Captive in Iran: A Book Review

When I was in parochial school, the principal continually reminded us that if we memorized the Bible, no one could ever take it away from us. It would be readily accessible in our hearts and minds, he explained.  Paper could be confiscated, but memorized words could not. His sentiment was, of course, offered as justification for the inordinate amount of memory work that was required of us. (Which by the way, I highly recommend, particularly for children.) At any rate, it was more than that; it was a sincere expression of his deeply held conviction that his assertion was true and important.

At the time, though, and for many years later, although I had tucked his suggestion away in my mind, I didn't seem likely that we would ever see the kind of persecution in our lifetimes that would require us to make use of the fruits of having put it into practice. As American society grows increasingly hostile to Christians, I am terrified by the fact that the prospect of persecution seems even fractionally less remote.

Maryam Rostampour and Marziyeh Amirizadeh, though, were not Americans. They were living in Iran at the time the story told in Captive in Iran: A Remarkable True Story of Hope and Triumph amid the Horror of Tehran's Brutal Evin Prison unfolded. Christians, the women were held for 259 days in Evin, Tehran's notorious prison where prisoners are routinely tortured, abused, and violated. In spite of deplorable living conditions and tremendous risk, the women managed to fill the prison and many of it's residents with hope, joy, and the love of Christ. As I read this remarkable story, I was convicted of the fact that in the midst of American abundance, safety, and freedom, I have achieved so desperately little in that regard, while these women achieved so much.

The story is riveting. The women are inspiring, and the underlying message of the importance of religious freedom is critical. The outcome is an inspiring tale of individual human fortitude and the power of community in the service of Christ. Highly recommended.

Blessings!
~Michelle

This book was a Review Copy sent by the publisher — common practice in the industry. No payment was accepted in exchange for a review or mention, and the reviewer was in no way obligated to review the book favorably.

The Legend of the Monk and the Merchant: A Book Review

In your local bookstore, there is a "Religion and Spirituality" section, and there is a "Business and Finance" section.  One does not generally expect the two to intersect.  I'm not sure, though, which section this book belongs in.

Terry Felber's The Legend of the Monk and the Merchant: Twelve Keys to Successful Living is at once a Christian journey and an exercise in business and financial skills development. Both are areas which interest me.  I expect though, to study them separately.  Not so here.

For the reader who is engaged in the marketplace, Ferber imparts wisdom through the engaging tale of Antonio, a successful sixteenth century Venetian businessman passing his knowledge on to a grandson who will follow in his footsteps.  In the process, he gifts the reader with spiritual insight into the relationship that money has to worship  of God and service to mankind.

Our modern society is increasingly coming to see success in business as inherently evil, rather than as an opportunity for good.  This book is the perfect anecdote to that misunderstanding of the role of money.  As Dave Ramsey states in his foreword to the book, "...my goal for you is that you start to experience a paradigm shift, that you'll come to view everything you do in the marketplace as an act of holiness that will forever change the way you do business."

This book is a treat, particularly for those engaged in business or wrestling with the reconciliation of the marketplace with Christianity.


This book was a Review Copy sent by the publisher — common practice in the industry. No payment was accepted in exchange for a review or mention, and the reviewer was in no way obligated to review the book favorably.

God With Us: Rediscovering the Meaning of Christmas -- A Book Review

It's almost Christmas. Did you find it difficult to slow down, in the midst of seasonal frenzy, and connect with the true meaning of the season? Did gift buying, cookie baking, and greens hanging interfere with your experience of our place in Christian history and with Jesus' place in your heart this year? Have you prepared Him room? It's not an easy proposition. We found that this book, God with Us: Rediscovering the Meaning of Christmas, graciously provided to us in exchange for my honest review, was a tremendous spiritual asset this year.

The preface begins: 

'This book is the result of a journey that began on Christmas morning, 1998, in Ottawa in a small Anglo-Catholic church called St. Barnabas. It was my first encounter with what my high church friends call "smells and bells." throughout that Christmas service a translucent ribbon of incense lingered just above eye level. Its constant presence provided a gentle introduction to the physical elements of the Christmas service that I had not experienced before -- the Eucharist, the processions, the sights, sounds, and yes, smells.

It was a mystery to me at the time, but I left the church that Christmas morn with a sense that I had worshiped God with all my senses -- with my whole being -- for the first time in my life."

Regular readers of Liturgical Time already know, from that excerpt, that I was hooked on this book from that point forward.

The Church calendar allows us to simultaneously look back into history at the steps Jesus and his followers through the century have taken, and forward into the unfolding of our present day walk with our Lord. This book does the same.  I found myself enriched by discussion of the historical roots of the  seasons of Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany while seamlessly inspired to live them more deeply in this present day.

Beginning with an Introduction that prepares us for wonder, continuing through an Advent section that daily guides us through this preparatory season, and providing companionship through the full Christmas season and the joys of Epiphany, this book serves as a worthy guide to the family or individual seasons of this time of year.

God with Us: Rediscovering the Meaning of Christmas, edited by Greg Pennoyer and Gregory Wolfe, contains the writings of several talented and well known contributors, both Catholic and Protestant. The shift among from the voice of one contributor to another, as the book proceeds, adds to the sense of worship in community. Like traditional worship, this book is a sensory delight. It is the type of book that you feel the weight of in your hands.  The high quality paper, ribbon marker, pervasive color, and exquisite art present a tactile and visual feast.  

As we used this book night by night, I thought of families and individuals who may want to begin incorporating traditional observances into their devotional life. I have been told by some that this can be a difficult process, juggling lectionaries, calendars, and devotionals with which one is not familiar. This book however, makes the process simple and frees one up to simply drink in the blessings of the process and to worship unfettered. Each part of Advent through Epiphany is introduced with a historical background section that explains its meaning. Each daily section has a full set of recommended readings, a reflection, and a prayer provided. Keeping track of feast days that fall within the season is not taxing; the book does it for you, day by day.

For those for whom traditional observances are old hat, the devotions and reflections in this book re-invigorate the reader by conveying the meanings of the various parts of the season and inspire one to life application.

As I logged in to Amazon to submit my review, the sidebar invited me, as usual, to “sell my book back” to them. I never do this, but this time, I actually laughed out loud. This is one book that will never leave my home. It will be awakened from its annual off-season rest and opened again and again to bless our Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany seasons.

The content of God with Us: Rediscovering the Meaning of Christmas is will bless adults and older children. Heartily recommended. I had expected to publish this review a bit later, but logged in to Amazon today to find that the book is on sale at 10% off, so this seems the perfect time.

God bless the last days of your Advent season and we wish you a Merry Christmas!
Pax Christi,
~Michelle

This book was a Review Copy sent by the publisher — common practice in the industry. No payment was accepted in exchange for a review or mention, and the reviewer was in no way obligated to review the book favorably.

Waiting on the Miraculous, and a Book Review

Advent is about waiting on a miracle. It is about trusting that one will come. It is about trusting that Almighty God has entered the human stage in a real, tangible way and walked the paths that we have trod. It is about placing hope in the fact that he has opened up a new Way for us. It is about believing in the impossible.

As Christians, our faith rests on the reality of miracles. Miraculous: A Fascinating History of Signs, Wonders, and Miracles is a book about the history of God’s miraculous dealings with man throughout history and in our present day. It touches upon the human experience of the hand of God across time, place, and faith tradition.  With treatment of the Hebrew patriarchs, Jesus, Mary, the apostles, Perpetua, Augustine, Luther, Calvin, Julian of Norwich, Jonathan Edwards, George Washington, Eastern Orthodox theology, Christians of the modern era, and others, this book presents a rich historical survey of the works of God in the human sphere.

I believe that most books which have reached publication are “good” books – assuming that they rest in the hands of the right reader. When I review a book, I am generally thinking more in terms of asking myself, “For whom is this book a good fit?” rather than, “Is this a good book?” Miraculous is a book for a person who enjoys serious reading. If you’re looking for a light book to zip through, without much cognitive pause, this book will likely not fit the bill. If, however,  you have a love for learning, for Biblical study, and for thoughtful contemplation on God’s hand in the world -- you’ll find this book to be an absolute treasure.

I enjoyed this book immensely. The writing has a lyric quality. The content is well researched, thoughtful, and expertly conveyed. Belmonte’s insights into many parts of the Gospel story, including Isaac on the altar and Mary at the side of Jesus throughout his lifetime, will forever impact my experience of God’s history with man.  Miraculous: A Fascinating History of Signs, Wonders, and Miracles is a delight – highly recommended for the serious reader.

This book was a Review Copy sent by the publisher — common practice in the industry. No payment was accepted in exchange for a review or mention, and the reviewer was in no way obligated to review the book favorably.

The God of the Mundane: A Book Review

I left work for the Christmas break armed with gifts of chocolate from students and boxes of files.  I brought home work for the Christmas break – a lot of it. With the California state budget being what it is, we have fewer school days this year than usual, but no less work to get done.  I've never mixed Advent with Avery files, but this year, I have no choice.  So here we sit, these student records and I, trying to stay in the spirit.  It’s all very…mundane.

Our lives are largely like that, though, aren't they?  For most of us, life is a day-in-day-out cycle of the ordinary.  Is there God in the ordinary, in the mundane? Does he care about our work-a-day lives? Does he value them? That is the question that former Protestant pastor Matt Redmond asks in The God Of The Mundane .

As Christians, we often display a tendency to elevate those who do the extraordinary. It is well that we should. Exceptional clergy, missionaries, and Saints -- for adherents of traditions that recognize them, can provide examples for us to follow. It is the godliness that is the genesis of their actions that we should emulate though – not necessarily the particular actions themselves. Many of us have a different vocation than those that we place our focus upon. Godliness in the lives of the everyday lay person might bear different fruit.

In this slim volume, Matt Redmond presents us with the case for being ordinary. He leaves us recharged with the knowledge that the changing of diapers, the folding of laundry and the pushing of pens upon weekday desks mean something – and may even be the whole point. He assures us that God is in the mundane and that we, immersed in the seemingly insignificant, can be Jesus to the world.

I oftentimes make disclaimers regarding the books that I choose to review.  “This is not a ‘beach book,” I might write.  The God Of The Mundane requires no such qualifier.  It is every person’s book, with a message of use to every person.

May God bless you as you strive to live out your own vocation.
Know that you are valued and loved by Him.

Pax Christi dear ones,

~Michelle

This book was an Advance Review Copy (ARC) sent by the publisher — common practice in the industry. No payment was accepted in exchange for a review or mention, and the reviewer was in no way obligated to review the book favorably.

Christmas Gifts for Families: Oliver Twist Radio Theater

Looking for a creative Christmas gift for a family?  In the tradition of Radio Theater, Focus on the Family has produced a full-cast audio dramatization of Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist.   I was delighted to have been provided a complimentary copy by the publisher, in exchange for my honest review. 

Oliver Twist, also known as The Parish Boys’ Progress,  is the powerful story of a young orphan who escapes a miserable existence to flee to London, where events unfold that impact the lives of many that the young boy comes into contact with.  The story deals with weighty themes including  confession, redemption, compassion, and corruption.  It addresses the social ills of Oliver’s day, which are not so different from our own.

We sat down as a family over the course of several nights to listen to this production, while we completed our ornaments for a Jesse Tree swap.  Each of us enjoyed it immensely.  This is not just a book on tape.  It is a theater quality production in an auditory format.  This production of Oliver Twist (Radio Theatre) features a full cast, cinema sound, and an original music score that create the feeling that you are in the middle of the story experiencing it as it unfolds.  We particularly enjoyed that we were able to complete our project while sharing entertainment as a family.  Television steals visual attention; auditory theater leaves it free.

By Michal Osmenda (Flickr: It's Christmas time
 [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

There are some weighty issues addressed in this story including drunkenness, abuse, and crime.  It may be best suited to children over the age of twelve or so, according each child’s level of maturity and readiness.  Homeschoolers may find this production of Oliver Twist to be an invaluable part of their curriculum.  As a speech pathologist, my thought is that it would benefit young people in this era, who are so immersed in visual media, to develop their skills for auditory comprehension via material such as this.

We spent several nights listening to the entire story as we completed our project.  I do think, though, that it would best enjoyed more gradually, in single installments, as presented on the five disks.  This would be lovely activity, enjoyed  on a nightly basis as a family, after the younger ones go off to bed.

Focus on the Family Radio Theater's Oliver Twist (Radio Theatre) was indeed a delight.  I will, now, forever associate it with Advent preparations.  I am grateful to have had the opportunity to review Oliver Twist for Tyndale House, and think that it would make a delightful family Christmas gift.

Educational Resources for your Convenience:

PBS has a variety of resources including a map of Oliver’s London, a “Who’s Who”, and teacher resources: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/olivertwist/whos_who.html


A character card game which can be adapted for use by families: http://www.collaborativelearning.org/olivertwist.pdf

Some additional Radio Theater selections from Focus on the Family:

Advent Angels and a Review of Joel Miller's Lifted By Angels

Advent is full of angels! If you are preparing for Advent with children, stories and crafts surrounding angels will be a wonderful addition to your plans. 


Here are several simple ideas:

Annunciation Coloring Page

Shepherds Coloring Page

Simple Angel Craft

Angel Food Cake Recipes

A Treasure Trove of Angel Crafts from Catholic Icing

For those who would like to go a little deeper:

Joel Miller's Lifted by Angels: The Presence and Power of Our Heavenly Guides and Guardians, A Book Review:

Angels move in and out of the entire Judeo-Christian story.  They are key players in the liturgical drama of the Advent Season. Angels are intimately involved in the announcement of Mary’s pregnancy, the assurance received by Joseph regarding that pregnancy, the birth of our Lord, and the protection of the young child.

Who exactly are they, though? What is their nature? What is their purpose?

Joel Miller provides a gilded look at the answers to these questions in Lifted by Angels.  Miller’s book provides rich coverage of the nature, roles, and historical impact of angels acting under the direction of God,  as understood and expressed by theologians, liturgists, artists, and icon writers of the ancient church. As a result, he gives us a glimpse into earliest Christianity and facilitates a sudden, and perhaps unanticipated, awareness of the movement of angels in and through our Judeo-Christian history and our own personal story.

This is not a summer beach book. It is better suited to those who enjoy a little depth of thought with their morning coffee. If you are so inclined, you will find this book a worthy companion.

Whenever I cover material of this nature, I think of my modern Evangelical Christian readers. This blog has a broad Christian audience with varying approaches to meeting God in Christ. Those of you who see a drum set in the front of your worship space on Sunday mornings may find this book's references to writers and thinkers from the first thousand years of Christianity a little outside of your comfort zone.  (Of course, the Catholics and Orthodox in our community will be quite as home.)   Even so, there is a treasure trove of writings and art bequeathed to us by Christians long prior to the nineteenth century, and it is rich and deep and wonderful. Those who lived in and shaped Christianity’s first millennium have much to share with us. They are our brothers and sisters in Christ and part of the same Body. Why not commune with them and explore their thoughts and teachings through the writing and artwork that they have left for us?

Bouguereau, Song of the Angels, 1881-PD-ART

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  I found the initial portion on the nature of angels, both faithful and “fallen”, very informative. I particularly enjoyed both the telling of the story of the house of Israel through its encounters with angels and the subsequent telling of the New Testament story via the same approach.  I came away with a deeper understanding of the role of angels as guardians.   I sense that each Sunday's singing of the Sanctus (“Holy, Holy, Holy…”), though already deeply meaningful, will forever be infused with more wonder for me, having reading this book.

Miller allows us to see angels through the eyes of the earliest Christians. We are invited to step into the time of our ancient Christian forebearers and share their worldview, in order to gain a full appreciation of the work of angels throughout history and in our own lives. If you are inclined to the reading of the Church Fathers, and if Chesterton leaves you energized rather than weary, I highly commend to you this book.

Pax Christi Dear Ones,
Praying that your Advent preparations will be blessed,
~Michelle

Don't forget to visit our Advent 2012 Links Collection.  Bloggers, you are welcome to add your Advent related links.  You'll find the links collection here:

Linked with:
Saints and Scripture Sunday, Modest Monday, Soli Deo Gloria, Better Mom Mondays
You'll find their buttons on the Blog Hops page.



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”