Wild Bright Hope

Author Various authors
Publisher SPCK £11.99
Format pbk
ISBN 9780281091003

SPCK have invited twelve Christians to tell their stories in this treasure of a book. Each story begins with a photo and a short background about the writer who then goes on to tell about their faith and their struggles along the way. The honesty is humbling, the stories are a privilege to read and the pains and joys are diverse. It is a great insight into the way faith has challenged, disappeared at times and then reappeared. Each story is one of hope – personal hope, community hope as well as hope for the future of mankind and our world. At the end of each chapter there are some challenging questions for us to use if we choose or to use for group discussion. Each story tells about the struggles with faith and how God has made Himself known, sometimes gently, sometimes with the suddenness of a violent storm and sometimes through the gentle support of another. After reading this we can be reassured, if needs be, that God will always be upholding us, even if we feel we are alone. He is loving us always and wants the very best for each of us His children. It is for each of us grasp that belief, especially in these challenging times. Read and treasure this book.

Reviewed by SUE PIPER

Lent

Searched Me Out and Known Me: Journeying Lent with the Psalms

Author Charlie Bell
Publisher DLT £12.99
Format pbk
ISBN 9781915412782

Charlie Bell enthuses about the Psalms and their influence on him as a chorister. In his Preface he introduces the themes of renewal and change through an opportunity to do ‘some of the deep thinking and re-situate ourselves within the divine life to which we are called.’

Although this is arranged as a Lent book and the chapters are set out and labelled from Ash Wednesday through the Sundays of Lent to Holy Week and Easter Day, it is a valuable general resource for individuals and groups. It enables reflection to reflect on the significance of a Psalm and a linked Gospel text which refer to their liturgical setting, but have a significance for any context in which to pause and consider the meaning of words we are very familiar with using but may not have delved into more deeply: forgiveness, repentance, identity and relationships, holiness, belief and trust and the nature of waiting.

It is quite unusual to pair up Psalms and Gospel readings in quite this way adding a commentary and then discussion options if needed. This is immensely helpful as a way into meditating on how our faith connects us to the world and inspires us to dwell on ways through the busyness and contradictions we journey in as we move in a timetable imposed on us by the way life is.
Having sung in church choirs for most of my life, the words of the Psalms from the Book of Common Prayer have unconsciously taken root in my vocabulary of faith. So I may be biased in favour of this book, but I would really recommend it as a fresh, invigorating and challenging way to ‘Hear the words of joy, faith, hope, and love, and realise they are spoken to you and to the whole world.’

Reviewed by ROSEMARY WALTERS

Lent

Doorways to Hope

Author Christopher Chapman
Publisher Canterbury £12.99
Format pbk
ISBN 9781786226099

Subtitled ‘Reflections on hope for challenging times’ this book has all the nuts and bolts needed for a personal Lent companion: forty short chapters, each starting with a well-chosen scripture passage or poem and concluding with suggestions for reflection and action. A format for group study is also given.

In the way we open twenty five doors in an Advent calendar here we have forty doors of Hope for Lent. Whether we are beset by personal troubles or overcome by the struggles of the world we live in, we will find doorways to hope here, for ourselves and to share. The author says in his introduction that everyone partakes of a book as they see fit. Whilst acknowledging the reader’s freedom to do this, he does suggest that the one who is tempted to skip forward should take a lesson in slowness. Even concentrating on, focusing on, one sentence each day can bring hope and blessing…and revelation.

From the initial chapter ‘When things fall apart’ to the conclusion of ‘Easter hope wakes once more’ we are led forward to resurrection with the potential for ever increasing hope. This is indeed a book to savour as it allows God to work in us.

Reviewed by LIZ PACEY

Lent