Book Description
This well loved writer effectively uses his personal mistakes to illustrate riveting truths about repentance and forgiveness. As he focuses on the true authority of God, he is careful to explain by example the important difference between "submission" and "obedience."
The same struggle with divine authority is also represented through the lives of John the Baptist, the Apostle Paul, and other biblical figures. An especially helpful book for Christians who want to develop a serious pursuit of God.
Customer Reviews:
Faith builder.......2007-07-16
Respect for authority in and out of church is at a all time low. I'm not saying that I agree with everything word for word, but I do understand and live by the thought that if we (as in all people) can not function under authority we'll never be able to function in it! I try not to forget that just like the roman centurion Jesus is under the father's authority and he never disobeyed.
Spritual Poison.......2007-07-16
This is one of the most abusive and manipulative teachings under the classification "Christian literature" that I have ever read. While the idea and importance of submitting to Gods inherent authority is indisputable, The agendaized, one-sided presentation of it is categorically false. In this book Bevere neglects to teach the full council of God as represented by Christ in his resistance to the religious authority of His day. As is shown in the Gospels, Christ rebukes, resists, confronts, questions, and evades those in authority until His appointed time. Never, through Christ's actions or words, does He suggest mindless submission to errant authority. John the Baptist resisted and rebuked the religious and civil authority; Paul confronted Peter's hypocrisy, he didn't submit to and follow his wrong example; although David didn't take Saul's life, because it wasn't his to take, neither did David utterly submit to Saul's errant authority but withstood Saul until God's appointed time.
This Book promotes "a different Gospel" Throughout this book. It suggests that we must get right first (thru repentance) before God will accept us. Though repentance is an essential component of salvation it doesn't suggest perfection but a change in pursuit; we no longer pursue the things of the world but the things of God. All throughout his book Bevere's statements suggest a works salvation, a salvation that is obtained through correctness and self-effort rather than the work that Christ has done. Bevere suggests that God is not able to have grace (unmerited favor) on anyone unless his personal work is right. Everywhere I turn in Bevere's book I read a gospel of works salvation. Biblically, those who teach or hold this position are categorically, false teachers.
THE GOSPEL IS SIMPLE; Christ died for the sins of the world, not only for eternal life but also for the result of sin in the world today. You don't have to work for God to be able to have mercy on you; God is able regardless of your efforts. It is faith alone in Christ and His atoning work on the cross that saves. No amount of work can be done, in this present life, to improve your condition, Christ has done it all; faith in His work is sufficient for all and that faith in Christ secures your right standing with the Almighty. If you believe that Christ died on the cross for your sins, then you are "in Christ."
So why do we work? Simple, it is an expression of love and appreciation to God for His infinite mercy. When we circumvent Christ's work with our own we are attempting to work for our salvation and this brings us under the requirement of being 100% perfect to be saved.
I plead with anyone considering this book, in the name of our Lord and savior, Christ Jesus, avoid it, IT IS POISON!!!!
Doctrine of Demons.......2007-07-11
There are numerous instances of "proof-texting" in this book. Scriptures are taken out of context in order to create a new doctrine, similar to what Satan attempted with Jesus. Specifically, Acts 26:14, Matthew 21:31, 1 Corinthians 11:31, 2 Peter 2:19, Exodus 9:16, 1 Peter 2:17, and the list goes on. Here are three important examples:
1) Bevere quotes Psalm 91:1-He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. A shadow is a likeness of someone, meaning Christlikeness produces rest. Bevere extrapolates the word shadow to mean covering, but the word "covering" isn't in the Bible the way Bevere teaches.
2) Exodus 9:16 "But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." The words "raised you up" in the original Hebrew mean "to stand." In context, this means that God spared Pharaoh from the plagues, thereby granting him mercy. Bevere implies that God put Pharaoh in power, giving him authority. Bevere assigns the work of the enemy to God.
3) Bevere quotes Romans 9:18 and Romans 11:33-34 as if they read together. This totally changes the meaning!
We are told in the 10 Commandments to honor our parents, but to worship only God. We must never idolize pastors or institutions. It is time for reform in the church! Moses' authority was Old Covenant. Jesus is the New Covenant head of the church, and His church is a living organism, not in institution. Never forget, Jesus criticized and was insubordinate towards religious authority/hierarchy, yet all the while, He was submitted to God.
Life Changing.......2007-07-09
This book, along with another of John Bevere's books "How to Respond When You Feel Mistreated" have absolutely changed my life for the better. I have a freedom in my heart that I have never experienced!
The devil exposed .......2007-05-30
What an eye opening book.I thank God for making me purchase this book.Every believer should be aware of the message written herein to help them with their spiritual walk.
Book Description
More than 100,000 sold! Piper's must-read plea for God-centeredness in evangelization points to worship as the church's ultimate goal and proper fuel for outreach.
Customer Reviews:
Let the Nations Be Glad.......2007-05-16
I think this book is awesome, biblically based. Good for anyone who wants to lead a group or just themselves on the right track. I highly recommend this book.
Piper honours God.......2007-03-23
In August 2006 I noticed a guy who was sitting right behind my wife on an intercontinental flight to Johannesburg, reading a book. Every now and then he was asleep. I thought: "Must be a pretty boring book!" When during that flight both he and I stretched our legs, we introduced ourselves. He is a Baptist minister, flying from the USA via Amsterdam, I am a Reformed one on our way to ou children. He talked enthusiastically about the book and its author (John Piper, Let the nations be glad! (The supremacy of God in missions). He made me read the first line of chapter 1, which hit me right between the eyes: "Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is." Wow, I decided to order the book at Amazone and have it airmailed to our address in South Africa - thus paying triple the price of it.
It was well worth it! The clear way in which Piper writes on God's supremacy, not only in missions, but in everything, should make many theologians and church members reconsider their relationship with the Lord and their obedience to the Word of God. They should become praisers!
Piper makes it very clear that idividualism plays no role in spreading the Gospel. The main issue is not the regeneration of men, but the glory of God. God does everything because He delights in Himself. And this delight becomes clear in the regeneration and belief of His new people! He wants to delight in Himself with a PEOPLE that He hath chosen and given to His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
How many portions of Scripture become crystal clear in this way! Piper has served the Church of Christ with a valuable help, not only in missions. It should be widely studied and applied in Christian living and ministry.
Is there no criticism? Unevitably! The question arose in my mind whether in Chapter 2, para 5, God's covenant and its impact in the life of the Church, is sufficiently taken into consideration in his argument. But such questions keep one, as reader, fresh!
The book has neatly been published by Baker Academic.
I hope that it will find its way to many readers.
Dr. Marten Kuiper
Emeritus professor of the Reformed University of Zwolle (The Netherlands)
and minister of the Free Reformed Church of Twijzel (The Netherlands)
(E-mail: m.kuper@chello.nl)
Overrated, poorly written.......2007-01-11
This book really deserves 2 stars (not the 1 that I gave it) but it is so overrated by the other reviews that I felt a need to balance it out.
I have not finished this book yet, and will edit this review with more detailed information when I have completed it. Piper has interesting ideas which suffer from his attrocious use with the English language. For one, his obsession with constructing catch phrases from words that all begin with the same letter is corny, and leaves him scrambling to cohere to a malconstrued outline. The writing contains neither the common-man appeal of C.S. Lewis nor the eloquence of great theologeans such as Jonathan Edwards, to whom Piper seems to aspire.
As for the content - Psalms seems to be the bulk of his theology in the first chapter, and what follows is hardly an exigesis: ideas are presented as if from nowhere, while Piper hurls often non-contextual scriptures at them. If this is really the best book available on missions, then Christianity is in big trouble.
God centered examination of missions.......2006-06-17
"Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship does not." With those startling and counter-cultural words pastor and author John Piper takes us on a journey in search of the biblical motivation for missions: that God be glorified by people from every tongue, tribe, and nation. With an obvious passion for God's supremacy in all things Piper let's the bible speak for itself on topics like worship, prayer, suffering, who is saved and why, and what a "nation" is.
This book is readable but full of sound, deep theology. Piper tackles some pretty sticky issues head on delving into the original languages, but not so deeply that a layman can't follow. He kindly but firmly interacts with common misconceptions and differing points of view from his own. I found myself continually challenged throughout reading the book. This is one of those works that requires thought as it is read, but the rewards for pondering Dr. Piper's words are awesome! All followers of Christ should read this book.
Non-Calvinist viewpoint........2006-06-01
I know how important the notion that God does everything for His own glory is to Piper and his ilk, but I don't buy that idea about God's character, which makes this book just about impossible to get behind, since Piper keeps coming back to that point over and over. The book has some inspiring moments that should motivate people toward at least giving the missionary world a hard look, but the heavily Calvinist theology that undergirds it was a turn-off for me. Piper's a fine writer, however.
Book Description
In the last few years, 9/11, a tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, and many other tragedies have shown us that the vision of God in today’s churches in relation to evil and suffering is often frivolous. Against the overwhelming weight and seriousness of the Bible, many Christians are choosing to become more shallow, more entertainment-oriented, and therefore irrelevant in the face of massive suffering.
In
Suffering and the Sovereignty of God, contributors John Piper, Joni Eareckson Tada, Steve Saint, Carl Ellis, David Powlison, Dustin Shramek, and Mark Talbot explore the many categories of God’s sovereignty as evidenced in his Word. They urge readers to look to Christ, even in suffering, to find the greatest confidence, deepest comfort, and sweetest fellowship they have ever known.
âJohn Piper and friends tackle some of the hardest and most significant issues of Christian concern, producing one of the most honest, faithful, and helpful volumes ever made available to thinking Christians. It is filled with pastoral wisdom, theological conviction, biblical insight, and spiritual counsel. This book answers one of the greatest needs of our timesâto affirm the sovereignty of God and to ponder the meaning of human suffering. We need this book.â
â
R. Albert Mohler, Jr., President, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky
âFor all who don’t live a charmed life, for all who have given themselves to the point of exhaustion, for all who have been betrayed by pious backstabbers, for all who wonder if they can even go on,
Suffering and the Sovereignty of God will be green pastures and deep, still waters.â
â
Raymond C. Ortlund, Jr., Senior Pastor, Christ Presbyterian Church, Nashville, Tennessee
âThis is not another theological volume that complicates what appears to be an irreconcilable paradox; it is a book that grows out of practical experience and applies Scripture to a realistic world where we all live.â
â
Jerry Rankin, President, Southern Baptist International Mission Board
âThis book will challenge you to believe that God is truly sovereign, not just in the safe haven of theological inquiry, but also in the painful messiness of real life. You will be encouraged to live more consistently by God’s grace and for his glory.â
â
Mark D. Roberts, Senior Pastor, Irvine Presbyterian Church, Irvine, California
Customer Reviews:
A BLESSING!!!!!.......2007-08-03
I think this is such a hard topic for many of us who personally have gone through difficult times. I know the theology, but it didn't make my heart feel any better. I have three special needs children and I have never been able to really understand our suffering within our family. I know God is wonderful and works all things for good for those who love him. I believe in Romans 8:28, but my heart had moments where life felt so difficult for my husband and me. This book has been a real blessing to me and has really given me hope while raising these babies. I realize that God has called me to raise these children for a purpose higher than i really know here on earth. I needed this book at just this time in my walk. I pray that whoever reads this book will be as blessed as I have been. If God led you to read these reviews, i say buy this book and let God speak to you through it. God bless~
Humbling Essays.......2007-02-05
This book has some great essays. It provides a great mix of theology, and personal testimony, and narratives of how God uses suffering to progress the gospel. The question of suffering is very complex so having a variety of writers from diverse backgrounds attacking the issue from slightly different perspectives helps the reader to understand how God uses suffering to glorify Himself, to mature us in Christ, and to progress the gospel. Suffering can not always be explained, but we have a God who has suffered through his Son and that should bring great comfort to us. The most poignant essays were by Piper and Joni. Another good essay was Suffering and Missinaries. The book starts off with essays by Piper and Taylor putting suffering within the framework of God's sovereignty.
I haven't suffered much. I was humbled by stories of suffering in this book. The book was very encouraging because the authors of these essays were very honest in their struggles, but yet praised God for the suffering. Their endurance was not their effort, but God's strength working through them.
Suffering and yet Sovereignty.......2006-12-06
In Piper's book, Suffering and the Sovereignty of God, he makes a clear distinction at the very beginning of Chapter 1 that the reasoning behind his book stems from the ultimate reality that God is the supreme value in and above the universe. I found that comforting, knowing that this book was going to focus on suffering without giving God the easy way out. After reading through it, I realized that this is exactly the focus that Piper intended to convey in his writing. It gives a very heartfelt and sincere, yet firm message that the Lord allows all things according to His will and purpose.
Throughout scripture we are reminded of God's purposes in suffering and the vital role that it plays in strengthening our faith and dependency on God. I had not yet come to grasp however, (until reading this book) that many times suffering is the cost of obedience. I think too often we are told that obedience leads to greater fulfillment and contentment in Christ. Ultimately, yes, but there is definitely something to be said for individuals that choose to be obedient, knowing full well that the road is paved with suffering.
I also found it interesting that this type of suffering leads not only to greater obedience but also to greater compassion. This wouldn't have been my natural inclination. I don't usually think about the Apostle Paul, Jeremiah the Prophet, or King David as being very compassionate. Perhaps this is due to their human perspective in relation to their sufferings and the call on their lives. However, you can not read the words of Christ and not sense the compassion that he has for us.
I would and have been recommending this book to a number of my friends. Excellent read!
Excellent Book!.......2006-12-01
When the condition of suffering is brought up in today's society, relatively few people can identify with. The modern world, more specifically Western society in all its affluence, is populated with denizens that spend most of their brief lives attempting to avoid suffering. People look to various techniques or goods in their quest to minimize any type of suffering for a mere hint of such a condition is undesirable. From drugs, money, sex, food, entertainment, religion and so on are being utilized for escapism as the reality of suffering becomes too much. As Christians, how are we to endure suffering or even explain it? All too often I hear Christians ask the question of why bad things happen to good people?
The recently released book Suffering and the Sovereignty of God edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor aim to answer the question of suffering from a biblical basis. Based on the 2005 Desiring God National Conference of the same name, the editors have assembled the speakers from that event to put to paper the content of their sessions. If you attended the conference, the book's editors have arranged the various essays by themes instead of the actual order of each session and included additional material outside the conference relating to suffering.
The heart of the book is divided into three parts:
1. The Sovereignty of God in Suffering
2. The Purposes of God in Suffering
3. The Grace of God in Suffering
Part one contains two essays - one written by Pastor Piper and the other by Mark R Talbot. - that tackle the role of God's sovereignty in our suffering. Part two considers the "why" of suffering in four essays - two by Piper, one by Steve Saint, and one by Carl Ellis Jr. Part three closes out the book looking at grace in suffering with writings by David Powlison, Dustin Shramek, and Joni Eareckson Tada. The last part of the book contains appendices of Don't Waste Your Cancer by John Piper and David Powlison as well as a transcript of the Q&A session with Piper and Justin Taylor from the conference.
The arrangement of the chapters is purposeful, attempting to let each chapter build upon themes and concepts addressed. Even so, the chapters do not have to be read in order to benefit from the writings. In part one Piper shows how God is sovereign over the various methods Satan uses to cause suffering. As humans we all too easily attribute suffering to the Enemy and leave God out of the picture. Mark Talbot, in his essay, reiterates God's sovereignty and goodness through suffering and simultaneously engages the errant view of open theism. Then in part two the book covers the reason of "why" suffering exists. Here in this section Piper explains the ultimate reason for suffering is to "display the greatness of the glory of the grace of God." The second essay is based on a chapter from another of Piper's books Let the Nations Be Glad and works out some reasons how suffering affects a Christian. Steve Saint then further extends this line of thinking into relationships in missions and relates it to his own personal experiences. The final essay of the section by Carl Ellis Jr. parallels Saint's in some ways as he examines suffering in a horizontal sense of one human to another. Part three then engages how God's grace in suffering. David Powlison's essay helps to demonstrate how God meets us in our personal sufferings. There is no quick and easy answer as Dr Powlison aptly points out but he guides us through some biblical principles to help us out. Dustin Shramek reminds us of the immense pain that suffering produces. Though Christians may know the theologically correct answers to suffering, as humans the emotional and physical pain of suffering still exists and does not usually quickly pass. Closing out this final part of the book, Joni Eareckson Tada shows us how we are to place our hope and joy in God and not our own circumstances. Suffering tends to draw our gazes inward and on the Self which is our naturally sinful tendency instead of looking to God. The appendices serve as a coda for a few months after the conference both John Piper and David Powlison were diagnosed with prostate cancer. Don't Waste Your Cancer is Dr. Piper's pre-surgery meditation on his condition that God purposed in his life; Dr Powlison added his own thoughts to this writing shortly after being diagnosed himself. The Q&A portion gives Piper an opportunity to address some corollary issues tied into suffering as well as some personal insights.
Overall this book is immensely profitable whether you read it from cover to cover or skip around. The writers all engaged suffering horizontally while at the same time vertically. Despite the brevity of each chapter for a collaborative work such as this, the topics were handled with conciseness and depth. Suffering is an immensely personal condition that creates more difficulty in our already difficult human lives. Suffering and the Sovereignty of God helps guide us in the biblical truth Christians have that answer the hard questions when such circumstances arise and how we should bring this Truth to a dying world.
A Blessing from Audio to Print.......2006-11-04
This topic could be no more relevant for the church. It's not a question of modern days, but one that has continued long throughout the history of Christianity. Maybe, however, no other group of gifted men have come together, as one, to put together such a gem of all books.
I am thankful for such a book. You will find it honest, true, straighforward, and absolutely and purely Biblical. If you're wanting a read that will make you feel perky, good about yourself, and inward focused, than don't read this. If you're ready for a heart-wrenching, long-enduring read, than pick this up (and be sure you can sit for a while).
This book will bring to the front of your heart one of the issues that you have just bumped down to the bottom of the priority list. Get it. Read it. Pray through it. Cry through it. Live with the truth of it.
Average customer rating:
- the survisors club
- Zzzzzzzz......
- detective story
- The Survivors Club
- From her picture she looks too nice to write this stuff.
|
The Survivors Club
Lisa Gardner
Manufacturer: Bantam
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ASIN: 0553802518
Release Date: 2002-05-21 |
Book Description
One of today’s most electrifying suspense novelists, New York Times bestselling author Lisa Gardner returns with a shattering thriller that dares to play on our deepest vulnerabilities. In this masterful new novel, the killer may very well be the one you sympathize with the most....
THE FIRST RULE IS NEVER BLAME THE VICTIM.
They survived what no woman should ever have to endure. Now these three women have the means, the opportunity, and the perfect motive. Are they trying to get away with murder--or is someone trying to make sure that this time they don’t get away at all?
The Survivors Club. . .that’s what Jillian Hayes, Carol Rosen, and Meg Pesaturo call it. They won’t consider themselves victims. They are survivors. They faced the blazing headlines and helped lead the investigation that caught the man who changed their lives forever.
And now that Eddie Como, the College Hill rapist, has been murdered, shot down outside a packed courthouse moments before his trial was about to begin, all three women are openly ecstatic that he’s dead. They are also the prime suspects in his murder. Detective Sergeant Roan Griffin knows all too well what can drive even the best people to cross the line. But he has never seen a case quite like this one. No one doubts that the murder of Eddie Como was a professional job, especially when the gunman is killed only blocks away from the shooting.
But questions taunt Griffin: Who ordered the deaths of Eddie Como and his killer? Could three ordinary women have been driven to do he unthinkable? Had someone in the Survivors Club become a killer? Griffin seeks the truth--and finds himself confronted with the leader of the Survivors Club. Jillian Hayes is beautiful, successful, cool as ice, and she harbors a pain that mirrors Griffin’s own. Did the horror of what happened to her push her over the thin and desperate line that separates survival and revenge? And if it did, could he blame her--or anyone in the Survivors Club? Then another woman is brutally attacked.
Suddenly, with the city on the ragged edge of panic, gripped in a media and political firestorm of controversy, cover-up, and conspiracy, the hunt is on for a ruthless and cunning killer. For Griffin, this may well be the case that shatters his career. For Jillian, the harrowing nightmare is beginning all over again. Someone is out there. Someone who wants to finish what was started. Someone who wants to make sure that no one survives the Survivors Club.
Download Description
One of today's most electrifying suspense novelists, New York Times bestselling author Lisa Gardner returns with a shattering thriller that dares to play on our deepest vulnerabilities. In this masterful new novel, the killer may very well be the one you sympathize with the most.
THE FIRST RULE IS NEVER BLAME THE VICTIM.
They survived what no woman should ever have to endure. Now these three women have the means, the opportunity, and the perfect motive. Are they trying to get away with murder—or is someone trying to make sure that this time they don't get away at all?
The Survivors Club... that's what Jillian Hayes, Carol Rosen, and Meg Pesaturo call it. They won't consider themselves victims. They are survivors. They faced the blazing headlines and helped lead the investigation that caught the man who changed their lives forever.
And now that Eddie Como, the College Hill rapist, has been murdered, shot down outside a packed courthouse moments before his trial was about to begin, all three women are openly ecstatic that he's dead. They are also the prime suspects in his murder. Detective Sergeant Roan Griffin knows all too well what can drive even the best people to cross the line. But he has never seen a case quite like this one. No one doubts that the murder of Eddie Como was a professional job, especially when the gunman is killed only blocks away from the shooting.
But questions taunt Griffin: Who ordered the deaths of Eddie Como and his killer? Could three ordinary women have been driven to do he unthinkable? Had someone in the Survivors Club become a killer? Griffin seeks the truth—and finds himself confronted with the leader of the Survivors Club. Jillian Hayes is beautiful, successful, cool as ice, and she harbors a pain that mirrors Griffin's own. Did the horror of what happened to her push her over the thin and desperate line that separates survival and revenge? And if it did, could he blame her—or anyone in the Survivors Club? Then another woman is brutally attacked.
Suddenly, with the city on the ragged edge of panic, gripped in a media and political firestorm of controversy, cover-up, and conspiracy, the hunt is on for a ruthless and cunning killer. For Griffin, this may well be the case that shatters his career. For Jillian, the harrowing nightmare is beginning all over again. Someone is out there. Someone who wants to finish what was started. Someone who wants to make sure that no one survives the Survivors Club.
"One cannot read this excellent new novel by bestselling author Gardner without wondering what actors might play these characters.... Rocks and rolls right up to a nail-biter ending."
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
"This should cement Lisa Gardner's place on the bestseller lists. The Survivors Club has it all—provocative plotting, an astute eye for detail, engaging characters, and a razor-sharp emotional edge."
STEPHEN WHITE, AUTHOR OF
BLINDED
"Hot dang, a new Lisa Gardner book! I love her hot, fast thrill rides. I'm always first in line to grab my copy of her newest release the day it arrives in stores. For my money, when it comes to suspense, nobody does it better."
JAYNE ANN KRENTZ, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR
Customer Reviews:
the survisors club.......2007-07-15
great book story keeps yuou very into it. lots of twists and turns as you go along. I liked it
Also delivery of how the book comes to a close.
Zzzzzzzz.............2007-02-24
"The Survivors Club", first published in 2002, is the fifth novel Lisa Gardner has published under her own name. She has also published thirteen other novels under the name "Alicia Scott".
It's a big day in Providence : Eddie Como, more widely known as the College Hill Rapist, is about to face trial. Nobody seems to be expecting anything other than a guilty verdict - details of the evidence are fairly sketchy in the early part of the book, though it appears his DNA was found at the scenes of the attacks. When Como is killed on his way to the courthouse, it's hard to see too many people being upset. When the assassin is killed immediately afterwards, however, it leaves two murders needing investigated.
The immediate assumption in certain quarters is that the Survivors Club - Jillian Hayes (a hardworking, polished, educated businesswoman who looks after her mother), Carol Rosen (a blue-eyed blonde socialite who lives in a mansion and does a lot of good work for charity) and Meg Pesaturo (the sweet, beautiful nineteen year old, whose big brown eyes send men weak at the knees) - had something to do with it. All three had survived attacks by the College Hill Rapist, although Jillian's sister wasn't so lucky. The three had held regular press conferences together, in an attempt to pressurise the police into pushing forward with the case. Nevertheless, it was always clear that Jillian was very much in control.
Meanwhile, Detective Sergeant Roan Griffen is facing his first day back on duty with Rhode Island's Statement Police Department in eighteen months. Griffen, a widower, wasn't a vacation but rather on an enforced period of medical leave - the investigation into the Candy Man Case had left him a little `twitchy'. He's a little nervous about his first day back, and still raw about his wife's death. Naturally, before he's even made it to the police station, he's assigned to a certain very high-profile double murder.
"The Survivors Club" was something of a disappointment to me : even though this is only the second book by Gardner I've read, I already know she's capable of much better. There was an odour of laziness about the story - the more I read, the more it became a very ordinary thriller-by-numbers. There was absolutely nothing original about Griffen (the tragic cop who has seen "the true nature of the abyss") or Jillian Hayes (the hard-nosed control freak you just KNOW is hiding a heart of gold) - together, they form a pair of clichés you could find in any lazy thriller anywhere. The identity of the villain came as no surprise whatsoever, and when the final confrontation came I was half-expecting a shout of "If it wasn't for those pesky kids...". Very ordinary overall.
detective story.......2007-02-11
I love the way Lisa Garndner writes and her stories, this book was no exception. It is a very fast paced story and a great read.
The Survivors Club.......2007-01-03
Anything that Lisa Gardner writes easily turns into a favorite of mine. This is a great suspenseful novel.
From her picture she looks too nice to write this stuff........2006-07-16
Lisa Gardner is great! In this book she creates characters that are not only real, but ones the reader can actually care about, from the 3 victims to the detective to the prime supect Eddie. While the survivors seem dependent upon each other for support, there is an underlying need for independance from the group that shows as the story progresses. I did not figure out or even come close to guessing the plot twist at the end. Maybe Ms. Gardner will do another novel featuring Roan Griffin. He was a very interesting detective, dealing with the problems of others and his own personal demons.
Book Description
PREGNANCY AND BIRTH-GOD'S MIRACLE OF CREATION ALL OVER AGAIN. Before I Was Born is the second book in the GOD'S DESIGN FOR SEX series, written to be read with children ages 5-8. With an age-appropriate, straightforward text and informative illustrations, Before I Was Born explains sex as a special gift God gives to a husband and wife and covers such topics as: 1) Why God made boys' and girls' bodies different; 2) God's plan for loving marriages and families; 3) The basic facts about intercourse, presented in the context of marital love and intimacy; 4) Conception and fetal development; and 5) Childbirth and breastfeeding. Created to answer the questions inevitably asked by young children, Before I Was Born will help you give your child a vital head start in understanding God's intended purpose for procreation and sex.
Customer Reviews:
Just right for my 8 year old daughter.......2007-09-08
I have been so nervous about talking about this stuff with my daughter. But this book made it so easy! We spent a few minutes reading and stopped frequently when she had questions. Then, it sparked an awesome conversation after we were finished. This book is just the right amount of information at the right time. It has illustrations that are very tasteful and didn't make either of us squirm. (Although she did giggle a bit at the discussion of how a boy grows :-) Like other reviewers, I'm not sure my 5 year old is ready to hear this, but I'm very glad I have the book now so I can pull it out when she does start asking questions. I think it's perfect for the 7-8 year old, boy or girl (it covers both equally).
Tells it Like it is ... in a Good Way........2007-07-11
Some reviews think this book is too graphic. If my children lived in a vacuum I'd tend to agree but, alas they do not. I want them to hear it from me and not some misinformed youth who doesn't have their facts straight as happens with so many children. I was shocked when I learned about it from a friend ... at a much younger age than my parents ever knew or even suspected. If you think you're 6+ year old isn't hearing things you most likely need another think.
Kids at this age (at least my son) are so into animals and biology and nature that they are just sponges. They accept facts at face value without adding all the "dirtiness" associated with sex in our culture. Regarding the intercourse description he just looked at me with a look that said, "are you for real?" I said I was and he kind of went, "oh, okay." It was just another fact of nature to him.
WAAAAAAAY too graphic for the age intended..........2007-01-13
I bought this book for my 8 1/2 year old daughter and after reading it, I couldn't bring myself to give it to her. I was ok with it until they started to describe the sex act. In my opinion this book was WAAAAAY too descriptive for 5 to 8 year old. It, in so many words, decribes an orgasm! "Body parts fitting inside others, semen flowing inside of her and bodies feeling good all over." It sounds graphic and I paraphrased it!!! That's just unnecessary for a parent who desires to teach the basics of sexuality to a young child.
I found the book "Where Do Babies Come From?", by Ruth S. Hummel, more appropriate for my child. It is a kid friendly narrative story with pronuncuations, illustrations, and careful explanations.
I think this book over sensationalizes sex. I'm not prepared to explain ejaculation to my 8 1/2 year old. Some parents may be, but I am not. I believe in keeping children children as long as possible. I am open and honest with my daughter about puberty and sex, and I answer every question that she has, but I think this book can wait until she's 12.
Well Done.......2006-06-03
I got this for my very curious 6.5yo and I agree it is very well done and very tasteful. I do think you will have to be dealing with a mature child if they are 5 & 6 and reading this book. I agree with the others, that this is geared more towards 7 and up. No matter the age, I think it is best that my children learn about sex early and what is about from me. She has already asked a ton of questions and I am glad she trusts me enough to ask.
Informative.......2006-03-09
This book, in the "God's Design for Sex" series is a good book to read with your child. The only complaint I have with the series is that I think the information given is too explicit for the ages recommended. I would wait until my child is at least 8 to read this book with him. The same with the others in the series, I will be waiting until the last age recommended (or beyond). The series did do a good job showing Sex and our bodies as God designed them to be - important to teach, especially if they will be having "sex/puberty education" from the public school system.
Book Description
“There’s a special providence in the fall of a sparrow.” --William Shakespeare,
Hamlet
B fell twenty-five feet from his nest into the life of Chris Chester. The encounter was providential for both of them.
B and Chester spent hours together playing games like bottle-cap fetch or hide-and-seek. They learned “words” in each other’s vocabularies. B developed a fetish for nostrils and a dislike of the color yellow. He grew anxious if Chester came home late from work. At bedtime he would rub his sleepy eyes on Chester’s thumb and settle to sleep in his palm. Chester ended up turning part of his house into an aviary and adjusting his social life to meet B’s demands. This was a small price to pay, though, for the trust and comfort of a twenty-five-gram friend who brought joy and wonder back into his life.
Customer Reviews:
A Love Story.......2007-09-12
I found myself crying several times while reading Providence of a Sparrow, struck by the honesty, humor and insight of Chris's writing. It is not a book about Sparrows; rather what lessons can be learned from nature. A wonderful read for anyone who loves the natural world, has every suffered from depression, or believes that some of the most profound lessons in life can be gleaned from the most unlikely of places.
Tragically, Chris Chester died a horrendous death not too long ago. Although this book is not for everyone it, I can assure you it carries a message that we could all stand to hear.
Book for a Desert Island.......2006-11-11
Here is wisdom, a profound and insightful exposition of the world and its avian and human inhabitants. Chester's depth of spirit, breadth of knowledge, and width of insight are breathtaking. Read this book slowly and lovingly and you will like yourself and your neighbors better.
I'll never forget this book.......2006-10-16
I am so much richer for having read this book. It is lyrical and profound; funny and witty. The intelligence of the writer and of "B" his bird amazed me. I can't look at life the same way I always have, since reading it. Thank you Chris for writing this book.
First Book Review I ever Sent In -- Because this book is special!.......2006-09-04
This is the most interesting book I have ever read (and I belong to 3 Book Clubs), so I read A LOT! I am admittedly a bird lover, but this book struck my heart. I have never written a review to Amazon, but this book is so special that I have to shout READ IT!!!! It will change your life. It blew me away. Amazing! Can't let it go....day after day, it reminds me of what life is all about. Saw Telegraph Hill. Doesn't compare. This is real. Heartrending. Intelligent. This book will keep you spellbound. A sure winner for book clubs, and anyone who wants to read a truly FABULOUS book.
There's something about these birds..........2005-12-20
I came across this book by complete chance- I didn't even know it existed until I found it staring me in the face from an endcap at the local bookstore. I was quite suprised that someone had written a book about raising house sparrows. I found my first house sparrow when I was 12 years old, and then raise 2 more that had been abandoned. My experience with the birds was strikingly similar to Mr. Chester's. He does a wonderful job in illustrating the fact that dogs and cats aren't the only animals that can be intelligent pets with personality. Most people seem to think that anyone who dotes upon a bird is a bit wierd, after all "it's only a bird." "Only", indeed.
Be aware that this book is a memoir, not a textbook. Mr. Chester does talk about himself. A lot. That's what people do in memoirs. But he certainly does include a wealth of information about sparrows in general, and his bird in particular. The reviewers who claim otherwise did not read the book (and admitted this themselves.) The book is about not just a bird and not just a man, but also the relationship between them and how this relationship made the man's life infinitely richer. "Providence of a Sparrow" shows that even "pests" and "junk birds" (as house sparrows are commonly called) have value. I hope that people who have never had a relationship with one of these birds enjoy the book as much as I did.
Average customer rating:
- A true American Hero
- Man of character, man of faith whose story should be proclaimed!
- Well rounded biography
- Excellent Title of an Excellent Leader
- Well Researched Look at a Major Civil War Figure
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In the Hands of Providence: Joshua L. Chamberlain and the American Civil War
Alice Rains Trulock
Manufacturer: The University of North Carolina Press
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ASIN: 0807820202 |
Book Description
This remarkable biography traces the life and times of Joshua L. Chamberlain, the professor-turned-soldier who led the Twentieth Maine Regiment to glory at Gettysburg, earned a battlefield promotion to brigadier general from Ulysses S. Grant at Petersburg, and was wounded six times during the course of the Civil War. Chosen to accept the formal Confederate surrender at Appomattox, Chamberlain endeared himself to succeeding generations with his unforgettable salutation of Robert E. Lee's vanquished army. After the war, he went on to serve four terms as governor of his home state of Maine and later became president of Bowdoin College. He wrote prolifically about the war, including The Passing of the Armies, a classic account of the final campaign of the Army of the Potomac.
Customer Reviews:
A true American Hero.......2006-03-29
In the Hands of Providence is a very well researched look of the life of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. Alice Turlock presents a definitive biography of this modest professor from Bowden College, who met challenge after challenge to become one of the greatest leaders in Civil War history. Chamberlain had extraordinary observational and superb writing skills. His persistence at recording the historic events, which included his emotional reactions, gave Trulock's wonderful historic accounts for her book.
The book starts by giving us an in depth look at his obscure Christian upbringing in rural Maine, and follows his processes of becoming a great young man. He was an exceptional college student, receiving the praise of his instructors. He was also highly regarded by his neighbors and towns' folk alike. Many considered him to have the highest moral and ethical standard. He was so trusted and respected as a young man in his home town that an older business man of Maine, who was an acquaintance of Chamberlain's, entrusted him with the dealings of his estate.
While finishing his studies at Bowden, Chamberlain married his sweetheart Frances Caroline Adams. They had a very close and loving relationship. But during the war, the constant distance between them put a great deal of strain on their relationship. After graduation, he accepted a position as a professor at Bowden, and held that position for several years. Chamberlain maintained a very close relationship with his family, and he was especially close to his father in law George Adams.
When the war broke out in 1861, Chamberlain ask for a leave of absence from Bowden to enlist, but was turned down. Not to be left out of the war, he again applied for a sabbatical to study in Europe, and this time it was granted. He had no intentions on going to Europe, and instead immediately enlisted in the army as a lieutenant colonel, and never looked back. He played a huge role in the recruitment of the men for a regiment, which would later come to be known as the 20th Maine.
With no military experience, Chamberlain showed great promise in his leadership shills and military expertise. He became friends with his unit's commander, Colonial Ames, who became his tutor. According to Trulock, Chamberlain held a great deal of respect and admiration for Ames, and he gave Ames credit for his military success.
Trulock's description of Chamberlain's military life is extraordinary, and she supplies us with great details about the battles in which he was involved. At the battle of Antietam, Chamberlain was not directly involved in the fighting but was brought up in reserve the next day. Trulock gives a very vivid description of horror that Chamberlain witnessed upon arriving at the battlefield that day where 22,000 lay dead or wounded on the field. It was the bloodiest, one day battle in the Civil War.
Next, she transports us to the Fredericksburg, and the final assault by the North on Marye's Heights - the charge that involved the 20th of Maine. All the other divisions that day were either driven back, laid dead or wounded on the field. She describes tremendous courage that Chamberlain and his men showed as they made their charge on the now famous wall at Marye's Heights, the wall that was heavily guarded by Confederates. The division suffered great loses that late afternoon. They remained among the dead or wounded for 2 days and nights before the order was given to retreat.
The episode in history that Chamberlain is most remember for is the courage and heroism he displayed at the battle of Gettysburg. He was ordered to the top of a hill known as The Little Round Top where he was placed at the far left flank. There, Chamberlain was instructed to hold that position at all cost. The 20th Maine repelled assault after assault by the Confederates that day. When ammunition ran out, Chamberlain ordered a bayonet charge, an event that many historians say was the turning point of the Civil War.
Trulock also gives a very detailed account of the battle of Petersburg, where Chamberlain was horribly wounded. After hearing of his heroic actions during the battle, General Grant immediately promoted Chamberlain on the battlefield to Brigadier General. This was the only battlefield promotion ever issued by Grant. Somehow, Chamberlain survived his wound, due to the skilled surgery that was preformed on him that night and next day. Chamberlain's two close friends, Dr. Shaw and Dr. Townsend worked for hours repairing the damage inflicted by the mini ball. The wound he received that day would trouble him all of his life and required numerous surgery's to repair the damage.
His persistent heroism and outstanding leadership were the deciding factor when Grant chose Chamberlain to receive the Confederate surrender at Appomattox. He showed great respect for his fellow countrymen that day when he gave the order to his men to give a solders salute to the surrendering confederate men. His honorary actions that day were later critized by many people.
This book contains a lot of historic photos of Chamberlain's family, friends, fellow soldiers and numerous battle maps. The book also gives a great account of Chamberlain's life as Governor of Maine and President of Bowden College, but these accounts do not compare to the bravery and patriotic devotion that Chamberlain displayed during the Civil War. His actions made him a hero to his men, and the country he served.
Trulock has given us a great biography, not only one of the Civil War's greatest commanders, but one of the United States most distinguished citizens. The book flows very smoothly while covering details of battles that would interest even the most die hard Civil War enthusiast.
Finally, a book that does justice to an astonishing person. I highly recommend this book.
Man of character, man of faith whose story should be proclaimed!.......2006-01-25
Chamerlain's heroism is similar to Teddy Roosevelt, Alvin York, and Audie Murphy who came behind him, but have been better publicized.
The difference is that his act of confidence, courage and decisiveness may have been the one that changed the outcome of the Civil War, the 1864 election and the future of America.
In The Hands of Providence is the story of Chamberlain's exemplary character before, during and after that momentum changing moment. All Americans should read and learn this story.
- Richard V. Battle - Author of The Four Letter Word That Builds Character
Well rounded biography.......2005-05-10
I found Alice Trulock's biography on Joshua L. Chamberlain to be quite readable, well researched and well grounded. Considering the length of the book, Trulock's book read quite well for most readers of any level. Well, it may not be good as the one written by John Pullen but it definitely is superior to the one written by Edward Longacre. I put that in just for comparison purpose.
I think this biography may served as a good introduction to Chamberlain who's name have definitely reached near mythological level nowadays among Civil War readers thanks to Jeff Daniels and his role in that movie "Gettysburg". Of course, most readers would probably be disappointed that Jeff Daniel's portaryal of Chamberlain will not jive with Joshua Chamberlain of Trulock's book.
The biography covers all aspects of Chamberlain's life. The book does a good job covering Chamberlain's military career which proves to be the most important period of his life from which Chamberlain's life will be centered around until his death. I do wish to make a point here. He died at the age of 86, a very ripe old age and I doubt if his wounds he got from Petersburg really hasten his death, it may have cause him a lot of pain but even in modern days, most people don't live that long!
Overall, an very good biography on one of Union's more natural soldiers. A non-professional who performed better then most professional soldiers.
Excellent Title of an Excellent Leader.......2005-03-13
The Duke of Wellington supposedly stated that it is impossible for a Christian to serve in the military. Too bad he wasn't around during the American Civil War! Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson from the South and Joshua Chamberlain and Otis Howard from the North are notable exceptions to Wellington's thesis.
Trulock has written what is the best account of the hero of Little Round Top and who personally oversaw the surrender of Confederate troops at Appamattox.
Among the important events in Chamberlain's life covered include:
1. Birth and Christian upbringing in rural Maine.
2. His days as a student and adminstrator at Bowdoin College.
3. His early Civil War service including the formation of the famous 20th Maine Regiment.
4. Fascinating accounts of his involvement in major Civil War battles: Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Petersburg, and other engagements.
5. The horrible wound suffered at Petersburg that eventually killed him some 50 years later.
6. His loving yet strained marriage to Frances Caroline Adams.
7. Postwar public service as President of Bowdoin College and Governor of Maine.
Reading the book was a joy - the narrative flowed smoothly while covering several details of a fascinating character. The author managed to keep the story from becoming too bogged down in dry detail without insulting the reader's intelligence. Oh, how I wish more biographies were written like this!
The book also contains excellent battle maps and numerous photographs of the main characters: Chamberlain, his wife, parents, sister and brothers, many Civil War officers, and other important people in Joshua Chamberlain's life.
All in all, an excellent and highly recommended read. Read and enjoy!
Well Researched Look at a Major Civil War Figure.......2004-10-02
Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain was the epitome of the American citizen-soldier. Since the birth of the republic, American soldiers have left home and hearth to serve the nation and many of them have come home physically shattered and haunted by what they have seen while still others have not come home at all. Thrown into the breech, some of the citizen solders found they did not have the fortitude for what was asked of them while many others have excelled, performing better than graduates of West Point or Annapolis, America's most prestigious military academies. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain was a citizen soldier who became a great hero of the Civil War, a man who met challenge after challenge and became a great leader of men and afterward, the course of his life was forever altered. An academically inclined young man, Chamberlain left Bowdin College and his studies and teaching in theology to accept a lieutenant colonel's commission in the 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment. The modest young professor took part in most of the important battles of the North's Army of the Potomac. He was a participant in the Battle of Antietam, still the bloodiest single day in American history. Today, we can walk the battlefield off Sharpsburg Pike, in rural Maryland and see "Burnside's Bridge and the cornfields where so many men fell and get some small measure of what men like Chamberlain went through. We can also visit the battlefield at Fredericksburg and see the heights that he and his 20th Maine and the Union Army tried to take in bloody frontal assaults into the teeth of Confederate guns and under the pounding of their artillery on the hills. Today Chamberlain's comrades - as well as the fallen Confederate troops - are buried on the commanding heights they failed to take, one of the Civil War's bitter ironies. Colonel Chamberlain then immortalized himself at Gettysburg's Little Round Top where he anchored the Union left, repelling assault after assault and winning the day by leading a charge down the slope that broke the Rebel troops. He was given a general's star by General Grant at Petersburg and was honored to receive the Confederate surrender at Appomattox. His heroism and leadership qualities helped him win the Governorship of Maine no less than four times, after which he retired to the Presidency of Bowdin College, his alma mater. Alice Trulock who wrote this book, was not a professional writer and after her retirement from civic affairs, this book took her ten years of careful research, writing and rewriting to complete. She based her work on a great deal of new research and handles the account of infantry combat beautifully. Unfortunately, Trulock died before the book was released and so she wasn't able to accept the accolades that were due to her for such a well-written and moving biography of an emblematic Civil War figure.
Average customer rating:
- A positively charged, spiritually strong guide to recovery through the power of faith.
- A very strong message
- Finding Your Heart Again
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Turn Your Life Around: Break Free from Your Past to a New and Better You
Tim Clinton , and
Tim LaHaye
Manufacturer: FaithWords
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ASIN: 0446579106 |
Book Description
Noted counselor and author Dr. Tim Clinton helps readers overcome troubled pasts in order to enjoy brighter futures.The road that could be paved with God's healing and grace is often blocked by emotional wounds and disappointments. In his new book, renowned counselor Dr. Tim Clinton helps readers move beyond the hurts of the past toward forgiveness and hope by developing new strategies for living. Dr. Clinton illustrates how people of faith get entangled in anger, anxiety, arrogance, and even addiction, then shows how they can break free and walk resolutely on the pathway to recovery. The key to turning your life around, advises Dr. Clinton, is understanding that God uses brokenness and powerlessness to draw those who are hurting back to Him.
Customer Reviews:
A positively charged, spiritually strong guide to recovery through the power of faith........2007-05-13
President of the American Association of Christian Counselors Dr. Tim Clinton presents Turn Your Life Around: Break Free From Your Past to a New and Better You, a Christian self-help guide to surviving the loss of a loved one by turning to the grace of God in the hour of one's deepest need. Chapters tell of the negative emotions such as anger, fear, alienation, and arrogance that can cause a soul to lose its way, and how to strengthen one's heart with love through connection to God, and the transcendental leap of converting good intentions into Godly action. "How do you press on when your legs get knocked out from underneath you and life just isn't the way it's supposed to be? You return to the relationship with the One who created you in the first place." A positively charged, spiritually strong guide to recovery through the power of faith.
A very strong message.......2007-03-26
Clinton's book is for anyone who has experienced pain and loneliness--and lives with the ongoing consequences. It is also for people who keep themselves so busy that they don't have time to feel, because in a small still place within their minds, they fear the negative feelings that they would experience.
Several themes weave themselves throughout the book. One is what I would call the stages of alienation and addiction, combined with the cycle of restoration. It is both a downward and upward spiral that looks like this:
Losing heart: the Descent into Pain
Ambushed and assaulted, Anger, Anxiety, Alonenes, Alienation, Arrogance, Adulteries of the Heart and Addiction
Alive Again! Accountability, Action, Attachments, Awareness, Assessment , Affection of God
Recovery of the Heart: Coming Out of Pain
This is not your typical self-help book, nor even your typical Christian self-help book. For the reader who is willing to look in the mirror there is specific, meaningful help.
His food for thought:
"What are your biggest fears? Failure? Being seen as less than perfect? Losing a position? Losing a loved one? Abandonment? Fear of others hurting you?"
"When we live with unsatisfied souls, we will pour almost anything into them to appease our hunger."
"Spouses and parents, for instance, devote so much time and energy rushing from place to place that they don't devote time and effort to creating and preserving meaningful relationships..."
He echoes Robert McGee who said that the devil's definition of self worth is "My performance plus the opinion of others." And those who accept that lie are on the slippery slope toward alienation and addiction.
One final thought: He challenges you to: "Examine everything in your life that suddenly takes on huge meaning and begins to give you purpose, meaning, and value. If God isn't at the core and intimately involved with its pursuit, then you may be playing the lead in a tragedy. You are embracing the gods of distraction and your newfound "loves" will never satisfy you." And those distractions may be workaholism, drugs, alcohol, or any other false solution to a lack of relationship and connection--to God first, and then to each other.
This not a light read, but for those desiring a sense of connection and relationship, Clinton provides specific action steps to go from where you are to where you want to be.
Armchair Interviews says: This might just be a book your life needs.
Finding Your Heart Again.......2007-03-22
Tim Clinton writes with the conviction that only God's changeless truth can change lives. Buttressed by this confidence, "Turn Your Life Around" tutors hurting (and often hardened) people in the soul physician's art that leads to healing, hope, and holiness.
Being biblically-based certainly does not mean being pie-in-the-sky as Clinton proves with his opening words, "Life can be pretty unmerciful" (p. xiii). Unmerciful life teamed with unrelenting Satan can result in the temptation to believe in an Unmerciful Savior. "Turn Your Life Around" uses a practical theology model to arrest this temptation and replace it with trust in a Trustworthy God.
Clinton journeys with his readers along the route marked Ambushed, Angry, Anxious, Alone, Alienated, Arrogant, Adulteries (of the Heart), and Addicted. Clinton skillfully diagnoses this fallen way of handling life when it mishandles us.
The path of healing, hope, and holiness, Clinton assures his readers, begins with the route marked Affection: the conviction that Jesus is the Lover of your soul. This leads to Assessment, Self-Awareness, Attachment, Action, Accountability, and becoming Alive Again (Christ's Resurrection Power)!
Even this creative outline does not begin to do justice to the creative, powerful writing style, coupled with theology-applied-to life that readers find on every page of "Turn Your Life Around." Not since "The Sacred Romance" (Curtis and Eldredge) has the Christian community witnessed a book that so aptly and accurately combines the narrative of life and the narrative of Scripture.
Intimacy with God and with others awaits the reader who engages this engaging work.
Reviewer: Robert W. Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction, Spiritual Friends: A Methodology of Soul Care And Spiritual Direction, and Soul Physicians: A Theology of Soul Care And Spiritual Direction.
Customer Reviews:
This book changed my life forever!!.......2004-06-28
I cannot recommend this book highly enough! The author lived long ago and yet his Christ-centered words ring out beautifully for us modern mortals. I was so moved by his humble approach to God and his deep love and surrender to Christ. A profoundly spiritual and moving experience awaits the reader of this book!
The Paraclete At Work.......2003-03-02
This book fairly lept at me from the shelf. I wasn't particularly looking for it, but I found it nonetheless. For a former Ayn Rand afficianado & neo-Objectivist, the very title ought to have been anathema. However, it was a greater sense of peace that I was after, and to some extent, this book is helpful at understanding one's true relation to God, particularly in terms of recognizing and submitting to His will.
I had previously attempted Kempis' "The Imitation Of Christ", and found that it was difficult to disassociate from the intended audience of that book (cloistered religious). I'll try to review it in the near future. In any case, my experience with Thomas a Kempis made me a little gun-shy with regard to spiritual primers intended for religious communities. One of the challenges of "Self-abandonment" is the extent of its direct communication between the author (as spiritual director) and the nuns with whom he communicates. Nevertheless, the more generalized introductory sections overcome this difficulty.
I happened to be in the midst of "Self-abandonment" at the time of my grandmother's death. I must say that in retrospect I could not have found a better companion for those days. de Caussade does an excellent job at communicating the spiritual benefits of acceptance, duty, and forgiveness. It ought to be the goal of every Christian to make each day, and each moment of each day a paean to the Lord - seeing His will in all things - even small things and most particularly in painful things is a crucial step toward living a truly Christian life.
Finally, I don't know whether to call this book "life changing," as I believe that one must already be at a certain level of acceptance prior to realizing benefits from the approach that de Caussade recommends. Nonetheless, it is a useful and helpful aid to the continuing trauma of living in the world but not of the world.
Review from the Publisher.......2001-03-16
This is an amazing 18th century classic divided into 2 parts and giving the method espoused by de Caussade for attaining great holiness. Written for all no matter how advanced spiritually. The author believes that God hides behind the simplest of daily activities and can be found through total surrender to whatever His will is for the individual. Therefore, self-abandonment is the key to spiritual development An outstanding spiritual tool, revealing new insights with each reading. A must for any serious Catholic. 230pp. PB. Imprimatur.
The true meaning of God's omnipresence.......2000-11-04
God's omnipresence is taken for granted by all Christians. But it is so easy to assume this applies merely to the physical and material world. If He is omnipresent in a physical sense, then He must also be present in every circumstance we experience our lives, no matter how small. Thus, we can experience God just by yielding to what life brings. DeCaussade, in this beautiful book (I am in my third reading), has introduced me to this "new" way of experiencing God: I now "see" Him everywhere. This view of God brings great comfort and assurance. I find myself struggling less with life, accepting things that I would once have found distasteful, and discovering many new blessings from God. If you long for a more settled life you will gain much from this book.
One of the best books I've ever read.......1999-10-16
Absolutely fantastic book, life-changing, second to "The Imitation of Christ", this book is really worth reading. Makes you realize that everything that happens is ordained of God and teaches you to be content with what God brings into your life.
Amazon.com
Rarely does a book come along that tackles a perennially difficult human issue with such clarity and intelligence. Harold Kushner, a Jewish rabbi facing his own child's fatal illness, deftly guides us through the inadequacies of the traditional answers to the problem of evil, then provides a uniquely practical and compassionate answer that has appealed to millions of readers across all religious creeds. Remarkable for its intensely relevant real-life examples and its fluid prose, this book cannot go unread by anyone who has ever been troubled by the question, "Why me?"
Book Description
As a young theology student, Harold Kushner puzzled over the Book of Job. As a small-town rabbi he counseled other people through pain and grief. But not until he learned that his three-year-old son, Aaron, would die in his early teens of a rare disease did he confront one of life's most difficult questions: Where do we find the resources to cope when tragedy strikes?
"I knew that one day I would write this book," says Rabbi Kushner. "I would write it out of my own need to put into words some of the most important things I have come to believe and know. And I would write it to help other people who might one day find themselves in a similar predicament. I am fundamentally a religious man who has been hurt by life, and I wanted to write a book that could be given to the person who has been hurt by life, and who knows in his heart that if there is justice in the world, he deserved better. . . . If you are such a person, if you want to believe in God's goodness and fairness but find it hard because of the things that have happened to you and to people you care about, and if this book helps you do that, then I will have succeeded in distilling some blessing out of Aaron's pain and tears."
Since its original publication in 1981, When Bad Things Happen to Good People has brought solace and hope to millions. In his new preface to this anniversary edition, Rabbi Kushner relates the heartwarming responses he has received over the last two decades from people who have found inspiration and comfort within these pages.
Customer Reviews:
A incorrect view of God that is devoid of hope.......2007-10-06
I write this review with sensitivity to Rabbi Kushner. He has suffered the great loss of his son. His motivation for writing this book is to distill "some blessing out of Aaron's pain and tears" and perhaps to process and come to grips with how and why God `allows' such incomprehensible and unbearable grief in this life. As Rabbi Kushner says:
"I wanted to write a book that could be given to the person who has been hurt by life--by death, by illness or injury, by rejection or disappointment--and who knows in his heart that if there is justice in the world, he deserved better. What can God mean to such a person? Where can he turn for strength and hope? If you are such a person, if you want to believe in God's goodness and fairness but find it hard because of the things that have happened to you and to people you care about, and if this book helps you do that, then I will have succeeded in distilling some blessing out of Aaron's pain and tears."
Unfortunately I'm not sure this book is helpful because his answer to "the one question which really matters: why do bad things happen to good people?" is untrue. Rabbi Kushner does not believe in scripture other than as a literary and religious work. Therefore he can't find or rely on what God himself says about this question and ends up with only his own speculations.
Rabbi Kushner's God is impotent: concerned by the tragedies of our lives but unable to do anything about it. His belief system started by seeing God as "an all-wise, all-powerful parent figure who would treat us as our earthy parents did, or even better. If we were obedient and deserving, He would reward us. If we got out of line, He would discipline us, reluctantly but firmly. He would protect us from being hurt or from hurting ourselves, and would see to it that we got what we deserved in life." Suffering taught Rabbi Kushner that such an unbiblical world-view was wrong; however his impotent God world view is no less incorrect.
The major contribution of this book is to remind us that people are God's solution to much of this suffering. This is a wonderful corrective to the idea that God should work exclusively by mystical and miraculous methods.
Rabbi Kushner's "only question that matters" can't be answered, not by any secular or religious system. The biblical writers wrestled with the question but didn't offer any neat "fixes" either. The sufferings of Job, for example, were never answered with a reason but only by the character of God himself. I hope that people can find comfort in this book, that Rabbi Kushner's goal has been accomplished. I fear, however, that bad theology (that is lies and misrepresentations about God) only leads to further grief and suffering. What hope or comfort is there in a god that can do nothing in our lives? If a god created this mess and then can't fix it where do we find help?
Far better reading can be found in books by Philip Yancey, C. S. Lewis, and Dallas Willard. Scott Peck's book "A Road Less Traveled" is also helpful, not as an answer but as a guidebook. I also strongly recommend the book "Sacred Romance" by Brent Curtis and John Eldredge.
Emotionally satisfying, but..........2007-10-01
This book claims not to be about theology, but actually that is what it is about from the first word to the last. And Kushner tackles an ancient and difficult theological issue: if God is good and His creation wholly good, why is there evil in the world? Kushner never really answers this question (probably because there is no satisfactory answer to the question as it is stated). And he has the courage to say that he does not really know. In fact, the book is loaded with courageously unanswered questions. This makes the work extremely satisfying on an emotional level. But on an intellectual level, it can leave the reader deeply unsatisfied. Kushner accepts that the world is chaotic; that good people will inevitably have bad things happen to them. He exonerates God by saying God did not create this chaos. In doing so, Kushner wishes to exonerate the God of Judaism from such sins as, among others, the death of innocent children. But by letting God off, he distances the deity from the world. He creates dual realms: one for God and one for us. Kushner's God is not the God of mysticism or pantheism (and some have said, not Judaism). For all its considerable emotional strengths, it seems that Kusnher in this work wants the best of both worlds: he wants to wed the chaotic universe of the atheist, and the good God of the Bible. In the end, it's a troubled marriage.
A great book........2007-10-01
Main reason for purchasing this book was Christopher Barrios death on March 8. He was a six year old Little Angel that became an angel on that date.
His death affected me to no end. It affected my eating and sleeping habits. This book helped me to see things in perspective.
I would recommend this book to anyone trying to cope with the loss of a dear one.
The Only Explanation That Made Sense.............2007-08-20
My mother died of cancer 3 weeks ago (she was only 59) and it made me MAD as hell at God for not saving her. For a while I denied the existence of any diety. A friend recommended this book. I learned I had to change my views about the nature of God.
The traditional "pray to God, he is all powerful, and he will fix everything" belief I was taught as a child no longer applied once my mother got sick and died. Why didn't God answer my prayers? Did he want my mother to suffer, become riddled with tumors, and then die at a young age? Why didn't he help us? Harold Kushner had a similar experience (his son died at age 13) and came to the conclusion that (in a nutshell)God does not heal the sick, stop tornadoes, cure AIDS and Cancer etc. because he can't. He is not all powerful.
I never EVER would have come to this conclusion by myself because it goes against EVERYTHING I was taught as a Christian. If my mother had not died there is NO WAY I would believe God was NOT all powerful. But, in doing some soul searching, that is the only explanation that makes any sense to me. For God to make my mom sick to teach my family a lesson, for a greater good, because she was a bad person, because we did not pray enough, because it was in his divine plan etc. makes no sense to me. All of these explanations offered by my church, my friends, Priests, and fellow believers led me to one conclusion: God did not help me in my time of need and therefore, God was either evil and enjoyed watching us suffer OR there was no God. Now I believe that neither of these conclusions are true. God is simply not omnipotent.
There is no doubt that accepting that God is NOT omnipotent opens up an entirely new can of worms. I had to rethink everything I knew about God and religion. I no longer look to the Bible or to any religious text for answers. I always had my doubts about the Bible. It was written by Men, Gospels were omitted and hidden away etc. It was not written by God himself/herself. Furthermore, each religion has a "Bible" or book of laws, worship, beliefs etc. How is there any way to know which is the correct set of beliefs? In a sense, due to my skepticism about Christianity/Judaism and the Bible's authenticity, it was easier for me to accept that my view of God as an omnipotent diety was flawed. REading this book made alarm bells go off in my head - AHA! Someone else feels exactly how I feel! Someone else, a religious leader, looked around and said "What the hell is going on here?!"
I may not agree with ALL of Kushner's statements (Kushner still believes in the Bible as a holy text, and the word of God, whereas I do not) but I do believe he is onto something. I now believe is that there is a higher power, and that higher power is good. I now look to God for strength - to help me through the tough times. I do not look to him to intervene in my life because I know that, as much as he would like to, he cannot.
Thought Provoking Read. .......2007-07-26
Rabbi Kushner's writing style and brilliant ability to show contrast with real life situations creates an eagerness to read on and an insatiable need to learn more.
From the tone of this book it leads you to assume that Rabbi Kushner is just a lovable human being, rich in modesty and humility.
This is a very short book which will be of value for both religious and non religious people. Whether religious or not, Rabbi Kushner's book has the ability to put a new prayer or creed in your heart, and will also enlighten you to not lose sight of the meaning of life in your life.
People need not wait for some tragedy to come along to pick up this book. Personally, I am not currently dealing with a loss; however, after completing this book I feel more prepared to take on the burden of coping with any unfortunate occurrences, which the future may hold. I bought this book to enable me to pass on comforting words to people close to me which were going through some tough times in their life.
The majority of the readers of this book has mis-interpreted this book primarily from the misquoting of the title of the book. If you get the title wrong then this book will not serve its proper purpose to you.
If you seek a bridge to the New Testament read Melvin Tinker's "Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People". In Tinker's "Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People" you will find a more expanded interpretation of the Book of Job and other important passages in the New Testament that delivers what Kushner could not due to his commitment and belief in the Jewish faith. In my judgment, the two merged will give you a wider scope of learning.
Books:
- We Need to Talk About Kevin: A Novel (P.S.)
- We Tell Ourselves Stories in Order to Live: Collected Nonfiction (Everyman's Library)
- When Friendship Hurts: How to Deal With Friends Who Betray, Abandon, or Wound You
- When I Fall in Love
- When She Was White: The True Story of a Family Divided by Race
- When the Light Goes: A Novel
- Why Smart People Make Big Money Mistakes And How To Correct Them: Lessons From The New Science Of Behavioral Economics
- Women without Class: Girls, Race, and Identity
- Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day: A Guide to Starting, Revising, and Finishing Your Doctoral Thesis
- X-Men: The End Book One: Dreamers And Demons
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