Inspiring icons were selected for each month.

An excellent addition to Bible self study. Format with verses followed by reflection makes it an easy for reading and study.

Beautiful and I believe will "help" my daughter-n-law during her pregnancy and child birth and beyond.

This book is wonderfully written and absolutely fascinating. I enjoyed reading it and learned so much. There is a lack of Orthodox information regarding the holy angels and this book, a true gem, does so much to help us understand the angels and their role in both Creation and Salvation.

I'm from Brazil. I bought five calendars.
I'm very satisfied.
The Icons of Christ printed follow the canonical rules and are large with high quality!

This is beautiful and I would recommend this as a gift. In case anyone was wondering, the incense is covered by a clear hard plastic material so it doesn’t have any incense scent. It is a very beautiful icon and ornament. I hang mine around a jar of holy water.

Cards are as advertised. Beautiful work.

Beautiful cards with a profound message inside. Received many positive comments from recipients.

I found this book by Mother Alexandra to be not only an informative explanation on Holy Angels, but also a guide to learning how to be more aware of the spiritual in a secular time. Mother Alexandra painted a realistic and relatable understanding of the Angels in the Old Testament, New Testament, and the Orthodox Church today. Having a religious background in a faith that denied current "intercession" of Angels, this book has helped me to better understand the Orthodox beliefs about Angels, based around quotes from Church Fathers, Orthodox Hymns, and Biblical passages. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about the Orthodox understanding of the Angels or someone who is seeking to transform spiritually to recognize their presence in our daily lives.

Really fun medium to see a story about an Orthodox Saint in! Looking forward to more.

I love everything I get from Ancient Faith - this was a beautiful Christmas gift for a new convert. Thank you.

This book is an engaging read for all ages. What a great way to introduce such a sacred undertaking.

Very nice

I love this book! Great job again, Summer! Miss you:)

I absolutely love this planner! Many thanks to the busy mamas who put this together for all of us busy mamas. It has everything in it that I and my friends were trying to pencil into our other calendars, and much much more. I look forward to getting one every year.

Very thoughtful from a man who expresses love and stands true to his Orthodox faith. I gained new insight from each chapter. It's warm, engaging, easy to read and understand.

Six and a half years ago, expecting my first daughter, I remember looking for books about pregnancy. I didn’t want ones that just covered biology or gave more rules about eating unpasteurized soft cheeses. I wanted a book that would bring Scripture and theology to bear on my pregnancy, but I looked in vain. 

For this reason, when I learned about Fertile Ground: A Pilgrimage Through Pregnancy by Laura S. Jansson, I jumped at the opportunity to read it (I received a copy through Ancient Faith Publishing in exchange for my honest review). And, I am so glad -- this is the book I was hoping to find. Jansson’s many years as a doula, along with her theological training (she has a Masters in Theology and Philosophy from Oxford) and beautiful writing combine to make this a truly valuable book. It’s one of my favorites of 2019. Now, in writing this review, I could sound like an over-excited infomercial. But, to give my words a bit more specificity, I’m going to focus on the ways it hits the right tone, acts as a true guide, and richly illumines the Scriptures. 

First, I think that even women who cringe at the word “placenta” would appreciate this book. Jansson has just the right tone.  Though I’m a bit “crunchy,” I’m not particularly “birthy,” if you know what I mean. Some of the natural childbirth resources make me feel like a ten-year-old, trying not to giggle at hyperbolic descriptions of my maternal magnificence. As Jansson states in the introduction, “Whether you are expecting your first baby or your fifth, this book is for you. It’s for you whether you are delighted or mortified to be pregnant. It’s for you if you end up braving a cesarean, a straightforward birth, or anything in between.” I’m 32 weeks with my third, and if this book had been around 6 years ago, I would have reread it for each pregnancy (and I plan to read it for any pregnancies to come).

Next, though we use the word “guide” a bit thoughtlessly in terms of books, I find that word to be very apt to describe Fertile Ground as it moves through the “pilgrimage of pregnancy.” The book includes a chapter for each week of pregnancy (from 6 to 37) and is divided into seven parts: 1.) Welcoming a New Reality; 2.) Experiencing Pregnancy; 3.) Exploring Birth in Symbols; 4.) Fearing Labor; 5.) Braving Labor; 6.) Becoming a Parent; and 7.) Preparing for Birth. In these chapters, Jansson weaves together medical information, anecdotes from her experience as a doula, fascinating stories and perspectives from other cultures, theology and quotations from saints, and reflections on the Scriptures. Each chapter is a gem, meant for meditation. If you receive this book at the beginning of your pregnancy, it can guide your mind and heart as you deliberately read a chapter a week. It would also be perfect for a husband and wife to read together. 

Lastly, I believe that both women and men would benefit from the theological reflection and scriptural insight found in this book. For example, it’s truly wonderful to read what a doula-theologian says about being “born again” (John 3:4). It was beautiful to read Jesus’s words about a woman’s “hour” coming in her labor and then, how he speaks about his crucifixion as his own “hour,” thereby comparing his passion to childbirth.  As Jansson writes:

“Childbirth and the Passion, [Jesus] says, share the same Paschal shape, with labor standing for crucifixion and birth standing for resurrection. Both Christ and the birthing mother bring forth new life, but through pain and sacrifice. Our species is perpetuated only on the brink of annihilation.” [She continues] “Christ tells us that just as a baby comes forth from his mother, joy is born from pain. Joy is blissful not despite adversity, but because of it. Resurrection comes not just after death, but through it.”

The whole church profits from being attentive to the meaning inherent in our embodiment. Seeing pregnancy as "theology in motion" (as Jansson calls it) is not just illuminating for pregnant women. 

To conclude my wholehearted recommendation of this book, I’d like to offer a suggestion to Laura Jansson and Ancient Faith Publishing. Please consider a guide for the postpartum mother -- perhaps specifically for those first six weeks after pregnancy -- something short to read each day. Those sleepless newborn days, swirling with all the emotions and hormones, are so disorienting. Personally, I would be so grateful for a book that follows in the path of Fertile Ground, that would also guide and ground me with a new baby. 

Arrived quickly...I liked the variety...the calendars & the cards from Ancient Faith are always top notch in terms of quality!

What a lovely coloring book for children. It has beautiful pictures and nice activities to complete. It is refreshing to have something like this that is enjoyable and in line with our faith!
Truth be told, I have 2 and I am using one as well :)

Very informative. I would recommend it.