I'm heading to the Holy Land this Spring, so I thought I'd prepare with this travelogue ' and I am so glad I did! For those preparing for a trip and those who won't ever be able to go, this highly readable, friendly and delightful book will make you feel like you're right there!

I keep listening to it on my way to work, it's teaching me a lot

The Psalms are some of the most beautifully written texts in the Old Testament. Many prayers, songs, and well known quotations have come from this book of the Bible. Prophet David wrote this poetic collection of praise and lamentation that describes the human experience in a way that many of us can relate to. For many years, I have participated in Psalter groups during the Nativity or Lenten Fasts. Sylvia Leontaritis’ Songs of Praise: A Psalter Devotional for Orthodox Women is excellent way to read the Psalter and reflect upon it.

As a member of different Psalter groups, I have read the Psalms from a Bible, a traditional Psalter, and now as part of this book Songs of Praise. One of the first things that I enjoyed about this book was the large margins and space to write upon the pages. I have never felt comfortable writing in my Bible or Psalter book and Songs of Praise invites you to engage with the text. I finally felt comfortable underlining my favorite Psalms and notating places that I have heard these Psalms throughout my life. It was wonderful to read the Psalms in this format.

The reflections at the end of each Kathisma were thought-provoking and poignant. Sylvia Leontaritis reflects on the experiences that Prophet David proclaims in the Psalms and helps the reader to reflect on their own daily experience as an Orthodox woman. The various reflections guide you to examine your faith and practice. She also challenges the reader to make changes in their lives and to write down their aspirations. I found the topics relevant to my experiences as an Orthodox woman and I enjoyed the opportunity for contemplation.

Finally, after each Kathisma and author’s reflection, there are numerous pages of blank lines for journaling. I read this book daily for my current Nativity Psalter group. In my experience, each day or time that I read the Psalms, there are different parts that leave an impression on me. As I took the time to journal, I would date each entry and many of my written thoughts related to my current life experiences. A typical Psalter group reads through the Psalms twice over the course of the 40 day fast. I look forward to having the space to continue future reflections in this book over the years to come. It will be wonderful to have a collection of my thoughts with each Kathisma, my own personal “songs of praise” to accompany those of Prophet David.
*Disclosure: This book was gifted to me in exchange for my honest opinion.

I have spent the last month incorporating this excellent book into my family's daily spiritual life and my kids' homeschooling. The book provides educational and spiritual food for all members of my household regardless of age. My wife and I receive the wisdom of the saints. My children are able to learn about asceticism, martyrdom, miracles, and more from better models of these traits than me. Each saint has a different historical context, so the life of each saint is a great spring board to teaching church history through the ages—and, as a result, general history of Europe, North America, North Africa, and much of the Near/Middle East. The book is a fantastic addition to the library of any Orthodox Christian (or any Christian interested in the lives of saints). Physically, the cover is gorgeous and the binding is at the higher end of paperback books. In terms of content, Fr Lawrence gives a broad range of saints and feasts to read about and reflect on. Special attention is given to those saints who impacted American Orthodoxy, but the book covers saints from around the world and all periods of the Church's earthly existence.

My son (age 7) and I both loved this book. He's in second grade and gobbling up chapter books. Melinda paints her characters as well as the plot with a great sense of humor (laugh out loud!), but it also has a thoughtful undertone that can spark conversations with kids about God and feeling like one doesn't quite fit in. I love its gentle tone and the fact that it is set at a monastery. Many kids (Orthodox or otherwise) never have the chance to visit a monastery, so it's nice to have a peek into one. I love that the animals are important characters in this book - a fun way to pull kids in. It's also a nice read for busy moms who don't have time to read full-length adult fiction. I also appreciate that this is a funny book but doesn't resort to sassiness or demeaning other kids/adults as so many chapter books unfortunately do. My son could read it without me worrying that I'd have to preview it before or try to explain why we shouldn't behave like some of the characters do in other kids chapter books.

After reading it and The Book and the Barn (the next in the series), he immediately asked if there was a third one. He's eager to read it if one comes out! (As am I.) Thank you, Melinda!

This book was so much fun! I love the author's ability to create the varying personalities of youngsters (as well as the sisters who live at the monastery.) The characters truly came alive in my mind as I read her book. She wrote her story in an engaging, interesting way to keep elementary students involved and entertained in the book, while also teaching them about faith and doubt and dealing with elements of their personalities that they may not like or ways in which they might feel different from their peers. The monastery animals, too, had wonderful descriptions of their personalities and hilarious names. Saucer the dog is a great main character and will doubtless pull children into the story even more. Setting the story on the grounds of a monastery is a thoughtful way to engage youngsters (whether Orthodox or not) with the beautiful resources and spiritual life of Orthodoxy. I also loved that she showed the ways in which monastics aren't perfect as well; how they are conscious of their own failings. It was a delightful follow up from the first book in the series, Shepherding Sam, and I can't wait to read more in the future! The book is nicely made and attractively designed. Thank you, Melinda!

Fantastic resource (Eastern Orthodox or not!) that not only gives recipes but helps one prepare and plan comprehensively. It includes really helpful tips for food preparation, cooking with allergies/food sensitivities, and cooking for families.

I very much enjoyed reading Shepherding Sam by Melinda Johnson to my two oldest children, ages 7 and 9. It was a perfect read aloud with vivid description and engaging dialogue. We easily completed it in two evenings. The story is set at a monastery and inspired us to plan a monastery visit. The dynamics of the different relationships between the children, the nuns and the animals led to enlightening discussions. I love how it encouraged my children to relate the emotions of the characters to their own experiences. We are currently halfway through the second book in this series and are thoroughly enjoying the continuing story.

“I enjoyed Shepherding Sam because, is was a lot about God, it was very interesting, and I wanted to find out what happened in the next book!” –Nine year old boy

“What I liked most about Shepherding Sam was how Saucer showed kindness to Sam.” -Seven year old girl

We were gifted this book in exchange for an honest review.

I've read several books on prayer, and I've found this one to be the most useful/helpful.

It is only 72 pages long. You can read it in an evening. The advice will take hold the first time you read it and stay with you for a long time to come.

Difficult advice to follow but right on target

I, as a reader, have been found wanting. Merriam-Webster defines “found wanting” as lacking all that is needed or expected. When I started reading Angela Doll Carlson’s book, ?The Wilderness Journal, ?I quickly became frustrated. It wasn’t what I had expected - in fact, I thought that the book itself was missing something: A deeper, more insightful reflection on the texts of the Philokalia. I was disappointed and sad that I was investing time in something that wasn’t what I had anticipated. I even went so far as to share that disappointment with a friend who encouraged me that not all books are for all people. That encouragement made me decide to keep reading, just so that I could say I had finished what I’d started.

And then the change happened. The further I read, the more I recognized that the book wasn’t lacking something, I was. First, I lacked the full original source. I don’t own a copy of The Philokalia, and at this point in time do not have the resources to obtain even one volume of it, let alone the whole set. In her introduction, Ms. Carson recommended that the reader have a copy of it to read alongside this journal, and for the reader to journal for themselves. It’s now a goal of mine - to one day follow her instructions and read this book as it’s meant to be read.

The next thing I found lacking was my own openness - I had been reading with a personal set of expectations and demands, instead of waiting to see what was there. When I laid aside what I was looking for and thought that I wanted, what I found was richly rewarding. Once I wrestled my own selfishness (for the moment - it’s a daily struggle) to the side, I began to recognize that she was? o? ffering her reflections on the text in a way that I was unaccustomed to (as a former Protestant, I was used to devotional books fitting a certain mold) -- instead of thought-provoking exposition of text alone, the author’s journaling was more about everyday LIFE, and living out what she was learning -- suddenly, I found myself sitting in her shoes. Written from first person point of view, I was able, sometimes, to join Ms. Carson in her reflections. Our lives aren’t mirror images, so there was occasional dissonance in our responses, but I found myself recognizing and growing to appreciate the differences as well. I began opening up to hear what was being said instead of close-mindedly looking for my own thoughts to be reflected in hers. When I did, I learned so much more.

I also realized I was lacking in my own faithfulness. I’d been struggling for a while with finding the time to commit to prayer, to pause during the day and remember that the world, and God, is bigger than my tunnel vision allowed. I was struggling in my own life, which made reading even harder. When I arrived at day 62, on longing, Angela Doll Carlson writes, “It is hard to imagine arriving here, at this place of longing for God, without a map, great effort, a nap, or a snack to keep my pacing right. Perhaps it is a tug, perhaps a taste on the tongue. And that taste, once acquired, ignites the longing. That tug, once felt, is a recognition of the heart toward the One to whom we have always belonged.” This book was initially so abrasive to me because it was tugging on me. It demanded that I open myself to what was there, and to what is here in my day to day life. It encouraged me to take that time, to sit (or stand) with the Lord, to allow Him to work in my life and heart throughout the day, every day.

On Day 196 of her book, Ms. Carson quoted St. Hesychios the Priest: “Let your model for stillness of heart be the man who holds a mirror into which he looks. Then you will see both good and evil imprinted on your heart.” I’m now so grateful for the mirror that this book has become for me. Realizing that I have been found wanting means I have to change. I’m just grateful I don’t have to do it alone.

Arrived on time and matched description. No complaints about seller or condition of the book. The book itself though has been a little disappointing because the author takes a lot of liberties imagining scenarios rather than sticking to known facts. I prefer factual biographies to fictional reimaginings.

Wow this book truly helped open up my eyes, I went through a lot of the same feelings and emotions the people in this book went through, thank you God for putting this in my life.

“Living as a disciple of Jesus means never living alone…….God has saved us by setting us in the Body of His Son, His holy Church, and Working out our salvation means that we find eternal life as part of that Body. That is why we are taught to say the ‘Our Father,’ not the ‘My Father’ – our salvation is fundamentally and relentlessly corporate……some of them (most of them, actually) we will never see with the eyes of the flesh because they live in heaven.”
This statement by Father Farley in the introduction to his book, A Daily Calendar of Saints, summarizes what has been simultaneously one of the greatest obstacles to, and one of the greatest revelations of, my conversion to the Orthodox faith from evangelical, non-denominational Christianity: The recognition that my Christian faith cannot be distilled down to “Jesus, me, and my bible.” Rather, it is a grafting-in to the Body of Christ, His Church, guided by the support, example, and communal prayer of not just my fellow Christians alive today, both in my parish and throughout the world, but also all of His precious saints who have walked this road before us. This foundational concept of Orthodoxy required much reading and rumination before I could accept it. Now that I have, I find it one of the most comforting and inspiring facets of this faith.
Growing up in an evangelical church, I had been taught that praying to the saints in heaven was tantamount to idol worship. Eventually I came to understand that our prayers to the saints were in veneration, and not worship. Death does not separate the Church Triumphant in heaven from the Church Militant here on earth. We find comfort in asking our fellow Christians for their prayers. How much more so should we find comfort in petitioning the saints in heaven to pray for us, unencumbered by the distractions of this mortal world? We find inspiration and guidance in the books and lives of modern Christian authors, but often forget how much wisdom and encouragement can be found in the writings of and accounts of the lives of the Church Fathers, martyrs, and saints. Through the wisdom and guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Church has prescribed daily recognition of and prayers to her saints for the edification and encouragement of those of us still working out our salvation here on earth. How much more must these prayers speak to us when we feel we know more about the saint being petitioned than just their name?
This is where Father Farley’s book comes in. It is an excellent resource, both for our daily devotional time, and as an introduction to the lives of the saints we recognize each day. Father Farley has given us a thoughtful and well-written biography for one saint that is remembered each day of the year. These biographies are a beautiful introduction to the rich history and tradition of the Church. It is no small task to distill the witness these saints have left us into a biography short enough to be used as a daily devotional without losing the essence of the saint, but Father Farley has done just that.
I have greatly enjoyed using this book in my personal daily readings. It has also made a beautiful addition to our homeschool curriculum for both my 8th grader and my junior. I also plan to read the book to my four-year-old once we begin formal school lessons. While a brief synopsis of the day’s saints can be found on certain websites, there is something about the feel of a book in your hands and the familiarity of reading the same author each day that makes Father Farley’s book our preferred resource.
I love that through A Daily Calendar of Saints, my children are growing up with a love and appreciation for the saints that I was not lucky enough to find until only a few years ago. They will be blessed to go through life feeling with a sense of familiarity and affection for the saints that I must admit I am more than a little envious of!
While I was gifted a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review of it, it is a book that I had every intention to my purchase myself, and would do so happily if our copy should ever need replaced. I would whole-heartedly recommend this book, both to Orthodox Christians looking to learn more about the saints of the church, and to those curious about Orthodoxy. What better way to deepen your understanding of this beautiful faith than through the lives of those who lived, and often died, for it?

I listed to this book while making Christmas baskets at a monastery that I myself have been going to since I was 11.
Each story that Constantina wrote brought a smile to my face because it reminded me of those little moments and lessons I myself learned at a place surrounded by holiness and nuns. The book itself will make you want to visit a monastery if you already haven't. Listening to the honest stories of Constantina and her experiences and relationships with the monastics, offers honesty, joy, and Orthodoxy in its simplistic and purest form.
Not only does the book offer peace to one's soul, it truly humbles a person and reminds us who we need to be.

Constantina wrote the book in 33 chapters or knots so that together the book would be a prayer rope and that is exactly what it is. Each story urges you to keep listening on and makes you realize how often we take our faith for granted. Each knot of the book reminds a person exactly just how close God is to us and how much He cares and loves us. To put it simplistically, the book is a piece of joy and love in our busy world today.

When my family and I decided to journey into Orthodoxy, I was so excited to be able to more openly learn about and talk about saints as they have played a huge role in my Christian walk. Much to my surprise(coming from a more Roman Catholic background then into Protestantism/Anglicanism), I was shocked that the Roman Catholics and Orthodox have many different saints. It felt like a huge stumbling block for me, and was incredibly confusing. I honestly didn't even know where to begin.
I knew I wanted to incorporate saints into our homeschooling routine, but was so lost I gave up trying.
This book, A Daily Calendar of Saints, was exactly what we needed. There is one (or more) Saints per day and they are broken down into very brief and quick paragraphs. I find this format is perfect and not to overwhelming for our homeschooling mornings. I love the clear breakdown of months and days and this will be an excellent resource for our family. I do wish there were some pictures in it, just so we could recognize a few of the Saints a bit better, but understandably there is a lot covered in this book which might have made that difficult. While I can see my husband needing a more thorough and comprehensive book of saints this is perfect for homeschooling and quick daily readings about the saints. I am very glad we have this book as a resource in our home now.
I was gifted a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A few years ago My Man bought me The Way of a Pilgrim and the Pilgrim Continues His Way translated by Olga Savin b/c I REALLY wanted it. Well, it sat in my TBR pile for at least a year. I do NOT write, highlight, underline in my books but this book is highlighted all throughout because it is so good! It made me really want to buy the Philokalia (it’s still on my wish list btw ;) LOL). Also, during this time I read Nearly Orthodox by Angela Doll Carlson. As an inquirer to the Eastern Orthodox Christian faith I loved her honesty and transparency. Fast forward almost 2 years and I jump at the chance to read and review The Wilderness Journal 365 Days with the Philokalia by Angela Doll Carlson.

I am by no means new to Christianity or prayer or devotionals, but reading and trusting the wisdom of the Church Fathers in some ways that is new to me. So much of what I highlighted in The Way of a Pilgrim and the Pilgrim Continues His Way were the words of the Philokalia. According to Wikipedia “The Philokalia (Ancient Greek: ????????? love of the beautiful, the good, from ????? philia love and ?????? kallos beauty) is a collection of texts written between the 4th and 15th centuries by spiritual masters[1] of the Eastern Orthodox Church mystical hesychast tradition. They were originally written for the guidance and instruction of monks in the practice of the contemplative life.[2] The collection was compiled in the eighteenth century by Nicodemus the Hagiorite and Macarius of Corinth.” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philokalia). When Ancient Faith Publishing requested reviewers for The Wilderness Journal, I knew it was another opportunity to step slowly into the deep waters of the Philokalia, so I requested it - hoping to be approved! Obviously, I was! I was so excited I told My Man, my sister, my mom and then anxiously watched the mailbox :D

The day it arrived, I was sick. I sat down to look through it before really reading it. The cover - a city landscape with skyscrapers, traffic, pedestrians) - contrasts and resonates with the title The Wilderness Journal. So often, we think of the city as being civilized, but oh my it can be such a wilderness - as can so much of life! I was wanting to read something so bad but I was so sick and so tired that I really couldn’t focus long or comprehend much. I was so excited that the 365 entries were short (2 minutes or less) and the Philokalia quotes bite sized :D The author, Angela Doll Carlson, then adds a snippet of her reflections on the quote in her conversational voice. As I read through the book I took pics of different pages and texted them to my mom, sister, & daughter. So many things resonated with me, particularly Day 307 on page 366 “We should therefore regulate our food according to the condition of the body, so that it is appropriately disciplined when in good health and adequately nourished when weak. The body of one pursuing the spiritual way must not be enfeebled, he must have enough strength for his labors. “On Spiritual Knowledge and Discrimination,” p. 266” (Diadochos of Photiki). She goes on to talk about weight training and fueling our bodies - something I’ve been paying a lot of attention to lately trying to get healthier.

I was a bit upset that the days are only numbered (Day 1, Day 2, etc) and not dated (Jan. 1, Jan. 2, etc.) as that meant if I wanted to start on the specific day in November then I had to figure out what day of the year it was (hard to do? Not at all, just something else my sick & tired brain had a moments difficulty figuring out LOL).

I LOVE the look and feel of the book cover and pages! I love the daily devotional set up! I love Angela Doll Carlson’s conversational and personal writing style. I love everything about this book and see myself buying more for others because I am not likely to part with my copy very easily, and not because I got it free to review!

If you are looking for a good Christian devotional that takes only a few minutes of your time every day, buy this one!

I listened to this book while making Christmas baskets at a monastery that I myself have been going to since I was 11.
Each story that Constantina wrote brought a smile to my face because it reminded me of those little moments and lessons I myself learned at a place surrounded by holiness and nuns. The book itself will make you want to visit a monastery if you already haven't. Listening to the honest stories of Constantina and her experiences and relationships with the monastics, offers honesty, joy, and Orthodoxy in its simplistic and purest form.
Not only does the book offer peace to one's soul, it truly humbles a person and reminds us who we need to be.

Constantina wrote the book in 33 chapters or knots so that together the book would be a prayer rope and that is exactly what it is. Each story urges you to keep listening on and makes you realize how often we take our faith for granted. Each knot of the book reminds a person exactly just how close God is to us and how much He cares and loves us. To put it simplistically, the book is a piece of joy and love in our busy world today.

The Barn & The Book is the second book of the Sam and Saucer series by Melinda Johnson, but you can jump right into this book without being lost. It’ll make a lovely Christmas Eve read aloud since Sam is determined to see if animals (especially Saucer) really can speak at midnight on Christmas Eve. Melinda has a way of creating realistic settings and characters that just has a way of pulling you into the story. Saucer’s antics will keep kids smiling and laughing all while learning about faith and doubt from the eyes of the children as well as the sisters, showing us that monastics have the same struggles as everyone else. My whole family is impatiently waiting for the next book in the series!

When presented with the opportunity to read this book, as well as the second in this series, to review I was very excited! I have three children. My daughters are 3 and 9 and my son is 8. The latter being a reluctant reader. I am happy to share that this easy reading story entertained all three! We loved the scenes that showed the interactions between the children in the story and of course loved watching Saucer find his purpose. My son's favorite part of the story was the stowaway hamster! He laughed out loud! If you are looking for a book the whole family can enjoy, that is rooted in symbolism and faith, please don't hesitate to give Shepherding Sam a try! I was gifted a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.