General Practice Books

I have written and deleted about five review for this book already, since this is such a sensitive issue for me, I will keep it short, I hope you forgive me.

- The book does not take for granted that your main reason for learning about conversion is a romantic interest in a jewish person.

- It shares with the readers experiences of people who went through the conversion process as well as incredible histories that are wonderful and interesting even outside the scope of the book.

- The author does a great job at balancing the spiritual aspect of life after conversion with its practical implications.

- It has a extremely good amount of information regarding holidays and rituals.

The author is just a great writer.

I hope this helps.

Anyone interested in conversion should read this book. It lays out, plainly and very readably, the necessary information about why people convert, how to go about conversion, and what the convert is getting her/himself into. Jewish Literacy Revised Ed: The Most Important Things to Know About the Jewish Religion, Its People, and Its History

CONVERSION TO JUDAISM, A GUIDEBOOK is an absolute must-read!! This book touches on just about every subject that is important to me. I wish that the author would have went into more detail with the history of the Jews. Oh well, have to read about that in another book anyhow! :)

Conversion to Judaism is a complex process. Whereas many faiths actively proselytize Judaism's traditional posture has been to discourage converts. In this work Lawrence J. Epstein provides a very useful guidebook for those who would nonetheless persevere in the effort.
He provides important historical information and background in regard to conversion. He discusses the subject in general including the reasons why people convert. He provides personal stories as examples. He looks at the Conversion process from the point- of - view of the major Jewish religious denominations. He answers questions potential converts are most likely to have.
This work which was initially published in 1994 at Jason Aronson under the supervision of the person who contributed more than any other in the past half- century to the publication of English- language Judaica, Arthur Kurzweil is even more vital today than it was then. For the numbers of those who are potential candidates for conversion has increased.Also given the demographic crisis the Jewish people is presently facing a number of important figures, including Epstein himself are calling for the changing of general policy on Conversion in order to facilitate the process.
A highly valuable and much recommeded work.

The author gives his heart to explain the what and why's of conversion. It covers all grounds you should know about basic judaism without drowning the reader with too much detail. It is very informative and full of insights that will guide you in the process of conversion. I highly recommend this book to those who like me is contemplating to be "a jew by choice".

On Father's Day, I received the Dad in the Mirror and quickly decided it would be the basis for my men's study at my church throughout the summer.

About a dozen of us went through each chapter each week and it was truly amazing. Here's a book that doesn't reinforce the hollywood stereo-type of "dad." That is, the "stupid guy" with the amazingly beautiful and smart wife (you know the shows I mean).

As a father, we have a tremendous responsibility with our children. Like it or not, believe it or not, our kids are watching and learning from us.

What can we do to make sure our kids don't grow up to be the guy in the clock-tower with a high-powered rifle? Listen to the ultimate dad - God.

The Dad in the Mirror takes us back to God and His Word. But it isn't a Sunday morning sermon. This is a book for dads by dads. 30 years from now your kids will thank you for the kind of dad you were as you follow the guide put forth in this book.

If you have read "The Man in the Mirror", dont' be mistaken in assuming this book is just a different wrapper on the same material. Morley and Delk use a familiar metaphor but lead men to a deeper, Biblically clear understanding of how to be the dad who will see Proverbs 20:7 fulfilled. How to be the father our heavenly Father desires we be. Short, powerful, true to the Word of our Creator - "The Dad in the Mirror" is a terrific book for any man with kids - or grandkids. Don't let this book pass you by.

This book moves from superficial "how tos" to that which will have eternal impact - fathering the heart of the child, as opposed to behavior modification. This book is a must for fathers and grandfathers who are interested in helping shape the true character of their children and grandchildren.

Since my wife and I first learned that we were expecting over 3 years ago, I've gone through several different books on how to be a great dad.

Unfortunately, most of the books just freaked me out and got me all panicked that my kid would end up the school bully or worse!

The Dad in the Mirror is the book that I was looking for all these years! Finally! This is a book written for the dad who's looking at the heart of his kids... not just the A's on the report card. It actually felt while reading it that this book was specifically written for me!

I found this book to be a great read and lots of the topics covered can easily be incorporate into my fathering skills.

I would strongly recommend this book to any dad, grand-dad, or soon-to-be-dad!

This book has had a tremendous impact on me as a dad! Patrick and David have done a superb job in describing the difference between 'fathering for performance' and 'fathering the heart'. I especially like the "Straight to the Heart" section at the end of each chapter. I highly recommend this book for all dads, soon-to-be-dads, and grand-dads.

These are great books.
Unfortunately I had to order them twice from Amazon.
First time only received Vol 1 (even though this is a two volume set!!!) and then had to hear that I cannot be sent vol 2, and second time the order was lost.

One of the greatest dermatology text book I have ever seen .It contains very attractive clinical photographs and tables.The book is very attractive and readable with no difficulties.I am sure all the dermatologist in the world should have a copy of this amazing book.A wonderful work by great dermatologists...Jean L Bolognia, Joseph L.Jorizzo and Ronald P.Rapini
Ajith Kannangara,MD.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow,
Department of Dermatology,
Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center,
Winston Salem,
NC, USA.

My wife developed chronic urticaria, nothing helped, the doctors could not do much. We would stay up all night itching. It got so bad, it was making us miserable. At my wits end, I was combing over all the journal articles I could find, reading every book I could get my hands on. I was slowly starting to make sense of what was going on, and our doctors could not. I finally ordered this book thinking it might have something about CU. It was a little pricey for a graduate student. When I got the book, I was just so amazed at how great it was. A large number of color picture, and it covered chronic urticaria, very thoroughly. It took 3 months of reading journals review articles and other books. Had I had this set, I would of been done in 30 minutes.It has everything you could think of involving the skin you could think of. This book is worth, four times what it costs.I would recommend it for educated people, but not just doctors, and sciencetists.

this book is complete concerning schemes and it provides an excellent pedagogic and learning tool for the dermatology resident.

This is the ideal book for the practising specialist. Since the whole book is available online, it is not necessary to carry it around. Also the online version is regularly updated. It has more pictures and information than Rook or Fitzpatrick or Lever combined. At the same time the presentation is very lucid and interesting. In my opinion it is the best and most comprehensive book for the Specialist. I am happy that I bought this book.

The book is helping me grow richer in my faith every day. I Am close to the word like never before. There are some biblical principles that I had never known. I have learned to pray, something I could not do a few months ago. I love my Lord, our most high God, The God of Yesterday, today and tomorrow.

I am reading the book for the third time. I must say that each time I read the book it feels new and fresh...I am able to gain new insights, new thoughts and new ways to praise God. What a blessing and inspiration this book has been for me--the scripture, testimonies and insights are all heartfelt. Each day is a new life in Christ...thanks to this book.

It really gets my mind set on God and enlightment sets in well. I shared it with a sister from my church an she really liked it and I will be ordering one for her.

The insights and thought provoking ideas on how we should live are lives is clearly illustrated in this inspirational book.

Recommend reading this book if your searching or have found the true answer on how we should live our lives as Christians.

Dining Daily with Jesus Through Spiritual Breakfast by Author Monique Veasley has been the best experience of a daily spiritual refreshment for me. This devotional book has focused me with a stronger relationship in God. I highly recommend this experience to you. Dining Daily With Jesus has opened my heart and soul for a greater awakening of God's love and care each morning. The prayer page is awesome when my words are limited for prayer. Author Veasley brings out the beauty of God through this book. With today's stressful life this book is needed to calm our souls. What a book! This book not only brings us closer to the word of God, but it also brings us to our knees in prayer and praise unto him. Recommend this book for individuals who truly are looking to grow with God each day of their life. This book is recommended for the busy career person. My time is very limited, I take my book to work and I read bit by bit, then at times I run to my car to pray through the word of God. This Author has used her talent to minister a food for a spiritual experience in Dining Daily with Jesus.

The practice of medicine is a serious affair. Dr. Bennett's new book is a lighthearted counterweight to our daily effort, allowing us to chuckle at ourselves, our colleagues, our profession and all of those who interact with it. The book is also a good source for that fitting joke or quip you might need for a lecture, a toast, or a presentation. Open up any page for a few moments of zany entertainment. It makes a perfect gift for yourself, a friend or as a "thank you" to a colleague.

There is no doubt that humans are the funniest animals on the planet, and appropos of the medical theme of this humorous book, I thought I would make one comment in that vein.

Yes, we humans are pretty funny creatures, but what would you expect of a mammal that actually has a "funny bone?" I'm referring to the upper-arm bone, which is actually named the "humerus." Well, it's actually spelled a little differently, but only by a couple of letters, and that's probably because anatomists didn't usually win first place in their spelling bees in school.

Well, I don't know if the hip bone is connected to the thigh bone myself, but I did learn how to spell way back when. Anyway, this book is sure to tickle the humerus or funny bone in all of us, and it just goes to show you that although seriousness may be only skin-deep, funny is truly to the bone.

The following reviews were sent in about my new book:

The practice of medicine is a serious affair. Dr. Bennett's new book is a lighthearted counterweight to our daily effort, allowing us to chuckle at ourselves, our colleagues, our profession and all of those who interact with it. The book is also a good source for that fitting joke or quip you might need for a lecture, a toast or a presentation. Open to any page for a few moments of zany entertainment. It makes a perfect gift for yourself, a friend or as a "thank you" to a colleague. Alan Stone, MD, Clinical Professor of Medicine, The George Washington University Medical Center.

This is the funniest book I've read in a long time. It's loaded with anecdotes, definitions, jokes and quotations about doctors and medicine. Almost no medically related subject is left out. Even in you think you don't have time to read (who does?) find some time for this relaxing and enjoyable book. Howard Fischer, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Wayne State University School of Medicine.

Humor and laughter in medicine are needed now more than ever before because of the increasing stresses of modern medical practice. This gem of a book compiled by Dr. Bennett, himself a noted humorist, includes a great variety of quips, quotes, and jokes that can serve as a lifeline to sanity for stressed-out physicians whether in practice or still in their training years. Much of the material in this book is both funny and original and can be used to liven up ward rounds, medical lectures, and yes, even the sacred physician-patient relationship. It should be relished but should also be shared. Lugwig A. Lettau, Charleston, SC.

As a medical student I really enjoyed reading this book. I've read other books and articles of Bennet, and enjoy his humorous way of putting things. Asa foreigner I had a few difficulties enjoying all of the jokes related to US health services. However, all in all I found the book worthwhile reading, and I had some really big laughs that cramped my stomach. I am sure I am going to read and reread this book in the future.....after all, good humour and hilarious jokes are the best medicine ever invented, and there are no sideeffects!!!

This is one of the funniest books I've ever read. Dr. Bennett did a terrific job pulling together both classic and original quotes about doctors and medicine. Enjoy the material when you have some free time during the day or comb through the collection looking for amusing lines to use on rounds, lectures, or other medical situations. Best of all, buy the book for your medical friends or anyone who enjoys funny and insightful lines about doctors, medicine, and health.

Just what I needed to organize my thoughts on starting a drama ministry at our church. It gave me the confidence to go forward.

Great book, full of great ideas to help you start or revive a dram ministry.

I'm my churchs first drama director and I needed a resource to help me get our drama ministry off the ground. This is it. It is very well written and covers everything concerning a drama ministry. It includes many different kinds of acting exercises and the cd shows different blocking techniques that can be used on the same sketch. There are a number of recommended resources at the end of the book. It is a very interesting read from cover to cover and several scripts are included to explain various details. You won't be sorry you bought this book.

This book is just excellent and the best book for a drama ministry in the church that I know! There are a lot of helpful tools. This is a book, that everyone involved in Christian drama should read. You won't be disappointed!

I have been in drama ministry for about 30 years now and I've bought dozens of books. The Christian books have always been lacking in help developing the craft of acting. The secular books can be filled with techniques that aren't very wholesome.
"Drama Ministry" by Steve Pederson is a great no nonsence, nuts and bolts drama guide without all the worldly trappings. Steve is my hero. I'd love to meet him someday.

This outstanding work of critical scholarship takes the Dred Scott case as a point of departure to examine several important issues in American history. These include both the nature and dynamics of the great sectional conflict over slavery, and the nature of juidicial power in our system of government. Fehrenbacher provides careful history and analysis of the Dred Scott case itself, it significance in its own time, and the possible role of this case in the history of Supreme Court power. Fehrenbacher's reconstruction of the case and the associated political events is remarkably erudite; informed by the highest level of critical intelligence. He dispells a number of myths related to the case and his analyses of contemporary politics and legal history are equally astute. This book is exceptionally well written. Even when exploring apparently obscure details of 19th century juidicial and political history, Fehrenbacher's writing is always lucid, and at times, elegant.

I read the abridged edition of 1981, titled Slavery, Law and Politics. I can only echo what the other reviwers have said. It's about a court opinion but it is anything but dry. You learn much about the law and politics of slavery, from the founding of the nation forward. You learn about the Dred Scott case itself, including the legal maneuverings in the lower courts. The author's analysis of Chief Justice Taney's opinion for the Court is one of the best single chapters I have read in a history book in a long time. The author is learned but the prose is engaging--elegant, even. You feel you are in the company of a wise teacher, who is not trying to impress you but simply to impart his considerable knowledge without ego on a topic that turns out to be an excellent prism through which to view an important swath of our history. Read it!

This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. It might seem that a 700 page book (600 pages of text; 100 pages of notes) on a 19th century court case might be the epitome of exceedingly dry material suited only for particularly motivated graduate students. But I found this book captivating. What came through in every paragraph was the work of a skilled and judicious historian sleuthing his way to an understanding of the background and ramifications of the enormously important Dred Scott decision. Not one page in this book read like the work of an uninspired academic sawing his way through a pile of research notes.

Fehrenbacher focuses on the political, legal and constitutional aspects of the Dred Scott case. He explores the background and developments, from the arrival of the first slaves in the colonies in 1619 through the bitter political battles of the 1850s. His discussion of legal developments is particularly interesting because this is one area where the reader encounters the concrete complications and conflicts between various state and federal laws affecting slaves and slave owners. He also shows how legal developments and constitutional theories were affected by the increasingly acrimonious political battles over the rights of slaveholders. His analysis of Chief Justice Taney's opinion was particularly impressive. Finally, his discussion of the immediate and longer term impact of the Dred Scott decision was fascinating. When I finished the book, I was disappointed that he hadn't carried the thoughts in the last chapter further (even though it was clear he had chosen a good stopping point for his analysis). I was also tempted to go back to the beginning and re-read the book immediately! It is so rich, and there's so much of importance to understand. (Instead, I started in on Fehrenbacher's more recent book, The Slaveholding Republic.)

One of the strengths of the book is Fehrenbacher's attention to the relevants facts and texts. His text never reads like a cut-and-paste compilation of other authors' conclusions. Throughout, Fehrenbacher was doing his own thinking - and he came through as quite skilled in asking good questions, identifying all the relevant facts, weighing the possible meanings and interpretations, and arriving at fair conclusions. (Whatever the topic, it's always a pleasure to read the work of someone who works as Fehrenbacher did in this book.)

I highly recommend this book to anyone with even a passing interest in American legal or constitutional history, in the events that lead to the Civil War, or in race relations in America.

There is little that I can add to what has already been written. Fehrenbacher is clear, thoughtful, and comprehensive.

Dred Scott Case by Don Fehrenbacher proves to be a definitive account of this controversial Supreme Court case that had far reaching consequences then the fate of one black slave wishing to be free. The book is superbly researched, written and the author presented total clarity in his presentation. He clearly points out the total significance of this case in face of American history.

This case is often overlooked as part of 1850s pre-Civil War history but the author make it clear that long term effects of this case clearly helped initiate the American Civil War. It also helped Abraham Lincoln become President and ironically speaking, discredited Robert Taney, the chief author of the Dred Scott decision so badly that Taney was totally ineffective as the Supreme Court Chief Justice during the Civil War. His rulings against Lincoln and many of his civil rights violations during the war went totally ignored and although he was always treated well, he was a total non-entity as a factor. His death was viewed with relief.

The book gives a very insightful background on slavery and its impact on American history prior to the case. It doesn't get into Dred Scott himself until page 210 or so. It pretty obvious that the author has excellent command of his subject matter. His insight on what influence and repercussions of this decision after the Civil War proves to be quite interesting. I was bit surprised how Taney's reputation have survived so well despite of his decision that the author clearly shown to be crude, shallow and highly biased. The author have clearly shown that Taney did not behaved as a Supreme Court Chief Justice in this case but as a pro-southerner who wishes to nationalized slavery throughout the land as a mean to end this debate once and for all.

I would regard this to be one of the mandatory reading material that any reader must tackled if he or she wants to advance their knowledge of the Civil War and its issues.

I have been using the Easy Kana Workbook in conjunction with Remembering the Kana by James Heisig to learn both hiragana and katakana. Remembering the Kana gave me ways to easily remember the symbols and this book gave me the means to get a lot of practice. Not only is there practice with the symbols, but also with writing words and sentences both vertically and horizontally. The book also includes exceptions for when symbols should be used for different sounds. Finally, there is further opportunity to get practice transcribing between romanji to hiragana/katakana as well as from hiragana/katakana to romanji. Within a one month period I have become very comfortable with hiragana and am well on my way to doing the same with katakana. These two books are all you need.

Simply put, if you get this book and work through it, you will learn Kana.

I'm a busy guy and have had the book for a little over a month. I learned hiragana and am halfway through katakana. No flash cards neccesary, just write the characters over and over.

The reading exercises are especially excellent and will have your eyes tuned to reading speedily in no time.

A+.

This is a great book! Many people who learn the Kana. Think that once they memorize all the characters. They can fully read the Kana. Which is wrong!!!! This is why I love this book. It teaches kana grammar with kana writing, and has plenty of exerices.So by the end of the book you won't forget anything. I really recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn kana.
I never thought I could read and write kana, until I bought this book. Now it's off to kanji :(.

Also, don't be afraid of kana grammar. It is 100 times easier than english grammar.

This is a practical and useful workbook that teaches the hiragana and katakana characters. It uses a combination of learning by rote practice in tandem with self-test examples. The self-test examples have good variety and range from writing down sentences in kana to correcting sentences that have deliberate errors in them. I found the book's approach of practicing the kana along with reinforcement of what I learned to be an effective one-two combination. It helped me avoid that dreaded "I did it and then promptly forgot what I did" syndrome that some language students tend to have. I am glad that the authors recognized this. Of course, the authors have experience in teaching and their practical experience was reflected in the design of the book.

The book does have effective physical design. The lessons conveniently fit on each page and have enough space on them for you to write down the kana exercises. Each page can be easily photocopied onto another regular-size paper for repeated practice so that you don't damage the original book's pages. Each lesson also fits nicely on each side of a page so that you don't get a example that fits halfway on one side and continues on the other side of a page. That is very thoughtful of the authors.

Importantly, the book starts out by teaching hiragana as it is the most important of the two kana. I've seen other books start with the katakana simply because it had fewer brush strokes. I think that is a mistake. The brush stroke order is prominently shown on each rote lesson page which is a plus as it makes each lesson page self-contained and useful to practice if you are on a bus, in the library, or elsewhere so that you only need the individual sheets you are practicing with (no need for the rest of the book to serve as reference material).

If not for the additional thoughtfulness of the authors in providing an effective physical design of the book so that you can use it in versatile approaches, I would award FOUR stars.

Primarily, this book teaches the proper way to write hiragana and katakana. It excels at this because it gets you to practice, practice, practice and practice some more. Personally, I made photocopies of all the practice pages so I could more easily practice.

Secondarily, it covers basic pronunciation, reading, and writing sentances. Just the basics, concepts are explained simply and it provides a good platform for further study. I'm certain the authors intended readers to study other books for these skills.

Its one minor drawback is not including info on why machine-made characters sometimes look significantly different than hand-written characters.

I purchased Scot Mcknight's book, "Embracing Grace - A Gospel for All of Us because I read, "the Jesus Creed" about loving God and loving your neighbor. What does Loving God with all of your strength look like and what does Good News look like to your neighbor?..... "Embracing Grace" gives you some practical glimpses. It also gives some ideas of what the Kingdom of God looks like when we are "embracing grace".

Scot writes with fresh metaphors that allow the Gospel to be seen in new ways. His chapter on the Missional Gospel and cracked Eikons is worth the whole book.

From Dancing Grace - Chapter 13, "The embrace of faith, like any embrace, is visible." I think the world is still awaiting that visible expression of love from the people of God. This dance of faith begins with a Person - Jesus Christ and encompasses His big, integrated, holistic heart for creation, the world, society, community, our neighbors, family and each of us. Anything less than this is not the Gospel. McKnight captures this and shares practical stories of what it looks like.

I have been working in relief and development for the past 27 years in Asia and was reading this book while visiting projects in northeastern Cambodia. When we first went there in 1990, 40% of children were dying before reaching the age of five, primarily from malaria, bad water and preventable childhood diseases. We began serving the health needs of a remote province that was where the Khmer Rouge began their assault on the country and after 17 years, there has been a growing impact upon both the spiritual and physical health of 100,000 people. This small, team has embraced this local part of the Khmer world that God is restoring. The leaders of this team and local community were encouraged to hear Scot's thoughts on the Gospel among us and what it looks like to our neighbors. I think that you will be encouraged too.

If you have not read Scot McKnight, do yourself a favor - get this book.

There's a rare, rhythmic pulse that pervades this book, an ancient beat that doesn't usually accompany today's most popular Christian literature. It's a catchy tune too, like one of those radio jingles that you can't get out of your head. I had almost forgotten that the gospel is supposed to have this kind of unforgettable impact on me, on us. After reading Embracing Grace, it's hard for me to recall the last time the gospel looked so big, so beautiful, so extraordinarily relevant to our times.

Until I read this book, I had only heard "of" Scot McKnight. I knew that lots of the "emergent" guys have a lot of respect for him. Now that I've read this book, I know why. It's amazing. McKnight is both thoughtful and engaging. He weaves plainspoken theology with short biographical profiles into a tapestry of God's incredible grace. He presents grace not as the magic pill that takes care of our sin problem, but rather as the enabling force of God's love that we as a community are to reflect to the world. I highly recommend this book to anyone longing for hope, for community, for purpose, and/or faith. McKnight's discourse on grace is so heart achingly beautiful that I frequently found myself wiping tears from my smiling face. Thank you Scot for this gift to Christianity and the World. AE

The emerging generation is fed up with plastic presentations of Jesus and impersonal propositions that one must believe in order to be "in." They are in search of a more holistic gospel: one that both reflects the overall story presented in the Bible and also one that allows us to experience God in day-to-day life.

In his book, Embracing Grace: A Gospel for All of Us, Scot McKnight presents us with the biblical story of God's grace in such a way that we can authentically live it out in true community.

You won't find some re-hashed narrow presentation of mere propositions in this book. What you will find is the more holistic story of God's embracing grace to restore us to our original design as his image-bearers -- presented by a biblical scholar who knows the grand story, and who has the gift to explain it in terms that we can understand and experience in the reality of our daily lives.

Scot McKnight's *Embracing Grace* is a redeeming book and the object of redemption is "the gospel."

The USAmerican (or "western") gospel is a shrivelled specimen of the gospel presented in the Bible and lived and proclaimed by Jesus, the apostles and early church.

One line in the book captures a boatload of truth. Scot writes about the younger generation of Christians who are aware of a bigger gospel than the previous generation could imagine. Scot states, "That gospel comes in the shape of a community."

Think about that. The gospel comes not in the shape of a sermon or a pamphlet or 3 steps to this and 4 steps for that. A community.

Weaving together the grand story of God's redemptive purpose, McKnight brings together the broken strands of God's creation design for humanity. Sin shattered the eikons of God, that is, sin corrupted men and women who bear God's image and who exist to live a life of love with God, with each other and with creation itself. This design includes being content within ourselves as well.

The western monkey-wrench that clogs up the process of God's gospel of restoration is our renegade worship of the idol of "individualism." Sin made Adam and Eve primarily individuals which was a devastating crack in God's majestic Eikons. We've been in a deep, gooey mess ever since.

In McKnight's unfolding of the marvels of the biblical gospel we appreciate the wonder of the forgiveness of sins. Forgiveness is breath-taking, no doubt. But forgiveness is the foothills of the Rockies. Restored relationships are the peaks of the gospel. Sin destroys relationships as well as muddies up our lives. The gospel is about restoring relationships with a joyful, divine Community called God the Father, Son and Spirit. The gospel is about restoring us to one another in a wholeness of life called Shalom. "Any gospel that stops short of Shalom distorts the gospel." The gospel is about restoring us to creation (which to this day is groaning because of sin). Get Embracing Grace and read it. I feel I'm flailing to describe it.

A community of restored Eikons loving God and people for the sake of the world is what Jesus' redeeming work is about. Heaven when we die? Yeah. Sins forgiven? Yeah. But to reduce the gospel to the foothills of redemption is a sad reduction, indeed. Jesus Christ is a much more majestic Person and had in mind a much more majestic Purpose than to prop up the sappy, reduced gospel prevalent in the West.

Scot is right. There is a young wave of Christians who will not settle for the foothills where it's quite comfortable and safe and clean and boringly painless. They would rather hazard the climb to the peaks and adore a more beautiful and mysterious God, breathe a cleaner version of salvation air and see more expansive vistas of God's wonderful and wounded world. And they will do this even if they die trying.

Scot McKnight's *Embracing Grace* helps them (and all of us) in that climb.

Duffy and Maggie present a great book here that can be used individually or in a group context. Go through this book with your spouse, with your youth staff, or with your youth group. In a society that is too loud, we need to turn down the Ipod, turn off the TV, and turn up the voice of God. God wants to speak to us, but it's up to us to decide whether or not we'll listen for and to him. The beauty of this book is not in the powerful words of the authors, but in the instruction and guidance provided by the authors to experience God through the truth of his word. I've found this book to be especially beneficial in helping postmodern teens to experience God while being guided by the truth of his Word.

The Robbins family does a great job reintroducing a classical (i.e. tried and true) Christian way of engaging Scripture to listen for the voice of God. I know that there are some concerned fundamentalists running websites who hate anything remotely related to the word "contemplative," but they need to get over the 16th century.

This is a wonderful introduction to lectio devina for young Christians. By "young," I mostly mean 12-18 year old Christians, but it would be great for a new Christian of any biological age.

I found this book to be very helpful in my walk with God. It made me slow down to read familiar passages which led to new and real insights. The authors do a great job of explaining and guiding the reader into "lectio divina." This book has helped me feel one with God while revealing my own heart more than any other devotional book. A great introductory devotional style read for anyone seeking to emotionally draw close to and connect with the heart of God.

So far this book is good, it has been hard to find the Silence to enjoy, which is probably all the more reason this book is something I need to be reading.

The ancient meditative practice called "lectio divina" (Latin for "divine reading") is very simple and very helpful in studying scripture. The practice requires that you read a passage of scripture slowly, preferrably out loud, and then consider the words thoughtfully. After some journaling and prayer, read the same passage again, this time considering what it felt like to be there, in the event. Use all your senses and your imagination and journal on the passage. Finally, a third reading where you listen for the words or phrase that really speak to you and journal prayerfully about that consise message. This message is most likely God speaking to you personally through scripture. Studying scripture doesn't get any better than this!

Before I read this book, my prayer times had become pretty one-sided, with me listing out for God all the requests and concerns I had on my heart like a "honey-do" list for my patient husband. The practice of "lectio divina" renewed in me a love for the quiet, prayerful, listening posture that I had lost in my prayer time and reminded me Bible study and prayer is supposed to be a conversation, not a monolouge.