.books
new!
Silence in Ordinary offers the reader a more grounded way to live. It invites us to walk through any given day, regardless of our situation or lifestyle; whether we are a busy professional or have recently stopped work, either because we have retired, or have lost a job, or come to the end of a project. In all of these situations we are tempted to deal with our moods and anxieties by keeping busy and by filling our natural silence with general internal noise. Silence in Ordinary offers a better way by making space for silence in a practical and ultimately fulfilled life.
Re-Building the Ruined Places is a powerful and moving exploration of childhood abuse, experienced in the context of privilege and wealth in the 1950’s and 60’s.
A climate of secrecy prevails at home in fashionable Belgravia, and in the dense religious atmosphere of a convent boarding school. A seemingly indifferent God broods over the suffering in this story. But it is also a story of hope and forgiveness, of faith painfully acquired in the gradual discovery of a Christ who honours the survivor and their memories.
Abuse survivors of every generation will identify with Lorraine Cavanagh’s truthful honesty and with the insights she shares.
What are the fears that govern our lives? Why do we seldom share them with others? World events can seem frightening and overwhelming at times but we tend to internalise our fears rather than seek to understand and come to terms with them. Fear is also rooted in loneliness, the loneliness of the individual and the endemic loneliness of Western society, both of which we try to evade with the help of social media and the private screen worlds we inhabit. Through imaginative imagery drawn from the Christian tradition, In Such Times speaks of the need to re-learn trust in the corporate contexts of both church and world. As its title suggests, it is a book whose time has come.
Begining Again is for those who want to re-visit or return to the Christian faith, not simply as a set of beliefs which they are required to sign up to, but as a truthful relationship with Jesus Christ. The book is especially written for those who may feel that it is too late for that relationship to begin or to be renewed. They may also have been told that there is only one way to be a Christian, a way which no longer works for them, and perhaps never has. Beginning Again is for people who have had to come to terms with life’s bruising experiences, with loss, failure, illness, divorce or bereavement. It is also for those who are entering a new stage on life’s journey. They may have just left home. They may be newly retired or seeking work. They may be beginning a prison sentence. It is a book for anyone who needs to take stock of their life and re-discover what Jesus Christ means for them personally by allowing him to walk alongside them as they remember the past and come to terms with the present.
How can we be restored to God's love? Is there a way back? Many people are put off Christianity by the idea of God punishing his Son for our sins. They find it hard to believe in a loving God who appears to be so angry and vindictive. Many also feel that the things Christians teach, publicly or privately, do not work for them in real life. Making Sense of God's Love therefore addresses some of the difficult questions that these people are asking. It is also for those who may be wanting to return to their faith, and for those who would like to explore it in greater depth. The book aims to create an open theological landscape, which will take account of the many different ways in which we are saved and restored. It is a book that will help everyone find a new understanding of what it really means to live as people who have been forgiven and brought home, through the atoning and redemptive work of Jesus Christ, into an honest and deep relationship with God.
Waiting on the Word is an exploration of the gift of preaching and of becoming an effective communicator – someone who is able to connect with people’s innate desire for God. But it is also more than a book about preaching. In an age of soundbites and information overload, Lorraine Cavanagh believes that we can lose sight of God’s real work in the world. Through waiting on the Word that abides in the preacher’s own heart, and in the hearts of the people, the preacher can learn to speak the deep truth which comes with knowing God and which will teach and inspire. The reader will quickly realise that the same principle holds true for anyone trying to help another person on their spiritual journey.
In regard to preaching, this unique book also gives practical advice for dealing with conflicting emotions, resistance and passive aggression, as well as for improving voice projection and the confident use of space.
As we journey in faith, many of us begin to find God in the context of more than one kind of churchmanship. Even if we feel happy where we are, we may benefit greatly from getting out of our particular church 'comfort zone' in order to encounter God in new ways through Christians whose priorities and styles of worship are at variance with our own. Finding God in Other Christians calls us to a deeper and more compassionate approach to the challenges of diversity among Christians. It addresses issues such as: Are Christians meant to be more than friends?; Jesus Christ as our common identity; Violence between Christians; Radical hospitality; Dealing with difference; The meaning of God among us, and finally, Christians in Christ and for the world.
This is a book for anyone seeking a way out of deadlock in Church conflict situations. In employing a contemplative approach to the conflict in the Anglican Communion, it shows how relationships can be rebuilt with affection leading to trust. The author argues for reconciliation which comes with a renewed awareness of the dynamic activity of the Holy Spirit in the Church’s life of communion. Recent conflicts have blocked this activity, stifling the Church’s intellectual life by reducing it to a matter of issue-driven politics which have seriously undermined its relationships. The book offers the Anglican Communion the possibility of renewing its life together in a deeper and more apophatic encounter with God in which the certainties which divide it are set aside while the Church rediscovers the genuine bonds of affection which, until now, have held it together.
A celebration of the whole of life, coloured by the love of God. The book is arranged according to the ecclesiastical calendar, following the traditional pattern of the Church's year through Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Pentecost and Harvest. Each day has a daily reading, a meditation and a theme for action, which may include things to make, recipes to celebrate feast days, and other suggested ways to put biblical principles into practice in everyday life.
My books focus on Christian spirituality and how to live prayerfully in the world of today. All my books are available on Amazon and through bookshops in the UK.
Click on the title you're interested in to purchase, or click on the Amazon banner above to go directly to my Amazon page.
