Religion Books

This book will change your life. If you have ever wondered how to keep proper Christian perspective, this book is your answer. No fancy formulas, no secret codes, nothing silly. It gives you a single truth (the most important truth, the Gospel truth) to apply to your life in any situation. The book then makes a biblical case for this position, and then gives you amazing ammunition for practical application of this truth in every situation in your life.

It will not steer you wrong. If you are thinking about buying it, stop thinking. It is worth every penny. I recommend it to all my Christian friends, and family, and it would also be an amazing book for non-Christians.

Once you start you wont put it down. It is gripping, easy to read, and at the same time, PACKED with life changing words. CJ is so compassionate, so real. He is your friend and he meets you where you are with beautiful truth that will change you forever.

Fourteen tight chapters that extol the power, grace, and love of the cross ... Mahaney's book wants nothing less than the cross of Christ at the core of our beings. In theology and in practice, in faith and in works, in putting on Christ and putting off sin, the gospel must take center stage. "If there's anything in life we should be passionate about, it's the gospel...passionate in thinking about the gospel, reflecting upon it, rejoicing in it, allowing it to color the way we look at the world and all of life" (15). The book exudes with Mahaney's characteristic vigor. It is exuberant without being mindless. It's passion is rooted in a deep, biblical understanding of the gospel. It's only right then that begins the book (chapter 2 to be exact) with a meditation on investing Scripture with final authority rather than one's emotions. He proceeds with characteristic wisdom when he writes, "But if you trust your feelings first and foremost, if you exalt your feelings, if you invest your feelings with final authority--they'll deposit you on the emotional roller coaster which so often characterizes our lives" (36).

The majority of the book resonates with various subthemes of the major theme. He moves from a moving exposition of the Suffering Servant in Isa 53 all the way to the unfathomable loneliness of the Savior hanging on the cross at the end of His earthly life. Along the path, he explicates the wrath of a holy God against sin, the utter depravity of mankind, the necessity of blood-sacrifice by the God-man, and the soul-shattering obedience and love of Christ in drinking fully the cup of His Father's fierce wrath. I can honestly say that I was moved at each turn. Mahaney captivates our attention through well-placed quotes from other authors, concisely packaged dense theology, and frequent reminders of the love of God in the gospel. The last feature really balances the argument of the book.

When Mahaney gets to the cross and our lives, he doesn't disappoint. The "me" element of the cross is sin. He writes of who he identifies with the most on Golgotha: "I identify most with the angry mob screaming, 'Crucify Him!' That's who we should all identify with. Because apart from God's grace, this is where we would all be standing, and we're only flattering ourselves to think otherwise" (87). He strongly applies the cross to our sufferings with the result that assurance and joy overflow in our lives no matter what the circumstance. He also manages to tackle legalism and self-condemnation, two joy-robbing, cross-undermining sins that are quickly dispatched (but not with any sense of ease or casualness) with reminders as to the objective realities of the cross and our basic need to believe in what Christ has done. The simplicity of these chapters only elevates our responsibility to indulge ourselves in every aspect of Christ's death.

The penultimate chapter is the most practical. In it, he shares five simple ways that he's used to draw near to the cross each day. The five ways are:
(1) Memorize the Gospel
(2) Pray the Gospel
(3) Sing the Gospel
(4) Review How the Gospel Has Changed You
(5) Study the Gospel
Even here, in a chapter about our practice of the gospel, he ends with the reminder that apart from the empowering grace of the Holy Spirit, these five ways would be merely human deeds.


C.J. Mahaney, as always, is frank. He tells it like it is, especially about himself. The last chapter begins with the Christian equivalent of a smack: "I was smoking pot the first time I heard the gospel." His forthrightness about himself and his own sins don't detract from the message. They serve to enhance it. Such humility puts flesh and blood on what could otherwise be a very dry tome on the centrality of the cross to the Christian life. Instead, we are treated to a rich feast of devotional warmth, practical wisdom, and impassionateed urgency. May we never move on from the cross. May we move only deeper into its glories.

As a guy whose denomination tends to be very doctrinally oriented, this book is a tremendous breath of gospel fresh air. It's one thing to give a textbook definition for "justification", etc. It's another thing entirely to have one's heart opened to the implications of Christ's finished work on the Cross. This book will help you to appreciate and love Christ more. Please read it; cry occasionally; repent; and rise to embrace the Cross of Christ each day of your life. This book will transform you.

This is a book that is focused on the gospel. An easy read but does not sacrifice doctrinal clarity and orthodoxy. This is a great alternative to the "new" emerging Christian messages. Chapters on legalism and condemnation are particularly powerful. Great read for new Christians and Christians needing to kneel at the cross anew.

This book is truly a great one as C.J. Mahaney brings it all back to the cross. A lot of this book includes previous works, "The Cross Centered Life" and "Christ Our Mediator." I also had just listened to C.J.'s sermon from the 2005 Resolved Conference called "Interrogating the Legalist Within" so most of this was review. But if you have yet to read or listen to these, please pick this little book up, you will not be disappointed.

C.J. continues to bring out the cross in everything in this dissertation of the cross centered life. C.J. goes into understanding the cross in defining our lives, feelings (experience), God's love, Gethsemane, our part in the cross (sin), our suffering, legalism, condemnation (with much more) and then just the practical application.

C.J. gives five practical ways to live a cross centered life:

1. Memorize the Gospel: Memorize those scriptures that remind us of the gospel (2 Cor 5:21; Romans 8:31-34; Isaiah 53:3-6)

2. Pray the Gospel: Since the Gospel is the reason we can approach such a holy God, continue to pray the Gospel as a reminder of why you can speak to such an awesome God.

3. Sing the Gospel: Find songs and CD's whose focus in on the great and glorious Gospel and not on man. Those songs that concentrate on what He has done for us.

4. Review How the Gospel Has Changed You: Looking to your past, not for condemnation's sake, but for the reminder of mercy and grace

5. Study the Gospel: Don't only study books on the Gospel or only on the New Testament, but study the Old Testament and see Christ's fulfillment of It. Making sure that our studies don't leave the Gospel behind but builds itself upon It.

I would really recommend this to any and all Christians. Great reminders of how the Cross should impact our lives and how it has freed us from condemnation and the errors of legalism.

I found the book to provide sound, every day recommendations for the care of my soul which has been neglected for many years. The book was recommended by a therapist and it is well worth the time to read it.

The new paradigm Moore presents for psychology is extrordinary! He permits people self respect and an avenue for growth within depression or other mental disorders. Should be a must read for every one.

This book was atrocious. My friends shrink recommended it to him for a read to help him, and I was wondering why he was walking around even more confused in life so I decided to buy it and see why. I now understand. I would like to consider myself very intelligent, but this book is not an easy read, at all. I found myself rereading pages just to try and understand it. The average person would get lost in all the fancy jargon. I found myself skimming the pages toward the end hoping someone would put me out of my misery. Would not recommend.

a very insightful book on tending to your own garden, that is your soul. This book is beautifully written and thought provoking. With wonderful lessons in nurturing your daily life and finding the sacredness in day to day living that will deepen your own soul experience.

Being a student of classical literature, I have very rarely found nonfiction that can speak in the same language to which I am accustomed. This book is deeply profound and challenging--perhaps the most evocative approach to psychology I have ever encountered.

It is especially helpful to those who enjoy literature. It is artistic and aesthetic, yet still very, very helpful for practical use and everyday living. I have found myself challenged deeply towards personal and spiritual fulfillment, and have been recommending the book to everyone that I know.

My husband and I read it together and are continuing to sift through its richness. No other book has been able to so completely shift my spiritual and psychological paradigm effectively. This is a must read.

This is an outstanding book. The only downside is that it seems the editors missed the fact that the authors are discussing the bible and YET the scripture quotations have no individual bible verses.

While the authors are sincere in being biblical, the typeset has made the attempt to be a challenge because there are no verse numbers to follow the bible quotes. You would frequently encounter citations like "as you can see in verse 8, Paul was saying...." and then you would look at the cited bible quote WITHOUT ANY VERSE NUMBER!

Otherwise, this is an excellent book on counselling. But i hope the next edition would consider this difficulty that this present edition brought about. THE BIBLE IS IMPORTANT and that every means to make it clear, verse-by-verse, if need be, should be made clear in this important book.

This text really gets to the "heart" of the issue. It helps the reader see how "real" change must take place in the heart.

"If I'm really a Christian, why do I struggle so much?" "How come I can't seem to change?" If you've ever struggled with those kinds of questions, this book is for you. Many people come to faith in Christ, but never learn how the Gospel can be applied to their hearts to change their patterns of sin and struggle. How People Change, by Timothy S. Lane and Paul David Tripp is designed to address that problem.

The authors write: "Often there is a vast gap in our grasp of the gospel. It subverts our identity as Christians and our understanding of the present work of God. This gap undermines every relationship in our lives, every decision we make, and every attempt to minister to others. Yet we live blindly, as if the hole were not there." (pp. 2).

The authors, both counselors and theologians, spend the rest of the book laying out a description of the way real change can occur in a believer's life. They use stories of real people (with the names changed) and show how this process of change looks as it is occurring. Their tone is hopeful, yet realistic and their method is gospel and grace-centered, rather than legalistic. They also do a great job of balancing the "big picture" with specific instructions and helpful diagrams. Overall, after reading this book, I was encouraged by the many reminders of how God provides the power and method for real change in our lives!

"The gospel calls us to look at the messiness of life in a radically different way. The good news of the gospel is that Christ has conquered sin and death, and with them every meaningless and destructive end. Our final destination infuses every word, action, desire, and response with meaning and purpose. There are no completely hopeless situations. The gospel welcomes us to a hopeful realism. We can look life in the face and still be hopeful because of who Christ is and where he is taking us. Everything God has brought into your life has been brought with your destination in view. God is moving you on, even when you think you are stuck." (pp. 52).

After showing how sin works, how our responses to situations reveal our hearts, and how the cross addresses these issues, and how genuine spiritual fruit is produced, the next to last chapter tells a story of how one couple's story was changed by the gospel story! It shows what their story was, what their problems were, the consequences they faced from their sin, and how the grace of God changed and healed them. And then the last chapter shows how an entire church was changed as the leaders of the church decided to renew their vision for a gospel-centered focus in all their ministries. Their story is the story for every church, and it has great reminders for us! If you want to change or to help others change, this is a must have and must read book for you! I will let the authors have the last word for this review:

"Our desire is to see individual Christians and entire churches participate in a groundswell of gospel celebration--a celebration of the amazing grace available to us in Christ. Father, Son, and Spirit are at work to make the church a radiant bride, purified and glorious, ready for his appearing. This vision pulls us upward, beyond our personal happiness, so that we might enjoy his blessings and offer them to others. Our hope and prayer is that this book will help you grow in grace as an individual within a community of faith. May you grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and forever! Amen (2 Peter 3:18)." (pp. 252-253).

I have literally done dozens of Bible studies in small groups, and this one is over and above The Best. It's nothing inherently new, but the way the authors organize the study and theologically lay out the material, as well as their use of the Scriptures as foundational to illustrate the truth, has been nothing short of life changing for our little group of 40 something Christians. We have learned so much about each other that we never knew, so much about ourselves, and perhaps most exciting, have actually CHANGED in response to seeing exactly what a Gospel-centered life means TODAY, and how living in true community with other Christians is a basis for life change. The Gospel is relevant again, whaddya know! Not just when I got saved, or in eternity, but Today. I recommend it to everyone. Our church had the authors out for a seminar and they were humbly inspiring. Authentic Christianity at its best.

This is an excellent book on how change happens in a Christian's life. Convinced that many people are filling the void in their lives (what the authors call "the gospel gap") with things that are NOT the gospel, though they may be good (e.g. bible study, activities, experiences, etc.) the authors seek to drive home the power of the gospel itself to bring about genuine, lasting change in our lives. They talk about HEAT (the trials and testings that come our way0, THORNS (the negative responses we show under pressure), FRUIT (genuine evidence of gospel-centered change in our lives), and CROSS (the root of all true change). Their prose is smooth and easy to read, their stories are interesting and true to live, their theology is biblical and immensely practical, and the effect in my own life was increased wisdom, fresh passion, and strengthend hope. This is a REALLY good book that I plan to give away to others.

I am most familiar with the Garry Wills who writes scholarly historical treatises on the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, even Henry Adams (Henry Adams and the Making of America). Lately, he's been busy writing essays on spiritual issues as a devout Catholic, and as I always liked and respected historical work, I took this slim volume for a spin . . .

. . . And a worthwhile use of time it was. Wills explicates the difficulty we sinful humans have in dealing with Jesus as he was, not what we want him to be. With the lone exception of justifying homosexuality as natural and not sinful, through a rather self-consciously torturous argument, Wills makes cogent and though-provoking points. He relies on ideas from masters of the faith such as Augustine, St. Francis, and Chesterton, and his own translations of the "marketplace Greek" of the New testament.

A couple of interesting points. In the Garden, as Jesus returns to where he left Peter and a small set of the disciples with the admonition to stay awake while he prayed, Wills translates the aphorism "The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak" as a complete sentence that may have applied to Jesus, not Peter as the semi-colon in the NASB translation implies. And indeed, as the God-Man prayed prostrate on the ground and sweat blood in his anguish, His flesh was weak even as His spirit said "Not My will but Thine."

At another spot, discussing the Last Supper and the meaning of the breaking of bread, Wills refers to the "Our Father" and points out the difficulty of translating "daily" bread, as the word rendered "daily" means roughly "approaching" in English, and more literally can be rendered "to come", " or "to be". The "to be" sense is captured in "daily", but Wills links the prayer for the bread "To come" to the Lord's offering of the bread, representing His body, at the Last Supper! Intriguing, and spiritually powerful.

And not very Catholic! His ideas about the Last Supper seem decidedly non-transsubstantiational, if that's a word.

What Jesus Meant began in a promising manner; however, by the time I finished I couldn't help wondering if I had just finished a more modern and cleverly disguised manifesto of liberation theology. If Wills isn't truly embracing liberation theology, then he's certainly giving it a nod, wink, smile and pat on the back. He is also quick to point out that Jesus spent the majority of his time with "sinners" but he forgets to point out that Jesus would heal these people, instructing them to "sin no more" Jesus is reduced to an anti-religious, open minded and liberal hippie. I would recommend spending your money elsewhere.

Garry has showed us his Jesus--a gigantic nursery school nanny.

"Now, children, be nice! Share with your friends; and remember, we are ALL friends! And if you get mad at someone, give them a BIG HUG, and think nice thoughts! Because, remember, God loves you!"

So spake Garry's Nanny-Jesus, traveling throughout Palestine.

Garry is the latest of the Annointed, telling us what Jesus REALLY meant.

Thanks, Garry. But, I ain't buyin' it.

As several reviewers have said, your Jesus is astonishingly modern. Quite a Liberal; did he not mention global warming and "liberation theology"?

Garry's interpretation of Jesus leaves me feeling like a powerless toddler. He takes away our drives, our aspirations, our desires, and puts us in the nursery, where we are all friends, we are all the same, and we are all at the mercy of our caring, superior teachers. And is this not what the Annointed want? For us to be ignorant children, sitting at their feet, getting bite-sized portions of their benevolent wisdom? I think so, because, to me, this book dripped with arrogance. Not honest, Nietzschean arrogance, but some other kind--subtle, hiding in the shadows and in the squirrelly, slightly-condescending language.

Why should I believe Garry's interpretation of an interpretation? The gospels are interpretations of Palestinians about Jesus, assuming he really existed. Even more--they are the interpretations of the recollections of those who interpreted Jesus!

Some of Garry's nonsense: "Miracles, as it were, work themselves around such men (reviewer's note: Garry is talking about St. Francis and 'the Baal Shem Tov.' Who?! Never heard of BS Tov. Why not Paramahansa Yogananda or Sai Baba? But continuing:) Jesus is the preeminent example of this. The fact that he seems like other wonder-working holy men--Appollonius of Tyana, for instance--does not mean that he is an imitation of them. Rather, they are a reaching out toward him. They are a hunger and he the food. They are an ache, he the easement. As Chesterton said, his story resembles the great myths of mankind because he is the fulfillment of the myths." (What Jesus Meant, 2006, p. xxvii)

Cheap C.S. Lewis imitation, Garry; it is also total nonsense. Just read what you wrote--total blather. Besides, Jesus is an imitation of them, and they an imitation of him, because they all imitate the myths.

As a 26 year old Catholic I love Reading this guys work. It is so comical. He is a poster boy of the old guard still trying to reinterpret Christianity to serve their tired old hippie agenda. Thank God young Catholics and most of all young Priests don't fall for this hogwash. Of all this clowns books this is the worst(well Papal Sin was pretty darn dumb). In it he actualy deigns to tell us what Jesus realy meant. Because you know, two thousand years of scholarship not to mention the gospels have been wrong. The ego mania on this man knows no end. Apparently he fancies himself a lone prophet telling us the truth. Go Gary!!

Mr. Wills, you're no Chesterton (who he claims to be emulating).

This book was written with an agenda. The agenda was NOT to make readers holy or bring others to the faith. It was NOT to give an honest examination of Jesus' words. It WAS a book written with utter self-righteousness filled with subtle and not-so-subtle potshots at various denominational approaches to the Bible. I came away with the impression that Wills thinks he's the only true Christian.

In the foreword, Wills goes out of his way to say that Jesus was not a mere man. But in the chapters that follow, Jesus is humanized in a way I've never seen, in the discussions on wealth, power, and egalitarianism. Basically, it's Jesus the philosopher. Very little talk about salvation or purpose.

Wills jumps from fundamentalism to meditation. In that I mean his material (proof) comes straight from the New Testament and then he adds his own meaning. As a Catholic, Wills arguing from the position of sola scriptura is odd. I have not read his book Why I Am a Catholic, but I don't understand how he can be after reading this book and seeing the numerous criticisms of his Church.

Mr. Wills, you're the sole deposit of the Faith (note the sarcasm, please).

i have not read this book for about six months and so am going from memory. it is a jewel in the sense that it points towards mystical experience... the primary experience aimed for in hinduism would seem to be bliss.

each element has corresponding experiences. bliss is beautiful and highly stable, as is gold. however at heart bliss is cold, or numb. it has its role, it plays its function.

water is matched with balance and peace... the water of life. water soothes and levels, like air it is empty. empty of taste, flavour or colour, it is clear.

air is matched with freedom and as is water is a state of clarity and empty.

water is penetrated by gold, air is penetrated by fire. fire is the highest of the spiritual elements representing the emotion of love... warmth and burning.

one should not focus too much on the emptiness of air and water to the exclusion of the passions of love and beauty of gold.

each of the elements has a gender... the penetrated and the penetrators, and yet each element depends on the others for its presence. the obviously penetrating sometimes penetrated by that which is penetrated.

though the receivers are penetrated on an obvious level, on a subtle level the receivers penetrate the penetrators.

every element is interconnected and interdependent and yet discrete, unique in its own way. in some states an obviously male element may become
or be female. take earth for example. earth is penetrated... a womb for the seed, though plain and 'common', earth is most important and the female side of the gold/earth element. fire produces light, which penetrates darkness. the seed again into the womb. darkness is humble and receding. light penetrating and joyful.

it is not certain what the fith element is... some say it is the common 'i', others that it is pure awareness, but i tend to see air as being awareness, clear like the sky... the i however is an elusive subject.

in a sense the i, is like a cloud that penetrates the clarity of skys awareness. it can come and go, can be created and destroyed. though i have heard it said that the 'i' is indestructible, i know this not to be true.

anyway, enough musing... bliss is not everything.

as an aside, i think that 'consciousness' is a big word in hinduism, and so it should be. i have been looking at consicousness today, it should not be confused with perception, which requires judgement and thought. so consciousness...

in simplest terms is understood as 'this', i present here four formulations for the reader to consider, formulations of consciousness:
1. time + function + being.
2. life + truth + goodness.
3. truth + speed + understanding. (understanding/perception).
my favourite and simplest expression of consciousness is found in 4.
4. this + truth + life.

the only item that is not totally necessary for consciousness is time, but in temporal reality time is an important factor. we as humans however will one day go beyond the time dimension as it is. i think it is clear that unlike perception, consciousness is wholly a good thing, pure; whilst perception may be tainted by unhealthy judgement or emotion. consciousness is at the very root of our life/being. consciousness is in part direct truth and cannot exist without life/being. (my favourite definition of truth is 'this + that + love', my favourite definition of life is 'movement + function + attraction'). though i say that life is 'movement + function + attraction' this is on an obvious level, infact everything even the letters on this page are alive, even death is a form of life. you will notice however that the letters on this page are attracted towards each other, serve a function and encourage movement of the mind. therefore the letters are in symbiotic relationship with the mind of the reader!

i was just talking about consciousness with a doctor last week and we both felt that is is amazingly mundane, taken for granted. the plainest thing and yet most remarkable.

anyway, have a nice day.

love, snow-flake. xxx

This religious work from Hindu culture is translated with clarity and grace. It is poetic but simple. the introduction by the translator is a must read. He not only presents the Bhagavad Gita, but places it in context with other spiritual Hindu and Christian literature. The best part is you do not have to be a scholar or a genius to understand the introduction or the book.

This book contains a very excellent introduction that helps a novice such as myself understand the historical and theological context of this great work. Perhaps an individual more well-acquainted with the subject would find the lengthy introduction unhelpful, but then such a person would probably not be in need of the material in this book at all. If one is just looking for a copy of the conversation between Arjuna and Krishna (that is, the Bhagavad Gita itself), this book contains far more than is necessary.

I found the entire work to be wonderful, and maybe even a learned student in the subject would find some of the comments in the introduction thought-provoking.

The Bhagavad Gita is the world's most translated scripture. The task for a Gita translator is to effectively take the poetic multilayer Sanskrit original and translate it into English preserving it's flavor allowing it to stand alone without commentary. Few have succeeded. I have read multiple editions of the Gita and,in my Sanskrit studies, read the original in Sanskrit.

While I haven't read all the English translations, Mascaro's translation is the best I have read. It takes the reader to the heart of the Gita, to their own heart and to that of Lord Krishna with practical real instructions on how we should live to be aligned with God. It is a practical nitty gritty instruction manual on how we are to construct and conduct ourselves in our own "life battle".

Gandhi read the Gita as his daily practice; it sustained him. I have found the same experience when I have picked up this volume during my own times of crisis.

If one wants to plumb the depths of the Gita, then I would suggest getting Winthrop Sargent's Bhagavad Gita with the Sanskrit and Sanskrit translation. It is excellent, but a few of the translations are off, and it is dry compared to Mascaro.

There are many commentaries and at present I don't have a favorite one to recommend.

If one wants to explore both the flavor and the depth of the Gita, I would recommend undertaking Sanskrit studies with Vyaas Houston www.americansanskrit.com . He gives weekend trainings to begin to learn Sanskrit as well as immersions into the Gita.
I can assure you, you won't be disappointed.

If you don't have the time or money, Mascaro's translation is a gold mine.

full of mistranslations of key concepts..

there is just so much of this that it forms an underlying structural
orientation of the translation, starting with the [long] introduction
with bible quotes to justify translation choices..

the last words of krishna are changed to "thy will be done"
lifted straight from mathew, luke and the lords prayer..

a translation by an academic bible scholar, shows its origins..
and ruins the subtleties of this timeless discourse..

carl
namaste

I just wanted to say that this book is written by a Godly man who God has given this wisdom to. Hes much older now but makes the statement somewhere in the book that the only marriages that werent restored...were the ones that the STANDING PARTNER gave up believing. Somestimes you have to take a stand for years. If God can change the water into wine....why isnt he strong enough to restore a marriage! He is! This is the first book God brought to me when my ministry started. The Lord has given me a marriage restoration ministry just like Ed wheats! Gods grace is sufficient and you can love unconditionally and forgive like Jesus did! I have seen many a spouse return because of the forgivness they have seen in their spouse as he/she were standing and believing! They are amazed how they can forgive when they are in adultery! Well they cant..but Jesus is living in them and he is totally enabling them. To God be the Glory!Just know...Its Gods will to restore every marriage!Its all in Gods timing! Are you willing to wait?

This is the best short book I've found to help get marriages back on track. It's inexpensive enough that I have my church buy them in case quantities and then give them to members to use or to give to people they know who are struggling in their marriage. If you find something similar that works for you, email me.

Buy Dr James Dobson's book, Love must be Tough and don't waste your money on this booklet. They shouldn't have paired them together, as their messages are completely opposite. I applied the advice from Love Must Be Tough and had success, doing what this book advised only brought me more heartache.

I got some good tips out of this book. It is bible based, which I like. It is also pretty short, so I can read it many times over, quickly. It references scriptures in the bible, which is helping me to learn more about His word.

First off I'd like to briefly touch on a few basic ways to approach this book. One, that the author is taking a Biblical approach to saving a marriage. As is the case with much of the Bible's content it is open to interpretation. I doubt all readers who believe in what the Bible has to offer will agree on every conclusion Dr. Wheat has reached. Still the reader should be prepared for the Biblical content in this book and the fact that Dr. Wheat bases his approach to saving a marriage on his understanding of God's word. I find it odd that so many reviewers complain about this? In my opinion that is like complaining that a cookbook published by P.E.T.A. has no meat dishes??? Even if a reader doesn't share Dr. Wheat's beliefs and totally does not accept what the Bible has to offer I hope the reader can at least recognize that this book is based just those things and accept it as the author's prerogative.

Second, this book will most likely be read by those going through a divorce or those connected to someone who is in the process of a divorce. This is a self help book and I doubt many who are not experiencing the pains of a divorce will seek it out. So, in my opinion, many who read this book will be seeking a certain outcome and are emotionally connected to the results. Unfortunately the process to obtaining a result and the result itself may not emotionally or practically agree with the reader. I would encourage all readers to try and set their opinions and emotions aside while reading it. Then compare what Dr. Wheat has to say with his/her own notions once completed and see what parts can be adapted into his/her life. I guess I'm trying to say that readers should be wary of knee jerk reactions.

Like most who read this book I found myself in a broken marriage and wanted to heal it. I liked the fact that this book was short and direct. I read it multiple times. Originally I thought there might be some guarantee from God that my marriage was salvageable. Although that was, as I look at it now, a real pipe dream. In fact I fall into one of the two categories listed by Dr. Wheat as unsalvageable. In my case my wife had taken a lover and totally given herself over to him. For about three months I prayed, read scripture, read this book, and conducted other research trying to find someway to save my marriage. Over this three month period, in accordance with Dr. Wheat's writings, I began to examine my own part in my marital break up. While I still don't believe I am the cause of my pending divorce I do accept my part in many of our marital problems. For me that is the real benefit about the book, it encourages the reader to quit trying to figure their partner out and instead to focus on what they did to contribute to the marital problems and how to ask forgiveness from God and their spouse if given the opportunity.

What I write next may not make sense to those who don't have a relationship with God but it will hopefully make sense to some. When I began reading this book I had hoped to restore my relationship with my wife. This book along with the Bible itself helped me realize that on my wedding day I made a commitment to not only my wife but to God. While my marriage has not been reconciled I do think my relationship with God has been. Marriages break up for many reasons but all the many reasons have a root problem and that is a failure by one or both spouses to remember his/her commitment to God and to seek him first. Dr. Wheat attempts to make this clear but I think the point gets lost in some of his examples. The problem that gets the most attention is that of a spouse becoming an apparent door mat for the cheating spouse. I'll admit that his examples are hard to get past. However, I think the point he's trying to make is that a spouse, no matter if still living in the same home or separated from his/her spouse, can learn to set aside his/her hurt, pain, needs, and wants by focusing on the Lord. Easier said than done, however if a person is able to he/she will find themselves in a better place, one with his/her goals and expectations redefined. For some a complete reconciliation with a spouse, and for others a peace about moving on. Dr. Wheat clearly thinks too many people abandon their marriages without putting in real effort towards reconciliation.

Also, this book does not boast a lot of statistics and figures. It appears to be all anecdotal with no actual detailed studies or comparisons. I was some what put off by this and skeptical. Over time I came to the conclusion that the author was not trying to give us hope by providing a success ratio or percentage guidelines. He is trying to tell the reader that direction, hope and peace can come from God. You can't attach statistics to those types of results.

This review may seem to be a little too much about me and not enough about the book. I agree but after all it is a self help book. How are we to truly critique a self help book other than to tell how it did or did not help us? Like I mentioned earlier, this is a book aimed not only at saving marriages but at improving relationships with God. Please be aware of that before reading.

Readers know from the outset Corrie Ten Boom survived to help write the book but it's such an intriguing journey to get there. The authors include numerous jewels along the way, stories that stick with the reader long after the book is back on the shelf: the train ticket held by her father until the perfect time, the test of faith by not lying about family hiding under the kitchen table, the fleas having a purpose, the heartbreak of the love of her life marrying someone else, rebuilding the radio while in prison, the astounding respect and love for her father and sister while incarcerated.

Each chapter utilizes powerful imagery to flesh out an application of Eternal Truth ready for internalizing.

The lessons may be applied to every day life since these were not merely `characters' but most obviously real people, with extreme trials to maneuver in life and in death. Ordinary becomes extraordinary, utilizing compelling subject matter with a page turning writing style exhibiting firm faith in the Lord. It's one of those classics that affords readers immediate application to their own circumstances since they can identify with her and her family on so many levels.

Finally a work like this inspires and uplifts. I found myself continually discovering the answer (Grace) on almost every page to such questions as "Why did God let this happen?" and "How did she do it?". The Hiding Place is a classic I enjoy re-reading every few years. I'm amazed at the fresh perspective I have each time. It's timeless.

One of my favorite poetic verses from Corrie Ten Boom, who quoted it often (it was by Grant Colfax Tullar), is the following:

"My life is but a weaving betwixt my God and me;
I do not choose the colors He worketh steadily.
Oft times He weaveth sorrow, and I in foolish pride
Forget He sees the upper, and I the underside.
Not till the loom is silent and the shuttles cease to fly
Will God unfold the pattern and explain the reason why.
For the dark threads are as needful in the Weaver's skillful hand
As the threads of gold and silver in the pattern He has planned."

This is an absolutely fantastic book! This is a lesson in how not to give up. A lesson in how to pursue dreams. A lesson in how to be of help to the less fortunate. A lesson in how to live. A lesson in how to be close to the Father, and always believe in him. This is a must-read!

I will not go into detail on this very public site about what this author, and her book, mean to me. Suffice it to say that I would not be alive today, without having heard Corrie's message of God's infinite love.

As a psychiatrist, I have bought, and given away to patients, at least 50 copies of this book over the past two decades. It is more powerful than the strongest of antidepressants.

Corrie ten Boom is a saint. She will not be officially recognized as such by the Catholic Church since she was nominally a Protestant. I say nominally, because her heart, like God's, was deep enough and wide enough to encompass and embrace all people, no matter what "religion" they practiced. Corrie's religion was Love.

This book is beautiful inside and out. The outside is burgundy leather? bound with gold stamped letters. Very classic looking. The story itself is so well written, Corrie ten Boom draws you into her family. To hear how God worked miracles in spite of German occupation and concentration camps, and the lack of money and resources, was very faith building. I highly recommend this book.

The Hiding Place should be read by EVERY Christian. Corrie and her sister's testimony in this book is just like reading the Bible's testimony of the new Believers! Need to feel inspired? Read The Hiding Place.

The author has offered a very practical challenge for living in a loving manner in today's world. His approach is intelligent and encouraging.

This book properly positions family, Catholic education, the spirituality of work, and the right to life as values that should be promulgated by everyone including the Catholic Church. Unfortunately, this isn't always the case quite often by the Church, for details, google isaiah59.

This book makes you question your purpose on earth.
Does capitalism ruin your soul?
How does Catholic dogma affect your daily life?
Faith or pragmatism?
Hope, faith, inspiration, spiritual motivation are well studied in this book. Highly recommended. An inspirational book.

The 15 books were delivered ahead of schedule, well packed. The price was excellent. Could not have asked for a better transaction.

The Supreme Knight writes a great book that is a must read for anyone in the Knights of Columbus. It is also insightful for anyone who is on the outside looking in that would like to understand more of what the Knights of Columbus stands for.