Deus Misereatur

A Week in the Life of a Greco-Roman Woman by Holly Beers My rating: 5 of 5 stars It's hard to read the New Testament and attempt to imaginatively transport ourselves into another time and environment, with all of it's unwritten expectations and pressures. It takes some creative fancy, softly putting aside our own situation and cultural packaging as best we can, and reaching into another world. Holly Beers, author and associate professor of religious studies at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California, has taken on the challenge in her brand new release "A Week in the Life of a Greco-Roman Woman." This 176-page soft back is the most recent installment in IVP's "A Week in the Life" series, and it is a fun read! As the title suggests, the chapters unfold over seven days in the life of "Anthia," a young woman, large with child and living in Ephesus. Beers gives her audience a robust story from the inner and outer life of Anthia, drawing ...

Transformational Prayer: A Non-Linear Approach by Zachary F. Carden My rating: 5 of 5 stars I have a secret. Okay, I actually have two. First, the author of this book is a friend of mine. Second, he doesn't know that I picked up his teeny virtual-codex. But when I saw the subject I was intrigued and thought I'd give it a look-over, and I'm glad I did. Zachary F. Carden, Director of Family ministries and an associate pastor at Church of the Apostles in Atlanta, Georgia, compiled this roughly 30 page Kindle-manuscript for himself, and out of his own experience for others. In "Transformational Prayer" Carden is talking about prayer, and using something of a modified version of an old prayer template, ACTS(i) - Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication (intercession). But the whole point of this easy-to-read volume is to come into ACTS(i) from wherever you are at the moment, instead of rigidly following the formula. As the author says repeatedly, start ...