Mr. Midshipman Hornblower

My husband and I watched this series years ago, and he has read all the books. We own all of them and the series, but I have never read them. He is rereading (retirement has upped his reading), and I thought I would join along (like he did when he saw that my son and I were both rereading Narnia).

It is a swashbuckler with many action scene of ware described. My husband says that the later books get into more dialogue. I will still rewatch the series with my husband (I gave it to him for a Christmas long ago), but I think this first book in the series will be my last. I just didn't get into the battle scenes. 

Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith

I read Hillbilly Elegy two years ago, and this was a continuation of his story from atheism to Catholicism. I found it very compelling. He is very pro-family. I loved that. He has some very compelling arguments. He got a bit political about 3/4ths of the way through the book, but then he got back to faith toward the end, and I would recommend this book. I am not catholic, but I practice so much that the catholic church has practiced for a very long time that seemed to get lost in the Reformation and Evangelicalism. I love that. 

With: Reimagining the Way We Relate to God

I am doing a simple book review because for some reason, Google has given a "warning" for my last two posts on this book, and I still cannot figure out why. Many years ago, they said my BIBLE BOOK CLUB once had offensive content, and I never knew what they were talking about then either. 

With is a simple book. It talks about how most followers of Jesus have four different "postures" toward God:

1. Life Under God - Obey rules to control outcomes (Think the cult of the Duggar family)
2. Life Over God - Rely on divine principes rather than relationship
3. Life From God - supplier of spiritual goods
4. Life for God - Pursuers of mission, achievement, or purpose for God, often leading to burnout when identity is tied to usefulness. (This is the camp I deal with a lot in spiritual direction.)

The posture God longs for is a relationship WITH Him. Amen. The enemy has really messed with people's minds because this should be really obvious, but it is not for most people. So sad. 

That is all I will write for this. For a more extensive review, please just read my other post that has the "Warning" on it. It goes into more detail, but I am so afraid even this one is going to get a warning on it too. This is so silly. 

7 Days with Teilhard de Chardin

This is my second time through. Loved it again.  

Previous Review is HERE.

"Lord, lock me up in the deepest depths of your heart; and then, holding me there, burn me, purify me, set me on fire, sublimate me, until I become utterly what you would have me be, through the utter annihilation of my ego." 

Not the annihilation of myself, but that protective walled-off ego that keeps me from my true self.  

Amen!  

Holy Disruptor: Shattering the Shiny Facade by Getting Louder with the Truth

I never watched this show, but I have had directees who were related to the IBLP (Institute in Basic Life Principles) and had terrible experiences. I found her memoir compelling. I had read her cousin Jill's too. I believe that IBLP is a cult. It is not the way of Jesus. 

 The part where she confronts her cousin Josh about molesting four of his sisters and a babysitter, and the sick smile on his face. That says it all. 

You GO Amy!

Heart Speak: A Visual Interpretation of Let Your Life Speak

This book was recommended to me in late 2024, but I finally got around to reading it in 2026.

I love Parker Palmer's Let Your Life Speak, and this book captures all the essential points in the book. 

I highly recommend it. One of my spiritual direction trainers gives it to high school students as a graduation gift. Great idea! 

Psalms for Praying: An Invitation to Wholeness

I have such mixed feelings about this book. I have spent many summers in the Psalms. I thought I would try this version that my first spiritual director, Sister Joan, would use to open our sessions. I have often used Psalm 23 in my sessions with people. It has opened such wonderful conversations with my directees.

But, some of the Psalms are so off base. So far removed from what the psalm is actually saying. It is as if she had a bee in her bonnet about some issue, and she wanted to put it into the psalm.

Also, she had trouble saying that God is KING. She would use another word that really did not deliver what the psalmist was saying. 

What is wrong with saying God is KING? 

Yet, there are some paraphrased parts that are absolutely beautiful. 

I don't think I can recommend this book, but I am glad that I went through the whole thing to know this.