Book Description
Human beings are selfish, small-minded, violence-prone savages, civilization is a blight on the earth, and the rising tide of chaos ensures that everything's going to fall apart any day now. Right? Wrong, says Rob Brezsny. In Pronoia Is the Antidote to Paranoia, he declares evil is boring, the universe is friendly, and life is a sublime gift created for our amusement and illumination. This buoyant perspective is not rooted in denial. On the contrary, Brezsny builds a case for a "cagey optimism" that does not require a repression of difficulty, but rather, seeks a vigorous engagement with it. The best way to attract the blessings that the world is conspiring to give us, he insists, is to dive into the most challenging mysteries. This witty, inspiring how-to shows how any reader can become "a wildly disciplined, fiercely tender . . . lustfully compassionate Master of Rowdy Bliss."
Customer Reviews:
I love this book!.......2007-09-30
This is my favorite book, at the moment, to have by my bed and read a random page or two every night. I've always enjoyed reading his horoscopes, and I look forward to them mainly for his unique and fun information and personality. This book is chock-full of that.
It's a real comfort-book to savor like fine wine or dark chocolate, (with no calories!) after a long day.
Enjoy.
To Have and to Give: giddy, hilarious, inspiring and fun.......2007-06-01
This morning I read an excerpt from Rob's book called "Glory in the Highest." It so moved me that I felt inspired to write this as a gratitude gift to him. A client gave the book to me several months ago. It has been a constant joy to me. I love everything about it. The cover pleases me. The title makes me smile. And the contents are tasty treats for the mind, the heart and whatever internal organ is in charge of laughing.
I just had several of my organs removed and spent almost a week on my back. I waited for for a phone call from the doctor with the results of a patholgy report. And dreamed the report I wanted into being. As my sweetheart so often says, "Never surrender your power to the menu" (and yes, thank you, it was great outcome!).
What helped me find the strongest place to do this from? Walking outside. I felt the intense rush of nature, all of it sun, grass, sky, energy from the earth, the trees. Living things, Life itself. The sheer and utter pleasure of LIFE.
The passage in "Pronoia," called "Glory in the Highest" so perfectly reflects the feeling I experienced and the way I still feel...a heady yet grounded blend of gratitude, amusement, enthusiasm, wonder, joy, appreciation and empathy for the poignancy of our adventure trips on planet Us as we learn to be kind and gentle to ourselves, to accept who we are and just be full-tilt humans, in all our wonderful weirdness.
I recommend his book in my hypnosis and coaching practice and to my friends. I thank him for the Divinely on-target and hilarious inspiration in "Pronoia," a light yet deeply satisfying souflee of short, easily accessed pieces blended together in a yummy concoction. Perfect for bedtime reading or refreshing moments throughout the day. Nutty, insightful, gorgeous and lots of fun. Great gift book for yourself or someone you love.
Some of the drops do sparkle!.......2007-05-29
As part of a valiant effort to shake Luddite tendencies, and despite a Credit Card perilously close to being maxed-out, I pressed the buttons to order 'PRONOIA' with the humble intent of making a silent gesture to thank Rob Brezsney for his Free Will Astrology. 'The least I can do is up this guy's sales - even if only by one - to thank him for his freely-shared gift and balance the cosmic scales a bit', thought I! Wrong! Wonderfully wrong! This book is such a rich cornucopia of wild and wondrous Truth - I feel like I'm now even further on the back-foot in this undeclared war - i.e. I'm even further challenged to yet out-bless Mr. Brezsney! Please buy this book to remind yourself of who you really already are! Effortless joy awaits, I promise! I also can't believe the incredibly low cost for a book this rich and voluminous, with every page a life-enriching treasure. And this mere token cost included shipping from half across the world! This book is simply the greatest gift in the whole world to give a friend or loved one, not only because it will look like you've spent a fortune on them, but more importantly because there's no way they won't LOVE it! How do I know this? Because I know there's a part of each of us that longs to simply let go of false-knowledge! The rewards are instant and ecstatically joyful. More than a necessary antidote - it's such a tonic! Brezsney you legend! I WILL get you back! Meanwhile, thanks to you too, good folk at Amazon, for such courteous and speedy service. Best buttons I've ever pressed! '... just a drop in the great blue motion of the sunlit sea ... but some of the drops sparkle ... Some of them DO sparkle'! (T.H. White)
Maybe We Could Just Be Happy.......2007-05-10
What a childish thought: just be happy! Yes, it is, and that is just the point. Few have considered the thought that life may be hard only because we have not really entertained the thought that it could be easy. Even Jesus recognized that we must become like children to enter God's Kingdom. That means childlike, not childish. And what is more childlike than the joyful perception that the universe is fundamentally friendly. If we get the God/world/life we believe in (and quantum research is proving that we do) then why not let a dose of Pronoia help you drop the cynicism and create something beautiful? If you are determined to remain a proud alumni of the "no pain, no gain" school of hard knocks, this is not the book for you. But if you would like to see the world from a fresh perspective, and have fun doing it, buy the book, relax, laugh and turn your world upside down.
Lee & Steven Hager are the authors of
Quantum Prodigal Son: Revisiting Jesus' Parable of the Prodigal Son from the Perspective of Quantum Mechanics
Pronoia; The Antidote For Paranoia.......2007-05-06
The Best book I've ever purchased. Rob Brezsny and The Beauty and Truth Laboratory is entirely infused with anti-cynicism. The truths they have researched and reported in these pages validate what I've always known and give me so much more insight into a way of transforming myself into the person I believe The Universe intends for me to be. It is Buddist in nature, very eastern in its philosophy, and so much more. There are quotes, notes and facts to back every word.
Average customer rating:
- Great Signposts, a Bit Verbose
- Very highly recommended
- This book helped during a very difficult time
- Imperfect but still useful spiritual guide.
- Purification for the Soul
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Fire in the Soul: A New Psychology of Spiritual optimism
Joan Borysenko
Manufacturer: Grand Central Publishing
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Airborne Effervescent Health Formula, Original Orange, 10 Tablets (Pack of 3)
ASIN: 0446670154 |
Customer Reviews:
Great Signposts, a Bit Verbose.......2007-06-07
I recognized many of the stages that we go through in accepting ourselves and seeing past ways that we feel victimized or stuck. There were several gems of "aha" moments throughout the book. However, it is not pithy and direct but more of a slow analytical approach.
Very highly recommended.......2004-07-09
Friends have been telling me for years that I am entirely too pessimistic. With an eye toward changing, I searched the local bookstore shelves a book that presents a balanced spiritual optimism. FIRE IN THE SOUL by Joan Borysenko, Ph.D seemed to meet my needs exactly. Certainly the concept that every difficult experience provides an opportunity for soul growth is not new to me. But Borysenko has a gift for presenting familiar material in a way that is refreshing and revitalizing as she points to the paths that allow the pain of soul making to lead to deep healing.
One of the most profound concepts of FIRE IN THE SOUL is that it is the stories that we tell ourselves that determine how we recover from painful experiences. Pessimism, believing that we have done bad things for bad things to happen, leads to depression and powerlessness. Optimism, accepting that bad things happen to good people but present an opportunity for growth, leads to deep healing. Like one woman in the book states, "This is the role I've been given to play. I'm going to do it as consciously and gracefully as I can."
Personal anecdotes, case histories, and various spiritual readings combine in a powerful tool for healing in FIRE IN THE SOUL. I began working my way through the book several months ago as I underwent a terrible spiritual crisis. As the fires of transformation have burned their ways through my life, Borysenko's confirmation of spiritual truths that I have long held has provided the lifeline needed to endure and even flourish despite profound challenges. Certainly it is an imperfect book, with an over abundance of references aimed to encourage the reader to buy Borysenko's previous book. And many of the concepts are quite familiar. Yet Borysenko's gift for weaving text that speaks to the soul and inspires transformation makes FIRE IN THE SOUL a powerful spiritual tool. FIRE IN THE SOUL comes very highly recommended.
This book helped during a very difficult time.......2003-12-02
I read this book during the recent hospitalization and subsequent passing of my wife. In the course of dealing with death and dying, I experienced what I would call a spiritual awakening. This book helped provide a context for some of what I was experiencing and was actually a source of incredible comfort. I'm in the process of re-reading this book now & again find it helpful and affirming for the spiritual path I now find myself to be on.
Imperfect but still useful spiritual guide........2003-05-29
Much of what J. Borysenko writes is, for me, too "out there" to be accessible (e.g., her chapter on past lives). However, much of what is written here is also extraordinarily helpful to those of us seeking practical steps toward creating a more compassionate relationship with ourselves and with others. If you can read this book with a view to skipping over the more fantastic claims and discussions, then I suspect you will find some profoundly excellent guidance.
Purification for the Soul.......2001-07-27
This book is correctly named. It is an excellent book for those who find themselves feeling sad, depressed or just out of sorts and they can't seem to figure out why. It is helpful for looking at our own shadows and dealing with them in an effective and healing manner.
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Customer Reviews:
The most accessible and realistic author.......2005-01-25
I've just discovered Bruteau and this is the first of her books I read. I read it 3 times in a row, not because it was hard to understand but because of the great clarity and depth of her insights. Now I'm going on to read the others--all so worthwhile. Great for Catholic contemplatives.
Beatrice Bruteau deserves much praise.......2004-03-31
In Radical Optimism, author and philosopher Beatrice Bruteau presents a persuasive argument for the necessity of meditation and comtemplation for the bringing about of a new world view that can truly celebrate the individual and the community. First, Bruteau discusses the concepts of leisure and silence (they are not what we normally think!) as necessary attributes for meditation. In her chapter describing meditation itself, she gives an example that I have found very useful. After discussing meditation, she moves into the both the mysticism and metaphysics of the human condition in relation to the divine. She brings her treatsie to a close by showing how a trinitarian God (One and Many in the same being) allows for the greatest of loves and the salvation of the individual human person and humanity as community.
Dr. Bruteau writes with amazing lucidity and concreteness. Her arguments follow logically and very analytically. I am a scientist, and although I appreciate the need of metaphor for describing the transcendent and love mystical poets like Rumi and Tagore, I really appreciated Dr. Bruteau's down to earth writing. For such complex subjects, Dr. Bruteau's style proved refreshing and easy to follow without ambiguity. Highly recommended.
a stimulating book.......2003-12-08
I bought this book not for the title but because I like the author. And when I started reading about leisure, stillness, meditation, I thought, well it may be interesting, but it is not for me. I don't have time to stand still and meditate, and even less for leisure.
But then, I began to feel concerned when I read for instance, that "the Sabbath is not a time among other times, but the underlying eternity; or that the Sabbath is there to remind us that our deepest reality is not to be identified with our works". I understood that this is something we should keep in mind at all times.
I also felt this book actually concerns me when she defines contemplation as being "not something that is done alongside or before or after our everyday action," but that "Contemplation is what we should be doing at every moment of our life". In other words, contemplation does not stop me from acting but enables me to act with a much more authentic awareness of the reality within which I operate.
Another positive development I found among others, in this book is about the Holy Trinity. Beatrice Bruteau offers some interesting insight on how the concept of trinity may operate as self-giving love, and why the relevant pattern requires at least three persons in order to be operative.
Then she wisely comes back to earth by connecting these highly speculative considerations to everyday life. She is convinced that comprehensive life-giving relationships among us, based on the Trinitarian faith, can gradually turn this world into a communion of saints.
Eventually, the radical optimism which makes the title, comes from the actual belief that if we have the will and a genuine faith in the indwelling Trinitarian God, we will be able to make this happen.
Un undiscovered gem.......2003-03-20
Beatrice Bruteau is a mystical genius. She writes with the authority of a woman who has deep knowledge of Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, and science, and her musings on meditation, stillness, the finite and the infinite are inspired. The section of the "mystery" of evil is alone worth the price of the book--a very timely analysis. Originally conceived as a guidebook for creating a retreat for yourself in your own home, this book goes far beyond the "spirituality lite" produced by many popular authors and will profoundly deepen your understanding of both human and divine nature. A book for the closet contemplatives among us.
a masterpiece..........2002-11-28
This is a work of synthesizing and expressing a deep spirituality out of the forms of the common religious experience of our day-- the writing is both scholarly and touching...a splash of color-- like the flower on the cover-- in world gone blue...highly recommended.
Average customer rating:
- Humorous and Wise
- Outsmarting Your Karma
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Out-Smarting Your Karma: And Other Preordained Conditions
Barry Neil Kaufman
Manufacturer: Epic Century
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ASIN: 1887254048 |
Customer Reviews:
Humorous and Wise.......2003-01-07
One of the quickest ways to describe this book, the presentation is not heavy handed or didactic. The illustrations help make the messages clear without uneeded explanation. Fairly brilliant.
Outsmarting Your Karma.......2000-02-10
Very insightful. A quick reference book on life that can be read over and over.
Customer Reviews:
Half-empty becomes half-full........2007-03-08
Teriffic is an excellent work, in that it chronicles the change of a character's perception of the world through one parrot and one word.
Jon Agee has crafted a wonderful book that certainly lives up to it's name!
A good bad-luck story.......2006-02-24
Eugene expects the worst and usually gets it, even when he wins an all-expenses trip to Bermuda. This picture book follows Eugene as he is shipwrecked on an (almost) deserted island. Eugene's luck changes when he runs into a parrot with some unusual talents. An amusing tale for adults as well as children. This seemingly simple picture book has been highly lauded by book reviewers, librarians, and other children's book experts; I have to admit that while I enjoyed the book, I don't quite understand why it's been so highly lauded. Take a look for yourself and decide... 2006 ALA Notable Book
Every grump has his day.......2005-12-14
From Oscar the Grouch to "Winnie-the-Pooh's" Eeyore, kids are well-acquainted with the nature of grumpy, grouchy, depressed people/animalia. Picture books, however, haven't properly plumbed this rich resource for all it's worth. Haven't, that is, until now. Enter, "Terrific" by Jon Agee. In it, the world's most inaccurate pessimist joins forces with a tropical critter and together the two work up an unlikely friendship. Prior to the publication of this title, Jon Agee's books had been either designer dreamboats of surrealistic fodder (as in "Z Goes Home") or they've been about the unlikely pairings of men and wild creatures (as in "Milo's Hat Trick"). "Terrific" falls squarely into the latter category.
Most people would be thrilled to win an all-expenses-paid cruise to Bermuda. Eugene is not most people. His reaction? "Terrific. I'll probably get a really nasty sunburn". No sunburn is in Eugene's future, but a shipwreck does leave him stranded on a tiny desert island. Once there, he is befriended by Lenny the talking parrot. Lenny can't flee the island due to a bum wing, but he can draw a nifty diagram of the boat he and Eugene can build. Build it they do (with Eugene muttering, "Terrific. I'm going to permanently damage my lower back", all the while) and the two cast off. They are then struck sharply by a rescue ship and arrive in Bermuda. Eugene naturally assumes that Lenny is going to remain with the ship (which he once worked on) but the birdy surprises his new friend by making it perfectly clear that he's sticking by his side. And what does Eugene say without a hint of malice or sarcasm to tinge his words? "Terrific!".
Consistently throughout this book Eugene sarcastically predicts one calamity and then gets walloped by a completely different one. It's funny, but sometimes Agee's pictures are at odds with his story. If you just read this book without looking at it, you might get the idea that Eugene walks around with a permanent frown affixed to his face. On the contrary, our hero is at times morose, lonely, grudgingly pleased, and mildly hurt. Agee draws with a deft hand. Images are crisp, clear, and reduced to their most essential forms. It's enough to make you not wonder too hard where exactly Eugene got the tools to build his desert island boat. Hm.
It's hard not to root with Eugene every step of the way. His down-in-the-mouth approach to life is countermanded perfectly by Lenny. Lenny is, fortunately, not a permanently perky parrot or a bird with incessant platitudes. He's just a forthright guy who knows exactly how to utilize Eugene's strengths to get the two of them off the island. This is a lesson in cooperation without ever striking the reader as fake or saccharine.
"Terrific" seems to mark a new step in Agee's picture book career. This is a book that is far more character-based than his past efforts. The result is that it has won accolade upon accolade. The art is fabulous, the story droll, and the words pitch perfect. If you've a kid with a soft-spot for grump reformation (or, to simplify, if you have a kid) then "Terrific" is a no-brainer choice. Excellent preschool fare.
Book Description
Smudge Bunny is the story of Smudge, Dr. Bernie Siegel's beloved pet rabbit, and her journey to reach their home and family. In recounting her story, Smudge comes to realize that sometimes the paths in life that look like detours are really just different ways to get to where she was meant to be all along. Written at a child's level with warmth and playfulness, the book is a wonderful gift for animal lovers as well, teaching the true spirit of kinship between humans and their pets.
Customer Reviews:
Smudge bunny.......2007-03-11
I highly recommend this book! Beautifully written, easy to read. I am very happy withg this purchase.
A Phenomenal Gift.......2004-04-08
I am thrilled that after all the wonderful gifts of love and wisdom that Bernie Siegel has shared in his books with the adult world, that now children will have an inspiring roadmap to happiness just for them.As a veterinarian I greatly appreciate the special role animals play in Bernie's life, and his love for them comes through beautifully in his writing and superb illustrations. This book teaches children to always look for the gems in life no matter what the challenge, which I consider a profoundly important lesson whether your a kid or kid at heart!! Read this wonderful tribute to a special bunny and you'll enjoy every minute of it!!
I loved this Book!.......2004-03-26
A very touching and heartwarming story that both my children and I could enjoy. This is the best animal book since the Velveteen Rabbit,
Smudge Bunny is a Magical Story of Hope and Love.......2004-03-23
Every child should receive this book in his/her Easter basket. It is a beautiful story of the power of unconditional love, forgiveness and hope. I plan to give it as an Easter present to all the kids in my life....big and little!
Enchanting!.......2004-03-08
Written for 4-8 year-olds, & exquisitely illustrated by Laura J. Bryant, SMUDGE BUNNY is a warm & playful teaching story.
RebeccasReads highly recommends Bernie's endearing, lasting tale of a rabbit who got lost. It will chase away the dark shadows & bring courage & joy to the Reader, no matter how old!
Average customer rating:
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Thought Seeds: Plant Them and They Will Grow
Sue Michie
Manufacturer: Rainbow Books
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ASIN: 1568250983
Release Date: 2005-06-01 |
Product Description
Thought Seeds could be classified as "A Neat Little Book"--only 65 pages. It is written very simply for an easy, understandable, and quick read. Throughout the reading, pauses are taken to work the easy, but knowledge-reinforcing exercises. The exercises consists of fill-in-the-blanks, creating writing, indicating whether a thought is good or bad from a mixed list of thoughts, and search-a-word-puzzles meant to straighten the understanding of positive and negative thoughts. The book introduces young people to the strong and wonderful knowledge of positive thoughts as life building materials. They will learn to examine and analyze their thoughts, to delete bad thoughts, and to save good thoughts. Day-by-day, as the reader works gathering good thoughts and shooing away bad thoughts, realization will dawn on him or her the truth---they have stored within their thinking process an extremely valuable treasure. This treasure contains the building stones for a seemingly magical pathway to the accumulation of worthy knowledge, success, and happiness. Sixty-five pages is all the book has, but those pages are filled with thoughts seeds that will sprout roots and grow as the reader grows into adulthood. The matured positive thoughts will lead the adult through life, making it a successful and a happy one!
Book Description
Today I am Lovable gives young people a fun way to think positively and build self-esteem each and every day. This year's worth of keys to positive growth entertains and inspires while it educates and promotes healthy values. Word games, fun facts, motivational stories, riddles, and affirmations make each day an opportunity to take positive action. Today I am Lovable will motivate young readers with exercises that include
success principles,
communication and language arts skills,
creative thinking,
emotional intelligence,
positive values,
and community and global awareness.
Customer Reviews:
A good Daily Resource for Children and Adults.......2000-09-09
Unlike Ms. Loomans "Lovables" Books this one is geared to older children. It is in a desk calendar-type format with inspirational and multicultural ideas to practice each day of the year. It inpires one to think and do. The ideas are simple enough for a child to follow but thought provoking for adults. I suggest we all have a calendar to remember that each of us, and all we meet are worth the love.
Average customer rating:
- The Case that the Environment is getting better
- great for me
- Generally very silly and misguided
- Finally some relief...
- Excellent large-scale review of environmental issues.
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A Moment on the Earth: The Coming Age of Environmental Optimism
Gregg Easterbrook
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
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Amazon.com
This is a well-documented examination of the effects of human society on the global environment. Easterbrook's conclusion: Things are getting better, not worse. Not surprisingly, this book has generated considerable controversy in many circles of environmentalists and ecologists, and many of his arguments only apply to overly-developed nations. For example, he stumbles badly when dealing with tropical rainforests, completely ignoring the fact that clearcutting in tropical environments leads to essentially irreversible loss of soils and a sterile clay pan. But all in all, I recommend this book highly to everyone interested in the proper interpretation of long-term ecological trends. In my opinion, he is as often right as wrong, and habitual doomsday-sayers would do well to seriously consider and possibly adopt some of his positions on ecorealism.
Customer Reviews:
The Case that the Environment is getting better.......2004-02-03
Highly recommended for serious students of environmental policy. Easterbrook is one of the recognized experts - and founding thinkers - on environmental optimism. Whether you agree with him or not, this is a must-read.
great for me.......2003-12-02
I can see how those who are wrapped up in conservationism dislike this book, it shows them in a terrible light. If you think environmentalists are often histrionic and sanctimonious, you will like this book. If you think environmentalists are protecting what is truly sacred, you will find this book full of misinformed drivel.
Generally very silly and misguided.......2003-12-01
My sense from reading this book is neither that Easterbrook is a purposefully misleading, nor that he is particularly insightful. He is looking for an antitode to negativity that he seems to believe pervades the enrivonmental community.
But whether you agree with his perspective or not, the simple fact is he gets many facts completely wrong, and his arguments are logically flawed. A prime example is the arguments he makes against the need for having regulations on air quality: he points out that the air has gotten cleaner in the US over the last 30 years. Well, yes it has, but BECAUSE of the clean air act, not in spite of it.
There is no reason to be depressed about the environment, but nor is there any reason -- as Easterbrook would have us do -- to ignore it. If you want a balanced view, read the scientific literature, not the quasi-science of an naive journalist.
Finally some relief..........2003-10-18
Finally, there is a realistic view of the world. No longer does society have to feel "guilty" over all that has transpired since mankind began popluating the Mother Earth.
Every museum director in the U.S. should be forced to read Easterbook's book. Perhaps then our children will begin to realize that "man" is not the ultimate destruction machine as routinely promoted by environmentalists. Easterbrook's view is more closely aligned with the average U.S. working citizen..."let's act responsibly in our daily lives, just stop blaming me/us for the end-of-the-world crisis now rampant in the press". Only Easterbrook's widely-known and overused rant against SUV's is misplaced.(As if walking or hydrogen/electric cars will return us to the Garden of Eden).
I'd recommend this book to anyone looking to read beyond the news media's standard menu of "the end is near". While not a conclusive answer to all aspects of our world, it certainly gives a refreshing view to the "paper or plastic?" debate.
Excellent large-scale review of environmental issues........2000-10-09
Easterbrook may make a few errors and his writing style may not suit all, but I found this book to be enlightening and an excellent essay on the big picture in environmentalism today. While any single author is likely to stumble through a few issues when writing a book of this magnitude, I found the basis for his arguements in general to be sound, timely, and interesting.
I would recommend this book for anyone interested in environmental issues.
Average customer rating:
- Very helpful and encouraging
|
The Optimism Factor: Outrageous Faith Against the Odds
M. Blaine Smith
Manufacturer: Intervarsity Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Christian Living
| Christianity
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
General
| New Age
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
Inspirational
| Spirituality
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Theology
| Religious Studies
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0830816380 |
Customer Reviews:
Very helpful and encouraging.......2004-09-13
This is a very helpful and practical book for any Christian who struggles with disappointment, discouragement or failure. Blaine Smith gives some very sound and biblical reasons for optimism that offer encouragement and hope without promoting false promises or unrealistic expectations. Highly recommended.
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