3 comments about Well with My Soul: Four Dramatic Stories of Great Hymn Writers (Heroes of the Faith).

1. Barbour Publishing's "Heroes of the Faith" series found an able storyteller in Rachael Phillips, a Christian writer and humorist whose talents as a researcher and biographer are clearly on display in the book, Well with My Soul. This work, suitable for preteens on up, gives vivid life-portraits of four of Christendom's most colorful and prolific hymn writers.
   
   Phillips, as she did so well with her "Heroes" treatments of Billy Sunday, Frederick Douglass and Saint Augustine, once again weaves historical and personal details together to give us very human characters. Horatio Spafford, whose intrepid efforts for Christ and His church during the era of D.L. Moody and the Great Chicago Fire, suffered the dark tragedy of losing four young daughters during their Atlantic crossing with his wife in the Ville du Havre disaster of 1873. Phillips delves into the wells of Spafford's emotions as he wrestled with this and other spiritual challenges that resulted in such important hymn poems as "It Is Well with My Soul."
   
   I think it laudable that this biographer doesn't shrink from mentioning such unfortunate and unflattering details as the petty and uncharitable treatment Spafford and others received from fellow churchmen, as well as Spafford's own idiosyncrasies which surfaced later in his life. But the inclusion of such blemishes is always seasoned by Phillips' compassion and charm with which she sums up her subjects' true greatness, namely their faith in a God of unfailing grace and providence.
   
   Other stories in this very readable volume tell about Phillip P. Bliss ("Hallelujah! What a Savior"), William Cowper ("God Moves in a Mysterious Way") and Frances Ridley Havergal ("Take My Life and Let It Be"). This book would be wonderful as supplemental reading during family times, and both educational and joyful material for hymn lovers everywhere.
   
   Sincerely,
   Mark N. Aikins



2. I never really knew much about the great hymn writers of old, so I bought this book. The stories in this book are both informative and very interesting too. I could hardly put it down.



3. A 2007 summer reading list mini review.
   
   It is well with my soul seems like it is going to be like many other books out there dedicated tothe stories behind great hymns. In reality, however, Rachael Phillips book is conerned more about the great lives behind the great works. She paints portraits of Spafford, Bliss, Cowper and Havergal that expose their strengths but also give even coverage of the difficulties they each faced.

5 comments about Sins of a Father: Forgiving the Unforgivable.

1. I have had the honor of attending a seminar in which Mrs. Kitty Chappell spoke and shared her story. Kitty has gone through some of the most stressful times I have heard of and has learned how, with God's help, to go on with her life and not be one of the "damaged" people we see all around us. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is hurting and trying to get on with their life. God Bless you, Kitty.

   Elaine Johnson




2. I happened upon this book while looking for something to encourage a friend. I read it with the expectation of sharing it with her and hoping that the message would adress issues in a recent discussion. Not only did this book address the need to forgive, but it also nailed the mechanics of how to forgive in spite of the emotions that so often cloud our view. It is the thing that is missing in most books that address this topic. Yes we know we need to forgive, but how do you do that? I found answers to questions of my own.

   My heart went out to Kitty as I read her story, and I was pleased by the process through which she identified the right choices and implemented them. I pray that this book will make it into the hands of those who are ready to put the past behind them and move into a productive and positive life. If you are tired of looking back, while trying to move forward, buy and read this book. Thank you Mrs. Chappell!




3. "Sins of a Father" is an incredible book. Kitty Chappell has the rare sensitivity to share the horrors of her childhood without sensationalism and with restraint, telling just enough to help us understand her message.

   The message...this is what sets her story apart from so many other books dealing with childhood abuse. This is the story of how Kitty, and how any of us, can rise above difficult circumstances. It is not just about "enduring" and "making it through" our problems. It is about what comes next. How do we restore wholeness, joy, love, and mercy to our spirits? How do we truly forgive those who hurt us?

   My husband and I read this book just as another family dispute with our parents erupted, and Kitty's words rang true in every respect. We underlined and discussed each of her ideas as we read, applying them to our own situation. After twenty years mired in family conflict, she gave us concrete, positive, and loving ways to move forward.

   So many books offer suggestions on conflict and forgiveness, but the "modern" way seems to center on finding out who to blame for our pain. Too many books seem to encourage forgiveness in a general way, but then reinforce how badly we've been treated and how right we are to be angry. "Hold onto the hurt, but forgive them anyway, even if they don't deserve it."

   Kitty shows a better way. And she gives concrete I-can-do-these suggestions that we can apply right now. Her suggestions are working for us.

   Anyone who struggles with difficult people and with a difficult past can learn much from her wisdom, her experience, and her honesty. This book is wonderful!




4. Many, many people are going through life harboring deep hurts that stand in the way of their happiness. They want to forgive and know they should, but just don't know how. This is the story of an amazing woman who learned how to do it, and you won't believe what and who she had to forgive, but she did it!!! She shares it all with you, and it will leave you awestruck. I promise you that you won't be able to put this book down. You will want to share it with others who are hurting.



5. I've been privileged to know Kitty Chappell for twenty years and have seen for myself the inner joy that radiates from her in every circumstance. Her forgiveness of a sinful father is a holy and genuine thing. To read her book and be reminded of the horrifying experiences that could have shaped a life of bitterness, but didn't, is an inspiration to me. Her words have made me examine my own life and the relationships I've had where forgiveness is overdue. Thank you, Kitty, for your open heart and your generosity in sharing your wounds and your healing with us.

2 comments about Ignatius of Loyola: The Pilgrim Saint.

1. A must read for anyone interested in the Jesuit order - especially those of us that attended Jesuit schools! In his translation, Father Buckley takes us from the beginning to the end of St. Ignatius' life in a manner that is full of information, yet also easy to read and at times difficult to put down.



2. This book gave an excellent overview of Ignatius' life and insight into the Jesuit order's foundations.

5 comments about Inside of Me: Lessons of Lust, Love and Redemption.

1. I bought this book for my girlfriend and I found myself reading it and was very involved into the story. I think this is a book for everyone. I would recamend this book to everyone.



2. Amidst all of the calamity, lust, sex, & promiscuity that is in the world, this is a book that can bring about change. Thank you Shellie for keepin' it real. It took strength that truly had to come from God to tell your story.
   
   Having had some of the same experiences of the author Shellie Warren, all I could say is WOW and that I must MOVE in sharing this word. Her book has prompted me to start planning on speaking with young adults and late teens at my place of worship and at the local H.S.'s to get the word out. We must equip our young people with information to make better choices in life. That's the very reason that God allowed her to write this book!
   
   
   
   I am firm, when I say "This Book Will Bring About Change !!!"



3. Its not by accident that after about 35 reviews, nearly all have given this book 5 stars. What is there to say that hasn't already been said? I have seen alot of comments that say "this is a must read for women"... just to clarify, this is a book "for everyone- men and women." I am a 24 year old guy and read this book in 2 days. God has certainly blessed Shellie with tremendous writing ability. You will not be dissapointed with this book...



4. This is an awesome book for all to read. The experiences that Shellie shares are as real as it gets. It should be shared with young men and women to let them know that they will have choices to make and their decisions will have an impact on thier lives as well as others around them. I am proud of Shellie for being brave enough to share with us her experiences so that hopefully we can avoid some of the things that she endured. To all thinking about purchasing the book----Just Do It--It is priceless!! God Bless you Shellie and continue to share your awesome gift !!



5. Kudos to Shellie R. Warren on writing such a powerful message filled book. The author of this book could be anyone of us because in some form or fashion we all have been a victim of poor decision making that led to unhealthy relationships etc.
   "Inside of Me" is just another example of not being able to have a testimony without the test. It's a must read for all ages and genders.

2 comments about The D.L. Moody Collection: The Highlights of His Writings, Sermons, Anecdotes, and Life Story.

1. I am so glad that the Lord led me to this book at this time in my life. This book is a must for a person who loves the Lord and His work. The book shows ways that Moody prepared sermons after he had been inspired on things to say. The book inspired me to see how the Lord's work can be spread even though we don't travel a great distance and are not eloquent speakers. The Lord uses us anyway.

   This reading is essential. John 14




2. I am so glad that the Lord led me to this book at this time in my life. This book is a must for a person who loves the Lord and His work. The book shows ways that Moody prepared sermons after he had been inspired on things to say. The book inspired me to see how the Lord's work can be spread even though we don't travel a great distance and are not eloquent speakers. The Lord uses us anyway.

   This reading is essential. John 14

No comments about Enough Room for Joy: The Early Days of Jean Vanier's L'Arche.

5 comments about Searching for God at Ground Zero.

1. For the most part, Jim Martin was just like any other American on September 11th--desperate to do "something." But he had what most of us don't--a Roman collar and the knowledge that God's word would be needed the most in that place of unparallelled evil. A policeman escorts him to Ground Zero, and Father Martin is sure he has entered hell.

   Frightened by the carnage around him, Father Martin struggles to minister to the firefighters, cops and paramedics frantically digging by hand to reach buddies and strangers alike. But in the end he finds that he does not need to reveal God to these heartbroken rescuers--instead, God's grace is revealed to the world by their tireless sacrifice.

   Father Martin gives us a glimpse into the unseen world of Ground Zero in the weeks following the September 11th attacks--it is a story of horror and, surprisingly, of hope and grace. For anyone whose faith was sorely tested by September 11th (and whose wasn't?), this book offers inspiration and solace.




2. As Sister Helen Prejean said on the back jacket, this is not just another 9/11 book. It is much more than that. Father Martin speaks of course about the heroism and charity of the rescue workers at the World Trade Center, but with this book he also gives the reader a profound meditation on the way that God can work during times of suffering. It is a deeply moving (and beautifully written) book.



3. Father Martin describes the events of the World Trade Center tragedy of 9/11 in gently vivid, reader-kind prose. I felt I had a true, but down-to-earth description of how it must have been to have actually been on site following this terrible disaster, but without all the "must-sell" hype of news writers and television broadcasters. The scene described by Fr. Martin was descriptive without being gory or graphic. The whole experience of reading about the tragedy and its heros through the author's "eyes" was as a prayer. I want to give this book to all my friends and family, and recommend it highly. cbm/Atlanta, GA



4. Fr. James Martin offers up a rare spiritual gem for those seeking an honest and simple account of the recovery effort. He offesr the simple yet profound story of one Jesuit priest's efforts to minister amidst the chaos at the WTC site. Highly recommended as the book to buy for anyone who wants to rememeber and reflect on this tragic day as we approach the fifth year anniversary of 9-11.



5. Well written, faith-filled, hopeful and rich in insights. A short read, but most worthwhile.

1 comments about Defenders of the Faith in Word and Deed.

1. Fr. Charles Connor of EWTN fame has written an excellent short book on "martyrs", e.g., witnesses, to the Faith.
   
   Starting with an account of the early Christians and the dangerous lives they lead under Roman rule, he takes the reader through twenty centuries of Catholic history, with chapter-length biographies of figures such as Athanasius, Thomas More, Edmund Campion, and modern heroes like Jesuit Walter Ciszek and Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger.
   
   Fr. Connor's specialty is English Catholicism and it shows here. I particularly enjoyed the brief treatment he gave to Frank Sheed and the founders of the Catholic Truth Society and the Catholic Evidence Guild. Sheed and co. would take to street corners and defend the Faith against charges leveled by everyone from militant atheists to town drunks.
   
   I couldn't help but be saddened reading the chapters on European Catholics from the not-so-distant past. In the now aggressively secular culture of Europe, Mass-attendance is below 10%, cathedrals are little more than museums, and what was once the cradle of Christianity is on the losing side of a demographic civil war with Islam.
   
   But while the Faith is on the wane there, it's on the march elsewhere, growing by leaps and bounds in the "global south" of Asia, Africa and Latin America.
   
   One of the key lessons of books like this one is that the Marxian view of history - that impersonal forces determine its course - is wrong. With God's grace, heroes make history, and "Defenders of the Faith in Word and Deed" is chock full of them.

5 comments about God Underneath: Spiritual Memoirs of a Catholic Priest.

1. Father Edward's book is absolutely wonderful. From the moment that I first opened the book, I knew that I was meant to read it. Father Beck has a "real" style of storytelling...it's as if he was talking directly to you. Since reading this book I've sent copies to all of my friends and they've begun to send it to THEIR friends! It's a wonderful gift to give and a wonderful gift to receive and cherish.



2. Fr Beck writes with a journalist's facility and brings the story of his tentative first steps toward the priesthood to his ordination to his life as a Passionist priest and itinerant Retreat Master. Eminently readable,he shows the life of a priest in the modern era who hears confessions with compassion,says Mass with great devotion to God and yet jogs frequently-one time while wearing a Rolling Stones t-shirt with the long red tongue..His brushes with the worldly and the enticing teach us that we are all loved by God and that we can resist the temptations of everyday life and still carry on a full Catholic life-he as a Passionist priest,others like us as ordinary laypeople. He is saddened by what is happening to the modern Catholic Church and his concern shows through..He is also brave enough to point out the lack of leadership from the top and at the parish level that is sometimes lacking and that has allowed some of the misfortunes to happen within our beloved Church.
   
   He also points out the personal miracles he saw-miracles of a relic of St Martin De Porres.a Dominican lay brother-who administered to to poorest of the poor to men of all races.Born in Lima,Peru of Spanish and black parentage,honored even by the animals who recognized his blessedness, and venerated by the local population as soon as word had gotten out that he had passed on to his Eternal Reward..Very appropriate as Fr Beck ministered to the poor African Americans in Chicago and New York while he was undergoing his seminary training and his Retreats all across the country now are for all men and women of whatever race or faith..
   
   He is a good Priest-a Priest forever..we hope he goes on to have a good literary career and that his Retreats thrive for many years..



3. GOD UNDERNEATH is not a memoir about an extraordinary priest, as its author Edward Beck would readily admit. He was raised in an average Catholic family, his vocational call was somewhat ordinary, he was not a brilliant scholar as a student, and his success does not rival that of a televangelist or a religious celebrity. This is probably why the book is so powerful and such a worthwhile read. We meet a priest who is spiritual, wants to serve God, and has many human ups and downs. He struggles with his call, what it means to be a Catholic, and how to make faith meaningful for people. We see him face some opposition, and we get a sense of his flaws as well. Yet in the end we meet a remarkable person who is able to find God in so many situations and see God in a variety of people. We see an honest and dedicated person of faith succeeding at living his call.
   
   The book is an enjoyable and easy read. We feel we know the author rather well because he is honest about his ministry and faith. Yet while eh tells the story about his priesthood, in many ways the book is not about Edward Beck. The author uses the many people he has encountered in his life and in his ministry, and shows the ways in which God works in their lives. In many cases Beck is the instrument God uses, but we see that Beck clearly grows closer top God by ministering to the many people he meets in his ministry. For this reason too, we can see God at work in Edward Beck was we read this book.



4. I though Fr. Edward gave us a great insight into the priesthood and what it is like to devote yourself to the church. See what Carly Simon, who Fr. Edward met said about him. "The very first time I saw Father Edward's face, I knew I would learn something about `men of the cloth'. A little the way you come to realize that your most erudite teachers have nightmares and hurt feelings and stomach aches. I had always been a little too much in awe of Priests, monks and other clergy or theological types. Maybe this is because they have to keep a distance in order to have you (the hopeful believer) believe they are a link to the great unknown. Edward Beck allows us close enough to see the emotions of a man. Because of the flawed humanity revealed, there is more reason to see that link. It will mean something special to the reader to see the courage that enables him to reveal himself so simply and honestly. To identify with him: to empathize, to feel his doubts , and then his overriding desire to go beyond and through them, is what his journey is about."
   -Carly Simon



5. Fr. Beck is refreshing and real. He offers humor along with his sharp insights. Hopefully, he will be writing for years to come.

4 comments about Nuns Don't Cry.

1. A story of one woman's spiritual journey written with integrity, humor, and passion. As Sister Anthony recreated the convent years I found myself immeshed in a world as strangely foreign and exotic to me as a Sultan's harem. This book touched my heart and kept me turning pages way past my bedtime and far into the night.



2. Ideal for people who believe nuns cry but are eager to be convinced otherwise, people who believe nuns don't cry and enjoy having their beliefs reaffirmed, people who are unsure whether nuns do or don't cry but would like to know one way or the other, or for nuns who require documentary evidence to discredit a slanderous aquaintance who claims to have seen them cry. Not reccomended for people who are adament that nuns do cry and refuse to listen to reason.



3. "Nuns Don't Cry" was my first experience in learning about the how nuns were trained. From the moment that I opened the cover
   until I finished it some hours later it had caught and held my focus as I viewed the lessons of life and the emotional responses they bring.
   
   I can truly recommend this book.



4. Nuns Don't Cry is interesting reading, but I tend to want more than one person's story about a subject. Liked the comparisons in unCONVENTional WOMEN: 73 ex-nuns tell their stories. Good story, though.