Christian life
A selection of titles for your Living Faith.
{"id":14777367527804,"title":"Living Differently to Make a Difference: The beatitudes and countercultural lifestyle","handle":"living-differently-to-make-a-difference-the-beatitudes-and-countercultural-lifestyle-1","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eFew would doubt that we live in a wounded and broken world. But God has sent a Saviour, Jesus Christ, who calls us, in the beatitudes, to live an authentic, countercultural lifestyle. By being different we can make a difference, becoming the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Through living the beatitudes, we could make the world a better place.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/l-woNgQmdBA\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHaving been in parish ministry for 25 years, Will Donaldson is Chaplain and Senior Welfare Officer of St Edmund Hall, Oxford University. He is also Area Dean of Oxford and Director of Pastoral Care at St Aldates Church. He is the author of Word and Spirit (BRF, 2011).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJulian Meetings Magazine, April 2019. Review by Felicity Bayne\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn his foreword Dr Steven Croft, Bishop of Oxford, writes that ‘There are signs that the beatitudes are coming back into focus in the life of the church as a text for the 21st century.’ Will Donaldson suggests that all our social, political and technological problems connect to the same root cause – chronic lifestyle dysfunction – and then explores a solution based on Jesus’ teaching in the beatitudes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach chapter sets one of the beatitudes in its biblical context, particularly as it relates to Isaiah 61, the Old Testament passage that Jesus read in the synagogue at Nazareth to announce the arrival of the Messiah. In each chapter one beatitude is put alongside a current or historical character or context, before leading the reader into considering how that beatitude might apply in their own lives, to the benefit of the world. Chapters 8 and 9 lead us to reflect on Jesus’ words of encouragement to his followers to be salt and light in the world. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChapters end with thoughtful, helpful questions, and suggestions for reflection alone, or within a small group. This would work well for a Lent group, taking two chapters each week.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDonaldson’s writing is both informative and challenging: an opportunity for serious study and reflection. He provides a pithy guide to Christians who wish their faith in Jesus to make a difference, becoming the salt of the earth and the light of the world, a step at a time. It’s not always a comfortable read, but practising our faith in line with the beatitudes is always an uncomfortable, but hopefully creative, challenge towards building the church of the future.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Felicity Bayne \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Reader, Spring 2019. Review by Ben Brown\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe beatitudes are the series of teachings by Jesus at the start of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew's gospel. They are sayings where the hierarchies of the world and the hierarchies of the heart are turned upside down. We are called to become people who are poor, meek (or gentle), merciful and pure in heart. Will Donaldson has written a passionate and engaging study of how we are called to live the beatitudes in a world where the idols of power and status are prevalent. The book has some probing questions to ask of aspects of our modern society and our modern selves. Why are we fixated on ideals of success? Why is so much modern culture obsessed with revenge? Donaldson shows how living out of the beatitudes, embracing vulnerability and spiritual poverty in our lives, embodies a joyful alternative to our cultural norms. Occasionally I found the presentation a little moralistic. His interpretation, for example that being pure in heart meant simply living with integrity struck me as reductive. Being pure can also mean being uncluttered and therefore able to see the divine more clearly. But this is a book which makes you ask transformative questions of yourself and your society and gives you, or a reading group, the opportunity to take Christi's teaching personally and embark on the daily adventure of following him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Ben Brown\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDiocese of Oxford. Review by Kate Seagrave\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.oxford.anglican.org\/living-differently-to-make-a-difference\/\"\u003ehttps:\/\/www.oxford.anglican.org\/living-differently-to-make-a-difference\/\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt would appear to be a brave undertaking to write a book on such a famous passage as the beatitudes and on such topics that so many have tackled before, but Will does so with originality and confidence. This easy to read book follows the standard mixed format of so many of BRF's publications, being a combination of an individual devotional read, a small group Bible study, and an introductory guide to this famous passage of scripture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis extensive experience in pastoral care and discipleship shines through his approach and his challenge to the reader to a more distinctively and holistic Christian life. Topics covered challenge both our inner lives and 'secret' attitudes as well as our more outward and visible actions and service. The structure of each chapter stands alone, which makes dipping in and out as well as selecting chapters of particular interest entirely possible.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe format makes this a quick and easy read, with plenty of illustrations from history, politics, culture, sport and literature. The individual devotions and group discussion questions provide ample invitation and space for pausing and thinking, even when read outside of a more intentional devotional or group study setting. The group questions are particularly accessible and appropriate to a group which had never done a similar study before, with a range of suggested options catering to timings from 15 minutes to an hour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe strength of this book is in the pastoral experience of the writer. His intuitive understanding and deep conviction that the presence of inner faith must be accompanied by a transformational impact upon the world around us (however big or small that world may be) shapes the way that he guides the reader through the chapters. If you are looking for an approach to the beatitudes which is easy to read, yet challenges you to pause and think and examine the lifestyle choices we make day to day, then this is for you.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by the Revd Kate Seagrave, Mission Priest at the Community of St Frideswide in Oxford\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePresbyterian Herald, October 2018\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this book, Will Donaldson, a chaplain in Oxford University, explores the beatitudes taught by Jesus during his sermon on the mount, and suggests ways in which we can apply them today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat struck me about this book is that every chapter is so well researched and, as a result, Donaldson is able to explain each beatitude in the context of our history and the world in which we exist today. Scripture is woven throughout each chapter and the author draws heavily from Isaiah 61 throughout the book, as the Old Testament basis of the beatitudes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach chapter concludes with prompts for personal reflection, prayerful response and discussion for small groups, including a starter (questions to be considered over a 15-minute period), a main course (allowing for a 60-minute discussion) and concluding with dessert (another 15 minutes of discussion). While I used this book to aid my own time of devotion, I believe it would be an excellent basis for a book group or discipleship group to study the beatitudes together and decipher what the application of them looks like in their daily lives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI found this to be a very challenging and beneficial read. It reinforced that as Christians, it is not for us to conform to the cultural narrative but rather to be 'set apart' for God, as has always been his desire for his people. This book is one of the most helpful books I have read for a long time.\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2024-10-29T11:29:31+00:00","created_at":"2024-10-29T11:27:46+00:00","vendor":"Will Donaldson","type":"eBook","tags":["Biblical engagement","Glassboxx","Group reading","May-18","Mission"],"price":899,"price_min":899,"price_max":899,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":53603949543804,"title":"eBook","option1":"eBook","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9780857466723","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"Living Differently to Make a Difference: The beatitudes and countercultural lifestyle - eBook","public_title":"eBook","options":["eBook"],"price":899,"weight":166,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9780857466723","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/224.png?v=1730980359","\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/225.png?v=1730980294"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/224.png?v=1730980359","options":["Format"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":63001494520188,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/224.png?v=1730980359"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/224.png?v=1730980359","width":1303},{"alt":null,"id":63001481412988,"position":2,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/225.png?v=1730980294"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/225.png?v=1730980294","width":1303}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eFew would doubt that we live in a wounded and broken world. But God has sent a Saviour, Jesus Christ, who calls us, in the beatitudes, to live an authentic, countercultural lifestyle. By being different we can make a difference, becoming the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Through living the beatitudes, we could make the world a better place.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/l-woNgQmdBA\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHaving been in parish ministry for 25 years, Will Donaldson is Chaplain and Senior Welfare Officer of St Edmund Hall, Oxford University. He is also Area Dean of Oxford and Director of Pastoral Care at St Aldates Church. He is the author of Word and Spirit (BRF, 2011).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJulian Meetings Magazine, April 2019. Review by Felicity Bayne\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn his foreword Dr Steven Croft, Bishop of Oxford, writes that ‘There are signs that the beatitudes are coming back into focus in the life of the church as a text for the 21st century.’ Will Donaldson suggests that all our social, political and technological problems connect to the same root cause – chronic lifestyle dysfunction – and then explores a solution based on Jesus’ teaching in the beatitudes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach chapter sets one of the beatitudes in its biblical context, particularly as it relates to Isaiah 61, the Old Testament passage that Jesus read in the synagogue at Nazareth to announce the arrival of the Messiah. In each chapter one beatitude is put alongside a current or historical character or context, before leading the reader into considering how that beatitude might apply in their own lives, to the benefit of the world. Chapters 8 and 9 lead us to reflect on Jesus’ words of encouragement to his followers to be salt and light in the world. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChapters end with thoughtful, helpful questions, and suggestions for reflection alone, or within a small group. This would work well for a Lent group, taking two chapters each week.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDonaldson’s writing is both informative and challenging: an opportunity for serious study and reflection. He provides a pithy guide to Christians who wish their faith in Jesus to make a difference, becoming the salt of the earth and the light of the world, a step at a time. It’s not always a comfortable read, but practising our faith in line with the beatitudes is always an uncomfortable, but hopefully creative, challenge towards building the church of the future.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Felicity Bayne \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Reader, Spring 2019. Review by Ben Brown\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe beatitudes are the series of teachings by Jesus at the start of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew's gospel. They are sayings where the hierarchies of the world and the hierarchies of the heart are turned upside down. We are called to become people who are poor, meek (or gentle), merciful and pure in heart. Will Donaldson has written a passionate and engaging study of how we are called to live the beatitudes in a world where the idols of power and status are prevalent. The book has some probing questions to ask of aspects of our modern society and our modern selves. Why are we fixated on ideals of success? Why is so much modern culture obsessed with revenge? Donaldson shows how living out of the beatitudes, embracing vulnerability and spiritual poverty in our lives, embodies a joyful alternative to our cultural norms. Occasionally I found the presentation a little moralistic. His interpretation, for example that being pure in heart meant simply living with integrity struck me as reductive. Being pure can also mean being uncluttered and therefore able to see the divine more clearly. But this is a book which makes you ask transformative questions of yourself and your society and gives you, or a reading group, the opportunity to take Christi's teaching personally and embark on the daily adventure of following him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Ben Brown\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDiocese of Oxford. Review by Kate Seagrave\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.oxford.anglican.org\/living-differently-to-make-a-difference\/\"\u003ehttps:\/\/www.oxford.anglican.org\/living-differently-to-make-a-difference\/\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt would appear to be a brave undertaking to write a book on such a famous passage as the beatitudes and on such topics that so many have tackled before, but Will does so with originality and confidence. This easy to read book follows the standard mixed format of so many of BRF's publications, being a combination of an individual devotional read, a small group Bible study, and an introductory guide to this famous passage of scripture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis extensive experience in pastoral care and discipleship shines through his approach and his challenge to the reader to a more distinctively and holistic Christian life. Topics covered challenge both our inner lives and 'secret' attitudes as well as our more outward and visible actions and service. The structure of each chapter stands alone, which makes dipping in and out as well as selecting chapters of particular interest entirely possible.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe format makes this a quick and easy read, with plenty of illustrations from history, politics, culture, sport and literature. The individual devotions and group discussion questions provide ample invitation and space for pausing and thinking, even when read outside of a more intentional devotional or group study setting. The group questions are particularly accessible and appropriate to a group which had never done a similar study before, with a range of suggested options catering to timings from 15 minutes to an hour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe strength of this book is in the pastoral experience of the writer. His intuitive understanding and deep conviction that the presence of inner faith must be accompanied by a transformational impact upon the world around us (however big or small that world may be) shapes the way that he guides the reader through the chapters. If you are looking for an approach to the beatitudes which is easy to read, yet challenges you to pause and think and examine the lifestyle choices we make day to day, then this is for you.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by the Revd Kate Seagrave, Mission Priest at the Community of St Frideswide in Oxford\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePresbyterian Herald, October 2018\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this book, Will Donaldson, a chaplain in Oxford University, explores the beatitudes taught by Jesus during his sermon on the mount, and suggests ways in which we can apply them today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat struck me about this book is that every chapter is so well researched and, as a result, Donaldson is able to explain each beatitude in the context of our history and the world in which we exist today. Scripture is woven throughout each chapter and the author draws heavily from Isaiah 61 throughout the book, as the Old Testament basis of the beatitudes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach chapter concludes with prompts for personal reflection, prayerful response and discussion for small groups, including a starter (questions to be considered over a 15-minute period), a main course (allowing for a 60-minute discussion) and concluding with dessert (another 15 minutes of discussion). While I used this book to aid my own time of devotion, I believe it would be an excellent basis for a book group or discipleship group to study the beatitudes together and decipher what the application of them looks like in their daily lives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI found this to be a very challenging and beneficial read. It reinforced that as Christians, it is not for us to conform to the cultural narrative but rather to be 'set apart' for God, as has always been his desire for his people. This book is one of the most helpful books I have read for a long time.\u003c\/p\u003e"}
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Living Differently to Make a Difference: The beatitudes and countercultural lifestyle
£8.99
Digital eBook Only - Few would doubt that we live in a wounded and broken world. But God has sent...
{"id":14777394463100,"title":"Comfort in Uncertain Times","handle":"comfort-in-uncertain-times-1","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eUncertainty and change can be hard, and even more so for a child. Feelings of confusion, powerlessness and insecurity may be overwhelming. Scripture is full of people just like our children who had to cope with uncertainty and transition and flourished as they saw God’s hand and presence within it all. Designed as a series of stories and discussions for families, this book lays a Biblical foundation for who God is in uncertain times and how to stay connected to him.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor information\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"margin-right: 10px; float: left;\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/RachelTurner_480x480.jpg?v=1676495221\" width=\"252\" height=\"252\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRachel Turner is an author, speaker and the Parenting for Faith pioneer for BRF. Untill March 2022, she led the Parenting for Faith team at BRF, and she presents the Parenting for Faith course, a video-based resource for church groups and individuals.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003ePraise for \u003cem\u003eComfort in the Darkness\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'What is not to love about this book?16 stories from the Bible are skilfully retold with just the right amount of drama, suspense and awe - perfect for a shared story!' Ali Campbell, The Resource 'It's simple, it's clever and it's profound. I found my own perspective on night-time changing along with my children's.' \u003cstrong\u003eVictoria Beech, Godventure. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eReviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTransforming Ministry Autumn 2022. Reviewed by Cavan Wood\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSubtitled ‘Helping children draw close to God through Biblical stories of anxiety, loss and transition’, never has a book been more needed in a post-Covid world where lockdown caused massive rises in mental health issues among young and old alike. The author rightly says it is the job of parents to help their children deal with the problems of change and bereavement. Her approach is to re-tell key biblical stories by putting the emphasis on our involvement in the narrative. There are sections on how to connect with God by prayer and by spiritual practices. As with many things designed to help children, this will also be a rich resource for churches tackling these issues with older members of the congregation. This is a book that enables us to see that being human will involve feelings of uncertainty and that although we have an unchangeable God, He is not immune to the pain and the confusion of His children. A valuable resource.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Cavan Wood \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed by Paul Beasley-Murray \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/us12.campaign-archive.com\/?e=3cc647e01f\u0026amp;u=a45b3e6fc109e00f067477a28\u0026amp;id=5664bb31b8\"\u003eBooks for Today\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBRF of Abingdon continues to provide a range of superb resources for those engaged in children’s work. One such is \u003cem\u003eComfort in Uncertain Times\u003c\/em\u003e. This book will be of great help to many as we all begin to emerge from the pandemic. Each of the fifteen chapters tells a Bible story, and then provides conversation starts and end with suggestions on how to ‘connect with God’. Written for use by parents, it also can be used with great profit within a church setting by leaders of groups for children and young people. \u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2024-10-29T11:43:09+00:00","created_at":"2024-10-29T11:42:09+00:00","vendor":"Rachel Turner","type":"eBook","tags":["Children and family ministry","Glassboxx","Parenting","Parenting for Faith books"],"price":899,"price_min":899,"price_max":899,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":53603958718844,"title":"eBook","option1":"eBook","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781800390485","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"Comfort in Uncertain Times - eBook","public_title":"eBook","options":["eBook"],"price":899,"weight":185,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9781800390485","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/232.png?v=1730980394","\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/233.png?v=1730980328"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/232.png?v=1730980394","options":["Format"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":63001503924604,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/232.png?v=1730980394"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/232.png?v=1730980394","width":1303},{"alt":null,"id":63001487540604,"position":2,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/233.png?v=1730980328"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/233.png?v=1730980328","width":1303}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eUncertainty and change can be hard, and even more so for a child. Feelings of confusion, powerlessness and insecurity may be overwhelming. Scripture is full of people just like our children who had to cope with uncertainty and transition and flourished as they saw God’s hand and presence within it all. Designed as a series of stories and discussions for families, this book lays a Biblical foundation for who God is in uncertain times and how to stay connected to him.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor information\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"margin-right: 10px; float: left;\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/RachelTurner_480x480.jpg?v=1676495221\" width=\"252\" height=\"252\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRachel Turner is an author, speaker and the Parenting for Faith pioneer for BRF. Untill March 2022, she led the Parenting for Faith team at BRF, and she presents the Parenting for Faith course, a video-based resource for church groups and individuals.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003ePraise for \u003cem\u003eComfort in the Darkness\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'What is not to love about this book?16 stories from the Bible are skilfully retold with just the right amount of drama, suspense and awe - perfect for a shared story!' Ali Campbell, The Resource 'It's simple, it's clever and it's profound. I found my own perspective on night-time changing along with my children's.' \u003cstrong\u003eVictoria Beech, Godventure. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eReviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTransforming Ministry Autumn 2022. Reviewed by Cavan Wood\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSubtitled ‘Helping children draw close to God through Biblical stories of anxiety, loss and transition’, never has a book been more needed in a post-Covid world where lockdown caused massive rises in mental health issues among young and old alike. The author rightly says it is the job of parents to help their children deal with the problems of change and bereavement. Her approach is to re-tell key biblical stories by putting the emphasis on our involvement in the narrative. There are sections on how to connect with God by prayer and by spiritual practices. As with many things designed to help children, this will also be a rich resource for churches tackling these issues with older members of the congregation. This is a book that enables us to see that being human will involve feelings of uncertainty and that although we have an unchangeable God, He is not immune to the pain and the confusion of His children. A valuable resource.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Cavan Wood \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed by Paul Beasley-Murray \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/us12.campaign-archive.com\/?e=3cc647e01f\u0026amp;u=a45b3e6fc109e00f067477a28\u0026amp;id=5664bb31b8\"\u003eBooks for Today\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBRF of Abingdon continues to provide a range of superb resources for those engaged in children’s work. One such is \u003cem\u003eComfort in Uncertain Times\u003c\/em\u003e. This book will be of great help to many as we all begin to emerge from the pandemic. Each of the fifteen chapters tells a Bible story, and then provides conversation starts and end with suggestions on how to ‘connect with God’. Written for use by parents, it also can be used with great profit within a church setting by leaders of groups for children and young people. \u003c\/p\u003e"}
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Comfort in Uncertain Times
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Digital eBook Only - Uncertainty and change can be hard, and even more so for a child. Feelings of confusion,...
{"id":14777399771516,"title":"Unveiled: Women of the Old Testament and the choices they made","handle":"unveiled-women-of-the-old-testament-and-the-choices-they-made","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eSome women of the Hebrew scriptures are well known, but many others are barely remembered. Even when they are, we often don’t pause on them long enough to think about what we might learn from them. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eUnveiled\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e, written with frankness and humour and illustrated with striking artwork from a young Oxford-based artist, explores the stories of 40 women in 40 days. Each reflection ends with a short application to everyday life, guidance for further thought and a prayer. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ciframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zkfUWYTJkd0\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWatch our series of short videos on biblical women by author Clare Hayns on YouTube\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFollow the link: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/c\/BRFcharity\/videos\" title=\"Unveiled Series by Clare Hayns\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ehttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/c\/BRFcharity\/videos\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/products\/garden-song-exploring-the-psalms-through-paintings-reflections-and-prayers\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/garden_song.png?v=1721593535\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eClare Hayns is College Chaplain at Christ Church, Oxford. She grew up in rural Buckinghamshire, her childhood more Pony Club than church youth group. Pre-ordination she was a social worker and then ran an events company. She is married to John, an entertainer, and has three creative sons, the eldest of whom is the illustrator of this book.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBorn in 1997, Micah Hayns is a contemporary classical painter from Oxford. He takes the classical techniques and tradition of the old masters, whom he studied at the Florence Academy of Art, and infuses them with a contemporary aesthetic, inspired by street art, abstract expressionism and collage. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviews\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProgressive Voices issue 42 September 2022. Review by Jenny Jacobs\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a beautifully produced, delightfully chunky little book and although the theology is conservative, I have to admit I loved it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClare and Micah are a mother and son, writer and artist team. Each short chapter features a different woman (or occasionally group) from the Hebrew Bible and is headed with one of Micah’s accomplished and thoughtful illustrations. A short Bible excerpt is followed by exegesis and reflection, trying to imagine all that is not said, explain the context, and relate it to the lives of women today. Each ends with a short prayer, which are varied and well chosen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe project started as a blog for every day of Lent. So there are forty short chapters, themed into groups (such as Women at Work, #ThemToo and ‘Strident’ Women) Each chapter has a soubriquet summing up the woman in question; for example, Athaliah: The Vengeful Queen and (she couldn’t resist!) Delilah: why, why why?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough I knew who Miriam was, there are certainly women featured here of whom I’ve never heard – some are so overlooked that they are not even named, except, perhaps, as someone’s wife, but all have played a role significant enough to make them worthy of mention in the Bible. And one of the beauties of the book is the way Clare brings these women back from out of the shadows and shines a sympathetic light on them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book also reminds us how bizarre, brutal and downright bonkers some of the Hebrew Bible tales are to a modern sensibility. Rape, murder, love, lust, infertility, poverty, bereavement, wisdom and the supernatural – all are here and all are given their due. I learnt stores I didn’t know, I was entertained and made to think by Clare’s contributions, and Micah’s artwork takes this volume to a whole other level. Very enjoyable and useful little book.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Jenny Jacobs\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTransforming Ministry spring\/summer 2022. Review by Clare Disbrey\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI can thoroughly recommend this lovely book. It tells the stories of 40 women in the Old Testament, highlighting the choices that they made in often very limiting circumstances. Each of the women is beautifully illustrated by the author’s son. Micah Hayns studied art in Florence but brings a contemporary feel to his drawings which sensitively reflect the characters of these women, several of whom I had never noticed in the Bible before - Jochebed and Rizpah being two. Clare Hayns is Chaplain at Christ Church College, Oxford. She is a great storyteller and she adds a reflection after each story, and prayers, which come from a great variety of sources. These make this a book a fine way of enlivening your Bible study and of getting to know the Old Testament better, either alone or in a group. It deals quite thoughtfully with the problems some of these old stories raise for us and suggests some ways of understanding them. This book would make a lovely gift.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Clare Disbrey \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview by Jules Middleton: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.pickingapplesofgold.com\/unveiled-book-review\"\u003eApples of Gold\u003c\/a\u003e 18.11.21\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eUnveiled\u003c\/em\u003e is the kind of book I wish I had written. Highlighting \u0026amp; exploring some of the women of the Old Testament, Clare brings to the fore women we have heard of and those given only the briefest of mentions, that we have probably all glossed over. \u003cem\u003eUnveiled\u003c\/em\u003e is a beautiful reflection of women of the Old Testament, drawing the reader across passages and books of the bible to the wider narrative, alongside contemporary connections. Together with the beautiful illustrations from professional artist Micah Hayns (who also happens to be Clare’s son) this book is a rich resource.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eUnveiled\u003c\/em\u003e focuses on 40 women of the Old Testament, divided into sections focussing on themes like motherhood, prophetic women, bad girls and more. For each woman there is a passage of scripture, a section about her and her narrative, followed by a short reflection and a prayer. These are accompanied by Micah’s illustrations which are contemporary and yet culturally sensitive and really bring the women’s stories to life, enabling the reader to picture how they might have looked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClare seeks to lift the veil enabling us to see into the lives of these women as real women, with all their positive characteristics and their flaws. She gives us the background info that we may not have known, the context in which these women lived out their daily lives, points to their faith – or lack of, and she doesn’t shy away from some of the more difficult stories like that of Dinah or Tamar, in the #MeToo section.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book is not just for women either, it would be a welcome accompaniment to anyone’s journey of Christian faith, helping the reader to have a deeper understanding of some of the Old Testament stories and people. Clare asks questions to challenge the reader on their own understanding and faith, calling us to reflect some of the attributes of the women she highlights; like courage, faith and compassion for example. Originally written as a Lent challenge, looking at a woman a day for 40 days, the book would lend itself well to a Lent study but is a wonderful book in its own right.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI’ve worked my way through this book over the last few weeks but I know I’ll be dipping into it again and again. It would also make a great Christmas present!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Jules Middleton on her blog: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.pickingapplesofgold.com\/unveiled-book-review\"\u003ePicking Apples of Gold\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview by Julia Baldwin, Chaplain, Brasenose College, Oxford\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eUnveiled\u003c\/em\u003e is arresting. Clare and Micah weave a rich tapestry of inspiring words and striking images to bring the women of the Old Testament to life in all their beauty, curiosity and strangeness. Each character portrait draws us in to dwell on their contextual reality as well as forging connections and resonances with the present day.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a bold and beautiful book, which enables the reader to reflect deeply on the complexity and questions of life, not just for these Old Testament women but for all people today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy bringing to light long-forgotten female figures of the Old Testament, Clare and Micah renew our passion and wonder at the wildness of the women of the Bible and God's love for them, us and all people.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eJulia Baldwin, Chaplain, Brasenose College, Oxford\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed by Helen Barnes, team rector Cherwell Valley Benefice\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI originally read Unveiled as a daily blog throughout Lent in 2020. I’m not a person who is spiritually organised and I struggle with regular prayer times, or study times, preferring to deepen my faith as the Spirit leads me. However, and it’s a big however, I read this every day. Not only did I read it every day, but I looked forward to reading it every day. I’ve never done that before. On reflection it is not just because it is about women, it is because it is because most of the women in Unveiled were almost inconsequential. Yet Clare looks deeper into what little we know about them and makes them intrinsic to the story of God in the bible. We all know that each of us is important to God, but Unveiled provides the proof that even the most seemingly unimportant people have a major place in God’s heart. I cannot recommend this book enough.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReviewed by \u003cem\u003eRevd Helen C. Barnes \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003eTeam Rector \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003eCherwell Valley Benefice\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed by Sarah Brush, Tutor in Pastoral Theology, Rippon College Cuddesdon\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA wonderful book in which to re-encounter in word and image the familiar faces from the Hebrew Scriptures as well as discover less familiar women, named and unnamed. I found new insights into those better-known women such as Sarah, Naomi and Delilah through the imaginative representations in art and the beautiful prayers and insightful reflections. The connections between those eyes which look out at us from the page and our current lived experience were particularly striking. I have enjoyed dipping in at random as well as seeking out those women about whom I want to know more. This would be a great daily devotional for Lent or for another season whether your knowledge of scripture is small or great.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Sarah Brush\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed by Megan Chester\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI loved reading \u003cem\u003eUnveiled. \u003c\/em\u003eIt turns out, the Old Testament is packed full of wonderful women. Who knew? \u003cem\u003eUnveiled\u003c\/em\u003e allows readers to spend time with biblical women, getting to know their stories and learning from their lives. From Eve to Miriam, Abigail to Jezebel - Clare's words and Micah's artworks remind us of these women's realness and relevance. They were powerful, resilient influential and beautiful. They were also imperfect, overlooked, mistreated and discontent. Sound familiar? \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSome chapters helped me to look at familiar stories in fresh ways - to see the book of Ruth primarily as a story of intergenerational female friendship rather than a romance, for example. Other chapters told me stories I had forgotten or perhaps never knew, such as Mrs Samson's disastrous wedding. In an accessible way, this book encourages deep thought about how these women's stories can bring us closer to God. Looking at Micah's paintings feels like seeing into souls. Clare's words expound this. Together they facilitate and focus reflection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e","published_at":"2024-10-29T11:45:22+00:00","created_at":"2024-10-29T11:44:37+00:00","vendor":"Clare Hayns","type":"eBook","tags":["For individuals","Glassboxx","oct-21","Spirituality","Women"],"price":1499,"price_min":1499,"price_max":1499,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":53603960226172,"title":"eBook","option1":"eBook","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781800390737","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"Unveiled: Women of the Old Testament and the choices they made - eBook","public_title":"eBook","options":["eBook"],"price":1499,"weight":500,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9781800390737","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/5_7851d03f-46bb-4604-9173-7d1bdf6d40a8.png?v=1730992117","\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/6_9461127f-657b-4674-b67f-c1f5077c5f63.png?v=1730992117"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/5_7851d03f-46bb-4604-9173-7d1bdf6d40a8.png?v=1730992117","options":["Format"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":63003111915900,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":1.0,"height":1080,"width":1080,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/5_7851d03f-46bb-4604-9173-7d1bdf6d40a8.png?v=1730992117"},"aspect_ratio":1.0,"height":1080,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/5_7851d03f-46bb-4604-9173-7d1bdf6d40a8.png?v=1730992117","width":1080},{"alt":null,"id":63003111752060,"position":2,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":1.0,"height":1080,"width":1080,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/6_9461127f-657b-4674-b67f-c1f5077c5f63.png?v=1730992117"},"aspect_ratio":1.0,"height":1080,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/6_9461127f-657b-4674-b67f-c1f5077c5f63.png?v=1730992117","width":1080}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eSome women of the Hebrew scriptures are well known, but many others are barely remembered. Even when they are, we often don’t pause on them long enough to think about what we might learn from them. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eUnveiled\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e, written with frankness and humour and illustrated with striking artwork from a young Oxford-based artist, explores the stories of 40 women in 40 days. Each reflection ends with a short application to everyday life, guidance for further thought and a prayer. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ciframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zkfUWYTJkd0\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWatch our series of short videos on biblical women by author Clare Hayns on YouTube\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFollow the link: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/c\/BRFcharity\/videos\" title=\"Unveiled Series by Clare Hayns\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ehttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/c\/BRFcharity\/videos\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/products\/garden-song-exploring-the-psalms-through-paintings-reflections-and-prayers\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/garden_song.png?v=1721593535\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eClare Hayns is College Chaplain at Christ Church, Oxford. She grew up in rural Buckinghamshire, her childhood more Pony Club than church youth group. Pre-ordination she was a social worker and then ran an events company. She is married to John, an entertainer, and has three creative sons, the eldest of whom is the illustrator of this book.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBorn in 1997, Micah Hayns is a contemporary classical painter from Oxford. He takes the classical techniques and tradition of the old masters, whom he studied at the Florence Academy of Art, and infuses them with a contemporary aesthetic, inspired by street art, abstract expressionism and collage. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviews\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProgressive Voices issue 42 September 2022. Review by Jenny Jacobs\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a beautifully produced, delightfully chunky little book and although the theology is conservative, I have to admit I loved it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClare and Micah are a mother and son, writer and artist team. Each short chapter features a different woman (or occasionally group) from the Hebrew Bible and is headed with one of Micah’s accomplished and thoughtful illustrations. A short Bible excerpt is followed by exegesis and reflection, trying to imagine all that is not said, explain the context, and relate it to the lives of women today. Each ends with a short prayer, which are varied and well chosen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe project started as a blog for every day of Lent. So there are forty short chapters, themed into groups (such as Women at Work, #ThemToo and ‘Strident’ Women) Each chapter has a soubriquet summing up the woman in question; for example, Athaliah: The Vengeful Queen and (she couldn’t resist!) Delilah: why, why why?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough I knew who Miriam was, there are certainly women featured here of whom I’ve never heard – some are so overlooked that they are not even named, except, perhaps, as someone’s wife, but all have played a role significant enough to make them worthy of mention in the Bible. And one of the beauties of the book is the way Clare brings these women back from out of the shadows and shines a sympathetic light on them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book also reminds us how bizarre, brutal and downright bonkers some of the Hebrew Bible tales are to a modern sensibility. Rape, murder, love, lust, infertility, poverty, bereavement, wisdom and the supernatural – all are here and all are given their due. I learnt stores I didn’t know, I was entertained and made to think by Clare’s contributions, and Micah’s artwork takes this volume to a whole other level. Very enjoyable and useful little book.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Jenny Jacobs\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTransforming Ministry spring\/summer 2022. Review by Clare Disbrey\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI can thoroughly recommend this lovely book. It tells the stories of 40 women in the Old Testament, highlighting the choices that they made in often very limiting circumstances. Each of the women is beautifully illustrated by the author’s son. Micah Hayns studied art in Florence but brings a contemporary feel to his drawings which sensitively reflect the characters of these women, several of whom I had never noticed in the Bible before - Jochebed and Rizpah being two. Clare Hayns is Chaplain at Christ Church College, Oxford. She is a great storyteller and she adds a reflection after each story, and prayers, which come from a great variety of sources. These make this a book a fine way of enlivening your Bible study and of getting to know the Old Testament better, either alone or in a group. It deals quite thoughtfully with the problems some of these old stories raise for us and suggests some ways of understanding them. This book would make a lovely gift.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Clare Disbrey \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview by Jules Middleton: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.pickingapplesofgold.com\/unveiled-book-review\"\u003eApples of Gold\u003c\/a\u003e 18.11.21\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eUnveiled\u003c\/em\u003e is the kind of book I wish I had written. Highlighting \u0026amp; exploring some of the women of the Old Testament, Clare brings to the fore women we have heard of and those given only the briefest of mentions, that we have probably all glossed over. \u003cem\u003eUnveiled\u003c\/em\u003e is a beautiful reflection of women of the Old Testament, drawing the reader across passages and books of the bible to the wider narrative, alongside contemporary connections. Together with the beautiful illustrations from professional artist Micah Hayns (who also happens to be Clare’s son) this book is a rich resource.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eUnveiled\u003c\/em\u003e focuses on 40 women of the Old Testament, divided into sections focussing on themes like motherhood, prophetic women, bad girls and more. For each woman there is a passage of scripture, a section about her and her narrative, followed by a short reflection and a prayer. These are accompanied by Micah’s illustrations which are contemporary and yet culturally sensitive and really bring the women’s stories to life, enabling the reader to picture how they might have looked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClare seeks to lift the veil enabling us to see into the lives of these women as real women, with all their positive characteristics and their flaws. She gives us the background info that we may not have known, the context in which these women lived out their daily lives, points to their faith – or lack of, and she doesn’t shy away from some of the more difficult stories like that of Dinah or Tamar, in the #MeToo section.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book is not just for women either, it would be a welcome accompaniment to anyone’s journey of Christian faith, helping the reader to have a deeper understanding of some of the Old Testament stories and people. Clare asks questions to challenge the reader on their own understanding and faith, calling us to reflect some of the attributes of the women she highlights; like courage, faith and compassion for example. Originally written as a Lent challenge, looking at a woman a day for 40 days, the book would lend itself well to a Lent study but is a wonderful book in its own right.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI’ve worked my way through this book over the last few weeks but I know I’ll be dipping into it again and again. It would also make a great Christmas present!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Jules Middleton on her blog: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.pickingapplesofgold.com\/unveiled-book-review\"\u003ePicking Apples of Gold\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview by Julia Baldwin, Chaplain, Brasenose College, Oxford\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eUnveiled\u003c\/em\u003e is arresting. Clare and Micah weave a rich tapestry of inspiring words and striking images to bring the women of the Old Testament to life in all their beauty, curiosity and strangeness. Each character portrait draws us in to dwell on their contextual reality as well as forging connections and resonances with the present day.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a bold and beautiful book, which enables the reader to reflect deeply on the complexity and questions of life, not just for these Old Testament women but for all people today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy bringing to light long-forgotten female figures of the Old Testament, Clare and Micah renew our passion and wonder at the wildness of the women of the Bible and God's love for them, us and all people.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eJulia Baldwin, Chaplain, Brasenose College, Oxford\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed by Helen Barnes, team rector Cherwell Valley Benefice\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI originally read Unveiled as a daily blog throughout Lent in 2020. I’m not a person who is spiritually organised and I struggle with regular prayer times, or study times, preferring to deepen my faith as the Spirit leads me. However, and it’s a big however, I read this every day. Not only did I read it every day, but I looked forward to reading it every day. I’ve never done that before. On reflection it is not just because it is about women, it is because it is because most of the women in Unveiled were almost inconsequential. Yet Clare looks deeper into what little we know about them and makes them intrinsic to the story of God in the bible. We all know that each of us is important to God, but Unveiled provides the proof that even the most seemingly unimportant people have a major place in God’s heart. I cannot recommend this book enough.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReviewed by \u003cem\u003eRevd Helen C. Barnes \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003eTeam Rector \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003eCherwell Valley Benefice\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed by Sarah Brush, Tutor in Pastoral Theology, Rippon College Cuddesdon\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA wonderful book in which to re-encounter in word and image the familiar faces from the Hebrew Scriptures as well as discover less familiar women, named and unnamed. I found new insights into those better-known women such as Sarah, Naomi and Delilah through the imaginative representations in art and the beautiful prayers and insightful reflections. The connections between those eyes which look out at us from the page and our current lived experience were particularly striking. I have enjoyed dipping in at random as well as seeking out those women about whom I want to know more. This would be a great daily devotional for Lent or for another season whether your knowledge of scripture is small or great.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Sarah Brush\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed by Megan Chester\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI loved reading \u003cem\u003eUnveiled. \u003c\/em\u003eIt turns out, the Old Testament is packed full of wonderful women. Who knew? \u003cem\u003eUnveiled\u003c\/em\u003e allows readers to spend time with biblical women, getting to know their stories and learning from their lives. From Eve to Miriam, Abigail to Jezebel - Clare's words and Micah's artworks remind us of these women's realness and relevance. They were powerful, resilient influential and beautiful. They were also imperfect, overlooked, mistreated and discontent. Sound familiar? \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSome chapters helped me to look at familiar stories in fresh ways - to see the book of Ruth primarily as a story of intergenerational female friendship rather than a romance, for example. Other chapters told me stories I had forgotten or perhaps never knew, such as Mrs Samson's disastrous wedding. In an accessible way, this book encourages deep thought about how these women's stories can bring us closer to God. Looking at Micah's paintings feels like seeing into souls. Clare's words expound this. Together they facilitate and focus reflection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e"}
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Unveiled: Women of the Old Testament and the choices they made
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{"id":14777406718332,"title":"This Crown of Comfort: God’s seven calls to women in distress","handle":"this-crown-of-comfort-god-s-seven-calls-to-women-in-distress","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eGod loves women. He deeply cares for those of us who are broken and hurt. And just as he helped his beloved Jerusalem find healing in her brokenness, he does the same for us. For he cried out seven double imperatives to her in the book of Isaiah, seven steps to restore her to wholeness, and he cries out the same to us. But he doesn’t begin by scolding us; instead, he comforts. His first double imperative is, ‘Comfort, comfort,’ despite what has happened in our lives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn This Crown of Comfort, Eva Leaf shares stories from her own life and from the lives of other women of how God met them in their brokenness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/cwM5gQbkiI4?si=HQcCMOpHpSxVQVNR\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\" allowfullscreen=\"\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/UkXt_VjH0a0?si=LG9XcXiaufbUQSZd\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor Info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEva Leaf became a Christian at the age of 14 and attended a Canadian Bible College in her twenties. For the last 32 years, she has been a Navigator rep and has just stepped down from leading the Navigators publications team. She lives in Warwickshire, is married and has four grown-up children. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEndorsements \u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e‘This is a compelling read; a book to be read slowly and reflectively – although I sometimes struggled to do that as I found myself eager to read the next chapter! The stories Eva recounts from her own life and from the lives of others are often heartbreakingly sad – but her focus isn’t on the heartbreak but on the hope and encouragement which she has gleaned from a life soaked in the truth of Scripture. I found familiar passages from Isaiah’s prophecy coming alive in fresh and transformative ways as Eva unwrapped their relevance for our lives. The opportunity for more focused reflection at the end of each chapter also helps ground what we’ve read within the reality of our own circumstances. I’m already looking forward to reading this book again – even more slowly, more reflectively.’\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMags Duggan, author, retreat leader and speaker\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e‘\u003cem\u003eThis Crown of Comfort\u003c\/em\u003e conveys seven powerful messages from Isaiah about God’s tender heart towards Jerusalem. The author skillfully intertwines her many personal stories with the messages to illuminate God’s unfailing love to his people. This book is an easy read yet rich with insights, comfort and encouragement – a must for anyone who seeks healing and desires to experience God afresh.’\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnissa Chung, UKCP registered psychotherapist and supervisor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e‘\u003cem\u003eThis Crown of Comfort\u003c\/em\u003e is the wondrous feast that God prepares for us in the presence of our enemies, a feast that David speaks of in Psalm 23. How full the table is – a rich and delicious harvest that Eva Leaf has gathered from the book of Isaiah. No matter how broken we are or how hurt, God knows, and he calls us to come to him and receive and savour his love and care so that we can share that love and care with other women. A wonderful book for women to read and study together.’\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLee Merrill Byrd, author, publisher and editor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e‘Both reflective and instructive, Eva takes us on a deeply personal journey that comforts and reassures. No matter how broken or hurt we are, we are given in this excellent book the tools or ‘the calls of God’ to build a bridge to healing and wholeness. This book reminds us of God’s deep love for us in our time of greatest need and provides a spiritual balm for every situation.’\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDawn Braithwaite, solicitor and consultant\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e‘Who would you go to in a difficult situation or time of distress? Well, I would most certainly consider Eva Leaf. A trusted friend, a confidant with life experience and biblical insight, she provides readers with great insight to the very God of comfort that we all so need – men and women. While written to women, this is a treasure trove coming from the seven calls of God found in Isaiah. Thank you, Eva, for being courageous enough to live this… and then to so very thoughtfully share!’\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDon Pape, literary agent, Pape Commons\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e‘Eva takes you on a valuable journey to see life’s inexplicable and sometimes relentless pains, from God’s viewpoint. Her journey is set in the landscape of God’s beautiful promises for comfort, for restoration and ultimately for transformation. These scriptures are illuminated sensitively by life stories. Each chapter provides the option for a personal reflection, encounter and healing. There is much to linger over and explore along the way, in order to gain new vistas and perspectives, that bring both life and hope.’\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFiona Oommen, business general manager and leadership coach\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eReviews\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis Crown of Comfort readers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e‘I began reading this book at a pace, as the stories and insights are riveting, but I knew I wanted to go through it again at a slower pace, processing what God was saying to me. I began journalling using the questions at the end of each chapter. My friend said she was having the same experience, so we agreed to go through the questions together. I have just sent a copy to another friend who is feeling lost but has recently experienced God’s comfort. We're going to read and discuss it together too!’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e‘I am so thankful to have experienced God’s comfort as I read the words of truth and wisdom on each page of this book. I have been able to relearn truth of how God views me and who He says I am. The book is written in such a way that it helped me to process and reflect and I was then able to move forward on the journey of being able to forgive with God’s help whilst receiving comfort only God can give. It is a book that has massively shaped and transformed the past few months of my life as I grieve many hurts. It has really helped me to experience God as a God who comforts whilst walking through pain. I will be sure to pass on this book to those I come alongside who also need that gentle reminder of a God who is with them in life’s hurt and pain.’\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTransforming Ministry January 2024. Review by Liz Pacey\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book is written about women and primarily (but not exclusively) for women. It takes us chapter by chapter through the seven double imperatives (e.g., ‘comfort, comfort my people’) that God issues to a broken Jerusalem in the book of Isaiah. There is a progression through these calls: Comfort; Awake, rise up; Awake, get dressed; Depart; Build up; Pass through; Build up. Each chapter contains reflections on the Bible verses, alongside illustrations from the author’s personal experience and that of many others. We are blessed by being allowed to share in such powerful experiences and insights; and there is much practical advice about moving on. This is a book that addresses deep distress and needs and promises even deeper solutions and hope. In the reflections at the end of each chapter it becomes ‘close and personal’. We are encouraged to look deeply into our troubles and ourselves, to write our thoughts and reflect through the day. Whether we are hurting ourselves or seeking to share comfort with those around, there is plenty here to touch our hearts – as God touched Jerusalem.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Liz Pacey\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2024-10-29T11:50:18+00:00","created_at":"2024-10-29T11:48:36+00:00","vendor":"Eva Leaf","type":"eBook","tags":["Biblical engagement","Devotional","For individuals","For Women","Glassboxx","Pastoral care","Women"],"price":999,"price_min":999,"price_max":999,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":53603962651004,"title":"eBook","option1":"eBook","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781800392090","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"This Crown of Comfort: God’s seven calls to women in distress - eBook","public_title":"eBook","options":["eBook"],"price":999,"weight":185,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9781800392090","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/238.png?v=1730980392","\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/239.png?v=1730980389"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/238.png?v=1730980392","options":["Format"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":63001503302012,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/238.png?v=1730980392"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/238.png?v=1730980392","width":1303},{"alt":null,"id":63001502351740,"position":2,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/239.png?v=1730980389"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/239.png?v=1730980389","width":1303}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eGod loves women. He deeply cares for those of us who are broken and hurt. And just as he helped his beloved Jerusalem find healing in her brokenness, he does the same for us. For he cried out seven double imperatives to her in the book of Isaiah, seven steps to restore her to wholeness, and he cries out the same to us. But he doesn’t begin by scolding us; instead, he comforts. His first double imperative is, ‘Comfort, comfort,’ despite what has happened in our lives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn This Crown of Comfort, Eva Leaf shares stories from her own life and from the lives of other women of how God met them in their brokenness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/cwM5gQbkiI4?si=HQcCMOpHpSxVQVNR\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\" allowfullscreen=\"\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/UkXt_VjH0a0?si=LG9XcXiaufbUQSZd\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor Info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEva Leaf became a Christian at the age of 14 and attended a Canadian Bible College in her twenties. For the last 32 years, she has been a Navigator rep and has just stepped down from leading the Navigators publications team. She lives in Warwickshire, is married and has four grown-up children. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEndorsements \u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e‘This is a compelling read; a book to be read slowly and reflectively – although I sometimes struggled to do that as I found myself eager to read the next chapter! The stories Eva recounts from her own life and from the lives of others are often heartbreakingly sad – but her focus isn’t on the heartbreak but on the hope and encouragement which she has gleaned from a life soaked in the truth of Scripture. I found familiar passages from Isaiah’s prophecy coming alive in fresh and transformative ways as Eva unwrapped their relevance for our lives. The opportunity for more focused reflection at the end of each chapter also helps ground what we’ve read within the reality of our own circumstances. I’m already looking forward to reading this book again – even more slowly, more reflectively.’\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMags Duggan, author, retreat leader and speaker\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e‘\u003cem\u003eThis Crown of Comfort\u003c\/em\u003e conveys seven powerful messages from Isaiah about God’s tender heart towards Jerusalem. The author skillfully intertwines her many personal stories with the messages to illuminate God’s unfailing love to his people. This book is an easy read yet rich with insights, comfort and encouragement – a must for anyone who seeks healing and desires to experience God afresh.’\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnissa Chung, UKCP registered psychotherapist and supervisor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e‘\u003cem\u003eThis Crown of Comfort\u003c\/em\u003e is the wondrous feast that God prepares for us in the presence of our enemies, a feast that David speaks of in Psalm 23. How full the table is – a rich and delicious harvest that Eva Leaf has gathered from the book of Isaiah. No matter how broken we are or how hurt, God knows, and he calls us to come to him and receive and savour his love and care so that we can share that love and care with other women. A wonderful book for women to read and study together.’\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLee Merrill Byrd, author, publisher and editor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e‘Both reflective and instructive, Eva takes us on a deeply personal journey that comforts and reassures. No matter how broken or hurt we are, we are given in this excellent book the tools or ‘the calls of God’ to build a bridge to healing and wholeness. This book reminds us of God’s deep love for us in our time of greatest need and provides a spiritual balm for every situation.’\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDawn Braithwaite, solicitor and consultant\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e‘Who would you go to in a difficult situation or time of distress? Well, I would most certainly consider Eva Leaf. A trusted friend, a confidant with life experience and biblical insight, she provides readers with great insight to the very God of comfort that we all so need – men and women. While written to women, this is a treasure trove coming from the seven calls of God found in Isaiah. Thank you, Eva, for being courageous enough to live this… and then to so very thoughtfully share!’\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDon Pape, literary agent, Pape Commons\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e‘Eva takes you on a valuable journey to see life’s inexplicable and sometimes relentless pains, from God’s viewpoint. Her journey is set in the landscape of God’s beautiful promises for comfort, for restoration and ultimately for transformation. These scriptures are illuminated sensitively by life stories. Each chapter provides the option for a personal reflection, encounter and healing. There is much to linger over and explore along the way, in order to gain new vistas and perspectives, that bring both life and hope.’\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFiona Oommen, business general manager and leadership coach\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eReviews\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis Crown of Comfort readers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e‘I began reading this book at a pace, as the stories and insights are riveting, but I knew I wanted to go through it again at a slower pace, processing what God was saying to me. I began journalling using the questions at the end of each chapter. My friend said she was having the same experience, so we agreed to go through the questions together. I have just sent a copy to another friend who is feeling lost but has recently experienced God’s comfort. We're going to read and discuss it together too!’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e‘I am so thankful to have experienced God’s comfort as I read the words of truth and wisdom on each page of this book. I have been able to relearn truth of how God views me and who He says I am. The book is written in such a way that it helped me to process and reflect and I was then able to move forward on the journey of being able to forgive with God’s help whilst receiving comfort only God can give. It is a book that has massively shaped and transformed the past few months of my life as I grieve many hurts. It has really helped me to experience God as a God who comforts whilst walking through pain. I will be sure to pass on this book to those I come alongside who also need that gentle reminder of a God who is with them in life’s hurt and pain.’\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTransforming Ministry January 2024. Review by Liz Pacey\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book is written about women and primarily (but not exclusively) for women. It takes us chapter by chapter through the seven double imperatives (e.g., ‘comfort, comfort my people’) that God issues to a broken Jerusalem in the book of Isaiah. There is a progression through these calls: Comfort; Awake, rise up; Awake, get dressed; Depart; Build up; Pass through; Build up. Each chapter contains reflections on the Bible verses, alongside illustrations from the author’s personal experience and that of many others. We are blessed by being allowed to share in such powerful experiences and insights; and there is much practical advice about moving on. This is a book that addresses deep distress and needs and promises even deeper solutions and hope. In the reflections at the end of each chapter it becomes ‘close and personal’. We are encouraged to look deeply into our troubles and ourselves, to write our thoughts and reflect through the day. Whether we are hurting ourselves or seeking to share comfort with those around, there is plenty here to touch our hearts – as God touched Jerusalem.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Liz Pacey\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e"}
You may also like:
This Crown of Comfort: God’s seven calls to women in distress
£9.99
Digital eBook Only - God loves women. He deeply cares for those of us who are broken and hurt. And...
{"id":14779311489404,"title":"Stepping into Grace: Moving beyond ambition to contemplative mission","handle":"stepping-into-grace-moving-beyond-ambition-to-contemplative-mission-1","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eJourney with the prophet Jonah... Written by someone with experience of pioneering mission, reflecting on the Jonah story in the light of his experience, Stepping into Grace finds powerful connections between the call and mission of Jonah and the mission context of our own time. Using the narrative thread of the biblical story to explore themes of ambition, vocation, spirituality, mission, leadership and personal growth, it argues for a ministry rooted in grace, where who we are becoming in Christ provides a foundation for our participation in the mission of God. This unique journey takes us to a place of grace where the work of God, in shaping who we are, finds space alongside what we feel called to do.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen the people of the Bible needed to work out their choices and challenges of God and faith they told a story. Paul Bradbury has done the same. He has listened, wrestled and travelled with Jonah's story through his own calling. The result is honest, creative and transforming.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e David Runcorn, author of Dust and Glory (BRF, 2015) \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo quote the paraphrase: \"God's strength shows up best in weak people.\" This book unpacks that truth in a refreshingly humble, inspiring and personal way. A must read for aspiring pioneer leaders.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Phil Potter, Leader of Fresh Expressions\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBased in Poole Paul is a pioneer minister in the Church of England leading a missional community with a vision to connect with unchurched people. Writer, birdwatcher, runner, cricketer. Married to Emily with 2 children. Paul has written a book for SPCK in the past.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom Church Time 31 March 2017\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eProphet to pioneers\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSteven Croft finds a study of Jonah to be required reading\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Book of Jonah is bigger than it looks. Four short chapters of parable, drama, and psalm hide uneasily among the minor prophets. The story delights children and defies the literalists. Jonah's story, read well, draws us into an ever deepening reflection on our calling and life and service.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePaul Bradbury's short guide to Jonah is also somewhat bigger than it looks. There are seven short chapters on themes that arise jointly from the text and from Paul's experience of pioneer ministry in Poole. The chapters explore big themes: ambition, fear, chaos, darkness, limits, grace and the contemplative life. For me, the most helpful chapters were the first and the last.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book owes an acknowledged debt to Eugene Peterson's profound reflection on Jonah (Under the Unpredictable Plant: A study in vocational holiness, Eerdmans, 1992), which I have read at almost every vocational junction. The insights from text and context here are fresh. Peterson's book is shaped to be a call to a long obedience in the same direction. Bradbury is wrestling with the call to pioneer in new forms and places and styles. He challenges some emerging myths about new forms of ministry and wrestles with some classic temptations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe scholarship is excellent. I enjoyed most the careful attention to the Hebrew texts. Bradbury quotes Rowan Williams, Richard Rohr, Pope Benedict, Brene Brown, and many others. The writing is in parts very clear and in other parts very dense and concentrated. The author has almost too much to say in some of the chapters for the space available.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePioneer ministry is still a relatively recent development in the Church of England's long experience of ministry. The literature remains small, and I am not aware of many books that offer biblical and theological reflection in this depth. I hope that Stepping into Grace will find a place on reading lists for those considering ordination and those being formed for pioneer ministry. It would be a good Lenten companion for anyone wanting to reflect on ministry and discipleship in any context. The reader should be prepared for challenge as well as fresh insight.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed by Dr Steven Croft, Bishop of Oxford\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2024-10-30T07:51:43+00:00","created_at":"2024-10-30T07:50:19+00:00","vendor":"Paul Bradbury","type":"eBook","tags":["Biblical engagement","For individuals","Glassboxx","Mission","Nov-16","Spirituality"],"price":799,"price_min":799,"price_max":799,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":53604686201212,"title":"eBook","option1":"eBook","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9780857465276","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"Stepping into Grace: Moving beyond ambition to contemplative mission - eBook","public_title":"eBook","options":["eBook"],"price":799,"weight":164,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9780857465276","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/245.png?v=1730980374","\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/246.png?v=1730980378"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/245.png?v=1730980374","options":["Format"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":63001497960828,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/245.png?v=1730980374"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/245.png?v=1730980374","width":1303},{"alt":null,"id":63001499533692,"position":2,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/246.png?v=1730980378"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/246.png?v=1730980378","width":1303}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eJourney with the prophet Jonah... Written by someone with experience of pioneering mission, reflecting on the Jonah story in the light of his experience, Stepping into Grace finds powerful connections between the call and mission of Jonah and the mission context of our own time. Using the narrative thread of the biblical story to explore themes of ambition, vocation, spirituality, mission, leadership and personal growth, it argues for a ministry rooted in grace, where who we are becoming in Christ provides a foundation for our participation in the mission of God. This unique journey takes us to a place of grace where the work of God, in shaping who we are, finds space alongside what we feel called to do.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen the people of the Bible needed to work out their choices and challenges of God and faith they told a story. Paul Bradbury has done the same. He has listened, wrestled and travelled with Jonah's story through his own calling. The result is honest, creative and transforming.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e David Runcorn, author of Dust and Glory (BRF, 2015) \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo quote the paraphrase: \"God's strength shows up best in weak people.\" This book unpacks that truth in a refreshingly humble, inspiring and personal way. A must read for aspiring pioneer leaders.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Phil Potter, Leader of Fresh Expressions\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBased in Poole Paul is a pioneer minister in the Church of England leading a missional community with a vision to connect with unchurched people. Writer, birdwatcher, runner, cricketer. Married to Emily with 2 children. Paul has written a book for SPCK in the past.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom Church Time 31 March 2017\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eProphet to pioneers\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSteven Croft finds a study of Jonah to be required reading\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Book of Jonah is bigger than it looks. Four short chapters of parable, drama, and psalm hide uneasily among the minor prophets. The story delights children and defies the literalists. Jonah's story, read well, draws us into an ever deepening reflection on our calling and life and service.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePaul Bradbury's short guide to Jonah is also somewhat bigger than it looks. There are seven short chapters on themes that arise jointly from the text and from Paul's experience of pioneer ministry in Poole. The chapters explore big themes: ambition, fear, chaos, darkness, limits, grace and the contemplative life. For me, the most helpful chapters were the first and the last.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book owes an acknowledged debt to Eugene Peterson's profound reflection on Jonah (Under the Unpredictable Plant: A study in vocational holiness, Eerdmans, 1992), which I have read at almost every vocational junction. The insights from text and context here are fresh. Peterson's book is shaped to be a call to a long obedience in the same direction. Bradbury is wrestling with the call to pioneer in new forms and places and styles. He challenges some emerging myths about new forms of ministry and wrestles with some classic temptations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe scholarship is excellent. I enjoyed most the careful attention to the Hebrew texts. Bradbury quotes Rowan Williams, Richard Rohr, Pope Benedict, Brene Brown, and many others. The writing is in parts very clear and in other parts very dense and concentrated. The author has almost too much to say in some of the chapters for the space available.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePioneer ministry is still a relatively recent development in the Church of England's long experience of ministry. The literature remains small, and I am not aware of many books that offer biblical and theological reflection in this depth. I hope that Stepping into Grace will find a place on reading lists for those considering ordination and those being formed for pioneer ministry. It would be a good Lenten companion for anyone wanting to reflect on ministry and discipleship in any context. The reader should be prepared for challenge as well as fresh insight.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed by Dr Steven Croft, Bishop of Oxford\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e"}
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Stepping into Grace: Moving beyond ambition to contemplative mission
£7.99
Digital eBook Only - Journey with the prophet Jonah... Written by someone with experience of pioneering mission, reflecting on the Jonah...
{"id":14779319878012,"title":"Faithful Grandparents: Hope and love through the generations","handle":"faithful-grandparents-hope-and-love-through-the-generations-1","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eThere has never been a more important time to find meaningful and acceptable ways of passing on faith from one generation to the next. Part of this privilege and responsibility lies with grandparents who live authentic Christian lives. They can be the vital link between the gospel and the faith of a younger generation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eFaithful Grandparents\u003c\/em\u003e is a visionary call to an older generation to take the initiative with courage and wisdom, humour and prayer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg height=\"324\" width=\"216\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/AnitaCleverlyauthorpicPREFERRED_480x480.jpg?v=1676497069\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin-right: 10px; float: left;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnita Cleverly\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eReviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePreach, Spring 2020. Review by Alan Rashleigh\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is more than an element of truth in the adage, ‘You shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.’ I was attracted to review this book because I am a grandparent with four grandchildren between the ages of 1 and 13. To be honest, I was expecting either a book which looked at the ideals of grandparenthood, where everything is hunky-dory and love abounds everywhere (a very creditable aim) or what to do (or not to do) to be the perfect grandparent. Being a realist, I wanted something between those two extremes, that was useful and practical.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book looks at relationships between grandparents, children and grandchildren – warts and all. There is seriousness: for example, the acrimonious breakdown of a marriage and grandchildren denied contact with grandparents, contrasting with the grandmother whose favourite activity was to camp in the attic with her grandchildren under a blue sheet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is humour: the mere thought of the author playing on a trampoline with her grandchildren who ‘shrieked with delight, deliberately throwing me off balance as I hurtled around.’ This is an image which should remind all grandparents of the need to recognise their physical abilities are more restricted than those of their grandchildren!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book draws attention to the responsibility of grandparents to pass on Christian values and ethics, to live Christian lives and to impart the Gospel message to their grandchildren, to be a constant in a world of disbelief. As parents are often working full time, this gives a fantastic opportunity to influence the lives of children for the good.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a well-researched, well-written book, full of wisdom, practical advice and helpful hints, balanced with biblical references and relevant quotes from people such as CS Lewis, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Timothy Keller and many others including Jo Swinney.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMany may consider the book a bit of a hotch-potch or disjointed, but that is part of its charm, and a way to encourage readers to read more which they reflect on their own relationships with their grandchildren. Well worth reading!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Alan Rashleigh\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChurch Times 27.09.19. Review by Dennis Richards \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis entertaining and challenging volume is written by a Christian grandparent for other grandparents. Its purpose is clearly defined. It is primarily intended to help grandparents who wish to hand on the baton of faith to a younger generation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book is unashamedly biblical, and the writer freely acknowledges her Evangelical roots. But do not be misled. Anita Cleverly has lived a rich and interesting life. There is an avowedly ecumenical flavour to her life’s history, and one is left very much with the impression that her story still has chapters to be written.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOf her 35 years in church ministry, in various guises, ten of them were spent in inner-city Paris, and it shows. She has clearly come under the influence of some great Catholic theologians, and speaks warmly of her Jesuit friends in Oxford. As she says, ‘My own church history has taken me through “Label Land”.’ She finds herself increasingly exploring the contemplative tradition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost important in a volume of this nature, the author is very aware of the speed of change in contemporary culture. The internet has changed everything. Individualism and relativism are today fundamental to the teenagers’ creed. She is well aware that grandparents today may face the prospect of a blended family, or a gay marriage and transgender discussion. She is very sure that ‘unconditional love’ defines what should be ‘on the tin’ for Christian grandparents.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven the vocabulary has changed, as I know to my cost. Writing this review as a grandfather of six, I find myself being mocked, lost in bewilderment, and, at times, genuinely scared that I’ve totally lost the plot. Pathetically trying to join in a game of football, I am exhorted to ‘Stop flexing, Grandad!’ Far from being worried about my physical welfare, they are actually telling me to stop showing off. Blank incomprehension on my part. Hilarity all round on theirs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe author’s predicament was even worse. She climbed on the grandchildren’s trampoline. Bad mistake. All of which tells you that there is plenty to make you smile in her account of her own experiences.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBest of all, it is a volume that makes you think. What kind of grandparent am I? Formal? Fun-seeker? Surrogate parent? Reservoir of family wisdom? Distant? It is also reassuring. Some things haven’t changed. The definitions for example. Grandparent: so easy to operate, even a child can do it. Grandparent: breaks most of the rules and loves every second of it. I can live with that. Thanks Anita.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDennis Richards is a former head of St Aidan’s C of E High School, Harrogate, North Yorkshire.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eevangelicals now October 2019. Review by Val Archer\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGiven the seismic cultural, moral, sexual and social upheaval in Britain today, the author’s call to the older generation of Christians to model courage, wisdom, faith and prayer is both timely and vital – not least in passing on the ‘faith once delivered’ to children generally – and one’s grandchildren especially. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnita Cleverly has a lifetime of experience as a Christian mother and grandmother and in family ministry, which she ransacks to great effect. She writes with a light touch, interweaving gospel truths and scriptural wisdom with a sharp understanding of the complex challenges facing Christian parents today. All in all it makes for both an enjoyable and stimulating read.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the opening insightful chapter on ‘21\u003csup\u003est\u003c\/sup\u003e Century Grandparents’, she quotes \u003cem\u003eThe Daily Telegraph \u003c\/em\u003ecolumnist Allison Pearson, who has discovered that ‘two thirds of the nation’s grandparents – that’s 5 million people – now provide regular childcare for their grandchildren’. The contact time with grandchildren in Britain today is at a very different level than was generally the case with previous generations. After the parent-child relationship, grandparents usually provide the second most important emotional influence in a child’s life. The opportunity and need is immense. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the 11 chapters which follow, the whole landscape of grandparenting is explored and practical biblical wisdom and advice brought to bear on a whole raft of issues – the art of listening, storytelling the family history, seeking to reach the heart of the child with the gospel, the vital place and role of the church and church family.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo chapters, one ‘A Grandparent’s Creed’ and the other ‘A Grandparent’s Prayers’, are outstanding and worth buying the book for. Taking the Apostles’ Creed and reflecting and meditating on each phrase in the context of the challenges facing children today in our oft-pernicious culture, is so helpful. Praying for and with grandchildren takes the focus to that which any Christian parent of grandparent wants for their offspring – that they grow to love and serve Christ all their days.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAddressing some of the cultural, social and sexual changes in a chapter entitled ‘Shifting Tectonic Plates’ brings a rootedness and contemporary awareness that is much needed in Christian thinking today. Pointing out that it is not all ‘gloom and doom’, that many of the changes in society have been for the good, is a welcome corrective that recognises ‘common grace’ has not yet left town! At the same time the author goes on to provide a thoughtful critique of the blatantly anti-God agenda that is so prevalent. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe light Charismatic influences and context from which the author writes mean that on occasion there are one or two things those in other traditions might not always go along with, or perhaps express in different ways. However, to major on these would be to lose the great benefit and blessing this delightful book provides.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Val Archer: conference speaker, mother of four and grandmother of seven. Member of both The King’s Church Chessington and The Globe Church London.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Reader, Autumn 2019. Review by Howard Rowe\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book is for Christian grandparents. Anita Cleverly writes of her own journey and approach as a grandparent, and covers the responsibilities of the grandparent’s role in the twenty-first century, together with the opportunities we have, and the limitations we are subject to. The chapters on sensitive listening, the wonder of the created world, Bible stories and children’s questions are well covered. There is an encouraging view of the church today, and valuable advice regarding the changing landscape of culture and today’s technology. The chapter I enjoyed most was the one on praying for and with our grandchildren. Anita Cleverly has written a book of authentic Christian wisdom and grace, sprinkled with real comments from real people, and pieces of practical advice, for ourselves as well as for our families. She writes with feeling about the difficulties of being a faithful grandparent as well as the joys. I commend it to you.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Howard Rowe\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e___________________________________________\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReform, May 2019. Review by Ruth Allen\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book is a gem. I read it quickly, because it is hard to put down, and I shall immediately read it again more slowly, to savour the wisdom that’s on every page. The title tells you what it’s about: encouragement for grandparents to share their faith with their grandchildren.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnita Cleverly is an experienced spiritual director and bereavement counsellor. Her sensitivity undergirds the wise words in every chapter. Never does she forget that we have our grandchildren on loan, and that discipline and criticism, however gently applied, are not our lot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe first two chapters of the book survey what grandparenting really is, in our time and culture, recognising the different situations that many grandparents find themselves in. Many grandparents are left with very limited opportunities to build the relationship which permit the sharing of faith stories. There are useful suggestions for grandparents who have little contact with their grandchildren to make the most of the possibilities.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeveral chapters help us to identify the essentials of our own faith, and ways in which they could be put over. One uses the Apostles’ Creed to help us focus. There are chapters on the Church and on the problems facing people of faith in an increasingly secular world, as well as one on the contentious issues facing Christians.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSubjects like human sexuality are dealt with gently and sensitively. We are encouraged never to pontificate but to accept our grandchildren’s choices with grace and love.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book is full apposite quotations from the bible and other Christian writers. It is very easy to read, the writer having the wonderful gift of being able to speak apparently straight to the individual reader. There are anecdotes galore, both funny and sad.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI am genuinely looking forward to reading this a second time, and wholeheartedly commend it to any grandparent. Your grandchildren will be much blessed through it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003eRuth Allen is \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003ea retired United Reformed minister based in Ilkeston, Derbyshire\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2024-10-30T07:55:43+00:00","created_at":"2024-10-30T07:54:30+00:00","vendor":"Anita Cleverly","type":"eBook","tags":["Anna Chaplaincy books","Feb-19","Glassboxx","Parenting","Retired and inspired"],"price":999,"price_min":999,"price_max":999,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":53604687839612,"title":"eBook","option1":"eBook","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9780857466709","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"Faithful Grandparents: Hope and love through the generations - eBook","public_title":"eBook","options":["eBook"],"price":999,"weight":214,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9780857466709","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/249.png?v=1730980393","\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/250.png?v=1730980322"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/249.png?v=1730980393","options":["Format"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":63001503334780,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/249.png?v=1730980393"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/249.png?v=1730980393","width":1303},{"alt":null,"id":63001485967740,"position":2,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/250.png?v=1730980322"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/250.png?v=1730980322","width":1303}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eThere has never been a more important time to find meaningful and acceptable ways of passing on faith from one generation to the next. Part of this privilege and responsibility lies with grandparents who live authentic Christian lives. They can be the vital link between the gospel and the faith of a younger generation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eFaithful Grandparents\u003c\/em\u003e is a visionary call to an older generation to take the initiative with courage and wisdom, humour and prayer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg height=\"324\" width=\"216\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/AnitaCleverlyauthorpicPREFERRED_480x480.jpg?v=1676497069\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin-right: 10px; float: left;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnita Cleverly\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eReviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePreach, Spring 2020. Review by Alan Rashleigh\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is more than an element of truth in the adage, ‘You shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.’ I was attracted to review this book because I am a grandparent with four grandchildren between the ages of 1 and 13. To be honest, I was expecting either a book which looked at the ideals of grandparenthood, where everything is hunky-dory and love abounds everywhere (a very creditable aim) or what to do (or not to do) to be the perfect grandparent. Being a realist, I wanted something between those two extremes, that was useful and practical.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book looks at relationships between grandparents, children and grandchildren – warts and all. There is seriousness: for example, the acrimonious breakdown of a marriage and grandchildren denied contact with grandparents, contrasting with the grandmother whose favourite activity was to camp in the attic with her grandchildren under a blue sheet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is humour: the mere thought of the author playing on a trampoline with her grandchildren who ‘shrieked with delight, deliberately throwing me off balance as I hurtled around.’ This is an image which should remind all grandparents of the need to recognise their physical abilities are more restricted than those of their grandchildren!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book draws attention to the responsibility of grandparents to pass on Christian values and ethics, to live Christian lives and to impart the Gospel message to their grandchildren, to be a constant in a world of disbelief. As parents are often working full time, this gives a fantastic opportunity to influence the lives of children for the good.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a well-researched, well-written book, full of wisdom, practical advice and helpful hints, balanced with biblical references and relevant quotes from people such as CS Lewis, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Timothy Keller and many others including Jo Swinney.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMany may consider the book a bit of a hotch-potch or disjointed, but that is part of its charm, and a way to encourage readers to read more which they reflect on their own relationships with their grandchildren. Well worth reading!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Alan Rashleigh\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChurch Times 27.09.19. Review by Dennis Richards \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis entertaining and challenging volume is written by a Christian grandparent for other grandparents. Its purpose is clearly defined. It is primarily intended to help grandparents who wish to hand on the baton of faith to a younger generation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book is unashamedly biblical, and the writer freely acknowledges her Evangelical roots. But do not be misled. Anita Cleverly has lived a rich and interesting life. There is an avowedly ecumenical flavour to her life’s history, and one is left very much with the impression that her story still has chapters to be written.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOf her 35 years in church ministry, in various guises, ten of them were spent in inner-city Paris, and it shows. She has clearly come under the influence of some great Catholic theologians, and speaks warmly of her Jesuit friends in Oxford. As she says, ‘My own church history has taken me through “Label Land”.’ She finds herself increasingly exploring the contemplative tradition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost important in a volume of this nature, the author is very aware of the speed of change in contemporary culture. The internet has changed everything. Individualism and relativism are today fundamental to the teenagers’ creed. She is well aware that grandparents today may face the prospect of a blended family, or a gay marriage and transgender discussion. She is very sure that ‘unconditional love’ defines what should be ‘on the tin’ for Christian grandparents.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven the vocabulary has changed, as I know to my cost. Writing this review as a grandfather of six, I find myself being mocked, lost in bewilderment, and, at times, genuinely scared that I’ve totally lost the plot. Pathetically trying to join in a game of football, I am exhorted to ‘Stop flexing, Grandad!’ Far from being worried about my physical welfare, they are actually telling me to stop showing off. Blank incomprehension on my part. Hilarity all round on theirs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe author’s predicament was even worse. She climbed on the grandchildren’s trampoline. Bad mistake. All of which tells you that there is plenty to make you smile in her account of her own experiences.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBest of all, it is a volume that makes you think. What kind of grandparent am I? Formal? Fun-seeker? Surrogate parent? Reservoir of family wisdom? Distant? It is also reassuring. Some things haven’t changed. The definitions for example. Grandparent: so easy to operate, even a child can do it. Grandparent: breaks most of the rules and loves every second of it. I can live with that. Thanks Anita.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDennis Richards is a former head of St Aidan’s C of E High School, Harrogate, North Yorkshire.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eevangelicals now October 2019. Review by Val Archer\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGiven the seismic cultural, moral, sexual and social upheaval in Britain today, the author’s call to the older generation of Christians to model courage, wisdom, faith and prayer is both timely and vital – not least in passing on the ‘faith once delivered’ to children generally – and one’s grandchildren especially. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnita Cleverly has a lifetime of experience as a Christian mother and grandmother and in family ministry, which she ransacks to great effect. She writes with a light touch, interweaving gospel truths and scriptural wisdom with a sharp understanding of the complex challenges facing Christian parents today. All in all it makes for both an enjoyable and stimulating read.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the opening insightful chapter on ‘21\u003csup\u003est\u003c\/sup\u003e Century Grandparents’, she quotes \u003cem\u003eThe Daily Telegraph \u003c\/em\u003ecolumnist Allison Pearson, who has discovered that ‘two thirds of the nation’s grandparents – that’s 5 million people – now provide regular childcare for their grandchildren’. The contact time with grandchildren in Britain today is at a very different level than was generally the case with previous generations. After the parent-child relationship, grandparents usually provide the second most important emotional influence in a child’s life. The opportunity and need is immense. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the 11 chapters which follow, the whole landscape of grandparenting is explored and practical biblical wisdom and advice brought to bear on a whole raft of issues – the art of listening, storytelling the family history, seeking to reach the heart of the child with the gospel, the vital place and role of the church and church family.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo chapters, one ‘A Grandparent’s Creed’ and the other ‘A Grandparent’s Prayers’, are outstanding and worth buying the book for. Taking the Apostles’ Creed and reflecting and meditating on each phrase in the context of the challenges facing children today in our oft-pernicious culture, is so helpful. Praying for and with grandchildren takes the focus to that which any Christian parent of grandparent wants for their offspring – that they grow to love and serve Christ all their days.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAddressing some of the cultural, social and sexual changes in a chapter entitled ‘Shifting Tectonic Plates’ brings a rootedness and contemporary awareness that is much needed in Christian thinking today. Pointing out that it is not all ‘gloom and doom’, that many of the changes in society have been for the good, is a welcome corrective that recognises ‘common grace’ has not yet left town! At the same time the author goes on to provide a thoughtful critique of the blatantly anti-God agenda that is so prevalent. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe light Charismatic influences and context from which the author writes mean that on occasion there are one or two things those in other traditions might not always go along with, or perhaps express in different ways. However, to major on these would be to lose the great benefit and blessing this delightful book provides.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Val Archer: conference speaker, mother of four and grandmother of seven. Member of both The King’s Church Chessington and The Globe Church London.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Reader, Autumn 2019. Review by Howard Rowe\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book is for Christian grandparents. Anita Cleverly writes of her own journey and approach as a grandparent, and covers the responsibilities of the grandparent’s role in the twenty-first century, together with the opportunities we have, and the limitations we are subject to. The chapters on sensitive listening, the wonder of the created world, Bible stories and children’s questions are well covered. There is an encouraging view of the church today, and valuable advice regarding the changing landscape of culture and today’s technology. The chapter I enjoyed most was the one on praying for and with our grandchildren. Anita Cleverly has written a book of authentic Christian wisdom and grace, sprinkled with real comments from real people, and pieces of practical advice, for ourselves as well as for our families. She writes with feeling about the difficulties of being a faithful grandparent as well as the joys. I commend it to you.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Howard Rowe\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e___________________________________________\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReform, May 2019. Review by Ruth Allen\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book is a gem. I read it quickly, because it is hard to put down, and I shall immediately read it again more slowly, to savour the wisdom that’s on every page. The title tells you what it’s about: encouragement for grandparents to share their faith with their grandchildren.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnita Cleverly is an experienced spiritual director and bereavement counsellor. Her sensitivity undergirds the wise words in every chapter. Never does she forget that we have our grandchildren on loan, and that discipline and criticism, however gently applied, are not our lot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe first two chapters of the book survey what grandparenting really is, in our time and culture, recognising the different situations that many grandparents find themselves in. Many grandparents are left with very limited opportunities to build the relationship which permit the sharing of faith stories. There are useful suggestions for grandparents who have little contact with their grandchildren to make the most of the possibilities.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeveral chapters help us to identify the essentials of our own faith, and ways in which they could be put over. One uses the Apostles’ Creed to help us focus. There are chapters on the Church and on the problems facing people of faith in an increasingly secular world, as well as one on the contentious issues facing Christians.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSubjects like human sexuality are dealt with gently and sensitively. We are encouraged never to pontificate but to accept our grandchildren’s choices with grace and love.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book is full apposite quotations from the bible and other Christian writers. It is very easy to read, the writer having the wonderful gift of being able to speak apparently straight to the individual reader. There are anecdotes galore, both funny and sad.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI am genuinely looking forward to reading this a second time, and wholeheartedly commend it to any grandparent. Your grandchildren will be much blessed through it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003eRuth Allen is \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003ea retired United Reformed minister based in Ilkeston, Derbyshire\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e"}
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{"id":14779331805564,"title":"Whole Life, Whole Bible: 50 readings on living in the light of Scripture","handle":"whole-life-whole-bible-50-readings-on-living-in-the-light-of-scripture-1","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eWhere we spend most of our time - at home, at work, in the neighbourhood - matters to God and to his mission in and for the world. Far from restricting our faith to the 'personal' sphere, disengaged from everyday living, Scripture encourages us to take the Lord of life into the whole of life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhole Life Whole Bible is written from the conviction that God's word illuminates every part of existence, enabling us to see differently and live differently - from Monday to Sunday, in public as well as in private. A walk through the unfolding story of the Bible in 50 readings and reflections shows how our lives are bound up with, and shaped by, God's plan to restore a broken universe. That big story forms our minds, fuels our imaginations and fashions our daily life and we live in God's world, in the light of God's word, wherever we are.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProvides wonderful insights into the overarching story of the Bible and helps us consider how to live on the foundation of God's word.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Mark Meynell, Senior Associate Minister, All Souls, Langham Place, London \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePacks a powerful theological punch and will stretch and inspire your faith. A must for every whole-life disciple and disciplemaker!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Rachel Gardner, Director, Romance Academy \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePeople can get lost in the Bible's structure - here are some exciting clues for joined-up Bible reading.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Greg Haslam, Pastor, Westminster Chapel, London \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAntony Billington, Margaret Killingray and Helen Parry work at the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity, which seeks to equip Christians and churches for the whole-life discipleship in today's world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLondon School of Theology Insight Magazine Vol 2 Issue 2\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHow do you create a good meal from the whole Bible in 50 readings? You take 7 parts of Genesis, 5 of Matthew, stir in sections from another 14 OT and 14 NT books and serve up with useful comments. Then you add the garnish of well thought out questions, which get the reader to apply the chosen passage to everyday life. While this tasty selection whets the palate of the individual reader, I think the book has even greater appeal for small group discussion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTake this question from reading 39 on the Day of Pentecost - 'If Acts 2 suggests that there is a prophethood of all believers then how should this encourage and challenge us?' There is a much richer and more satisfying meal when sharing collective wisdom about the way prophecy might work in church and society than simply trying to digest alone. Some of the tougher parts of the Bible have been put to one side as a little indigestible. A question arising from the call of Jeremiah in reading 20 asks to what extent are Christians called to challenge political rulers when God's laws are flouted? But reading 11 from Exodus is rather impressionistic in its comments on the law, so answering the question may need more detailed help from another source. Real enjoyment and enrichment is to be had from using this book.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMy favourite teasing question among many comes from reading 42 on the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5. 'Since the fruit of the Spirit appear to some to be more feminine than masculine virtues, where are courage, decisiveness, strength and discipline?' Now there's a brilliant small group discussion starter!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed by Mark Beaumont - Senior Lecturer in Islam and Mission, London School of Theology, and a council member of Arab World Ministries UK\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ele Bible.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom Evangelicals Now - August 2012\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book consists of 50 short readings going through the unfolding story of the Bible with the aim of helping the reader to live in the light of God's word from Monday to Sunday, bringing biblical truths to bear on every aspect of life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are questions at the end of each reading, typically two or three pages long, to help us consider what that might look like in practice in our lives and culture. Written with great warmth and clarity and without getting bogged down in too much detail, many helpful insights are packed into each short reading.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors' enthusiasm and passion for God's word clearly comes across, as does their conviction that when we see the sweep of Scripture through the gospel of Jesus it will have a huge impact on our whole lives. This is a great book for helping new Christians know how to read the Bible, get a handle on the big picture and see how it all fits together. It is also great for those who have been Christians much longer and who want to think seriously about how to live in the light of God's word. This is an excellent book which I have found hugely encouraging and inspiring. Since reading it, I have given several copies away as presents!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed by Andrea Trevenna, Associate for Women's Ministry at St. Nicholas Church, Sevenoaks, Kent\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom Christianity Magazine - July 2012\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book, according to its foreword, is different. A risky assertion, but I tried to be open-minded. The 50 readings, which began life as a series of emails sent by the LICC, work through the Bible story from start to finish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is well-written, aimed at established Christians, and examines how we can play our part in God's unfolding drama and allow him to work in all parts of our lives. For me its real strength lies in the questions for reflection: How do we keep our Christian identity in the workplace? Why do we struggle to deal with disappointment in church life?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI'm not sure how different it is. But as a thought-provoking read that challenges ordinary Christians to live extraordinary lives, it's very good.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom The Good Bookstall - May 2012\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI liked that this is such a little hand sized gem. The slimline size is needed, particularly in an era where people are reading from their phones and on their Kindles on the tube. I could just slip it into my handbag and read it easily when on a packed underground, but don't let the size fool you into thinking that this thought-provoking, almost self-help book is easy, or quick to browse!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen I first started reading, it struck me that this book was written by somebody who really seemed to know their subject - and indeed, the author, Anthony Billington, is in fact Head of Theology for the London Institute of Contemporary Christianity. I loved that the writing was so theological, and so very sound. In fact, what really struck me was the sheer competence with which the author explored the Bible, from Genesis through to Revelation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the end of every chapter, there are carefully phrased questions under the heading 'for further reflection and action', which help take the reader through the relevant chapter. These questions also help the reader to relate the Biblical reading to the world around them, and they struck me as being potentially extremely valuable for Bible studies and church groups.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis serious little book encourages the reader on their Christian walk with various uplifting Bible verses; and on this point I will add that the book is aimed to pack serious punches. While perhaps \u003cem\u003eWhole Life, Whole Bible\u003c\/em\u003e is not for somebody looking specifically for a light-and-fluffy concoction, I think that any Christian will surely be more richly satisfied by taking a leaf out of this author's wise words.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed by Alice Collins\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed by Dr Bex Lewis, St John's College, University of Durham \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSurvey after survey in recent years - carried out with people in churches, leaders and non-leaders, as well as non-church people - has confirmed that there is an increasing lack of biblical literacy in the church, not only in society more generally. The surveys reveal that the vast majority of people in churches feel positive about the Bible and consider it to be a revelation from God, but fewer and fewer, it seems (even church leaders), are reading it for themselves. And when we do manage to read it, the surveys suggest, we're not always sure what to do with it. (pp25-26)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe London Institute of Christianity (LICC), set up by John Stott, seeks to encourage all Christians to be whole-life, whole-Bible disciples, breaking down the sacred-secular divide. This book, emerging from LICC's weekly 'Word for the Week' emails, which have reached up to 10,000 people a week since 2001, encourages \u003cstrong\u003eus to look at the whole Bible to get the bigger picture, the overarching narrative,\u003c\/strong\u003e rather than cherrypicking. We need the Bible to touch and transform our whole lives, affecting the world in which we live. Many seek quick answers to difficult issues, such as suffering, gender, etc. But those questions are better addressed, and more securely answered, when we have a larger framework in place\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHaving attended the transformative LICC Toolbox course, and having taken three years to read the Bible cover to cover, it's helpful to have a quicker overview. I was reading this section on a plane to Berlin as the map showed that we were flying over Bremen. Many history lessons means that bombing has shaped my thinking about that as a destination. As the plane came in to land over Berlin, I got an overview of the places that I was going to visit up close shortly, and this helped created my 'mental map of the destination', before I became absorbed in 'living' there.\u003cstrong\u003e This book is designed to offer a mental map to the whole story of the Bible. \u003c\/strong\u003eHow do we then ensure that we are partakers, and not spectators?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book is designed for those who are already engaged in Bible reading, rather than those who have never picked up a Bible before, and encourages readers to continue afterwards to read other texts, hold up the author's interpretation up to challenge, and recognises that each individual will read something different into 'the story'. Reading alone is 'vital' but as they say:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReading with others helps to prevent privatized readings of the Bible and corrects some of the biases that we may bring to certain passages or topics. (p19)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs someone who is a bit of a butterfly brain, the book works for me, and it's designed to be read by all personality types - whether you like to study the maps before you jump in, or like to jump in at the deep end - the book works. It's not about a tick box exercise, but about \u003cstrong\u003eallowing the Word of God to 'reorder your existence'\u003c\/strong\u003e, so take your time reading the book.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a Media Studies Lecturer I'm always encouraging my students to understand that newspapers, films, etc. give us a lens through which we see the world, rather than objective fact. The Bible can give us a different worldview - through which we see God, the world and ourselves more clearly. \u003cstrong\u003eAs the Bible gets inside us, our thinking is transformed, and we begin to see things the way God sees them.\u003c\/strong\u003e Often we are encouraged to think that we must always read huge sections (I really struggled with the pressure to read the Bible in a year), but this book offers a series or short (and some longer) readings with which we can engage at our own pace: like a toffee that can be swallowed whole, or chewed over in a leisurely fashion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book is written by three well-respected theologians with long term engagement with the LICC: Antony Billington, Margaret Killingray and Helen Parry, with a guest post by Mark Coffey, who I knew in my Manchester days.\u003cstrong\u003e It outlines the shape of the Bible in six words: Creation, Corruption, Covenant, Christ, Church, Consummation.\u003c\/strong\u003e They encourage us to consider \u003cem\u003ewhere\u003c\/em\u003e you read the Bible, that reading it in public spaces 'normalises' the Bible - allowing you to make connections with how it works in the everyday, not just with us, but with the people around us. They don't specifically mention digital spaces, but I like to think that those are included!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI read the book fairly fast, but would like to go back through, as suggested, and read a piece a week. The exercises offered in the text are a mix of further Bible readings, and practical thinking\/applications. As you'd expect, the thoughts and reflections engage us in the everyday (western) world in which we live. \u003cstrong\u003eTry it - it could transform your life!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2024-10-30T08:01:04+00:00","created_at":"2024-10-30T08:00:07+00:00","vendor":"Antony Billington","type":"eBook","tags":["Devotional","Glassboxx","Jan-12"],"price":899,"price_min":899,"price_max":899,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":53604690919804,"title":"eBook","option1":"eBook","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9780857461599","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"Whole Life, Whole Bible: 50 readings on living in the light of Scripture - eBook","public_title":"eBook","options":["eBook"],"price":899,"weight":176,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9780857461599","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/253.png?v=1730980338","\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/254.png?v=1730980324"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/253.png?v=1730980338","options":["Format"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":63001490030972,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/253.png?v=1730980338"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/253.png?v=1730980338","width":1303},{"alt":null,"id":63001486623100,"position":2,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/254.png?v=1730980324"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/254.png?v=1730980324","width":1303}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eWhere we spend most of our time - at home, at work, in the neighbourhood - matters to God and to his mission in and for the world. Far from restricting our faith to the 'personal' sphere, disengaged from everyday living, Scripture encourages us to take the Lord of life into the whole of life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhole Life Whole Bible is written from the conviction that God's word illuminates every part of existence, enabling us to see differently and live differently - from Monday to Sunday, in public as well as in private. A walk through the unfolding story of the Bible in 50 readings and reflections shows how our lives are bound up with, and shaped by, God's plan to restore a broken universe. That big story forms our minds, fuels our imaginations and fashions our daily life and we live in God's world, in the light of God's word, wherever we are.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProvides wonderful insights into the overarching story of the Bible and helps us consider how to live on the foundation of God's word.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Mark Meynell, Senior Associate Minister, All Souls, Langham Place, London \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePacks a powerful theological punch and will stretch and inspire your faith. A must for every whole-life disciple and disciplemaker!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Rachel Gardner, Director, Romance Academy \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePeople can get lost in the Bible's structure - here are some exciting clues for joined-up Bible reading.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Greg Haslam, Pastor, Westminster Chapel, London \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAntony Billington, Margaret Killingray and Helen Parry work at the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity, which seeks to equip Christians and churches for the whole-life discipleship in today's world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLondon School of Theology Insight Magazine Vol 2 Issue 2\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHow do you create a good meal from the whole Bible in 50 readings? You take 7 parts of Genesis, 5 of Matthew, stir in sections from another 14 OT and 14 NT books and serve up with useful comments. Then you add the garnish of well thought out questions, which get the reader to apply the chosen passage to everyday life. While this tasty selection whets the palate of the individual reader, I think the book has even greater appeal for small group discussion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTake this question from reading 39 on the Day of Pentecost - 'If Acts 2 suggests that there is a prophethood of all believers then how should this encourage and challenge us?' There is a much richer and more satisfying meal when sharing collective wisdom about the way prophecy might work in church and society than simply trying to digest alone. Some of the tougher parts of the Bible have been put to one side as a little indigestible. A question arising from the call of Jeremiah in reading 20 asks to what extent are Christians called to challenge political rulers when God's laws are flouted? But reading 11 from Exodus is rather impressionistic in its comments on the law, so answering the question may need more detailed help from another source. Real enjoyment and enrichment is to be had from using this book.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMy favourite teasing question among many comes from reading 42 on the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5. 'Since the fruit of the Spirit appear to some to be more feminine than masculine virtues, where are courage, decisiveness, strength and discipline?' Now there's a brilliant small group discussion starter!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed by Mark Beaumont - Senior Lecturer in Islam and Mission, London School of Theology, and a council member of Arab World Ministries UK\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ele Bible.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom Evangelicals Now - August 2012\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book consists of 50 short readings going through the unfolding story of the Bible with the aim of helping the reader to live in the light of God's word from Monday to Sunday, bringing biblical truths to bear on every aspect of life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are questions at the end of each reading, typically two or three pages long, to help us consider what that might look like in practice in our lives and culture. Written with great warmth and clarity and without getting bogged down in too much detail, many helpful insights are packed into each short reading.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors' enthusiasm and passion for God's word clearly comes across, as does their conviction that when we see the sweep of Scripture through the gospel of Jesus it will have a huge impact on our whole lives. This is a great book for helping new Christians know how to read the Bible, get a handle on the big picture and see how it all fits together. It is also great for those who have been Christians much longer and who want to think seriously about how to live in the light of God's word. This is an excellent book which I have found hugely encouraging and inspiring. Since reading it, I have given several copies away as presents!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed by Andrea Trevenna, Associate for Women's Ministry at St. Nicholas Church, Sevenoaks, Kent\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom Christianity Magazine - July 2012\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book, according to its foreword, is different. A risky assertion, but I tried to be open-minded. The 50 readings, which began life as a series of emails sent by the LICC, work through the Bible story from start to finish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is well-written, aimed at established Christians, and examines how we can play our part in God's unfolding drama and allow him to work in all parts of our lives. For me its real strength lies in the questions for reflection: How do we keep our Christian identity in the workplace? Why do we struggle to deal with disappointment in church life?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI'm not sure how different it is. But as a thought-provoking read that challenges ordinary Christians to live extraordinary lives, it's very good.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom The Good Bookstall - May 2012\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI liked that this is such a little hand sized gem. The slimline size is needed, particularly in an era where people are reading from their phones and on their Kindles on the tube. I could just slip it into my handbag and read it easily when on a packed underground, but don't let the size fool you into thinking that this thought-provoking, almost self-help book is easy, or quick to browse!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen I first started reading, it struck me that this book was written by somebody who really seemed to know their subject - and indeed, the author, Anthony Billington, is in fact Head of Theology for the London Institute of Contemporary Christianity. I loved that the writing was so theological, and so very sound. In fact, what really struck me was the sheer competence with which the author explored the Bible, from Genesis through to Revelation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the end of every chapter, there are carefully phrased questions under the heading 'for further reflection and action', which help take the reader through the relevant chapter. These questions also help the reader to relate the Biblical reading to the world around them, and they struck me as being potentially extremely valuable for Bible studies and church groups.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis serious little book encourages the reader on their Christian walk with various uplifting Bible verses; and on this point I will add that the book is aimed to pack serious punches. While perhaps \u003cem\u003eWhole Life, Whole Bible\u003c\/em\u003e is not for somebody looking specifically for a light-and-fluffy concoction, I think that any Christian will surely be more richly satisfied by taking a leaf out of this author's wise words.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed by Alice Collins\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed by Dr Bex Lewis, St John's College, University of Durham \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSurvey after survey in recent years - carried out with people in churches, leaders and non-leaders, as well as non-church people - has confirmed that there is an increasing lack of biblical literacy in the church, not only in society more generally. The surveys reveal that the vast majority of people in churches feel positive about the Bible and consider it to be a revelation from God, but fewer and fewer, it seems (even church leaders), are reading it for themselves. And when we do manage to read it, the surveys suggest, we're not always sure what to do with it. (pp25-26)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe London Institute of Christianity (LICC), set up by John Stott, seeks to encourage all Christians to be whole-life, whole-Bible disciples, breaking down the sacred-secular divide. This book, emerging from LICC's weekly 'Word for the Week' emails, which have reached up to 10,000 people a week since 2001, encourages \u003cstrong\u003eus to look at the whole Bible to get the bigger picture, the overarching narrative,\u003c\/strong\u003e rather than cherrypicking. We need the Bible to touch and transform our whole lives, affecting the world in which we live. Many seek quick answers to difficult issues, such as suffering, gender, etc. But those questions are better addressed, and more securely answered, when we have a larger framework in place\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHaving attended the transformative LICC Toolbox course, and having taken three years to read the Bible cover to cover, it's helpful to have a quicker overview. I was reading this section on a plane to Berlin as the map showed that we were flying over Bremen. Many history lessons means that bombing has shaped my thinking about that as a destination. As the plane came in to land over Berlin, I got an overview of the places that I was going to visit up close shortly, and this helped created my 'mental map of the destination', before I became absorbed in 'living' there.\u003cstrong\u003e This book is designed to offer a mental map to the whole story of the Bible. \u003c\/strong\u003eHow do we then ensure that we are partakers, and not spectators?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book is designed for those who are already engaged in Bible reading, rather than those who have never picked up a Bible before, and encourages readers to continue afterwards to read other texts, hold up the author's interpretation up to challenge, and recognises that each individual will read something different into 'the story'. Reading alone is 'vital' but as they say:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReading with others helps to prevent privatized readings of the Bible and corrects some of the biases that we may bring to certain passages or topics. (p19)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs someone who is a bit of a butterfly brain, the book works for me, and it's designed to be read by all personality types - whether you like to study the maps before you jump in, or like to jump in at the deep end - the book works. It's not about a tick box exercise, but about \u003cstrong\u003eallowing the Word of God to 'reorder your existence'\u003c\/strong\u003e, so take your time reading the book.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a Media Studies Lecturer I'm always encouraging my students to understand that newspapers, films, etc. give us a lens through which we see the world, rather than objective fact. The Bible can give us a different worldview - through which we see God, the world and ourselves more clearly. \u003cstrong\u003eAs the Bible gets inside us, our thinking is transformed, and we begin to see things the way God sees them.\u003c\/strong\u003e Often we are encouraged to think that we must always read huge sections (I really struggled with the pressure to read the Bible in a year), but this book offers a series or short (and some longer) readings with which we can engage at our own pace: like a toffee that can be swallowed whole, or chewed over in a leisurely fashion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book is written by three well-respected theologians with long term engagement with the LICC: Antony Billington, Margaret Killingray and Helen Parry, with a guest post by Mark Coffey, who I knew in my Manchester days.\u003cstrong\u003e It outlines the shape of the Bible in six words: Creation, Corruption, Covenant, Christ, Church, Consummation.\u003c\/strong\u003e They encourage us to consider \u003cem\u003ewhere\u003c\/em\u003e you read the Bible, that reading it in public spaces 'normalises' the Bible - allowing you to make connections with how it works in the everyday, not just with us, but with the people around us. They don't specifically mention digital spaces, but I like to think that those are included!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI read the book fairly fast, but would like to go back through, as suggested, and read a piece a week. The exercises offered in the text are a mix of further Bible readings, and practical thinking\/applications. As you'd expect, the thoughts and reflections engage us in the everyday (western) world in which we live. \u003cstrong\u003eTry it - it could transform your life!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e"}
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{"id":14779341570428,"title":"The Freedom of Years: Ageing in perspective","handle":"the-freedom-of-years-ageing-in-perspective-1","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eThis positive, affirming book explores and reviews the meaning and purpose of our lives. As Christians, ageing gives us the opportunity to deepen and even transform our spiritual lives. The Freedom of Years helps those who want to undertake the journey by examining the ageing task, the inevitable changes and the possibilities of joy along the way. Read this book, see the potential and seek to age in the light of your Christian faith.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eContents\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe are all ageing\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat is ageing for?\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSuccessful ageing: the story so far\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe spiritual journey: making meaning\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAttitudes to ageing: implications for spiritual care and support\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe context in which we age\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe discontents of ageing\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e'Clouds of glory': the second half of life\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRetirement: doing things differently\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePractising ageing: choosing, believing, trusting\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book is a triumph. It explores life and the ageing process in an honest and straightforward way. It is a book for 'everyman' - carer or cared-for, professional or layperson, of faith or secular. The Mowats make sense of some important concepts and ideas from various disciplines and do so in a very accessible style. Readers seeking more in-depth knowledge can make use of their extensive bibliography. This book should be essential reading for anyone curious about their own life process and its meaning. Readers will be enriched and left a little bit less afraid of their own ageing and mortality.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Dr Janice Whittick, Retired Clinical Psychologist \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe gift of this book is the simple understanding that we are all ageing. It is a shared journey, whether we are younger or older, and we must therefore face the issues raised for our communities together. Those involved in spiritual care, with families or care staff, exploring questions of meaning and purpose, will find it a real resource in looking at the question of what is valued in the kind of communities we want to build.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Lynda Wright, Health Care Chaplain, NHS NES Scotland \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI really like this book: it is informative and deals with the spiritual in a way that is not intrusive or evangelistic! I particularly warm to the authors' use of psychological frameworks: all that resonates very positively with me. It is a wise book, relevant to older people in 2018.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e The Revd Dr Anne Townsend \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis engaging book for adults of all ages will make a difference to how readers approach their own ageing process and those for whom they care. There will be value in returning often to the dense thoroughness of ten chapters which hold a wealth of information and wisdom. As the fictional stories of Angus and Josephine unfold, they draw the reader into spiritual and practical challenges 'to live with each other in a state of mutual recognition of our common humanity'. This book is a gem of opportunity to face the ageing process with hope.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Elizabeth Baxter, Holyrood Retreat Centre \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHarriet Mowat has spent her working career researching the social impact of ageing and was influential in the development of Scottish health care chaplaincy. She has been a key adviser to BRF in developing its programme The Gift of Years, which resources the spiritual journey of older people. Donald Mowat is a retired psychiatrist, specialising in old age. He is an honorary staff member in the School of Divinity at the University of Aberdeen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Reader, Winter 2018. Review by Liz Pacey\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a society we are living longer, and this leads to many questions and concerns about our ability to age well, not least in the area of spirituality. This book subtitled 'Ageing in perspective', does a very good job of considering how all aspects of life come together, with thought-provoking references from the fields of psychology and literature. It examines the day-to-day lives, needs and anxieties of the elderly in our churches, including those who may now be noticeable by their absence. Two fictitious but very well researched case studies run through the book, enhancing the readability. The overall message is positive: old age in not a waiting room but a time when spirituality and awareness of God can grow. There is much material here to stimulate our thought processes, enhance our own view of ageing, and help us to understand and hopefully enrich the lives of those around us.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Liz Pacey\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e_______________________________________________________________________\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Baptist Times, August 2018. Review by John Rackley\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe greatest moral question facing us in the 21st century is: what is ageing for? Harriet and Donald Mowat agree with this statement of James Woodward. They write from a lifetime in medical life and social science focussing on ageing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey write: we are trying to see beyond the idea that ageing is just about decline and painful joints. Nor is it about the time of life when those whom we love get ill and sometimes die. Rather whatever else it is about, ageing must be about changing and deepening our understanding of our place, in and outside time, which as we all know can be a struggle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo all of life is an ageing process. It is also a spiritual journey; spiritual in the sense of the need to seek purpose and meaning. So their book includes chapters on human development theory, attitudes toward and the discontents of ageing, midlife and beyond, retirement and the disciplines and virtues that accompany the practice of spiritual ageing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs we read about research, ideas and theory we also journey with Angus and Josephine; two imaginary characters that live their own ageing for us. They sound a ring of truth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhether or not the purpose of ageing is the greatest moral question of the 21st century, it is certainly a neglected one both in our society and sadly in churches; which have an enervating ambiguity toward 'people of a certain age'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBRF is to be commended in publishing a number of books on ageing in later years from such authors as David Winter and Wanda Nash, as well as setting up a programme of resources for the spiritual journey of older people including the ministry of Anna Chaplains. This book bears the name of this programme and provides background reading for this study.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA minister or pastoral worker who is wishing to reflect on the witness of their church to those no longer young would be well served by this book. Its theology is implicit but it longs for people to know their God in all places and at all times.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eJohn Rackley is a Baptist minister living in Leicestershire\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e_______________________________________________________________________\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview by Maggie Greaves, leader of Journeying into Age, Milton Keynes\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI found myself a bit resistant to it before I even started it ... partly because I didn't like the canoe photo on the front ...\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, when I began it, I liked it more. The theories of Melanie Klein, Jung and the attachment work of Bowlby and later Winnicott, and then the life stage theories of Erikson were all familiar to me from my own working background and they were clearly - if briefly - sketched at the beginning of the book. ...They do refer back to these early developmental theories from time to time in the following chapters and I was impressed with that.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI wasn't sure, either, about the case histories they chose when they were first described, but they won me over and they used them so creatively to illustrate various dilemmas that I decided in the end that they were a really helpful narrative device.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMy favourite chapter was 7, the Discontents of Ageing, the whole of which I thought was excellent. It challenges the mental\/physical separation of health issues - which I found very helpful, but it raised questions of the social construction of disability in old age and was prepared to look at sociological and political questions which many writing on ageing don't tackle very helpfully. I particularly liked page 119 and the description of 'cumulative trivia' and 'mild cognitive impairment' which left me thinking in quite new ways about some of the assumptions I have made about friends who have had difficulties lately. When you think there's nothing new left to say about getting old, it's a treat to read something so fresh.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMy only other comment would be to say that I'm not sure they quite had a handle on their proposed readership. From time to time it was as if they 'remembered' that they were supposed to be addressing caring staff and family carers with their advice, as well as speaking to an already elderly readership? It slid about a bit in that respect for me, perhaps a slightly tighter edit would have picked that up.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI'm really grateful to have read it and I shall certainly pass it around our Journeying group as I'm sure others will find it helpful too.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Maggie Greaves, leader of Journeying into Age, Milton Keynes\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e_______________________________________________________________________\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2024-10-30T08:05:59+00:00","created_at":"2024-10-30T08:04:59+00:00","vendor":"Harriet and Donald Mowat","type":"eBook","tags":["Feb-18","Glassboxx","Recommended for Anna Chaplaincy","Retired and inspired"],"price":899,"price_min":899,"price_max":899,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":53604692459900,"title":"eBook","option1":"eBook","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9780857465078","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"The Freedom of Years: Ageing in perspective - eBook","public_title":"eBook","options":["eBook"],"price":899,"weight":214,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9780857465078","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/257.png?v=1730980344","\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/258.png?v=1730980262"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/257.png?v=1730980344","options":["Format"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":63001491472764,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/257.png?v=1730980344"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/257.png?v=1730980344","width":1303},{"alt":null,"id":63001472598396,"position":2,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/258.png?v=1730980262"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/258.png?v=1730980262","width":1303}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eThis positive, affirming book explores and reviews the meaning and purpose of our lives. As Christians, ageing gives us the opportunity to deepen and even transform our spiritual lives. The Freedom of Years helps those who want to undertake the journey by examining the ageing task, the inevitable changes and the possibilities of joy along the way. Read this book, see the potential and seek to age in the light of your Christian faith.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eContents\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe are all ageing\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat is ageing for?\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSuccessful ageing: the story so far\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe spiritual journey: making meaning\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAttitudes to ageing: implications for spiritual care and support\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe context in which we age\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe discontents of ageing\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e'Clouds of glory': the second half of life\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRetirement: doing things differently\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePractising ageing: choosing, believing, trusting\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book is a triumph. It explores life and the ageing process in an honest and straightforward way. It is a book for 'everyman' - carer or cared-for, professional or layperson, of faith or secular. The Mowats make sense of some important concepts and ideas from various disciplines and do so in a very accessible style. Readers seeking more in-depth knowledge can make use of their extensive bibliography. This book should be essential reading for anyone curious about their own life process and its meaning. Readers will be enriched and left a little bit less afraid of their own ageing and mortality.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Dr Janice Whittick, Retired Clinical Psychologist \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe gift of this book is the simple understanding that we are all ageing. It is a shared journey, whether we are younger or older, and we must therefore face the issues raised for our communities together. Those involved in spiritual care, with families or care staff, exploring questions of meaning and purpose, will find it a real resource in looking at the question of what is valued in the kind of communities we want to build.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Lynda Wright, Health Care Chaplain, NHS NES Scotland \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI really like this book: it is informative and deals with the spiritual in a way that is not intrusive or evangelistic! I particularly warm to the authors' use of psychological frameworks: all that resonates very positively with me. It is a wise book, relevant to older people in 2018.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e The Revd Dr Anne Townsend \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis engaging book for adults of all ages will make a difference to how readers approach their own ageing process and those for whom they care. There will be value in returning often to the dense thoroughness of ten chapters which hold a wealth of information and wisdom. As the fictional stories of Angus and Josephine unfold, they draw the reader into spiritual and practical challenges 'to live with each other in a state of mutual recognition of our common humanity'. This book is a gem of opportunity to face the ageing process with hope.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Elizabeth Baxter, Holyrood Retreat Centre \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHarriet Mowat has spent her working career researching the social impact of ageing and was influential in the development of Scottish health care chaplaincy. She has been a key adviser to BRF in developing its programme The Gift of Years, which resources the spiritual journey of older people. Donald Mowat is a retired psychiatrist, specialising in old age. He is an honorary staff member in the School of Divinity at the University of Aberdeen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Reader, Winter 2018. Review by Liz Pacey\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a society we are living longer, and this leads to many questions and concerns about our ability to age well, not least in the area of spirituality. This book subtitled 'Ageing in perspective', does a very good job of considering how all aspects of life come together, with thought-provoking references from the fields of psychology and literature. It examines the day-to-day lives, needs and anxieties of the elderly in our churches, including those who may now be noticeable by their absence. Two fictitious but very well researched case studies run through the book, enhancing the readability. The overall message is positive: old age in not a waiting room but a time when spirituality and awareness of God can grow. There is much material here to stimulate our thought processes, enhance our own view of ageing, and help us to understand and hopefully enrich the lives of those around us.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Liz Pacey\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e_______________________________________________________________________\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Baptist Times, August 2018. Review by John Rackley\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe greatest moral question facing us in the 21st century is: what is ageing for? Harriet and Donald Mowat agree with this statement of James Woodward. They write from a lifetime in medical life and social science focussing on ageing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey write: we are trying to see beyond the idea that ageing is just about decline and painful joints. Nor is it about the time of life when those whom we love get ill and sometimes die. Rather whatever else it is about, ageing must be about changing and deepening our understanding of our place, in and outside time, which as we all know can be a struggle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo all of life is an ageing process. It is also a spiritual journey; spiritual in the sense of the need to seek purpose and meaning. So their book includes chapters on human development theory, attitudes toward and the discontents of ageing, midlife and beyond, retirement and the disciplines and virtues that accompany the practice of spiritual ageing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs we read about research, ideas and theory we also journey with Angus and Josephine; two imaginary characters that live their own ageing for us. They sound a ring of truth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhether or not the purpose of ageing is the greatest moral question of the 21st century, it is certainly a neglected one both in our society and sadly in churches; which have an enervating ambiguity toward 'people of a certain age'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBRF is to be commended in publishing a number of books on ageing in later years from such authors as David Winter and Wanda Nash, as well as setting up a programme of resources for the spiritual journey of older people including the ministry of Anna Chaplains. This book bears the name of this programme and provides background reading for this study.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA minister or pastoral worker who is wishing to reflect on the witness of their church to those no longer young would be well served by this book. Its theology is implicit but it longs for people to know their God in all places and at all times.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eJohn Rackley is a Baptist minister living in Leicestershire\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e_______________________________________________________________________\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview by Maggie Greaves, leader of Journeying into Age, Milton Keynes\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI found myself a bit resistant to it before I even started it ... partly because I didn't like the canoe photo on the front ...\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, when I began it, I liked it more. The theories of Melanie Klein, Jung and the attachment work of Bowlby and later Winnicott, and then the life stage theories of Erikson were all familiar to me from my own working background and they were clearly - if briefly - sketched at the beginning of the book. ...They do refer back to these early developmental theories from time to time in the following chapters and I was impressed with that.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI wasn't sure, either, about the case histories they chose when they were first described, but they won me over and they used them so creatively to illustrate various dilemmas that I decided in the end that they were a really helpful narrative device.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMy favourite chapter was 7, the Discontents of Ageing, the whole of which I thought was excellent. It challenges the mental\/physical separation of health issues - which I found very helpful, but it raised questions of the social construction of disability in old age and was prepared to look at sociological and political questions which many writing on ageing don't tackle very helpfully. I particularly liked page 119 and the description of 'cumulative trivia' and 'mild cognitive impairment' which left me thinking in quite new ways about some of the assumptions I have made about friends who have had difficulties lately. When you think there's nothing new left to say about getting old, it's a treat to read something so fresh.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMy only other comment would be to say that I'm not sure they quite had a handle on their proposed readership. From time to time it was as if they 'remembered' that they were supposed to be addressing caring staff and family carers with their advice, as well as speaking to an already elderly readership? It slid about a bit in that respect for me, perhaps a slightly tighter edit would have picked that up.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI'm really grateful to have read it and I shall certainly pass it around our Journeying group as I'm sure others will find it helpful too.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Maggie Greaves, leader of Journeying into Age, Milton Keynes\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e_______________________________________________________________________\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e"}
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{"id":14779346157948,"title":"Musings of a Clergy Child: Growing into a faith of my own","handle":"musings-of-a-clergy-child-growing-into-a-faith-of-my-own-1","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eVicarage life can be exciting, hilarious, scary, surreal and delightful... and that's just one day! Nell Goddard writes honestly and openly about the ins and outs of growing up in a Christian home, from her experience as the daughter of two vicars. With hilarious anecdotes, tough lessons and spiritual reflections from wrestling with faith, this book charts what it's like to live in the goldfish bowl of a vicarage, grow up in the shadow of your parents, lose your faith and find it again. With both rewritten blog posts and brand new material, this collection of tips, letters and musings will appeal not just to clergy children and their parents, but also to teenagers growing up in Christian homes, and to those who want to know what it's like to live a life of ministry you never really asked for.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eContents\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eClergy child's lament\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIntroduction\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTips for clergy children\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBring-and-share lunches are highly unpredictable\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSometimes the smallest offerings have the biggest impact\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePeople will come in and randomly start dismantling your house\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDo not give out your address over the phone\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBoundaries are excellent things\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDon't feel obliged to invite the entire congregation to your birthday party\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou will never realise how important your hospitality is until you're on the receiving end of someone else's\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAlways lock the toilet door. A surprising number of people will just barge through closed ones\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTeach your parent to turn off their phone\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMake sure you check out the parish profile before your parent applies for a job\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLearn to accept strange gifts with grace\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou are, to all intents and purposes, the vicarage social secretary\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIf someone's coming to stay, make sure you're informed well in advance\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIt's OK to grieve\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDon't bother waiting for your parents before leaving church. It's a waste of everyone's time\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThere are certain things you should never tell a caller\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAlways carry ID. You never know when you might need to prove yourself\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYour love life will be a continual source of parish speculation\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSometimes it's just awful, but God is still good\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eForgive; it changes lives\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLetters\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA letter for the new clergy child\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA letter for clergy parents\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA letter for when the church has hurt you\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA letter for when you feel as if the church has stolen your parents\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA letter for when a friend leaves\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA letter for when you feel inadequate\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMusings\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComing home\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDancing in the grey\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eConfessions\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChains\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWalking the forgiveness path\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInterrupted\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTrust and obey\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHide-and-seek\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBe still\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBarefoot\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBattling\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFingertip faith\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrayer for a friend\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHere is love\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOn being human\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNaked\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOut of the ashes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAt the feet of Jesus\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeaven has a climbing frame\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWithout words\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePassionate and poignant by turns, very funny one minute and deeply moving the next, Nell Goddard's account of being a 'vicarage child' is above all truthful. Truthful to what it's really like being at the sharp end of clergy life; truthful, especially, to the gospel itself.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Rt Revd Prof N T Wright, University of St Andrews \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor me, this is what is really enchanting about Musings of a Clergy Child. In 154 pages, Nell, you have given us a living example of how to be simultaneously completely grown up - realistic, candid, hard-hitting - and utterly child-like for God - unfussy, honest, and attentive to the small truths that normally pass us by. As the father of a clergy child, it is a beautiful example for my own little girl; but it's also a beautiful example for me - and for all of us here. Because there is not one of us who is not called to be at once grown up, mature in the faith, and also childlike, transparent before God as a child is in the presence of a parent he or she trusts completely. And Musings of a Clergy Child is brilliant at a practical level - for reminding clergy families up and down the country that they aren't alone in the fact that 'God has not called them to normality', as you so elegantly put it. It's also extremely valuable in that it offers what so little Christian literature bothers to - a vocabulary for lamenting in the face of God's goodness. This book, Anne Atkins says, is 'wonderful and precious'; and Simon Ponsonby tells us it 'will do good to your soul'. They are both right.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Patrick Gilday, Rector of Benson and Ewelme \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNell Goddard takes the lid off vicarage life and reveals the life of a clergy child to be anything but a sheltered one. With tenderness and insight she describes the rich and rare mix of holy, human experience which shaped her growing-up. Her faith journey so far has been remarkable, painful, joyful, very much her own and shot through with instances of how God and life, in her words, 'intersect in the most beautiful of ways.' ... Everyone should read 'Musings of a Clergy Child' : beautiful.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Rosemary Lain-Priestley, Archdeacon for the Two Cities \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNell Goddard studied Theology at Durham University and is now Culture Projects Leader at the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity. Both her parents began training for ordination when she was just six months old. Since then her family have lived all around the country and been part of a spectrum of different ministries, from Oxford college chaplain to academic theologian to vicar of a central London parish. She has an older brother and a chocolate labrador, Bramble. You can find Nell's blog at musingsofaclergychild.com.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview by Imogen Bell\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the end of a good book I often feel that I know its author. This is particularly true for a book which explores the life of an individual with all its hilarity, brokenness and restoration. With each turn of the page the reader learns more of the writer, so that by the final turn they are well and truly known, even perhaps a friend\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat Nell Goddard achieves remarkably throughout the course of her first book,\u003cem\u003e Musings of a Clergy Child: growing into a faith of my own, \u003c\/em\u003eis the humble skill of knowing the reader. Getting to the end of Goddard's book left me feeling known. Though I am neither a clergy child nor a clergy parent, from the first page I was welcomed as a friend. Through stories, tips, letters and reflections she scripted much of what I too have experienced as a young Christian growing up in a 'Christian family'. I was left encouraged and amazed at Goddard's ability to express these experiences and to share repeated moments of vulnerability with her readers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMusings of a Clergy Child \u003c\/em\u003eis split into (a classically Anglican) three sections. Firstly: Goddard's 'Tips for clergy children'. As an ordinand about to embark on Church of England training, reading the insights of a childhood in a 'gold fish bowl' was a timely warning of the challenges of Christian ministry (whatever that might look like). Especially the challenges placed upon one's own family.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSecondly: Goddard's 'Letters'. Six letters, one to a new clergy child, one to clergy parents and four letters to those with specific situations, hurts and fears. For me, the last was the most important, 'A letter for when you feel inadequate'. Not only for my life, but for many lives of loved ones around me, this letter acknowledges the feeling that 'I am not enough'. It challenges the inadequacy and declares that our Father loves us. This letter is worthy of printing and posting around schools, universities, churches, workplaces, even on street corners. It speaks the gospel into the darkest of doubts. A wonderful declaration of one made 'enough' through Christ.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally: Her 'Musings', the 'most obviously theological part' but not out of kilter with the rest. Twenty musings covering multiple questions, barriers and truths in the twisted and winding journey of faith. This section is a resource to be used repeatedly, reflections to be reminded of and situations almost universally experienced. Goddard's willingness to embrace and witness to the big issues of a life with Christ opens spaces for her readers to grow, to be acknowledged and to reflect on their own faith, feelings and struggles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI have (a similarly Anglican) three reflections on Goddard's work: Vulnerability, Redemption and Transformation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGoddard's book is vulnerable. It speaks of human life, in all its fullness and messiness. It is truthful and open about the doubts, questions and anxieties that the author faced throughout her life. I was struck by Goddard's honesty in her writing, her willingness to be vulnerable with her readers so that she might be known but also so that her readers might feel known, acknowledged, valued and understood. From inadequacy to doubts and deep hurts, Goddard reflects the brokenness of human life in a broken world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut her vulnerability never leaves her readers in a place of despair. Redemption always follows. In each story of challenge, each letter of loss and each musing on a difficult day, joy comes in the morning, light emerges from the darkness, a crown of beauty replaces ashes. God consistently ministers to us in our vulnerabilities and Goddard reminds her readers that He will always meet us, love us and redeem us in our darkest times.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd then there is transformation. Something changes, a challenge and a call to a distinctive life. A life that welcomes, a home that is open, a hand that accepts bizarre presents or an offering plate that appreciates hard boiled sweets. Again and again Goddard exemplifies the transformed life with Christ. She forgives, appreciates, mourns and reminds her readers that our broken lives matter, that we all have the opportunity to reach the unreachable, the occasionally dysfunctional, the overlooked and underrepresented. Not without struggle, but with grace and humility a life is transformed and that transformed life in turn leads to further transformation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is an incredibly honest and profound book, exploring both the comedies and challenging realities of growing up in a vicarage. It is worth reading wherever you grew up as it provides insights into the twists and turns that emerge as one walks the path of faith.\u003cem\u003e Musings of a Clergy Child \u003c\/em\u003egives particular insight to all those considering, training for and living Christian ministry and should be on all kinds of vocational reading lists! Goddard admirably reflects the vulnerability, redemption and transformation that unite humanity and describe the gospel. You will be welcomed from the start and known by the end.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThank you Nell, I wait in anticipation for book number two.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eImogen Bell, Theos\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2024-10-30T08:08:23+00:00","created_at":"2024-10-30T08:07:32+00:00","vendor":"Nell Goddard","type":"eBook","tags":["Glassboxx","Jun-17","Leadership","Parenting","Women"],"price":799,"price_min":799,"price_max":799,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":53604693180796,"title":"eBook","option1":"eBook","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9780857465474","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"Musings of a Clergy Child: Growing into a faith of my own - eBook","public_title":"eBook","options":["eBook"],"price":799,"weight":183,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9780857465474","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/259.png?v=1730980375","\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/260.png?v=1730980350"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/259.png?v=1730980375","options":["Format"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":63001498583420,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/259.png?v=1730980375"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/259.png?v=1730980375","width":1303},{"alt":null,"id":63001492652412,"position":2,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/260.png?v=1730980350"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/260.png?v=1730980350","width":1303}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eVicarage life can be exciting, hilarious, scary, surreal and delightful... and that's just one day! Nell Goddard writes honestly and openly about the ins and outs of growing up in a Christian home, from her experience as the daughter of two vicars. With hilarious anecdotes, tough lessons and spiritual reflections from wrestling with faith, this book charts what it's like to live in the goldfish bowl of a vicarage, grow up in the shadow of your parents, lose your faith and find it again. With both rewritten blog posts and brand new material, this collection of tips, letters and musings will appeal not just to clergy children and their parents, but also to teenagers growing up in Christian homes, and to those who want to know what it's like to live a life of ministry you never really asked for.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eContents\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eClergy child's lament\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIntroduction\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTips for clergy children\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBring-and-share lunches are highly unpredictable\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSometimes the smallest offerings have the biggest impact\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePeople will come in and randomly start dismantling your house\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDo not give out your address over the phone\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBoundaries are excellent things\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDon't feel obliged to invite the entire congregation to your birthday party\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou will never realise how important your hospitality is until you're on the receiving end of someone else's\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAlways lock the toilet door. A surprising number of people will just barge through closed ones\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTeach your parent to turn off their phone\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMake sure you check out the parish profile before your parent applies for a job\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLearn to accept strange gifts with grace\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou are, to all intents and purposes, the vicarage social secretary\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIf someone's coming to stay, make sure you're informed well in advance\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIt's OK to grieve\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDon't bother waiting for your parents before leaving church. It's a waste of everyone's time\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThere are certain things you should never tell a caller\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAlways carry ID. You never know when you might need to prove yourself\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYour love life will be a continual source of parish speculation\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSometimes it's just awful, but God is still good\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eForgive; it changes lives\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLetters\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA letter for the new clergy child\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA letter for clergy parents\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA letter for when the church has hurt you\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA letter for when you feel as if the church has stolen your parents\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA letter for when a friend leaves\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA letter for when you feel inadequate\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMusings\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComing home\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDancing in the grey\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eConfessions\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChains\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWalking the forgiveness path\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInterrupted\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTrust and obey\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHide-and-seek\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBe still\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBarefoot\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBattling\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFingertip faith\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrayer for a friend\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHere is love\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOn being human\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNaked\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOut of the ashes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAt the feet of Jesus\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeaven has a climbing frame\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWithout words\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePassionate and poignant by turns, very funny one minute and deeply moving the next, Nell Goddard's account of being a 'vicarage child' is above all truthful. Truthful to what it's really like being at the sharp end of clergy life; truthful, especially, to the gospel itself.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Rt Revd Prof N T Wright, University of St Andrews \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor me, this is what is really enchanting about Musings of a Clergy Child. In 154 pages, Nell, you have given us a living example of how to be simultaneously completely grown up - realistic, candid, hard-hitting - and utterly child-like for God - unfussy, honest, and attentive to the small truths that normally pass us by. As the father of a clergy child, it is a beautiful example for my own little girl; but it's also a beautiful example for me - and for all of us here. Because there is not one of us who is not called to be at once grown up, mature in the faith, and also childlike, transparent before God as a child is in the presence of a parent he or she trusts completely. And Musings of a Clergy Child is brilliant at a practical level - for reminding clergy families up and down the country that they aren't alone in the fact that 'God has not called them to normality', as you so elegantly put it. It's also extremely valuable in that it offers what so little Christian literature bothers to - a vocabulary for lamenting in the face of God's goodness. This book, Anne Atkins says, is 'wonderful and precious'; and Simon Ponsonby tells us it 'will do good to your soul'. They are both right.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Patrick Gilday, Rector of Benson and Ewelme \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNell Goddard takes the lid off vicarage life and reveals the life of a clergy child to be anything but a sheltered one. With tenderness and insight she describes the rich and rare mix of holy, human experience which shaped her growing-up. Her faith journey so far has been remarkable, painful, joyful, very much her own and shot through with instances of how God and life, in her words, 'intersect in the most beautiful of ways.' ... Everyone should read 'Musings of a Clergy Child' : beautiful.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Rosemary Lain-Priestley, Archdeacon for the Two Cities \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNell Goddard studied Theology at Durham University and is now Culture Projects Leader at the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity. Both her parents began training for ordination when she was just six months old. Since then her family have lived all around the country and been part of a spectrum of different ministries, from Oxford college chaplain to academic theologian to vicar of a central London parish. She has an older brother and a chocolate labrador, Bramble. You can find Nell's blog at musingsofaclergychild.com.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview by Imogen Bell\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the end of a good book I often feel that I know its author. This is particularly true for a book which explores the life of an individual with all its hilarity, brokenness and restoration. With each turn of the page the reader learns more of the writer, so that by the final turn they are well and truly known, even perhaps a friend\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat Nell Goddard achieves remarkably throughout the course of her first book,\u003cem\u003e Musings of a Clergy Child: growing into a faith of my own, \u003c\/em\u003eis the humble skill of knowing the reader. Getting to the end of Goddard's book left me feeling known. Though I am neither a clergy child nor a clergy parent, from the first page I was welcomed as a friend. Through stories, tips, letters and reflections she scripted much of what I too have experienced as a young Christian growing up in a 'Christian family'. I was left encouraged and amazed at Goddard's ability to express these experiences and to share repeated moments of vulnerability with her readers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMusings of a Clergy Child \u003c\/em\u003eis split into (a classically Anglican) three sections. Firstly: Goddard's 'Tips for clergy children'. As an ordinand about to embark on Church of England training, reading the insights of a childhood in a 'gold fish bowl' was a timely warning of the challenges of Christian ministry (whatever that might look like). Especially the challenges placed upon one's own family.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSecondly: Goddard's 'Letters'. Six letters, one to a new clergy child, one to clergy parents and four letters to those with specific situations, hurts and fears. For me, the last was the most important, 'A letter for when you feel inadequate'. Not only for my life, but for many lives of loved ones around me, this letter acknowledges the feeling that 'I am not enough'. It challenges the inadequacy and declares that our Father loves us. This letter is worthy of printing and posting around schools, universities, churches, workplaces, even on street corners. It speaks the gospel into the darkest of doubts. A wonderful declaration of one made 'enough' through Christ.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally: Her 'Musings', the 'most obviously theological part' but not out of kilter with the rest. Twenty musings covering multiple questions, barriers and truths in the twisted and winding journey of faith. This section is a resource to be used repeatedly, reflections to be reminded of and situations almost universally experienced. Goddard's willingness to embrace and witness to the big issues of a life with Christ opens spaces for her readers to grow, to be acknowledged and to reflect on their own faith, feelings and struggles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI have (a similarly Anglican) three reflections on Goddard's work: Vulnerability, Redemption and Transformation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGoddard's book is vulnerable. It speaks of human life, in all its fullness and messiness. It is truthful and open about the doubts, questions and anxieties that the author faced throughout her life. I was struck by Goddard's honesty in her writing, her willingness to be vulnerable with her readers so that she might be known but also so that her readers might feel known, acknowledged, valued and understood. From inadequacy to doubts and deep hurts, Goddard reflects the brokenness of human life in a broken world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut her vulnerability never leaves her readers in a place of despair. Redemption always follows. In each story of challenge, each letter of loss and each musing on a difficult day, joy comes in the morning, light emerges from the darkness, a crown of beauty replaces ashes. God consistently ministers to us in our vulnerabilities and Goddard reminds her readers that He will always meet us, love us and redeem us in our darkest times.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd then there is transformation. Something changes, a challenge and a call to a distinctive life. A life that welcomes, a home that is open, a hand that accepts bizarre presents or an offering plate that appreciates hard boiled sweets. Again and again Goddard exemplifies the transformed life with Christ. She forgives, appreciates, mourns and reminds her readers that our broken lives matter, that we all have the opportunity to reach the unreachable, the occasionally dysfunctional, the overlooked and underrepresented. Not without struggle, but with grace and humility a life is transformed and that transformed life in turn leads to further transformation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is an incredibly honest and profound book, exploring both the comedies and challenging realities of growing up in a vicarage. It is worth reading wherever you grew up as it provides insights into the twists and turns that emerge as one walks the path of faith.\u003cem\u003e Musings of a Clergy Child \u003c\/em\u003egives particular insight to all those considering, training for and living Christian ministry and should be on all kinds of vocational reading lists! Goddard admirably reflects the vulnerability, redemption and transformation that unite humanity and describe the gospel. You will be welcomed from the start and known by the end.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThank you Nell, I wait in anticipation for book number two.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eImogen Bell, Theos\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e"}
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Musings of a Clergy Child: Growing into a faith of my own
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{"id":14779517010300,"title":"God's Daughters: Loved, held, accepted, enough","handle":"gods-daughters-loved-held-accepted-enough-1","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eDo you ever feel under so much pressure to be prettier, cleverer or holier that you feel you just might break? Do you ever feel like you're not good enough for other people, and they will never love or accept you? Do you feel like you're the one who has to change, to solve the problems and get it all right?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI definitely feel like that sometimes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this book I have taken six issues, each of which come with its own pressures: school, image, friends, family, church and our personal relationships with God. In each case we may feel that our teachers, family, friends or even God expects us to be better than we feel inside. We may feel that if we don't meet these expectations we need to work harder in order to be loved and accepted.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut this is not true!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMy prayer for you - and me - is that we realise we have had enough of trying to be 'good enough'. We need to let God strengthen us to keep walking. We need to listen to his gentle voice - and be encouraged to lift our eyes to him and dwell in his amazing grace.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHannah Fytche is in her first year of studying theology at university. Over the past four years she has been mentored by Sharon Prior of the Sophia Network, which 'exists to empower and equip women in leadership, and to champion the full equality of women and men in the church.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/HannahFytche5_RootedinGod_sGrace_480x480.jpg?v=1676497624\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin-right: 10px; float: left;\" width=\"256\" height=\"256\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"margin-right: 10px; float: left;\" data-mce-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/HannahFytche5_RootedinGod_sGrace_480x480.jpg?v=1676497624\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHannah Fytche is in her first year of studying theology at university. Over the past four years she has been mentored by Sharon Prior of the Sophia Network, which 'exists to empower and equip women in leadership, and to champion the full equality of women and men in the church.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHand in Hand E-Newsletter July 2016\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHannah's aim is for teenage girls to realise that there is nothing that we can do to be 'good enough' and that we need to put our faith and trust in God, to strengthen, encourage and guide us through our lives, despite the pressures around us. It is encouraging to know that she has recently been through the things we are going through - she is relevant and easy to relate to and this is reflected in the easy going and conversational nature of the book.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book contains a wide range of examples, some of which are not easy to make directly personal to oneself, but this encourages the reader to empathise with others and to better understand what they are going through. It is useful getting Hannah's perspective on the issues.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOverall I think that \u003cem\u003eGod's Daughters\u003c\/em\u003e provides a necessary and encouraging perspective, serving as a continual reminder of God's love and grace to his children: a book that I'm sure will be helpful to revisit throughout my teenage years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAmy - aged 16\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Girls Brigade - April 2016\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eGod's Daughters\u003c\/em\u003e is a book written by a hugely talented young woman called Hannah Fytche, who is currently in her first year of studying theology at university. She hopes for girls to realise that they are 'loved, held, accepted, enough' and has written this book for those who are fed up of trying to be good enough, and feel under pressure to be prettier, cleverer, or holier in order to be accepted.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHannah has divided the book up into chapters, each addressing a different issue or situation that teenagers may be experiencing. These include coping with conflict within friendship groups, revealing the real you to your family, and feeling loved enough in the school environment, among others. Each chapter contains an in depth discussion of its topic, giving examples of situations that young girls may find themselves in, and this is followed up by advice on how to deal with these issues and what the Bible has to say about them. At the end of each chapter there is a section called 'headphones time', which contains questions for the reader to consider that help to focus in on the topics and encourage the reader to think about how they can act to tackle certain issues and make life better for themselves and for others. Hannah also includes recommendations of music to listen to, often with lyrics that relate to the chapter content and that girls may find helpful when contemplating the issues that they are facing in their own lives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eGod's Daughters\u003c\/em\u003e is incredibly engaging and easy to read, and is broken down into chapters that can be read individually if you live a busy life! Hannah writes as if she is speaking to a friend, and the book is refreshingly down to earth and relevant, in contrast to many books that are written for teenagers today. The descriptions of situations that teenagers may encounter not only exemplify Hannah's understanding of young women, but also get you thinking about the topics covered in the book and how they relate to your life. In some cases there were situations portrayed that I had not come across myself, and I found these extremely useful in learning to empathise with other people and how they may be feeling. The advice given is practical and can easily be applied to the real-world, and Hannah has formed this guidance based on a wide variety of literature and experience, particularly the Bible and her encounters with God.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eGod's Daughters\u003c\/em\u003e is a book full of the much needed wisdom and experience of a girl not long out of her teenage years herself, yet firmly rooted in the word of God, reassuring and encouraging to any young woman that may read it. I would highly recommend this book to any young woman wanting relevant advice on real life situations, reassurance and empowerment in a world where this is so often needed, or simply desiring to get closer to God-give it a read!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFull article can be seen here \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/gbworldwide.org\/book-review-gods-daughters-hannah-fytche\/\"\u003eClick here\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eZoe Davis\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e","published_at":"2024-10-30T09:29:33+00:00","created_at":"2024-10-30T09:28:40+00:00","vendor":"Hannah Fytche","type":"eBook","tags":["Apr-16","Children and family ministry","Glassboxx","Pastoral care","Women"],"price":699,"price_min":699,"price_max":699,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":53604755538300,"title":"eBook","option1":"eBook","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9780857464101","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"God's Daughters: Loved, held, accepted, enough - eBook","public_title":"eBook","options":["eBook"],"price":699,"weight":150,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9780857464101","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/273.png?v=1730980319","\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/274.png?v=1730980324"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/273.png?v=1730980319","options":["Format"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":63001485607292,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/273.png?v=1730980319"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/273.png?v=1730980319","width":1303},{"alt":null,"id":63001486590332,"position":2,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/274.png?v=1730980324"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/274.png?v=1730980324","width":1303}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eDo you ever feel under so much pressure to be prettier, cleverer or holier that you feel you just might break? Do you ever feel like you're not good enough for other people, and they will never love or accept you? Do you feel like you're the one who has to change, to solve the problems and get it all right?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI definitely feel like that sometimes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this book I have taken six issues, each of which come with its own pressures: school, image, friends, family, church and our personal relationships with God. In each case we may feel that our teachers, family, friends or even God expects us to be better than we feel inside. We may feel that if we don't meet these expectations we need to work harder in order to be loved and accepted.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut this is not true!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMy prayer for you - and me - is that we realise we have had enough of trying to be 'good enough'. We need to let God strengthen us to keep walking. We need to listen to his gentle voice - and be encouraged to lift our eyes to him and dwell in his amazing grace.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHannah Fytche is in her first year of studying theology at university. Over the past four years she has been mentored by Sharon Prior of the Sophia Network, which 'exists to empower and equip women in leadership, and to champion the full equality of women and men in the church.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/HannahFytche5_RootedinGod_sGrace_480x480.jpg?v=1676497624\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin-right: 10px; float: left;\" width=\"256\" height=\"256\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"margin-right: 10px; float: left;\" data-mce-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/HannahFytche5_RootedinGod_sGrace_480x480.jpg?v=1676497624\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHannah Fytche is in her first year of studying theology at university. Over the past four years she has been mentored by Sharon Prior of the Sophia Network, which 'exists to empower and equip women in leadership, and to champion the full equality of women and men in the church.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHand in Hand E-Newsletter July 2016\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHannah's aim is for teenage girls to realise that there is nothing that we can do to be 'good enough' and that we need to put our faith and trust in God, to strengthen, encourage and guide us through our lives, despite the pressures around us. It is encouraging to know that she has recently been through the things we are going through - she is relevant and easy to relate to and this is reflected in the easy going and conversational nature of the book.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book contains a wide range of examples, some of which are not easy to make directly personal to oneself, but this encourages the reader to empathise with others and to better understand what they are going through. It is useful getting Hannah's perspective on the issues.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOverall I think that \u003cem\u003eGod's Daughters\u003c\/em\u003e provides a necessary and encouraging perspective, serving as a continual reminder of God's love and grace to his children: a book that I'm sure will be helpful to revisit throughout my teenage years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAmy - aged 16\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Girls Brigade - April 2016\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eGod's Daughters\u003c\/em\u003e is a book written by a hugely talented young woman called Hannah Fytche, who is currently in her first year of studying theology at university. She hopes for girls to realise that they are 'loved, held, accepted, enough' and has written this book for those who are fed up of trying to be good enough, and feel under pressure to be prettier, cleverer, or holier in order to be accepted.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHannah has divided the book up into chapters, each addressing a different issue or situation that teenagers may be experiencing. These include coping with conflict within friendship groups, revealing the real you to your family, and feeling loved enough in the school environment, among others. Each chapter contains an in depth discussion of its topic, giving examples of situations that young girls may find themselves in, and this is followed up by advice on how to deal with these issues and what the Bible has to say about them. At the end of each chapter there is a section called 'headphones time', which contains questions for the reader to consider that help to focus in on the topics and encourage the reader to think about how they can act to tackle certain issues and make life better for themselves and for others. Hannah also includes recommendations of music to listen to, often with lyrics that relate to the chapter content and that girls may find helpful when contemplating the issues that they are facing in their own lives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eGod's Daughters\u003c\/em\u003e is incredibly engaging and easy to read, and is broken down into chapters that can be read individually if you live a busy life! Hannah writes as if she is speaking to a friend, and the book is refreshingly down to earth and relevant, in contrast to many books that are written for teenagers today. The descriptions of situations that teenagers may encounter not only exemplify Hannah's understanding of young women, but also get you thinking about the topics covered in the book and how they relate to your life. In some cases there were situations portrayed that I had not come across myself, and I found these extremely useful in learning to empathise with other people and how they may be feeling. The advice given is practical and can easily be applied to the real-world, and Hannah has formed this guidance based on a wide variety of literature and experience, particularly the Bible and her encounters with God.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eGod's Daughters\u003c\/em\u003e is a book full of the much needed wisdom and experience of a girl not long out of her teenage years herself, yet firmly rooted in the word of God, reassuring and encouraging to any young woman that may read it. I would highly recommend this book to any young woman wanting relevant advice on real life situations, reassurance and empowerment in a world where this is so often needed, or simply desiring to get closer to God-give it a read!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFull article can be seen here \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/gbworldwide.org\/book-review-gods-daughters-hannah-fytche\/\"\u003eClick here\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eZoe Davis\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e"}
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{"id":14779524055420,"title":"Engaging the Word","handle":"engaging-the-word-1","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003ePeter Phillips is convinced that the church in the West is not devouring the Bible or meditating on the word as it should, and therefore is spiritually malnourished and failing to thrive. Engaging the Word will transform the Bible engagement habits of Christian disciples, improving the health of the church by opening up new opportunities for drawing on God's word and new life as a result.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEngaging the Word sets out what biblical literacy means and what it looks like in our contemporary culture, exploring the benefits of biblical literacy for those who follow Jesus and for Christian leaders as local theologians and preachers. It also presents a series of practical explorations of the role of the Bible, which help us to reach up to God, reach in to develop our own identity in Christ and reach out to others.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eContents\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIntroduction\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Bible and the word of God\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBiblical literacy\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe mediated Bible\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDiscipleship and the Bible\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReaching up: spirituality\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReaching in: congregational well-being\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReaching out: engaging the world\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat a gift of a book! Peter Phillips seems to hold out the Bible to us afresh, drawing us back to the power and grace of the word of God. In this accessible book, he brings vast learning and deep understanding to explore our modern Christian engagement with the Bible. There is challenge and insight for all here, and those who read it will come out enriched, challenged, and inspired to re-engage more deeply with God's word. I shall be recommending this to everyone!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Mark Tanner, Bishop of Berwick \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis thought-provoking book explores the question of what place the Bible does and should have in Christian discipleship. It combines helpful in-depth thinking with an easy to read accessible style and is well worth a read for anyone reflecting on patterns of Christian discipleship in the 21st century.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Paula Gooder Theologian in Residence at the Bible Society \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this book Pete Philips takes seriously God, the church and the Bible. In doing so there is a challenge for each us as we face the most pressing question facing the church today - how do we share our experience of God? Pete offers grounded ways in which the Good News can be encountered afresh and offered to the world.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Gareth Powell Secretary of the Methodist Conference \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEngaging the Word is a must for individual disciples and Christian communities. Here in this book, Pete Phillips uses theology, history and practical wisdom to show why. From the first disciples to the digital disciples of the 21st century there is much to learn.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e David Wilkinson, The Principal, St Johns College, Durham University \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"margin-right: 10px; float: left;\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/PeterPhillips_480x480.jpg?v=1676496974\" width=\"269\" height=\"359\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRevd Dr Peter Phillips is a Methodist minister and Director of CODEC, a research centre housed at St John's College, Durham University. For many years, he served as New Testament Tutor on the staff of Cliff College. He has a great interest in the New Testament and in communicating the faith in a digital age.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eReviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePreach Magazine (Summer 2018). Review by Alan Rashleigh\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo save readers from becoming stressed by trying to understand the subtitle, Peter has very helpfully opened his introduction with the words: 'This book is about the relationship between the reading of the Bible and following Jesus'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLater he asks the question, 'Can we be better Christians by engaging more with the Bible?' The fundamental purpose of the bible is surely to inspire mere mortals to aspire to be more like our Saviour and to follow in his footsteps. The problem comes because many people are unfamiliar with biblical language, as it is couched in terms not in everyday use. Hence the purpose of this book is to understand what the Bible is really about, and how we should use it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book is a call to action. It looks at how, by engaging with the Bible, our understanding of our journey in the Christian life will be transformed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are similar books which seek to achieve the same objectives, mainly by exhorting their readers to follow the instructions laid down in the Bible. This book is different, and to some may seem to be controversial. It argues that the Bible is not a rule book or instruction manual, rather it is a guide to enable followers to 'crank up' their own engines of Christian discipleship, with a few additives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book explores biblical literacy (engagement with the Word of God) and discipleship (engagement with the world). This is not surprising as Peter was a tutor at Cliff College, and among his other 'duties' was encouraging students to engage with the world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe uses examples of the writings of Augustine, Aldred and Erasmus, as well as the way in which mystery plays have helped people understand biblical stories. Being a Methodist, it would be remiss of Peter not to have included passages written by John Wesley too.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book also explores what it means to engage with the Word of God in a world where contemporary communication is focused on the digital.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a well-written, readable book which provides practical advice to those reading the Bible who want to put what they have read to practical use in the world. It is in itself 'engaging' and very worthwhile reading,\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Alan Rashleigh\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReform Magazine (February 2018). Review by Robert Pope, Director of Studies in Church History and Doctrine at Westminster College, Cambridge\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat place does the Bible have in renewing Christian witness in the 21\u003csup\u003est\u003c\/sup\u003e century? This book has two basic premises. First, biblical literacy has declined, resulting not only in a lack of biblical knowledge but also in an inability to identify the biblical references which are deeply embedded in western culture. Second, biblical literacy comes not through reading in isolation alone but by reading with others in prayerful discernment of God's address to us today. The first claim is supported by survey findings and, if true - the author suggests - renders the church impotent. The second is supported by appealing to theologians - including Wesley, Bonhoeffer, von Balthasar and Hauerwas - and it inspires the proclamation of the gospel in deed as well as in word. It also results in 'noticing the presence of the word everywhere we look'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChristianity, the author argues, possesses a message that cannot be jettisoned in favour of a superficial appeal to the contemporary zeitgeist. Phillips reminds us of the need for shared community values, inspired by the collective hearing of God's word, rather than any quest for personal fulfilment alone. Only this, Phillips believes, can offer redemption to a world increasingly characterised by narratives of destruction through terrorism, violence, displacement, isolation and fragmentation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReaders might feel they know much of this. They might regret that advice on practical implementation comes rather late, and is, perhaps, a little muted. But as the United Reformed Church moves forward with its vision of missional discipleship and its 'Walking the Way: Living the life of Jesus today' emphasis, this book might offer a challenge and an inspiration, as well as a resource, to proclaim the Gospel afresh in our day.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Robert Pope, Director of Studies in Church History and Doctrine at Westminster College, Cambridge\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview by Thomas Creedy (blogger)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI'm reviewing a book by a former lecturer and friend, Peter Phillips, known by many as the Director of CODEC in Durham. This book blends two passions of Pete's that I share - biblical literacy and Christian discipleship. \u003cem\u003eEngaging the Word: Biblical literacy and Christian discipleship\u003c\/em\u003e is a hidden gem of a book, bringing together Pete's wide learning, statistics, and a fierce commitment to the Bible. This is a book well worth reading - and spending time with. This book helpfully does three things - gives us a potted understanding of what the Bible is, who is reading it, and why it matters. Let me start with a quote, slightly shortened:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'\u003cem\u003eThe Bible, Webster said, is 'the vessel which bears God's majestic presence'. Recall too that Augustine had used a similar image: 'Scripture is the vehicle that God provides for us to travel to our true home along the road established by the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. In the Bible, God comes to address us, to invite us into relationship with him.\u003c\/em\u003e''\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePete begins with a couple of great chapters - The Bible and the word of God and Biblical literacy - that serve as a sort of roadmap for where he's coming from. Throughout both of these chapters, there is a real excitement about the Bible, and the possibilities that come in the Christian life from reading and engaging with it. Pete calls the Bible 'the engine for Christian discipleship', and this is a really helpful image in my mind. Of course, the Bible is more than this (but surely not less than this), and Pete walks us through this and three other understandings of what the Bible 'is'. Having given us a sense of what the Bible is, we turn to the tricky concept of biblical literacy, and without spoiling the book his suggestions are thoroughgoingly Trinitarian, church-oriented and dynamic. This is not just head knowledge - the Bible challenges Christian disciples to be transformed - and this is made clear throughout. Having set the scene with two very helpful chapters (the first is a brilliant explanation in reasonably normal English as to what the Bible is, the latter distilling a complex discussion into a simple output), Pete moves on to two chapters about the way we use the Bible.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChapter three, 'The mediated Bible'\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003eis a careful look at how Christians (and others) have engaged with the Bible over time. Pete walks us through a sort of print time machine, looking at key folk in church history and how they engaged with the Bible. We think about 'The Didache' (an early Christian text), Augustine, Aldred, the mystery plays, Erasmus, and Wesley. This chapter makes for an intriguing overview, helping today's reader to root practices of Bible engagement in the past, and also providing food for thought in the way we might approach the Bible today. Chapter four, 'Discipleship and the Bible', is one of the best bits of recent writing on that topic that I've read. Rooted in the words of the Bible, and taking the imagery of the Disciples on the way to Emmaus, Pete makes a strong and passionate case for not just having the Bible as a central part of our discipleship, but thinking about soaking ourselves in it, marinating in it like meat before cooking. With helpful lessons from von Balthasar and Bonhoeffer, Pete encourages us to move from passive to active faith, with the Bible as a key part of that. With this in mind, we readers approach the final part of the book.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe final three chapters of 'Engaging the Word' cover the three aspects of discipleship that Pete wants to bring the Bible to bear on: reaching up (spirituality), reaching in (congregational well-being) and reaching out (engaging the world). Key to all of this - and a theme that comes through throughout the book - is community. Or, as Pete puts it, quoting Stanley Hauerwas;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'\u003cem\u003e'\u003c\/em\u003eA place where God is forming a family out of strangers'. That language resonates with the models of discipleship from Bonhoeffer and von Balthasar: the sense that we become disciples by sharing together in small groups, in communities, learning from one another, becoming friends and family, as we eat and drink and be together. Learning through open commensality, by opening ourselves up to one another and allowing God's word to\u003cem\u003e soak us in his presence\u003c\/em\u003e' From this place - this Bible-drenched community - flows the outpouring of discipleship. Woven in amongst these final three chapters is a deeply biblical emphasis on community and doing the stuff of the Kingdom of God - with some helpful practical suggestions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOverall, then, this is a brilliant book. Pete wears his learning lightly, brings together statistics and concepts in a way that makes a lot of sense, and offers us some excellent practical suggestions. If, like me, you are about to start (or do already) leading a small group, this is a great book to read to shape your thinking. If you are interested in Biblical literacy, or what Christians think of the Bible, then this is a book that is well worth reading. For those involved in church leadership of any kind, even if it feels more practical and less Bible-y than you might like, this is a helpful book to remind us where the engine is, how it works, and why we need to use it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Thomas Creedy.\u003c\/em\u003e https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.com\/book-review-engaging-the-word\/\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2024-10-30T09:32:52+00:00","created_at":"2024-10-30T09:31:48+00:00","vendor":"Peter M. Phillips","type":"eBook","tags":["Biblical engagement","For churches","Glassboxx","Mission","Oct-17"],"price":799,"price_min":799,"price_max":799,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":53604757012860,"title":"eBook","option1":"eBook","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9780857465863","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"Engaging the Word - eBook","public_title":"eBook","options":["eBook"],"price":799,"weight":201,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9780857465863","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/275.png?v=1730980385","\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/276.png?v=1730980325"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/275.png?v=1730980385","options":["Format"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":63001501565308,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/275.png?v=1730980385"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/275.png?v=1730980385","width":1303},{"alt":null,"id":63001486819708,"position":2,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/276.png?v=1730980325"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/276.png?v=1730980325","width":1303}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003ePeter Phillips is convinced that the church in the West is not devouring the Bible or meditating on the word as it should, and therefore is spiritually malnourished and failing to thrive. Engaging the Word will transform the Bible engagement habits of Christian disciples, improving the health of the church by opening up new opportunities for drawing on God's word and new life as a result.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEngaging the Word sets out what biblical literacy means and what it looks like in our contemporary culture, exploring the benefits of biblical literacy for those who follow Jesus and for Christian leaders as local theologians and preachers. It also presents a series of practical explorations of the role of the Bible, which help us to reach up to God, reach in to develop our own identity in Christ and reach out to others.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eContents\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIntroduction\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Bible and the word of God\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBiblical literacy\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe mediated Bible\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDiscipleship and the Bible\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReaching up: spirituality\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReaching in: congregational well-being\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReaching out: engaging the world\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat a gift of a book! Peter Phillips seems to hold out the Bible to us afresh, drawing us back to the power and grace of the word of God. In this accessible book, he brings vast learning and deep understanding to explore our modern Christian engagement with the Bible. There is challenge and insight for all here, and those who read it will come out enriched, challenged, and inspired to re-engage more deeply with God's word. I shall be recommending this to everyone!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Mark Tanner, Bishop of Berwick \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis thought-provoking book explores the question of what place the Bible does and should have in Christian discipleship. It combines helpful in-depth thinking with an easy to read accessible style and is well worth a read for anyone reflecting on patterns of Christian discipleship in the 21st century.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Paula Gooder Theologian in Residence at the Bible Society \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this book Pete Philips takes seriously God, the church and the Bible. In doing so there is a challenge for each us as we face the most pressing question facing the church today - how do we share our experience of God? Pete offers grounded ways in which the Good News can be encountered afresh and offered to the world.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Gareth Powell Secretary of the Methodist Conference \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEngaging the Word is a must for individual disciples and Christian communities. Here in this book, Pete Phillips uses theology, history and practical wisdom to show why. From the first disciples to the digital disciples of the 21st century there is much to learn.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e David Wilkinson, The Principal, St Johns College, Durham University \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"margin-right: 10px; float: left;\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/PeterPhillips_480x480.jpg?v=1676496974\" width=\"269\" height=\"359\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRevd Dr Peter Phillips is a Methodist minister and Director of CODEC, a research centre housed at St John's College, Durham University. For many years, he served as New Testament Tutor on the staff of Cliff College. He has a great interest in the New Testament and in communicating the faith in a digital age.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eReviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePreach Magazine (Summer 2018). Review by Alan Rashleigh\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo save readers from becoming stressed by trying to understand the subtitle, Peter has very helpfully opened his introduction with the words: 'This book is about the relationship between the reading of the Bible and following Jesus'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLater he asks the question, 'Can we be better Christians by engaging more with the Bible?' The fundamental purpose of the bible is surely to inspire mere mortals to aspire to be more like our Saviour and to follow in his footsteps. The problem comes because many people are unfamiliar with biblical language, as it is couched in terms not in everyday use. Hence the purpose of this book is to understand what the Bible is really about, and how we should use it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book is a call to action. It looks at how, by engaging with the Bible, our understanding of our journey in the Christian life will be transformed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are similar books which seek to achieve the same objectives, mainly by exhorting their readers to follow the instructions laid down in the Bible. This book is different, and to some may seem to be controversial. It argues that the Bible is not a rule book or instruction manual, rather it is a guide to enable followers to 'crank up' their own engines of Christian discipleship, with a few additives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book explores biblical literacy (engagement with the Word of God) and discipleship (engagement with the world). This is not surprising as Peter was a tutor at Cliff College, and among his other 'duties' was encouraging students to engage with the world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe uses examples of the writings of Augustine, Aldred and Erasmus, as well as the way in which mystery plays have helped people understand biblical stories. Being a Methodist, it would be remiss of Peter not to have included passages written by John Wesley too.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book also explores what it means to engage with the Word of God in a world where contemporary communication is focused on the digital.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a well-written, readable book which provides practical advice to those reading the Bible who want to put what they have read to practical use in the world. It is in itself 'engaging' and very worthwhile reading,\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Alan Rashleigh\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReform Magazine (February 2018). Review by Robert Pope, Director of Studies in Church History and Doctrine at Westminster College, Cambridge\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat place does the Bible have in renewing Christian witness in the 21\u003csup\u003est\u003c\/sup\u003e century? This book has two basic premises. First, biblical literacy has declined, resulting not only in a lack of biblical knowledge but also in an inability to identify the biblical references which are deeply embedded in western culture. Second, biblical literacy comes not through reading in isolation alone but by reading with others in prayerful discernment of God's address to us today. The first claim is supported by survey findings and, if true - the author suggests - renders the church impotent. The second is supported by appealing to theologians - including Wesley, Bonhoeffer, von Balthasar and Hauerwas - and it inspires the proclamation of the gospel in deed as well as in word. It also results in 'noticing the presence of the word everywhere we look'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChristianity, the author argues, possesses a message that cannot be jettisoned in favour of a superficial appeal to the contemporary zeitgeist. Phillips reminds us of the need for shared community values, inspired by the collective hearing of God's word, rather than any quest for personal fulfilment alone. Only this, Phillips believes, can offer redemption to a world increasingly characterised by narratives of destruction through terrorism, violence, displacement, isolation and fragmentation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReaders might feel they know much of this. They might regret that advice on practical implementation comes rather late, and is, perhaps, a little muted. But as the United Reformed Church moves forward with its vision of missional discipleship and its 'Walking the Way: Living the life of Jesus today' emphasis, this book might offer a challenge and an inspiration, as well as a resource, to proclaim the Gospel afresh in our day.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Robert Pope, Director of Studies in Church History and Doctrine at Westminster College, Cambridge\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview by Thomas Creedy (blogger)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI'm reviewing a book by a former lecturer and friend, Peter Phillips, known by many as the Director of CODEC in Durham. This book blends two passions of Pete's that I share - biblical literacy and Christian discipleship. \u003cem\u003eEngaging the Word: Biblical literacy and Christian discipleship\u003c\/em\u003e is a hidden gem of a book, bringing together Pete's wide learning, statistics, and a fierce commitment to the Bible. This is a book well worth reading - and spending time with. This book helpfully does three things - gives us a potted understanding of what the Bible is, who is reading it, and why it matters. Let me start with a quote, slightly shortened:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'\u003cem\u003eThe Bible, Webster said, is 'the vessel which bears God's majestic presence'. Recall too that Augustine had used a similar image: 'Scripture is the vehicle that God provides for us to travel to our true home along the road established by the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. In the Bible, God comes to address us, to invite us into relationship with him.\u003c\/em\u003e''\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePete begins with a couple of great chapters - The Bible and the word of God and Biblical literacy - that serve as a sort of roadmap for where he's coming from. Throughout both of these chapters, there is a real excitement about the Bible, and the possibilities that come in the Christian life from reading and engaging with it. Pete calls the Bible 'the engine for Christian discipleship', and this is a really helpful image in my mind. Of course, the Bible is more than this (but surely not less than this), and Pete walks us through this and three other understandings of what the Bible 'is'. Having given us a sense of what the Bible is, we turn to the tricky concept of biblical literacy, and without spoiling the book his suggestions are thoroughgoingly Trinitarian, church-oriented and dynamic. This is not just head knowledge - the Bible challenges Christian disciples to be transformed - and this is made clear throughout. Having set the scene with two very helpful chapters (the first is a brilliant explanation in reasonably normal English as to what the Bible is, the latter distilling a complex discussion into a simple output), Pete moves on to two chapters about the way we use the Bible.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChapter three, 'The mediated Bible'\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003eis a careful look at how Christians (and others) have engaged with the Bible over time. Pete walks us through a sort of print time machine, looking at key folk in church history and how they engaged with the Bible. We think about 'The Didache' (an early Christian text), Augustine, Aldred, the mystery plays, Erasmus, and Wesley. This chapter makes for an intriguing overview, helping today's reader to root practices of Bible engagement in the past, and also providing food for thought in the way we might approach the Bible today. Chapter four, 'Discipleship and the Bible', is one of the best bits of recent writing on that topic that I've read. Rooted in the words of the Bible, and taking the imagery of the Disciples on the way to Emmaus, Pete makes a strong and passionate case for not just having the Bible as a central part of our discipleship, but thinking about soaking ourselves in it, marinating in it like meat before cooking. With helpful lessons from von Balthasar and Bonhoeffer, Pete encourages us to move from passive to active faith, with the Bible as a key part of that. With this in mind, we readers approach the final part of the book.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe final three chapters of 'Engaging the Word' cover the three aspects of discipleship that Pete wants to bring the Bible to bear on: reaching up (spirituality), reaching in (congregational well-being) and reaching out (engaging the world). Key to all of this - and a theme that comes through throughout the book - is community. Or, as Pete puts it, quoting Stanley Hauerwas;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'\u003cem\u003e'\u003c\/em\u003eA place where God is forming a family out of strangers'. That language resonates with the models of discipleship from Bonhoeffer and von Balthasar: the sense that we become disciples by sharing together in small groups, in communities, learning from one another, becoming friends and family, as we eat and drink and be together. Learning through open commensality, by opening ourselves up to one another and allowing God's word to\u003cem\u003e soak us in his presence\u003c\/em\u003e' From this place - this Bible-drenched community - flows the outpouring of discipleship. Woven in amongst these final three chapters is a deeply biblical emphasis on community and doing the stuff of the Kingdom of God - with some helpful practical suggestions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOverall, then, this is a brilliant book. Pete wears his learning lightly, brings together statistics and concepts in a way that makes a lot of sense, and offers us some excellent practical suggestions. If, like me, you are about to start (or do already) leading a small group, this is a great book to read to shape your thinking. If you are interested in Biblical literacy, or what Christians think of the Bible, then this is a book that is well worth reading. For those involved in church leadership of any kind, even if it feels more practical and less Bible-y than you might like, this is a helpful book to remind us where the engine is, how it works, and why we need to use it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Thomas Creedy.\u003c\/em\u003e https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.com\/book-review-engaging-the-word\/\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e"}
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Engaging the Word
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{"id":14779532935548,"title":"Journey to Contentment: Pilgrimage principles for everyday life","handle":"journey-to-contentment-pilgrimage-principles-for-everyday-life","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eUsing the metaphor of pilgrimage, Sally Welch walks alongside us as leader and guide, but also fellow traveller, to explore how we can understand this biblical principle and make it our own.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book is divided into sections of a journey, beginning with the preparations necessary before setting out, exploring the obstacles which might be put in our path and sharing ways in which the journey can be made easier and more productive. At the end of each reflection there is a suggestion for an activity or prayer to enable the reader to apply the learning to their own life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSally Welch is the editor of BRF's \u003cem\u003eNew Daylight\u003c\/em\u003e Bible reading notes. She is Vicar of Charlbury with Shorthampton and diocesan spirituality adviser in the Diocese of Oxford. A writer and lecturer on spirituality, she is particularly interested in pilgrimage and labyrinth and has made many pilgrimages both in England and Europe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eReviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTransforming Ministry, digital edition 2. Review by Roger Thornington\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlways wanted to go on a step-free pilgrimage? Then this is the book for you! Sally Welch takes us through 52 steps, all from the comfort of your favourite armchair, on a journey to explore how we might reach an inner contentment on our Christian journey through life. Her metaphor is taken from the life of John Bunyan’s pilgrim – ‘Christian’. Eight sections – ‘Before we begin’, ’Stepping out in faith’, ‘Finding the rhythm of the way’, ‘The dangers of discontent’, ’The path of contentment : living lightly’, ‘… keeping focussed’, ‘… facing affliction’, and finally ‘Finding contentment’ – contain the 52 steps. Each step is quite short – some Bible verses, maybe an anecdote, a spiritual application and finally an exercise – a practical task or an inner reflection and a focus for prayer. Even if there are no hills, bad weather or difficulties in finding our way, these aspects are presented as inner challenges – are we content to accept an easy path through life or are we serious in pursuit of our Christian discipleship? This challenging book will be my constant companion on my inner pilgrimage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Roger Thornington \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Julian Meetings Magazine, April 2021. Review by Helen Lems\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSally Welch edits and contributes to the Bible Reading Fellowship’s \u003cem\u003eNew Daylight \u003c\/em\u003eBible reading notes. This book is a rich and useful resource to help deepen your spiritual life. The central theme of contentment, particularly its biblical understanding, is approached using the metaphor of a pilgrimage journey. The author is your companion and guide along the way, rather than an expert with all the answers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe groups 52 reflections into eight sections, with headings such as 'Stepping out in faith' and 'The dangers of discontent’. She suggests reading one each week. They have much to offer both to those just starting out and those who are further along the way on the journey of spiritual exploration.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach reflection relates to the section theme and precedes a short Bible passage. Then there are some suggestions for further personal reflection. Keeping a journal could be a useful aide to record these, so that they could be revisited later.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book is one to keep revisiting, not only at different times of the year but at different stages of life. It would be a useful resource for a retreat or quiet day or to use at home. It could be used at the same season e.g. Advent or Lent, over several years rather than weekly over a year. Both would work equally well. It is tempting to look at headings and skip some sections and focus on others, but if you can resist this then the spiritual rewards could be deeper. I look forward to exploring it further at a more leisurely pace!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Helen Lems\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChurch Times 13.11.20. Review by Leigh Hatts\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e‘THE realisation creeps on us gradually that we are in this for the long haul, that life has changed and we may never return to how it was,’ Sally Welch writes in \u003cem\u003eJourney to Contentment\u003c\/em\u003e. This is one of the many moments when the book has both resonance and answers for living during the ongoing pandemic, and especially for those suddenly like Martha, with endless caring or domestic duties. Although written before the virus hit us, it manages to be a prescient book.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSally Welch, a parish priest, is best known as a Bible Reading Fellowship editor [\u003cem\u003eNew Daylight\u003c\/em\u003e Bible reading notes] and pilgrimage leader. She is also the keeper of Oxford diocese’s giant travelling labyrinth, which is often thrown down at big events to encourage contemplation. But this book is initially for solo indoor reading along the road on which the author says that she, too, is seeking contentment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith 52 short ‘sections’, it can be a two-month journey or a year-long exploration. Each section starts with a scripture quotation, including psalms, from the NRSV, followed by a reflection. The conclusion is always a suggested activity or exercise, which, the writer admits, some will skip, although planting seeds for our prayer space must appeal to many. The themes, such as ,Finding the rhythm of the way’, climax in various paths of contentment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo meditate on St Paul’s suggestion that we ‘run with perseverance’, there are surprising motivational quotations from Jesse Owens, Marilyn Monroe, and Oprah Winfrey. Towards the end, we are encouraged, like the pilgrim, to talk to fellow travellers and so find mutual support and companionship to do God’s work better. The reward, it is suggested, can be happiness and living longer. The book turns out to be an enjoyable and easy-to-read course for living in the new normal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Leigh Hatts, author of ‘Walking The Pilgrims’ Way’ (Cicerone, 2017).\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Salvationist 25.7.20\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReview by Major Noreen Batt\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReading this guide brought a helpful dimension to the prospect of going on a journey to contentment right in the midst of the rawness of life. As Sally Welch observes: ‘Contentment is not a secret, but it is a mystery… it is learned, and the lessons can be hard work.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are guided to prepare for the journey, to step out in faith, find the rhythm of how to walk well, encounter challenges on the way and discover the mystery of contentment as we go. Written in 52 short chapters, it feels like a pocketbook that you could take on a pilgrimage – thoughts to mull over at the beginning or end of the day, guidance to ponder over a cup of coffee and insights to wonder about in between.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Scriptures given for each step are carefully placed stepping stones that you don’t always expect, but that adds interest. In each chapter there is a suggested exercise that offers a variety of responses, from spiritual disciplines to artwork, from creative to practical responses, from gardening to decluttering.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a book you could use by yourself for daily devotions or – if you wanted to dwell on the insights for longer and exercise them in your life – as a weekly guide. Alternatively, you could use it as a pilgrimage guide with a small group of fellow pilgrims and enjoy companionship along the way.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs we gradually emerge from lockdown, Sally’s reflection on Ezekiel’s vision of the dry bones particularly resonates: ‘Deprived of the structure that sustained his life, he must find a new way of thinking and believing. With the old supports destroyed, hope must be sought – and found – in a new place.’ This book offers a gentle, thoughtful companion on the pilgrim way. You just might want to pop it in your rucksack!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview by Richard Frost\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSally Welch is a well-established figure in the ministry and mission of BRF and her latest book reflects her skill as a writer, vocation as a priest and capacity as a spirituality advisor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUsing the metaphor of pilgrimage, she takes us on a journey from preparation to destination. Like any pilgrimage (literal or metaphorical) such journeys involve stepping out in faith, finding rhythms, carrying a load, overcoming difficulties and keeping focused on where God is leading us towards. Like any pilgrimage this is a book not to be rushed, nor to dawdle through.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBefore setting out on a journey it is important to check one’s route and what that comprises of. The same is true of this book. The book is divided into 52 sections – but the reader should avoid thinking that means reading one per week. Indeed, Sally Welch encourages the reader to take one per day but, such is the depth of content and the nature of the exercise included in each section that, this reviewer would suggest, more time is needed to fully get the most out of the pilgrimage. Slightly confusingly, these 52 sections are divided in to 8 larger parts, also called sections.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut that aside, there is plenty in these pages to get to grips with. It is both challenging and reassuring to know that many people thrive and struggle in the Christian life of pilgrimage and our journey towards contentment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eRichard Frost is the author of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/products\/life-with-st-benedict-the-rule-re-imagined-for-everyday-living\"\u003eLife with St Benedict\u003c\/a\u003e and writes a blog at \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/workrestpray.com\/\"\u003eworkrestpray.com\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2024-10-30T09:37:11+00:00","created_at":"2024-10-30T09:35:56+00:00","vendor":"Sally Welch","type":"eBook","tags":["Devotional","For individuals","Glassboxx","May-20","Spirituality"],"price":899,"price_min":899,"price_max":899,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":53604759306620,"title":"eBook","option1":"eBook","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9780857465931","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"Journey to Contentment: Pilgrimage principles for everyday life - eBook","public_title":"eBook","options":["eBook"],"price":899,"weight":100,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9780857465931","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/277.png?v=1730980247","\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/278.png?v=1730980332"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/277.png?v=1730980247","options":["Format"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":63001469321596,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/277.png?v=1730980247"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/277.png?v=1730980247","width":1303},{"alt":null,"id":63001488916860,"position":2,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/278.png?v=1730980332"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/278.png?v=1730980332","width":1303}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eUsing the metaphor of pilgrimage, Sally Welch walks alongside us as leader and guide, but also fellow traveller, to explore how we can understand this biblical principle and make it our own.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book is divided into sections of a journey, beginning with the preparations necessary before setting out, exploring the obstacles which might be put in our path and sharing ways in which the journey can be made easier and more productive. At the end of each reflection there is a suggestion for an activity or prayer to enable the reader to apply the learning to their own life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSally Welch is the editor of BRF's \u003cem\u003eNew Daylight\u003c\/em\u003e Bible reading notes. She is Vicar of Charlbury with Shorthampton and diocesan spirituality adviser in the Diocese of Oxford. A writer and lecturer on spirituality, she is particularly interested in pilgrimage and labyrinth and has made many pilgrimages both in England and Europe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eReviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTransforming Ministry, digital edition 2. Review by Roger Thornington\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlways wanted to go on a step-free pilgrimage? Then this is the book for you! Sally Welch takes us through 52 steps, all from the comfort of your favourite armchair, on a journey to explore how we might reach an inner contentment on our Christian journey through life. Her metaphor is taken from the life of John Bunyan’s pilgrim – ‘Christian’. Eight sections – ‘Before we begin’, ’Stepping out in faith’, ‘Finding the rhythm of the way’, ‘The dangers of discontent’, ’The path of contentment : living lightly’, ‘… keeping focussed’, ‘… facing affliction’, and finally ‘Finding contentment’ – contain the 52 steps. Each step is quite short – some Bible verses, maybe an anecdote, a spiritual application and finally an exercise – a practical task or an inner reflection and a focus for prayer. Even if there are no hills, bad weather or difficulties in finding our way, these aspects are presented as inner challenges – are we content to accept an easy path through life or are we serious in pursuit of our Christian discipleship? This challenging book will be my constant companion on my inner pilgrimage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Roger Thornington \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Julian Meetings Magazine, April 2021. Review by Helen Lems\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSally Welch edits and contributes to the Bible Reading Fellowship’s \u003cem\u003eNew Daylight \u003c\/em\u003eBible reading notes. This book is a rich and useful resource to help deepen your spiritual life. The central theme of contentment, particularly its biblical understanding, is approached using the metaphor of a pilgrimage journey. The author is your companion and guide along the way, rather than an expert with all the answers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe groups 52 reflections into eight sections, with headings such as 'Stepping out in faith' and 'The dangers of discontent’. She suggests reading one each week. They have much to offer both to those just starting out and those who are further along the way on the journey of spiritual exploration.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach reflection relates to the section theme and precedes a short Bible passage. Then there are some suggestions for further personal reflection. Keeping a journal could be a useful aide to record these, so that they could be revisited later.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book is one to keep revisiting, not only at different times of the year but at different stages of life. It would be a useful resource for a retreat or quiet day or to use at home. It could be used at the same season e.g. Advent or Lent, over several years rather than weekly over a year. Both would work equally well. It is tempting to look at headings and skip some sections and focus on others, but if you can resist this then the spiritual rewards could be deeper. I look forward to exploring it further at a more leisurely pace!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Helen Lems\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChurch Times 13.11.20. Review by Leigh Hatts\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e‘THE realisation creeps on us gradually that we are in this for the long haul, that life has changed and we may never return to how it was,’ Sally Welch writes in \u003cem\u003eJourney to Contentment\u003c\/em\u003e. This is one of the many moments when the book has both resonance and answers for living during the ongoing pandemic, and especially for those suddenly like Martha, with endless caring or domestic duties. Although written before the virus hit us, it manages to be a prescient book.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSally Welch, a parish priest, is best known as a Bible Reading Fellowship editor [\u003cem\u003eNew Daylight\u003c\/em\u003e Bible reading notes] and pilgrimage leader. She is also the keeper of Oxford diocese’s giant travelling labyrinth, which is often thrown down at big events to encourage contemplation. But this book is initially for solo indoor reading along the road on which the author says that she, too, is seeking contentment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith 52 short ‘sections’, it can be a two-month journey or a year-long exploration. Each section starts with a scripture quotation, including psalms, from the NRSV, followed by a reflection. The conclusion is always a suggested activity or exercise, which, the writer admits, some will skip, although planting seeds for our prayer space must appeal to many. The themes, such as ,Finding the rhythm of the way’, climax in various paths of contentment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo meditate on St Paul’s suggestion that we ‘run with perseverance’, there are surprising motivational quotations from Jesse Owens, Marilyn Monroe, and Oprah Winfrey. Towards the end, we are encouraged, like the pilgrim, to talk to fellow travellers and so find mutual support and companionship to do God’s work better. The reward, it is suggested, can be happiness and living longer. The book turns out to be an enjoyable and easy-to-read course for living in the new normal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Leigh Hatts, author of ‘Walking The Pilgrims’ Way’ (Cicerone, 2017).\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Salvationist 25.7.20\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReview by Major Noreen Batt\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReading this guide brought a helpful dimension to the prospect of going on a journey to contentment right in the midst of the rawness of life. As Sally Welch observes: ‘Contentment is not a secret, but it is a mystery… it is learned, and the lessons can be hard work.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are guided to prepare for the journey, to step out in faith, find the rhythm of how to walk well, encounter challenges on the way and discover the mystery of contentment as we go. Written in 52 short chapters, it feels like a pocketbook that you could take on a pilgrimage – thoughts to mull over at the beginning or end of the day, guidance to ponder over a cup of coffee and insights to wonder about in between.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Scriptures given for each step are carefully placed stepping stones that you don’t always expect, but that adds interest. In each chapter there is a suggested exercise that offers a variety of responses, from spiritual disciplines to artwork, from creative to practical responses, from gardening to decluttering.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a book you could use by yourself for daily devotions or – if you wanted to dwell on the insights for longer and exercise them in your life – as a weekly guide. Alternatively, you could use it as a pilgrimage guide with a small group of fellow pilgrims and enjoy companionship along the way.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs we gradually emerge from lockdown, Sally’s reflection on Ezekiel’s vision of the dry bones particularly resonates: ‘Deprived of the structure that sustained his life, he must find a new way of thinking and believing. With the old supports destroyed, hope must be sought – and found – in a new place.’ This book offers a gentle, thoughtful companion on the pilgrim way. You just might want to pop it in your rucksack!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview by Richard Frost\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSally Welch is a well-established figure in the ministry and mission of BRF and her latest book reflects her skill as a writer, vocation as a priest and capacity as a spirituality advisor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUsing the metaphor of pilgrimage, she takes us on a journey from preparation to destination. Like any pilgrimage (literal or metaphorical) such journeys involve stepping out in faith, finding rhythms, carrying a load, overcoming difficulties and keeping focused on where God is leading us towards. Like any pilgrimage this is a book not to be rushed, nor to dawdle through.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBefore setting out on a journey it is important to check one’s route and what that comprises of. The same is true of this book. The book is divided into 52 sections – but the reader should avoid thinking that means reading one per week. Indeed, Sally Welch encourages the reader to take one per day but, such is the depth of content and the nature of the exercise included in each section that, this reviewer would suggest, more time is needed to fully get the most out of the pilgrimage. Slightly confusingly, these 52 sections are divided in to 8 larger parts, also called sections.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut that aside, there is plenty in these pages to get to grips with. It is both challenging and reassuring to know that many people thrive and struggle in the Christian life of pilgrimage and our journey towards contentment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eRichard Frost is the author of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/products\/life-with-st-benedict-the-rule-re-imagined-for-everyday-living\"\u003eLife with St Benedict\u003c\/a\u003e and writes a blog at \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/workrestpray.com\/\"\u003eworkrestpray.com\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e"}
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{"id":14779545813372,"title":"Praying the Way: with Matthew, Mark, Luke and John","handle":"praying-the-way-with-matthew-mark-luke-and-john-1","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eThrough raw and authentic prayers, based on the gospel stories, Terry Hinks leads readers into the heart of the gospels the more clearly to see the needs and joys of today's world. This highly original book helps readers to pray out of, and with, the words of Jesus and to discover the joy of prayer as a two-way conversation - listening as much as speaking to God.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTerry Hinks' book is a multi-layered gift. At once, it both offers prayers that can enrich personal devotions and public worship and enables insightfully novel theological reflection upon some very familiar material. I am grateful for it myself and warmly commend it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRevd Nigel Uden, URC General Assembly Moderator 2018 - 2020\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTerry Hinks is a gifted wordsmith. His latest book, Praying the Way with Matthew, Mark, Luke and John consists of 160 amazingly fresh prayers - 40 for each gospel - in which Scripture becomes the springboard for the soul. I know of no other prayer resource quite like it. I found these prayers not just stimulating and broadening, but also deeply challenging. This is a book not to be read - but to be used. I warmly commend it to anyone looking for a more authentic relationship with God.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePaul Beasley-Murray, 'Church Matters'\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTerry Hinks has thought and written over many years about ways that the gospels can inspire and inform our praying. Now this mature collection of prayers draws on important texts from across the four gospels and from all around the themes of the Christian year. The primary tone is reflective, coming near to God in measured, thoughtful praise, and with deep confidence and hope. The language is both reverent and accessible, moving yet not complicated. These prayers would work very well in a church service, and would be equally helpful in a small house group or in private devotion. This book deserves to circulate widely, and I suspect that many copies will become well-worn in the course of the years. This is a resource to return to, time and again, for one's own faith and in the service of others.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Revd John Proctor, General Secretary, The United Reformed Church\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTerry Hinks' thoughtful and useful prayers help us better understand the Jesus presented in each of the gospels. The book is very helpful for personal devotional use, but also an invaluable resource for leaders of worship.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAndy Braunston, Coordinator of URC Daily Devotion Project\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTerry writes with freshness and honesty to all those who, like him, are trying to walk Christ's way. Like a seasoned traveller, he crafts prayers - inspired by the four gospels - that act as a way marker for his fellow travellers. I warmly commend this resource to enable us all to pray the way before turning back to the challenges that await us on the road.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRevd Richard Church, Deputy General Secretary (Discipleship) of The United Reformed Church\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Praying the Way, Terry Hinks has developed his work around the four gospels into a thoughtful and accessible resource for prayer. He takes Jesus' life and relationship with his heavenly Father as a starting point for exploring our own life of prayer. This book, while primarily designed as an aid to personal devotion, will, I am sure, be a source of material for many worship leaders.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRevd Clare Downing, Moderator of the Wessex Synod\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTerry Hinks is a United Reformed Church minister, serving churches in Hereford, Reading and Romsey before moving to two churches in the High Wycombe area. He served as Secretary to the URC Doctrine Prayer and Worship Committee and contributed the Order of Daily Worship to the URC's Service Book Worship. He is the author of a number of books on prayer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Reader website, 6 March 2019. Review by Laura Hillman.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis collection of prayers and meditations is firmly anchored in the four gospels. An introduction to each section highlights the characteristics of prayer in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The reader is invited to follow 'the way', a life based on prayer leading to action and changed attitudes. The author has obviously thought hard and long about the lessons to be learned and the strength to be gained from meditating on the scriptures. Each prayer is introduced by a sentence from the relevant gospel with a reference to the longer passage from which it is drawn. The language is refreshingly simple and direct with sparing and effective use of imagery. Although rooted in the Bible, the text has multiple references to life in the 21\u003csup\u003est\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ecentury. As well as being a springboard for personal prayer these readings will provide new insights for preachers and study group leaders looking for a fresh take on a well-known text.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Laura Hillman\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.readers.cofe.anglican.org\/resources\"\u003ewww.readers.cofe.anglican.org\/resources\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e_______________________________________________\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReform Magazine, Dec 2018-Jan2019, reviewed by John Proctor\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTerry Hinks has thought and written over many years about ways in which the gospels can inspire and shape our praying. His long ministry, across four United Reformed Church pastorates, has certainly deepened and developed this work, and now he has provided us with a rich collection of mature prayers, drawing on important texts from across the four gospels and around the themes of the Christian year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePraying the Way \u003c\/em\u003econtains 160 prayers in all - 40 based on passages in each of the gospels. Most of them are short - between about 100 and 150 words in length - and, while Hinks has a recognisable mood and approach, there is definitely no single pattern of length, rhythm or style. The primary tone is reflective, drawing near to God in measured, thoughtful praise, with deep confidence and hope, yet often with searching humility too. The language is both reverent and accessible, often moving, never complex.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe prayers in \u003cem\u003ePraying the Way\u003c\/em\u003e would work well in church worship and could be equally helpful in a house group or for private use. They would connect most deeply with Christians who were reasonably familiar with the bibilcal material, and who were glad to have their thoughts taken to new places in their praying. Worship leaders will welcome the book, not least because the prayers relate so directly and obviously to scripture passages, many of which appear in the Revised Common Lectionary used in Sunday services.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA few sample snippets from the book with show the counterpoint of freshness and familiarity. The prayer based on Matthew 18:12-13 talks of 'sheep, ready to be counted, not to send us to sleep, but to waken us to your kingdom'. The one on Mark 2:1-12 says: 'Let us praise God for friends who carry us through the darkest of times'. The prayer for Luke 15:8-10 asks: 'Holy Spirit, sweep through the dust of my life'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book deserves to be widely known and well used, and many copies will surely become well-worn in the course of the years. This is a resource to return to, time and again, for one's own faith and in the service of others.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eJohn Proctor is General Secretary of the United Reformed Church\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e This is a real treasure trove. Here are 40 readings and prayers for each of the 4 Gospels; 160 pages of wisdom, illumination, inspiration and motivation with helpful introductions and an Appendix suggesting ways in which these jewels can be made to sparkle. What is found here is not just the product of academic study but of rich pastoral experience in grass-roots ministry serving churches in Hereford, Reading, Romsey and High Wycombe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe value of these crisp reflections is that they can be used systematically to travel through the Gospels or they can be dipped into. They are also a valuable starting point for sermon preparation because of their pithy headings and the prayers which give further insight.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI warmly commend this creative devotional book.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRevd Tom Stuckey, a Former President of the Methodist Church in Britain\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Baptist Times, 16.01.19. Reviewed by Keith Parr\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI found myself in a rather beautiful place in late October.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is this beautiful little Baptist church in beautiful Bunessan on the beautiful Isle of Mull in beautiful Scotland. Everything about it is, well beautiful! The people smile an outrageous amount, the weather is always clement (unless it's cold and raining which happens quite a lot) and the view from the pulpit... oh my, I could wax lyrical about the view from the pulpit for hours.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI found myself in this beautiful place clutching this book I'd promised to review. I don't normally use much liturgy or many written prayers when I lead worship, but decided to take \u003cem\u003ePraying the Way\u003c\/em\u003e for a trial run this Sunday morning, knowing after the service I could ask all of the congregation if it helped or hindered their encounter with Jesus.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is how it works: Terry Hinks has written prayers around various passages in the four Gospels. As I was preaching on John 4:1-42 (Jesus and the woman at the well) after the reading, I used the prayer based on that passage. Leading the prayer felt a little odd, but that could be put down to my lack of practice with this form of praying. The congregation, though, all seemed to appreciate the structure and pauses (which I put in), especially because it related to the reading and the sermon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI probably wouldn't have purchased this, but it is the kind of book that I will know I can dip into if needs be. If your church uses liturgical language you will like this a lot. If you don't, then it isn't a bad idea to have these resources around, and this is not a bad place to start.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Keith Parr, the minister at Maghull Baptist Church north of Liverpool\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2024-10-30T09:42:13+00:00","created_at":"2024-10-30T09:41:22+00:00","vendor":"Terry Hinks","type":"eBook","tags":["Biblical engagement","For individuals","Glassboxx","Oct-18","Prayer"],"price":1099,"price_min":1099,"price_max":1099,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":53604764680572,"title":"eBook","option1":"eBook","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9780857467171","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"Praying the Way: with Matthew, Mark, Luke and John - eBook","public_title":"eBook","options":["eBook"],"price":1099,"weight":248,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9780857467171","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/281.png?v=1730980241","\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/282.png?v=1730980330"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/281.png?v=1730980241","options":["Format"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":63001467912572,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/281.png?v=1730980241"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/281.png?v=1730980241","width":1303},{"alt":null,"id":63001488753020,"position":2,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/282.png?v=1730980330"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/282.png?v=1730980330","width":1303}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eThrough raw and authentic prayers, based on the gospel stories, Terry Hinks leads readers into the heart of the gospels the more clearly to see the needs and joys of today's world. This highly original book helps readers to pray out of, and with, the words of Jesus and to discover the joy of prayer as a two-way conversation - listening as much as speaking to God.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTerry Hinks' book is a multi-layered gift. At once, it both offers prayers that can enrich personal devotions and public worship and enables insightfully novel theological reflection upon some very familiar material. I am grateful for it myself and warmly commend it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRevd Nigel Uden, URC General Assembly Moderator 2018 - 2020\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTerry Hinks is a gifted wordsmith. His latest book, Praying the Way with Matthew, Mark, Luke and John consists of 160 amazingly fresh prayers - 40 for each gospel - in which Scripture becomes the springboard for the soul. I know of no other prayer resource quite like it. I found these prayers not just stimulating and broadening, but also deeply challenging. This is a book not to be read - but to be used. I warmly commend it to anyone looking for a more authentic relationship with God.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePaul Beasley-Murray, 'Church Matters'\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTerry Hinks has thought and written over many years about ways that the gospels can inspire and inform our praying. Now this mature collection of prayers draws on important texts from across the four gospels and from all around the themes of the Christian year. The primary tone is reflective, coming near to God in measured, thoughtful praise, and with deep confidence and hope. The language is both reverent and accessible, moving yet not complicated. These prayers would work very well in a church service, and would be equally helpful in a small house group or in private devotion. This book deserves to circulate widely, and I suspect that many copies will become well-worn in the course of the years. This is a resource to return to, time and again, for one's own faith and in the service of others.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Revd John Proctor, General Secretary, The United Reformed Church\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTerry Hinks' thoughtful and useful prayers help us better understand the Jesus presented in each of the gospels. The book is very helpful for personal devotional use, but also an invaluable resource for leaders of worship.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAndy Braunston, Coordinator of URC Daily Devotion Project\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTerry writes with freshness and honesty to all those who, like him, are trying to walk Christ's way. Like a seasoned traveller, he crafts prayers - inspired by the four gospels - that act as a way marker for his fellow travellers. I warmly commend this resource to enable us all to pray the way before turning back to the challenges that await us on the road.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRevd Richard Church, Deputy General Secretary (Discipleship) of The United Reformed Church\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Praying the Way, Terry Hinks has developed his work around the four gospels into a thoughtful and accessible resource for prayer. He takes Jesus' life and relationship with his heavenly Father as a starting point for exploring our own life of prayer. This book, while primarily designed as an aid to personal devotion, will, I am sure, be a source of material for many worship leaders.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRevd Clare Downing, Moderator of the Wessex Synod\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTerry Hinks is a United Reformed Church minister, serving churches in Hereford, Reading and Romsey before moving to two churches in the High Wycombe area. He served as Secretary to the URC Doctrine Prayer and Worship Committee and contributed the Order of Daily Worship to the URC's Service Book Worship. He is the author of a number of books on prayer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Reader website, 6 March 2019. Review by Laura Hillman.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis collection of prayers and meditations is firmly anchored in the four gospels. An introduction to each section highlights the characteristics of prayer in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The reader is invited to follow 'the way', a life based on prayer leading to action and changed attitudes. The author has obviously thought hard and long about the lessons to be learned and the strength to be gained from meditating on the scriptures. Each prayer is introduced by a sentence from the relevant gospel with a reference to the longer passage from which it is drawn. The language is refreshingly simple and direct with sparing and effective use of imagery. Although rooted in the Bible, the text has multiple references to life in the 21\u003csup\u003est\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ecentury. As well as being a springboard for personal prayer these readings will provide new insights for preachers and study group leaders looking for a fresh take on a well-known text.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Laura Hillman\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.readers.cofe.anglican.org\/resources\"\u003ewww.readers.cofe.anglican.org\/resources\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e_______________________________________________\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReform Magazine, Dec 2018-Jan2019, reviewed by John Proctor\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTerry Hinks has thought and written over many years about ways in which the gospels can inspire and shape our praying. His long ministry, across four United Reformed Church pastorates, has certainly deepened and developed this work, and now he has provided us with a rich collection of mature prayers, drawing on important texts from across the four gospels and around the themes of the Christian year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePraying the Way \u003c\/em\u003econtains 160 prayers in all - 40 based on passages in each of the gospels. Most of them are short - between about 100 and 150 words in length - and, while Hinks has a recognisable mood and approach, there is definitely no single pattern of length, rhythm or style. The primary tone is reflective, drawing near to God in measured, thoughtful praise, with deep confidence and hope, yet often with searching humility too. The language is both reverent and accessible, often moving, never complex.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe prayers in \u003cem\u003ePraying the Way\u003c\/em\u003e would work well in church worship and could be equally helpful in a house group or for private use. They would connect most deeply with Christians who were reasonably familiar with the bibilcal material, and who were glad to have their thoughts taken to new places in their praying. Worship leaders will welcome the book, not least because the prayers relate so directly and obviously to scripture passages, many of which appear in the Revised Common Lectionary used in Sunday services.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA few sample snippets from the book with show the counterpoint of freshness and familiarity. The prayer based on Matthew 18:12-13 talks of 'sheep, ready to be counted, not to send us to sleep, but to waken us to your kingdom'. The one on Mark 2:1-12 says: 'Let us praise God for friends who carry us through the darkest of times'. The prayer for Luke 15:8-10 asks: 'Holy Spirit, sweep through the dust of my life'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book deserves to be widely known and well used, and many copies will surely become well-worn in the course of the years. This is a resource to return to, time and again, for one's own faith and in the service of others.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eJohn Proctor is General Secretary of the United Reformed Church\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e This is a real treasure trove. Here are 40 readings and prayers for each of the 4 Gospels; 160 pages of wisdom, illumination, inspiration and motivation with helpful introductions and an Appendix suggesting ways in which these jewels can be made to sparkle. What is found here is not just the product of academic study but of rich pastoral experience in grass-roots ministry serving churches in Hereford, Reading, Romsey and High Wycombe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe value of these crisp reflections is that they can be used systematically to travel through the Gospels or they can be dipped into. They are also a valuable starting point for sermon preparation because of their pithy headings and the prayers which give further insight.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI warmly commend this creative devotional book.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRevd Tom Stuckey, a Former President of the Methodist Church in Britain\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Baptist Times, 16.01.19. Reviewed by Keith Parr\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI found myself in a rather beautiful place in late October.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is this beautiful little Baptist church in beautiful Bunessan on the beautiful Isle of Mull in beautiful Scotland. Everything about it is, well beautiful! The people smile an outrageous amount, the weather is always clement (unless it's cold and raining which happens quite a lot) and the view from the pulpit... oh my, I could wax lyrical about the view from the pulpit for hours.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI found myself in this beautiful place clutching this book I'd promised to review. I don't normally use much liturgy or many written prayers when I lead worship, but decided to take \u003cem\u003ePraying the Way\u003c\/em\u003e for a trial run this Sunday morning, knowing after the service I could ask all of the congregation if it helped or hindered their encounter with Jesus.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is how it works: Terry Hinks has written prayers around various passages in the four Gospels. As I was preaching on John 4:1-42 (Jesus and the woman at the well) after the reading, I used the prayer based on that passage. Leading the prayer felt a little odd, but that could be put down to my lack of practice with this form of praying. The congregation, though, all seemed to appreciate the structure and pauses (which I put in), especially because it related to the reading and the sermon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI probably wouldn't have purchased this, but it is the kind of book that I will know I can dip into if needs be. If your church uses liturgical language you will like this a lot. If you don't, then it isn't a bad idea to have these resources around, and this is not a bad place to start.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Keith Parr, the minister at Maghull Baptist Church north of Liverpool\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e"}
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Praying the Way: with Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
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Digital eBook Only - Through raw and authentic prayers, based on the gospel stories, Terry Hinks leads readers into the...
{"id":14779549122940,"title":"How to Read the Bible... so that it makes a difference","handle":"how-to-read-the-bible-so-that-it-makes-a-difference-1","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eTo read and engage with the Bible, we first need to understand the story, the styles of writing and the approaches we find in the text. Michael Parsons encourages readers to look at the whole biblical storyline before demonstrating ways of approaching individual texts. Topics along the way include understanding different genres, the importance of narrative, imaginative reading, praying the Bible, difficult passages and what to do with them, and how to apply scripture to our own lives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor Information\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMichael Parsons is Minister for Discipleship at Lechlade Baptist Church and has previously been a theology lecturer in the UK and Australia, and commissioning editor for Paternoster and The Bible Reading Fellowship. He is the author of books on the Reformation and an Associate Research Fellow at Spurgeon’s College, London.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e‘Michael Parsons is passionate about the Bible – and it shows! He is also passionate about helping people engage with the Bible in ways that draw them into personal and transformative encounters with the God revealed in its pages. This book is bursting with resources to help us understand what the Bible is, how to read and study it for ourselves, and how to know God better as we do so; it is a richly rewarded read!’\u003cbr\u003eMags Duggan, author and speaker\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eReviews\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTransforming Ministry, September 2020. Review by Veronica Bright\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e‘We read scripture to hear God speak to us, to relate to us in and through Christ.’ The author emphasises engaging with the text, rather than merely reading it, and he sets out to explain and demonstrate how his readers may do this, in a number of different ways. He offers exercises at chapter ends, so that individuals or groups may further their experience of the topic presented. As a writer I found the chapter on poetic language interesting. We are so used to imagery in the novels we read now, but when the psalmist uses imagery, for example, it would probably have been the first time a phrase or word was used creatively. Parsons is an experienced minister and theology lecturer, and he writes clearly and encouragingly. Sometimes I feel he leads readers towards his own viewpoint, rather than guiding them to form their own. The concluding chapter in the book considers the reasons we want to be biblically literate. By the end I was conscious that behind each book in the Bible there is a writer, and beside each writer there is God.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Veronica Bright\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTouchstone, the monthly newspaper of the Methodist Church of New Zealand, July 2020. Review by John Meredith\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe intention of the book is to help readers who want to read the Bible with comprehension and application to life today. In this, it achieves its aim. Readers are invited to be prepared to think things through as they read and to try out the strategies the author suggests.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book is presented in four parts: \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFirst, the foundation for reading the Bible today. Rather than every word being dictated by God, the Bible has come to us through human authors and editors all of whom were seeking to convey their experience of God as a presence in the midst of life. Through their words we may hear God speaking as one who addresses us in the life of our day. As we listen we discover that the Bible has a voice directed to us. God speaks to those who read the Bible in this way.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSecond, macro strategies: how to read the narratives. It may be argued that the major coordinates shaping the whole Bible are creation, the fall, redemption and the new creation. We are pulled into these narratives as we read and listen. The Bible does not give us definitive answers on issues such as divorce, nuclear war, use of the internet, gay rights or animal testing. As we engage with God’s word, however, we learn to respond in ways that are consistent with God’s character. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThird, micro strategies: how to read the text. This section includes a number of helpful exercises for reading imaginatively and reflectively. While we will find in the Bible expressions of God’s judgement the author stresses how we should always be looking for hints of God’s grace even if this means questioning a text as we read. Each of the ten chapters in part three ends with an exercise where readers are invited to put into practice the steps for reading specific texts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFour, things to take into account that will inform thoughtful engagement with the text. The chapters in this section also include practical exercises. The author directs attention to the words in the text, the writer’s emotions, the literary devices used by writers, how to regard long and tedious lists of names and details and the way the gospels present Jesus and invite us to respond to him within the context of our own lives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book ends by asking why read the Bible? In summary, reading the Bible is an essential aspect of worship, from the Bible we learn about the grace and mercy of God, especially of God’s love in Jesus Christ, it offers strength and hope for the most trying circumstances and inspires us to act with Spirit-filled justice and compassion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eHow to Read the Bible \u003c\/em\u003epresents a scholarly approach in a non-threatening way. The practical exercises suggested are an invaluable resource for those who wish to improve their biblical literacy. It is especially recommended for group study.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by John Meredith, editor of Word \u0026amp; Worship the quarterly publication of the New Zealand Lay Preachers Association\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed by Richard Frost\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeing a Minister for Discipleship at Lechlade Baptist Church, former theology lecturer both here and in Australia and former Commissioning Editor at BRF, Michael Parsons knows what he’s talking about. From rigorous analysis to comparing life as a Christian with shooting ‘the rapids’ at Centre Parcs, in this book he explores a heady mixture of practical, Biblical insights and academic theology in a readable, usable and at times challenging way.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInitially considering what he calls ‘macro’ strategies of how to read and understand the Bible, he offers practical ways of exploring these for ourselves either alone or in groups. The book then moves from the academic to the practical by considering a variety of ‘micro’ strategies such as Ignatian imagination-based meditation and variations of \u003cem\u003electio divina\u003c\/em\u003e (spiritual reading) through to engaging with the narrative by focusing on specific sentences or verses and how that enriches our understanding - and how the Bible itself encourages us to ‘turn being in to doing’. Final sections consider the poetic language of the Bible, its use of rhetoric and repetition, and the more difficult and, to be frank, boring bits that these scriptures contain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e‘The Bible, then, is a post-fall witness to God’s revelation of himself, of his presence, intentions and historical activity,’ Michael Parsons writes. ‘The Bible is a continuing, written witness to how the Lord has revealed himself to the world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e‘If the authors of the biblical books find it terribly difficult – nearly impossible – to describe the God who speaks to them, then on reading scripture we shouldn’t be dismayed that we sometimes can’t picture what they are saying to us. If they struggled with the original revelation, how much more will we with the imperfect representation of it?’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe plethora of approaches to reading the Bible that are explored in this book is helpful and, lest it becomes overwhelming, each reader will need to determine for themselves which method may or may not work for them. Helpful to that is the way each chapter finishes with some suggestions about how to put the ‘strategy’ as Michael Parsons calls them, in to practice for oneself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a book to take one’s time over and the learning will be all the richer for that.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRichard Frost is the author of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/products\/life-with-st-benedict-the-rule-re-imagined-for-everyday-living\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eLife with St Benedict\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e and writes a blog at \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/workrestpray.com\/\"\u003eworkrestpray.com\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2024-10-30T09:44:04+00:00","created_at":"2024-10-30T09:43:04+00:00","vendor":"Michael Parsons","type":"eBook","tags":["Biblical engagement","Glassboxx","Group reading","Jan-20"],"price":899,"price_min":899,"price_max":899,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":53604769169788,"title":"eBook","option1":"eBook","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9780857468109","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"How to Read the Bible... so that it makes a difference - eBook","public_title":"eBook","options":["eBook"],"price":899,"weight":600,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9780857468109","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/283.png?v=1730980384","\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/284.png?v=1730980324"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/283.png?v=1730980384","options":["Format"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":63001501401468,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/283.png?v=1730980384"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/283.png?v=1730980384","width":1303},{"alt":null,"id":63001486459260,"position":2,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/284.png?v=1730980324"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/284.png?v=1730980324","width":1303}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eTo read and engage with the Bible, we first need to understand the story, the styles of writing and the approaches we find in the text. Michael Parsons encourages readers to look at the whole biblical storyline before demonstrating ways of approaching individual texts. Topics along the way include understanding different genres, the importance of narrative, imaginative reading, praying the Bible, difficult passages and what to do with them, and how to apply scripture to our own lives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor Information\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMichael Parsons is Minister for Discipleship at Lechlade Baptist Church and has previously been a theology lecturer in the UK and Australia, and commissioning editor for Paternoster and The Bible Reading Fellowship. He is the author of books on the Reformation and an Associate Research Fellow at Spurgeon’s College, London.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e‘Michael Parsons is passionate about the Bible – and it shows! He is also passionate about helping people engage with the Bible in ways that draw them into personal and transformative encounters with the God revealed in its pages. This book is bursting with resources to help us understand what the Bible is, how to read and study it for ourselves, and how to know God better as we do so; it is a richly rewarded read!’\u003cbr\u003eMags Duggan, author and speaker\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eReviews\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTransforming Ministry, September 2020. Review by Veronica Bright\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e‘We read scripture to hear God speak to us, to relate to us in and through Christ.’ The author emphasises engaging with the text, rather than merely reading it, and he sets out to explain and demonstrate how his readers may do this, in a number of different ways. He offers exercises at chapter ends, so that individuals or groups may further their experience of the topic presented. As a writer I found the chapter on poetic language interesting. We are so used to imagery in the novels we read now, but when the psalmist uses imagery, for example, it would probably have been the first time a phrase or word was used creatively. Parsons is an experienced minister and theology lecturer, and he writes clearly and encouragingly. Sometimes I feel he leads readers towards his own viewpoint, rather than guiding them to form their own. The concluding chapter in the book considers the reasons we want to be biblically literate. By the end I was conscious that behind each book in the Bible there is a writer, and beside each writer there is God.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Veronica Bright\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTouchstone, the monthly newspaper of the Methodist Church of New Zealand, July 2020. Review by John Meredith\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe intention of the book is to help readers who want to read the Bible with comprehension and application to life today. In this, it achieves its aim. Readers are invited to be prepared to think things through as they read and to try out the strategies the author suggests.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book is presented in four parts: \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFirst, the foundation for reading the Bible today. Rather than every word being dictated by God, the Bible has come to us through human authors and editors all of whom were seeking to convey their experience of God as a presence in the midst of life. Through their words we may hear God speaking as one who addresses us in the life of our day. As we listen we discover that the Bible has a voice directed to us. God speaks to those who read the Bible in this way.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSecond, macro strategies: how to read the narratives. It may be argued that the major coordinates shaping the whole Bible are creation, the fall, redemption and the new creation. We are pulled into these narratives as we read and listen. The Bible does not give us definitive answers on issues such as divorce, nuclear war, use of the internet, gay rights or animal testing. As we engage with God’s word, however, we learn to respond in ways that are consistent with God’s character. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThird, micro strategies: how to read the text. This section includes a number of helpful exercises for reading imaginatively and reflectively. While we will find in the Bible expressions of God’s judgement the author stresses how we should always be looking for hints of God’s grace even if this means questioning a text as we read. Each of the ten chapters in part three ends with an exercise where readers are invited to put into practice the steps for reading specific texts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFour, things to take into account that will inform thoughtful engagement with the text. The chapters in this section also include practical exercises. The author directs attention to the words in the text, the writer’s emotions, the literary devices used by writers, how to regard long and tedious lists of names and details and the way the gospels present Jesus and invite us to respond to him within the context of our own lives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book ends by asking why read the Bible? In summary, reading the Bible is an essential aspect of worship, from the Bible we learn about the grace and mercy of God, especially of God’s love in Jesus Christ, it offers strength and hope for the most trying circumstances and inspires us to act with Spirit-filled justice and compassion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eHow to Read the Bible \u003c\/em\u003epresents a scholarly approach in a non-threatening way. The practical exercises suggested are an invaluable resource for those who wish to improve their biblical literacy. It is especially recommended for group study.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by John Meredith, editor of Word \u0026amp; Worship the quarterly publication of the New Zealand Lay Preachers Association\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed by Richard Frost\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeing a Minister for Discipleship at Lechlade Baptist Church, former theology lecturer both here and in Australia and former Commissioning Editor at BRF, Michael Parsons knows what he’s talking about. From rigorous analysis to comparing life as a Christian with shooting ‘the rapids’ at Centre Parcs, in this book he explores a heady mixture of practical, Biblical insights and academic theology in a readable, usable and at times challenging way.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInitially considering what he calls ‘macro’ strategies of how to read and understand the Bible, he offers practical ways of exploring these for ourselves either alone or in groups. The book then moves from the academic to the practical by considering a variety of ‘micro’ strategies such as Ignatian imagination-based meditation and variations of \u003cem\u003electio divina\u003c\/em\u003e (spiritual reading) through to engaging with the narrative by focusing on specific sentences or verses and how that enriches our understanding - and how the Bible itself encourages us to ‘turn being in to doing’. Final sections consider the poetic language of the Bible, its use of rhetoric and repetition, and the more difficult and, to be frank, boring bits that these scriptures contain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e‘The Bible, then, is a post-fall witness to God’s revelation of himself, of his presence, intentions and historical activity,’ Michael Parsons writes. ‘The Bible is a continuing, written witness to how the Lord has revealed himself to the world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e‘If the authors of the biblical books find it terribly difficult – nearly impossible – to describe the God who speaks to them, then on reading scripture we shouldn’t be dismayed that we sometimes can’t picture what they are saying to us. If they struggled with the original revelation, how much more will we with the imperfect representation of it?’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe plethora of approaches to reading the Bible that are explored in this book is helpful and, lest it becomes overwhelming, each reader will need to determine for themselves which method may or may not work for them. Helpful to that is the way each chapter finishes with some suggestions about how to put the ‘strategy’ as Michael Parsons calls them, in to practice for oneself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a book to take one’s time over and the learning will be all the richer for that.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRichard Frost is the author of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/products\/life-with-st-benedict-the-rule-re-imagined-for-everyday-living\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eLife with St Benedict\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e and writes a blog at \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/workrestpray.com\/\"\u003eworkrestpray.com\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e"}
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How to Read the Bible... so that it makes a difference
£8.99
Digital eBook Only - To read and engage with the Bible, we first need to understand the story, the styles...
{"id":14779627635068,"title":"Really Useful Guides: John","handle":"really-useful-guides-john-1","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e'John is my favourite book. Not just in the New Testament, nor even in the Bible. But my favourite book. Full stop. Over all the years of my conscious Christian life it has delighted me, puzzled me, comforted me and astonished me.' \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis Really Useful Guide to John gives practical tips on how to open up this rich gospel. Robert Willoughby offers clear explanations of John’s signs, ‘I am’ sayings and recurring images, alongside unpacking its themes and significance. He shows how to read John with confidence, placing it in the context of the whole Bible and suggesting how it might be used practically for life today. Full of digestible wisdom and overflowing with enthusiasm, this book will ultimately draw you closer to Jesus.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEach Really Useful Guide focuses on a specific biblical book, making it come to life for the reader, enabling them to understand the message and to apply its truth to today’s circumstances. Though not a commentary, it gives valuable insight into the book’s message and context. Though not an introduction, it summarises the important aspects of the book to aid reading and application. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAuthor information\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRobert Willoughby taught New Testament and Political Theology at London School of Theology for over 30 years and more recently served as a priest in the Church of England. Able to communicate complex truths across all ages, his books include Children’s Guide to the Bible and So, Who Is God? His favourite book in the whole world was John’s Gospel.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan\u003eReviews\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis little book is a new title in BRF’s ‘Really Useful Guides’ series. The books in this series are described as ‘not a commentary and not an introduction’. Taking about two hours to read, they are a valuable extra tool for acquiring general biblical literacy, understanding some of the more obscure passages in the scriptures, and help in using them to find messages for today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRobert Willoughby is a great enthusiast for John’s Gospel, believing that it has the best stories and the most memorable characters in the four gospels. He discusses different ideas about authorship and date and gives us a fascinating overview of the Gospel, which made revealing connections that were new to me. He has helpful comments to make about the problems of the difference in John’s Gospel from the synoptics, whose voice is being heard in the dialogues and accusations of anti-Semitism. His book ends with some hints on how to teach and preach John’s Gospel.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese small books could be useful for preachers who want to dig deeper into the context or meaning of a passage and have more time than needed to read an ‘introduction’ but not enough time to read a whole commentary. They would also be useful to read or study together to increase biblical literacy among our congregations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Claire Disbrey\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2024-10-30T10:17:48+00:00","created_at":"2024-10-30T10:16:45+00:00","vendor":"Robert Willoughby","type":"eBook","tags":["Biblical engagement","Glassboxx","Oct-19","Really Useful Guides"],"price":599,"price_min":599,"price_max":599,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":53604808589692,"title":"eBook","option1":"eBook","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9780857468277","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"Really Useful Guides: John - eBook","public_title":"eBook","options":["eBook"],"price":599,"weight":104,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9780857468277","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/287.png?v=1730980372","\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/288.png?v=1730980324"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/287.png?v=1730980372","options":["Format"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":63001497665916,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/287.png?v=1730980372"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/287.png?v=1730980372","width":1303},{"alt":null,"id":63001486393724,"position":2,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/288.png?v=1730980324"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/288.png?v=1730980324","width":1303}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e'John is my favourite book. Not just in the New Testament, nor even in the Bible. But my favourite book. Full stop. Over all the years of my conscious Christian life it has delighted me, puzzled me, comforted me and astonished me.' \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis Really Useful Guide to John gives practical tips on how to open up this rich gospel. Robert Willoughby offers clear explanations of John’s signs, ‘I am’ sayings and recurring images, alongside unpacking its themes and significance. He shows how to read John with confidence, placing it in the context of the whole Bible and suggesting how it might be used practically for life today. Full of digestible wisdom and overflowing with enthusiasm, this book will ultimately draw you closer to Jesus.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEach Really Useful Guide focuses on a specific biblical book, making it come to life for the reader, enabling them to understand the message and to apply its truth to today’s circumstances. Though not a commentary, it gives valuable insight into the book’s message and context. Though not an introduction, it summarises the important aspects of the book to aid reading and application. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAuthor information\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRobert Willoughby taught New Testament and Political Theology at London School of Theology for over 30 years and more recently served as a priest in the Church of England. Able to communicate complex truths across all ages, his books include Children’s Guide to the Bible and So, Who Is God? His favourite book in the whole world was John’s Gospel.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan\u003eReviews\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis little book is a new title in BRF’s ‘Really Useful Guides’ series. The books in this series are described as ‘not a commentary and not an introduction’. Taking about two hours to read, they are a valuable extra tool for acquiring general biblical literacy, understanding some of the more obscure passages in the scriptures, and help in using them to find messages for today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRobert Willoughby is a great enthusiast for John’s Gospel, believing that it has the best stories and the most memorable characters in the four gospels. He discusses different ideas about authorship and date and gives us a fascinating overview of the Gospel, which made revealing connections that were new to me. He has helpful comments to make about the problems of the difference in John’s Gospel from the synoptics, whose voice is being heard in the dialogues and accusations of anti-Semitism. His book ends with some hints on how to teach and preach John’s Gospel.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese small books could be useful for preachers who want to dig deeper into the context or meaning of a passage and have more time than needed to read an ‘introduction’ but not enough time to read a whole commentary. They would also be useful to read or study together to increase biblical literacy among our congregations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Claire Disbrey\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e"}
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Really Useful Guides: John
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Digital eBook Only - 'John is my favourite book. Not just in the New Testament, nor even in the Bible....
{"id":14779635106172,"title":"Really Useful Guides: Genesis 1-11","handle":"really-useful-guides-genesis-1-12","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e'Each time you read a story you may gain a different perspective on it and discover new insights. Nowhere can you do this more than in Genesis 1—11, which in my view contains some of the most profound religious literature ever written.' \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis Really Useful Guide to Genesis 1—11 opens up afresh what can be a familiar text. In showing us how to engage with these stories, Rebecca S. Watson gives us background information about how, why and when Genesis was written, tips for reading and studying, and a summary of how Genesis 1—11 fits into the biblical story. Written in bite-sized chunks and full of jargon-free practical guidance, this book will give you more confidence to engage with the Bible and a greater understanding of the nature of God.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEach Really Useful Guide focuses on a specific biblical book, making it come to life for the reader, enabling them to understand the message and to apply its truth to today’s circumstances. Though not a commentary, it gives valuable insight into the book’s message and context. Though not an introduction, it summarises the important aspects of the book to aid reading and application. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAuthor information\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRebecca S. Watson is a research associate at the Faraday Institute for Science and Religion in Cambridge, and a tutor and director of studies at the Eastern Region Ministry Course, which trains people for ministry in the Church of England. She has worked in theological education and research throughout her career. She lives in Northamptonshire with her husband, their two children and two mad terriers.\u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a fantastic little book: it has a lovely accessible tone, exudes faith and still manages to pack a lot of teaching into it. I might want to argue a few points here or there but overall the author has given a sophisticated, nuanced reading that will challenge and help her readers extremely well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eElizabeth Harper, Lay Ministries Enabler for the Diocese of Bath and Wells\u003c\/em\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan\u003eReviews\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eScience \u0026amp; Christian Belief, Vol 33, No. 1. Review by Ivan Haigh\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Genesis 1 to 11 Really Useful Guide, by Rebecca S. Watson, is a delightful little book. It is little; it fits easily into the palm of a hand, back pocket of a pair of jeans, or top pocket of a shirt. I read the whole book in less than an hour. Yet despite its small size, it is a really charming book and I would readily recommend it to anyone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach Really Useful Guide focuses on a specific biblical book. These small guides are not mean to be commentaries, instead they summarise the important aspects of the book in question in a jargon-free way, to aid reading and application. Their goal, as advertised, is to transform understanding of the biblical text, to help a reader engage with the message of the book in new ways today, giving confidence in the Bible and increasing faith in God.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs you will have guessed by the title, this particular guide focuses on the first eleven chapters of Genesis, one of the most discussed and debated parts of the Bible. The book is laid out in nine chapters. The first six chapters are relatively short and briefly discuss: why we should read Genesis 1 to 11; what is Genesis 1 to 11; what does Genesis 1 to 11 say; how does Genesis 1 to 11 say it; where do these stories come from; and reading Genesis 1 to 11 today. In these chapters Rebecca keeps coming back to the importance of stories, which often inspire us, help us gain a different perspective and discover new insights, in a way that pure philosophy and science can’t.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThrough a series of stories, Genesis 1 to 11 explores profound questions about God and his commitment to the world. Rebecca points out that Genesis 1 to 11 performs a similar function to Rudyard Kipling’s Just so Stories, which provide a fun way of explaining why things are the way they are. The first eleven chapters in Genesis address some of the most important questions about life and existence, through narrative that puts God at the centre.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChapters 1 to 6 are really an introduction to Chapter 7, which is the heart of the book. Chapter 7 makes up more than half of this little book and describes tips for reading this part of the Bible. It touches on the major stories: Creation; the Garden of Eden; Cain and Abel; the Genealogies and associated stories; the sons of God and daughters of men; the flood, sin, sacrifice, blessing and covenant; Noah’s drunkenness and the cursing of Ham; and lastly, the Tower of Babel. Rebecca takes the reader through each of these stories in turn and points out key themes. These themes are only touched on very briefly, but are handled in a thought-provoking way. Despite the fact that I have read these chapters of the Bible hundreds of times, on several occasions Rebecca’s book pointed out things I hadn’t considered before. This made me want to pick up my Bible straight away and read these passages again in a fresh way.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe last two chapters briefly discuss Genesis 1 in 11 in relation to the rest of the Bible, and list 11 questions for reflection or discussion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are many things I liked about this book. I particularly liked that Rebecca kept challenging me throughout to think about how the key themes in this first part of Genesis translate into our own context today. For example, she invited me to think carefully about whether the perpetually busyness of my life (and I am sure many of yours) is the best model for life, when you contrast it with God resting on the seventh day and encouraging his creation. I also liked that Rebecca encouraged me to momentarily step into the shoes of someone else in these stories and think, wonder and ask questions, even if we don’t always find clear-cut answers we can all agree on.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen I first picked up this book, I thought initially that it would be geared towards new Christians, who were starting to read the Bible for the first time. However, having been a Christian for more than thirty-five years, I found the book very thoughtful and engaging to me personally. It has given me new insights and has encouraged me to read and mediate on these passages in fresh ways. The small size of the book makes it a perfect book to take away on holiday and read on a train or plane. It would also be a great book to read and discuss in groups, for example, as part of a church home or connect group. I also think this book would be good for non-Christians interested in understanding key themes in Genesis and the links between science and Christianity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDr Ivan Haigh is an Associate Professor in coastal oceanography at the University of Southampton\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTransforming Ministry, April 2020. Review by Claire Disbrey\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis little book is a new title in BRF’s ‘Really Useful Guides’ series. The books in this series are described as ‘not a commentary and not an introduction’. Taking about two hours to read, they are a valuable extra tool for acquiring general biblical literacy, understanding some of the more obscure passages in the scriptures, and help in using them to find messages for today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn her book on Genesis 1-11, Rebecca S Watson discusses different ideas about where these ancient stories could have come from, different influences that might have shaped them, and how and when they might have been put together in their present form. Believing that these old stories explore profound questions about God, humanity, creation and sin, she tackles some of the problems they raise and leads us to helpful ways of approaching and applying them. The book ends with some questions for reflection or discussion which could be useful for Bible study groups.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e These small books could be useful for preachers who want to dig deeper into the context or meaning of a passage and have more time than needed to read an ‘introduction’ but not enough time to read a whole commentary. They would also be useful to read or study together to increase biblical literacy among our congregations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Claire Disbrey\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview by Dr Hywel Clifford, Lecturer in Old Testament, Ripon College Cuddesdon\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is a stylish guide to Genesis 1-11. After considering what it might mean to approach these biblical chapters as readers today, Rebecca Watson provides numerous tips about their sections, episodes, and details, in their interwoven literary sequence. To write freshly on Creation, Flood, and Babel is no easy task, but this is done elegantly and engagingly, with both traditional and modern insights and applications offered about sacred texts which are so significant, and, of course, so memorable. Here you will find a tasty entrée for making rich sense of the feast that is the opening of Genesis, that great book of beginnings about the world and the human family in which we all have a role to play. Some questions for reflection and discussion bring this informative guide to a close.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDr Hywel Clifford, Lecturer in Old Testament, Ripon College Cuddesdon \u0026amp; Member of the Faculty of Theology and Religion, Oxford University.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2024-10-30T10:21:18+00:00","created_at":"2024-10-30T10:20:15+00:00","vendor":"Rebecca S. Watson","type":"eBook","tags":["Biblical engagement","Glassboxx","Oct-19","Really Useful Guides"],"price":599,"price_min":599,"price_max":599,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":53604811833724,"title":"eBook","option1":"eBook","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9780857468284","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"Really Useful Guides: Genesis 1-11 - eBook","public_title":"eBook","options":["eBook"],"price":599,"weight":104,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9780857468284","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/289.png?v=1730980371","\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/290.png?v=1730980337"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/289.png?v=1730980371","options":["Format"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":63001497174396,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/289.png?v=1730980371"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/289.png?v=1730980371","width":1303},{"alt":null,"id":63001489736060,"position":2,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/290.png?v=1730980337"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/290.png?v=1730980337","width":1303}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e'Each time you read a story you may gain a different perspective on it and discover new insights. Nowhere can you do this more than in Genesis 1—11, which in my view contains some of the most profound religious literature ever written.' \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis Really Useful Guide to Genesis 1—11 opens up afresh what can be a familiar text. In showing us how to engage with these stories, Rebecca S. Watson gives us background information about how, why and when Genesis was written, tips for reading and studying, and a summary of how Genesis 1—11 fits into the biblical story. Written in bite-sized chunks and full of jargon-free practical guidance, this book will give you more confidence to engage with the Bible and a greater understanding of the nature of God.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEach Really Useful Guide focuses on a specific biblical book, making it come to life for the reader, enabling them to understand the message and to apply its truth to today’s circumstances. Though not a commentary, it gives valuable insight into the book’s message and context. Though not an introduction, it summarises the important aspects of the book to aid reading and application. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAuthor information\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRebecca S. Watson is a research associate at the Faraday Institute for Science and Religion in Cambridge, and a tutor and director of studies at the Eastern Region Ministry Course, which trains people for ministry in the Church of England. She has worked in theological education and research throughout her career. She lives in Northamptonshire with her husband, their two children and two mad terriers.\u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a fantastic little book: it has a lovely accessible tone, exudes faith and still manages to pack a lot of teaching into it. I might want to argue a few points here or there but overall the author has given a sophisticated, nuanced reading that will challenge and help her readers extremely well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eElizabeth Harper, Lay Ministries Enabler for the Diocese of Bath and Wells\u003c\/em\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan\u003eReviews\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eScience \u0026amp; Christian Belief, Vol 33, No. 1. Review by Ivan Haigh\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Genesis 1 to 11 Really Useful Guide, by Rebecca S. Watson, is a delightful little book. It is little; it fits easily into the palm of a hand, back pocket of a pair of jeans, or top pocket of a shirt. I read the whole book in less than an hour. Yet despite its small size, it is a really charming book and I would readily recommend it to anyone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach Really Useful Guide focuses on a specific biblical book. These small guides are not mean to be commentaries, instead they summarise the important aspects of the book in question in a jargon-free way, to aid reading and application. Their goal, as advertised, is to transform understanding of the biblical text, to help a reader engage with the message of the book in new ways today, giving confidence in the Bible and increasing faith in God.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs you will have guessed by the title, this particular guide focuses on the first eleven chapters of Genesis, one of the most discussed and debated parts of the Bible. The book is laid out in nine chapters. The first six chapters are relatively short and briefly discuss: why we should read Genesis 1 to 11; what is Genesis 1 to 11; what does Genesis 1 to 11 say; how does Genesis 1 to 11 say it; where do these stories come from; and reading Genesis 1 to 11 today. In these chapters Rebecca keeps coming back to the importance of stories, which often inspire us, help us gain a different perspective and discover new insights, in a way that pure philosophy and science can’t.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThrough a series of stories, Genesis 1 to 11 explores profound questions about God and his commitment to the world. Rebecca points out that Genesis 1 to 11 performs a similar function to Rudyard Kipling’s Just so Stories, which provide a fun way of explaining why things are the way they are. The first eleven chapters in Genesis address some of the most important questions about life and existence, through narrative that puts God at the centre.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChapters 1 to 6 are really an introduction to Chapter 7, which is the heart of the book. Chapter 7 makes up more than half of this little book and describes tips for reading this part of the Bible. It touches on the major stories: Creation; the Garden of Eden; Cain and Abel; the Genealogies and associated stories; the sons of God and daughters of men; the flood, sin, sacrifice, blessing and covenant; Noah’s drunkenness and the cursing of Ham; and lastly, the Tower of Babel. Rebecca takes the reader through each of these stories in turn and points out key themes. These themes are only touched on very briefly, but are handled in a thought-provoking way. Despite the fact that I have read these chapters of the Bible hundreds of times, on several occasions Rebecca’s book pointed out things I hadn’t considered before. This made me want to pick up my Bible straight away and read these passages again in a fresh way.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe last two chapters briefly discuss Genesis 1 in 11 in relation to the rest of the Bible, and list 11 questions for reflection or discussion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are many things I liked about this book. I particularly liked that Rebecca kept challenging me throughout to think about how the key themes in this first part of Genesis translate into our own context today. For example, she invited me to think carefully about whether the perpetually busyness of my life (and I am sure many of yours) is the best model for life, when you contrast it with God resting on the seventh day and encouraging his creation. I also liked that Rebecca encouraged me to momentarily step into the shoes of someone else in these stories and think, wonder and ask questions, even if we don’t always find clear-cut answers we can all agree on.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen I first picked up this book, I thought initially that it would be geared towards new Christians, who were starting to read the Bible for the first time. However, having been a Christian for more than thirty-five years, I found the book very thoughtful and engaging to me personally. It has given me new insights and has encouraged me to read and mediate on these passages in fresh ways. The small size of the book makes it a perfect book to take away on holiday and read on a train or plane. It would also be a great book to read and discuss in groups, for example, as part of a church home or connect group. I also think this book would be good for non-Christians interested in understanding key themes in Genesis and the links between science and Christianity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDr Ivan Haigh is an Associate Professor in coastal oceanography at the University of Southampton\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTransforming Ministry, April 2020. Review by Claire Disbrey\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis little book is a new title in BRF’s ‘Really Useful Guides’ series. The books in this series are described as ‘not a commentary and not an introduction’. Taking about two hours to read, they are a valuable extra tool for acquiring general biblical literacy, understanding some of the more obscure passages in the scriptures, and help in using them to find messages for today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn her book on Genesis 1-11, Rebecca S Watson discusses different ideas about where these ancient stories could have come from, different influences that might have shaped them, and how and when they might have been put together in their present form. Believing that these old stories explore profound questions about God, humanity, creation and sin, she tackles some of the problems they raise and leads us to helpful ways of approaching and applying them. The book ends with some questions for reflection or discussion which could be useful for Bible study groups.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e These small books could be useful for preachers who want to dig deeper into the context or meaning of a passage and have more time than needed to read an ‘introduction’ but not enough time to read a whole commentary. They would also be useful to read or study together to increase biblical literacy among our congregations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Claire Disbrey\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview by Dr Hywel Clifford, Lecturer in Old Testament, Ripon College Cuddesdon\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is a stylish guide to Genesis 1-11. After considering what it might mean to approach these biblical chapters as readers today, Rebecca Watson provides numerous tips about their sections, episodes, and details, in their interwoven literary sequence. To write freshly on Creation, Flood, and Babel is no easy task, but this is done elegantly and engagingly, with both traditional and modern insights and applications offered about sacred texts which are so significant, and, of course, so memorable. Here you will find a tasty entrée for making rich sense of the feast that is the opening of Genesis, that great book of beginnings about the world and the human family in which we all have a role to play. Some questions for reflection and discussion bring this informative guide to a close.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDr Hywel Clifford, Lecturer in Old Testament, Ripon College Cuddesdon \u0026amp; Member of the Faculty of Theology and Religion, Oxford University.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e"}
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Really Useful Guides: Genesis 1-11
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{"id":14779650441596,"title":"Peter's Preaching: The message of Mark's Gospel","handle":"peters-preaching-the-message-of-marks-gospel-1","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eDo you know who wrote Mark's Gospel? At first glance, it may seem a ridiculous question. 'Mark, of course!' I hear you shout? But who was Mark?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMark's name doesn't appear on the list of disciples, as Matthew's does. His Gospel doesn't start with a clear statement of investigation, as does Luke's, offering credibility. Yet, remarkably, large chunks of Mark's Gospel appear in both Matthew's and Luke's work. What's going on?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJeremy Duff provides insightful answers in his new book Peter's Preaching, revealing how an ancient source describes Mark as Peter's translator to a Greek-speaking world. Intriguingly, though, this source also tells us that while Mark recorded Peter's preaching 'accurately', he did not record it 'in order'. Mark devised his own order of the stories, for his own purpose, using a structure and format that were as radical in the first century as ebooks are today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut that is only the start of Jeremy's detective work in this stimulating book, which moves on to uncover Peter's thought on the key themes of the Christian message, found distributed throughout the Gospel. Jeremy pieces these themes together like a jigsaw to reveal how Peter understood them, and how that understanding helps us to appreciate the radical nature of first-century Christian faith.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMany people have found Mark's gospel to be the most gripping of the four gospels - a real page-turner - and here Jeremy Duff helps us to understand why. This analysis will deepen your appreciation of Mark's gospel, whether you have read it just once or you are a seasoned student. I commend it to all who long to respond to Jesus with the same conviction and passion as Peter.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJeremy's fresh insights and creative commentary on Mark's trend-setting Gospel not only widen our understanding of Jesus, but also pin point the way the record of Jesus' encounters with people encourage us to follow Him, be changed by Him and share Him with others.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Mark Bailey, Leader, Trinity Cheltenham \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJeremy Duff is an excellent teacher, who combines first-rate scholarship with rich experience of people and church life. This makes him an ideal guide to Mark's Gospel. This book is full of fascinating insights, presented in a thoughtful, accessible and enticing way.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Graham Tomlin, Principal, St Mellitus College \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is just sort of book which BRF should be producing. It is clearly written by a scholar who has also pastoral concerns and experience, who is concerned about people and knows how ordinary people think and react. It is designed to help people get to know Mark and his message about Jesus and the significance of Jesus for us all. Every chapter is written with a gentle warmth and even gentler humour, often starting with a gripping story or scene from ordinary life. The book opens with a persuasive section, arguing that Mark is the basic gospel and that he could have won this position only because he was the 'interpreter' of Peter. It was this that gave Mark the authority which led Matthew and Luke to follow his pattern. The book also argues that Mark may be held responsible for those other two interesting Christian initiatives (quite distinct from other contemporary literature) of using book-style rather than scrolls to be rolled and unrolled, and the distinctive Christian form of abbreviating sacred names.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe basic impression which one receives throughout is that Mark was a gospel written for real people, with our concerns, worries, efforts and timidity. It constantly gives the reader pause for reflection on the concepts of friendship, loyalty, discipleship. Jesus personally chose the Twelve primarily to be with him, creating a new society, a new Israel. This made their hardness of heart, their failure to understand, their desertion all the more bitter for him; the book helps a disciple to see the depths of betrayal - theirs and ours. Their half-sight so vividly mirrors our own experience and lack of commitment (p. 49). The book is full of striking insights: if you want to understand the parables, look for the twist, where the parable diverges from normal life (p. 208). The meaning of Jesus progress to his inevitable death is sensitively painted against its biblical background; the physical horror and especially the shame of the final hours of Jesus are portrayed delicately but with devastating awareness (p. 288).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is especially helpful that long excerpts of the gospel text are given before discussion of their importance. One learns from the text!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Henry Wansbrough, Ampleforth Abbey \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Revd Professor Jeremy Duff is the Principal of St Padarn's Institute, responsible for discipleship and ministry training and ongoing development in the Church in Wales. Over the last 20 years, he has combined a teaching ministry including major universities in the UK, as well as within the church, with church leadership, most recently in a deprived urban community near Liverpool (where Peter's Preaching was written). For ten years, he was one of the commissioning editors for BRF's Guidelines Bible reading notes, and his book The Elements of New Testament Greek (2005) is one of Cambridge University Press's bestselling religion titles. He is also the coauthor, with the Revd Dr Joanna Collicutt McGrath, of Meeting Jesus: Human responses to a yearning God (SPCK, 2006).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePreach - Spring 2016\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConfession time. I didn't enjoy lectures at theological college wrestling over which Gospel was written first and who used whose material to produce their Gospel. Up to that point, I had enjoyed reading each Gospel as it was presented, and to be honest I still do. However, reading Jeremy Duff's highly scholarly but refreshingly accessible work has been a real tonic.\u003cbr\u003eThe starting point for the book is a piece of detective work examining the evidence that Mark drew heavily on Peter's sermons to construct his Gospel. Duff presents Papias' views that support this in a compelling and convincing way.\u003cbr\u003eThe heart of the book is a treatment of eight themes that are central to Mark's Gospel, each of which are rewarding and enriching to explore. In addition, Duff helpfully provides his own translation of Mark's Greek, which was often rougher than the smoother versions we read today.\u003cbr\u003eParticularly helpful is the explanation of what it means to be 'following on the way'. The picture of the disciple as one who follows Jesus and is ready to take up his cross is a vital corrective to our comfortable Christianity. As the crucifixion approaches, the disciples desert Jesus and flee, but surprising new followers come to anoint Jesus and carry his cross. The book ends, as does Mark's Gospel, with a challenge to go and meet with the risen Jesus.\u003cbr\u003eFor preachers who are in a hurry with a sermon deadline approaching, this book won't be the best source of last-minute help. However, for all who want to understand Mark's Gospel more fully, whether preaching or not, this is a deeply rewarding read.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJohn Birchall\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Reader Spring 2016\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a latecomer to the Markan library, and is not a commentary but a guide to reading Mark's gospel. It is based on the idea that what we have in Mark's text is a kind of compendium of Peter's preaching, written down by Mark- who incidentally seems not to have been the young man who ran off naked after Jesus' arrest. The author presents us with a different way to read Mark's gospel, taking a thematic approach - miracles, the identity of Jesus, parables - and shows how carefully the original text was structured to make particular points. Duff writes accessibly and intermingles biblical exposition with some telling contemporary illustrations. There is a wealth of preaching material here and many helpful insights. The author also includes some interesting historical and contextual comments, such as that Mark was perhaps responsible for encouraging the use of the new codex format in preference to the more traditional scrolls. This highlights the one failing of Duff's book - the lack of references to any other literature. But this book is not offered as an academic text and his credentials are attested by his time as a New Testament tutor at Oxford - so we can take his word on trust. In the same way he encourages us to receive Mark's gospel as Peter's word to the early church - and to us - about the good news that is Jesus Christ.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMarion Gray\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMethodist Recorder 8 January 2016\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003ePeter's Preaching\u003c\/em\u003e: \u003cem\u003eThe Message of Mark's Gospel\u003c\/em\u003e (BRF, GBP9.99), Jeremy Duff takes what is arguably the foundational document of Christianity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is argued that Mark has written down and edited some of what Peter has remembered from all that he heard of Jesus' public and private teaching.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 10 chapters cover Peter's preaching thematically in a style which combines in-depth analysis and Bible reading notes. To this end, the book can be taken as a devotional, taking one section each day. The encouraging conclusion is that, despite our faults and failures, like Peter, we can pick ourselves up and meet Jesus again.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Rev Paul Wilson is development worker for Methodist Evangelicals Together.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e","published_at":"2024-10-30T10:28:42+00:00","created_at":"2024-10-30T10:26:36+00:00","vendor":"Jeremy Duff","type":"eBook","tags":["Biblical engagement","Glassboxx","Jun-15"],"price":999,"price_min":999,"price_max":999,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":53604819501436,"title":"eBook","option1":"eBook","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9780857463517","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"Peter's Preaching: The message of Mark's Gospel - eBook","public_title":"eBook","options":["eBook"],"price":999,"weight":211,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9780857463517","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/293.png?v=1730980353","\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/294.png?v=1730980253"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/293.png?v=1730980353","options":["Format"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":63001493242236,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/293.png?v=1730980353"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/293.png?v=1730980353","width":1303},{"alt":null,"id":63001470927228,"position":2,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/294.png?v=1730980253"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/294.png?v=1730980253","width":1303}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eDo you know who wrote Mark's Gospel? At first glance, it may seem a ridiculous question. 'Mark, of course!' I hear you shout? But who was Mark?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMark's name doesn't appear on the list of disciples, as Matthew's does. His Gospel doesn't start with a clear statement of investigation, as does Luke's, offering credibility. Yet, remarkably, large chunks of Mark's Gospel appear in both Matthew's and Luke's work. What's going on?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJeremy Duff provides insightful answers in his new book Peter's Preaching, revealing how an ancient source describes Mark as Peter's translator to a Greek-speaking world. Intriguingly, though, this source also tells us that while Mark recorded Peter's preaching 'accurately', he did not record it 'in order'. Mark devised his own order of the stories, for his own purpose, using a structure and format that were as radical in the first century as ebooks are today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut that is only the start of Jeremy's detective work in this stimulating book, which moves on to uncover Peter's thought on the key themes of the Christian message, found distributed throughout the Gospel. Jeremy pieces these themes together like a jigsaw to reveal how Peter understood them, and how that understanding helps us to appreciate the radical nature of first-century Christian faith.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMany people have found Mark's gospel to be the most gripping of the four gospels - a real page-turner - and here Jeremy Duff helps us to understand why. This analysis will deepen your appreciation of Mark's gospel, whether you have read it just once or you are a seasoned student. I commend it to all who long to respond to Jesus with the same conviction and passion as Peter.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJeremy's fresh insights and creative commentary on Mark's trend-setting Gospel not only widen our understanding of Jesus, but also pin point the way the record of Jesus' encounters with people encourage us to follow Him, be changed by Him and share Him with others.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Mark Bailey, Leader, Trinity Cheltenham \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJeremy Duff is an excellent teacher, who combines first-rate scholarship with rich experience of people and church life. This makes him an ideal guide to Mark's Gospel. This book is full of fascinating insights, presented in a thoughtful, accessible and enticing way.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Graham Tomlin, Principal, St Mellitus College \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is just sort of book which BRF should be producing. It is clearly written by a scholar who has also pastoral concerns and experience, who is concerned about people and knows how ordinary people think and react. It is designed to help people get to know Mark and his message about Jesus and the significance of Jesus for us all. Every chapter is written with a gentle warmth and even gentler humour, often starting with a gripping story or scene from ordinary life. The book opens with a persuasive section, arguing that Mark is the basic gospel and that he could have won this position only because he was the 'interpreter' of Peter. It was this that gave Mark the authority which led Matthew and Luke to follow his pattern. The book also argues that Mark may be held responsible for those other two interesting Christian initiatives (quite distinct from other contemporary literature) of using book-style rather than scrolls to be rolled and unrolled, and the distinctive Christian form of abbreviating sacred names.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe basic impression which one receives throughout is that Mark was a gospel written for real people, with our concerns, worries, efforts and timidity. It constantly gives the reader pause for reflection on the concepts of friendship, loyalty, discipleship. Jesus personally chose the Twelve primarily to be with him, creating a new society, a new Israel. This made their hardness of heart, their failure to understand, their desertion all the more bitter for him; the book helps a disciple to see the depths of betrayal - theirs and ours. Their half-sight so vividly mirrors our own experience and lack of commitment (p. 49). The book is full of striking insights: if you want to understand the parables, look for the twist, where the parable diverges from normal life (p. 208). The meaning of Jesus progress to his inevitable death is sensitively painted against its biblical background; the physical horror and especially the shame of the final hours of Jesus are portrayed delicately but with devastating awareness (p. 288).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is especially helpful that long excerpts of the gospel text are given before discussion of their importance. One learns from the text!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Henry Wansbrough, Ampleforth Abbey \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Revd Professor Jeremy Duff is the Principal of St Padarn's Institute, responsible for discipleship and ministry training and ongoing development in the Church in Wales. Over the last 20 years, he has combined a teaching ministry including major universities in the UK, as well as within the church, with church leadership, most recently in a deprived urban community near Liverpool (where Peter's Preaching was written). For ten years, he was one of the commissioning editors for BRF's Guidelines Bible reading notes, and his book The Elements of New Testament Greek (2005) is one of Cambridge University Press's bestselling religion titles. He is also the coauthor, with the Revd Dr Joanna Collicutt McGrath, of Meeting Jesus: Human responses to a yearning God (SPCK, 2006).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePreach - Spring 2016\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConfession time. I didn't enjoy lectures at theological college wrestling over which Gospel was written first and who used whose material to produce their Gospel. Up to that point, I had enjoyed reading each Gospel as it was presented, and to be honest I still do. However, reading Jeremy Duff's highly scholarly but refreshingly accessible work has been a real tonic.\u003cbr\u003eThe starting point for the book is a piece of detective work examining the evidence that Mark drew heavily on Peter's sermons to construct his Gospel. Duff presents Papias' views that support this in a compelling and convincing way.\u003cbr\u003eThe heart of the book is a treatment of eight themes that are central to Mark's Gospel, each of which are rewarding and enriching to explore. In addition, Duff helpfully provides his own translation of Mark's Greek, which was often rougher than the smoother versions we read today.\u003cbr\u003eParticularly helpful is the explanation of what it means to be 'following on the way'. The picture of the disciple as one who follows Jesus and is ready to take up his cross is a vital corrective to our comfortable Christianity. As the crucifixion approaches, the disciples desert Jesus and flee, but surprising new followers come to anoint Jesus and carry his cross. The book ends, as does Mark's Gospel, with a challenge to go and meet with the risen Jesus.\u003cbr\u003eFor preachers who are in a hurry with a sermon deadline approaching, this book won't be the best source of last-minute help. However, for all who want to understand Mark's Gospel more fully, whether preaching or not, this is a deeply rewarding read.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJohn Birchall\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Reader Spring 2016\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a latecomer to the Markan library, and is not a commentary but a guide to reading Mark's gospel. It is based on the idea that what we have in Mark's text is a kind of compendium of Peter's preaching, written down by Mark- who incidentally seems not to have been the young man who ran off naked after Jesus' arrest. The author presents us with a different way to read Mark's gospel, taking a thematic approach - miracles, the identity of Jesus, parables - and shows how carefully the original text was structured to make particular points. Duff writes accessibly and intermingles biblical exposition with some telling contemporary illustrations. There is a wealth of preaching material here and many helpful insights. The author also includes some interesting historical and contextual comments, such as that Mark was perhaps responsible for encouraging the use of the new codex format in preference to the more traditional scrolls. This highlights the one failing of Duff's book - the lack of references to any other literature. But this book is not offered as an academic text and his credentials are attested by his time as a New Testament tutor at Oxford - so we can take his word on trust. In the same way he encourages us to receive Mark's gospel as Peter's word to the early church - and to us - about the good news that is Jesus Christ.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMarion Gray\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMethodist Recorder 8 January 2016\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003ePeter's Preaching\u003c\/em\u003e: \u003cem\u003eThe Message of Mark's Gospel\u003c\/em\u003e (BRF, GBP9.99), Jeremy Duff takes what is arguably the foundational document of Christianity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is argued that Mark has written down and edited some of what Peter has remembered from all that he heard of Jesus' public and private teaching.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 10 chapters cover Peter's preaching thematically in a style which combines in-depth analysis and Bible reading notes. To this end, the book can be taken as a devotional, taking one section each day. The encouraging conclusion is that, despite our faults and failures, like Peter, we can pick ourselves up and meet Jesus again.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Rev Paul Wilson is development worker for Methodist Evangelicals Together.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e"}
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Peter's Preaching: The message of Mark's Gospel
£9.99
Digital eBook Only - Do you know who wrote Mark's Gospel? At first glance, it may seem a ridiculous question. 'Mark,...
{"id":14779665449340,"title":"Could This Be God?: Bumping into God in the everyday","handle":"could-this-be-god-bumping-into-god-in-the-everyday-1","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eIn a series of pithy, poignant and profound short readings, this book explores the intersection of faith and life. Spotting parables in the everyday, it equips readers to explore whether they might be bumping into God without realising it. Heartening and often funny, it applies biblical truth in a way that both fascinates and liberates.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI couldn't stop smiling as I read this wonderful book. Don't mistake its light touch, practical stance and humorous style for shallowness. It conveys great spiritual wisdom.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Derek Tidball, formerly Principal of London Bible College, currently Visiting Scholar at Spurgeon's College London \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrian Harris shows us that life's seemingly insignificant moments really do matter. Why? Because God can be found in them. Written with grace, cheer and deep reflection 'Could this be God?' is a delightful read that will bring inspiration each day.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Sheridan Voysey, speaker, broadcaster and author \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDr Brian Harris has been the Principal of Perth's Vose Seminary since the start of 2004. Born in South Africa, and a New Zealander by citizenship, he is married to Rosemary and they have three adult children and one grandchild.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn demand as a speaker, teacher and writer, Brian speaks at conferences, theological colleges and churches around Australia as well as in other parts of the world. He has a special focus on training leaders\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe serves as a director of Christian Schools Australia, chairs the Carey Group (and is also pastor at large for the Carey movement), is the vice-president of the Australian and New Zealand Association of Theological Schools, is a member of the Commission on Theological Education and Spiritual Formation of the Baptist World Alliance, and is an external advisor to the board of Perth's Riverview Church.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe has served as a visiting international scholar at Carson Newman University in the USA. He is the author of several books, including a book on leadership, The Tortoise Usually Wins: Biblical Reflections on Quiet Leadership (Paternoster, 2013). His latest book The Big Picture: Building Blocks for a Christian World View (Paternoster, 2015) has just been released. He writes a popular monthly column for Perth's The Advocate newspaper, and hosts a growing blog at brianharrisauthor.com.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom Rapport - Lee Abbey magazine Jan - April 2017\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn a series of pithy, poignant and profound short readings, this book explores the intersection of faith and life. Spotting parables in the everyday, it equips readers to explore whether they might be bumping into God without realising it. Heartening and often funny, it applies biblical truth in a way that both fascinates and liberates.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom Church Times 24 March 2017\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThose who miss Lionel Blue's take on life can be reassured that he has been reincarnated as Brian Harris, principal of a Baptist seminary in Perth, Australia. In Could this be God?, Harris presents 88 brief personal reflections on Life, Growing Faith, the Bible and Prayer, the Church, Our World, and the Seasons. He has a sharp and observant eye, is insightful, healthily self-deprecating, and effortlessly moves between the sacred and the secular.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book teems with bons mots: 'Goliath is the sort of person you'd hate to sit behind at the movies,' 'God writes straight with crooked lines,' 'The lost sheep and the prodigal son were dechurched people,' and 'Interruptions are my work.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe is scathing about a purring church and those in love with the wrong world, and bids us all 'to hit a six for Jesus!' Harris repeatedly bats sixers that fly way over the cricket stadium. I even forgave him for ascribing Newman's prayer 'Lord, support us all the day long of this troublous life ...', a favourite of mine, to the Scottish Prayer Book.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed by The Rt Revd David Wilbourne, Assistant Bishop of Llandaff\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2024-10-30T10:33:44+00:00","created_at":"2024-10-30T10:32:47+00:00","vendor":"Brian Harris","type":"eBook","tags":["For individuals","Glassboxx","Sep-16","Spirituality"],"price":899,"price_min":899,"price_max":899,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":53604827890044,"title":"eBook","option1":"eBook","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9780857465016","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"Could This Be God?: Bumping into God in the everyday - eBook","public_title":"eBook","options":["eBook"],"price":899,"weight":238,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9780857465016","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/295.png?v=1730980371","\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/296.png?v=1730980250"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/295.png?v=1730980371","options":["Format"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":63001497534844,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/295.png?v=1730980371"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/295.png?v=1730980371","width":1303},{"alt":null,"id":63001469747580,"position":2,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/296.png?v=1730980250"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/296.png?v=1730980250","width":1303}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eIn a series of pithy, poignant and profound short readings, this book explores the intersection of faith and life. Spotting parables in the everyday, it equips readers to explore whether they might be bumping into God without realising it. Heartening and often funny, it applies biblical truth in a way that both fascinates and liberates.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI couldn't stop smiling as I read this wonderful book. Don't mistake its light touch, practical stance and humorous style for shallowness. It conveys great spiritual wisdom.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Derek Tidball, formerly Principal of London Bible College, currently Visiting Scholar at Spurgeon's College London \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrian Harris shows us that life's seemingly insignificant moments really do matter. Why? Because God can be found in them. Written with grace, cheer and deep reflection 'Could this be God?' is a delightful read that will bring inspiration each day.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Sheridan Voysey, speaker, broadcaster and author \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDr Brian Harris has been the Principal of Perth's Vose Seminary since the start of 2004. Born in South Africa, and a New Zealander by citizenship, he is married to Rosemary and they have three adult children and one grandchild.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn demand as a speaker, teacher and writer, Brian speaks at conferences, theological colleges and churches around Australia as well as in other parts of the world. He has a special focus on training leaders\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe serves as a director of Christian Schools Australia, chairs the Carey Group (and is also pastor at large for the Carey movement), is the vice-president of the Australian and New Zealand Association of Theological Schools, is a member of the Commission on Theological Education and Spiritual Formation of the Baptist World Alliance, and is an external advisor to the board of Perth's Riverview Church.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe has served as a visiting international scholar at Carson Newman University in the USA. He is the author of several books, including a book on leadership, The Tortoise Usually Wins: Biblical Reflections on Quiet Leadership (Paternoster, 2013). His latest book The Big Picture: Building Blocks for a Christian World View (Paternoster, 2015) has just been released. He writes a popular monthly column for Perth's The Advocate newspaper, and hosts a growing blog at brianharrisauthor.com.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom Rapport - Lee Abbey magazine Jan - April 2017\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn a series of pithy, poignant and profound short readings, this book explores the intersection of faith and life. Spotting parables in the everyday, it equips readers to explore whether they might be bumping into God without realising it. Heartening and often funny, it applies biblical truth in a way that both fascinates and liberates.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom Church Times 24 March 2017\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThose who miss Lionel Blue's take on life can be reassured that he has been reincarnated as Brian Harris, principal of a Baptist seminary in Perth, Australia. In Could this be God?, Harris presents 88 brief personal reflections on Life, Growing Faith, the Bible and Prayer, the Church, Our World, and the Seasons. He has a sharp and observant eye, is insightful, healthily self-deprecating, and effortlessly moves between the sacred and the secular.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book teems with bons mots: 'Goliath is the sort of person you'd hate to sit behind at the movies,' 'God writes straight with crooked lines,' 'The lost sheep and the prodigal son were dechurched people,' and 'Interruptions are my work.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe is scathing about a purring church and those in love with the wrong world, and bids us all 'to hit a six for Jesus!' Harris repeatedly bats sixers that fly way over the cricket stadium. I even forgave him for ascribing Newman's prayer 'Lord, support us all the day long of this troublous life ...', a favourite of mine, to the Scottish Prayer Book.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed by The Rt Revd David Wilbourne, Assistant Bishop of Llandaff\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e"}
You may also like:
Could This Be God?: Bumping into God in the everyday
£8.99
Digital eBook Only - In a series of pithy, poignant and profound short readings, this book explores the intersection of...
{"id":14779669610876,"title":"Experiencing Christ's Love: Establishing a life of worship, prayer, study, service and reflection","handle":"experiencing-christs-love-establishing-a-life-of-worship-prayer-study-service-and-reflection-1","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eIn Experiencing Christ's Love, well-known writer John Twisleton reminds us of Jesus' gracious challenge to love God with heart, soul and mind, and to love our neighbour and ourselves. Against the backdrop of the message of God's unconditional love in Jesus Christ, the author delivers a wake-up call to the basic Christian patterns of worship, prayer, study, service and reflection. These, he claims, serve to take God's hand in ours, leading us into his divine possibilities.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eContents\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e1 First love: worship\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eYou shall love the Lord your God with all your heart\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e2 Second love: prayer\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eYou shall love the Lord your God with all your soul\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e3 Third love: study\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eYou shall love the Lord your God with all your mind\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e4 Fourth love: service\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eYou shall love your neighbour\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e5 Fifth love: reflection\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eYou shall love... yourself\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJohn Twisleton is based in Sussex and the former parish priest of Horsted Keynes in Chichester Diocese, where he also led the diocesan mission and renewal team for eight years. He has also worked as an Area Missioner in London Diocese and as Principal of an ordination training centre in Guyana. He has written on issues including baptism, confession, priesthood, prayer and healing, and he broadcasts regularly on Premier Radio.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo read John's lockdown blog click \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/blogs\/collections\/john-twistleton-writes-about-experiencing-christs-love-in-a-pandemic\"\u003ehere\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLove is a word that our culture has grossly misunderstood, often described as mere romantic feeling. Yet in the scriptures love is always active. God's love always issues in action. In this very helpful book John fleshes out what an active expression of loving God and loving neighbour looks like. Using the picture of a hand, five fingers reaching out to God, he places worship, prayer, study, service and reflection in the framework of the great commandment. This helpful metaphorical treatment is both a challenge and an encouragement to deeper Christian living. John brings together his catholic and charismatic spirituality into a gem of a book that richly rewards prayerful study.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Rt Rev Richard Jackson - Bishop of Lewes \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe five chapters of John Twisleton's book lay before us a comprehensive structure for reviewing our rule of life of worship, prayer, study, service and reflection, to encourage the reader to experience more deeply the love of Christ. He draws at length from his own spiritual journal and pastoral work to demonstrate how he has experienced and grown his spiritual discipleship. There are also riches here from past and present spiritual writers, to encourage the reader to explore further. The Summary of the Law is presented in sections at the start of each of the five chapters of the book. Throughout, we are given a prayerful reading of the scriptures. Each chapter is worth reflecting on at some length. There is distilled wisdom here worth pondering on. This is a timely book for us in Chichester Diocese as we mark the Year of the Bible.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Canon Andrew Robinson\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe five chapters of John Twisleton's book lay before us a comprehensive structure for reviewing our rule of life of worship, prayer, study, service and reflection to encourage the reader to experience more deeply the love of Christ.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe draws on his own spiritual journey and pastoral work to demonstrate how he has experienced and grown his spiritual discipleship. There are also riches here from past and present spiritual writers to encourage the reader to explore further.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Summary of the Law is presented in sections at the start of each chapter. Throughout we are given a prayerful reading of the scriptures. Each chapter is worth reflecting on at some length. There is a distilled wisdom here worth pondering on.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a timely book for the diocese in this Year of the Bible and has been commended by the Bishop of Lewes, The Right Revd Richard Jackson.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe said: 'Love is a word that our culture has grossly misunderstood, often described as mere romantic feeling. Yet in the scriptures love is always active. God's love always issues in action.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'In this very helpful book John fleshes out what an active expression of loving God and loving neighbour looks like. Using the picture of a hand, five fingers reaching out to God, he places worship, prayer, study, service and reflection in the framework of the great commandment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'This helpful metaphorical treatment is a both a challenge and an encouragement to deeper Christian living. John brings together his catholic and charismatic spirituality into a gem of a book that richly rewards prayerful study.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed in Faith in Sussex, Summer 2017\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e","published_at":"2024-10-30T10:35:38+00:00","created_at":"2024-10-30T10:34:26+00:00","vendor":"John Twisleton","type":"eBook","tags":["Apr-17","For individuals","Glassboxx","Prayer","Spirituality"],"price":699,"price_min":699,"price_max":699,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":53604829200764,"title":"eBook","option1":"eBook","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9780857465320","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"Experiencing Christ's Love: Establishing a life of worship, prayer, study, service and reflection - eBook","public_title":"eBook","options":["eBook"],"price":699,"weight":114,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9780857465320","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/297.png?v=1730980367","\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/298.png?v=1730980250"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/297.png?v=1730980367","options":["Format"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":63001496781180,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/297.png?v=1730980367"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/297.png?v=1730980367","width":1303},{"alt":null,"id":63001469813116,"position":2,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/298.png?v=1730980250"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/298.png?v=1730980250","width":1303}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eIn Experiencing Christ's Love, well-known writer John Twisleton reminds us of Jesus' gracious challenge to love God with heart, soul and mind, and to love our neighbour and ourselves. Against the backdrop of the message of God's unconditional love in Jesus Christ, the author delivers a wake-up call to the basic Christian patterns of worship, prayer, study, service and reflection. These, he claims, serve to take God's hand in ours, leading us into his divine possibilities.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eContents\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e1 First love: worship\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eYou shall love the Lord your God with all your heart\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e2 Second love: prayer\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eYou shall love the Lord your God with all your soul\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e3 Third love: study\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eYou shall love the Lord your God with all your mind\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e4 Fourth love: service\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eYou shall love your neighbour\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e5 Fifth love: reflection\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eYou shall love... yourself\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJohn Twisleton is based in Sussex and the former parish priest of Horsted Keynes in Chichester Diocese, where he also led the diocesan mission and renewal team for eight years. He has also worked as an Area Missioner in London Diocese and as Principal of an ordination training centre in Guyana. He has written on issues including baptism, confession, priesthood, prayer and healing, and he broadcasts regularly on Premier Radio.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo read John's lockdown blog click \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/blogs\/collections\/john-twistleton-writes-about-experiencing-christs-love-in-a-pandemic\"\u003ehere\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLove is a word that our culture has grossly misunderstood, often described as mere romantic feeling. Yet in the scriptures love is always active. God's love always issues in action. In this very helpful book John fleshes out what an active expression of loving God and loving neighbour looks like. Using the picture of a hand, five fingers reaching out to God, he places worship, prayer, study, service and reflection in the framework of the great commandment. This helpful metaphorical treatment is both a challenge and an encouragement to deeper Christian living. John brings together his catholic and charismatic spirituality into a gem of a book that richly rewards prayerful study.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Rt Rev Richard Jackson - Bishop of Lewes \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe five chapters of John Twisleton's book lay before us a comprehensive structure for reviewing our rule of life of worship, prayer, study, service and reflection, to encourage the reader to experience more deeply the love of Christ. He draws at length from his own spiritual journal and pastoral work to demonstrate how he has experienced and grown his spiritual discipleship. There are also riches here from past and present spiritual writers, to encourage the reader to explore further. The Summary of the Law is presented in sections at the start of each of the five chapters of the book. Throughout, we are given a prayerful reading of the scriptures. Each chapter is worth reflecting on at some length. There is distilled wisdom here worth pondering on. This is a timely book for us in Chichester Diocese as we mark the Year of the Bible.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Canon Andrew Robinson\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe five chapters of John Twisleton's book lay before us a comprehensive structure for reviewing our rule of life of worship, prayer, study, service and reflection to encourage the reader to experience more deeply the love of Christ.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe draws on his own spiritual journey and pastoral work to demonstrate how he has experienced and grown his spiritual discipleship. There are also riches here from past and present spiritual writers to encourage the reader to explore further.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Summary of the Law is presented in sections at the start of each chapter. Throughout we are given a prayerful reading of the scriptures. Each chapter is worth reflecting on at some length. There is a distilled wisdom here worth pondering on.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a timely book for the diocese in this Year of the Bible and has been commended by the Bishop of Lewes, The Right Revd Richard Jackson.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe said: 'Love is a word that our culture has grossly misunderstood, often described as mere romantic feeling. Yet in the scriptures love is always active. God's love always issues in action.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'In this very helpful book John fleshes out what an active expression of loving God and loving neighbour looks like. Using the picture of a hand, five fingers reaching out to God, he places worship, prayer, study, service and reflection in the framework of the great commandment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'This helpful metaphorical treatment is a both a challenge and an encouragement to deeper Christian living. John brings together his catholic and charismatic spirituality into a gem of a book that richly rewards prayerful study.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed in Faith in Sussex, Summer 2017\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e"}
You may also like:
Experiencing Christ's Love: Establishing a life of worship, prayer, study, service and reflection
£6.99
Digital eBook Only - In Experiencing Christ's Love, well-known writer John Twisleton reminds us of Jesus' gracious challenge to love...
{"id":14779675443580,"title":"Walking with Biblical Women of Courage: Imaginative studies for Bible meditation","handle":"walking-with-biblical-women-of-courage-imaginative-studies-for-bible-meditation-1","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eWe're all called to everyday courage: the ability to persevere in suffering, resilience in the face of disappointment and loss, strength to take on difficult roles. Walking with Biblical Women of Courage is an encouraging and empowering collection of meditative monologues told from the perspectives of women from both the Old and New Testaments. The monologues are followed by questions designed for either individual or group exploration and reflection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eContents\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHagar (Part 1)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHagar (Part 2)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShiphrah, Puah and Jochebed\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDeborah\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJael\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJephthah's daughter\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMichal (Part 1)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMichal (Part 2)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAbigail (Part 1)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAbigail (Part 2)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe queen of Sheba\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe widow with two sons\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe woman of Shunem (Part 1)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe woman of Shunem (Part 2)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe young Jewish maid\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTabitha or Dorcas\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMary of Jerusalem\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLydia\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePriscilla\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePhoebe\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEunice\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFiona Stratta is a qualified speech and language therapist and speech and drama teacher working with children and adults. Her books first emerged when she endured a prolonged period of ill-health which led her to engage with meditative approaches to Bible reading. She is the author of two warmly received books for BRF, Walking with Old Testament Women (2015) and Walking with Gospel Women (2012). One reviewer speaks of them as 'a stirring read', encouraging us to reflect on our own faith journey, pointing us to the God who doesn't change.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Reader (Spring 2018).Review by Susanne Mitchell\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSubtitled 'Imaginative Studies for bible Meditation', this book is really lectio divina for those who might be put off by the term. For each of seventeen characters (or in one case a group) there are biblical passages to read followed by a reflection in the first person as if written by the character herself. Some of these are more convincing than others, and the author admits to a certain amount of licence with facts. A series of questions then prompt further reflection or conversation if used with a group. Footnotes in each chapter helpfully tell you 'what happens in the end' or clarify points of cultural context. It is not a feminist critique, although it might provoke some wrestling with difficult contemporary issues and the courage required in our own age. Selecting a handful of characters could make up a study course. This is a useful tool to encourage us to engage with scripture in a less familiar way, and for personal study in a lighter vein.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Susanne Mitchell\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2024-10-30T10:38:08+00:00","created_at":"2024-10-30T10:37:07+00:00","vendor":"Fiona Stratta","type":"eBook","tags":["Glassboxx","Jul-17","Women"],"price":799,"price_min":799,"price_max":799,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":53604833526140,"title":"eBook","option1":"eBook","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9780857465344","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"Walking with Biblical Women of Courage: Imaginative studies for Bible meditation - eBook","public_title":"eBook","options":["eBook"],"price":799,"weight":186,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9780857465344","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/299.png?v=1730980352","\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/300.png?v=1730980311"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/299.png?v=1730980352","options":["Format"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":63001493176700,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/299.png?v=1730980352"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/299.png?v=1730980352","width":1303},{"alt":null,"id":63001484001660,"position":2,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/300.png?v=1730980311"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/300.png?v=1730980311","width":1303}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eWe're all called to everyday courage: the ability to persevere in suffering, resilience in the face of disappointment and loss, strength to take on difficult roles. Walking with Biblical Women of Courage is an encouraging and empowering collection of meditative monologues told from the perspectives of women from both the Old and New Testaments. The monologues are followed by questions designed for either individual or group exploration and reflection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eContents\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHagar (Part 1)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHagar (Part 2)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShiphrah, Puah and Jochebed\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDeborah\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJael\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJephthah's daughter\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMichal (Part 1)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMichal (Part 2)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAbigail (Part 1)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAbigail (Part 2)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe queen of Sheba\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe widow with two sons\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe woman of Shunem (Part 1)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe woman of Shunem (Part 2)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe young Jewish maid\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTabitha or Dorcas\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMary of Jerusalem\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLydia\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePriscilla\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePhoebe\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEunice\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFiona Stratta is a qualified speech and language therapist and speech and drama teacher working with children and adults. Her books first emerged when she endured a prolonged period of ill-health which led her to engage with meditative approaches to Bible reading. She is the author of two warmly received books for BRF, Walking with Old Testament Women (2015) and Walking with Gospel Women (2012). One reviewer speaks of them as 'a stirring read', encouraging us to reflect on our own faith journey, pointing us to the God who doesn't change.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Reader (Spring 2018).Review by Susanne Mitchell\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSubtitled 'Imaginative Studies for bible Meditation', this book is really lectio divina for those who might be put off by the term. For each of seventeen characters (or in one case a group) there are biblical passages to read followed by a reflection in the first person as if written by the character herself. Some of these are more convincing than others, and the author admits to a certain amount of licence with facts. A series of questions then prompt further reflection or conversation if used with a group. Footnotes in each chapter helpfully tell you 'what happens in the end' or clarify points of cultural context. It is not a feminist critique, although it might provoke some wrestling with difficult contemporary issues and the courage required in our own age. Selecting a handful of characters could make up a study course. This is a useful tool to encourage us to engage with scripture in a less familiar way, and for personal study in a lighter vein.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Susanne Mitchell\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e"}
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Walking with Biblical Women of Courage: Imaginative studies for Bible meditation
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{"id":14779680194940,"title":"Faith in the Making: Praying it, talking it, living it","handle":"faith-in-the-making-praying-it-talking-it-living-it-1","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eIf faith is 'being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see', what does that look like in practice today? In a world that is largely unsure and uncertain, how do we gain our confidence?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFaith in the Making recognises the problem and seeks the answer in the list of faithful heroes found in Hebrews 11. This accessible devotional resource will inspire individuals and groups to live more confidently for God in today's world. Heroic faith is far more attainable than we often think!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRead Lyndall's Lockdown blog \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/blogs\/collections\/lyndall-bywater-author-of-prayer-in-the-making-and-faith-in-the-making-learn-a-lot-from-her-least-favourite-bible-verse-in-her-lockdown-reflection\"\u003ehere\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a book that will inspire, deepen and challenge your understanding of Christian faith. Lyndall provides a roadmap which connects the story of faith heroes to our story through an excellent combination of theology, practice and application for our everyday lives. I would highly recommend this as a resource for a small group study or for any individual searching for ways to help them grow stronger in their faith.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJani Rubery, Organisational psychologist and Spiritual Mentor\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg height=\"220\" width=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/LyndallBywater_480x480.jpg?v=1676496804\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin-right: 10px; float: left;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLyndall Bywater is a freelance speaker and writer, specialising in the subject of prayer. Having worked for ten years as The Salvation Army's UK prayer coordinator, she is now part of Connecting the Isles and works with 24-7 Prayer on its Europe team. She heads up Canterbury Boiler Room, an interdenominational prayer community, and contributes to BRF's Day by Day with God Bible reading notes. She is married to Phil.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Reader website, January 2019. Review by Cavan Wood\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSubtitled 'praying it, talking it, living it', this book considers Hebrews 11's great chapter of the people of faith. Bywater writes with passion about her topic and helps us to see the possible ways we can learn from biblical stories and people. There are some terrific ideas for prayer and worship, very stimulating and challenging questions in the 'talking it' section, and some suggestions in 'living it.' This is a book for the individual and the small group, and perhaps even the basis of a preaching series. What is very impressive is the honesty of the author who is keen to show us that she struggles with life every bit as much as the great heroes of the faith. I warmly recommend it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Cavan Wood\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e____________________________________________\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReform\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSometimes it is hard to hold onto what we have received in worship - to carry it with us into the coming week and use it to make a real difference in the world (or even with those alongside whom we work and live). Sometimes we cannot make the Bible study group. We long for something that can inspire and energise us to respond in action as well as words. This book ticks all the boxes in giving us something to read that is Bible-based, challenging, interesting, personal, realistic and practical. It is easy to read but also honest. It acknowledges the vulnerabilities and weaknesses we all struggle with and uses the author's own life experiences to expand on texts and bring the characters to life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBywater bases the whole book on Hebrews 11 and the characters from the Old Testament who are mentioned in it. She feels each one of these were heroes in their own right, and that we can learn from both their ability to hold onto hope wherever they found themselves and from the stories of their friendship with God which fuelled their faith.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach chapter has the same structure: a Bible text from Hebrews 11, a reflection on the character(s) that also includes the author's personal narrative, then ideas for praying, talking and living out faith (this section focuses on the 'hope' of each character.) A passage from the Old Testament follows, relating to the character(s) and the 'friendship' aspect of their story, which then leads to more ideas for praying, talking and living out faith.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI found it unsettling that God was always addressed using a male pronoun and I was unable to identify with some of the words Bywater used to portray God and how God relates to humankind.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, that did not stop the book from being useful. It was practical, interesting and encouraged us to step out in faith, to be heroes - just like the ones we read about in the Bible - despite our human failings and shortcomings. To carry hope and friendship with God as travelling aids.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJenny Mills is Minister of Newport Pagnell United Reformed Church and West End United Church, Wolverton, Milton Keynes\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLyndall is already known for her creativity, writings and teaching on prayer, and this is her first book. It is an honest reflection of faith in a challenging culture yet with the possibilities of how God can bring about real change. Her style is relaxed and humorous with lots of practical application.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWithin the book the writer is heart-breakingly honest about the fragility of faith when faced with tragedy and atrocity in our world. She acknowledges how the word faith conjures up feelings of excitement and guilt at the same time, but ultimately faith is the call for Christians to look beyond what they can immediately see to a different reality, what the writer of Hebrews calls living by faith.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLyndall takes the heroes of Hebrews 11, in easy to read chapters. She encourages the reader to think about the people of faith mentioned there, recognising ordinariness within great acts of faith. Describing them as people who 'soared their way to impossible things because they lost sight of their own limitations and got caught up in the bigness of God,' Lyndall opens up the possibility that all Christians can be like those in Hebrews 11. Whether taking a leap with God results in crash-landing or truly flying, faith is less about rules and observances and more about trust in God's presence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor Christians bored with the mediocre and wanting to change the world, this book will inspire them to put more faith in what God can do where they live. Each chapter ends with opportunity for reflection, putting what has been explored into practice, and developing personal rhythms of prayer for daily life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough the writer physically is unable to see, this book is full of enlightening stories, spiritual insight, and the reality of how God makes his vision clear to those who dare to live by faith.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAndrea Still\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2024-10-30T10:39:58+00:00","created_at":"2024-10-30T10:39:01+00:00","vendor":"Lyndall Bywater","type":"eBook","tags":["Feb-18","For individuals","Glassboxx","Prayer"],"price":799,"price_min":799,"price_max":799,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":53604835950972,"title":"eBook","option1":"eBook","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9780857465566","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"Faith in the Making: Praying it, talking it, living it - eBook","public_title":"eBook","options":["eBook"],"price":799,"weight":163,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9780857465566","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/301.png?v=1730980386","\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/302.png?v=1730980357"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/301.png?v=1730980386","options":["Format"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":63001501827452,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/301.png?v=1730980386"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/301.png?v=1730980386","width":1303},{"alt":null,"id":63001494356348,"position":2,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/302.png?v=1730980357"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/302.png?v=1730980357","width":1303}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eIf faith is 'being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see', what does that look like in practice today? In a world that is largely unsure and uncertain, how do we gain our confidence?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFaith in the Making recognises the problem and seeks the answer in the list of faithful heroes found in Hebrews 11. This accessible devotional resource will inspire individuals and groups to live more confidently for God in today's world. Heroic faith is far more attainable than we often think!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRead Lyndall's Lockdown blog \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/blogs\/collections\/lyndall-bywater-author-of-prayer-in-the-making-and-faith-in-the-making-learn-a-lot-from-her-least-favourite-bible-verse-in-her-lockdown-reflection\"\u003ehere\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a book that will inspire, deepen and challenge your understanding of Christian faith. Lyndall provides a roadmap which connects the story of faith heroes to our story through an excellent combination of theology, practice and application for our everyday lives. I would highly recommend this as a resource for a small group study or for any individual searching for ways to help them grow stronger in their faith.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJani Rubery, Organisational psychologist and Spiritual Mentor\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg height=\"220\" width=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/LyndallBywater_480x480.jpg?v=1676496804\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin-right: 10px; float: left;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLyndall Bywater is a freelance speaker and writer, specialising in the subject of prayer. Having worked for ten years as The Salvation Army's UK prayer coordinator, she is now part of Connecting the Isles and works with 24-7 Prayer on its Europe team. She heads up Canterbury Boiler Room, an interdenominational prayer community, and contributes to BRF's Day by Day with God Bible reading notes. She is married to Phil.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Reader website, January 2019. Review by Cavan Wood\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSubtitled 'praying it, talking it, living it', this book considers Hebrews 11's great chapter of the people of faith. Bywater writes with passion about her topic and helps us to see the possible ways we can learn from biblical stories and people. There are some terrific ideas for prayer and worship, very stimulating and challenging questions in the 'talking it' section, and some suggestions in 'living it.' This is a book for the individual and the small group, and perhaps even the basis of a preaching series. What is very impressive is the honesty of the author who is keen to show us that she struggles with life every bit as much as the great heroes of the faith. I warmly recommend it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Cavan Wood\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e____________________________________________\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReform\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSometimes it is hard to hold onto what we have received in worship - to carry it with us into the coming week and use it to make a real difference in the world (or even with those alongside whom we work and live). Sometimes we cannot make the Bible study group. We long for something that can inspire and energise us to respond in action as well as words. This book ticks all the boxes in giving us something to read that is Bible-based, challenging, interesting, personal, realistic and practical. It is easy to read but also honest. It acknowledges the vulnerabilities and weaknesses we all struggle with and uses the author's own life experiences to expand on texts and bring the characters to life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBywater bases the whole book on Hebrews 11 and the characters from the Old Testament who are mentioned in it. She feels each one of these were heroes in their own right, and that we can learn from both their ability to hold onto hope wherever they found themselves and from the stories of their friendship with God which fuelled their faith.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach chapter has the same structure: a Bible text from Hebrews 11, a reflection on the character(s) that also includes the author's personal narrative, then ideas for praying, talking and living out faith (this section focuses on the 'hope' of each character.) A passage from the Old Testament follows, relating to the character(s) and the 'friendship' aspect of their story, which then leads to more ideas for praying, talking and living out faith.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI found it unsettling that God was always addressed using a male pronoun and I was unable to identify with some of the words Bywater used to portray God and how God relates to humankind.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, that did not stop the book from being useful. It was practical, interesting and encouraged us to step out in faith, to be heroes - just like the ones we read about in the Bible - despite our human failings and shortcomings. To carry hope and friendship with God as travelling aids.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJenny Mills is Minister of Newport Pagnell United Reformed Church and West End United Church, Wolverton, Milton Keynes\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLyndall is already known for her creativity, writings and teaching on prayer, and this is her first book. It is an honest reflection of faith in a challenging culture yet with the possibilities of how God can bring about real change. Her style is relaxed and humorous with lots of practical application.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWithin the book the writer is heart-breakingly honest about the fragility of faith when faced with tragedy and atrocity in our world. She acknowledges how the word faith conjures up feelings of excitement and guilt at the same time, but ultimately faith is the call for Christians to look beyond what they can immediately see to a different reality, what the writer of Hebrews calls living by faith.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLyndall takes the heroes of Hebrews 11, in easy to read chapters. She encourages the reader to think about the people of faith mentioned there, recognising ordinariness within great acts of faith. Describing them as people who 'soared their way to impossible things because they lost sight of their own limitations and got caught up in the bigness of God,' Lyndall opens up the possibility that all Christians can be like those in Hebrews 11. Whether taking a leap with God results in crash-landing or truly flying, faith is less about rules and observances and more about trust in God's presence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor Christians bored with the mediocre and wanting to change the world, this book will inspire them to put more faith in what God can do where they live. Each chapter ends with opportunity for reflection, putting what has been explored into practice, and developing personal rhythms of prayer for daily life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough the writer physically is unable to see, this book is full of enlightening stories, spiritual insight, and the reality of how God makes his vision clear to those who dare to live by faith.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAndrea Still\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e"}
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{"id":14779701690748,"title":"Is Your God Too Small?: Enlarging our vision in the face of life's struggles","handle":"is-your-god-too-small-enlarging-our-vision-in-the-face-of-lifes-struggles-1","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eJob struggled, as we do, with huge questions - his own and the world's. He and his friends looked for an answer in the past, but discovered that the answer lay elsewhere - in God himself, and in the divine presence in his life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn an accessible way, David Potter opens up fresh insight into the book of Job, with a different perspective on our sufferings and perhaps on God.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI have loved reading David Potter's book on Job. It reads really well and gives the most accessible introduction to the book that I've ever come across. I will gladly commend it to others. The author's warm evangelical heart and pastoral sensitivity have made it an extremely valuable volume.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJonathan Edwards, formerly General Secretary of The Baptist Union\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDavid Potter has had another book published and while, regrettably, I am not an avid reader ... I have to say this is a great read... Yes, it is about suffering, poor ol' Job and his 'helpful' friends, but it's more about Job's - and our - great God. It is very engaging. I am nearly at the end of the book and can (must) recommend it to you. For those of you who know David, you will be able to 'hear him' as you read.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDavid Bentley, formerly Chair of Trustees of Prospects and Trustee of Livability\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI have greatly enjoyed and profited from reading 'Is your God too small?', and have recommended it to several people. David Potter cuts through some of the detail to get to the heart of what the book is about, and its applicability to our contemporary culture - clearly the fruit of much reflection and prayer. Thank you.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePJL\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDavid Potter is a Baptist pastor. He was the co-editor of The Evangelical Times, and one of the founding directors of Evangelicals Now. However, his life's work until early retirement has been as the founder and director of Prospects for people with learning disabilities. David received an MBE in 2002 in recognition of his services in the field of Learning Disabilities. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Reader, Spring 2019. Review by Claire Didsbury\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePotter takes us through the book of Job, chapter by chapter, trying to answer the question: 'where is wisdom to be found?' This is not a scholarly book, but a practical and accessible one that encourages us to enlarge our view of God and so find God's presence and comfort when our lives get difficult. Potter was a Baptist pastor and became one of the founding directors of 'Evangelicals Now'. He received an MBE for his work with Prospects, a charity that works with people with learning difficulties, and uses stories from his own life to illustrate some of his points. One of his key verses is Ephesians 1:11, ' works out everything in conformity with the purposes of his will'. He encourages us to accept whatever God sends into our lives, continuing to trust in his loving purposes for us and those dear to us, even though they may be inscrutable to us. Wisdom is to be found in the fear of the Lord. But for him the answer to these questions is finally to be found in contemplating the cross.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Claire Didsbury\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'evangelicals now', February 2019. Review by Louise Morse\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIs there anyone who hasn't known suffering? Who hasn't asked, like Job, 'where is God in this?'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDavid Potter, retired pastor and founder of Prospects, the charity that cares for people with learning disabilities, studies the book of Job to 'enlarge our view of God and his goodness in difficult times', making it a teaching book with learning topics listed beneath chapter headings, and 'how to use this book' instructions on page six. It's excellent material for house groups.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot much is known about Job, except that he was a prosperous businessman and eminent civic leader, who excelled in charitable works and, according to God himself, was 'an exceptionally good man'. He says as much to Satan, who responds by accusing Job of acting out of self-interest. God responds by allowing Satan to ruin Job in every sense, to prove that Job cherished him for himself, not merely his blessings. Perhaps Job would have felt the unfairness even more deeply, suggests the author, had he known. Readers may feel that, on the other hand, Job may have felt strengthened in knowing that God could trust him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJob's was a wisdom-based society where there were regular council meetings, suggesting democracy, and with moral values where the elderly were revered (Job 12:12, 32:4). Yet Job's friends' monologues reflect post-truth relativism rather than wisdom, looking for facts to fit their theory of cause and effect, i.e. that Job was suffering because of hidden sin. A question David Potter asks is: 'Should Job have made more effort to show his appreciation for the fact that his friends were ... trying to help him?' The author's reflections and questions reflect discussion throughout.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'The loss Job felt most keenly... was the companionship of God.' He longs to see him, to hear from him. Then he has a lightening flash of revelation, in which he sees God as his Redeemer (Job 19:23-27). In that moment, Potter writes, he 'knows that he has a future... he will see God.' Eventually God speaks, revealing his immeasurable vastness by taking Job on a virtual tour of creation. 'Now I see him,' says Job (Job 42:5). 'For Job to find peace he had to see the wisdom and power of God,' writes Potter, 'and by that route he found the grace to trust his covenant-keeping God.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book is packed with references, both biblical and literary. It's a pleasing read, though not everyone will agree with everything the author posits. Nevertheless, it will make you think.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Louise Morse, Pilgrims' Friend Society\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReview by\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003eLyndon Bowring, Chairman, CARE\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI confess, that other than dipping into it as part of my regular Bible reading, Job is not a book I've ever sought to study in any depth. But when David asked me to read \u003cem\u003eIs your God too small? \u003c\/em\u003eI found myself quickly captivated by his exposition of this unique part of Scripture. Drawing from his theological studies, pastoral experience and times of testing in his and his wife's personal lives, David examines the question that has been asked for millennia: 'Why does a so-called God of love allow such suffering in the world?' He presents us with inspiring reassurances about the sovereignty of God and His deep desire to have a relationship with each person he has made.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeginning with the intriguing scenes where Satan and God discuss this blameless man's life, and what it would take for him to reject his faith, David takes us through Job's despair and deep suffering and makes some fascinating comments about his friends' long speeches and Job's response. The climax comes with God's majestic declarations of His omnipotence, and wisdom that surpasses human understanding. Every stage of our journey through\u003cem\u003e Is your God too small?\u003c\/em\u003e includes New Testament references that point to Jesus and help us to grasp what it means to 'fear God - which is the beginning of wisdom.' It has certainly helped me to appreciate this ancient story in a whole new way.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf, like me, you've rather neglected the Book of Job, do yourself a favour and read this book. Instead of asking that question 'Why?' we can move on in hope to wonder 'For what purpose?' does God allow the dark times of suffering to come into all our lives. God's sovereign greatness is far above our comprehension and His purposes stretch beyond the preoccupations of our times and individual lives. Yet, as David gently points out again and again, He tenderly loves us through it all.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Lyndon Bowring\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2024-10-30T10:48:31+00:00","created_at":"2024-10-30T10:47:38+00:00","vendor":"David Potter","type":"eBook","tags":["Biblical engagement","Glassboxx","Jul-18","Pastoral care"],"price":899,"price_min":899,"price_max":899,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":53604845846908,"title":"eBook","option1":"eBook","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9780857466341","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"Is Your God Too Small?: Enlarging our vision in the face of life's struggles - eBook","public_title":"eBook","options":["eBook"],"price":899,"weight":189,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9780857466341","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/303.png?v=1730980306","\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/304.png?v=1730980344"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/303.png?v=1730980306","options":["Format"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":63001482985852,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/303.png?v=1730980306"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/303.png?v=1730980306","width":1303},{"alt":null,"id":63001491308924,"position":2,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/304.png?v=1730980344"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/304.png?v=1730980344","width":1303}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eJob struggled, as we do, with huge questions - his own and the world's. He and his friends looked for an answer in the past, but discovered that the answer lay elsewhere - in God himself, and in the divine presence in his life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn an accessible way, David Potter opens up fresh insight into the book of Job, with a different perspective on our sufferings and perhaps on God.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI have loved reading David Potter's book on Job. It reads really well and gives the most accessible introduction to the book that I've ever come across. I will gladly commend it to others. The author's warm evangelical heart and pastoral sensitivity have made it an extremely valuable volume.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJonathan Edwards, formerly General Secretary of The Baptist Union\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDavid Potter has had another book published and while, regrettably, I am not an avid reader ... I have to say this is a great read... Yes, it is about suffering, poor ol' Job and his 'helpful' friends, but it's more about Job's - and our - great God. It is very engaging. I am nearly at the end of the book and can (must) recommend it to you. For those of you who know David, you will be able to 'hear him' as you read.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDavid Bentley, formerly Chair of Trustees of Prospects and Trustee of Livability\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI have greatly enjoyed and profited from reading 'Is your God too small?', and have recommended it to several people. David Potter cuts through some of the detail to get to the heart of what the book is about, and its applicability to our contemporary culture - clearly the fruit of much reflection and prayer. Thank you.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePJL\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDavid Potter is a Baptist pastor. He was the co-editor of The Evangelical Times, and one of the founding directors of Evangelicals Now. However, his life's work until early retirement has been as the founder and director of Prospects for people with learning disabilities. David received an MBE in 2002 in recognition of his services in the field of Learning Disabilities. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Reader, Spring 2019. Review by Claire Didsbury\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePotter takes us through the book of Job, chapter by chapter, trying to answer the question: 'where is wisdom to be found?' This is not a scholarly book, but a practical and accessible one that encourages us to enlarge our view of God and so find God's presence and comfort when our lives get difficult. Potter was a Baptist pastor and became one of the founding directors of 'Evangelicals Now'. He received an MBE for his work with Prospects, a charity that works with people with learning difficulties, and uses stories from his own life to illustrate some of his points. One of his key verses is Ephesians 1:11, ' works out everything in conformity with the purposes of his will'. He encourages us to accept whatever God sends into our lives, continuing to trust in his loving purposes for us and those dear to us, even though they may be inscrutable to us. Wisdom is to be found in the fear of the Lord. But for him the answer to these questions is finally to be found in contemplating the cross.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Claire Didsbury\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'evangelicals now', February 2019. Review by Louise Morse\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIs there anyone who hasn't known suffering? Who hasn't asked, like Job, 'where is God in this?'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDavid Potter, retired pastor and founder of Prospects, the charity that cares for people with learning disabilities, studies the book of Job to 'enlarge our view of God and his goodness in difficult times', making it a teaching book with learning topics listed beneath chapter headings, and 'how to use this book' instructions on page six. It's excellent material for house groups.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot much is known about Job, except that he was a prosperous businessman and eminent civic leader, who excelled in charitable works and, according to God himself, was 'an exceptionally good man'. He says as much to Satan, who responds by accusing Job of acting out of self-interest. God responds by allowing Satan to ruin Job in every sense, to prove that Job cherished him for himself, not merely his blessings. Perhaps Job would have felt the unfairness even more deeply, suggests the author, had he known. Readers may feel that, on the other hand, Job may have felt strengthened in knowing that God could trust him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJob's was a wisdom-based society where there were regular council meetings, suggesting democracy, and with moral values where the elderly were revered (Job 12:12, 32:4). Yet Job's friends' monologues reflect post-truth relativism rather than wisdom, looking for facts to fit their theory of cause and effect, i.e. that Job was suffering because of hidden sin. A question David Potter asks is: 'Should Job have made more effort to show his appreciation for the fact that his friends were ... trying to help him?' The author's reflections and questions reflect discussion throughout.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'The loss Job felt most keenly... was the companionship of God.' He longs to see him, to hear from him. Then he has a lightening flash of revelation, in which he sees God as his Redeemer (Job 19:23-27). In that moment, Potter writes, he 'knows that he has a future... he will see God.' Eventually God speaks, revealing his immeasurable vastness by taking Job on a virtual tour of creation. 'Now I see him,' says Job (Job 42:5). 'For Job to find peace he had to see the wisdom and power of God,' writes Potter, 'and by that route he found the grace to trust his covenant-keeping God.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book is packed with references, both biblical and literary. It's a pleasing read, though not everyone will agree with everything the author posits. Nevertheless, it will make you think.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Louise Morse, Pilgrims' Friend Society\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReview by\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003eLyndon Bowring, Chairman, CARE\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI confess, that other than dipping into it as part of my regular Bible reading, Job is not a book I've ever sought to study in any depth. But when David asked me to read \u003cem\u003eIs your God too small? \u003c\/em\u003eI found myself quickly captivated by his exposition of this unique part of Scripture. Drawing from his theological studies, pastoral experience and times of testing in his and his wife's personal lives, David examines the question that has been asked for millennia: 'Why does a so-called God of love allow such suffering in the world?' He presents us with inspiring reassurances about the sovereignty of God and His deep desire to have a relationship with each person he has made.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeginning with the intriguing scenes where Satan and God discuss this blameless man's life, and what it would take for him to reject his faith, David takes us through Job's despair and deep suffering and makes some fascinating comments about his friends' long speeches and Job's response. The climax comes with God's majestic declarations of His omnipotence, and wisdom that surpasses human understanding. Every stage of our journey through\u003cem\u003e Is your God too small?\u003c\/em\u003e includes New Testament references that point to Jesus and help us to grasp what it means to 'fear God - which is the beginning of wisdom.' It has certainly helped me to appreciate this ancient story in a whole new way.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf, like me, you've rather neglected the Book of Job, do yourself a favour and read this book. Instead of asking that question 'Why?' we can move on in hope to wonder 'For what purpose?' does God allow the dark times of suffering to come into all our lives. God's sovereign greatness is far above our comprehension and His purposes stretch beyond the preoccupations of our times and individual lives. Yet, as David gently points out again and again, He tenderly loves us through it all.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Lyndon Bowring\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e"}
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Is Your God Too Small?: Enlarging our vision in the face of life's struggles
£8.99
Digital eBook Only - Job struggled, as we do, with huge questions - his own and the world's. He and...
{"id":14779720728956,"title":"The Mirror That Speaks Back: Looking at, listening to and reflecting your worth in Jesus","handle":"the-mirror-that-speaks-back-looking-at-listening-to-and-reflecting-your-worth-in-jesus-1","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eLearn how to engage with God's word, to trust it, to walk in its truth, to see in Jesus your self-esteem. This book will transform the way you think and release you to fulfil all you were made to be and do in Jesus Christ. It will help you:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eto fix your 'mind on things above' despite pressures to focus elsewhere,\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eto use scripture to empower your discipleship,\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eto resist conformity to secular norms,\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eto recognise who you are in Jesus.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn short, reading this book could be a life-changing encounter!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eContents\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIntroduction: discovering relational accompaniment\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePart I What's it all about? Addressing the problem\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMirror messages\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e'Apart from you'\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e'Do the Book. Do it!'\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePart II The mirror messages\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMirror, mirror, on the wall\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRestoring my true identity\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGod's purpose despite my health\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe endless feed\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA subjective subject\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRestoring my first love\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA twist in the tale\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInflated, deflated or Jesus-motivated\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePart III Moving on\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA cautionary tale\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLearning to be content\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBeyond this book\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnne is the author of several books, a long-standing monthly contributor to Woman Alive and a much appreciated speaker at conferences and events around the UK. She has a passion to disciple Christians in their ongoing walk with God.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo read Anne's lockdown blog click \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/blogs\/collections\/anne-le-tissier-author-of-the-mirror-that-speaks-back-mulls-over-lockdown-before-and-after\"\u003ehere\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e","published_at":"2024-10-30T10:56:30+00:00","created_at":"2024-10-30T10:55:28+00:00","vendor":"Anne Le Tissier","type":"eBook","tags":["Feb-18","Glassboxx","Pastoral care","Women"],"price":799,"price_min":799,"price_max":799,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":53604862230908,"title":"eBook","option1":"eBook","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9780857466365","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"The Mirror That Speaks Back: Looking at, listening to and reflecting your worth in Jesus - eBook","public_title":"eBook","options":["eBook"],"price":799,"weight":180,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9780857466365","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/305.png?v=1730980383","\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/306.png?v=1730980389"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/305.png?v=1730980383","options":["Format"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":63001501172092,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/305.png?v=1730980383"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/305.png?v=1730980383","width":1303},{"alt":null,"id":63001502450044,"position":2,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/306.png?v=1730980389"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/306.png?v=1730980389","width":1303}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eLearn how to engage with God's word, to trust it, to walk in its truth, to see in Jesus your self-esteem. This book will transform the way you think and release you to fulfil all you were made to be and do in Jesus Christ. It will help you:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eto fix your 'mind on things above' despite pressures to focus elsewhere,\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eto use scripture to empower your discipleship,\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eto resist conformity to secular norms,\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eto recognise who you are in Jesus.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn short, reading this book could be a life-changing encounter!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eContents\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIntroduction: discovering relational accompaniment\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePart I What's it all about? Addressing the problem\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMirror messages\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e'Apart from you'\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e'Do the Book. Do it!'\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePart II The mirror messages\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMirror, mirror, on the wall\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRestoring my true identity\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGod's purpose despite my health\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe endless feed\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA subjective subject\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRestoring my first love\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA twist in the tale\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInflated, deflated or Jesus-motivated\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePart III Moving on\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA cautionary tale\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLearning to be content\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBeyond this book\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnne is the author of several books, a long-standing monthly contributor to Woman Alive and a much appreciated speaker at conferences and events around the UK. She has a passion to disciple Christians in their ongoing walk with God.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo read Anne's lockdown blog click \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/blogs\/collections\/anne-le-tissier-author-of-the-mirror-that-speaks-back-mulls-over-lockdown-before-and-after\"\u003ehere\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e"}
You may also like:
The Mirror That Speaks Back: Looking at, listening to and reflecting your worth in Jesus
£7.99
Digital eBook Only - Learn how to engage with God's word, to trust it, to walk in its truth, to...
{"id":14779725545852,"title":"Really Useful Guides: Colossians and Philemon","handle":"really-useful-guides-colossians-and-philemon-1","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eEach Really Useful Guide focuses on a specific biblical book, making it come to life for the reader, enabling them to understand the message and to apply its truth to today’s circumstances. Though not a commentary, it gives valuable insight into the book’s message and context. Though not an introduction, it summarises the important aspects of the book to aid reading and application. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis Really Useful Guide to Colossians and Philemon will transform understanding of the biblical text, and will help you to engage with the message in new ways today, giving confidence in the Bible and increasing faith in God.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe series is edited by Simon Stocks and Derek Tidball.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat is special about the 'Really Useful Guides'?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey are laid out in an easy-to-read format, with less text on the page and plenty of headings, bulleted lists, bold type and diagrams where helpful. Despite this they are not patronising, and do not hide away from engaging with difficult bits of the book. While reading them straight through would probably be the most helpful, they can certainly be dipped into as well, with some sections that people might like to come back to more than once. Similarly, they can be read 'straight' or side-by-side with the biblical text; a slower, more engaged read will probably be more helpful but a reader who didn't do this would still find plenty to learn.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBaptist Times e-newsletter 1 February 2019.\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed by Pieter J. Lalleman\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith its new series of Really Useful Guides, the Bible Reading Fellowship follows the trend towards smaller and shorter books. So far in this series the volumes on the Psalms and on Colossians have appeared, written by the series' editors, Stocks and Tidball, respectively. The books are tiny (4 by 6 inches) but sturdy and the contents are fine, so they should not for that reason be looked down on. If you are uncertain what to give to a Christian friend, books like these make nice little presents.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStocks does indeed offer a 'very useful guide' of over 100 pages. Writing with obvious love for the Psalms, he explains many aspects briefly yet clearly, and in a personal style. Whereas he is aware of the gap which separates us from these old songs, he points to many bridges across it. After a brief introduction, the second chapter covers introductory issues such as composition and authorship. Chapter 3 gives a brief theology of the Psalms (what they say about God) and chapter 4 focuses on how they say it (the stAyle and the imagery).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe very brief chapter 5 surveys the relevant part of the history of Israel and chapter 6 gives suggestions for reading psalms today. Chapters 7 and 8 look at some unknown psalms in more detail. The final page contains questions for discussion but there are no suggestions for further reading.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the Colossians and Philemon guide, our fellow Baptist Derek Tidball takes some 70 pages to introduce us to Colossians, but less than 15 for Philemon. Yet in these few pages he manages to get across key elements of Philemon and its lasting value.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe treatment of Colossians is more traditional than that of the Psalms: it largely consists of Tidball making his way through the letter, commenting on backgrounds and contents along the way. Like Stocks, he uses bullet points and he prints the key Scripture verses in his text.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA separate chapter compares Colossians to other parts of the New Testament. In addition to some questions, suggestions for further reading are included. My one query is that slightly divergent outlines of Colossians are presented on pages 27, 28-29, and in what follows.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Revd. Dr Pieter J. Lalleman teaches the Bible at Spurgeon's College\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2024-10-30T10:58:17+00:00","created_at":"2024-10-30T10:57:25+00:00","vendor":"Derek Tidball","type":"eBook","tags":["Biblical engagement","Glassboxx","Oct-18","Really Useful Guides"],"price":599,"price_min":599,"price_max":599,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":53604863312252,"title":"eBook","option1":"eBook","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9780857467324","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"Really Useful Guides: Colossians and Philemon - eBook","public_title":"eBook","options":["eBook"],"price":599,"weight":91,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9780857467324","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/309.png?v=1730980370","\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/310.png?v=1730980363"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/309.png?v=1730980370","options":["Format"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":63001497502076,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/309.png?v=1730980370"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/309.png?v=1730980370","width":1303},{"alt":null,"id":63001495568764,"position":2,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/310.png?v=1730980363"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/310.png?v=1730980363","width":1303}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eEach Really Useful Guide focuses on a specific biblical book, making it come to life for the reader, enabling them to understand the message and to apply its truth to today’s circumstances. Though not a commentary, it gives valuable insight into the book’s message and context. Though not an introduction, it summarises the important aspects of the book to aid reading and application. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis Really Useful Guide to Colossians and Philemon will transform understanding of the biblical text, and will help you to engage with the message in new ways today, giving confidence in the Bible and increasing faith in God.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe series is edited by Simon Stocks and Derek Tidball.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat is special about the 'Really Useful Guides'?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey are laid out in an easy-to-read format, with less text on the page and plenty of headings, bulleted lists, bold type and diagrams where helpful. Despite this they are not patronising, and do not hide away from engaging with difficult bits of the book. While reading them straight through would probably be the most helpful, they can certainly be dipped into as well, with some sections that people might like to come back to more than once. Similarly, they can be read 'straight' or side-by-side with the biblical text; a slower, more engaged read will probably be more helpful but a reader who didn't do this would still find plenty to learn.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBaptist Times e-newsletter 1 February 2019.\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed by Pieter J. Lalleman\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith its new series of Really Useful Guides, the Bible Reading Fellowship follows the trend towards smaller and shorter books. So far in this series the volumes on the Psalms and on Colossians have appeared, written by the series' editors, Stocks and Tidball, respectively. The books are tiny (4 by 6 inches) but sturdy and the contents are fine, so they should not for that reason be looked down on. If you are uncertain what to give to a Christian friend, books like these make nice little presents.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStocks does indeed offer a 'very useful guide' of over 100 pages. Writing with obvious love for the Psalms, he explains many aspects briefly yet clearly, and in a personal style. Whereas he is aware of the gap which separates us from these old songs, he points to many bridges across it. After a brief introduction, the second chapter covers introductory issues such as composition and authorship. Chapter 3 gives a brief theology of the Psalms (what they say about God) and chapter 4 focuses on how they say it (the stAyle and the imagery).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe very brief chapter 5 surveys the relevant part of the history of Israel and chapter 6 gives suggestions for reading psalms today. Chapters 7 and 8 look at some unknown psalms in more detail. The final page contains questions for discussion but there are no suggestions for further reading.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the Colossians and Philemon guide, our fellow Baptist Derek Tidball takes some 70 pages to introduce us to Colossians, but less than 15 for Philemon. Yet in these few pages he manages to get across key elements of Philemon and its lasting value.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe treatment of Colossians is more traditional than that of the Psalms: it largely consists of Tidball making his way through the letter, commenting on backgrounds and contents along the way. Like Stocks, he uses bullet points and he prints the key Scripture verses in his text.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA separate chapter compares Colossians to other parts of the New Testament. In addition to some questions, suggestions for further reading are included. My one query is that slightly divergent outlines of Colossians are presented on pages 27, 28-29, and in what follows.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Revd. Dr Pieter J. Lalleman teaches the Bible at Spurgeon's College\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e"}
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Really Useful Guides: Colossians and Philemon
£5.99
Digital eBook Only - Each Really Useful Guide focuses on a specific biblical book, making it come to life for...
{"id":14779728822652,"title":"Really Useful Guides: Psalms","handle":"really-useful-guides-psalms-1","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eThis Really Useful Guide to Psalms will transform understanding of the biblical text, and will help you to engage with the message in new ways today, giving confidence in the Bible and increasing faith in God.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEach Really Useful Guide focuses on a specific biblical book, making it come to life for the reader, enabling them to understand the message and to apply its truth to today’s circumstances. Though not a commentary, it gives valuable insight into the book’s message and context. Though not an introduction, it summarises the important aspects of the book to aid reading and application. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat is special about the 'Really Useful Guides'?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey are laid out in an easy-to-read format, with less text on the page and plenty of headings, bulleted lists, bold type and diagrams where helpful. Despite this they are not patronising, and do not hide away from engaging with difficult bits of the book. While reading them straight through would probably be the most helpful, they can certainly be dipped into as well, with some sections that people might like to come back to more than once. Similarly, they can be read 'straight' or side-by-side with the biblical text; a slower, more engaged read will probably be more helpful but a reader who didn't do this would still find plenty to learn.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Reader, Autumn 2019. Review by Elizabeth Hogg\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book is small in size, but substantial in content – 111 pages filled with important ideas and helpful insights. It is part of the BRF ‘Really Useful Guides’ series, and this designation is most apt. Stocks has written for a wide audience, including those with little previous knowledge of the psalms, but those who have used them daily for many years will nonetheless find much that is new and fascinating. He is especially strong on the poetic imagery of the psalms, and how these relate to the context of life in ancient Israel. I was also impressed by the way the author is not afraid to address the difficult questions posed by the so-called ‘vengeful’ psalms, including the seldom used Psalm 58. While some of these may never become favourites, the ideas described will open our minds to wider issues, including the overriding need for justice. This book will help readers to pray the psalms with new hearts, and greater dedication, and is strongly recommended.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Elizabeth Hogg\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e ___________________________________________\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBaptist Times e-newsletter 1 February 2019.\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed by Pieter J. Lalleman\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith its new series of Really Useful Guides, the Bible Reading Fellowship follows the trend towards smaller and shorter books. So far in this series the volumes on the Psalms and on Colossians have appeared, written by the series' editors, Stocks and Tidball, respectively. The books are tiny (4 by 6 inches) but sturdy and the contents are fine, so they should not for that reason be looked down on. If you are uncertain what to give to a Christian friend, books like these make nice little presents.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStocks does indeed offer a 'very useful guide' of over 100 pages. Writing with obvious love for the Psalms, he explains many aspects briefly yet clearly, and in a personal style. Whereas he is aware of the gap which separates us from these old songs, he points to many bridges across it. After a brief introduction, the second chapter covers introductory issues such as composition and authorship. Chapter 3 gives a brief theology of the Psalms (what they say about God) and chapter 4 focuses on how they say it (the stAyle and the imagery).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe very brief chapter 5 surveys the relevant part of the history of Israel and chapter 6 gives suggestions for reading psalms today. Chapters 7 and 8 look at some unknown psalms in more detail. The final page contains questions for discussion but there are no suggestions for further reading.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the Colossians and Philemon guide, our fellow Baptist Derek Tidball takes some 70 pages to introduce us to Colossians, but less than 15 for Philemon. Yet in these few pages he manages to get across key elements of Philemon and its lasting value.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe treatment of Colossians is more traditional than that of the Psalms: it largely consists of Tidball making his way through the letter, commenting on backgrounds and contents along the way. Like Stocks, he uses bullet points and he prints the key Scripture verses in his text.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA separate chapter compares Colossians to other parts of the New Testament. In addition to some questions, suggestions for further reading are included. My one query is that slightly divergent outlines of Colossians are presented on pages 27, 28-29, and in what follows.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Revd. Dr Pieter J. Lalleman teaches the Bible at Spurgeon's College\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview on Picking Apples of Gold, Jules Middleton's blog\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI've been asked to review this new guide to the psalms, the first Old Testament title in a series of 'Really Useful Guides' from the Bible Reading Fellowship. The series hopes to provide compact accessible guides to books of the bible, enhancing biblical literacy with a simple, unintimidating, but authoritative overview of each text. Sounds like my kind of books! I do get frustrated when theologians use lots of long words and endlessly long sentences when a few simple words would do, it can make subjects so inaccessible. Simon P Stocks 'Psalms' is exactly as intended, easy to understand but at the same time, bringing the psalms alive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Psalter is a funny book in the bible, a bit like marmite, you either love 'em or hate 'em, perhaps because for many of us, as Stocks himself found, he didn't at first 'get' them. Filled with a rollercoaster of emotion, the psalms can be hard to decipher but Stocks seeks to explain the difficult bits, address common misconceptions, show the reader how they can incorporate psalms into their own lives \u0026amp; suggests that they need to be 'experienced and felt'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOf 8 chapters, the first 5 ask questions to explore the topic: Why read the psalms? What is the Book of Psalms? What do the psalms say? How do they say it? What was going on at the time? In these, Stocks uses themes to delve deeper into the psalms. He explains particular terms, gives good tips and helpful facts but without overloading the reader.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough the final few chapters are focussed on reading the psalms today and how that can help us, in fact the book is filled with helpful pointers for us to use the psalms in every day life, how the psalms can encourage us when we are discouraged by the world around us and the importance of lament in refocusing our perspective.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eParticularly helpful I found, is the explanation of the style of writing, which helps to clarify some difficult areas and explains the Hebrew poetic style, again with simplicity. Similarly the author points out key metaphors of imagery and symbolism, and the need to understand the context in which a psalm was written and in how we use them today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt just 112 pages long, this is a quick and easy read, but one that you can delve into deeper if you wish. Stocks includes suggestions of psalms to read, asks questions for the reader to consider and reflect upon, and points out circumstances in which we might find a psalm helpful. The guide is aimed in general at Christian readers, as well as home group leaders, lay leaders and anyone who just wants to know a bit more about the psalms, and it really is accessible enough to be read by anyone, and interesting enough to keep you focussed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.pickingapplesofgold.com\/book-review-psalms-by-simon-stocks\/\"\u003ehttp:\/\/www.pickingapplesofgold.com\/book-review-psalms-by-simon-stocks\/\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a very accessible book, laid out in an easy-to-read format. The author manages to pack in a lot of information in a short space and to teach the nuts and bolts without being patronising and without shying away from the difficult bits. I commend it to you as a genuinely useful guide to the Psalms. You should find plenty to learn. \u003cbr\u003eThomas Renz\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2024-10-30T10:59:34+00:00","created_at":"2024-10-30T10:58:59+00:00","vendor":"Simon Stocks","type":"eBook","tags":["Biblical engagement","Glassboxx","Oct-18","Really Useful Guides"],"price":699,"price_min":699,"price_max":699,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":53604864655740,"title":"eBook","option1":"eBook","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9780857467331","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"Really Useful Guides: Psalms - eBook","public_title":"eBook","options":["eBook"],"price":699,"weight":104,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9780857467331","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/psalms_ebook_cover.png?v=1731086762","\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/312.png?v=1730980395"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/psalms_ebook_cover.png?v=1731086762","options":["Format"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":63009271120252,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/psalms_ebook_cover.png?v=1731086762"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/psalms_ebook_cover.png?v=1731086762","width":1303},{"alt":null,"id":63001504186748,"position":2,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/312.png?v=1730980395"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/312.png?v=1730980395","width":1303}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eThis Really Useful Guide to Psalms will transform understanding of the biblical text, and will help you to engage with the message in new ways today, giving confidence in the Bible and increasing faith in God.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEach Really Useful Guide focuses on a specific biblical book, making it come to life for the reader, enabling them to understand the message and to apply its truth to today’s circumstances. Though not a commentary, it gives valuable insight into the book’s message and context. Though not an introduction, it summarises the important aspects of the book to aid reading and application. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat is special about the 'Really Useful Guides'?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey are laid out in an easy-to-read format, with less text on the page and plenty of headings, bulleted lists, bold type and diagrams where helpful. Despite this they are not patronising, and do not hide away from engaging with difficult bits of the book. While reading them straight through would probably be the most helpful, they can certainly be dipped into as well, with some sections that people might like to come back to more than once. Similarly, they can be read 'straight' or side-by-side with the biblical text; a slower, more engaged read will probably be more helpful but a reader who didn't do this would still find plenty to learn.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Reader, Autumn 2019. Review by Elizabeth Hogg\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book is small in size, but substantial in content – 111 pages filled with important ideas and helpful insights. It is part of the BRF ‘Really Useful Guides’ series, and this designation is most apt. Stocks has written for a wide audience, including those with little previous knowledge of the psalms, but those who have used them daily for many years will nonetheless find much that is new and fascinating. He is especially strong on the poetic imagery of the psalms, and how these relate to the context of life in ancient Israel. I was also impressed by the way the author is not afraid to address the difficult questions posed by the so-called ‘vengeful’ psalms, including the seldom used Psalm 58. While some of these may never become favourites, the ideas described will open our minds to wider issues, including the overriding need for justice. This book will help readers to pray the psalms with new hearts, and greater dedication, and is strongly recommended.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Elizabeth Hogg\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e ___________________________________________\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBaptist Times e-newsletter 1 February 2019.\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed by Pieter J. Lalleman\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith its new series of Really Useful Guides, the Bible Reading Fellowship follows the trend towards smaller and shorter books. So far in this series the volumes on the Psalms and on Colossians have appeared, written by the series' editors, Stocks and Tidball, respectively. The books are tiny (4 by 6 inches) but sturdy and the contents are fine, so they should not for that reason be looked down on. If you are uncertain what to give to a Christian friend, books like these make nice little presents.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStocks does indeed offer a 'very useful guide' of over 100 pages. Writing with obvious love for the Psalms, he explains many aspects briefly yet clearly, and in a personal style. Whereas he is aware of the gap which separates us from these old songs, he points to many bridges across it. After a brief introduction, the second chapter covers introductory issues such as composition and authorship. Chapter 3 gives a brief theology of the Psalms (what they say about God) and chapter 4 focuses on how they say it (the stAyle and the imagery).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe very brief chapter 5 surveys the relevant part of the history of Israel and chapter 6 gives suggestions for reading psalms today. Chapters 7 and 8 look at some unknown psalms in more detail. The final page contains questions for discussion but there are no suggestions for further reading.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the Colossians and Philemon guide, our fellow Baptist Derek Tidball takes some 70 pages to introduce us to Colossians, but less than 15 for Philemon. Yet in these few pages he manages to get across key elements of Philemon and its lasting value.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe treatment of Colossians is more traditional than that of the Psalms: it largely consists of Tidball making his way through the letter, commenting on backgrounds and contents along the way. Like Stocks, he uses bullet points and he prints the key Scripture verses in his text.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA separate chapter compares Colossians to other parts of the New Testament. In addition to some questions, suggestions for further reading are included. My one query is that slightly divergent outlines of Colossians are presented on pages 27, 28-29, and in what follows.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Revd. Dr Pieter J. Lalleman teaches the Bible at Spurgeon's College\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview on Picking Apples of Gold, Jules Middleton's blog\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI've been asked to review this new guide to the psalms, the first Old Testament title in a series of 'Really Useful Guides' from the Bible Reading Fellowship. The series hopes to provide compact accessible guides to books of the bible, enhancing biblical literacy with a simple, unintimidating, but authoritative overview of each text. Sounds like my kind of books! I do get frustrated when theologians use lots of long words and endlessly long sentences when a few simple words would do, it can make subjects so inaccessible. Simon P Stocks 'Psalms' is exactly as intended, easy to understand but at the same time, bringing the psalms alive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Psalter is a funny book in the bible, a bit like marmite, you either love 'em or hate 'em, perhaps because for many of us, as Stocks himself found, he didn't at first 'get' them. Filled with a rollercoaster of emotion, the psalms can be hard to decipher but Stocks seeks to explain the difficult bits, address common misconceptions, show the reader how they can incorporate psalms into their own lives \u0026amp; suggests that they need to be 'experienced and felt'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOf 8 chapters, the first 5 ask questions to explore the topic: Why read the psalms? What is the Book of Psalms? What do the psalms say? How do they say it? What was going on at the time? In these, Stocks uses themes to delve deeper into the psalms. He explains particular terms, gives good tips and helpful facts but without overloading the reader.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough the final few chapters are focussed on reading the psalms today and how that can help us, in fact the book is filled with helpful pointers for us to use the psalms in every day life, how the psalms can encourage us when we are discouraged by the world around us and the importance of lament in refocusing our perspective.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eParticularly helpful I found, is the explanation of the style of writing, which helps to clarify some difficult areas and explains the Hebrew poetic style, again with simplicity. Similarly the author points out key metaphors of imagery and symbolism, and the need to understand the context in which a psalm was written and in how we use them today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt just 112 pages long, this is a quick and easy read, but one that you can delve into deeper if you wish. Stocks includes suggestions of psalms to read, asks questions for the reader to consider and reflect upon, and points out circumstances in which we might find a psalm helpful. The guide is aimed in general at Christian readers, as well as home group leaders, lay leaders and anyone who just wants to know a bit more about the psalms, and it really is accessible enough to be read by anyone, and interesting enough to keep you focussed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.pickingapplesofgold.com\/book-review-psalms-by-simon-stocks\/\"\u003ehttp:\/\/www.pickingapplesofgold.com\/book-review-psalms-by-simon-stocks\/\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a very accessible book, laid out in an easy-to-read format. The author manages to pack in a lot of information in a short space and to teach the nuts and bolts without being patronising and without shying away from the difficult bits. I commend it to you as a genuinely useful guide to the Psalms. You should find plenty to learn. \u003cbr\u003eThomas Renz\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e"}
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Really Useful Guides: Psalms
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{"id":14779733574012,"title":"Really Useful Guides: Genesis 12-50","handle":"really-useful-guides-genesis-12-50","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eA guide to the great big family drama that takes up most of the first book of our Bibles. How can you read it wisely, and know what to look out for? \u003c\/em\u003eThis Really Useful Guide to Genesis 12—50 unpacks the fascinating family stories of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. Richard S. Briggs takes us on a tour of these characters’ lives, suggesting different ways of approaching the stories to draw out different facets and looking at how God can be found throughout. With a discussion of the historical background of Genesis and a detailed look at a few key passages, this book will increase your biblical knowledge and make you more aware of God’s presence in everyday life.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eEach Really Useful Guide focuses on a specific biblical book, making it come to life for the reader, enabling them to understand the message and to apply its truth to today’s circumstances. Though not a commentary, it gives valuable insight into the book’s message and context. Though not an introduction, it summarises the important aspects of the book to aid reading and application. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor information\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRevd Dr Richard S. Briggs is a lecturer in Old Testament and director of biblical studies at Cranmer Hall, St John's College, Durham. He also currently serves as associate minister in two local parishes in County Durham.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTransforming Ministry Autumn 2022. Review by Peter Wright\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePublished in the BRF Really Useful Guides series, this pocket-sized book is a little gem. Recognising the distinct change of focus and pace with which Chapter 12 of Genesis begins, it concentrates on the extended family drama that distinguishes the remainder of Genesis. In an engrossing tour of the stories of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and his brothers, Briggs has written not a standard introduction, nor even a conventional commentary, but an accessible, engaging and entertaining guide as to how to read the text wisely. In presenting the drama and the stories of Genesis effectively as a book in itself, Briggs deftly discusses its literary, historical and theological facets, and looks in detail at some key passages. He also shows how an informed reading of the text can increase the reader’s awareness of the presence of God in everyday life. A lecturer in Old Testament and director of biblical studies at St. John’s College, Durham, Briggs is clearly a gifted teacher. He has skilfully packed much into this short book. This truly is a really useful guide.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Peter Wright \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2024-10-30T11:01:37+00:00","created_at":"2024-10-30T11:00:47+00:00","vendor":"Richard S. Briggs","type":"eBook","tags":["Biblical engagement","Centenary","Feb-22","Glassboxx","Really Useful Guides"],"price":699,"price_min":699,"price_max":699,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":53604866261372,"title":"eBook","option1":"eBook","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9780857468208","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"Really Useful Guides: Genesis 12-50 - eBook","public_title":"eBook","options":["eBook"],"price":699,"weight":0,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9780857468208","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/313.png?v=1730980397","\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/314.png?v=1730980392"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/313.png?v=1730980397","options":["Format"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":63001504383356,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/313.png?v=1730980397"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/313.png?v=1730980397","width":1303},{"alt":null,"id":63001503236476,"position":2,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/314.png?v=1730980392"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/314.png?v=1730980392","width":1303}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eA guide to the great big family drama that takes up most of the first book of our Bibles. How can you read it wisely, and know what to look out for? \u003c\/em\u003eThis Really Useful Guide to Genesis 12—50 unpacks the fascinating family stories of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. Richard S. Briggs takes us on a tour of these characters’ lives, suggesting different ways of approaching the stories to draw out different facets and looking at how God can be found throughout. With a discussion of the historical background of Genesis and a detailed look at a few key passages, this book will increase your biblical knowledge and make you more aware of God’s presence in everyday life.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eEach Really Useful Guide focuses on a specific biblical book, making it come to life for the reader, enabling them to understand the message and to apply its truth to today’s circumstances. Though not a commentary, it gives valuable insight into the book’s message and context. Though not an introduction, it summarises the important aspects of the book to aid reading and application. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor information\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRevd Dr Richard S. Briggs is a lecturer in Old Testament and director of biblical studies at Cranmer Hall, St John's College, Durham. He also currently serves as associate minister in two local parishes in County Durham.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTransforming Ministry Autumn 2022. Review by Peter Wright\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePublished in the BRF Really Useful Guides series, this pocket-sized book is a little gem. Recognising the distinct change of focus and pace with which Chapter 12 of Genesis begins, it concentrates on the extended family drama that distinguishes the remainder of Genesis. In an engrossing tour of the stories of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and his brothers, Briggs has written not a standard introduction, nor even a conventional commentary, but an accessible, engaging and entertaining guide as to how to read the text wisely. In presenting the drama and the stories of Genesis effectively as a book in itself, Briggs deftly discusses its literary, historical and theological facets, and looks in detail at some key passages. He also shows how an informed reading of the text can increase the reader’s awareness of the presence of God in everyday life. A lecturer in Old Testament and director of biblical studies at St. John’s College, Durham, Briggs is clearly a gifted teacher. He has skilfully packed much into this short book. This truly is a really useful guide.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Peter Wright \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e"}
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Really Useful Guides: Genesis 12-50
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{"id":14779744321916,"title":"Anxious Times","handle":"anxious-times-1","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eA book of 24 undated reflections drawing on a range of relevant Bible passages to offer genuine hope and encouragement in anxious times. Encompassing the very human emotions of fear and anxiety, the reflections encourage us to draw comfort and strength from God's word even in those times when he seems silent to us. This book acknowledges that trust and hope in God's goodness doesn't always come easily, but when embraced we gain the strength to face our fear with courage and confidence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"margin-right: 15px; float: left;\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/CarmelThomason_480x480.jpg?v=1676494723\" width=\"212\" height=\"192\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCarmel Thomason is an author, journalist and speaker whose writing explores how we can live out the gospel by focusing on the extraordinary to be found in the everyday. She has written \u003cem\u003eAgainst the Odds\u003c\/em\u003e (BRF, 2014), \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/products\/believe-in-miracles-a-spiritual-journey-of-positive-change\"\u003eBelieve in Miracles\u003c\/a\u003e (BRF, 2016) and \u003cem\u003eEvery Moment Counts\u003c\/em\u003e (DLT, 2011) and has collaborated with the Archbishop of York on Faith Stories and Hope Stories.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWider World: The Bookcase. Autumn 2018\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAccording to DoSomething.org, 40% of adults suffer from anxiety. This book of 24 undated reflections, which draw on a range of relevant Bible passages, offers genuine hope and encouragement in anxious times. The reflections on chosen scripture are both practical and prayerful; grounded in human experience and encouraging focused prayer even in those times when God can seem silent to us. \u003cem\u003eAnxious Times\u003c\/em\u003e acknowledges that trust and hope doesn't always come easy, but when we embrace God's goodness we gain the strength to face our fears with courage and confidence. Archbishop John Sentamu writes: 'This book is to be savoured, not rushed. As an antidote to anxiety, it will repay a measured reading, just one short chapter a day.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Reader online, May 2019. Reviewed by Margaret Ives\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese 24 short reflections on selected Bible passages are designed to help Christians find spiritual support and encouragement in times of stress and anxiety, whether caused by an increasingly fraught international situation or by more personal issues, such as illness, bereavement or money worries. With a foreword by Archbishop John Sentamu urging us not to give in to despair, this book will be a helpful resource both for those struggling to cope and for those who seek to counsel them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Margaret Ives \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2024-10-30T11:06:21+00:00","created_at":"2024-10-30T11:05:27+00:00","vendor":"Carmel Thomason","type":"eBook","tags":["Anna Chaplaincy books","Devotional","Glassboxx","May-18","Pastoral care","Recommended for Anna Chaplaincy"],"price":499,"price_min":499,"price_max":499,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":53604871143804,"title":"eBook","option1":"eBook","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781800390270","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"Anxious Times - eBook","public_title":"eBook","options":["eBook"],"price":499,"weight":63,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9781800390270","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/315.png?v=1730980386","\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/316.png?v=1730980387"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/315.png?v=1730980386","options":["Format"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":63001501761916,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/315.png?v=1730980386"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/315.png?v=1730980386","width":1303},{"alt":null,"id":63001502187900,"position":2,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/316.png?v=1730980387"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/316.png?v=1730980387","width":1303}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eA book of 24 undated reflections drawing on a range of relevant Bible passages to offer genuine hope and encouragement in anxious times. Encompassing the very human emotions of fear and anxiety, the reflections encourage us to draw comfort and strength from God's word even in those times when he seems silent to us. This book acknowledges that trust and hope in God's goodness doesn't always come easily, but when embraced we gain the strength to face our fear with courage and confidence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"margin-right: 15px; float: left;\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/CarmelThomason_480x480.jpg?v=1676494723\" width=\"212\" height=\"192\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCarmel Thomason is an author, journalist and speaker whose writing explores how we can live out the gospel by focusing on the extraordinary to be found in the everyday. She has written \u003cem\u003eAgainst the Odds\u003c\/em\u003e (BRF, 2014), \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/products\/believe-in-miracles-a-spiritual-journey-of-positive-change\"\u003eBelieve in Miracles\u003c\/a\u003e (BRF, 2016) and \u003cem\u003eEvery Moment Counts\u003c\/em\u003e (DLT, 2011) and has collaborated with the Archbishop of York on Faith Stories and Hope Stories.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWider World: The Bookcase. Autumn 2018\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAccording to DoSomething.org, 40% of adults suffer from anxiety. This book of 24 undated reflections, which draw on a range of relevant Bible passages, offers genuine hope and encouragement in anxious times. The reflections on chosen scripture are both practical and prayerful; grounded in human experience and encouraging focused prayer even in those times when God can seem silent to us. \u003cem\u003eAnxious Times\u003c\/em\u003e acknowledges that trust and hope doesn't always come easy, but when we embrace God's goodness we gain the strength to face our fears with courage and confidence. Archbishop John Sentamu writes: 'This book is to be savoured, not rushed. As an antidote to anxiety, it will repay a measured reading, just one short chapter a day.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Reader online, May 2019. Reviewed by Margaret Ives\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese 24 short reflections on selected Bible passages are designed to help Christians find spiritual support and encouragement in times of stress and anxiety, whether caused by an increasingly fraught international situation or by more personal issues, such as illness, bereavement or money worries. With a foreword by Archbishop John Sentamu urging us not to give in to despair, this book will be a helpful resource both for those struggling to cope and for those who seek to counsel them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Margaret Ives \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e"}
You may also like:
Anxious Times
£4.99
Digital eBook Only - A book of 24 undated reflections drawing on a range of relevant Bible passages to offer...
{"id":14779752022396,"title":"At Home and Out and About","handle":"at-home-and-out-and-about-1","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eAcross a year’s worth of weekly reflections, Gordon Giles focuses on objects, scenes, activities and places, drawing out spiritual insights to help us reflect on what we have learned as we venture out again after months of restriction, absence and anxiety. From Easter, through the changing seasons to the following Easter, we are led to consider: What is it like spiritually to stop wearing masks? What does a beach say to us after coronavirus? How has Zoom affected us during lockdown and how do we now relate to technology as a medium of fellowship? Where is Christ amid our restrictions and our releases?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e• Readers of Lent and Advent books who have enjoyed the previous two in this series\u003cbr\u003e• Anyone who wants to reflect on the world in which they live in the light of recent events\u003cbr\u003e• Those who enjoy and are concerned for the natural world\u003cbr\u003e• Church groups reading together or privately\u003cbr\u003e• Churches looking for material related to the seasons of the year or the church calendar\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAuthor Info\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"margin-right: 15px; float: left;\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/GordonGiles1_480x480.jpg?v=1676494801\" width=\"131\" height=\"233\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGordon Giles is Canon Chancellor of Rochester Cathedral. He is the author of several books and the editor of BRF’s New Daylight Bible reading notes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eReviews\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTransforming Ministry September 2023. Review by Betty Taylor\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book provided two surprises. The first was to discover that the pandemic had affected 52 areas of our lives, from masks to Zoom, from furlough to haircuts; and secondly that these meditations were to last for a whole year, from Easter to Easter. I decided to choose a special moment in the week – maybe a Sunday afternoon – to delve into the next topic. You may think that the pandemic is best allowed to rest, but Giles steers us sensitively through, encouraging us ‘to reflect on what has changed and to engage with what has not’. We are to go out and about with a God who never changes and whose love is ever constant. Each meditation is biblically inspired and supported by scientific and statistical knowledge. All conclude with a prayer. Although I would recommend individual reading, there are questions for group discussion. We have so much to learn from our Covid experiences. This book motivates us to view those years in a fresh light as we journey onward in ‘faith, hope and love.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Betty Taylor\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e","published_at":"2024-10-30T11:09:59+00:00","created_at":"2024-10-30T11:09:05+00:00","vendor":"Gordon Giles","type":"eBook","tags":["Biblical engagement","Devotional","For individuals","Glassboxx","Pastoral care","Prayer","seasonal","Spirituality"],"price":999,"price_min":999,"price_max":999,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":53604873666940,"title":"eBook","option1":"eBook","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781800391161","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"At Home and Out and About - eBook","public_title":"eBook","options":["eBook"],"price":999,"weight":219,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9781800391161","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/at_home_and_out_and_about_eBook_cover.png?v=1731059513","\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/326.png?v=1730980369"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/at_home_and_out_and_about_eBook_cover.png?v=1731059513","options":["Format"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":63006711382396,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/at_home_and_out_and_about_eBook_cover.png?v=1731059513"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/at_home_and_out_and_about_eBook_cover.png?v=1731059513","width":1303},{"alt":null,"id":63001497076092,"position":2,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/326.png?v=1730980369"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/326.png?v=1730980369","width":1303}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eAcross a year’s worth of weekly reflections, Gordon Giles focuses on objects, scenes, activities and places, drawing out spiritual insights to help us reflect on what we have learned as we venture out again after months of restriction, absence and anxiety. From Easter, through the changing seasons to the following Easter, we are led to consider: What is it like spiritually to stop wearing masks? What does a beach say to us after coronavirus? How has Zoom affected us during lockdown and how do we now relate to technology as a medium of fellowship? Where is Christ amid our restrictions and our releases?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e• Readers of Lent and Advent books who have enjoyed the previous two in this series\u003cbr\u003e• Anyone who wants to reflect on the world in which they live in the light of recent events\u003cbr\u003e• Those who enjoy and are concerned for the natural world\u003cbr\u003e• Church groups reading together or privately\u003cbr\u003e• Churches looking for material related to the seasons of the year or the church calendar\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAuthor Info\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"margin-right: 15px; float: left;\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/GordonGiles1_480x480.jpg?v=1676494801\" width=\"131\" height=\"233\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGordon Giles is Canon Chancellor of Rochester Cathedral. He is the author of several books and the editor of BRF’s New Daylight Bible reading notes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eReviews\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTransforming Ministry September 2023. Review by Betty Taylor\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book provided two surprises. The first was to discover that the pandemic had affected 52 areas of our lives, from masks to Zoom, from furlough to haircuts; and secondly that these meditations were to last for a whole year, from Easter to Easter. I decided to choose a special moment in the week – maybe a Sunday afternoon – to delve into the next topic. You may think that the pandemic is best allowed to rest, but Giles steers us sensitively through, encouraging us ‘to reflect on what has changed and to engage with what has not’. We are to go out and about with a God who never changes and whose love is ever constant. Each meditation is biblically inspired and supported by scientific and statistical knowledge. All conclude with a prayer. Although I would recommend individual reading, there are questions for group discussion. We have so much to learn from our Covid experiences. This book motivates us to view those years in a fresh light as we journey onward in ‘faith, hope and love.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Betty Taylor\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e"}
You may also like:
At Home and Out and About
£9.99
Digital eBook Only - Across a year’s worth of weekly reflections, Gordon Giles focuses on objects, scenes, activities and places,...
{"id":14779761197436,"title":"The Recovery of Hope: Bible reflections for sensing God's presence and hearing God's call","handle":"the-recovery-of-hope-bible-reflections-for-sensing-gods-presence-and-hearing-gods-call-1","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eWe live in the hope of experiencing first-hand the all-sufficient grace, love and forgiveness which is God's alone, a hope that we may know with our heads long before we feel it in our hearts. This book is centred on a hope that means encountering God not only as consoling presence in the darkness but as one who challenges us to respond to his call. That call may prove to be costly, but as we respond, we will find ourselves transformed as we discover and rediscover not only that we are known exactly as we are, but loved beyond understanding as God's precious children.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn a series of Bible reflections - and some poems - the theme of this hope is explored in different ways, from the yearning of the Psalmist to walking the gentle journey of the Good Shepherd's leading.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNaomi Starkey is a full-time ordained minister in the Church in Wales, living on the Llyn Peninsula in North Wales. From 1997 - 2015 she was a commissioning editor for BRF as well as editing New Daylight and Quiet Spaces over a number of years. She has also written The Recovery of Love, Pilgrims to the Manger and Good Enough Mother for BRF.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChurch Times 24 March 2016\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNAOMI STARKEY's \u003cem\u003eThe Recovery of Hope\u003c\/em\u003e cobbles together 103 wide ranging Bible reading notes, all with hope in common, originally published in sundry editions of BRF's New Daylight . A mature writer with a sure touch, her soign commentary on any biblical text never exceeds 300 words, and her balanced hermeneutic is well resourced and sparky.\u003cbr\u003eHer book includes four beautifully crafted poems, with all her writing having the high quality of a prose poem. She is never afraid to be hard-hitting, with comments such as 'Unlimited power carries with it unlimited responsibility rather than unlimited veniality,'and 'Leaders should care for their flock rather than simply grandstand on issues.' I will try to grandstand less and care more!\u003cbr\u003eThe three sub-themes, 'Coping with Darkness', 'Challenged to Journey', and 'In Resurrection Light', boldly take us into some unusual territory. There are 14 studies on 2 Kings 13-17, 14 on Stephen's speech in Acts, and 12 on the latter chapters of Mark (including the shorter and longer endings); a further seven studies are offered on Psalm 37, Jonah, and Ezekiel. Themes on 'The Absence of God', 'Gardens and God', and 'Holy Fire' draw material from across the scriptures. Starkey is the most pleasant of fellow travellers throughout, a sheer joy to be with. She draws examples from her ministerial context in glorious North Wales, seasoning the text with the occasional Welsh word - can it get any better than this?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Rt Revd David Wilbourne; Assistant Bishop of Llandaff.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 15px; text-align: left;\"\u003eDiocese of Bangor News February 2016\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the psalms and prophets of the Old Testament to the gospels and epistles of the New Testament, chapters are opened up to draw us to read more deeply. Naomi presents each section with an introduction and then taking a few verses at a time explores at greater depth the meaning behind the words. This is not offered as a commentary but in a way that draws the reader into the passage being read, and how that may be 'read' within our own lives. Hope is important for every person, and here, through the ups and downs of the biblical stories, we can find again the hope that is given to us in God. Naomi writes very simply, but is not simplistic. She encourages further reading and offers plenty of thought provoking questions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnyone who enjoys an Advent or Lent book and feels bereft through the rest of the year, will find much in this book to help fill that gap.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI enjoyed reading Naomi's book, and found plenty within its pages which made me stop, think and pray.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJanet Fletcher \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDiocese of Bangor Spirituality Officer\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCambrian News; 11 February 2016\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJULIE MCNICHOLLS VALE follows cleric-in-training Naomi Starkey's journey from the Channel Islands to the Llyn Peninsula and her beliefs through her book...\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor the last eight months, cleric-in-training Naomi Starkey has made Aberdaron on the Llyn Peninsula her home.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA full-time ordained minister in the Church in Wales, Naomi works in the Bro Enlli Ministry area, which covers the south-west coast of the Llyn Peninsula and takes in six churches, including St Hywyn, Aberdaron;St Pedrog, Llanbedrog and St Cian, Llangian.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAberdaron is undoubtedly beautiful, but far from her previous home, near Llanidloes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd becoming a full-time member of the ministry also seems far removed from her previous work in publishing, but the 50-year-old mother-of-three knew the time was right to make the move to Gwynedd, and to the church.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'I had a strong sense that it was time to move from publishing - a field I had worked in for 21 years - to full-time church work and there was a job in Aberdaron that I felt was right for me.The area of publishing I worked in was related in a way, as I had been editor of the BRF (Bible Reading Fellowship) for many years, but that's not the same as leading services and getting out there meeting people.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNaomi started working for the church as a part-time cleric in Machnylleth and the surrounding villages. Then a cleric-in-training post came up in Gwynedd and Naomi made the move in June 2015. Also that month, Naomi was ordained as a priest in Bangor. She was previously ordained as a deacon in June 2014.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNaomi says it wasn't her childhood dream to become a priest - indeed, it wasn't possible for women to do so at the time - but there had always been a leaning towards the church, as she explained. 'According to me mother I used to line up my teddies and give church services to them like my father, who was a vicar.But I never thought of becoming a vicar myself. I didn't think I could as a woman because women couldn't be ordained at the time. But my mother reminded me that I used to do this when I was about five years old, so I guess there's always been something there.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNaomi was raised on the Channel Islands, and believes growing up there has helped her to fall in love with Aberdaron. 'My father was a vicar on the Channel Islands, on Jersey, and there are so many similarities to the Llyn,' Naomi said. 'It's almost like being on an island here in Aberdaron and there is some bilingualism, as there is on Jersey. There is also a lot of farming, tourism and of course, beautiful beaches.' As a cleric in training, Naomi says she is happy to be learning more about the church, and about the Llyn, and would like to stay in the area if possible. 'It depends if work is available but I have been learning Welsh for six years and I lead services and preach in Welsh, so I would definitely like to be able to use the language in a future post. And Aberdaron is lovely, as is the Llyn. I love the beaches on the Llyn in particular, and the mountains. It feels such a privilege to live somewhere that people want to go to on their holidays.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs well as working for the Bro Enlli Ministry and exploring the Llyn, Naomi has also just released her fourth book. \u003cem\u003eThe Recovery of Hope\u003c\/em\u003e contains a series of Bible passages, along with reflections on them and some poems written by Naomi. The theme of hope is explored throughout.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'Even if people are not fully paid-up members of the church, there is a lot in the Bible that can give comfort, especially in dark times,' said Naomi. 'In the book there are readings and words to encourage, and to help, even if you don't believe what those words imply. Even if you are not a Christian, the Bible is still full of wisdom and that can be helpful.' She went on: 'In the 1960s there was a sense that science would prove everything and religion was for the elderly or the weak. Now I think people are more spiritual. There's mindfulness and gratitude, and faith. There's a lot in the Bible that's hard to understand and to wrestle with and that needs reflection and interpretation. Through the book, and my work, I share what I know. I won't tell you what to believe in, but I will start a conversation. I hope that, for those who already read the Bible and go to church, this book might give them access to lesser-known parts they may not have read before. For others, I think, and I hope, that this book is a gentle way in.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e","published_at":"2024-10-30T11:14:04+00:00","created_at":"2024-10-30T11:13:08+00:00","vendor":"Naomi Starkey","type":"eBook","tags":["For individuals","Glassboxx","Jan-16","Pastoral care","Spirituality"],"price":899,"price_min":899,"price_max":899,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":53604876779900,"title":"eBook","option1":"eBook","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9780857464187","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"The Recovery of Hope: Bible reflections for sensing God's presence and hearing God's call - eBook","public_title":"eBook","options":["eBook"],"price":899,"weight":280,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9780857464187","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/319.png?v=1730980397","\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/320.png?v=1730980382"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/319.png?v=1730980397","options":["Format"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":63001504317820,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/319.png?v=1730980397"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/319.png?v=1730980397","width":1303},{"alt":null,"id":63001500287356,"position":2,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/320.png?v=1730980382"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/320.png?v=1730980382","width":1303}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eWe live in the hope of experiencing first-hand the all-sufficient grace, love and forgiveness which is God's alone, a hope that we may know with our heads long before we feel it in our hearts. This book is centred on a hope that means encountering God not only as consoling presence in the darkness but as one who challenges us to respond to his call. That call may prove to be costly, but as we respond, we will find ourselves transformed as we discover and rediscover not only that we are known exactly as we are, but loved beyond understanding as God's precious children.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn a series of Bible reflections - and some poems - the theme of this hope is explored in different ways, from the yearning of the Psalmist to walking the gentle journey of the Good Shepherd's leading.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNaomi Starkey is a full-time ordained minister in the Church in Wales, living on the Llyn Peninsula in North Wales. From 1997 - 2015 she was a commissioning editor for BRF as well as editing New Daylight and Quiet Spaces over a number of years. She has also written The Recovery of Love, Pilgrims to the Manger and Good Enough Mother for BRF.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChurch Times 24 March 2016\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNAOMI STARKEY's \u003cem\u003eThe Recovery of Hope\u003c\/em\u003e cobbles together 103 wide ranging Bible reading notes, all with hope in common, originally published in sundry editions of BRF's New Daylight . A mature writer with a sure touch, her soign commentary on any biblical text never exceeds 300 words, and her balanced hermeneutic is well resourced and sparky.\u003cbr\u003eHer book includes four beautifully crafted poems, with all her writing having the high quality of a prose poem. She is never afraid to be hard-hitting, with comments such as 'Unlimited power carries with it unlimited responsibility rather than unlimited veniality,'and 'Leaders should care for their flock rather than simply grandstand on issues.' I will try to grandstand less and care more!\u003cbr\u003eThe three sub-themes, 'Coping with Darkness', 'Challenged to Journey', and 'In Resurrection Light', boldly take us into some unusual territory. There are 14 studies on 2 Kings 13-17, 14 on Stephen's speech in Acts, and 12 on the latter chapters of Mark (including the shorter and longer endings); a further seven studies are offered on Psalm 37, Jonah, and Ezekiel. Themes on 'The Absence of God', 'Gardens and God', and 'Holy Fire' draw material from across the scriptures. Starkey is the most pleasant of fellow travellers throughout, a sheer joy to be with. She draws examples from her ministerial context in glorious North Wales, seasoning the text with the occasional Welsh word - can it get any better than this?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Rt Revd David Wilbourne; Assistant Bishop of Llandaff.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 15px; text-align: left;\"\u003eDiocese of Bangor News February 2016\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the psalms and prophets of the Old Testament to the gospels and epistles of the New Testament, chapters are opened up to draw us to read more deeply. Naomi presents each section with an introduction and then taking a few verses at a time explores at greater depth the meaning behind the words. This is not offered as a commentary but in a way that draws the reader into the passage being read, and how that may be 'read' within our own lives. Hope is important for every person, and here, through the ups and downs of the biblical stories, we can find again the hope that is given to us in God. Naomi writes very simply, but is not simplistic. She encourages further reading and offers plenty of thought provoking questions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnyone who enjoys an Advent or Lent book and feels bereft through the rest of the year, will find much in this book to help fill that gap.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI enjoyed reading Naomi's book, and found plenty within its pages which made me stop, think and pray.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJanet Fletcher \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDiocese of Bangor Spirituality Officer\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCambrian News; 11 February 2016\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJULIE MCNICHOLLS VALE follows cleric-in-training Naomi Starkey's journey from the Channel Islands to the Llyn Peninsula and her beliefs through her book...\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor the last eight months, cleric-in-training Naomi Starkey has made Aberdaron on the Llyn Peninsula her home.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA full-time ordained minister in the Church in Wales, Naomi works in the Bro Enlli Ministry area, which covers the south-west coast of the Llyn Peninsula and takes in six churches, including St Hywyn, Aberdaron;St Pedrog, Llanbedrog and St Cian, Llangian.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAberdaron is undoubtedly beautiful, but far from her previous home, near Llanidloes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd becoming a full-time member of the ministry also seems far removed from her previous work in publishing, but the 50-year-old mother-of-three knew the time was right to make the move to Gwynedd, and to the church.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'I had a strong sense that it was time to move from publishing - a field I had worked in for 21 years - to full-time church work and there was a job in Aberdaron that I felt was right for me.The area of publishing I worked in was related in a way, as I had been editor of the BRF (Bible Reading Fellowship) for many years, but that's not the same as leading services and getting out there meeting people.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNaomi started working for the church as a part-time cleric in Machnylleth and the surrounding villages. Then a cleric-in-training post came up in Gwynedd and Naomi made the move in June 2015. Also that month, Naomi was ordained as a priest in Bangor. She was previously ordained as a deacon in June 2014.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNaomi says it wasn't her childhood dream to become a priest - indeed, it wasn't possible for women to do so at the time - but there had always been a leaning towards the church, as she explained. 'According to me mother I used to line up my teddies and give church services to them like my father, who was a vicar.But I never thought of becoming a vicar myself. I didn't think I could as a woman because women couldn't be ordained at the time. But my mother reminded me that I used to do this when I was about five years old, so I guess there's always been something there.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNaomi was raised on the Channel Islands, and believes growing up there has helped her to fall in love with Aberdaron. 'My father was a vicar on the Channel Islands, on Jersey, and there are so many similarities to the Llyn,' Naomi said. 'It's almost like being on an island here in Aberdaron and there is some bilingualism, as there is on Jersey. There is also a lot of farming, tourism and of course, beautiful beaches.' As a cleric in training, Naomi says she is happy to be learning more about the church, and about the Llyn, and would like to stay in the area if possible. 'It depends if work is available but I have been learning Welsh for six years and I lead services and preach in Welsh, so I would definitely like to be able to use the language in a future post. And Aberdaron is lovely, as is the Llyn. I love the beaches on the Llyn in particular, and the mountains. It feels such a privilege to live somewhere that people want to go to on their holidays.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs well as working for the Bro Enlli Ministry and exploring the Llyn, Naomi has also just released her fourth book. \u003cem\u003eThe Recovery of Hope\u003c\/em\u003e contains a series of Bible passages, along with reflections on them and some poems written by Naomi. The theme of hope is explored throughout.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'Even if people are not fully paid-up members of the church, there is a lot in the Bible that can give comfort, especially in dark times,' said Naomi. 'In the book there are readings and words to encourage, and to help, even if you don't believe what those words imply. Even if you are not a Christian, the Bible is still full of wisdom and that can be helpful.' She went on: 'In the 1960s there was a sense that science would prove everything and religion was for the elderly or the weak. Now I think people are more spiritual. There's mindfulness and gratitude, and faith. There's a lot in the Bible that's hard to understand and to wrestle with and that needs reflection and interpretation. Through the book, and my work, I share what I know. I won't tell you what to believe in, but I will start a conversation. I hope that, for those who already read the Bible and go to church, this book might give them access to lesser-known parts they may not have read before. For others, I think, and I hope, that this book is a gentle way in.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e"}
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The Recovery of Hope: Bible reflections for sensing God's presence and hearing God's call
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{"id":14779784888700,"title":"The Recovery of Joy: finding the path from rootlessness to returning home","handle":"the-recovery-of-joy-finding-the-path-from-rootlessness-to-returning-home-1","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e'Recovering joy involves more than following our social codes and conventions. It involves walking with God at our right hand, step by step in the radiant light of his presence. It involves remembering that we have already arrived at our destination - the safety of our Father's house - even as we continue on the pilgrim road that takes us through life.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Recovery of Joy weaves imaginative story and profound biblical reflections on several of the Psalms to trace a journey that many of us will relate to. The narrative begins in rootlessness and despair and takes a wanderer across the sea to a series of islands. These are the setting for a series of events and encounters through which emerges a progression from that initial rootlessness, through healing, to a rediscovery of the joy of feeling at the centre of God's loving purpose for our lives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eContents\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIntroduction\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePart 1. Rootlessness\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOn the road\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDead end\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe pathless way\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePart 2. Respite\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGreen pastures\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe blessing of sleep\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNo place like home\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePart 3. Ruins\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInto the depths\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA desert place\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA time to mend\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePart 4. Release\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStuck\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFreed\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCleansed\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePart 5. Return\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOn the rock\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCrossing the bay\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe recovery of joy\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNaomi Starkey is a priest in the Church in Wales, living and working on the Llyn Peninsula. She was previously a commissioning editor for BRF, and edited and contributed to New Daylight and Quiet Spaces. Her other books include The Recovery of Hope (BRF2016), The Recovery of Love (BRF, 2012), Pilgrims to the Manger (BRF, 2010) and Good Enough Mother(BRF, 2009).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEvangelicals Now, May 2018, Review by Lindsay Benn\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe blurb on the back cover claims that this book 'weaves imaginative story and profound reflections on a selection of Psalms to trace a journey that many of us will relate to'. This is a good summary of the contents.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI'm not a big fan of fictional Christian writing, but Naomi writes with endearing charm and describes the eventful journey of a troubled pilgrim trying to find meaning and purpose in life. Each chapter tracks the path of this pilgrim through traumas, dilemmas and moments of respite, with the reader becoming acutely aware that problems will ultimately have to be faced head on.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe oases of the Psalms\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you are struggling with the baggage that life throws at you, with unresolved relationship issues, or just exhausted with the 'what ifs' of life - you may find this book helpful. It is an easy read, and for me the oases were the reflections on the Psalms. I was moved once again by their astonishing relevance and the soothing balm that they offer as we cope with the pressures of 21\u003csup\u003est\u003c\/sup\u003e-century living. Realising that we can have God's help and that he will be with us every step on the untidy journey of life, brings healing and hope.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eLindsay Benn, church member, Northamptonshire\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChurch Times 22-29 December 2017: Review by Jenny Francis\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOccasionally we can lose our way in life. The comfortable set of values which we have cultivated seems less relevant, and our overall strategy is no longer fit for purpose.Too easily, we may fall into a slough of despond. What was initially an insidious threat to mind and body becomes a desolate sense of rootlessness and alienation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNaomi Starkey is an experienced author and a priest. This small book has been written to help with just these times in our lives. It is the third in her series of 'recovery of' titles, the others being of hope and of love, and as such, it offers a valuable, reflective companion to help us out of the cul-de-sac that threatens to trap the lost and rootless.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are five Parts: Rootlessness, Respite, Ruins, Release, and Return. Each has three identically structured chapters. It is written using the pronoun 'we', and the reader becomes one of a small group embarking on a journey with no clear destination. As they travel together, appreciating that they had each almost come to a halt, their 'story of exile and rootless wandering eventually becomes one of purpose, maybe even pilgrimage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is a long tradition of spiritual wanderers setting out in faith in Christianity, as well as in other faiths. Some viewed this as an abandonment of self to God's purposes. Others viewed it as a kind of exile, leaving behind all that was familiar while having no purpose for the future. In this book, the author tells a story about travellers crossing the sea in a small boat. Somehow, guided by divine mercy through wind and waves, they sail from one island to another, and on each they find welcome and a learning experience. As the sailors learn more of themselves and of God, they also grow through the challenges set to test and guide them. We journey with them and, by taking time to meditate on each psalm, specially selected to aid our private prayer, we, too, find ourselves led from darkness to light, to greater self-awareness and insight. This journey goes from exhaustion to acceptance, and hence to the gift of God's healing as we all rediscover the wonder of what God has done.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis slim volume is a useful tool for our own personal devotion. A chapter a day provides just over a fortnight of thoughtful reflection on how to find our way back to the God of our creation. As the author concludes, 'no matter the pain we may yet have to face, no matter what the next part of our journey may hold, we have hope for tomorrow.' I am writing on Advent Sunday: we know that it is that hope that heralds the advent of joy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Revd Jenny Francis is a retired psychotherapist and a priest in the Diocese of Exeter\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2024-10-30T11:24:11+00:00","created_at":"2024-10-30T11:23:14+00:00","vendor":"Naomi Starkey","type":"eBook","tags":["Biblical engagement","For individuals","Glassboxx","Pastoral care","Sep-17","Spirituality"],"price":699,"price_min":699,"price_max":699,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":53604891984252,"title":"eBook","option1":"eBook","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9780857465368","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"The Recovery of Joy: finding the path from rootlessness to returning home - eBook","public_title":"eBook","options":["eBook"],"price":699,"weight":147,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9780857465368","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/327.png?v=1730980394","\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/328.png?v=1730980334"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/327.png?v=1730980394","options":["Format"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":63001503695228,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/327.png?v=1730980394"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/327.png?v=1730980394","width":1303},{"alt":null,"id":63001489375612,"position":2,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/328.png?v=1730980334"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/328.png?v=1730980334","width":1303}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital eBook Only - \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e'Recovering joy involves more than following our social codes and conventions. It involves walking with God at our right hand, step by step in the radiant light of his presence. It involves remembering that we have already arrived at our destination - the safety of our Father's house - even as we continue on the pilgrim road that takes us through life.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Recovery of Joy weaves imaginative story and profound biblical reflections on several of the Psalms to trace a journey that many of us will relate to. The narrative begins in rootlessness and despair and takes a wanderer across the sea to a series of islands. These are the setting for a series of events and encounters through which emerges a progression from that initial rootlessness, through healing, to a rediscovery of the joy of feeling at the centre of God's loving purpose for our lives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eContents\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIntroduction\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePart 1. Rootlessness\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOn the road\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDead end\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe pathless way\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePart 2. Respite\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGreen pastures\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe blessing of sleep\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNo place like home\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePart 3. Ruins\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInto the depths\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA desert place\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA time to mend\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePart 4. Release\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStuck\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFreed\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCleansed\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePart 5. Return\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOn the rock\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCrossing the bay\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe recovery of joy\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNaomi Starkey is a priest in the Church in Wales, living and working on the Llyn Peninsula. She was previously a commissioning editor for BRF, and edited and contributed to New Daylight and Quiet Spaces. Her other books include The Recovery of Hope (BRF2016), The Recovery of Love (BRF, 2012), Pilgrims to the Manger (BRF, 2010) and Good Enough Mother(BRF, 2009).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEvangelicals Now, May 2018, Review by Lindsay Benn\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe blurb on the back cover claims that this book 'weaves imaginative story and profound reflections on a selection of Psalms to trace a journey that many of us will relate to'. This is a good summary of the contents.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI'm not a big fan of fictional Christian writing, but Naomi writes with endearing charm and describes the eventful journey of a troubled pilgrim trying to find meaning and purpose in life. Each chapter tracks the path of this pilgrim through traumas, dilemmas and moments of respite, with the reader becoming acutely aware that problems will ultimately have to be faced head on.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe oases of the Psalms\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you are struggling with the baggage that life throws at you, with unresolved relationship issues, or just exhausted with the 'what ifs' of life - you may find this book helpful. It is an easy read, and for me the oases were the reflections on the Psalms. I was moved once again by their astonishing relevance and the soothing balm that they offer as we cope with the pressures of 21\u003csup\u003est\u003c\/sup\u003e-century living. Realising that we can have God's help and that he will be with us every step on the untidy journey of life, brings healing and hope.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eLindsay Benn, church member, Northamptonshire\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChurch Times 22-29 December 2017: Review by Jenny Francis\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOccasionally we can lose our way in life. The comfortable set of values which we have cultivated seems less relevant, and our overall strategy is no longer fit for purpose.Too easily, we may fall into a slough of despond. What was initially an insidious threat to mind and body becomes a desolate sense of rootlessness and alienation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNaomi Starkey is an experienced author and a priest. This small book has been written to help with just these times in our lives. It is the third in her series of 'recovery of' titles, the others being of hope and of love, and as such, it offers a valuable, reflective companion to help us out of the cul-de-sac that threatens to trap the lost and rootless.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are five Parts: Rootlessness, Respite, Ruins, Release, and Return. Each has three identically structured chapters. It is written using the pronoun 'we', and the reader becomes one of a small group embarking on a journey with no clear destination. As they travel together, appreciating that they had each almost come to a halt, their 'story of exile and rootless wandering eventually becomes one of purpose, maybe even pilgrimage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is a long tradition of spiritual wanderers setting out in faith in Christianity, as well as in other faiths. Some viewed this as an abandonment of self to God's purposes. Others viewed it as a kind of exile, leaving behind all that was familiar while having no purpose for the future. In this book, the author tells a story about travellers crossing the sea in a small boat. Somehow, guided by divine mercy through wind and waves, they sail from one island to another, and on each they find welcome and a learning experience. As the sailors learn more of themselves and of God, they also grow through the challenges set to test and guide them. We journey with them and, by taking time to meditate on each psalm, specially selected to aid our private prayer, we, too, find ourselves led from darkness to light, to greater self-awareness and insight. This journey goes from exhaustion to acceptance, and hence to the gift of God's healing as we all rediscover the wonder of what God has done.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis slim volume is a useful tool for our own personal devotion. A chapter a day provides just over a fortnight of thoughtful reflection on how to find our way back to the God of our creation. As the author concludes, 'no matter the pain we may yet have to face, no matter what the next part of our journey may hold, we have hope for tomorrow.' I am writing on Advent Sunday: we know that it is that hope that heralds the advent of joy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Revd Jenny Francis is a retired psychotherapist and a priest in the Diocese of Exeter\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e"}
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The Recovery of Joy: finding the path from rootlessness to returning home
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Digital eBook Only - 'Recovering joy involves more than following our social codes and conventions. It involves walking with God...