Religion & Spirituality Books - Page 2

Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality

Donald Miller

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 460 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Why am I reading this? 2 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I have not read this book in its entirety, but I'd say I've read about 2/3 of it, skipping around. The reason that I haven't read the whole thing is that it's simply too fluffy for me to read it straight through. I just wanted to begin with that disclaimer.

I was loaned this book by a friend who had recommended many great books for me to read. With such a cool title, I was excited to sit down and read this book. I am not exactly sure how I would classify myself in terms of religion. I was raised a Christian but am closer to being agnostic now, though I still have a special place in my heart for Christian theology and tradition. I thought that this book, which claims to be "non-religious," would be a good read that would be right up my alley. Unfortunately, Mr. Miller is anything but non-religious. Throughout this book, he comes across as the kind of abrasive postmodern Christian that makes me want to turn and run. Namely, Miller is all about wallowing in guilt, and moaning about how awful and repulsive we humans are. He seems to have a severe problem with self-obsession, and desires to transfer this shortcoming to all humankind. Look, I know humans can do horrible things, but it's this kind of negativity that turns me off from Christianity.

But it's not the theology that's the biggest problem with this book. It's the writing itself. This book is really just a collection of essays. That's fine, I enjoy essay collections. But, as we all learned in high school English class, an essay should have a clear point, with every sentence furthering the argument. Miller's essays ramble on page after page, are full of unrelated anecdotes, and have bizarre metaphors that only serve to cloud the meaning of whatever he's trying to convey. There are a few times throughout where he has a shining moment where he says something bordering on the brilliant. But then these instances are buried between pages of what amounts to fluff. It's the kind of situation in which you read three pages, then stop and look back through those three pages and realize that you don't remember anything that you just read.

One of the biggest shortcomings of this book (related to the overbearing religiosity) is that I was expecting Miller to be open-minded. He is anything but. He has a very narrow world view and perspective on Christianity. Furthermore (as other reviewers have mentioned), he seems to be trapped in an arrested adolescence. How old is he, 30? His words read like those of someone half his age. Many times, he mentions past irresponsible actions of his, which I expected to be self-deprecatory, but he always stops short of saying (or even hinting) that irresponsible things he's done in the past are wrong; he simply seems to mention them like they're no big deal. There is not alot of soul searching or questioning here, just alot of "here's what I think." I could have used more soul-searching, more questioning, more doubt. Something to justify the "non-religious" claim in the title.

In many places throughout the book, Miller comes across as a sweet guy, a genuine man of faith who only wants to do right by Jesus, and I commend him for that. Still, why did he write a book about it? And why am I reading it? The two biggest problems with this book: it's not really "non-religious," and it is about twice as long as it needs to be. It gets two stars instead of one because Miller occasionally has moments that are insightful and well-written.

Editorial Review:

"I never liked jazz music because jazz music doesn't resolve. . . . I used to not like God because God didn't resolve. But that was before any of this happened." In Donald Miller's early years, he was vaguely familiar with a distant God. But when he came to know Jesus Christ, he pursued the Christian life with great zeal. Within a few years he had a successful ministry that ultimately left him feeling empty, burned out, and, once again, far away from God. In this intimate, soul-searching account, Miller describes his remarkable journey back to a culturally relevant, infinitely loving God.

For Men Only: A Straightforward Guide to the Inner Lives of Women (Walker Large Print Books)

Shaunti Feldhahn, Jeff Feldhahn

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Total reviews: 97 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Finally—You Can Understand Her!

Women: complicated and impossible to understand? Do you love and want to please the woman in your life, but just can’t seem to figure her out? That was before For Men Only. Now at your fingertips is the tool that will unlock the secret to her mysterious ways. Through hundreds of interviews and the results of a scientific national survey of women, this book demonstrates that women are actually not random and that they really can be systematized and “mapped.” In fact, much to men’s delight, this book shows that women are actually quite easy to understand and please—as long as you know what it is they need. This simple map will guide you to loving your wife or girlfriend in the way she needs to be loved.

Finally.

You Can Understand Her!

Women: complicated and impossible to understand? Have you given up trying to “get” the woman in your life? If so, you are in for a pleasant eye-opener: She can be understood. Even better—you can make her happy. Which will make you happy.

The bestselling author of For Women Only teams with her husband to offer men the key to unlocking the mysterious ways of women. Through Shaunti and Jeff Feldhahn ’s national scientific survey and hundreds of interviews, For Men Only reveals what you can do today to improve your relationship. And believe it or not, as Jeff assures men, “It’s not splitting the atom.”

What makes her tick? What is she really asking (but not actually saying)? Take the guesswork out of trying to please your wife or girlfriend and begin loving her in the way she needs. Easily. For Men Only is a straightforward map that will lead you straight into her heart.

And for every guy who rarely reads a manual:

Quick-Start Guide Included!

“When we featured Shaunti’s book For Women Only on FamilyLife Today , the phone rang off the hook! When Shaunti and Jeff come back on our broadcast, I’m buying some more phones. This is fresh and relevant—good stuff for every marriage. Read it!”

Dennis Rainey

President, FamilyLife

Story Behind the Book

“As I was writing For Women Only to help women understand the inner lives of men, over and over I heard that men wished there was a way to understand their wives, but they felt it was probably impossible. I heard from them, ‘You are writing this little slim volume about men, but if it was about understanding women, it would have to be the size of an encyclopedia! Women are random and complicated!’ These men were surprised and encouraged when I assured them that women are neither random nor complicated, and we can be understood. Men just want to love their wives well, and For Men Only will help them do that.”

—Shaunti Feldhahn

Jesus of Nazareth (Random House Large Print (Cloth/Paper))

Pope Benedict XVI

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Total reviews: 154 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

“This book is . . . my personal search ‘for the face of the Lord.’” –Benedict XVI

In this bold, momentous work, the Pope––in his first book written as Benedict XVI––seeks to salvage the person of Jesus from recent “popular” depictions and to restore Jesus’ true identity as discovered in the Gospels. Through his brilliance as a theologian and his personal conviction as a believer, the Pope shares a rich, compelling, flesh-and-blood portrait of Jesus and incites us to encounter, face-to-face, the central figure of the Christian faith.

From Jesus of Nazareth: “. . . the great question that will be with us throughout this entire book: But what has Jesus really brought, then, if he has not brought world peace, universal prosperity, and a better world? What has he brought? The answer is very simple: God. He has brought God! He has brought the God who once gradually unveiled his countenance first to Abraham, then to Moses and the prophets, and then in the wisdom literature–the God who showed his face only in Israel, even though he was also honored among the pagans in various shadowy guises. It is this God, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, the true God, whom he has brought to the peoples of the earth. He has brought God, and now we know his face, now we can call upon him. Now we know the path that we human beings have to take in this world. Jesus has brought God and with God the truth about where we are going and where we come from: faith, hope, and love.”

Faith of My Fathers (Random House Large Print (Hardcover))

John Mccain

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 233 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

John McCain is one of the most admired leaders in the United States government, but his deeply felt memoir of family and war is not a political one and ends before his election to Congress. With candor and ennobling power, McCain tells a story that, in the words of Newsweek, "makes the other presidential candidates look like pygmies."
        
John McCain learned about life and honor from his grandfather and father, both four-star admirals in the U.S. Navy. This is a memoir about their lives, their heroism, and the ways that sons are shaped and enriched by their fathers.
        
John McCain's grandfather was a gaunt, hawk-faced man known as Slew by his fellow officers and, affectionately, as Popeye by the sailors who served under him. McCain Sr. played the horses, drank bourbon and water, and rolled his own cigarettes with one hand. More significant, he was one of the navy's greatest commanders, and led the strongest aircraft carrier force of the Third Fleet in key battles during World War II.
        
John McCain's father followed a similar path, equally distinguished by heroic service in the navy, as a submarine commander during World War II. McCain Jr. was a slightly built man, but like his father, he earned the respect and affection of his men. He, too, rose to the rank of four-star admiral, making the McCains the first family in American history to achieve that distinction. McCain Jr.'s final assignment was as commander of all U.S. forces in the Pacific during the Vietnam War.
        
It was in the Vietnam War that John McCain III faced the most difficult challenge of his life. A naval aviator, he was shot down over Hanoi in 1967 and seriously injured. When Vietnamese military officers realized he was the son of a top commander, they offered McCain early release in an effort to embarrass the United States. Acting from a sense of honor taught him by his father and the U.S. Naval Academy, McCain refused the offer. He was tortured, held in solitary confinement, and imprisoned for five and a half years.
                
Faith of My Fathers is about what McCain learned from his grandfather and father, and how their example enabled him to survive those hard years. It is a story of three imperfect men who faced adversity and emerged with their honor intact. Ultimately, Faith of My Fathers shows us, with great feeling and appreciation, what fathers give to their sons, and what endures.

The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief

Francis S. Collins

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 302 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Does science necessarily undermine faith in God? Or could it actually support faith? Beyond the flashpoint debates over the teaching of evolution, or stem-cell research, most of us struggle with contradictions concerning life's ultimate question. We know that accidents happen, but we believe we are on earth for a reason. Until now, most scientists have argued that science and faith occupy distinct arenas. Francis Collins, a former atheist as a science student who converted to faith as he became a doctor, is about to change that.

Collins's faith in God has been confirmed and enhanced by the revolutionary discoveries in biology that he has helped to oversee. He has absorbed the arguments for atheism of many scientists and pundits, and he can refute them. Darwinian evolution occurs, yet, as he explains, it cannot fully explain human nature -- evolution can and must be directed by God. He offers an inspiring tour of the human genome to show the miraculous nature of God's instruction book. Sure to be compared with C.S. Lewis's Mere Christianity, this is a stunning document, whether you are a believer, a seeker, or an atheist.

The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living

Dalai Lama XIV, Howard C. Cutler

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Total reviews: 350 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Nearly every time you see him, he's laughing, or at least he's smiling. And he makes everyone else around him feel like smiling. He's the Dalai Lama, the spiritual and temporal leader of Tibet, the Nobel Prize winner, and increasingly popular speaker and statesman. Why is he so popular? Even after spending just a few minutes in his presence you can't help feeling just a little bit happier.

The Dalai Lama is probably one of the only people in the world who if you ask him if he's happy, even though he's suffered the loss of his country, will give you an unconditional "yes." What's more, he'll tell you that happiness is the purpose of life, and that "the very motion of our life is towards happiness." How to get them has always been the question. He's tried to answer it before, but he's never had the help of a psychiatrist to get the message across in a context we can easily understand.

Through meditations, stories and the meeting of Buddhism and psychology, the Dalai Lama shows us how to defeat day-to-day depression, anxiety, anger, jealousy, or just an ordinary bad mood. He discusses relationships, health, family, work, and spirituality to show us how to ride through life's obstacles on a deep and abiding source of inner peace. Based on 2500 years of Buddhist meditations mixed with a healthy dose of common sense, The Art of Happiness is an audiobook that crosses the boundaries of all traditions to help listeners with the difficulties common to all human beings.

MY UTMOST - UPDATED LARGE PRINT

OSWALD CHAMBERS

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 119 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Great Truths 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Oswald Chambers gives the awesome truths of the Bible and God's character in this easy, daily study.

Profound Devotional 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This book has been a profound daily devotional for me for 15 + years. I have read it every year. The insights this man of God had are some of the most relevant, authentic, and remarkable devotions I have ever read. I continue to be amazed.

Most Beautiful Edition of a Wonderful Devotional 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I have been an Oswald Chambers follower for many years. I had been reading a tattered copy that belonged to my dad. For my birthday today I got this copy for my birthday and it is so very special. The leather cover is so soft and beautiful. Two shades of purple and liliac. Soft and comfortable to hold.

The dovotions are still current today. They make you look deep within your heart to what God is saying to you.

Highly recommend.

Editorial Review:

A perennial best-seller, this classic devotional continues to inspire and uplift people everywhere in their journey with Christ. And, today's updated-language edition makes each of the 366 devotions even more accessible and easy to apply to real life. Includes complete subject and Scripture indexes.

The Message Bible

Eugene H. Peterson

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Total reviews: 241 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

The Message by Eugene Peterson(the Bible in Contemporary language) 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

For the first time I could understand pretty much every line and verse I come across in Eugene Peterson's Bible in contemporary language.

The paraphrasing really made an huge difference to help clarify things for me!

Handy and easier to use 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I really like this little reference. The size is just right and the text is large enough to be easy to read without squinting. Having the New testament, Psalms and Proverbs together in one small portable reference is especially useful.

I enjoy the freshness of the Message. It gives one another angle to view scripture and often gives surprising insight into difficult passages. Finally, I really enjoy the insight the book introductions provide as they are so right on. Well done NavPress, well done!

Editorial Review:

Introducing an all-new large-print version of one of today's most popular translations, The Message. After carefully reviewing consumer feedback, this large-print version was created using a comfortable font that reads well and satisfies a wide range of customer tastes. Designed for those who prefer a larger type for easier reading, this edition of The Message allows you to reach more customers than ever before. Specifications: 1. Size - 6 13/16 x 9 3/16 2. Font size - 12.5 (larger than many standard large-print Bibles) 3. Pages - 2,048 4. Binding options: a. Hardback - $34.99 b. Leather-look - $49.99 5. Contains the same charts and maps as the full-size numbered edition 6. Ribbon marker

The Power of a Praying Wife

Stormie Omartian

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 271 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

You need this book! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This book reallly jumps into what God intended us wives to be. If you look at marriage many years ago it was about commitment, it was about the wife being the heart of the home while her husband was the head of it. God made woman as a partner and a helper for man and Stormie really covers it in detail. Marriages need the basic principals that she lays out in order to survive.

It really goes into great detail on how you can change your marriage just by changing yourself. IF YOU ARE SELFISH NATURED then you will hate this book. This book is about giving your heart and soul over to God and changing yourself to benefit your marriage. If you are the type that "won't change until he does" then don't buy this book because you need a Bible. You have to be willing to be completely unselfish the way Jesus Christ was when he was on earth. God is not saying "let the husband walk all over his wife." Most marriages that you see that have lasted 25 years or more today have God as the center of their marriage. The divorce rate 53% today, that has to tell you something? Something is missing, and it's God. If you change yourself to be a wife after God's own heart, then through you, God will reach your husband. Giving up is not the answer.

Editorial Review:

Every wife who desires a deeper, more meaningful relationship with her husband is sure to appreciate Stormie's candor and encouragement in this practical book. By focusing on 30 different areas, women can cover every aspect of their husband's lives with prayer, including security in work and finances; health and physical protection; spiritual and emotional strength; fears and emotions; faith and the future; sexuality and communication; and fatherhood, leadership and decision-making.

Streams in the Desert®

Mrs. Charles E. Cowman, Jim Reimann

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 75 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Inspiring, Uplifting, a sweet essence for dark days! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Read this book if you have experienced the grief from losing a loved one physically as in my case or you are broken from a life circumstance. This book along with the word of God will uplift you and see you through those difficult days when again your tears seem to be the only medicine for your heart. I love that each day starts off with a scripture. I usually will read the scripture then look it up in my bible and do a small study on the scripture. I will then read the devotion for that day. This book and Oswald Chambers devotional book is what I read daily. I recommend it for anyone who has walked down the road of losing a child, parent or sibling. It also makes a great gift for someone facing cancer or for the single mom who is struggling to makes ends meet and feels hopeless. Whoever you are and wherever you are you will be blessed by the golden pages and by the sweet quiet whisper of Gods spirit revealed in the writing of this book.

Editorial Review:

Large Print Edition. This is an updated version for the 21st century of one of the bestselling devotional books of all time -- based on the NIV text.