As an inquirer, this book has been a blessing.

While I might not the intended audience for the new book, A Sacred Beginning by Sarah Brangwynne and Sasha Rose Oxnard, which was primarily written for new mothers, I found that as a mother of older adolescents, this work helped me to process and remember my time as a new mother. I feel that this book refreshed my memory of that time in my life and will, I hope, make me more compassionate and helpful to women beginning their role as mother, whether it is for the first time or the tenth time! A Sacred Beginning is a wonderful book that addresses the time after a woman has given birth which, sadly, is often not discussed in our society as freely as pregnancy. In many books that I read while preparing for my own children to be born, the changes my body and baby were going through were detailed on a week-by-week basis during pregnancy, while the postpartum section was a slim chapter on when to call the doctor or how soon one could resume ‘normal life’. A Sacred Beginning guides a new mother through the early days of motherhood (specifically the first 40 Days) using Orthodox Church teaching as a framework, the lives and teachings of the Saints, and experiences that the authors share using real life stories from their own lives and the lives of mothers that they have interviewed to help illustrate the spiritual and physical changes that women go through in the first days and weeks of motherhood. I am so thankful that this book has been written! A Sacred Beginning is a book that I wish that I had access to as a young mother. In my opinion, this is the most important book that Ancient Faith has published for parents, and it will be my go-to book for family and friends embarking on their parenting journey.

This is a beautifully bound and illustrated copy of the Akathist. The physical size and print size are perfect for reading aloud.

it's beautiful! We had the book but had to order it again to get the ornaments. We are very excited for Nativity!!

Its a lovely book with wonderful illustrations!

I enjoyed reading this book, which offered gentle glimpses of daily life in an Orthodox women's monastery. I recommend this book to anyone interested in Eastern Orthodoxy or monastic life.

I can't stop reading this book it is incredible, changed my view and understanding of angels. A MUST READ for all believers!

Revelatory!

Excellent and concise overview of the Orthodox Christian Faith!

We love this sweet board book! It has beautiful illustrations that keep my little one's interest. Each page has a different number of items to count as you read about Saint Abigail looking for nine deer. I really enjoyed the blurb at the back that tells more about Saint Abigail's life. If you're familiar with I Pray Today, this book is the same size and page thickness (and same illustrator!). This is a fun little counting book that would make a great gift for ages 1-5.

I just finished this book and can’t recommend it enough! Even though it was written by Orthodox Christians and contains plenty of references to the Church Fathers and the liturgical worship of the Orthodox Church (including general Orthodox practice), I think that Catholics and Protestants would find so much good here.

I am a birth and postpartum doula, a student midwife, and the mother of 6 children. This book is one that I will be recommending to every single pregnant woman that I know who professes to be Christian.

The book is divided into sections, and you are intended to read a few pages a day (perhaps while sitting and feeding or holding your newborn). Each day of reading focuses on a different aspect of motherhood, including the struggles, joys, temptations, and victories. There is a focus on different aspects of being: physical - exercises (one of the authors is a physical therapist), some level of medical expertise (the other author is a pediatrician and works with moms prenatally), and very sound, practical advise for dealing with the normal physical challenges of the immediate postpartum period; mental - exercises for gratitude and help with postpartum mood disorders, acknowledgment of the difficulties of the postpartum period, and encouragement in the joys of motherhood; and spiritual - encouragement through the lives of the Saints, admonition from Church Fathers and Mothers, and practical guidance in fighting sin and acquiring virtue. They use The Ladder of Divine Ascent by St John Climacus as a kind of outline as we ascend to our churching in these 40 days.

Like all things Orthodox (I’m a convert who was especially drawn to the incredible practicality of Orthodoxy), this book is so incredibly practical and down-to-earth. It doesn’t brush difficult things under the rug, but instead addresses things head-on. The authors are very knowledgeable and have a wealth of both professional and personal experience with having one baby, having many babies, being Orthodox during the traditional “40-day lie-in”, not having a support network to really be able to do that, miscarriage, and all of the emotions that we as hormonal postpartum women have to sit in while learning how to keep a small human alive. Their experience, compassion, and palpable love for their readers is evident in every day’s reading.

Again, I cannot recommend this book enough!

A must read for any Protestant Evangelicals wanting to learn a bit of church history and get a glimpse of the first century church that Jesus built. Really edifying for me as a new convert from evangelicalism!

If you ever want to be able to understand some of the deeper issues of Scripture and Tradition, go to Fr. Patrick Henry Reardon. He can explain them with deserving richness and beautiful language that the layman will appreciate. God grant him many years so that we see volumes two and three!

Beautiful translation and system to pray the entire book of the Psalms each week. I read it while listening to the Audible version.

From the same author as St. Ia Rides a Leaf, Nine Deer and Me is a darling little board book! I love the new trend of publishing snippets of the lives of saints, it's a great way for kids and adults to a connect to a new saint. My two year old loves counting, animals, and pretty illustrations; this book is perfect for her!

Brandi takes us along with her on her quest to invite Mary, the Theotokos, into her every day life. Along the way, she finds she can relate to Mary as a woman, wife, and mother, and that Mary is never far away if one simply seeks her presence.

Brandi’s writing is poetic and deeply personal. She uses the natural world and her experiences to better understand God, her faith, and her relationship with Mary.

My kiddos (3 and 5) both absolutely loved this sweet counting book! The second time we read it, they were happily counting along. As an adult, my favorite part is the information about Saint Abigail at the back. We all want to learn more about her now!

Such an amazing story. The characters are so vivid and beautifully written. The story is unique and special, and the feelings and faith are so real. Loved it so much.

Well written synaxarion in modern English. Excellent follow up for daily Bible readings.

You and your littles can join Abigail in her quest to find God’s perfect place for her in this delightfully written and illustrated board book. The rhythm of Johnson’s writing flows beautifully, creating a story to truly savor. Wanert’s illustrations add to the beauty and tranquility of the book. My son absolutely loved counting along with me on each page. He fully entered into the story, and was eager to find Abigail’s “right place.” It was refreshing to read a board book that not only included an important message, that God has a plan for us and reveals Himself to us, but was also excellently written. Five out of five stars from me!