Discovering God Through the Arts - Terry Glaspey

Discovering God Through the Arts is a very accessible introduction to considering art and faith combined. As in 75 Masterpieces Every Christian Should Know, Glaspey has produced a superb resource book which is fascinating and thought provoking.

Easy to pick up and put down, and read not necessarily in a linear way, my copy is now covered in highlights and markers. One marked passage reads: ‘The arts can help us learn how to pay attention. I’ve discovered that looking at art, listening to music or a poem, reading a descriptive passage in a novel, or viewing a film can force me to slow down, quiet my restless thoughts, and open myself to a moment of revelation. A moment when I can see the wonder in the ordinary. Because, in a very real sense, nothing is ordinary.’ This quote comes from the section headed Coming Awake: Teaching Us to Pay Attention, and the book is split into 11 chapters considering elements like Digging for Deeper Meanings, Bringing the Scriptures to Life, Awakening a Passion for Justice and Assisting Us in Prayer and Contemplation.

Liberally illustrated in colour, which you may not expect from a paperback even if it IS about art, this is a nicely designed book with strategically placed quotes among the pages and questions and spiritual exercises at the end of each chapter. I highly recommend this to a very wide readership. It’s certainly a book which will remain not only on my shelf, but also often be on my desk or coffee table within easy reach for reference or reflection.

(First published in Together Magazine, May/June21 issue)

9780802419972, Moody Publishers

Talking God, Daring to Listen - Jacki Bulman

Recently I’ve been contemplating the fact that the longer I’ve been a Christian, the less certain I am of

some elements of what that means. Reading Talking God provoked more thoughtful pondering on this subject. 

 

The book is based around interviews with eleven people, with contributors from several Christian church backgrounds as well as those with mystic or contemplative spiritual viewpoints. The reader is challenged to read each interview with an open mind, taking time to consider what each raises and seeking what we can relate to rather than immediately getting hung up on areas we disagree with or are challenged by.  That, I found, was not always easy!

 

Although this is a book largely talking about God, you may well find Him speaking to you through its pages.  We’re asked ‘Do any of us really know the absolute Truth of God? And more importantly, perhaps, do we even need to be this certain of our complete “rightness”? Can we let go a bit, and just trust in One far greater than us knowing best?’ The issue here, for me at least, is what to let go of (a bit), and why. 

 

While undoubtedly an interesting read with much to say about belief and spirituality more widely in today’s world, this is also a book which highlights big differences in Christian faith and its practice.  The struggles some experienced in explaining some of the specifics of their faith made me consider how well I understood parts of my own beliefs.  

 

Some way into the book, Jacci asks ‘How much do we fail to learn or grow when we do not listen because we are so sure only ‘our’ way is the ‘right’ way?’  This is a good point to ponder while reading Talking God.  Perhaps, in addition to considering what to loosen our grip on in terms of what and how we believe, there is room here to reach out to some different expressions of faith, and perhaps to talk to God about them in terms of our own experience of living out our faith in a way which honours Him.  

 

Like everyone who reads the book, I imagine, there were some interviews which struck me more forcibly than others.  Probably my favourite is Richard’s, and the post-interview note about his view of the cross.  I also enjoyed particularly enjoyed the illustration on perspective.  Or ‘Do all beans jump?’  My perspective may say yes they do, if I’m in a box with them.  But someone looking from above, seeing all sorts of other beans around the box but outside it, will think differently! 

 

Jacci’s boxed out comments and responses to various elements of her interviews make thoughtful reading.  She is open about some of the issues which have been raised for her by asking her questions to such a wide spectrum of people.  There were times I didn’t agree with her remarks, but they acknowledge that Jacci, like me, often finds herself without clear answers.  

 

The second section opens with a very interesting list of what each person interviewed taught Jacci through the process of their answers.  These include pilgrimage, justice, the meaning of prayer and grace, looking for fresh ways of understanding God’s universe and purpose for us, and service.  This list underlined how if we ‘listen’ rather than immediately dismiss, God can speak to us through sometimes surprising channels.  It also made me aware of much of what I had missed in the interviews!

 

Jacci then gives her own answers to the same interview questions she asked the others.  This section, which expresses some of Jacci’s faith path with its various questions and viewpoints – some quite literally! – is a brave insight into her thoughts and fears, and is at least as thought-provoking as the earlier interviews are. 

 

For the individual reader this is a book which challenges in terms of what we believe, and in some cases why we believe it. For example whether parts of how we believe and therefore act are down to cultural and historical influences.  This is also an insightful look into the wider spiritual landscape around us and what we can learn from it whether in terms of deepening our own faith and better understanding it, or understanding those who think differently to us, and how we can connect with them with respect. 

 

I found this a difficult book to read, certainly much of the first half, but it’s one I will return to, asking God to help me to listen better.  ‘Am I a Christian?’ Jacci asks the reader.  Yes, I believe that I am.  Though very much a work in progress.  

First published in Together Magazine, May/June 2021 Issue

9780745981017, Lion Books, June 2021

That Sounds Fun - Annie F Downs

March sees the UK publication of That Sounds Fun: The joys of being an amateur, the power of falling in love, and why you need a hobby.  You might immediately discard this as being lightweight, fluffy, and not particularly relevant.  But you would be wrong. This is one of the most powerful books I’ve read for some time. 

 

In 2018, author, podcast host, frequent flier, and conference speaker Annie Downs felt God saying to her that the next autumn she needed to be off the road, staying at home.  Despite that usually being her busiest time of the year, she decided to obey that inner voice.

 

‘As I write these words (in 2019)’ says Annie early in the book, ‘here I am: grounded. All I want to do is slam my computer shut and escape. My mind started dreaming of all the places I could run to and drive to and fly to and be right now. All the other places but HERE. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that even if I did run away, there is no getting away from my insides. It’s as if the sadness has taken residence, and it’s not going to be left behind just because I leave.

And leaving isn’t an option right now anyway.’

 

Wow, how would she have known as she wrote these paragraphs just how many of us this would apply to.  How many of us would feel as though our fun was abruptly taken away, and instead of fun our worries would grow enormously.  How many of us would face big losses of all kinds.  When God grounded Annie – at a time she could have said ‘not yet, Lord, I’m having too much fun travelling to stop right now – He knew exactly what he was doing.  By grounding Annie early, he encouraged her to write a book which is hugely encouraging for all of us who’ve subsequently been grounded.  I asked her a few questions about her focus on fun, and its significance in her life and ministry.

 

What made you start asking people what they do for fun, and why? Why did fun become such an important part of your life?

 

I think fun has always been a core part of my life. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I looked around and realized the same thing wasn’t the case for most of my friends. So I guess it wasn’t that it suddenly grew in importance to me, it’s that I realized it was neglected by a lot of people around me. I decided to start asking my podcast guests what they do for fun because I wanted the listeners to hear a variety of answers, but I also wanted the guests to walk away thinking about fun in their own lives.

 

You talk about needing to laugh in the midst of tragedy, about needing to still find fun, and you talk about it not being 'light and breezy'. What do you mean by that? Is there a link between hope and fun, do you think?

 

Absolutely! When you are having fun, genuinely experiencing something that you would label as fun (even if it wouldn’t necessarily bring fun to everyone else), it reminds you of what COULD be, it lifts your spirit and gives you hope that there are still very good things going on in and around us.

 

'Fun' is sometimes almost used as a negative word.  What makes fun important rather than frivolous?

 

There’s a certain misunderstanding that fun is childish and fun is frivolous. I would disagree with that, obviously, because I think fun is actually a gateway to honesty, to hope, to connection. It isn’t more serious than its name, it’s just more powerful than it is given credit for. To have fun is to allow yourself to be vulnerable and laugh, to connect with the people around you, even if just for a second (like on a roller coaster), and remember other times when life was like THIS, whatever THIS is. Fun is important because it reminds us there is more to life than the serious things.

 

Do you sometimes think we expect too much from fun? How do we keep it uncomplicated? 

 

Absolutely. We expect too much from fun when we think it will be the freedom we’ve looked for or the rescue we need or the release we’ve waited on. Fun can be a part of all of those things, but not the fullness of them. We can’t ask fun to fill in a gap that was only meant to draw us closer to God. As they often do, experiences make for poor heroes, poor rescuers, and poor gods. But fun is great for exposing what matters most to us, what brings us joy, and what we long for and miss. We can seek fun and have fun while not expecting fun to be our God.

 

I found the idea of 'being an amateur' interesting. In a world where achievement is so important, how can we feel ok about 'just doing' and not necessarily 'achieving/going pro'? 

 

I actually still believe achievement is important, it just isn’t the ONLY thing and doesn’t have to be accomplished in every area. If we treat everything like a hobby, we become excellent and professional at nothing, and I’m not sure that’s a good use of this one life we’ve been given. But if we treat EVERYTHING like we have to be excellent and professional, we stop trying new things, we stop sharing ideas and opinions, and we take all our failures far too seriously.

 

How do you deal with the times when the hoped-for fun doesn't happen, or not right away, such as with your connection with Harvest House? (Note: Harvest House is the home Annie moved into, but took a while to make an emotional connection with.)

 

Time, time, time. Time helps in all things—in healing, in comfort, in connection. It takes time to decorate for Christmas, to cook a meal, to redesign a porch. All that time equals lots of investment. And the more I invested, the more I loved.

 

How do you keep day to day life from swamping fun?

 

It’s a discipline for me, honestly. I look at my calendar every week and literally ask myself, “When are you planning to have fun?” It doesn’t mean spontaneous fun doesn’t show up, it just means that I have lunches with friends planned or a hike outside or time set aside to cross stitch or work on a puzzle. Free time can often turn into chores time or clean-out-the-closet time, but it is good for our bodies, minds, and souls to be intentional about allowing free time to stay free and fun.

 

How do you think people should start bringing fun back into their lives? Is it just about grabbing opportunities when they arise, or a more intentional process? 

 

I think it’s honestly looking at the life you already have and asking yourself, “What is fun here?” Can you identify anything in your life that brings you joy, makes you laugh, surprises you, helps you rest? That’s a great place to start. But practically, if you look at your life and find NO fun in it, start scheduling it in like a meal or a workout. Make a list, think back to your ten year old self and ask that child version of yourself, “What sounds fun to you?” then maybe do what that little voice says. 😊

 

 

Note: for transparency, I was sent an advance copy of this book, but I was not required to write any specific or favourable review. All views herein are my own.

9780800740306, paperback, Revell 

(An extended version of a feature written for the Jan/Feb21 issue of Together Magazine.)

 

 

If I Were You - Lynn Austin

1950. In the wake of the war, Audrey Clarkson leaves her manor house in England for a fresh start in America with her young son. As a widowed war bride, Audrey needs the support of her American in-laws, whom she has never met. But she arrives to find that her longtime friend Eve Dawson has been impersonating her for the past four years. Unraveling this deception will force Audrey and Eve’s secrets—and the complicated history of their friendship—to the surface.

1940. Eve and Audrey have been as different as two friends can be since the day they met at Wellingford Hall, where Eve’s mother served as a lady’s maid for Audrey’s mother. As young women, those differences become a polarizing force . . . until a greater threat—Nazi invasion—reunites them. With London facing relentless bombardment, Audrey and Eve join the fight as ambulance drivers, battling constant danger together. An American stationed in England brings dreams of a brighter future for Audrey, and the collapse of the class system gives Eve hope for a future with Audrey’s brother. But in the wake of devastating loss, both women must make life-altering decisions that will set in motion a web of lies and push them both to the breaking point long after the last bomb has fallen.

* * * * *

 

If I Were You is another book dealing with complicated relationships. It’s a fantastic read and this period is perennially popular.  The story begins with Audrey, a widowed young mother, arriving in America in 1950 to meet her GI husband’s family.  But she is stunned to find her childhood friend Eve is already there and has stolen her identity!  

 

Audrey is a reluctant socialite.  Awkward and introverted, she meets village girl Eve who is her polar opposite, and the girls begin a friendship which will wax and wane through their childhoods and into their adult lives.  We follow their friendship through the 30’s and through the war – which is powerfully described and involving.  The scenes around the returning soldiers from Dunkirk, and in London during bombing raids are particularly memorable.  What happens afterwards, and why, ties directly to the book’s title.

 

Lynn Austen is an expert storyteller and this is a compelling read, dealing with family, friendship, love and loss.  It’s a big book at over 400 pages, but the pace never lets up for a minute, and the story kept me reading well into the small hours!  

 

On the down side, while I understand the use of American words in novels written for a largely US audience, I do find this particularly grates when used in text which is conversation between two English people. I also get irritated by things like references to ‘Westminster Abbey’s spires’, when Westminster Abbey does not have spires.

 

Despite this I would recommend this as a book which has much to offer any reader who likes big and involved stories set in and around the WWII period.

9781496437303, Tyndale House

For transparency, I was sent an advance copy of this book, but I was not required to write any specific or favourable review. All views herein are my own.

 

Mysterious Ways

#ThrowbackThursday

“Mysterious Ways highlights extraordinary moments and everyday miracles.”

I really enjoyed reading this book.  It’s perfect for dipping in and out of, full of stories new and old, long and short, of God’s hand touching people’s lives.  I especially enjoyed the story of the expectant mum who prayed for the young son of a stranger on the day he was involved in a car accident – and many years later welcomed him into her family when he married the daughter she’d been carrying at the time of the crash (The One I Prayed For).  There are many other stories which feel big, like the young man who tried to kill himself by jumping off a bridge, but whose life was saved by a sea lion (Last Leap).  Wonderful stories like Mrs Joseph’s Angel, in which a struggling and depressed young woman temporarily and unsuspectingly becomes the voice of an angel for another sad and lonely person.  And other stories of the ‘meeting angels unawares’ kind such as the specialist mechanic whom a family with a sick RV encountered in a deserted industrial complex.  (About That G In GPS…)

The book is divided into sections such as The Hidden Hand of God (in which is the very moving ‘Block II’), and Animals – God’s special Messengers (Kash, the very last story in the book, is a great one for dog lovers!).

It’s the kind of book which is powerful reading, even though some of the stories are barely two pages long. As well as a perfect book for having anywhere you might only be able to snatch a few moments to read, it would also be a great book to use as part of a devotional programme, or for anyone in ministry looking for sermon illustrations or teaching examples.

A 5* recommended read and a definite keeper for my bookshelves.

Mysterious Ways: True Stories of the Miraculous

Editors of Guideposts

9780800728762, £14.99, Hardback