This is a very valuable approach to prayer. It helped me get deeper than the pre-scripted prayers that have become almost meaningless thru repetition. Most important, it showed me how to get past the boredom induced by reluctance to talk to God about my resentments and shortcomings.

prayer life. Fr. Barry has many years of experience as a spiritual director, and it all shines throguh in his writings. He is phenomenal, especiall for the fact that his writings are very down to earth and easy to understand.

This first book of Bill Barry's is easy to read, but the reader will find many profound insights. Fr. Barry combins his interest and training in spiritual direction and his Ph.D. in psychology to answer basic questions on prayer. When I look back on this work after reading some of the authors other books or more accademic works I find that he said it all here. I'd strongly recommend this for any adult begining in prayer or any "old timer" who has limited themselves to the style of praying they learned as a child.

This is a great book about people who help childrens in countries which dont have possibilities for high-tech medicine. Also this book have a wonderful descriptions of my country (people, situation, cities...).

This book is marvellous diary about people who help to childrens all over the world. Also have a good descriptions of my state: (general situation, war, cities, people...). I hope that next edition will have more successful stories. Thanks! :-)

You feel a part of each patients family, their sorrows and their joys. You see the inside of each sternum.

I've read many self-help books, but this is the only one that specifically and clearly addressed how to identify Anger at God and what to do about it. I appreciated and learned from the examples from the author's own life-why he was angry with God and how he worked through it. After reading this book I am more reconciled to God. I wish I had read it years ago!

I PERSONALLY RECOVER AT LEAST 70% FROM MY GRUDGES AGAINST GOD BY READING THIS BOOK.

This is an excellent example of self-help and I recommend it to anyone who wants practical down-to-earth help.

This will make any serious christian's library. Pat Williams really hit the jackpot here. Peaple will demand this book hard-backed and translated into other languages. BRAVO!

How to Be Like Jesus: Lessons on Following in His Footsteps is one the the BEST books I have ever read. I have never read this Author before, but came across this book in my local Target store. I loved it so much, I bought another copy and gave it to my friend as a gift!
In this book, Williams and Denney capture Jesus' character in such an awesome way. It is the first book I have come across that tells us so much about Jesus' character as He walked this world. You feel what he felt, you want to love like He loves.
If you want to know Jesus, deeper and more intimately, read this book. I refer to it again and again, when I need a reminder of why I am here.

I thank the Authors for this wonderful book !

Book Review
How to Be Like Jesus
Pat Williams with Jim Denney
© Faith Communications, 2003

Have you ever read a book so profound in its message, so skillful in its delivery, that you wished you had a boxful to hand out to your friends? As an avid reader, I can think of about three that have impacted me to that extent. How to Be Like Jesus is one of them.

No matter what church you attend or belief you adhere to, if you're honest you'll admit that Jesus Christ was not only a real person, but the most influential person in history. Some believe he was a great teacher and philosopher, while others believe he was who he claimed to be - God in human flesh, come to seek and save the lost. If you are of the former persuasion, this book will challenge you to consider his claims, based on evidence from his life and the lives of those he has impacted.

No one, the authors remind us, has ever had his impact on history or society. In pointing out that uniqueness Pat Williams and Jim Denney admit that no one can be like Jesus. So why read further? Certainly because it is so engagingly well written, but also because of the next line: "...yet we all should be like Jesus. It's a paradox - a deep truth wrapped in a contradiction." I don't know about you, but a mysterious statement like that makes me want to know more!

In the pages that follow, the authors skillfully unwrap this deep truth by offering concrete examples from the life of this remarkable man, Jesus Christ. Beginning with "How to Have Integrity Like Jesus," readers are transported in a time machine of words back to the Jerusalem of Jesus, accompanying him from Nazareth to the Cross of Calvary. And as we walk alongside him, we see him brought to flesh-and-blood life through fresh, practical lessons in character development.

Concluding with the facts of his own life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ, Pat Williams invites you to discover for yourself that fear, pain, grief - even death itself - can be conquered if you will dare to be like Jesus.

How to Be Like Jesus is a book for everyone who desires a life of purpose and victory. What a different world this would be if we all wanted to be like Jesus!

I could not put the book down. I have never read a book of this genre before and I found it absolutely compelling. Whether or not you agree with the intrinsic philosophy, you will find yourself learning a tremendous amount, historically and about current affairs, as well as caring very much about the futures of the various characters. A great read!

I found "The Last Star" to be one of the best books I have ever read in the realm of Christian fiction. It seemed to provide just the right amounts of suspense and credibility. The technical descriptions surrounding the unusual star phenomena were very believable without being overbearing. As a reader who normally likes authors such as Clancy and Ludlum, I was delightfully surprised to find such a suspenseful and riveting novel written in a Christian venue. I couldn't put it down once I started reading it. I do hope that there will be more novels by William Proctor to follow!

I found the enigma of "The Last Star," by William Proctor, so engaging that I couldn't wait to discover the outcome.

If you like mystery and espionage stories, mixed with a Christian theme, you will enjoy "The Last Star." If you think you are not interested in such a story, you'll change your mind after you read this novel.

A special team gathers in a historical land to investigate a strange light that appears in the sky. The puzzle is challenging. As the story of this unusual celestial object unfolds, so does the nature of each person in the group. The characters are very real and it is entertaining to follow their dialog.

From the beginning of the novel, to the last page, Mr. Proctor leads you through a plot filled with interesting scientific, historical and theological information. The setting, which takes place in Israel, enhances the storyline.

So, what is this strange light? What does its appearance mean to the world? Will the research team succeed in finding all the answers to their questions? Who will reveal and stop the villains?

It's worth reading the book to find out!

Fafa Demasio

Paul Williams is a story-teller, and a good one. In these "soulful stories for the journey," he will touch your heart. He describes all sorts of life experiences in an engaging, often humorous way. Stories are grouped around major themes of life-growing up, family, work, and the fear and discovery of finding oneself.

In addition to his work with the Go Ye Chapel Mission in New York City, Paul serves as an on-air host with The Worship Network. One of the trademarks of both his speaking and writing is his effective use of stories to make a point. In this new compilation, he demonstrates God's presence in the ordinary events of life.

One of my favorites is, "I Thought I Made My Grandad Die." These well-told stories are guaranteed to leave a lasting impression on your heart!

reviewed by The Christian Standard, May 13, 2001

Paul Williams creates a minor masterpiece with LAUGHTER, TEARS, AND IN-BETWEEN. This series of deeply-moving short stories ultimately leaves the reader with the impression of having experienced an "inner journey." Quick, easy reading coupled with Paul's sincerety and wit equals a highly enjoyable reading experience. This review can go on and on... To sum up: There's something in this book for everyone.

Mr. Williams has crafted an entertaining and thought provoking treasure. It brought to mind events of my past, and caused me to ponder the future with fresh insight. The book reads so quickly I was not ready for it to end. I'll be looking for Mr. William's next book.

Leslie Winfield Williams is a very insightful author who shares her experiences with the reader, as well as, the wisdom she has gained through her walk with God. I found her book to be honest, again insightful, and an inspiration. I recommend "Night Wrestling" to any one who seeks encouragement in their life.

This is one of the most powerful, thought-provoking books I've ever read. Leslie's honesty and vulnerability in sharing her own experiences draws you in and helps you see God's unfailing presence in the midst of all of our troubled times.

I had the good fortune of meeting the author prior to reading her book.She shares with the reader her personal / family tragedies, trials and tribulations in such a way that draws you in and makes you wonder how she has found the strength to continue. Her ability to convey that in many ways she is like the person reading her book.. i.e cooks ,cleans, does laundry,renews ones belief that we mere mortals can find the strength to receive Gods love and grace in every moment if we can open the door just a crack. And even if we don't open the door, His grace and love is ever present within each of us. God never gives up on us, unfortunately we cannot say the same about ourselves.

'My title is a paradox, and people tend to be annoyed by paradoxes -- in many ways quite rightly. We suspect them of concealing muddle, and so of representing some kind of intellectual or spiritual cowardice.'
- Sermon entitled 'A Ray of Darkness'

Rowan Williams, lately Archbishop of Wales and professor of divinity at Oxford, recently took the chair occupied by the likes of Thomas a'Becket, Cardinal Wolsey, and others of that ilk to become the Archbishop of Canterbury, spiritual head of the Anglican communion. Williams was, I must admit, my first choice among the various candidates, not only because his theological views and socio-political temperament are in agreement, or at the very least in conversation with, my own, but also because he is an established theologian and historian, and that is something this high office requires. No mere administrator, Williams brings a keen mind to the position where much theological insight will be required to navigate the changing tides of worldwide Anglicanism.

This was published in 1994/95, long before the prospect of occupying the See of Canterbury was on the horizon. Thus, they are not written in anticipation of any such elevation. Even so, Williams reflects in the Introduction a certain unease with producing this volume:

'There is always something a bit odd about a collection of sermons. Apart from the echoes of Victorian self-importance that 'Collected Sermons' tend to rouse, every preacher knows that a sermon is a particular event, far more than a text. It is a moment when you try to make a connection between a specific group of people in a specific time and place and the resources of the Christian vision in its historic wholeness.'

In other words, reading a sermon can be somewhat like reading the words to a song -- you lose much in translation from the aural experience to the printed page. Also, things change, and rare is the sermon that serves a 'timeless' purpose; many preachers, and Williams is among them, preach to the place and time. While one hopes that every sermon may touch the divine and the timeless, few can master the timelessness of a John Donne, yet even most of his sermons are rooted firmly in his time.

Williams sermons here are collected into broad categories:

+ The Word Was Made Flesh
+ Toward Easter
+ The Unknown God
+ Testing Questions
+ Callings
+ Celebrating People
+ Celebrating Occasions
+ Mission and Spirituality

The title for the entire collection, 'A Ray of Darkness', comes from his sermon of the same title in the section on 'The Unknown God'. Drawing from the quotation at the beginning of this article, one can see that Williams is willing to face the challenge of speaking about the unknowable, and ready to discuss the changing and myriad views of God.

Williams in his sermons draws in the Bible largely through lectionary texts, as any good Anglican would. However, few of the sermons in this collection are strictly 'lectionary' sermons. Many are topical, many are 'occasional'. Among the topical sermons are the four sermons under the heading of Callings. He has two sermons on Vocation, a sermon on deception in calling, which can be on the part of the individual himself or herself, and a sermon on the role of community in the vocational process. 'The trouble with the idea of vocation is that most of us, if we are honest, have a rather dramatic idea of it. I don't mean dramatic just in the sense of self-dramatising, but dramatic in the simpler sense of theatrical -- vocation as casting, you might say. God has a purpose for the world, a very long and very good play, even longer and better than Shaw's "Back to Methuselah", with plenty of juicy parts in it. The nuisance is that he draws up the cast-list before doing any auditions. We find ourselves called to fulfill a definite role, but we haven't actually seen the script, and as time goes on we may suspect we would do better in another part.'

This excerpt shows the creative side of Williams, as well as the spiritual side and thoughtful application of the current with the academic with the timeless.

In addition to sermons, there are a few lectures contained in this collection, largely lectures derivative of his time at Oxford, though not exclusively used there. One such lecture is his final piece in the collection, 'Against Anxiety, Beyond Triumphalism'. Williams here talks of the difficulties of determining exactly what is meant by the terms 'spirituality', 'communion', and 'church'. He also cautions against those who make the church, or even greater Christianity, into a victorious (and thereby, an infallible or inerrant) institution of domination, particularly when it is fraught with such paradox and vague notions.

This is an interesting and intriguing collection. It lends itself well for bedside reading or reflection-time reading, as each of the sermons and lectures are only a few pages in length (they average five to six pages), but are filled with language and depth that go beyond their small word counts.

This book is a product (in America) of the Cowley Press, a press adjunct to the Episcopal Church and dedicated to liturgical, spiritual and theological writings. This collection gives a good insight into the man who is the symbolic head of the Anglican communion, and as such, is well worth investigating.

"A Ray of Darkness" is a wonderful collection of the new Archbishop's sermons and is helpful to those of us who have never had the opportunity to meet or hear him in person. As we pray for the best to come of his tenure and attempt to discern the type of person he is, the sermons in this little volume afford a glimpse of his character. Reading this collection has given me a desire to hear the Archbishop in person eventually. Structurally, the arrangement of the selections under topic headings such as "The Word Was Made Flesh" and "The Unknown God" are helpful and allow for quick selection. Some of these sermons are troubling to the heart and others at times elicit chuckles, but all are wonderful and I heartily recommend this collection to all.

Rowan Williams will become the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury (and leader of the 70-million-member Anglican Communion) in 2003. An engaging and sometimes radical theologian and spiritual write, his books are readily available on Amazon. Here's a review from the publisher's website:

"In this collection of pastoral sermons and addresses, Bishop Rowan Williams shows how the faith of the creeds can still equip Christians for a vigorous and critical engagement with the world of today. In his often poetic, sometimes scholarly, and always thoughtful and engaging style, Williams reflects with wisdom and empathy on the gospel connections to issues of peace, war, justice, sexuality, wholeness, suffering, loneliness, vocation, and mission.

"Sermons from the church year and practical matters of Christian spirituality such as intercessory prayer and Bible study are also included; still others celebrate great Christian figures across the centuries, from the Anglo-Saxon saints to Michael Ramsey and T. S. Eliot. Also, published for the first time are Williams's addresses on Mission and Spirituality delivered at Yale in 1991, a sharp but sympathetic perspective on evangelism in the church today.

"'Williams' standpoint is that of Catholic and critical orthodoxy...with an originality reminiscent of such recent Anglican divines as Austin Farrer and Donald MacKinnon. These sermons also reveal a bishop who is at the same time a serious theologian and a sensitive pastor.' - Church Times

"'This book of addresses and sermons given to particular congregations is accessible and sometimes very moving. His thinking is always original and deep, combining erudition and personal spirituality. There are many good things in this nutritious book.' - The Julian Meeting

"'These sermons aimed at deepening understanding of the faith of believers and enriching their spirituality certainly merit a place in the best Anglican tradition of preaching.' - Theologia Cambrensis"

Willimon is not stuffy in his opinions about literature. He is not stuffy in describing his faith journey or the spiritual journey as he sees it described in works of literature. This is the kind of book that should form the basis of church teachings, even sermons, because Willimon writes unashamedly of his loves: God, the Bible, and many good books.

I was part of an adult group that read this book. We enjoyed Willimon's wit and shared some of his opinions. He made us think.

I disagree with his interpretation of John Updike's book. In the Beauty of the Lilies is not about spiritual sloth! It deals with institutionalism in the church and the failings of family, particularly as shaped by the 20th century's media. I suppose Dr. Willimon and I might debate that issue.

On the other hand, I felt good to see references to The Odyssey and felt even better to meet a new author in Willimon's work. After reading Willimon, I found Ron Hansen's Mariette in Ecstasy. It is even more awesome, wondrous, and mystical than Willimon described it! Thanks for the book!

Will Willimon has never been shy in expressing his opinions, and he expresses himself very well. Willimon traces the spiritual journey by looking at ten literary works. He begins with the image of the spiritual quest from the Odyssey, takes us into some of the despair voiced by characters in the work of Flannery O'Connor and Walker Percy, moves us into the possibilities offered by Anne Tyler in Saint Maybe, and ends with a gifted reading of Mariette in Ecstasy, an overlooked novel by Ron Hansen. It is a pilgrim's progress traced through some surprising literary works.

Willimon makes the salient point that God pops up in literature sometimes to the surprise of an author and perhaps even despite the author. He also offers a crusty opinion of "Christian fiction."

After reading the book and enjoying Willimon's references and summaries of the work s discussed, I found myself wanting to read or reread the original works.

I think this will be an excellent book for groups that want to unpack literature or who want to read the literature from a different perspective. I imagine that even church and Sunday school groups will find Willimon's work quite helpful.

When we chose Prof Bruegge's books to give away as Christmas gifts, one of those was Struggling with Scripture. It brings out one of his personal beginnings in the confirmation service by his Father. At that point he is given the Psalm verse, 119:105: "Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path." In his recorded memory, our good Professor says: "He did in that act more than he knew. Providentially, I have no doubt he marked my life by this Book that would be lamp and light..."

From his long and intimately personal love for the Psalms, he touches upon his early church tradition of "simple, irenic piety from the past..." One of those few pages in Bruegge's writings that he piles up both adjectives and adverbs like, "seemingly, utterly beyond me in its richness, concretely in my hands and unprecedented generativity!" When he comes out with creative linguistics and adds the emotion of his spoken words, it is enough to take you back into time and forward into what will surely follow...In his rapidly moving train of thought!

He touches Biblical Authority through the avenures of Inherency, Interpretation, Imagination, Ideology and Inspiration. In one of his first classes at Columbia Seminary when I was present he used these five huge words beginning with I's. That immediately hooked me into signing on for his Survey of Old Testament and next his Theology of the Old Testament.

Brueggemann's first Chapter lives up to the Preface comments by William Sloan Coffin...where he introduces Prof Blount and then Prof Placher and finally in more detail Prof Bruegge. I cannot say enough good things about this little gem of three chapters and delightful preface of Bill Coffin's. When you have heard these two similarly dramatic speakers then you surely will want to digest their magically miraculous, wondrous descriptive words. Gratefully, Retired Chaplain Fred W Hood

This is a good read, I would not suggest is a quick read. The authors are biblical scholars in their right (Brueggmann, Placher and Blount) and they give the reader food for thought. The book will challenge your thinking and maybe the way you look at the world. Don't read it if you are not honest with your struggle.

This is an excellent, short book. The authors have made it an easy read and it has a lot of food for thought. If you want to expand and challenge your mind, then this is a book for you. I would not recommend this book to anyone who does not want to be challenged or is not honest with their faith journey.