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Wrestling with Angels
 Carolyn Arends , who lives
in Metro Vancouver, is an award-winning songwriter and recording artist,
mother of two and an author. Her latest book is Wrestling
with Angels: Adventures in Faith and Doubt.
In the introduction (‘Wrestling’), Arends
says the book is “about having a faith that not only survives but
thrives in the midst of unanswered questions.” In a series of
personal stories and recollections, Arends explores the “mysterious
ways God guides us.” A moving example is her recollection of grumpily
having to attend a concert of St.
Matthew’s Passion.
“By some mysterious process I began to understand
the scenes before me,” she said. “As the story unfolded a hard
knot began to form in the pit of my stomach. The Last Supper. The Garden of
Gethsemane. ‘Mein Vater,’ Jesus sang, ‘ist’s
moglich, so gehe dieser Kelch von mir; doch nicht wie ich will, sondern wie
du willst.’ (‘My Father, if
possible, allow this cup to pass from me; but not as I will, rather as thou
wilt.’) . . .
“Bach’s masterpiece had so stripped away my
defences that I was laid bare, and my heart was pierced with sorrow . . .
By the time the performance was over I could barely speak.”
For more info: www.carolynarends.com – PB
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Higher than I
 Vancouver’s Rob Des
Cotes is a man of many talents – pastor
(of Fairview Baptist Church in Vancouver), jazz musician and university
lecturer (Trinity Western and Carey). He also oversees a network of
home-based faith communities, ‘Imago Dei,’ a source of
encouragement and life for many who may find the Sunday service of
‘church’ difficult.
His second book, Higher than
I contains 64 short meditations, many of
which are very suitable for Easter contemplation of the meaning and
implications of the cross and resurrection.
“Consider this hypothetical, alternative version
of the Lord’s Supper . . . on the night he was betrayed . . . there
suddenly appeared on the table a golden crown . . .
“At a recent fellowship we explored, at a
personal level the nature of lost things in life – lost health, lost
hope . . .”
Des Cotes’ meditations are not superficial.
Indeed, for those who may feel an inner dissatisfaction with their
relationship with God the overall message is one of great encouragement.
Des Cotes draws on a tradition of Christian
contemplatives and mystics from the early centuries to the present and
brings fresh insight to many familiar biblical passages.
For more info: www.imagocommunity.ca – PB
March 2008
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