The Parish Bookshelf

Have you recently read a book you particularly enjoyed and want to tell others about?

This is the place...to tell others about what you've read and to get suggestions from others!

The Mystery of God's Will: What Does He Want For Me?
by Charles R. Swindoll

Many people have the idea that, if they could just somehow find that single planned direction, they would be effortlessly swept through life. But life is not like that. Probably the most misunderstood single factor of discovering God's will is the thought that, If I do this, the struggles will end, the questions are over, the answers come, and I live happily ever after. But that's a fairy tale. That's not reality.

Does this mean that God's will must remain opaque to us--that we must muddle and grope blindly through life with no clue to what He wants for us? "Not at all," says Charles Swindoll. In this groundbreaking new book, he invites us to understand God's will better. The journey is often marked by mystery, but it is never dull or predictable.

"I believe God's will for us in this life is not some black-and-white objective designed to take us to an appointed destination here on earth as much as it is about the journey itself...and what matters to Him in our lives."

Overflowing with Swindoll's practical insights, humor, and unforgettable stories, The Mystery of God's Will inspires you to discover what God's will is for your life.

NOTE: The above description is taken from the flyleaf of the book and no intent to take credit for it is meant.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The Gifts of the Jews: How a Tribe of Nomads Changed the Way Everyone Thinks and Feels
by Thomas Cahill

In The Gifts of the Jews Thomas Cahill, author of the bestselling How the Irish Saved Civilization, takes readers on a second amazing journey into the past, this time telling the engrossing story of how a tribe of desert nomads forever altered the way we experience our world. The Gifts of the Jews is a road map that opens up the path of Western history, enabling us all to trace our cultural heritage back to its ultimate source--the religious ideas and feelings of ancient Israel.

Taking us first to Sumer in the third millennium, Cahill explores a civilization in which life is seen--as it was in all ancient societies--as part of an endless cycle of birth and death: time perceived as a wheel, spinning ceaselessly, never altering its course--until the ancient Jews dramatically change that perception. When Abraham hears the Voice of God speaking the unexpected words "Go forth," the concept of an unknown future takes hold and Western civilization is born. From this insight the Jews evolve a new vision of men and women with unique destinies--a vision that will inspire the Declaration of Independence and our hopeful belief in progress and the sense that tomorrow can be better than today.

Thomas Cahill narrates this momentous shift with compelling stories, insights, and humor, and draws us closer to such powerful biblical personalities as Abraham and Sarah, Moses and Miriam, David, Amos, Isaiah, Naomi, and Ruth.

In the irresistible style that made How the Irish saved Civilization such a delight, Cahill explores the origins of monotheism, bringing us to the realization that many of our most treasured values are, indeed, the gifts of the Jews.

NOTE: The above description is taken from the flyleaf of the book and no intent to take credit for it is meant.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Becoming a Vessel God Can Use
by Donna Partow

What does it take to be a woman who makes a difference in her world? Do you have to be perfect? Do your spices have to be in alphabetical order?

When you think about the kind of "vessel" you are, do words like "chipped," "cracked," "broken," and "dirty" come to mind? Yet God accomplishes extraordinary things through ordinary people who believe God can and will se them -- imperfections and all. Becoming a Vessel God Can Use is a ten-week journey for small groups or individuals that offers hope, laughter and transformation to women who long to discover new confidence and significance.

NOTE: The above description is taken from the back of the book and no intent to take credit for it is meant.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Walking in Total God-Confidence
by Donna Partow

Have the challenges of life completely shaken your confidence? Or is your self-confidence fragile and inconsistent: strong enough to take on the world one day, insecure the next? Donna Partow has been there! From her childhood as "the kid no one was allowed to play with" to her days as a drug dealer and then her marriage to a strict Middle Eastern husband, she finally came to the place where she trusted God completely. In the process, she let go of all self-confidence and discovered something better: "God-confidence."

"God-confidence" is the absolute assurance that God can accomplish whatever He wants through whomever He chooses -- regardless of your upbringing, circumstances, or past failures. At the end of this inspirational journey, you'll be convinced that God has a purpose for your life and that He is more than capable of seeing it through to completion.

NOTE: The above description is taken from the back of the book and no intent to take credit for it is meant.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Something More: In Search of a Deeper Faith
by Catherine Marshall

"...Catherine Marshall writes movingly of her quest for a fuller, richer understanding of God and His will. With candor she reveals the challenges her faith has undergone and the illuminating answers to which her personal tragedies have led. She also examines today's younger generation in search of meaning and direction, from Jesus Christ Superstar and religious communes to the 'youth rebellion.' With insight and mature Christian wisdom, she guides the reader toward a joyful new life of affirmative experiences.

'The qualities that made Catherine Marshall an inspiration to millions have gained even another dimension. She has indeed given us something more.'"

Marjorie Holmes

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Her Name Is Woman Books 1 & 2
by Glenn Karssen

They are businesswomen, like Lydia...spiritual leaders, like Priscilla...or honored wives and mothers, like Sarah.

They are as young as the Virgin Mary...or as wise and old as the aging widow Anna in the Temple.

They are esteemed in leadership, like Miriam...or shunned and disrespected, like the woman at the well.

They are searching as the Queen of Sheba...or as rich as a window giving away her last cent.

...Glen Karssen helps us make crucial discoveries about different women in scripture. For each one she asks the ultimate question: What place did God have in her life? Each new answer mtoivates the reader to live her own life wholeheartedly for God.

Every woman of today - whether married or single, happy or brokenhearted, secure or shaken - will find at least one of these biblical women to be surprisingly like herself. Eve, Esther, Elizabeth, and all the other step off the Bible's pages to become, as Glen Karrsen says, "real people, living and sparkling..."

Each chapter also includes the relevant Scripture passages quoted in full, plus Bible study questions that have made Her Name is Woman a favorite guide for women's Bible discussion groups.

NOTE: The above description is taken from the back of the first book in the series of two and no intent to take credit for it is meant.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Chicken Soup for....

"Chicken Soup for the Soul® began between two friends — the two of us. For over two decades we have been sharing wondrous stories of hope, inspiration, and encouragement in our speeches and seminars around the world. Stories about people making a difference. Shooting for the stars. Never giving up Winning!..."

For more of the Chicken Soup story and information about the different books published visit their website: http://www.chickensoup.com

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Quiet Places: A Woman's Guide to Personal Retreat
by Jane Rubietta

Meet with God in the Quiet Places:

"The Purpose of retreat," writes Jane Rubietta, "is not to check off a list of Scriptures read, quotes studied, or prayers said. It is an escape into the calm arms of God." Quiet Places leads you into that meaningful time with god - whether your retreat to solitude is twenty minutes while the kids are tucked in bed or a day or two of personal getaway.

Each chapter of Quiet Places offers thought-provoking spirit-prodding inspiration, weaving together practical outlines and principles to help you find God in the mids of all that a busy woman faces daily. Quiet Places provides teaching and encouragement for groups as well as individuals.

NOTE: The above description is taken from the back of the book and no intent to take credit for it is meant.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A Book of Angels
by Sophy Burnham

Sophy Burnham did not grow up believing in miracles or angels but when she was twenty-eight an angel miraculously saved her life. For years she hid the fact from herself. What did it mean? Are there really celestial beings watching over our lives? Later so many powerful and inexplicable forces and coincidences affected her life that she decided to write about them, and this in turn brought her back to angels and the profound ways in which, visibly and invisibly, they touch our lives.

A Book of Angels tells not only the extraordinary true stories of present-day encounters with angels, but also traces the understanding and study of angels throughout history and in different cultures. Burnham writes about the powerful male angles of the Old Testament, Zoroastrian angels, Buddhist bodhisattvas, Islamic angels, Hindu apsaras, the mysterious angels of the Jewish Kabbalah, of cherubim, seraphim, guardian angels, the angel of death, and more.

What do angels look like? Whom do they choose to visit? Why do they appear more often to children than to adults? With great feeling, Burnham explores how man has responded to their beautiful presence and inspiration, quoting from poets, mystics, and saints. You find here the thoughts of Milton, Dante, Goethe, Shakespeare, Blake, Rilke, Dostoyevski, Swedenborg, Poe, and the classic words of the Bible and Koran.

An eloquent report from the place where earth and heaven meet, A Book of Angels is a quest into mysteries and a song of praise to life.

NOTE: The above description is taken from the back of the book and no intent to take credit for it is meant.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Angel Letters
by Sophy Burnham

"Angel letters. We send letters to our angels. And letters come back to us, like leaves floating on the air. They land on the pond of our consciousness so softly sometimes we hardly feel them, and only by the ripples growing outward in ever-larger concentric circles do we recognize their presence, see the fallen leaf. We are surrounded by superior spiritual beings of great light and magnificence, which are the manifestation of the Divine and which want for us poor humans better things than we can possible imagine. If we leave them alone and present ourselves, like children, in total trust and love and humble gratitude, they will pour their blessings on us....They cannot be seen, but then neither can a black hole in space. Still, their presence is known, and perhaps the litters in this little volume will serve to remind of moments when you, too, have felt an angel's touch or received a missive invisibly floating past, to say, 'We're here,' and 'Don't forget.'"

Sophy Burnham

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Ecstatic Journey: The Transforming Power of Mystical Experience
by Sophy Burnham

For millennia, mysticism has spread a special radiance over humanity. Today interest in mystical practices is increasing and just as Sophy Burnham first focused on modern awareness on the presence of angels in our lives, she now explores the drama and mystery of mystical experiences, and their power to change our lives.

In this rich and deeply personal book, Burnham describes her own arduous and momentous journey into mystical awareness--the rowing toward God, as she calls it. That journey began with a subtle, unnamed longing, passed through various stages of prayer and spiritual awareness, and broke open in a single transformative moment at the ancient Peruvian site of Machu Picchu. Threaded through her own accounts of mystical encounters as recorded by ordinary people today, as well as by saints, seers, ecstatics, and holy men and women of every faith.

In addition, Burnham delves into the physical side of mystical experience--levitation, elevated body temperature, psychic ability--and warns against an overemphasis on such powers. She also describes the age-old practices that invite mystical experience--prayer and fasting, meditation, ascetic discipline--and points out the landmarks that one passes on this extraordinary spiritual journey.

Passionate, beautifully written, and comprehensive, The Ecstatic Journey is a fesat of fact and myth, knowledge and wisdom, that will nourish and enlighten every spiritual voyager.

NOTE: The above description is taken from the flyleaf of the book and no intent to take credit for it is meant.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Why God Won't Go Away: Brain Science & the Biology of Belief
by Andrew Newberg, M.D., Eugene D'Aquili, M.D., Ph.D., and Vince Rause

"From Booklist
This fascinating and thought-provoking book by two neurologists and a veteran journalist reflects the two physicians' long-term interests in the role of religious experience in the mind and its location in the brain. Their studies were most often done with the aid of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), a process in which the subject need not be in a machine while it is working. SPECT allows all involved to work in an informal atmosphere, which has undoubtedly made the results obtained more closely reflect both religious and neurological reality. Early on, the authors assert that "biology, in some way, compels the spiritual urge." They know the literature of their field and of religious experience, as well as the history of the mind and brain. They write lucidly, analogize effectively and often strikingly, and delightfully combine science and human interest. Their arguments are cogent, and their observations and questions should keep readers seriously involved."

by William Beatty

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time: The Historical Jesus & the Heart of Contemporary Faith
by Marcus J. Borg

From Amazon.com:
All Christianity is, to some extent, idolatrous. Christian worship is a response to a worshiper's image of Jesus, and all images of Jesus fall short of his reality--in the same way that all biographies and portraits fail to depict a whole person. In Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time, New Testament scholar Marcus Borg attempts to understand how popular images of Jesus connect Christians to their savior and isolate them from him. Borg writes about his own evolving ideas of who Jesus was, considers the scholarly and popular religious evolution of Jesus' public image, and investigates with special care the effects of Historical Jesus research on contemporary images of Jesus. Meeting Jesus Again is written in an affable, gracious, and unflinchingly honest voice. Borg's description of his own faith particularly exemplifies these qualities, and gives the reader a simultaneously safe and unsettling new perspective on the peasant from Galilee: "[T]he central issue of the Christian life is not believing in God or believing in the Bible," he writes. "Rather, the Christian life is about entering into a relationship with that to which the Christian tradition points, which may be spoken of as God, the risen, living Christ, or the Spirit. And a Christian is one who lives out his or her relationship to God within the framework of the Christian tradition."

--Michael Joseph Gross

The above description is taken from Amazon.com. No intent to take credit for it is meant.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The God We Never Knew : Beyond Dogmatic Religion to a More Authentic Contemporary Faith
by Marcus J. Borg

From Booklist:
In the companion to Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time (1994), Borg argues for panentheism the conception of God as being both transcendent (God is more than everything) and immanent (God is in everything). The ancient Jews and the early Christians, he says, understood God in this way, as being "right here," at the same time that God was also thought to be supernatural and transcendent, the all-knowing king-judge "out there." Panentheism entails imaging God, not as a monarch to whom we owe fealty, but as a lover with whom we have a relationship. Borg ultimately maintains that living in relationship with God enjoins an open heart; a politics based in compassion and, especially for Christians, just communalism rather than a system of individualistic competition; and the understanding that salvation is an ideal for this world, not any afterlife. The many enthusiastic readers of Borg's Jesus book will be further cheered by his God book.

by Ray Olson

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Be Not Afraid: Overcoming The Fear of Death
by Johann Christoph Arnold

Fear of accidents of acts of terror, illness or dying, loneliness or grief - if you're like most people, such anxieties maybe robbing you of the peace that could be yours. In Be Not Afraid, Arnold, a seasoned pastoral counselor who has accompanied many people to death's door, tells how ordinary men, women, and children found the strength to conquer their deepest fears. Interspersed with anecdotes from such wise teachers as Tolstoy, Dickens, And Dorothy Day, Arnold's words offer the assurance that even in an age of anxiety, you can live life to the full and meet death with confidence.

NOTE: The above description is taken from the back of the book and no intent to take credit for it is meant.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

How Good Do We Have To Be? A New Understanding of Guilt and Forgiveness
by Harold S. Kushner

No one is perfect. Yet many people measure themselves - and others - against impossibly high standards. The result: guilt, anger, depression, and disappointment.

In this inspiring bestseller, the author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People puts human shortcomings in perspective - and teaches us how we can learn to accept ourselves and others even when we and they are less than perfect. Drawing on the Bible, modern literature, psychology, theology, and his own thirty years as a congregational rabbi, Kushner shows how acceptance and forgiveness can change our relationships with the most important people in our lives and help us meet the challenge of being human.

NOTE: The above description is taken from the back of the book and no intent to take credit for it is meant.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The Deeper Wound: Recovering the Soul from Fear and Suffering
by Deepak Chopra

Terror came from the sky, and afterward the world would never be the same. September 11, 2001, defined tragedy for a generation. On that day Deepak Chopra found himself driving from city to city, meeting thousands of people who begged for meaning and solace in the face of suffering. In response he has written The Deeper Wound, offering a way of healing as a memorial to the thousands of victims who perished.

The opening section, "In the Face of Tragedy," defines suffering as the pain that threatens to make life meaningless. When our deepest needs go unfulfilled, suffering begins. We begin to heal when we go beyond personal anger and fear to a realization of our true self, the self that was never afraid and can never be wounded.

The true self contains the light that no darkness can attack. Having described a path of awareness and compassion that leads to the light, the second half of The Deeper Wound takes us there through "A Hundred Days of Healing," daily affirmations, exercises, insights, lessons, and questions--each a step out of pain toward a higher reality. "We can become living memorials to tragedy by restoring the power of life," writes Deepak Chopra. "You are that life, you are that power. Let us see if we can find the spark that will make the spiritual flame spring up."

NOTE: The above description is taken from the flyleaf of the book and no intent to take credit for it is meant.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Reincarnation: The Missing Link in Christianity
by Elizabeth Clare Prophet with Erin L. Prophet

This groundbreaking work makes the case that Jesus taught reincarnation. Elizabeth Clare Prophet traces the history of reincarnation in Christianity--from Jesus and early Christians through Church councils and the persecution of so-called heretics. Using the latest scholarship and evidence from Dead Sea Scrolls and Gnostic texts, she also argues persuasively that Jesus was a mystic who taught that our destiny is to unite with the God within. Your view of Jesus--and of Christianity--will never be the same.

NOTE: The above description is taken from the back of the book and no intent to take credit for it is meant.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Soul Prints: Your Path to Fulfillment
by Marc Gafni

A brilliant, charismatic American philosopher currently living in Jerusalem, Marc Gafni has become an important new voice on religion and spirituality. His weekly television program, which speaks powerfully to people from every background and walk of life, has become enormously popular in Israel. Offering creative and passionate insights into timeless Biblical and other wisdom traditions, spiritual teacher Gafni has become an inspirational force for unity and personal growth abroad; now, his universal message comes to America, fully realized, in his first book.

Marc Gafni follows in the tradition of M. Scott Peck and Ram Dass, bringing compassion and wisdom to everyday experience. Addressing our age-old desire to feel connected, he uses spiritual stories to teach us how to live fuller, happier lives. The secret is to "live your story," and we do this by identifying our "soul prints." Only then can we connect on a far deeper level with the world and with those sharing it alongside us.

While based in the realm of spirituality and philosophy, Soul Prints speaks to all readers, regardless of religious beliefs or practices - or lack thereof. Using the power of myth - Biblical and fold - and drawing o his own personal highs and lows, Gafni offers advice on how to form bonds based in truth and love, along with penetrating analyses of our obstacles. In an increasingly disconnected world, it is still possible to make the connections that matter most: those that will banish loneliness; those that bring us satisfaction, passion, and joy; those that begin with our true selves.

NOTE: The above description is taken from the flyleaf of the book and no intent to take credit for it is meant.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Ancient Secrets
by Rabbi Levi Meier

In Ancient Secrets, a distinguished rabbi and psychologist takes a thoughtful, wise, and fresh approach to showing us how to apply the stories of the Bible to our everyday lives.

Rabbi Levi Meier is one of Los Angeles's best-known spiritual advisers. He is the chaplain at the famed Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, a bibilical scholar, and a practicing clinical psychologist with a particular interest in Jungian psychology. Whether he is providing religious advice to the weary and ill, consoling the dying, or preaching the value of decency in a confused world, Rabbi Meier is a teacher who can make a 3,200-year-old text, recorded by ancients on scrolls, relevant to our times and to future generations.

Using the Five Books of Moses as his guide, Rabbi Meier shows us how the Torah's stories and teaching apply to contemporary existence. in the manner of Robert Fulghum and William Bennett, Meier employs a straight-forward and engaging style to teach us how to better fulfill our own lives--and those of our families, friends, and colleagues--as well as to improve the society in which we live.

NOTE: The above description is taken from the flyleaf of the book and no intent to take credit for it is meant.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The Bible Code
by Michael Drosnin

For three thousand years a code in the Bible has remained hidden. Now it has been unlocked by computer--and it may reveal our future.

Events that happened thousands of years after the Bible was written--World War II, the Moon landing, Watergate, both Kennedy assassinations, the election of Bill Clinton, the Oklahoma City bombing--all were foretold in the code.

In a few dramatic cases detailed predictions were found in advance, and the events then happened exactly as predicted. The date the Gulf War would begin was found before the war started. The RAbin assassination was found a year before the murder.

And the code may warn of unprecedented danger yet to come--perhaps the real Apocalypse, a nuclear World War.

The Bible Code is the first full account of a scientific discovery that may change the world, told by a skeptical secular reporter who became part of the story. It forces us to accept what the bible itself can only ask us to believe--that we are not alone.

NOTE: The above description is taken from the flyleaf of the book and no intent to take credit for it is meant.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The Bible Code II
by Michael Drosnin

Here is the thrilling new book about the Bible code--the ancient code encrypted in the Bible that may reveal our future.

The code remained hidden for 3000 years, until it was unlocked by a famous Israeli mathematician, who broke it with a computer. Investigative reporter Michael Drosnin made the Bible code known to the world in his first book, which became a #1 international bestseller.

Ever since he found the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin predicted in the Bible more than a year before the murder--and personally warned the Prime Minister--Drosnin has been telling world leaders about the terrible fates the code predicts.

The warning in the Bible code is clear: A nuclear World War will start with an act of terrorism in the Middle East. It is the Apocalypse foretold by all the West's three major religions. But we can change our future before it is too late.

This dramatic account opens on the morning of September 11, as Drosnin witnesses from his roof the attack on the World Trade Center--and then finds the terrible event predicted in the 3000-year-old Bible code.

But according to the code, September 11 was the beginning, not the end, of the danger.

The author has traveled the globe, meeting with world leaders to brief them on the ancient prophecies the code reveals. his travels take him from the White House in Washington, D.C., to Yasir Arafat's embattled headquarters in Ramallah, to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, where he warns Israeli leaders that the choice is peace or annihilation.

To Clinton and Bush, to Sharon and Arafat, Drosnin has sounded the same warning--that according to the Bible code we are right now in the ultimate time of danger, the "End of Days."

But the author believes that the Bible code exists so that we will get the warning we need, just in time.

This new book also takes us on an exciting search in the deserts of Arabia for the "Code Key"--an ancient object that may unlock the Bible code completely. Lost for millennia, it may reveal our entire future, in time to stop the countdown, and save our world.

NOTE: The above description is taken from the flyleaf of the book and no intent to take credit for it is meant.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Cracking the Bible Code
by Dr. Jeffrey Satinover

The discovery that precise descriptions of world-shaking events seem to be encoded into the first five books of the Bible has captured the world's attention. No one in ancient times could have had such knowledge, but if no individual put the codes there, who did? If the codes are proven to be genuine, they would be tantamount to scientific proof of the existence of God.

Cracking the Bible Code is the first accurate account of the codes--a story far more stunning than has yet been told. Dr. Satinover traces the fascinating tradition of the codes, counters sensational and inaccurate representations, explains the controversy over their authenticity, and clarifies their implications for our view of God, faith, and fate. Sweeping from ancient history to cutting-edge science, this is must reading for anyone who seeks to make sense of the codes and their meaning for humankind.

Dr. Jeffrey Satinover has has unprecedented access to the researchers involved with the codes--both proponents and critics. he is a psychiatrist and scholar with a wide-ranging background both in science and religion. He lives with his family in Connecticut.

NOTE: The above description is taken from the flyleaf of the book and no intent to take credit for it is meant.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Home Parish Page Bison McCracken LaCrosse Otis Youth Group

Pastor's Page News & Notes Parish Bookshelf Parish Thoughts Parish History

Contact the Webmistress!