Tuesday, 23 February 2010 by Paul Dubuc.

This book must be among the best of Henri Nouwen’s writing. In it he gives some very deep and penetrating insight into the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) and its illustration in Rembrandt’s painting of the Return of the Prodigal Son. Nouwen shares with the reader the meaning he found for his own spiritual journey in studying the painting; how it illuminated the ways he was like the younger son, the elder son and how he felt called to be more like the father. Readers may see similar parallels in their own lives. This is a very helpful book. My own poster of this painting now hangs on the wall of my study.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Books, Spirituality, Christianity | Print | 1 Comment »

Sunday, 24 January 2010 by Paul Dubuc.

I’ve read many helpful books on spiritual formation in my seminary work, for other classes I have taken, and on my own. I have many more lined up to read. Few that I have read have been more helpful to me than Ben Campbell Johnson’s Living Before God: Deepening our Sense of the Divine Presence. This is one book that I will come back to often. This book had much to say to me about what concerns me most at my stage of life experience. Johnson brings more that 50 years of his own experience in “living before God” to share with his readers in a most personal and engaging way. He shares his life with you, not just his ideas.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Books, Spirituality, Christianity | Print | No Comments »

Saturday, 7 November 2009 by Paul Dubuc.

Bethel Church is putting together another Advent devotional calendar this year and again I was asked to contribute. This is my contribution. I’m looking forward to reading what others have written this year.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Spirituality, Christianity | Print | 1 Comment »

Monday, 19 October 2009 by Paul Dubuc.

I ended September and began October with a three day retreat at The Convent, the venue for a retreat and spiritual direction ministry called “Sustainable Faith” run by David and Jody Nixon. The building is a renovated convent on the grounds of the Vineyard Central Church community in Norwood, Ohio (Cincinnati area). My visit there was a very peaceful and refreshing time for me. On most days my habits of prayer, reading and serious reflection seem on the periphery of each day’s events or fit into the gaps in between. It was good to spend a few days with those things at the center. I had no schedule, no specific agenda, no distractions (unless one counts the wonderful smell of fresh, brewing coffee coming from downstairs in the morning). Dave and Jody are very gracious and grace filled hosts. They have turned this old house into a warm and welcoming place for the weary and wandering soul in need of some solitude. I highly recommend The Convent if you’re looking for such a place.

Since my return, several people have asked me, “how did it go?” or “what did you learn?” I’ve been thinking about that myself, trying to put it in context.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Spirituality, Personal | Print | 1 Comment »

Thursday, 17 September 2009 by Paul Dubuc.

This is a very helpful book. Peter Scazzero draws from many different sources and presents their content in easily digestible form. The issues he deals with are very important ones for any Christian who wants to grow spiritually into the Christlike person that God intended him or her to be. The basic premise of the book is that it’s impossible to be spiritually mature while remaining emotionally immature (though it often does work the other way around). Those who want to grow spiritually must grow and maintain their emotional health. Lacking in this is at the root of the failure of many discipleship models being used in the church today.

After describing the problem and symptoms of emotionally unhealthy spirituality Scazzero gives us as an outline of a life that balances contemplative spirituality (consciously living one’s life in God’s presence) and our daily activity. Following that are several chapters on different aspects of reaching emotional and spiritual health: Accepting and understanding your emotions and understanding your “true self”. Healing the wounds of past experiences that hinder emotional and spiritual health. Dealing with the experience of your life hitting a “wall” in upheavals beyond your own control to remedy and the feeling that life has passed you by. Grieving over past mistakes and losses in life rather than trying to “stuff” them and pretend they no longer matter. The proper place of sabbath rest, recreation and refocusing on God throughout each day. Learning to love well. Developing a “Rule of Life” to help you be more conscious of, and intentional about, your spiritual and emotional growth.

This is a very good book for individuals and groups to spend significant time studying and applying. I also recommend the companion book by the same author, Begin the Journey with the Daily Office for those who have had trouble developing a habit for fixed times of prayer throughout the day. This book is a very good start and follows the themes in Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. Very few people live well on one meal a day (even if it’s a large one). More small meals a day keep your body supplied better. The same is true of time spent with God.

Posted in Books, Spirituality | Print | 1 Comment »

Friday, 27 February 2009 by Paul Dubuc.

Looking for something to read for Lent? I found this one, Bread and Wine: Readings for Lent and Easter, in 2003 and I’m using it again this year.

“For Breadth of scope and depth of insight nothing rivals this collection”, says on the dust jacket. I heartily agree! This collection of readings is the best supplement to Lenten and Easter devotional reading that I have ever used. I’ve never seen such a selection of great authors’ writings between the covers of one book. Each of the 72 selections are about 4 or 5 pages long. They are grouped into 6 sections that form a progression from the Invitation prepare for Easter by seriously examining oneself and following through on the themes of Temptation, Passion, Crucifixion, Resurrection and New Life. There are quite a variety of perspectives represented in these writings. Every one of them will reward the thoughtful reader in different ways. There isn’t a dull one in the bunch. These aren’t shallow “inspirational” writings. They will challenge and encourage, and sustain serious reflection. It’s hard to pick a favorite, but I’d say that Malcolm Muggeridge’s “Impending Resurrection” was the high point. I highly recommend this book.

Posted in Prayer, Books, Spirituality, Christianity | Print | No Comments »

Tuesday, 20 January 2009 by Paul Dubuc.

Dallas Willard’s book, Hearing God: Developing a Conversational Relationship with God, has the most practical, wise and biblically sound reading I have ever done on the subject of divine guidance. It’s a book worth reading over and again for those who wrestle with the problems of how God communicates with us personally: Is it presumptuous to think that God would want to communicate with us directly? Isn’t the Bible an entirely sufficient revelation of God’s will for any and all Christians? What is the relationship between the Bible and more personal forms of communication from God? How do we reliably distinguish the voice of God from our own thoughts and desires? What if something which I believe God is telling me later proves to be mistaken? Willard deals with these issues in very perceptive and insightful ways, not with pat answers and formulas. (Though he does provide one formula at the end of the book, it’s for “living with God’s voice”, not for getting God to speak with us on matters that may concern us.)

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Prayer, Books, Spirituality, Christianity | Print | 2 Comments »

Thursday, 27 December 2007 by Paul Dubuc.

I never tire of reminding people that Christmas lasts twelve days and it takes all of Advent to prepare for it.  More each year I try to observe Advent in the old way, as a time of preparation for receiving Christ anew in to my life. I still enjoy some of the parties and festivity that lead up to Christmas Day, but spiritually I try to keep those in the background and focus more consciously on what the Incarnation (God becoming human in Jesus Christ) means for the world and for me. I’m not always as “successful” as I think that I should be but I’m hardly disappointed and I keep trying. Robert Webber’s book, Ancient-Future Time is a very inspiring description of the ways in which Christians can use liturgical year observances to deepen their faith and open their lives to God’s transforming power. I’ve been using some of Webber’s ideas to guide our “Prayer at Six” meetings during Advent. Here’s a summary: Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Spirituality, Christianity | Print | No Comments »

Monday, 15 October 2007 by Paul Dubuc.

When I was looking around for a devotional topic for last week’s Prayer at Six meeting, I came across the evening devotional for that date (October 8th) in Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening. The 20th verse of the book of Jude exhorts us to “pray in the Holy Spirit.” In this devotional reading, Spurgeon gives his rendition of what this means. First, he characterizes prayer as a two-way relationship with God when he says that, “Only the prayer which comes from God can go to God.” Prayer is a conversation with God, not a monologue. Prayers that are entirely self-motivated have little effect. He then goes on to describe five qualities of praying in the Spirit. We considered the first one at this evening’s meeting: “Praying in the Holy Spirit is praying in fervency. Cold prayers ask the Lord not to hear them. Those who do not plead with fervency, plead not at all. As well speak of lukewarm fire as of lukewarm prayer—it is essential that it be red hot.” This got me to thinking about what fervency means for prayer. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Prayer, Reflections, Spirituality, Christianity | Print | No Comments »

Thursday, 6 September 2007 by Paul Dubuc.

For devoted Christians who struggle with clinical depression, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia this book will be a godsend. The author is a trained theologian and Anglican priest who has experienced these forms of mental illness and anguish first-hand. The title comes from a translation of the last verse of Psalm 88. Subtitled, “A Christian Response to Mental Illness“, the book is not so much a chronicle of her experience as it is one of her effort to find meaning in that experience through her Christian faith. Christians have often experienced suffering in one form or another, but mental illness bears a stigma that makes it a form of suffering that is often borne in secret. In sharing her struggle, the author reveals remarkable insight and courage with a touch of humor. She bravely confronts those who do not understand her experience–from fellow Christians with less than helpful advice to secular psychiatrists who show bafflement or even distain for her religion–even while accepting from them whatever is true or helpful. The only true enemy she has is her illness and its symptoms. She comes through her struggle wounded but transformed by the experience, a whole person, able to find meaning in it in the light of her faith in Christ.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Books, Spirituality, Christianity | Print | No Comments »