Most Popular Books by Barbara Brown

Like Annie Dillard''s The Writing Life, Taylor emphasizes the holy dimensions of ordinary life and describes the essentials of faith with insight and humor, touching on the vocations, imagination, worship, sacraments, ministry and the Bible as they relate to the life of faith.

In this long awaited follow-up to the best-selling An Altar in the World, Barbara Brown Taylor explores ‘the treasures of darkness’ that the Bible speaks about. What can we learn about the ways of God when we cannot see the way ahead, are lost, alone, frightened, not in control or when the world around us seems to have descended into darkness?

As Barbara Brown Taylor reminds us, the Israelites received the bread of angels- manna-as they made their way through the wilderness. So too is God made known to us in the simple things that sustain our lives. With humor and an eye for human stubbornness, Taylor points to just how much like the people of scripture we can be-stiff-necked and ungrateful in the face of God''s bounty. Taylor moves through the span of the Bible in her search for divine love. In the stories of Moses, David, and Daniel she picks up its trace in reversals and surprises. She refreshes our perspective on Pentecost and its aftermath in a sermon sequence on the Book of Acts. And at book''s center radiates her stunning parable of the Incarnation, “God''s Daring Plan.” With characteristic flair, Taylor grounds her exegetical enterprise on jokes and stories packed with truth. As pleasurable as they are profound, her meditations on the life of faith and the cost of discipleship will instruct the preacher and delight the reader.

In the New York Times bestseller An Altar in the World, acclaimed author Barbara Brown Taylor continues her spiritual journey by building upon where she left off in Leaving Church. With the honesty of Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat, Pray, Love) and the spiritual depth of Anne Lamott (Grace, Eventually), Taylor shares how she learned to find God beyond the church walls by embracing the sacred as a natural part of everyday life. In An Altar in the World, Taylor shows us how to discover altars everywhere we go and in nearly everything we do as we learn to live with purpose, pay attention, slow down, and revere the world we live in. The eBook includes a special excerpt from Barbara Brown Taylor''s Learning to Walk in the Dark.

Tells how a renowned preacher left her ministry to rediscover the authentic heart of her faith. A moving reflection on keeping faith amidst the relentless demands of modern life.

In Speaking of Sin, Barbara Brown Taylor brings her fresh perspective to a cluster of words that often cause us discomfort: sin, damnation, repentance, penance, and salvation.

To speak of God in pain is to consider no only the biblical accounts of Christ''s suffering and death, but also to proclaim that God is present in our pain. Barbara Brown Taylor explores the eternal mystery of suffering from human and divine perspectives with her characteristic grace, sensitivity and profound biblical insight. In this collection of addresses, she explores pain experienced both in life and around death, with subjects including: • The Gift of Disillusionment; • Learning to Hate Your Family; • Feeding the Enemy; • The Triumphant Victim; • The Myth of Redemptive Violence; • May He Not Rest in Peace.

The renowned Christian preacher and New York Times bestselling author of An Altar in the World recounts her moving discoveries of finding the sacred in unexpected places while teaching world religions to undergraduates in Baptist-saturated rural Georgia, revealing how God delights in confounding our expectations. Christians are taught that God is everywhere--a tenet that is central to Barbara Brown Taylor''s life and faith. In Holy Envy, she continues her spiritual journey, contemplating the myriad ways she encountered God while exploring other faiths with her students in the classroom, and on field trips to diverse places of worship. Both she and her students ponder how the knowledge and insights they have gained raise important questions about belief, and explore how different practices relate to their own faith. Inspired by this intellectual and spiritual quest, Barbara turns once again to the Bible for guidance, to see what secrets lay buried there. Throughout Holy Envy, Barbara weaves together stories from her classroom with reflections on how her own spiritual journey has been challenged and renewed by connecting with people of other traditions--and by meeting God in them. At the heart of her odyssey is her trust that it is God who pushes her beyond her comfortable boundaries and calls us to "disown" our privatised versions of the divine--a change that ultimately deepens her relationship with both the world and with God, and ours.

From beloved writer and renowned preacher Barbara Brown Taylor comes a new collection of stories and sermons of faith, grace, and hope. Taylor, author of the best-selling books Holy Envy and An Altar in the World, among others, finds that when you are the invited guest speaking of faith to people you don''t know, one must seek common ground: exploring the central human experience. Full of Taylor''s astute observations on the Spirit and the state of the world along with her gentle wit, this collection will inspire Taylor’s fans and preachers alike as she explores faith in all its beauty and complexity.

In this new edition of her earliest collection of sermons Barbara Brown Taylor brings her down-to-earth wisdom and keen perspective to the Bible readings of the lectionary cycle. Originally preached for the congregation of All Saints'' Episcopal Church in downtown Atlanta, the topics of these sermons range from conversations with Abraham and Moses in the texts of the Hebrew scriptures to our awareness of the communion of saints and how to recognize a miracle when one comes our way.

Gospel medicine is Barbara Taylor''s metaphor for the healing power of God seen in the active and ongoing restoration of this broken world. In this new collection of sermons she practices the old-fashioned art of gospel home remedies like a true evangelist, summoning with piercing clarity and wit the Old and New Testament stories that have the power to mend our spirits, strengthen our weaknesses, and restore us to wholeness. Scripture comes to life in the contemporary people and places of which Taylor speaks. Georgia apple-growers become God''s sharecroppers of the gospel parable; through Mary''s embracing of her role as God-bearer we are dared to take risks in our own discipleship; in Jonah''s angry stand-off with God we see reflections of our own struggles with a God who is more forgiving than we want him to be; with tender awe after years of waiting Sarah wipes her hands on her apron and goes to tell Abraham she is to bear a child. Through the stories of Scripture, Taylor addresses with moving simplicity the contemporary wounds of anger, abandonment, fear of judgment, and a longing for home, healing, and mercy.

Dr. Brown was raised by her grandmother and grandfather; her grandmother was a blue-collar worker at a local secondary school in Jamaica and her grandfather was blind. Her childhood was one with many obstacles and the pages of this book "Life! As It Happens! My Dairy..." incorporates her "Life" experiences and questions with that of some of her closest friends and relatives; all of whom inspired this book. Due to her experiences and life lessons many people can relate to the pages of this book. This novel/diary is very interactive and will help to map clear growth directions that can be implemented into your daily life...Enjoy!

With her customary grace, intelligence and wit, Barbara Brown Taylor wonders why science and faith have become polarized in the popular imagination. She explores what quantum physics, the new biology and chaos theory can teach people of faith and why scientists sound like poets and why physicists use the language of imagination, ambiguity, and mystery that is also found in scripture. In explaining why the church should care about the new insights of science, Taylor suggests ways we might close the gap between spirit and matter, between the sacred and the secular, and celebrate our shared life in the “web of creation” where nothing is without consequence, where all things coexist, where faith and science together seek to discover the same truths about the universe.

“In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage." â€"Matthew 2:1â€"2 This enchanting Christmas story by beloved author and preacher Barbara Brown Taylor follows the three wise men on their world-changing journey to Bethlehem. In this beautiful retelling of their adventure, Taylor captures the power of one very special star and gives readers a new perspective on the three wise men and their encounters with King Herod, Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus. Home by Another Way: A Christmas Story features breathtaking artwork from illustrator Melanie Cataldo and is perfect for gift-giving. Ideal for children ages 8-10.

In this second volume, Dr. Zikmund continues the untold stories in the formation of the United Church of Christ (UCC). Volume 1 focused on those ethnic groups, or ecclesiastical movements, often overlooked by UCC historical orthodoxy. This second book of essays does two things: it provides additional information about groups not covered in the original collection, and it explores the sources of some principles and practices important to the UCC identity. Volume 2 invites readers to enhance their knowledge of history as an important source of spiritual strength for these times. It also examines more deeply what it means for the UCC to celebrate its "unity in diversity." It explores such areas as Lutheran and Reformed Cooperation; German Evangelical Protestants; Origins of the Christian Denomination in New England; Evangelical Pietism and Biblical Criticism; Women''s Mission Structures and the American Board; Religious Journalism; Philip William Otterbein and the United Brethren; from German Reformed Roots to the Churches of God; The Congregational Training School for Women; and Chinese Congregationalism. Contributors include: J. Martin Bailey, Dorothy C. Bass, Curtis Beach, Thomas E. Dipko, Matthew Fong, J. Harvey Gossard, Rose Lee, Elizabeth C. Nordbeck, Horace S. Sills, Priscilla Stuckey-Kauffman, Dorothy Wong, Barbara Brown Zikmund, and Lowell H. Zuck.

Clearly organized and simply presented, The Low Vision Handbook for Eyecare Professionals, Second Edition offers an introduction to all aspects of low vision, including a short history of low vision and the basic optics of magnifiers. Updated and revised this second edition of The Low Vision Handbook for Eyecare Professionals provides practical material on assessing low vision patients, the psychology of visual loss, and ways to alleviate patients’ common fears. Additionally, Barbara Brown explores current optical, nonoptical, and electronic devices and their appropriate uses for various patients. Additional features include: Case histories to explain some differences among patients at varying levels of vision loss Key points and study icons that highlight topics of interest for paraprofessionals studying for their certification exams Addresses and websites for vendors of low vision aids and devices Contact information for rehabilitation centers and support agencies to benefit visually impaired patients Multiple references and resources for further study The Low Vision Handbook for Eyecare Professionals, Second Edition is perfect for students of the ophthalmic and optometric sciences, introductory-level assistants and other medical office staff, as well as more experienced technicians. The easy-to-read format, user-friendly terminology, and resource information make it an invaluable book for all who assist low vision patients.

This new volume in the Feasting on the Word series will serve as an all-in-one pastor''s companion for Lent and Holy Week, providing worship materials and sermon preparation tools for both lectionary and nonlectionary preachers. In keeping with other Feasting on the Word resources, four essays provide theological, pastoral, exegetical, and homiletical perspectives on an Old Testament and a Gospel text for each Sunday. A complete order of service is provided for each of the Sundays in Lent, plus Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday. Hymn suggestions, midweek services, and children''s sermon suggestions make this an invaluable resource for the season of Lent.

Today, organizations face tremendous challenges with data explosion and information governance. InfoSphereTM OptimTM solutions solve the data growth problem at the source by managing the enterprise application data. The Optim Data Growth solutions are consistent, scalable solutions that include comprehensive capabilities for managing enterprise application data across applications, databases, operating systems, and hardware platforms. You can align the management of your enterprise application data with your business objectives to improve application service levels, lower costs, and mitigate risk. In this IBM® Redbooks® publication, we describe the IBM InfoSphere Optim Data Growth solutions and a methodology that provides implementation guidance from requirements analysis through deployment and administration planning. We also discuss various implementation topics including system architecture design, sizing, scalability, security, performance, and automation. This book is intended to provide various systems development professionals, Data Solution Architects, Data Administrators, Modelers, Data Analysts, Data Integrators, or anyone who has to analyze or integrate data structures, a broad understanding about IBM InfoSphere Optim Data Growth solutions. By being used in conjunction with the product manuals and online help, this book provides guidance about implementing an optimal solution for managing your enterprise application data.

This inspirational collection of sermons by the renowned preacher, author, and speaker is based on the Gospel of Matthew.

An inexpensive guide to the best breakfast spots in Boston.

The bird was dead when the children found it, so they dug a grave in the woods and buried it, and sang a song to it.

"Ancient and Medieval Legacies" overviews Christian movements from the first to the fifteenth centuries AD, highlighting theological and liturgical evolution from the time of the early Christians to the beginnings of the Reformation. Edited by Reinhard Ulrich. Series editor Barbara Brown Zikmund.

We have been honored to work with a multitude of gifted thinkers, writers, and editors. We present these essays as their offering-and ours-to the blessed ministry of preaching." -From the introduction by David L. Bartlett and Barbara Brown Taylor --Book Jacket.

An enduring classic from award-winning writer Barbara Brown Taylor, exploring how we communicate with a God who often seems silent. Arguing persuasively for simplicity and economy when speaking of God, it reflects on the eloquence of Jesus’ silences and how we can find ways of bringing tired, old language about God back to life.

An Alaska family celebrates Hanukkah with a stubborn moose in their backyard and the Northern Lights as the best-ever menorah. Hanukkah in Alaska is unlike anywhere else. Snow piles up over the windows. Daylight is only five hours long. And one girl finds a moose camped out in her backyard, right near her favorite blue swing. She tries everything to lure it away: apples, carrots, even cookies. But it just keeps eating more tree! It''s not until the last night of Hanukkah that a familiar Jewish holiday tradition provides the perfect—and surprising—solution.

"Colonial and National Beginnings" examines the Congregational and German Reformed traditions as they developed in Colonial America until the era of the Civil War. Edited by Elizabeth C. Nordbeck and Lowell H. Zuck. Series editor Barbara Brown Zikmund.

In the United States, people of color are disproportionally more likely to live in environments with poor air quality, in close proximity to toxic waste, and in locations more vulnerable to climate change and extreme weather events. In many vulnerable neighborhoods, structural racism and classism prevent residents from having a seat at the table when decisions are made about their community. In an effort to overcome power imbalances and ensure local knowledge informs decision-making, a new approach to community engagement is essential. In Resilience for All, Barbara Brown Wilson looks at less conventional, but often more effective methods to make communities more resilient. She takes an in-depth look at what equitable, positive change through community-driven design looks like in four communities—East Biloxi, Mississippi; the Lower East Side of Manhattan; the Denby neighborhood in Detroit, Michigan; and the Cully neighborhood in Portland, Oregon. These vulnerable communities have prevailed in spite of serious urban stressors such as climate change, gentrification, and disinvestment. Wilson looks at how the lessons in the case studies and other examples might more broadly inform future practice. She shows how community-driven design projects in underserved neighborhoods can not only change the built world, but also provide opportunities for residents to build their own capacities.

Jim Logan and his wife, Bernie, move into their dream house in Long Beach, California. Although the house needs work, Jim is a construction superintendent and is happy to live there and take on the responsibility. When hes not fixing up his house, he works two hours away in San Diego, where he hires Diana to be his office manager for the current project. Diana is beautiful, intelligent, and young. She seems innocent enough, but her arrival comes with unexpected consequences. Jim and Bernie soon realize their home is haunted and that somehow Diana is connected to it. Dianas nearness to the house makes her desperate for attention, and Jim finds himself a victim of her charms. Whats more, it appears that Jims San Diego construction site might also have a ghost. He recruits experts to unravel the lands mysterious past. Meanwhile, the ghosts of his home are closing in on Bernie, now pregnant, and no ghost hunter can foresee the terror these spirits have in store for the young couple.

"Reformation Roots" studies the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries in European Christianity, including theological and political undercurrents of the Reformation. Edited by John B. Payne. Series editor Barbara Brown Zikmund.

"United and Uniting" studies the commitments, covenants, and challenges of the United Church of Christ in the twentieth century, with reflections from significant theologians and historians of United Church of Christ thought. Edited by Frederick R. Trost and Barbara Brown Zikmund. Series editor Barbara Brown Zikmund.

With this new lectionary commentary series, Westminster John Knox offers the most extensive resource for preaching on the market today. When complete, the twelve volumes of the series will cover all the Sundays in the three-year lectionary cycle, along with movable occasions, such as Christmas Day, Epiphany, Holy Week, and All Saints'' Day. For each lectionary text, preachers will find four brief essays--one each on the theological, pastoral, exegetical, and homiletical challenges of the text. This gives preachers sixteen different approaches to the proclaimation of the Word on any given occasion. The editors and contributors to this series are world-class scholars, pastors, and writers representing a variety of denominations and traditions. And while the twelve volumes of the series will follow the pattern of the Revised Common Lectionary, each volume will contain an index of biblical passages so that nonlectionary preachers, as well as teachers and students, may make use of its content.