and then faded back into the dust of first century christianity. She was just one of many players in the drama of God. This book blows that shallow understanding to bits. Over the past year I have been getting to know my Mother. This book came to my attention only recently and I can not put it down! I will say this, one must read this book with faith. This is a very deep book, yet beautifully simple. It is a love story of devotion and courage. This book is a high calling to know Jesus in a way one may have never imagined possible.

Peace,
Keith

This is, in my opinion, the greatest single book ever written on the Blessed Virgin. It is, in reality, like a compendium of all that the Holy Catholic Church had taught on devotion to the Blessed Virgin up to that moment, although nothing has really been added since then. In 215 pages it explains everything you need to know about TRUE devotion to the Blessed Virgin - it even explains false devotions, such as hypocritical devotees etc - and the crucial importance, by the will of God, of Mary in salvation history. You can clearly get the impression when reading this magnificent book that the author was not really the one who physically wrote down the words, St Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort, but in reality the Holy Ghost himself acting through this servant of God. This book is an absolute must for anyone who wishes to better his/her spiritual life. Needless to say, I think everyone should read this book - sinners and saints alike. For sinners, as a way to escape from spiritual ruin, and for saints, as a way to reach perfection which otherwise is very difficult to reach without a deep devotion to Our Lady. This book definitely has the power to change the life of the one who reads it. As St Alphonsus de Liguori stated, "Only God knows the good that can be done on a soul by reading a good book" and this book certainly falls in this category.

This book has been a blessing to me. Andy has skillfully used the life of Nehemiah and has interwoven his own leadership experiences, while staying through to the Scriptures.

Every visionary needs to read this book. Every pastor needs to read this book. Everyone who is involved in ministry at some level needs to read this book. Buy and eat this volume, for you will find it sweet to the taste and satisfying to the stomach.

Most leadership books focus on a specific portion of leadership (i.e. competency or character, method or motive, personal or public, etc.) In so doing these books almost guarantee enthusiastic support from like minded persons and criticism from others.

VISIONEERING is more balanced than most. The book's subtitle is very accurate. "God's blueprint for developing and maintaining personal vision." This book is based on Scripture and attempts to follow God's definition of leadership. This book is extremely practical in offering advice on developing and maintaining vision. This book delves deeply into the personal character of the leader. This book offers concrete guides for a vision that yields public impact. In short, this book may not go as deeply as any one person may like, but everyone should accept it. More importantly, every Christian leader should be stretched by it.

SUGGESTION: Because of its balance and ability to stretch people this is the probably the next book I will take our entire church leadership team through. If you are looking for a book to offer to your leaders, this is a good one. I suggest that each pastor buy a copy of this book for board members and take them through it as a small group discussion guide. It will help the board members understand the pastor, support the pastor better, and will also make the board members better leaders in their own ministries.

If you have ever had a dream, a vision that God has placed in front of you and did not know what to do with it, you need this book. As I started reading, it felt that Andy Stanley was writing to me personally. God has place within my heart a vision but I was at a loss as to how to put steel and concrete on it. Andy took the story of Jeremiah and applied it so that it would fit whoever and whatever God has placed within you.
Fantastic book I refer to almost weekly.
I have to be honest and admit that I thought to myself, "What has this young preacher got to say that will help me, a veteran of 43 years of preaching?" I was blessed, he had much to say and kept it all Biblical!

In contrast to many books on leadership, even those written by Christian leaders, Andy Stanley manages to draw out over a dozen key principles from the story of Nehemiah's journey in leading the people of Israel to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. I have appreciated some of those more secular leadership books, including Stanley's "Next Generation Leader," as I have tried to development my own skills, but I found his biblical approach here to be refreshing.

I used the audiocassette version of this book, which was read by Andy Stanley and presumably significantly abridged. So, I cannot attest to the entire text of the book. However, even in bulleted form with the key points highlighted in the audio version, there was much wisdom to glean from Stanley's analysis of Nehemiah.

I highly recommend this leadership book, particularly for leaders within the church, and I look forward to listening to it again!!

Few authors have the skill of presenting biblical truth in such practical dress! Andy Stanley has hit a home run. I have read this book twice, a year apart, and have catalogued over 30 cross-referenced topics from its pages.

From the Old Testament Book of Nehemiah, Stanley propounds 20 building blocks for discovering, articulating, and growing vision in personal life. The book has 18 projects, one following each chapter, most of which were personally helpful.

While being a Bible based book, this work has direct practical application that will fit nearly any kind of vision in any field. It moves to that rare highest category in my library: a five star must read!