“Now your through, you know what your going to do.”

Well it was certainly a milestone and an experience that I will remember for a very long time, however, that doesn’t mean that this was the end of Discernment.

First of all the recommendation I received,  like everyone else, was to begin training for Ordination - there is still a process to follow.

The second, and perhaps most important thing is that Discernment is an ongoing process, one without an end point(well maybe the ultimate end point). Discernment at this point in my journey came to mean an exploration of my sense of calling.

For me, Discernment is an ongoing process of my understanding and accepting who God calls me to be:

• Husband
• Friend
• Disciple
• Brother
• Me

All this seems very simple, I know , or at least think, I know how to be these things and hope to continue being these things in the future. The question is am I being these things to my fullest ability , am I being Me to the Fullest, the Person that God wants me to be at this point in my life?

The same applies to all of us, who are we called to be? Where does God want us at this point in our lives? What does he want us to do?

This is not about radical changes in where we are or what we do, it may be that we feel that we are exactly where we need to be and are doing what we need to do. By stepping back and prayerfully looking at ourselves and where we have been and what we have done we can begin to see God at work in our lives and can be inspired to move forward with what God wants for us.

The other thing in this process is, whilst reflecting back,analysing/thinking and looking forward and planning, remember to Stop. Take some time to enjoy who you are and give thanks that regardless of where you have been, where you will go, what you have done and will do, at this moment in your lives you are You. Beautifully created in the image of and Loved by God for who you are.

Happy Discerning.
dis·cern·ment

n. 1. The act or process of exhibiting keen insight and good judgment.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/discernment

So here it is the first of my Book Lists this list is some of the books that I used for my very first module on my Theology Degree – Beginning Theological Studies. All have proved to be very useful in my studies and hopefully they will be of use to you.

Alister McGrath Christian Theology An Introduction, came highly recommended to me and I would say that it has been one of the most useful books that I have purchased in my studies it covers a wide range of subjects, doctrines and their origins. It isn’t Bed time reading by any means but it isn’t too heavy either and the way it is laid out allows you to dip in and read a chapter or section without getting lost.

£18.13 including Delivery – Click Here

• Beginning Theological Study
• Reflective Ministerial Practise
• Old Testament
• New Testament

On another note if anyone has a book they would reccomend then by all means get in touch and I’ll add it to the list

A bargain at only £12.04 including delivery from the Book Depository

Publishers Description

The Sacraments are clearly intended to focus and unify the church, yet nothing has divided the church so much as the nature of the sacraments and who should minister and receive them. From the early controversy over whether the Jewish sacrament of circumcision was necessary for Christians, through the Donatist schism and the Reformation controversies, down to the ordination of women, division over the sacraments have characterised the church. Even what counts as a sacrament – just baptism and the Eucharist – or five other rites – has proved divisive. This book looks in detail at the two ‘dominical’ sacraments which all mainstream churches acknowledge, baptism and holy communion, whilst also examining the other sacraments of the Orthodox and Catholic churches. Coverage includes general ideas of sacraments and ritual, Old Testament practices, the response of Jesus and the Early Church, the growth of sacramental theology up to the Reformation and since, Baptism, Holy Communion, the rites of commitment – confirmation, ordination and marriage, and rites of restoration – healing and reconciliation. The book concludes by considering whether there are other practices that might be considered sacramental such as deliverance, reverence of icons or preaching.

Click Here to Purchase from the Book Depository

The Oxford Bible Commentary is an exciting new ecumenical verse-by-verse commentary on the whole Bible, including all the books of the Apocrypha, for use by Christians, Jews, and members of other religious traditions, or of none. 1.5 million words long, it has been written by a team of internationally respected biblical scholars chosen for their expertise and ability to communicate rather than for their adherence to any particular faith. Now available in paperback, the Oxford Bible Commentary will provide the one-volume resource for the Bible for the 21st century.

Buy for just £20.08 including Delivery

I am about to start my second year on my Degree in Theology and Minesterial Sudies and hopefully later this year will find out if I am suitable for Ordination in the Church of England. The past year has been quite a rollercoaster ride. I started my Degree course purely as an ‘Independant’ Student, I had felt a calling to God prior to this but fear prevented me from exploring vocation so I started the course to subdue these feelings. This didn’t work and the feeling of being called got more and more intense until I had to act upon it. To cut a long story short(who knows I may need that story to put in a book in the future) I followed my heart and what I thought God was calling me too and I go to local selection pretty soon.

Academically the challenges have been fast coming, I have studied to quite a high level in the past but in I.T. related subjects and for the past 12 years I.T. is the industry I have worked, particularly Media and Online Marketing. The style and requirements for assignments was somewhat alien to me. If I needed a video creating I got the media, compiled it and produced the output, the same applied in my studies, a challenge was set and I worked out a solution and produced the output as needed. Now I needed to read what other people think, see their ideas, their theologies and use them in my thought processes before drawing my own conclusions, which isn’t dis-similar to checking other websites for ideas and adapting them. I am now required to list the people I use for inspiration, those people I read, whether i think they’re any good or not I have to include them as influencing my ideas in someway. In other words a Bibliography, in the early stages very much a swear word, but Im getting better as I progress, a full list including author, publisher, year and place of publication and  ISBN. Sometimes this can take me more time than writing the actual assignments.

So why this site, well over the past 12 months I have bought, borrowed and begged many books which have been of great use to me, some however haven’t, my aim is to include here all those books which I hope will be of use to you, the reader. Of course if any of you have a book you wish to be included then bu all means let me know and I’ll include it. What do I ge out of it, well aside from the satisfaction of sharing these books with you, I may earn enough to fund a book or two if you click and buy any of the books listed here.

Take care, and thanks for taking the time to read. Im about to head off the the GreenBelt Festival, fingers crossed for some good weather, will tel you all about it when I get back, maybe even see some of you there.

Buy from Book Depository for £13.74 with free delivery

The SCM Studyguide to Theological Reflection” fills a gap in the market by providing an accessible guide to the subject for all who embark on it for the first time. The book offers newcomers a step by step introduction to understanding what theological reflection is and helps them to explore which of the methods introduced best suits them and their particular situation. It is practical in emphasis, providing students with a wide variety of worked examples and opportunities to carry out their own exercises.

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Amazon have it Hardcover for £32.46 here

and

Waterstones have it Softccover for £35 here

This book certainly gets mixed reviews from those that love it (like me) to those who are rather less fond of it. This came recommended by the local Director of Ordinands for those exploring vocation, where as the head of our Theological college was less than impressed with it.

The basic overview is: Four years after his daughter goes missing Mack receives a note from God inviting him to spend the weekend with him back in the same area where his daughter went missing. What ensues is a life changing weekend for Mack as he explores deep questions about faith and his own relationship with God. A very thought provoking read, that is well written and certainly worth a read. So far I’ve purchased 4 copies and as I haven’t received the 4th back yet will probably buy number 5 shortly.



Click Here to purchase yours

Obviously this is a very compressed reduced and simplified summary rather than a translation, but in its simplicity lies its beauty, it covers the key events characters and information in easy language and serves as a very useful overview, and let’s face it at £2.84  from The Book Depository it’s worth while taking a look.

It also serves as an ideal gift for the not so avid reader.

Click Here to Buy