Inspirational Books

Simple Abundance Journal of Gratitude

by Sarah Ban Breathnach

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"I simply love Sarah Ban Breathnach's Simple Abundance. And yes, the gratitude journal is a life changing experience. I would recommend it for anyone. This book is also nice if you can sum up your daily gratitude in a few words. I have a few friends who feel 5 lines for 5 daily seeds of gratitude is sufficient.However, if you are like me and enjoy journaling. If your 5 items that you are grateful for turns in to 7, 10, even 20 items each day (believe me, once you get into the habit of the gratitude journal, you will become grateful for everything) -- then you need to purchase another journal. I would recommend buying this book for the inspiration, but buy a beautiful blank journal later as your gratitude grows!"

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing | More reviews: amazon.com

The Rhythm of Life: Living Every Day with Passion and Purpose

by Matthew Kelly

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"Disclaimer for the objective reader: I'm not a Matthew Kelly obsessor, I've read Plato, Nietzche, Hume, and the like. I try my best to have an objective view and steer away from becoming overly enthusiastic about one man's view on life. So, take this review with a grain of salt, but also with the knowledge that I am coming from a less biased stand point than one who might have taken himself to a level of cultish obsession of Mr. Kelly.(Not to the fault of Matthew Kelly either, his message is not meant to create a cult following... people have a tendency to need a single leader though, and I say better Matthew Kelly than President Bush.)
eh hem... So, on to my review... If you are searching for self and struggling to become the best person you can be- spiritually, physically, emotionally-- this book is one that will cover all the bases for you. Matthew Kelly taps into the human psyche and acts as your own personal self-help coach. The Rhythm of Life is broad enough in terms that anyone can read it- no matter what your spiritual affiliation is (if you have one at all), and in the end, if you disagree with a point he makes- the author gives you room to do so without passing judgement. His approach is gentle and respectful and it has a powerful undertone of truth and honesty. He's a great story teller also, something he's known for, and he's got a good grasp on past philosophers and leaders whom he adamantly quotes and praises as great examples of people who found the rhythm of life.
This book has changed my life, not just because of what it says, but because the timing was right and I was open to his message. I was in sincere search for self and guidance when I read it and Matthew Kelly is really the only person whose words I found and felt comfortable enough with to truly start me on the way to living my life to its fullest and greatest potential. It will give you the boost you've been looking for."

Publisher: Fireside | More reviews: amazon.com

Around the Year with Emmet Fox: A Book of Daily Readings

by Emmet Fox

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"This is not a book that says whatever you want to believe is true. It is about real spirituality. I would also recommend the Book An Encounter With A Prophet for real spiritual solutions."

Publisher: HarperOne | More reviews: amazon.com

Chicken Soup for the Grandma's Soul: Stories to Honor and Celebrate the Ageless Love of Grandmothers (Chicken Soup for the Soul)

by Jack Canfield

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"This book was purchased for my mother, who called to ask me why I gave her a book that would make her cry! Actually, she loved it. It's a great book, as are the so many other in this series. The only complaint I have is that eventually the book ends."

Publisher: HCI | More reviews: amazon.com

The Supernatural Power of a Transformed Mind: Access to a Life of Miracles

by Bill Johnson

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"In his recently published book, THE SUPERNATURAL POWER OF A TRANSFORMED MIND: ACCESS TO A LIFE OF MIRACLES (hereafter, SPTM), Bill Johnson picks up where Oral Roberts's thirteen-week devotional, A DAILY GUIDE TO MIRACLES AND SUCCESSFUL LIVING THROUGH SEED-FAITH (Tulsa: Pinoak Publications, 1975) left off in teaching us how to become God's instruments for manifestations of the miraculous today. The revered Chinese evangelist, Watchman Nee's classic work, THE NORMAL CHRISTIAN LIFE (Tyndale House, 1977) also comes to mind because of the frequent use of the phrase 'normal Christian life' throughout SPTM.

Pastor Johnson tells us why he is writing this his second book: '. . . to address a very abused subject--the mind of the [Christian] believer' (Introduction, p. 27). He further expresses his heart's mission for the spiritual 'reformation' of the Christian churches when he says, 'I have come to see that the normal Christian life means miracles, spiritual intervention, and revelation. It means praise, joy, love, a sense of well-being and purpose--all these traits that elude so many Christians' (chap. 1, p. 31). The number and diversity of miraculous interventions (viz., food multiplications; healings; exorcisms; resurrections; et al) that Johnson relates as an ongoing string of testimony from both his own personal experience and the experiences of his many satellite ministers and ministries are dramatic indeed and truly amazing! Again, the earlier ministries of Kathryn Kuhlman, Smith Wigglesworth, Maria Woodworth Etter, the apostles, Jesus, and the Hebrew prophets all come to mind. But are what the apostle Paul describes as 'varieties of gifts' and 'varieties of ministries' distributed 'individually' but not pervasively (cf. 1 Cor. 12:2-30); to be rightly understood as normative and 'standard operating procedure' for every believer in every assembly? Johnson believes so, and he writes: 'It is unnatural for a Christian to not have an appetite for the impossible' (p. 29), and 'signs, wonders, and miracles are as normal to the gospel as it is normal for you to get up in the morning and breathe. Revival is the Christian life; you can't dissect the two' (p. 156).

Another question seems to be: Is the presence or absence of a Christian's 'mental transformation' or 'mind renewal,' THE deciding factor to either release or restrain the manifestation of God's miraculous power for revival, deliverance, healing, adequate food supplies, and resurrections in the lives of his children and those about to become his children? It would appear that with Jesus being physically absent, and the Holy Spirit being now present within us--WE MUST play the part, but is an 'appetite for the impossible' heaven's first and irrevocable prerequisite for God's manifestation? If we listen to Jesus on the subject, again, it appears to be true because 'EVERYTHING is possible for him who BELIEVES' (Mark 9:23, NIV, caps mine).

Memorable quotes for me are found in the eighth chapter, entitled: "Enduring Uncertainty" with subdivisions titled "Accusing God" and "Being Intellectually Offended." Quote #1: "Getting through the difficulty--without becoming defiant or demanding with God--will take us into the very thing God promised" (p. 128). Quote #2: "Persistently pursue fellowship with God even though your uncertainty feels deep and endless, and no answers have materialized" (p. 129). Quote #3: "Create a gate of praise."

SPTM represents neither a 'false word of faith theology,' nor is the author (a fifth generation Christian pastor) caught in a spirtual aberration as one reviewer charges. Johnson writes with an above average degree of candor, disclosing a number of his own human frailties and the ongoing history of his own difficult struggle to grow spiritually and to keep an 'open heaven' above himself and the Christians who he oversees in Redding, California and beyond. His insights from the Scriptures are numerous and important. The absence of a Scripture index in SPTM is disappointing, however, and diminishes the book's value as a ready reference tool for searching the various biblical passages treated.

For Johnson's detractors (viz., the doubters, and the Christian 'cessationists,' who seem to be forever taking a perverse satisfaction in their confessed unbelief), one wonders with which group they would have been sitting at one of Jesus' 'revival' meetings--or if they would have attended at all for fear of a healing, an exorcism, or (God forbid) a resurrection from taking place. Of them I ask: If God is willing to give you more, why be content with less? Why continue to cheat him; yourself; and others out of a FULL Christian experience? If another servant of God dares to step out of the boat, why not let him walk as far and as long as he is able and cheer him on? Why content yourself with throwing stones from the railing? Jesus has commanded us not to try and stop such persons as they pursue ministry in his behalf (cf. Mark 9:38-40). Try saying: 'I am willing to learn.' 'I am willing to grow.' 'I am willing to be vulnerable to change for the sake of his manifest glory.' 'I will not allow my sins of fear, pride, and unbelief to stand in God's way any longer.' I think we have more than enough room in the church to permit what is so abundant in our heads to begin to trickle down to our hearts; our hands; and our feet--allowing the glory of God to be seen again.

Inspirational quality = 5 stars; Originality = 4 stars; Literary quality = 3 stars; Overall average = 4 stars.

Bill, thank you for sharing your extraordinary and inspiring story."

Publisher: Destiny Image Publishers | More reviews: amazon.com

Letter and Papers from Prison

by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

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"Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Letters and Papers from Prison show the reader the thoughts of a man who wrote with immense insight under circumstances fraught with the deepest despair. Prior to the war, Bonhoeffer had established himself as a visionary, if somewhat moderate, young Christian theologian. His imprisonment by the Nazis in the wake of the failure of the conspiracy to assasinate Hitler gave rise to this series of letters, ranging from the trivial to the most profound, reflecting the thoughts and ideas of a man whose ideas continued to evolve, even as hope dwindled. It is tempting to see Bonhoeffer as a sort of modern Christian saint "set-piece" of a man, or a Spielberg movie waiting to be made. Such an interpretation of the man would trivialize the flesh and blood reality of his life, as these letters demonstrate. Collections of letters typically suffer from one of two defects--either they are inanely trivial and gossippy, or they spend far too much time on being "literary" for posterity, and not enough time giving real insight into the writer. Bonhoeffer's letters avoid both of these traps. Although the letters collection is not overly burdened by the confessional, letters to his parents and fiance help us understand in very human terms the horror of imprisonment by the Nazis, notwithstanding their careful phrasing to avoid the censor's pen. The letters do contain some of the intentionally "literary"--Bonhoeffer writes poetry which is reasonably spare and connective and sometimes writes for the hypothetical future reader. But the real tour de force is Bonhoeffer's analysis of the evolution of his theological thought in light of the changes wrought by modernity and made apparent to him through his experiences. In several reasonably succinct but incredibly sweeping letters, he outlines a new vision of Christianity, a form of post-Christian Christianity if you will, which has generated a half century of debate and provided inspiration to Christian and non-Christian alike. In this age in which "liberal" religion has been sadly equated by some with "flaccid" religion, we see through these letters a deeply disciplined thinker outlining the way for Christianity to remain relevant in a world all too ready to try to "outgrow" the faith. Although his thinking is complex, and in some instances he assumes a base of knowledge of late 19th C and early 20th C. Christian theology the 21st C. casual reader may not have, the letters are quite accessible and profoundly human. This is not a man building a neat construct out of his dissertation. This is a condemned man hinting at the blueprint for the transformation of a faith. Although it is tempting to suggest that this is a "Christian masterpiece" of 20th C. faith, the suggestion is a disservice. This is a masterpiece of literature which transcends genre or faith. In the interminable list of intellectual heroes of the 20th C., we rarely see Pastor Bonhoeffer among the honorees. But this book is a powerful argument that this man, who saw the need for religious people to use religion less as a crutch and more as a transformation, should be included prominently in our intellectual heroes list."

Publisher: Touchstone | More reviews: amazon.com

Epic: The Story God Is Telling

by John Eldredge

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"Eldredge begins this book with a quote from Chesterton: "I had always felt life first as a story--and if there is a story there is a story teller." With that as the backdrop, Eldredge claims that far too many Christians have lost their story, lost the narrative that gives meaning and purpose to their lives - and without the storyline, they are relegated to a role behind stage, out of the limelight of life, destined for insignificance and mediocrity. Eldredge claims that a life of mediocrity is not why God sent His only Son to die for mankind - there must be something more...there is something more!

In a book that feels like you're reading The Chronicles of Narnia, The Epic is a dive into the land of enchantment and mystery where there is a battle and you are a warrior. Eldredge paints the picture for the reader that the great cosmic struggle of the day is actually centered around each person - a battle for their heart and their mind - and, claims Eldredge, too many followers of Christ are relegated to sitting on the sidelines watching as others engage for the cause of Christ. For John Eldredge, the sidelines of life might was well be hell itself - clearly no place for the follower of Jesus Christ, a man of passion, a man of purpose, a man whose life bubbled over with meaning and transcendence - and if He is our model, what should the life of those who claim to be His follower look like? Nothing less, says Eldredge.

The Epic is a great read, very encouraging and powerful, but not for the faint of heart and not for the theologian looking for a biblical discourse on a particular doctrine - it is a book from the heart for the heart."

Publisher: Thomas Nelson | More reviews: amazon.com

Saddam's Secrets

by Georges Hormuz Sada

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"Without exaggeration, I must say that this may be the most important book of the year. Why would I make such a strong claim? Read on....

Author Georges Sada was that rare honest Iraqi government insider during Saddam Hussein's reign who was tolerated despite his candor ... in fact, he even gained Saddam's trust, even though he frequently bucked the will of the iron-fisted dictator. In General Sada's unique position, he was able to observe some of the worst of Saddam's behavior and trickery and confirms in this book not only the existence of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), but also the extraordinary lengths that Saddam went to hide these weapons. He blows the cover off of the United Nations officials and their craven and corrupt complicity in Hussein's schemes to hide his own murderous intents while lining their own pockets.

As one reads, one has the sense that General Sada is a loyal Iraqi who loves his nation and his countrymen, who writes out of a sense of grief, anger, and alarm over what Saddam perpetrated. Sada's book is a timely warning against complacency towards the terrorist insurgents who would do all they could to neuter America, enslave the Middle East, and cannibalize Iraq. For all of those who have naively and ignorantly bleated about the "lack of WMDs" or America's "phony" reasons for going to war, this book is a real shocker ... a much-needed wake-up call ... a painful, but potentially life-saving eye-opener.

I hope that Joel Stein, the LA TIMES columnist who confesses to "not supporting our troops" will read a copy of this book immediately. Again, I cannot adequately convey the sense of urgency I feel about the importance of this book. Read it for yourself and see what I am talking about.

One interesting note: as a Christian, General Sada was in a tiny minority among Saddam's inner circle, surrounded by Iraqi leaders who cynically and callously used Islam as a mask for their own twisted and sadistic ends. Writing as a man of faith, Sada has the unique ability to draw hope and redemption out of difficult and tragic circumstances. Far from being depressing, this book is ultimately uplifiting and hopeful.

As others have noted, there is growing evidence from many sources to verify General Sada's claims. Of particular note are tapes of more than 3,000 hours of Saddam Hussein meeting with his war cabinet and millions of pages of documents that contain vital information about Saddam's WMD program and plans for transporting the WMDs out of the country in order to dupe the weapons inspectors....

American and world citizens must demand that these tapes and documents be immediately released, translated, and analyzed in their entirety. So many politicians and media "experts" have staked their careers on a lie: "No WMDs existed." It's time for the truth to come out and for the problem to be resolved. The world will not get a second chance.

Thanks, General Sada, for having the courage and integrity to write such an important, informative, and ultimately redemptive book. "

Publisher: Thomas Nelson | More reviews: amazon.com

Two From Galilee: The Story Of Mary And Joseph

by Marjorie Holmes

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"I would tell anyone who would like to read "Two from Galilee" they would be reading a very close to real life version of what may have taken place concerning the life of Mary and Joseph. Of course it is not taken word for word from the Bible, but the author knew the customs and the way of life for the Jewish people and went from there. It is truly a wonderful love story about Mary and Joseph and how they may have coped with there unexpected news of Mary being chosen to bear the Son of God. I truly loved the book, in fact I just recently read it again for the second time. I usually read a book one time and put it away, this little book was just as moving the second time around(I read it the first time right after it was published, and just reread it again)"

Publisher: Bantam | More reviews: amazon.com

Return from Tomorrow

by George G. Ritchie

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"I am very grateful that I came across this book and this author's story. It gives me great joy to hear of someone who has also encountered Jesus and has gone through the emotional, spiritual and mental journey that this experience made us travel. I wouldn't give up the experience even though it did cause much anxiety to my family and myself.

I experienced a near death experience in May of 1974 at the age of 32. Like the author, I was a little fearful to share this experience because nobody that I knew had ever shared this type of experience.

In 1975 our family was fortunate to be able to buy a Christian Book Shop and this is where I was able to come across some literature on my experience. Of course the great mystical saints like St. Theresa of Avila: God Alone Suffices, The Collected Works of Saint John of the Crosswrote many books on their mystical experiences with Jesus. Discovering Dr. Raymond Moody's book "Life After Life: The Investigation of a Phenomenon--Survival of Bodily Death" was the greatest comfort for me at that time.

In reading Return from Tomorrow, what is the most helpful is that with all the turmoil the author experienced he realized that love is the greatest of the gifts and it seems the message is the same in many cases, including my own experience.

It is a "tall" order, it sounds so simple and the message is simple but the "ego" gets in the way and at times our self-centeredness comes forward. To let go and let God. At times we are our own worst enemies when it comes to the acceptance of being loved and in return loving others.

Like the author, I started reading the bible with a different perspective. Before this "re-born" experience, I read with only an intellectual, study mind attitude, now I read the bible with my heart open wide."

Publisher: Chosen | More reviews: amazon.com