A very good review for those Christians who are considering Eastern Orthodoxy. Of the Trinitarian Churches, I like the Orthodox Church best, though I also like the old classic Mennonites as represented in The Martyr's Mirror very much,, also. I recommend the book to anyone considering becoming an Orthodox Christian.

Alas, although I considered becoming an Orthodox Christian in my late 30s (the late 1990s), the influence of Karaite Judaism on my understanding of the Bible led me to become a 12er Shia Muslim. I rejected the 6 Sahih hadith books, histories, and lives of the Prophet in the Sunni books, because they are the product of the Imperialistic Caliphate.

I love Jesus Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the 12 Apostles, John The Baptist, and so there is much I love about Christianity in Eastern Orthodoxy. It would not have been honest for me to become an Orthodox Christian because I don't believe in the Trinity and the Deity of Jesus Christ, though as a 12er Shia Muslim I believe he is Infallible and never sinned.

I am NOT going to write about why I believe 12er Shia Islam is the complete truth. Instead, I will say that I truly believe Eastern Orthodox Christianity is the closest to the 4th Century Christianity of the early Catholic Church. I see much beauty in the Divine Liturgy and the Horologion. As a Christian, I had settled on Wesleyan Arminianism and New School theology, which is based on the study that Jacob Arminius' student Hugo Grotius did of Eastern Christianity. When I was considering Orthodoxy, the only thing I could not do was use the Icons as a window into heaven, though I did like the Icons themselves.

Because of the way 12er Shia Muslims read the Quran and don't allow Quran abrogation by Sunni Traditions (or Shia traditions, for that matter), I believe we can take Jews and Christians as friends, but not as Guardians, as Sunnis and Shias disagree on the translation of the word Wali. Shias believe a Jew or Christian cannot rule a Muslim state. Some Sunnis will translate the word as Protector. Other Sunnis and Wahabis will translate the word as "Friend".

12er Shia Muslims believe the Quran teaches defensive warfare only, and with limits. When the enemy stops fighting, Muslims must stop fighting. Thus, 12er Shia Muslims had nothing to do with 9-11. I had become a 12er Shia Muslim in 1999, so I knew all about this by the time 911 came around.

I do visit Orthodox churches from time to time, as well as Eastern Catholic churches. I have many books on the Eastern Faith. I would only attempt to convert an Orthodox Christian if that person was trying to convert me, and my words would be friendly. Otherwise, I would rather have Orthodox Christians and Catholic Christians as friends. In fact, my wife is a Roman Catholic.

I do recommend this book with 5 stars!

What the title lacks in cheerfulness, it makes up in truth. Despondency is a plague in our society. This courageous and well-written book explains the subject and also the way out for anyone who struggles with it. Nicole Roccas has done an excellent job.

The OSB is great and the notes are great. However, the build quality is not that good considering my regular use with it. I wish there was a ribbon bookmark so that I can use that. I also wish there was an overall better quality to the book itself. Overall, I love it and I will most certainly upgrade to the leathersoft version so that I can use my Bible for daily use while using the durable leathersoft cover. Thank you for a great buy!

Living as a discipline of Jesus means never living alone. That is, while we may sometimes (or often) experience life as a social solitary, we always have the company of the saints. In Archpriest Lawrence Farley's new book, A Daily Calendar of Saints, it is possible to learn about the lives and experiences of those who keep us company, whether we are living in solitude or among a wide community. The approach to A Daily Calendar is simple: there is a short introduction, followed by the stories of major saints for each day of the calendar, as well as those of the Paschal Cycle. It is a great reference for a variety of people. For those who are just learning about the lives of the saints, the accounts for each day are accessible and engaging. For those looking to have a text on the saints, whether at their icon corner or for personal reading, this is also a rudimentary collection that could also serve as an alternative to larger, more expensive texts, such as The Prologue of Ohrid. For those who teach Sunday school or adult education courses in the Orthodox world, A Daily Calendar contains enough on the saints of the day to foster interesting and engaging discussion. Its potential uses are many, and its capability of helping non-Orthodox to understand the stories of Orthodox saints is immense.

I use this book as part of my daily prayers. Also use during free time for a quick read and to contemplate the meaning of the psalms. Easy to read.

Sweet Song A Story of Saint Romanos the Melodist by Jane G. Meyer and Illustrated by Dorrie Papademetriou
The story of Saint Romanos tells us of a young boy who had great zeal for God. He wanted so desperately to sing beautifully in Gods house. He lacked the talent and many people made fun of him. Jane does a wonderful job making St. Romanos story relatable to everyone and their own individual struggles. It was helpful to see this saints story come to life, the illustrations were so vivid and intriguing.
Even though St. Romanos dealt with other people teasing and making fun of him, he turned to prayer. Teaching us all how to act when we are faced with the tough times in life. He turned to the Theotokos in prayer and she in turn gave him song. A miracle! Through those prayers we have beautiful hymns that we sing in church and a beautiful example of how to handle opposition.
When St. Romanos got the gift of song, he sang a beautiful song and those who teased him were surprised! One later came to him and asked for forgiveness! He graciously forgave him and they sang together. Teaching our kids how to love one another, how to forgive those who hurt us.

I would recommend this book for any age and with a Christmas theme it would be a perfect Saint Nicholas gift!

As a mother of young readers, it's such a treat to receive books that I know I can simply hand to my kids, secure in the knowledge that their minds will be engaged by fun, wholesome action that also supports our Orthodox worldview. The Sam and Saucer books are fast and fun reads, but that doesn't mean they lack heart or depth. The characters struggle together with their own real issues -- from the monastic sisters to the sweet Corgi dog who dreams of being a real shepherding dog -- and find God's grace in the messiness of life as an insecure church school teacher or a tornado of a little boy! Recommended primarily as a read-aloud or an independent read for elementary school kids, depending on their age and reading skill, or as an audiobook for those family car rides, this story of overcoming insecurities, and daring rescues, and gentle growth in maturity and in faith is a winner, and, according to my 9-year-old just a bit more exciting than the first book. So, if you loved Sam and Saucer when you first met them and are back for more, you've got a delightful romp in store.

Sweet Song, The Story of St. Romanos the Melodist, is a wonderfully illustrated and adaptive tale of the miracle St. Romanos received after praying to the Theotokos for the gift of song. I enjoyed the beautiful illustrations, the detailed struggle and relatable self consciousness that he endured while attempting to sing and worship publicly, and his response to those hardships - prayer to the Mother of God. This story reminds us to always pray and ask for the desires of our hearts, for often it is God Himself who placed those requests within us. I would recommend reading this book with young children of all ages as an example of the wonders of God and the Theotokos, and as an encouragement to participate in singing in Church. I appreciated the additional information on his life at the end of the book to expound upon his life. I highly recommend adding this paperback to your collection of the lives of saints, adapted for children. I was gifted a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Shepherding Sam is a cute book that introduces us to Sam, Saucer and an Orthodox Monastery for nuns. Sam is described by his aunt as “a tornado—he causes a ruckus everywhere he goes”, we don’t really see that - instead we see a young boy that does not really want to be at the monastery (possibly because it’s never really explained why they go to the monastery). We love that the book has things in it that Orthodox children will recognize and will not often see in other children’s fiction books, which in some ways is a con too because it could have been developed more so that non-Orthodox kids could maybe picture it and to seem more developed for the readers that do understand). Saucer, the Corgi, is a puppy that has joined the monastery farm animals (donkey, dog, ducks, etc.) and is trying to find his herd and meets Sam. Both Sam & Saucer are trying to figure out what they are to do at the monastery and are drawn to each other time and again. Shepherding Sam is a quick read, we read it in 2 evenings. This book is recommended for ages 7-12, younger kids would enjoy listening in as well. I read this with my kids (11, 9 & 7). We are really looking forward to reading the sequel, The Barn & The Book. We were given a copy of this book, by Ancient Faith Publishing, in exchange for our honest opinions :)

I purchased this book for a birthday gift.

I really ejoyed reading this book about St. Romanos! I loved how, even though the book is short and geared toward children, it really conveys the depth of St. Romanos’ faith, and his love for Christ and His church. I also like how it shows the miracle of how he became one of the most prolific composers of our church, and at the end talks a little bit about his life and the history of Agia Sophia and the role of chanters of the day. Very entertaining and informative book, and one that would make a great Christmas gift, especially since he wrote one of our most famous Christmas hymns. I highly recommend it!

Three generations of my family had the opportunity to learn more about one of the Orthodox Church’s great hymnographers, St. Romanos the Melodist, in a lovely children’s picture book. The new paperback version of Sweet Song, written by Jane G. Meyer, illustrated by Dorrie Papdemetriou, and published by Ancient Faith Publishing, shows the power of prayer and devotion to Christ’s Church.

Meyer dives straight into the story of St. Romanos, and she draws the reader in with relatable themes – the chill of winter air in the morning, long lists of tasks to complete (especially before Christmas), the hurtfulness of unkind words, and the joy of forgiveness. The additional information on the life of St. Romanos after the end of the story was a welcome inclusion in the book. As a church musician, I related to Romanos’ prayers of supplication before singing, and I need to remember to offer my prayers of thanksgiving as he did after singing praises.

Papademetriou’s illustrations are lovely; I would expect nothing less from her, as her Celebrate the Earth is a favorite of mine. In Sweet Song, she makes great use of light, from the hopeful dawning of the day to the bright church service scenes. Her inclusion of less-frequently-seen icons – Jonah and the sea beast, the Creation, and more – caught our attention.

A suggestion to make this book come to life even more for the reader would be for the publisher to share a link or offer a download code so the readers could listen to the hymn “Today the Virgin”. When I first really learned “Today the Virgin” (in my church choir in my 20s, although I had likely heard it in Greek from the cradle), I was taken with the power of the words and the sweetness of the melody. Hearing the Byzantine melody and words together would connect the readers even more to this story of St. Romanos.

Sweet Song: A Story of Saint Romanos the Melodist is, indeed, a sweet story. It would make a wonderful gift for any child, but especially for one who connects with the Orthodox Church through its hymns.

(I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a review.)

My 16 month old son and I received a copy of this book to review -- and let me say, I am SO GLAD we did!

The book features a little girl as she goes about her day praying the Jesus Prayer in different situations -- waking up, for a sick friend, over meals, etc. The language is simple and perfect for a small child to understand. The book shows the child reader how incredibly applicable the Jesus Prayer is in every aspect of our lives!

At first, I was concerned that each page set was monochromatic -- I was worried it wouldn't hold my son's attention. BUT, after reading this book to my son I'm convinced the illustrator made the perfect choice! My son was engaged by the drawings and seemed fascinated by the depictions of the little girl and her surroundings. As a parent, I loved the little Orthodox details -- the icons casually depicted, the making of the sign of the cross, the little girl's cross necklace.

One of the best aspects of this book is that it's Orthodox without *trying* -- it's natural and lovely!

I bought this set and used it with my children last year. All of us absolutely LOVED it. The readings are perfect--- not too long for our younger ones, but deep and meaty discussion starters for our older ones. The ornaments were well made and sturdy and will last for years. Every Orthodox family should have this!

“Pray without ceasing” can seem difficult to us adults, let alone trying to help our children learn that. This beautifully vibrant board book uses scenes throughout the day of a child to remind us that in every situation we encounter, the Lord is near, and we can pray to Him, “Lord, have mercy.” In the short time I’ve had this bookies been enjoyed by all - children and adults.

Excellent

Great advice for my journey to being a kinder, more giving person

An excellent walk-through for the Paraklesis service to Mary, the Theotokus, ode by ode.

I enjoyed the way that Fr. Farley explained how this book was to be received by early Christians and yet how it still apply to us today.

Hey y’all! Wanted to encourage everyone with younger kiddos (or in charge of Sunday school type activities) to get this lovely board book! We received it in the mail this week and my littles adore it (I do too to be honest) each page is a different color scheme and a new situation in which we can remember to incorporate prayer, just as simple as “Lord have mercy.” The repetition and rhyme are key points my 6.5 year old beginning reader enjoyed a lot, because he was able to read it for his two younger sisters! It even kept the 5 month olds attention.