Living-will

There is a way - sometimes not what we expect. Why is it we turn to God as only a "last resort"?! This book is so practical and fresh. It should be very helpful - and hopeful - to all of us who lose our way from time to time. A great thought-provoking book.

Finally a book that teaches the difference between wanting something more and getting something more. Very clear explanation on how to forgive but not be a doormat. A must read!

This book makes me feel like I'm the only reader, like it was written just for me. The book's approach is very personal, direct, and right on target. It is written in such a way that it will speak to each individual. No matter the individual's frame of reference, it speaks directly to the heart. It is soooo good!

I want to tell you how much this book has ministered to me. Normally, when I read a book, I jot down a few key passages that I want to remember or study later. I confess that I was not able to do that with Here Am I, Send Me!... or else I would have had to copy the entire book! I can relate to so many of the illustrations in the book, and it has encouraged me immensely. And, it is so well written!I could go on and on describing other passages of the book that have personal significance to me, but you get the idea. I did write down about two dozen Scriptures that were included in the book that I want to memorize and study further. I also plan to purchase at least six more copies to give away to friends. I must tell you, I am eager to read this book again!

People weren't made to live alone and thus the importance of good friends are important in everyday life. Its a small book but one that I'd reccomend even to those who think that they've "got it" when it comes to friendships. It talks about why its important to have friends, how to be a good friend, how to fix broken frienships, and how to be good friends with those that aren't Christian. I haven't read too many friendship books but this one seems to cover a lot of stuff, and though its a small book, it comes in handy.

I've been a fan of Michael's music for a number of years, so when he began to write books, I was eager to see what he had to say. And I haven't been disappointed yet. He has a very readable and personal writing style, and he's not afraid to be transparent. As for content, it's always relevant and based on tested Scriptural principles. It's awesome to see how strong his faith has remained during his high-profile years in the music business, where temptations are many and humility is easy to lose. A major contribution to his stability lies in the solid friendships he has maintained with other strong Christians. Friendship is important to him, and he wants others to reap its many benefits as well. That's a major reason why he wrote this book.

"I Will Be Your Friend" attracted me because of relational issues I have recently encountered in my own life. As I've entered my thirties, my desire to improve my current friendships has increased, since they have sustained me through a number of tough times. I want the ability to properly edify, encourage, and even rebuke my friends for the benefit of their character, and our relationship. In addition, I'd like to gain skills on forming solid new friendships, which is sometimes difficult for an introvert like myself.

So, when I came across this book I knew it was one I needed to read. And I'm glad I did. Michael illustrates a number of truths he's learned over the years about friendship. He touches on such topics as setting boundaries, accountability, the importance of being vulnerable, mentoring, and servanthood. Michael shares a lot from his own personal experiences, and it's refreshing to see that he even records his own relational missteps. Even better, his insights are tied to Scripture, and he is clear that God is the source of whatever wisdom he has.

I particularly recommend this book to men, since we seem less capable than women (or at least less willing) when it comes to forming deep friendships. It's important that we cultivate this ability, since the benefits are many and the alternatives are definitely less than God's best.

Mr. Willis provides outstanding insight and advice on many aspects of the daily business affairs of corporate America-a must reading for aspiring young executives and individuals hoping to become more "successful" in their personal lives

I found the book to be both practical and entertaining. It should be required reading for anyone in business school.

Tex Sample has made a career out of being a good public speaker - in teaching, preaching, and even entertainment venues, Sample is always able to relate to the people at their level, which is where ministry must begin. Sample's technique is tried and true - so much so, that it predates the written language. The Bible, as with many ancient cultures, derives from its earliest origins an oral culture and tradition of oral transmission. Many preliterate societies did this, and many cultures with low levels of literacy do this; however, one of the more surprising discoveries of people such as Sample is the degree to which all literate societies continue a tradition of oral transmission of knowledge, wit and wisdom - things that never get written down, yet always seem to be known.

Perhaps the key example of this is Jesus - who never wrote a book, never penned a sermon that got passed along, and never mass produced lecture notes for his student-disciples to copy and memorise for the test. Sample draws on his own experience as a young person growing up in a culture in America that used oral traditions for the 'important stuff', and literacy was reserved for official and necessary things like writing checks, filling out forms, etc. The real pieces of life, the stories of the family, the ways to do things, the expression of love and feeling, these were transferred from person to person orally.

The early experiences of Sample relate to the title of his text - when he took his first philosophy course, he was expecting the home-spun 'philosophy' of people like Will Rogers, wisdom stories like Uncle Remus, and oratory skills like Minnie Pearl. When he encountered Socrates, he liked what he read, but he wondered how much better things might have been had Socrates studied along with someone like Will Rogers.

Sample continues to draw on his own experience in ministry, education, and family (key sources for any in the oral tradition) as well as the experiences of other oral cultures - Native Americans, ancient peoples, poor people, etc. Sample lays out different primary practices of those in an oral tradition - memorisation, apprenticeship-style learning, learning by concrete example. Think about the parables of Jesus here - a Good Samaritan, a mustard seed, a shepherd with sheep - these are easily identifiable and understandable figures, and the stories are simple enough to be memorised easily.

Oral tradition puts tradition-and-practice over theory-and-praxis, highlights 'storytelling' over narrative, looks for relationships and loyalty over the higher-minded concepts of community and solidarity. Oral tradition resists change, but at the same time welcomes adaptation, particularly when it makes for a better story!

Sample begins and ends with stories. Characters often take on names significant for their attributes - Jimmy Hope may be a real name, or may not be, but it fits the hope-full aspect of the story very well, if it isn't his real name, it should be.

Sample's text is full of humour, wit and wisdom often neglected or forgotten in our modern society. Academia doesn't quite know what to do with such knowledge (other than to study it into all unrecognisability). The value placed on literacy and book-based understanding is such that a direct denigration of oral-tradition knowledge and wisdom seems to be required; do not be deceived.

Also do not be deceived at the medium here - there is indeed something somewhat ironic about reading about oral tradition from someone who is trying to keep oral tradition alive. The text 'reads' much like a sermon or a conversation than an academic text, without (surprisingly) losing much by way of translation.

There aren't many texts that reference the likes of Ludwig Feuerbach, Alasdair MacIntyre and John Millbank together with Ray Stevens, Minnie Pearl and Uncle Remus. This is a real gem.

Far from being a book about preaching a particular brand of faith, this work is a challenge to the "literate" portion of our culture, and the themes that Sample touches on are basic to the problems of communicating ideas (whether religious or scientific) between literate persons and those whose day-to-day education is gained from sources other than printed ones. He explores the phenomenon of "educated" persons dismissing the working class (who typically make up the oral culture) as backwards and superstitious, and the working class dismissing the former as impractical fools. Both the cause and result of this is a classic, two-sided I'm-talking-but-you-aren't-listening communications breakdown. The focus of this book is on understanding the true nature of oral culture as it affects the process of absorbing new ideas, new solutions and change in general. Sample's perspective on this is truly thought-provoking. I highly recommend it to anyone who laments the current state of our culture, because the general thesis of this book offers us way to deal with it.

Will Parfitt has written an excellent book on Qabalah, concentrating on the practical implacations of the system, providing psychological, mystical and magical techniques.

This is a book I frequently reccomend to people asking me about Qabalah, it is well written, consise and perhaps unique in it's way of helping the reader to understand the tree of life on more levels than just the intelectual. The exercizes offered in the book are great, and will likely give even the most seasoned qabalist a new understanding of the Sephiroth. PArfitt also includes excellent information on how the qabalah fits in with mysticism, magick and especially psychology. If you want to use the tree of life as a tool for spiritual and psychological development, this is perhaps the best book since Regardie's "Middle pillar"

This book talks about what is right and should be mandatory reading for all corporate officers, government employees and people in leadership roles. The book will motivate you, get you to stop and think, as well as give you ideas about how to improve yourself, your organization and your company. Fantastic Book that I am going to make all of my people read!

Reading this book made me stop and take a good hard look at myself and my honesty. It should be required reading for Bill Clinton as well as any- one in the public eye.

Gerald Vann's slim book goes to the heart of calming our troubled hearts: accepting the will of God. My favorite section is his commentary on the value of genuflection. There are many other passages in this small book worth underlining and taking to heart, including passages dealing with providence, liturgy, and loving with the love of God.

This little work is a gem. I am used to reading "high theology" and do not often take the time to read something short and simple to refresh my soul and keep me grounded in the basic truths of Christianity -- foremost of which is to keep one's eyes ever on the Lord, always striving to do HIS will and not our own. Busy folks (and who isn't?) will appreciate the fact that this book can be read in one evening, and though it is simple, it is simply profound. Keep it by your bedside and pick it up whenever you find yourself getting caught up in the trials and snares of this temporal world. It will lift your gaze back up to eternity and put things in proper perspective.

On an asthetical note, Sophia Press always has beautifully presented books, with striking covers, and attractive print. It makes the reading of these truths all the more enjoyable.

This book was compiled at the dawn of the Promise Keepers movement. Therefore it's well known "Seven Promises" are still tweleve promises, having not yet coalesced into it's present form. Each chapter comprises one of the twelve promises, and is subdivided into three to seven small articles by writers such as Bill McCartney, Wellington Boone, Charles Stanley, and Jerry Jenkins to name just a few. The promises cover all aspects of a Christian man's life as deemed important by the Promise Keepers. They include your relationships with your wife, children, God, church, brothers in Christ, neighbors, and world to again name just a few. The format of short articles, some only one page, allows for easy reading as part of a morning devotional time. Even though the book is approching it's tenth anniversary, its teachings and the advice offered within are still very applicable to the man seeking Christlike character.

chapter 1 what are promises/ /chapter 2 the promises you make to God/ /chapter 3 the promises you make to yourself/ /chapter 4 the promises you make to your wife/ /chapter 5 the promises you make to your family/ /chapter 6 the promises you make to your parents/ /chapter 7 the promided you make to your friends/ /chapter 8 the promises you make to worship and fellowship/ /chapter 9 the promises you make to your work/ /chapter 10 the promises you make to your neighbors and community/ /chapter 11 the promises you make to those in need/ /chapter 12 the promises you make to the future/chapter 13 practicing learned hopefulness

Wow this book brought me so much freedom and vision that I truly believe that we can get back to the One Love that we really are. The Truth is so easy to understand, we simply need to learn to alter our misguided belief systems. It's amazing the facts that are buried in our own language. The english language contains deep messages of love and togetherness, it simply takes a quick read of this brilliant book to realize what we've been missing. Easily the most important two books I've read on people and coming together. I enjoyed the Walsch books tremedously - this book and Will Shad's 'The Truth' will take you to a new level!

This book dares to ask the question: what if everything you've ever been taught is right is actually not right?
The author, through God's eyes, ambitiously attempts to convince the reader that much of what goes on in the world, in our everyday life, is not only illogical, but detrimental to our very expressed intentions. He thinks outside the box, and his arguments are so convincing as to seem obvious. He does not believe that institutions such as marriage, law enforcement, and government should be changed, but that they should be done away with altogether. And one would have to be extremely closed minded to not at least be somewhat convinced that he may be onto something.
Oh, and the word tricks in this book will have you stunned by their cleverness. Read this book, and be prepared to perhaps alter your way of thinking forever.