"Discern" (Mark E. Thibodeaux)

TITLE: Discern: Listening for God's Whispers
AUTHOR: Mark E. Thibodeaux
PUBLISHER: Chicago, IL: Loyola Press, 2024, (100 pages).
 

How do we listen to God? The Bible tells how Elijah could distinguish God's voice from the earthly elements of earthquake, wind, and fire? In a busy distraction-filled world, how do we discern God's leading? Based on the teachings of St Ignatius of Loyola, author Mark Thibodeaux leads us through the two key Ignatian themes: Consolation and Desolation. Consolation is feeling uplifted, peaceful, and connected to God. Desolation is a state of emptiness, restlessness, or inner turmoil. The way of discernment is the way of consolation over desolation. Each page comprises a subject to think, ponder, and pray about. Presented with a brief and concise description, the empty spaces let the subject percolate through our minds and encourage us to pray. We learn to distinguish listening to God versus listening to other voices of distraction. This requires fine-tuning our spiritual senses. It puts the being before the doing. Listening helps us detect the forces pulling us away or toward God. Each page shows us how to recognize the tensions between consolation and desolation. This includes questions to challenge ourselves. Discerning desolation are questions like: 

"Deep Reading" (Rachel B. Griffis, Julie Ooms, & Rachel M. De Smith Roberts)

TITLE: Deep Reading: Practices to Subvert the Vices of Our Distracted, Hostile, and Consumeristic Age
AUTHOR: Rachel B. Griffis, Julie Ooms, & Rachel M. De Smith Roberts
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2024, (240 pages).
 

Recently, there has been a swath of books about reading, good reading. Since Mortimer Adler's classic on "How to Read a Book," there has been various additions from various authors like Robert Alter, Jeffrey Bilbro, Harold Bloom, Susan Gallagher & Roger Lundin, Alan Jacobs, Karen Swallow Prior, Jessica Hooten Wilson, etc. This book is a compelling addition to this library of excellent perspectives on reading. It is a treasure to behold. The key thesis in this book is that reading is a powerful mechanism for spiritual formation. Before embarking on this journey, there are three major impediments to overcome: Distraction, Hostility, and Consumerism. The way to achieve deep reading is to adopt practices to subvert these three vices. Otherwise, we become vulnerable to the ills of technology, adopt superficial reading, and lose the opportunity to grow the virtues of good reading. This book asks and probes not just the things we read but also questions surrounding who we are, why we read, and how we are reading. In other words, readers will not only be reminded about the need for deeper reading skills, they will recognize how modern culture is impacting general reading habits. These are warnings to be heeded wisely. We ignore them at our peril. The authors ask some poignant questions such as:

"Signals of Transcendence" (Os Guinness)

TITLE:  Signals of Transcendence - Listening to the Promptings of Life
AUTHOR: Os Guinness
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2023, (132 pages).
 

How do people find faith in God? What led them to recognize the divine presence in their lives? Why do people believe in God? Respected author Os Guinness tells us that it all boils down to positive responses toward divine promptings. These promptings come in many different forms. A lot of us might be expecting amazing signs and wonders happening in the terrestrial heavens or the skies above. Truth is, things often happen amid the ordinary circumstances of life. Sometimes, it occurs in periods of immense crises. "There must be something more to life as we know it." This is the basic question to gear one up toward anticipation of something bigger than ourselves. As people become more inward-looking, society is in need of people to have an outward-looking mindset. Lest we become a nation of self-loving, self-indulgent, and self-centered people. Ironically, the first step toward being more other-centered is the right perspective of oneself. The fundamental questions asked by Guinness all revolve around self-awareness and self-discovery: "Who am I? Why am I here? What is life all about?" I believe everybody asks one or more of these questions from time to time. If not, they would have been prompted in some ways, in what the author entitles, "signals of transcendence." For the Irish, these are "thin places."

"Peaceful Discipline: Story Teaching, Brain Science & Better Behavior" (Sarah R. Moore)

TITLE: Peaceful Discipline: Story Teaching, Brain Science & Better Behavior
AUTHOR: Sarah R. Moore
PUBLISHER: St Paul's, MN: Beaver's Pond Press, 2022, (292 pages).
 

Taking care of children is challenging. Disciplining them is even harder. For some, it is utterly impossible. Ask any parent and they will quickly tell you about their agonizing stories. For many parents, this will be unsurprisingly familiar, especially when children misbehave or refuse to follow simple instructions. While many in the East will not hesitate to use spanking or some form of physical punishment to instill proper discipline, many of their counterparts in the West prefer the use of verbal and firm instructions. Somehow, the latter might admit privately how they wish they could "hammer" their kids when they are at their wits' end. Author Sarah Moore confesses how her anger had taught her to be gentle, which provides the starting point for this very book: Using non-physical strategies to inculcate better behavior. She calls this process "Peaceful Discipline." Interestingly, her anger rose not from her own kids but from her pediatrician! Rather than to let anger wear her down, she decides to channel this into learning moments. That is her basis for "story teaching" that helps children do four things: Observe, Listen, Research, and Try. She shares about the common storytelling strategies adopted in many cultures around the world. The reason why such strategies work is simply because it is how human beings learn and behave. She takes an additional step to assert how story-teaching is different from story-telling. The former is preventative (preparing), in the moment (grounding), and restorative (redeeming). 

"Learning Our Names" (Sabrina S. Chan, Linson Daniel, E. David de Leon, and La Thao)

TITLE: Learning Our Names: Asian American Christians on Identity, Relationships, and Vocation
AUTHOR: Sabrina S. Chan, Linson Daniel, E. David de Leon, and La Thao
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2022, (240 pages).
 

"Chinese names are harder to remember. Take an English name." This is a common comment made by Westerners when they try to pronounce a Chinese name. Often, they mispronounce. This makes the title of the book quite identifiable among many Asians in Western society. For Asians who immigrated to the West, it might be a culture shock at most or an inconvenience at least. For those who grew up as natively, it is a way of life. In a book written by Asian Americans for the larger Christian public, we read several stories depicting the constant struggles to find acceptance and recognition in a largely non-Asian culture. The stories are subdivided into three categories:

1. Learning our Stories;
2. Learning our Relationships;
3. Learning our Vocations.

In "Learning Our Stories," each author shares how racialization has impacted them. David de Leon shares his Pilipino upbringing by sharing the history of the Philippines, and how the country was influenced by Spanish powers and American colonialism. He tells us that names not only point to the past but also show us the hope that parents have for the next generation. Sabrina Chan shares her Hong Kong background and how she got her English name through American movies. Linson Daniel's parents hail from India while he was born in Texas, making him a full American citizen both nationality-wise as well as culture-wise. La Thao laments about the cultural confusion happening even within her own family. Her parents' Hmong upbringing over parenting matters conflicts with the Western parenting advocated by American sitcoms and popular cultures. One of the major emotional conflicts has got to do with the different expressions of love. 

"A Woman God's Spirit Can Guide" (Alice Mathews)

TITLE: A Woman God's Spirit Can Guide: New Testament Women Help You Make Today’s Choices
AUTHOR: Alice Mathews
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Discovery House Publishers, 2017, (224 pages).

One big question that often pops up for anyone is this: "What is God's will for my life?" In evangelical circles, one might have heard people say things like: "I heard God spoke to me" or "God told me this" or "God told me that" and so on. We are not sure exactly how those conversations between the divine and the human transpire. We are not even given a lot of details when we read Scriptures talk about how God communicated with Moses, David, Samuel, Mary, and the Early Church. Yes, there are cases of angels and voices from heaven. How can we listen more intently; hear more clearly; and understand more succinctly? Even if we have heard God's tones through various circumstances, what does it take to sustain this level of spiritual sensitivity? How could we verify the authenticity of such voices? Is there a biblical pattern we can learn from? How does God guide the New Testament women? Writing particularly to women as the audience, experienced Bible teacher Alice Mathews fills in some guidelines as to how God could guide, in a world of noise, distractions, and deceitful attractions. She helpfully distills over 12 different examples of how God leads women in the Bible. Along the way, readers would learn about women in ministry leadership; through both their abilities and disabilities; strengths and weaknesses; and especially their obedience; one step at a time.

"God is Stranger" (Krish Kandiah)

TITLE: God Is Stranger: Finding God in Unexpected Places
AUTHOR: Krish Kandiah
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2017, (352 pages).

Who is God like? Is He friendly that we could hang out a beer like a buddy? Is He like what some Christians like to call "Daddy" affectionately like a little kid hugging his father after a birthday party? Do we look at external signs of God before letting our guard down? Things like seeing God's character based on our encounters with different people on earth. Like if we mix around with people who say that God is always harsh and merciless, we might end up with a perspective of God being judgmental all or most of the time. If we see God drawn as one giving teddy bears to kids, we might say Jesus is a warm and loving man who cares for little children. Truth is, many of us prefer to see the softer and kinder side of God more than anything else. The big question before us would be: Who is God as described in the Bible? For author Krish Kandiah, God is often stranger than we might think. Familiarity breeds contempt especially when it clouds our sense of discernment, letting our presumptuous past define what we see or perceive. There is mystery. God appears to people when they least expected it and turned their world upside down. Quoting Dennis Covington, this book revolves around this statement: "Mystery is not the absence of meaning, but the presence of more meaning than we can comprehend."

"Movies are Prayers" (Joshua P. Larsen)

TITLE: Movies Are Prayers: How Films Voice Our Deepest Longings
AUTHOR: Joshua P. Larsen
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2017, (208 pages).

According to the Motion Picture Association of America, global box office revenue for films released in 2016 reached $38.6 billion and $11.4 billion in US/Canada markets. The numbers continue to grow especially with the rising popularity of online streaming mechanisms and more affordable data plans. Movies too are increasingly being used as a platform for self-expression and a general reflection of cultural nuances. Author Josh Larsen believes that movies are actually prayers in disguise. This may seem surprising for some people. After all, aren't prayers something religious that are covered only in Christian films or Church-based activities? How can movies in secular society be considered prayers? The key belief is that underneath the various movies expressions, if we look carefully enough, we can find the deep yearnings of the human heart expressed in various aspects of the movie. By combining film criticism and theological reflection, we get what Larsen calls: "Movies are Prayers."

Without ignoring the profit-making nature of movie making, the hype that surrounds huge stars, and the rotten tomato ratings, Larsen helps us probe inside, dig deep, float up, and reveals how movies contain many different forms of prayers. Taking a leaf from the psalms, prayers are essentially the different expressions of the human longing for a relationship with the divine. No matter how we may try to hide it, prayers are something so natural in us that they will come out of us sooner or later in life. In this book, we learn about how movies are increasingly popular platforms to bare the longings of the human soul. We learn of nine different such longings:

1. Prayers as Praise
2. Prayers of Yearning
3. Prayers of Lament
4. Prayers of Anger
5. Prayers of Confession
6. Prayers of Reconciliation
7. Prayers of Obedience
8. Prayers of Meditation and Contemplation
9. Prayers as Journey

"A Spirituality of Listening" (Keith R. Anderson)

TITLE: A Spirituality of Listening: Living What We Hear
AUTHOR: Keith R. Anderson
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2016, (208 pages)

God has revealed himself and is still revealing more today. The question is: Are we listening? In this book, author and President of Seattle School of Theology and Psychology, Keith R. Anderson shows us that life is meaningfully sustained with listening. We all have lots to learn about listening. It is not about hearing words but the meaning the hearing entails. In order to listen well, one needs to be able to love the beauty of words, sounds, and stories. Listening well comes with cherishing the relationship in the first place. It means learning to spend time in the presence of God, not just waiting for audible voices. Anderson calls it "resonance" which is not simply an "echo" but a "complex point and counterpoint." In other words, listening is not passive receiving but active engagement. Such engagements can be in the form of questions for the self and moments of reflections.

We learn about listening to creation and the things that God has created. If we listen well, we do not simply see the good in things but the greatness of God that these created things testify. We see the extraordinary amid the ordinary. As we grow in listening, we also grow in wonder. We are more attentive to the normal things of life, and learn not to take things for granted. Even the act of reading can be a form of listening. He points out some of the flawed ways we read that we do nowadays that inhibit good listening.

• We use our mind alone to analyze rather than observe;
• We read in order to confirm our own ideas rather than to learn
• We read critically to respond rather than to appreciate
• We read quickly to get answers rather than to understand the author
• We read for personal gain rather than for edifying others
• We read in order to form views rather than relationships...

"Sacred Compass" (J. Brent Bill)

TITLE: Sacred Compass: The Way of Spiritual Discernment
AUTHOR: J. Brent Bill
PUBLISHER: Brewster, MA: Paraclete Press, 2012, (208 pages).

Spiritual discernment is often talked about but rarely lived out. It is about sensing God's presence and guiding hands, rather than forcing our own ideas into a I-know-what-is-best mentality. Using a compass as a metaphor for spiritual discernment, Bill makes us realize that our deepest desires to find meaning and purpose for ourselves, stem from our attentiveness of our inner compass to God. It makes us sensitive to God's direction and to discover not simply a path we ought to go, but to discover God himself. Along the way, we become more self-aware and more God-aware.

Beginning with the famous Quaker-phrase, "As way opens," Bill describes the differences between a tourist and a pilgrim. Pilgrims recognize that the spiritual life is a long journey. It is an expedition of continuous learning from others. As one cultivates trust in God, one learns to see God in the many details. They travel together. Pilgrims let their lives speak to one another, that in the process of trying to discern one's own path, one helps others to discover both their paths as well a their uniquenesses. It teaches us to develop attentiveness. Learning becomes transformative, and one then learns to lead others in their journey too. The leadings come in many ways. It is patient. It is persistent. It is creative and beautiful. It is both calming and exciting. However, all of these leadings need an acute sense of testing whether they are from God. Bill provides seven helpful ways to test. He also provides some spiritual disciplines we can adopt to sharpen our awareness.

What is also helpful is how Bill brings out the dangers of the dark side. We need to discern whether the valleys are in fact mere spiritual dryness or some warfare. The former we need to cling on to God's promises. The latter we hang on to God's strength.  Bill provides tips on how we can still maintain that compass direction in spite of dark times. Some traveler's aids are listed for the benefit of readers, and excites readers about the dance of heaven on earth.

I appreciate this book a lot for its clarity. Five things strike me powerfully. First, the whole is greater than the sum of all its parts. Sometimes, we tend to highlight only one part of our lives over the rest. That is wrong. As pilgrims, we are not to base our lives on some highlights or high periods of positive experiences. Pilgrims travel the entire journey, and let the whole journey tell the full story. Second,  it is about God, not us. For those who are experiencing spiritual fatigue, it is an apt reminder that whatever we do or not do, does not change God's love for us. Third, even in dark moments, we can still learn spiritual discernment. Good spiritual discernment happens at all times, not only during feel-good moments. Four, the tools and tips provide readers an arsenal of resources to use. At times, when we feel like we have run out of ideas or resources, this book not only provides additional ideas for us to contemplate and put into action, but also to cast new light on old tools. One example is the way to "listen deeply." Most of us talk about the importance of listening. Bill's wide repertoire of listening pointers help us to listen beyond ourselves or our own needs. We are urged to engage in community sensitivity in listening. We are encouraged to listen for movements that benefit others, even when it does not lead to any direct self-benefit. More importantly, listening is putting the interests of others above our own. Finally, I enjoy the leading chapter of the book. It is not just about spiritual leadership. It is about true leaders are those who have been lead in the first place. The essence of leadership is about listening to God, and to lead like Jesus has led. Leading is learning. It is waiting when it is the time to wait. It is moving when it is time to move. It is gathering when it is time to gather. The interesting thing is this. True discernment is not about leading forth like a spiritual Rambo. True discernment is being led by the Holy Spirit to go to any place, willingly and joyfully, even to places we do not want to go. Above all, pilgrims on the spiritual journey will not be too caught up with what to do, where to go, who to meet, or how to go about the travel. They will be utterly content, knowing that it is God who is their traveling partner all the way.

This is an excellent guide for spiritual discernment.

Rating: 5 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book is provided to me free by Paraclete Press without any obligation for a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

"Bringing Jesus to the Desert" (Brad Nassif)

TITLE: Bringing Jesus to the Desert (Ancient Context, Ancient Faith)
AUTHOR: Bradley Nassif
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2012, (144 pages).

Interest in desert spirituality continues to grow, with more people getting dissatisfied with contemporary offerings. New age spirituality, motivational talks, and all kinds of technological advancement are still deficient when it comes to plain, down to earth spirituality. There is much to be learnt from the desert fathers of old. Even as many modern folks tend to see old stuff being old-fashioned and backward, when compared to all the scientific prowess and technological advancements of late, wisdom proves to be something that science and technology badly lacked, and sorely needed. In this book, Bradley Nassif brings together a few of the more prominent desert fathers. The main conviction of the author is that there is much profound truths to be learned from these desert monks that can be applied to modern life. Instead of giving us raw primary sources, Nassif compiles them and categorizes them conveniently for modern eyes and ears.

A) Six Monks and One Nun

Like the short pithy sayings of the desert fathers of old, Nassif compiles this book into a relatively brief 144 pages long offering. One can easily expand the book with lots of commentaries, illustrations, and sayings, but the point of the brevity is that wisdom does not need multiple words of sophistication. It simply requires a simple and willing heart. This is what truth often comes across. Truth that begins with recognizing how the desert fathers and desert mothers intentionally flee from the ways of the world to seek God purely, without being entangled by the cares of the world. The desert offers such a retreat and solace from the world. The desert becomes a new form of "Holy Land" for a holy people of God, seeking to live more fully and more holy for God. More specifically, it is about a group of people seeking union with God. In fact, the new desert community created a new form of church that is different from the institutional church then during the fourth century in a post-Constantine era. Like Moses driven to the wilderness after killing an Egyptian, Makarios was falsely accused of something he did not do, which I elaborated later in great detail about how faithful God is in absolving him.  There are stories of spiritual discernment, of the practice of the Christian virtues of humility, patience, kindness, and endurance of all kinds of suffering.  The latter case is most pronounced when Nassif deals with the group of desert fathers called the Stylites. Simeon of Stylite practices a very radical form of discipleship, inflicting physical pain on himself as a form of extreme penance.

Then there is Pachomius who helps to banish any notion of monks being solely a solitary and hermit life. While Anthony is a 1st century hermit, this 12th Century saint builds up a new community called the cenobitic community, where monks come together to share, to work, and to live together. The establishment of the world renowned Benedictine movement in the Western Church owes largely to the work of Pachomius.

Not all the monks are male. Thankfully, Nassif inserts a desert mother called Melania. In a largely patriachal Arab culture, it is hard for women to rise up the ranks of religion and spirituality. This highly regarded 4th century nun is both a wise giver and a Bible lover. Known for her family wealth by the powers then, she is most known by her wisdom and deep knowledge of the Bible in religious counsel.  Melania's life is a classic testimony of learning voluntary poverty and generous philanthropy.

Closing Thoughts

Like the Jewish culture, these desert fathers are well known for their stories and wisdom associated with them. They are people who obeyed Scriptures to the letter. They lived out as close as possible the prescriptions in the Bible. In doing so, their years of hard pursuit of God and the strict disciplines have turned them into spiritual guides, counselors, and wise men for the rest of the society then. Nassif makes various references to both the ancient desert monks as well as modern writers such as Darrell Johnson. This explicit reference is for the benefit of the reader who are unfamiliar with the names.

Beginning with the Anthony of Egypt, also called the Patriarch of the Desert, Nassif gives a brief biography of this humble man, and tells of how one life can impact thousands of people, even today. Both the Western and Eastern flavours of Church look to Anthony with much respect. Then there is Makarios of Egypt who is a major player in making Sketis the "Heart Land" of Egypt in the fifth century.

This book will inspire modern readers that the way forward in the future involves a lot of learning from the past. Not only that, the quality of spirituality is deep and wise. Though the teachings are simple, there are profound. Modern believers who want to grow can take a leaf from the wise experiences and teachings of the desert spirituality. I warmly commend this book to anyone seeking to start a journey through desert spirituality. After all, in our land of technological advancement and scientific progress, there is a deep hunger for something more basic: Food for the heart. The desert is a rich buffet full of wise teachings. Learn from them. Thanks Nassif!

Ratings: 4.8 stars of 5

conrade

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This book is provided to me free by Zondervan and NetGalley without any obligation for a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

"Discerning the Voice of God" (Priscilla Shirer)

TITLE: Discerning the Voice of God: How to Recognize When God is Speaking
AUTHOR: Priscilla Shirer
PUBLISHER: Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers (new edition), 2012, (224 pages)

The book is a revised version of the very popular book about listening to God, recognizing God's voice, and to be reminded on the ways of God in guiding us. It is written in a very conversational and personal style which makes it easy reading. It invites the reader to eavesdrop on a conversation, and in the process learn a tip or two about what to do and what not to do with regards to discerning the voice of God. It is important to note that this book is about growing, and not about getting all the answers we need about spiritual discernment. Using biblical references, and several quotes from some popular writers on spirituality, Shirer is able to tell stories about how the various methods are practiced. She poses some practical questions of faith and doubt that many believers typically as. Her understanding of the anxious heart is clearly expressed which is one reason why this book is popular. Some of her reminders seem like evergreen spiritual notes for all believers.

• Have we become hard of hearing?
• Are we too impatient to wait for God?
• Too busy for God?
• Forcing God to toe our schedules?
•  ...

Shirer teaches discernment through recognizing the different ways in which one can discern the voice of God. Readers can trust God to persevere in reaching out to them. They can trust God to be persistent. When there are challenges placed before them, it may be God communicating an important truth that can only be done that way. Shirer even brings in the key lesson of Job, in that what Job has benefitted is not the answers to the world's biggest question on suffering or the most pressing question about life. What Job himself has learned is a real experience of knowing God.  This is what this book is trying to bring about.