From:-
TORCH TRUST, Torch House, Torch Way, Market Harborough,
Leicestershire, LE16 9HL, U.K.
Telephone: +44 (0)1858 438260, Fax: +44 (0)1858 438275, email:
info@torchtrust.org
Charity Number 1095904.
Issue 1 2009
Welcome to another edition of the Torch Library Magazine. We hope that as you read the book reviews, some information about the authors, as well as what you our borrowers have thought of the books, that you will continue to be inspired and encouraged to borrow the books from our library! If you want to chat about your books, please be sure to phone the library's direct number: 01858 438266, so that we can help you straight away. We can also help you find some Christmas and New Year reading to enjoy over the holiday.
In Winter with the long dark evenings, I often think it brings the desire to try something new, perhaps a new hobby? So maybe this is the opportunity to read a book you would not normally have selected.
I did this myself recently when I picked up "The Shack" by William Paul Young I wouldn't normally read a Christian Fiction book but after a couple of friends had read it and after hearing it was appearing in best-sellers lists everywhere my curiosity got the better of me and I decided to give it a go - just to see what all the fuss was about. It certainly is not just another nice story, but a book that will make you think and ask questions.
You may wonder how we arrive at/choose the titles. As I write this editorial we are preparing for our next Book Committee, which is due to take place at Torch House this week. This is where we look at new titles, reviews, and best sellers and quite often have to make the difficult decision as to which books we will transcribe for the library. We want to choose the best of the best so as you can imagine it tends to take the bulk of a working day to arrive at our final book choices.
So as you read through this TORCH LIBRARY MAGAZINE I hope you will find that we have made some good choices!
Suzanne And The Editors
Christmas Reading: Please do order your Christmas reading well in advance as its doubtful whether books requested after 14th December will reach you on time. Call the library on 01858 438266.
Closing: The Library will be closed from 24th December until Monday 4th January.
DAISY Today's New International Version Bible: It's now complete, on four CDs at £15.99. Note: you need a special DAISY book player to use this Bible.
50 Steps Forward: To mark Torch's 50th anniversary we have compiled a book of 50 undated daily readings. Authors include Torch staff and trustees alongside famous names like Jeff Lucas, Margaret Cundiff and David Coffey. Each day there are prayer items that relate to Torch's ministry. Costing only £5 it's available in print, braille, DAISY audio and giant print formats. Why not order as Christmas gifts? Contact Torch House to order or email info@torchtrust.org
(taken from The Sunday
Express
October 12, 2008)
[William Paul Young's surprise hit novel has brought God to life, and she's African-American. Graham Ball explains why you will never read another book like The Shack]
A story written by a man as a Christmas present for his children has turned him into a literary sensation. No publisher thought William Paul Young's first novel stood a chance but they were wrong. American readers have gone crazy for the book and sales pushed the novel to the top of the New York Times bestseller list for 18 weeks.
Now readers, some of whom claim that the book has helped them solve issues in their lives, want the writer to become their personal guru.
It's an extraordinary story and it's far from over. Three years ago William Paul Young (Paul to friends) was living with his family in Portland, Oregon. He worked to make ends meet as an office manager and janitor. That Christmas, at his wife's request, he wrote a book for their six children in which he outlined his beliefs. He had 15 copies bound.
"Before, I was just an ordinary guy doing ordinary jobs but everything has changed. I'd have to describe myself today as an accidental author," he said.
Soon after Christmas, two of Paul's friends came by to read the book and convinced him it was worthy of a wider audience. Together they sent copies to 26 leading American publishers who all said the book was a non-starter but perhaps that's not surprising.
The Shack begins darkly, like a thriller. A middle-aged father, not unlike Paul, takes three of his children on a camping holiday in the wilderness. However, tragedy strikes when the youngest, his daughter Missy, is snatched by a serial killer and her bloodstained clothes are found in an abandoned old property that the family call The Shack.
The lead character, Mack, and his wife find it almost impossible to come to terms with her death and refer to it subsequently as The Great Loss.
A few years pass then an unstamped letter arrives. It's an invitation to return to The Shack from God (called Papa), a character in the story along with Jesus and the Holy Ghost, since The Shack has been refurbished and the new occupants are celestial.
However, herein lies the problem. Contemporary publishers have a problem with religion, let alone a story about a man who spends the weekend with the Almighty.
With great misgivings, Mack goes back and this is where the story takes off.
Young says: "I don't understand why publishers found a difficulty with this. The section where Mack goes back to spend a weekend at The Shack is really a series of conversations in which he tries to understand why God has allowed his daughter to be killed, why there is evil in the world, freedom and love. It's perfectly straightforward, people talk to God all the time."
One further difficulty the publishers may have found here, but not the readers, is the fact that in this manifestation God is a middle-aged African-American woman, Jesus is a guy in jeans and a workman's shirt and the Holy Spirit is an ethereal Asian girl.
Despite these challenges to conventional taste, the men from Portland decided to go it alone and publish The Shack themselves.
Within a short time, Windblown Media was created and they stored the printed copies of the book in Paul's garage. They sold their first print run of 10,000 copies in four months, then something equally amazing happened. Readers who enjoyed the book logged on to the internet, wrote blogs and began to spread the word that The Shack was special.
"I did not see any of this coming and feel humbled by the way that people have responded to what I have written. It's hard sometimes not to believe that this is not a God thing."
Paul talks in a soft Oregon burr that belies the complexity of his thinking. The Shack addresses religious questions in a subtle but perceptive way that only the cynical or shallow could dismiss.
As a man, he is hard to pin down, though. He does not like organised religions, believing they create hierarchies and power structures that get between the individual and God. He's not even happy to be called a Christian because he finds the definition of one varies so wildly.
"I wouldn't describe myself as religious. I'd say I was more spiritual. There are miraculous things in the everyday world and it is up to humans to see them. God isn't owned by a church. We can all talk to God."
Paul's conversations with God suggest that he has had long and not always easy exchanges. He was born in Canada and, at an early age, went to New Guinea where his mother and father worked as missionaries.
Paul was abused by tribesmen and was later sent to a boarding school, where further assaults took place. Later, he worked to put himself through Bible school but the priesthood never really appealed to him.
He felt dislocated and his early adult life was also troubled. His marriage almost failed after he confessed to an affair and over a six-month period his younger brother was killed, his wife's father died suddenly and his niece died a day after her fifth birthday.
"I didn't set out to write a bestseller and people who think I want to start a cult or lead people are simply wrong."
The Shack is well-written and in an age of financial turmoil and anxiety, conversations with God might be of enormous reassurance for anyone with troubles in their heart.
[You can borrow or buy The Shack (£6) on DAISY disk, cassette or in braille.]
Reviewed by James Brookman
The best way of recommending this book is to go to the back cover which unusually gives out a pretty accurate description of the contents:
Every man was once a boy. And every little boy has dreams, big dreams: dreams of being the hero, of beating the bad guys, of doing daring feats and rescuing the damsel in distress. Every little girl has dreams, too: of being rescued by her prince and swept up into a great adventure, knowing that she is the beauty.
But what happens to those dreams when we grow up? Walk into most churches, have a look around, and ask yourself: What is a Christian man? Without listening to what is said, look at what you find there. Most Christian men are ... bored.
In Wild at Heart, John Eldredge invites men to recover their masculine heart, defined in the image of a passionate God. And he invites women to discover the secret of a man's soul and to delight in the strength and wildness men were created to offer.
Now I imagine many are thinking that's all very fine if you're an alpha male and hell bent on bungee jumping or climbing Everest but what about everyone else? Well, I am a long way from that macho stereotype but have certainly benefited from this book. OK, shortly after reading it last summer, I was inspired to be more adventurous - I salvaged the dinghy from my Dad's garage where it had languished for the last 25 years and set off on some exciting trips with my family - but the main positive effect has been on close relationships and my relationship with God.
And the book's not for men only. My wife read it first and found it most illuminating, though I soon got fed up with the thoughts muttered under her breath, "oh, that's why he does that" and more worryingly, "well, well, well ...".
The author of the book John Eldredge is American and we've been very fortunate at Torch to have the book audio transcribed by a fellow American, Kent Splawn. Kent works as a missionary in the UK and in his spare time records voiceovers for commercials and Christian books for Torch. We join him now as he describes a central tenet of the book viz. a healthy father-son relationship is critical to a boy's development:
Every man carries a wound. I have never met a man without one. No matter how good your life may have seemed to you, you live in a broken world full of broken people. Your mother and father, no matter how wonderful, couldn't have been perfect. She is a daughter of Eve, and he a son of Adam. So there is no crossing through this country without taking a wound. And every wound, whether it's assaultive or passive, delivers with it a message. The message feels final and true, absolutely true, because it is delivered with such force. Our reaction to it shapes our personality in very significant ways. From that flows the false self. Most of the men you meet are living out a false self, a pose, which is directly related to his wound. Let me try to make this clear.
The message delivered with my wound (my father disappearing into his own battles) was simply this: You are on your own, John. There is no one in your corner, no one to show you the way and above all, no one to tell you if you are or are not a man. The core question of your soul has no answer, and can never get one. What does a boy do with that? First, I became an unruly teen. I got kicked out of school, had a police record. We often misunderstand that behavior as "adolescent rebellion," but those are cries for involvement, for engagement. Even after God's dramatic rescue of me at the age of nineteen, when I became a Christian, the wound remained. As my dear friend Brent said, "Becoming a Christian doesn't necessarily fix things. My arrows were still lodged deep and refused to allow some angry wounds inside to heal."
The book does contain some controversial advice, in fact the first Transcriber I sent it to declined it, but Kent already knew the book and took to it with enthusiasm. The only thing you have to watch out for is his inability (along with all Americans) to say the word "warrior" which comes out a bit like "worrier" - so don't be alarmed when you're encouraged in the book to "release the worrier within"!
In conclusion I would recommend this book to everyone, male, female, married or not. Laugh at the stories, consider the advice, learn how men are from Mars and, most of all, marvel at the far reaching love of our true Father God.
[Available now on DAISY CD, D2651, and coming soon on cassette and in braille
Reviewed by Marilyn Baker
This book is riveting right from the start. It is Jennifer's life story, starting at the beginning and helping us understand the pressures she was under as a little girl having an eminent preacher, Tom Rees as a father, and having to live in large conference centres, constantly under the eyes of the guests.
We follow her in this very honest and frank account through her heights and depths, as she tells us of her debilitating illness and lessons she learnt through it, her subsequent healing which brought so much joy but also serious complications as her lifestyle changed so dramatically, and the pain of her marriage break-up which was by far the hardest thing she ever had to cope with.
As she clung to her Father God and in her grief sought counsel and help for herself, Jesus began to mend her broken heart, and gave her a new, even deeper ministry to those who have gone through deep loss and trauma.
In this book, we get an amazingly candid, in depth look into Jennifer's private life, and how Jesus himself became her all in all as she learnt to truly trust him in the most difficult of circumstances. She is honest about her doubts and questions too, and at times she has us really laughing as well as crying! in my opinion, it is one of the best books she has ever written, a great read!
And here's an extract from the book to show you what I mean ...
"I'm home!" I shouted as I opened the front door. No one answered, which was hardly surprising since I'd lived alone for seven years - but family habits die hard! Kicking off my smart shoes I gingerly opened the sitting-room door, bracing myself for the avalanche. Three large dogs hurled themselves at me with wildly wagging tails.
"Anyone would think I'd been away for months," I said as I pushed them out into the garden before their excitement ruined my carpet. "I've only done a Ladies' Breakfast; and if you're interested," I added, "it went really well." They weren't remotely interested, but when you come back from doing something you've been dreading it's nice to tell someone how it went.
With a huge sense of relief I peeled off my best working suit and replaced it with gardening clothes. "It came to pass," I muttered thankfully, quoting one of my father's favourite Bible verses (King James Version, of course!). Although I usually speak at several churches or Christian events every week, this outreach breakfast had been the first I'd done for a while. Just a few weeks before, I had held the little body of my granddaughter, Cerian, in my arms and dressed her in the clothes we'd all made for her so carefully. I had prayed for months that this child would live, but as I looked down at her dear little face I knew my hopes had just died with her. Everything in me had been crying out ever since, "God, why didn't you heal her?" I had been so sure he could. Only twelve years earlier he had healed me suddenly one day after eight years of life in a wheelchair. I had been telling people ever since about his power and had often seen him responding to my prayers on their behalf. Yet he seemed to have ignored all my agonised prayers for Cerian, even though I would willingly have given up my own healing for hers. When your grandchild dies you not only grieve for them but you also have to watch your own child grieving.
Maybe I could have handled that double-edged misery a little better if it had not come as the climax of six other major losses that had hit in rapid succession. I felt punch drunk and was almost afraid to pray because it seemed that everything I asked God to do, he promptly did the opposite! A nasty cold feeling often seeped through me early in the mornings: suppose I had been deluding myself all my life? Perhaps God was actually powerless after all and it was only coincidence when he appeared to respond to our prayers.
[Journey Into God's Heart: An epic saga of a unique woman's journey through the fire. An adventure that lasts a lifetime, a path strewn with heart-testing challenges. Available on Cassette C2614 and on Daisy D2614.]
Beyond Healing: A woman in the prime of life is struck down by serious illness: surely God will heal her. But what if he doesn't? When Jennifer learned she had a rare viral disease that threatened her life, she was forced to re-think the issue of healing. Available on Cassette C1023 and in Braille B1371.
Turning Point: When life is shattered by tragedy or disappointment, hope seems lost forever. but there is a turning point for everyone, and with God's help, nothing is beyond hope. The key is forgiveness. Available on Cassette C1860.
Unexpected Healing: For 8 years, Jennifer had been suffering with repeated attacks of encephalitis. Then came the wonder of God's intervention in June 1990. Available on Cassette C1551, in Braille B1380 and in Giant Print G941.
Walking, Leaping And Praising God: For 8 years, Jennifer suffered repeated attacks of encephalitis. She tells how this affected their family and her miraculous healing. Available on Cassette C1586.
Waves: Jennifer Rees Larcombe: Jennifer was a happy, busy mother of 6 children when she was struck down with encephalitis. The disease attacked her nervous system, and she eventually became confined to a wheelchair; despite her handicap she continued her career of writing and speaking. In 1990, during a church service, Jennifer was miraculously healed of her disability. Available on Cassette C2034.
Beauty From Ashes: Jennifer's favourite Bible verse reminded her that God could transform the ashes of her life into something new/beautiful. This book grew out of her collection of "kitchen verses", combined with practical tips for those adjusting to loss. Available on Cassette C2221 and in Braille B2071.
God's Gloves: A tearful complaint from her five-year old son and a fresh reading of Jesus' striking words about caring for the hungry, the sick, the stranger and the prisoner, challenged Jennifer Rees-Larcombe's Christian witness. Available on Cassette C979 and in Braille B1156.
The Gospel According To Brodie: In a series of amusing, touching and poignant letters to a disabled friend, Jennifer reflects on the lessons of faith she has learned from Brodie, her dog who was born blind. Available on Cassette C1848, on Daisy D1848 in Braille B840 and in Giant Print G2073.
Where Have You Gone, God: Before writing this book the author contacted over 1,000 people who, at some time in their Christian lives, felt far from God. Their experience, and the wisdom of Christians down the ages, combine to make a book of comfort and hope. Available on Cassette C1231 and in Braille B1022.
Who Do You Say I Am?: Poems, prayers and individual stories written by men, women and children from across the ages - together they paint a glorious picture of Jesus and illustrate the incredible depth of his character. Available on Daisy D2455.
Auntie Maud's Windmill: Auntie Maud is a lively character who likes having adventures and talks to God all the time. Available on Cassette C1584, in Braille B1807 and in Giant Print G1284.
The Curse Of Craigiburn: They said that Craigiburn was cursed. The curtains were always drawn, and it was a sad family that lived in it. What was the curse? Available on Cassette C1392.
The Fire Brand: Jake was on his way to yet another foster home, and was ready to behave in his usual wild way, but the Jarvis family turned out to be different from all the others ... Available on Cassette C1116 and in Braille B1970.
The Park People: Come and meet the park people. Find out how God helps them even with their most difficult problems. These six stories are ideal for young children, or for reading out loud in church or in school assemblies. Available on Cassette C1706 and in Braille B021.
And finally, a Book by Sarah Williams, Jennifer's daughter: The Shaming of the Strong: Sarah Williams was going to be a mum again. But the hospital scan changed everything. The child would not survive birth. Does she follow the advice of the medical profession and undergo a termination? Or does she follow her heart? Available on Cassette C2439, on Daisy D2439, in Braille B2697 and in Giant Print G2144.
[The following items are taken from St. Dunsans Newsletter. St dunsans helps people with sight loss who have served in the armed forces.]
Evelyn Lucas recalls her meeting with Commissioner Catherine Bramwell-Booth.
At the door of the forbidding-looking old house, I felt a little over-awed by the prospect of talking to this old lady from a totally different era. She was Commissioner Catherine Bramwell-Booth, the granddaughter of General Booth, the Founder of the Salvation Army.
She received me with the dignity of the old Queen - Queen Mary, that is ... She wore her Salvation Army uniform, with her white hair dragged back severely. She was 96 years old.
I had gone to her home to interview her for a television programme. As it turned out, she interviewed me!
"These are my two young sisters, Colonel Olive and Major Dora." Her eyes twinkled with fun, and no this is not a cliché, she put the emphasis on the word "young" - for they were 86 and 84 respectively.
Inside, the sun was blazing in through the windows onto the bowls of pink and red roses. During our ensuing chat she likened faith in God to the sun shining on the flowers.
The huge shabby living room was hung around with faded banners, flags, large drums and tambourines. There were several organs and harmoniums against the walls. The large comfy armchairs were faded and a little threadbare. It was obvious they lived very modestly.
During the whole of my visit, clocks clanged, chimed and tinkled every 15 minutes throughout that rambly old house.
I had prepared many questions, but I soon discovered she was a great talker. She used emotive words throughout - words like beauty, wonder, joy, happiness, elation, excitement, and loveliness.
She was anxious to explain how they came to be living in this big house. She told me how her mother's parents - conventional and comfortably off - were devastated when their daughter married Bramwell-Booth. The Booths were all loquacious excitable people.
Her mother's family thought they were unspeakably vulgar. They bought this big house for their daughter in case "the worst" happened.
"The worst" did not happen. Her mother and father were immensely happy. They had seven children. None of them ever went to school. Their mother taught them everything.
Catherine was the eldest. When her dearly-loved mother died relatively young, Catherine brought them up as if they were her own. She said she had no way of knowing how life would have been had she married. But she had no doubt that she loved her brothers and sisters more than some people loved their own children.
A constant source of joy for her was the knowledge that she had nursed Olive and Dora in her arms as babies - and that she had loved them all the days of their lives. I had read that she had been known to address meetings for two hours, without notes and without sitting down. I asked her how she learned to do this. She explained that, as a very young raw cadet, a man in a pub had asked her to say a prayer for him. "I flopped down on my knees," she said. "The barman leapt over the bar and threw me out" She said that since then she had prayed in hundreds of pubs, but always standing up!
I roared with laughter and she joined in. "Laughing is good for your health;" she said approvingly. "There were always gales of laughter in our home."
I commented on the musical instruments around the room. Did she play an instrument? Yes, she played the piano, cello, violin, tenor horn, cornet, concertina, even the guitar. "Young people today think they invented the guitar."
Her one sadness was that she couldn't sing in tune but she made up for it by shouting all the hymns. Her grandfather, General Booth, had brought them up to sing all the time. "Why should the devil have all the best tunes?" he had said.
She admitted that she was always slightly in awe of him, she remembered him asking her once, how she had done at The Corps that day "Well I did my best," she had nervously replied. "Your Best!" he had roared. "What good is that? You've got to do better than your best!"
Asked about her age, she was 96 then remember, she said she now had a lovely excuse for lying in bed late. The only time she'd got up early, she joked, was the day she was born - at 6:30 in the morning. She confessed to never having seen the dawn. "But the skies by day, the night skies, and the sunsets! They are God's Academy, and he never hangs the same picture."
She didn't know what Heaven would be like. "Just as well, otherwise we wouldn't be able to put up with the misery of Earth." She called dying "Being promoted to Glory". Anyway she wasn't ready for that yet. There was so much still to do. She wanted to learn Hebrew so that she could read the Psalms in their original form.
She asked me how I would be spending Christmas. I told her I'd be with my mother who was crippled, deaf and nearly blind. Very simply she said, "I would like to say a little prayer for you both." She put her hands together, closed her eyes and bowed her head. I did the same.
"Dear Lord," she began, "Isn't it wonderful that we can speak to Thee? Give my dear friend Miss Lucas and her dearly-loved mother a happy time at Christmas ..."
I only remember those first few words. Tears welled up in my eyes. I was overcome with emotion as the sincerity and goodness of this remarkable old lady wrapped itself around me.
I left that old shabby house a different person. I had learnt that in her long life she had known inconceivable sorrow and unimaginable happiness.
I had been entranced by her wit and her zest for life. I marvelled at her knowledge of music, literature, nature and the arts, all self-taught. Surpassing all this was her unwavering belief in God, and her love and compassion for her fellow human beings.
Whenever I feel bitter and twisted about the evils of today, I recall Commissioner Catherine's shining contentment, and try humbly to emulate her. I'm not very successful but at least I try my best. But of course, she did better than best!
Commissioner Catherine lived to be 103. Awarded the CBE in 1971 in recognition of her Salvation Army service, she was also named Speaker of the Year in 1977 and received the Humanitarian Award in 1981.
* * * * * *
Mabel Haynes recalls her encounter with another member of the Booth family.
With all the turmoil in the Middle East I am vividly reminded of the Spring of 1945. I was in the ATS, stationed in Brussels, and on Sunday afternoons I was in the habit of attending the local Methodist church hall, where all Service men and women of all ranks, of all nationalities were made welcome socially, by the civilian church members. We always enjoyed the friendly atmosphere and after discussions we were given a tea.
The Minister was a very jovial person and afterwards conducted a short service when we were all allowed to choose the hymns. However, on the Sunday to which I refer the Minister announced that two civilians, who had that morning been released from an internment camp, were on their way home to England, breaking their journey overnight in Brussels, and would like to meet us. The lady was Miss Mary Booth, granddaughter of the founder of the Salvation Army. Her fellow companion was a white - haired old man bent almost double, using a walking stick but still needing assistance to walk. He had very sunken cheeks, was very shabbily dressed in grey, but I remember noticing at the time that he wore a very ragged clerical collar. He had asked to be excused from addressing us as he did not feel as if he could talk of his experiences at that time.
Miss Booth was dressed in uniform, refused a chair and stood in front of us and the Minister stood beside her translating into French as she spoke.
I remember her very commanding voice and she spoke for quite a long time.
She gave us a very vivid description of what life had been like in the camp but she simply gave us facts and there was no bitterness or criticism in her account. She explained that she and
Colonel Mary Booth was captured by the German army near Ostend in 1940. Interrogated by the Gestapo, she was sent to Peterhausen Camp for Civilian Internees near Konstanz. Later she was released in exchange for seven German women. Her companion had been interned at the same time and between them had taken under their wing a young girl of 11 years of age whose parents had been shot, although the child believed they were only "missing". Fortunately, all three of them were able to keep regular contact and share experiences in the camp.
It was very grim and at times food was almost non-existent. They had managed to get hold of a very hard crust of bread and were able to break off the crust, remove the layer of mould that had grown underneath, and give it to the child to eat. The child then asked them "Do you think we are dead and this is hell?" She said that they had given the child as much comfort as they could in the circumstances.
There was a deathly silence from all her listeners and when she had finished speaking, she led us all in prayer. At the end she gave a prayer especially for her late captors. Surely she was truly a wonderful person. Then before she and her companion left the hall she had a personal word with each one of us present in uniform.
On the following Sunday afternoon when I went along to the chapel as usual I discovered that the "old man" was, in fact, a 28 year old Roman Catholic priest.
[Letter from
Roy Armstrong,
Walthamstow, London]
Being a Salvationist I was very interested to read the articles about two of the founder General Booth's close relations in the June Review. In a roundabout way St Dunstan's was part instigator of me becoming a Salvationist. At the time of my entering St Dunstan's for two years of training to live with being totally blind I had no time for God, even if there was such a person.
St Dunstan's persuaded me to let them arrange for a voluntary escort to take me to a cinema that evening. So I was put on their coach into Brighton where the escort would meet the coach. I did not know at that time my escort was a life-long Salvationist. We both seemed to hit it off with each other from the start and she became my regular escort.
It took her nearly two years to talk me into going to a Salvation Army meeting. I booked her a lunch at Ovingdean, then we walked along the undercliff into Saltdean. There we had a cup of tea and got the open top bus back into Brighton where we went into what used to be the Lyons Corner House in Old Stein and had tea. Afterwards, we walked to the Salvation Army Citadel. It was the first time I had been in any church for years.
The meeting was actually quite good. After that there was a short prayer meeting which was open to the congregation. Whilst the prayers were going on they started singing a chorus very quietly and a line in it went "It was by faith I received my sight" and as they sang those words I suddenly got about 20 per cent of my sight back in my right eye which I have never lost since.
That night completely changed my life and about nine months after, having completed my training, we married which was the start of 52 of the happiest years of my life that we shared together.
Catherine Booth by Roger J. Green. Available on Cassette (C2007)
Catherine Bramwell-Booth by Mary Batchelor. Available on Cassette (C1136)
Catherine Bramwell-Booth by Catherine M. Swift. Available in Giant Print (G1146)
Commissioner Catherine by Catherine Bramwell-Booth. Available on Cassette (C722)
Getting Things Done - Eva Burrows by Wendy Green. Available in Braille (B1379) and on Cassette (C1258)
Letters by Catherine Bramwell-Booth. Available on Cassette (C1054)
The Midnight Patrol by Phyllis Thompson. Available on Cassette (C420) and on Daisy (D420)
William and Catherine Booth: God's Soldiers by Jenty Fairbank. Available in Braille (B1426) and on Cassette (C458)
The Parables of Harris by Peter Horrobin. Miss R of Ashton under Lyme writes: "An absolutely wonderful listen. Thank you." In The Parables of Harris Peter Horrobin was an overstressed executive until his wife bought him a dog to look after. Read about Harris, a Labrador with character, and how his adventures and humorous exploits have become modern-day parables providing important insights into life. This book is available in Braille B2695, on Cassette C2445 and in Giant Print G2112
More Precious than Silver by Joni Eareckson Tada and Four Paws From Heaven by M R Wells. Miss M S of Aberdeen emailed "Thankyou, I have enjoyed these."
More Precious Than Silver by Joni Eareckson Tada has gathered together a collection of inspirational stories, divided into 12 calendar months with a devotional reading for each day. These insights cover a range of topics including theology, inspiration, teaching and humour. It is available in Braille B2079
Four Paws from Heaven by M R Wells. This book is also a devotional. Friend, family member, guardian, comforter-a dog can add so much to our lives. These furry, four-footed creatures truly are wonderful gifts from a loving Creator that bring joy, laughter, and warmth to our hearts and homes. Sometimes they do seem "heaven sent". This book is available in Braille B2764, on Cassette C2543 and in Giant Print G2188. In time it will also be available on Daisy.
Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer Mrs T G of Epsom wrote "I am enjoying this thank you". A war is raging. Your mind is the Battlefield. Worry, doubt, confusion, depression, anger, and feelings of condemnation ... all these are attacks on the mind. If you suffer from negative thoughts, take heart! Joyce Meyer has helped millions win these all-important battles - and she can help you, too. This book is available on Cassette C2562 and, in time, will be available in Braille and in Giant Print.
The Journey by Alister McGrath. Miss C of Worthing writes "Very good. Thanks." Alister McGrath is our guide on an epic journey that retraces the path of the great Exodus from Egypt. He helps us to address a series of spiritual obstacles by following in the footsteps of Christian writers such as C.S. Lewis and John Bunyan. This book is a Devotional and is available in Braille B2598, on Cassette C2529 and in Giant Print G2176
Rose from Brier by Amy Carmichael. Miss J R of Newtown, Mid Wales writes "These books mean so much to me when I am too ill to leave my bed." This book is a devotional about God's comfort in time of pain and suffering, including personal testimony. It is available in Braille B1010, on Cassette C1726 and in Giant Print G2025
Encountering God by Tracy Williamson. Mrs R M W of Santon, Isle of Man writes "Thank you ..." This book is a fellow traveller's guide to the joy of discovering God afresh. The teaching in every chapter focuses on a key aspect of our relationship with God and shows how we can develop life-changing encounters with Him. It is available on Cassette C2617 and in Giant Print G2212; coming soon in Braille
The Merciful God of Prophecy by Tim La Haye. Mrs A G of Belfast writes: "A great book." Offering a very different perspective, Tim Le Haye shows us how the Lord of Creation wants us to have a future filled with hope, optimism and blessing, and how this can be understood only when we see the big picture of the wonderful plan God has for humankind. This book is a Study book and is available on Cassette C2187
The Scriptures the Cross and the Power of God by Tom Wright. "What a wonderful insight Tom Wright has into the Bible. Thank you so much for these tapes" writes one of our Borrowers. The Author examines accounts of the events from Palm Sunday to Easter as they appear in the gospels of Matthew and of John, looking at these familiar passages from many unfamiliar angles to help us see them afresh. It is available on Cassette C2504 and, in time, will be available in Braille.
Be Satisfied by Warren Wiersbe. Ms V T of Cheltenham said "This was excellent. Really lovely to read. It was very helpful and I would recommend this book." The book is a Commentary on Ecclesiastes as an inspired road map that guides you through the puzzles and problems of living and shows you the source by which you too may BE SATISFIED. It is available in Braille B2795
Kathryn's Story by Kathryn Green Miss R M C of Reading wrote "I loved this story - very many thanks ..." From the age of 11 Kathryn lived with a mystery illness. It was painful both emotionally and physically. Then suddenly it acquired a long name. And Kathryn knew that the outlook was bleak. At 13 she had committed her life to Jesus. So why didn't He help? Nineteen-year-old Kathryn Green tells the remarkable story of how, quite suddenly, He did. This autobiography is available on Cassette C1831, on Daisy D1831 and in Giant Print G1041.
In a previous Library Magazine we explained how the books in the Torch Library were reviewed and then selected for transcription. Well that was the easy bit! Now we'll give you a brief outline of what happens next - transcribing the books into braille, giant print and audio.
For audio the first step is to select a suitable transcriber. Some books need the transcriber to be the same gender as the author e.g. it's no good a female voice saying the words, "My wife and I ...", some transcribers have voices particularly gifted at rendering dialogue or children's' books, some books need to be read by a younger voice, some transcribers don't like certain authors etc, etc.
Once the book has been transcribed it is checked word for word by an editor who will tidy it up and insert any re-reads, and then send the book back for further re-reads. Once these have been inserted the book will be checked by an independent proof-reader and the cycle of tidying-up/re-reads repeated until the book has achieved the Torch standard of "near-perfection". This process normally takes at least 6 months!
Thankfully with our new DAISY recording machines the process is a lot quicker. These machines allow the transcriber to do their own editing, making the job for the editor and proof-reader much simpler - in fact we have 2 transcribers who regularly return books which are perfect first time!
For braille and giant print we start off with a Word Processed file. Gone are the days when books were typed or brailled word for word from the print book. We either get a computer file from the book's publisher or we take a picture of each page and a clever computer program figures out the words from the picture. Then we "doctor" the file to make it ready for braille and giant print. Thankfully, the same file can be used for both. Our text goes through the same rigorous checking as the audio books. Only when the layout and words are all correct do we use other clever computer programmes to transform the text into braille or giant print. The braille ones get a final proof-read by a blind person and the giant print ones also get a last check. Only then can our books be printed or embossed, bound, labelled and placed in our library for you to read. Of course, we're none of us perfect, so if you do happen to notice a little mistake ...
James Brookman and Sheila Armstrong
By Briar Whitehead. Number of Volumes 5. Catalogue Number B2800. Briar Whitehead argues for a more understanding and informed approach to people who find themselves attracted to the same sex. She shows how addictive forms of relating are expressions of unmet needs that only non-erotic love can satisfy.
By Stephen Cottrell. Number of Volumes 1. Catalogue Number B2900. For every day of Advent, Stephen Cottrell provided short, practical steps to help us slow down, take time out - and resist the pressure of the Christmas whirl.
By Hilary McDowell. Number of Volumes 2. Catalogue Number B2851. Bible readings, comments, prayers and meditations for every day in Advent.
By Torch Trust. Number of Volumes 2. Catalogue Number B2910. To mark 50 years of working with people with sight loss, this book is published as an invitation to join a 50-day journey in prayer and Bible reading, led by an amazingly diverse company of people whose only link is that they love and appreciate Torch.
By Jill Briscoe. Number of Volumes 2. Catalogue Number B2803. A collection of short stories, reflections and poems around the theme of our relationship with God, and what this means in terms of daily life.
By Christopher J. H. Wright. Number of Volumes 2. Catalogue Number B2787. Explores the astonishing wealth of teaching about the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament.
By Paul Kraus. Number of Volumes 1. Catalogue Number B2759. These prayers, meditations, poems and affirmations are easy to read, and address our need for healing at all levels: body, mind, spirit and emotions.
By Marie Fatayi-Williams. Number of Volumes 3. Catalogue Number B2793. MARIE FATAYI-WILLIAMS A mother's search for peace after the London bombings.
By Linvoy Primus & Peter Jeffs. Number of Volumes 4. Catalogue Number B2846. LINVOY PRIMUS his life in football and of how, through his conversion to Christianity, he triumphantly overcame disillusionment, lack of self belief and numerous rejections so that his own life and performances were totally transformed.
By Michael Wenham. Number of Volumes 2. Catalogue Number B2885. The story of a church minister's struggle with Motor Neurone or Lou Gehrig's Disease, told with courage, humour and faith.
By Irene Howat. Number of Volumes 2. Catalogue Number B2814. May Nicholson was a notorious fighting drunk until her conversion when she was 34. The last 22 years have been spent tirelessly working for the Lord in Ferguslie Park, then in Mid Craigie, and now in Govan where she founded the Preshal Trust.
By Brian MacFarland. Number of Volumes 2. Catalogue Number B2826. Personal testimonies of refugees who experienced the transforming power of Christ in the midst of war in the Balkans.
By Gram Seed. Number of Cassettes 4. Catalogue Number C2680. The amazing story of Gram Seed, whose life of crime and addiction was miraculously transformed by prayer.
By Alex MacDonald. Number of Disks 1. Catalogue Number D2751. These are the stories of contemporary eyewitnesses to the life of Jesus. The people who tell their stories include: Mary - mother of Jesus; Gaius Maximus - centurion; Joanna's story of John, the Baptist; the women at the well; Simon the Pharisee...
By Andrew Wilson. Number of Disks 1. Catalogue Number D2712. Andrew Wilson explores 60 names and descriptions of the one true God, weaving profound biblical insight into each short chapter, and so unfolding the greatest subject our minds and hearts can ever contemplate.
By John Chapman. Number of Disks 1. Catalogue Number D2671. This is a warm-hearted, good-humoured and challenging evangelistic book for 'seniors'. It explains how we can know about life after death, what the new creation will be like, and whether we can be sure of being part of it.
By Frank Morison. Number of Disks 1. Catalogue Number D767. The inner story of a man who set out to write one kind of book about the Resurrection of Christ and found himself compelled to write quite differently.
By J. David Pawson. Number of Disks 1. Catalogue Number D2669. From a well-known Bible teacher and 'GOD TV' broadcaster. Now revised and updated, and based on the classic Truth to Tell, this book covers the basics of Christian faith with great clarity. An excellent, proven aid for evangelism and teaching.
By Brother Yun & Paul Hattaway. Number of Disks 1. Catalogue Number D2770. The companion to the bestselling The Heavenly Man, Living Water is a collection of Brother Yun's dynamic teachings that evolved from his life experiences of persecution and revival in China.
By Brother Yun & Paul Hattaway. Number of Disks 1. Catalogue Number D2770. The companion to the bestselling The Heavenly Man, Living Water is a collection of Brother Yun's dynamic teachings that evolved from his life experiences of persecution and revival in China.
By Stephen Cottrell. Number of Disks 1. Catalogue Number D2763. For every day of Advent, Stephen Cottrell provided short, practical steps to help us slow down, take time out - and resist the pressure of the Christmas whirl.
By Joni Eareckson Tada. Number of Disks 1. Catalogue Number D2755. If you long for spiritual vibrancy, Joni Eareckson Tada wants to give you hope. In '31 Days Toward Passionate Faith', she shares daily inspiration from her own search for an active trust in God.
By Torch Trust. Number of Disks 1. Catalogue Number D2792. To mark 50 years of working with people with sight loss, this book is published as an invitation to join a 50-day journey in prayer and Bible reading, led by an amazingly diverse company of people whose only link is that they love and appreciate Torch.
By Anona Coates. Number of Disks 1. Catalogue Number D2649. The compelling and often haunting account of one woman's journey to find her true identity.
By Frida Gashumba. Number of Disks 1. Catalogue Number D2656. This book tells the true, dramatic story of life amid the horror of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, but more importantly how Frida's life was utterly transformed by the power to forgive and love her enemies.
By Robin Oake. Number of Disks 1. Catalogue Number D2695. Robin Oake's son Stephen was murdered while on duty as a Manchester policeman. Just how did he manage to forgive.
By Fred Lemon & Gladys Knowlton. Number of Disks 1. Catalogue Number D388. The converted ex-prisoner (author of "Breakout") shares some of his experiences since he has been going straight. In this book you will find how extraordinary things can happen to the most ordinary people.
By Fred Lemon & Robin Stride. Number of Disks 1. Catalogue Number D572. Sharing answers to prayer - praising God in times of difficulty - God's healing power - how Christians should live - how God provides for our daily needs - and many other themes.
By Colin Duriez. Number of Disks 1. Catalogue Number D2711.
By Jan Greenough. Number of Disks 1. Catalogue Number D2602. Three extraordinary true stories of courage in adversity.
By Janette Oke. Number of Disks 1. Catalogue Number D1364. A warm and gentle story of faith and love and joy in the midst of the swirling storm of life. Set in the far West.
By Janette Oke. Number of Disks 1. Catalogue Number D1618. Marty had thoroughly enjoyed her visit with Missie. Now they are home again and there are changes to make.
By Janette Oke. Number of Disks 1. Catalogue Number D1637. The delightful conclusion to the Love Comes Softly series. Belinda once again faces decisions about her life.
By Janette Oke. Number of Disks 1. Catalogue Number D1645. On the brink of manhood, Josh was facing important questions about life, about love, about himself.
By Janette Oke. Number of Disks 1. Catalogue Number D2021. Ariana is abducted and taken far from her home and family. She fears she will have lost all contact with her birth parents.
By Janette Oke. Number of Disks 1. Catalogue Number D1611. Damaris was almost 15 on the night she dared for the first time to think of what life might be like away from home.
By Janette Oke. Number of Disks 1. Catalogue Number D1846. Anna Trent, shy, sensitive and intelligent, the oldest child of a prairie farming family, is insatiable in her desire for learning. Austin Barker, the young seminarian who comes as a temporary pastor to her church, is eager to share his knowledge with her
By John Chapman. Number of Volumes 1. Catalogue Number G2244. This is a warm-hearted, good-humoured and challenging evangelistic book for 'seniors'. It explains how we can know about life after death, what the new creation will be like, and whether we can be sure of being part of it.
By Andrew Brandon. Number of Volumes 2. Catalogue Number G2253. Many say that God's promises to the people of Israel of the blessings of peace and prosperity, healing and material abundance can be claimed by the church today. This book explains and examines this claim in the light of Scripture's wider teaching.
By Gavin Reid et al. Number of Volumes 2. Catalogue Number G2254. Ten leading Christians of the 1970s and '80s walk with us through the first Easter, leading us to a fresh encounter with the risen Christ.
By Iain D. Campbell. Number of Volumes 3. Catalogue Number G2255. Iain D. Campbell has set out a lively and absorbing summary of history, one century at a time. The result entices you into the great sweeping themes of history that show God at work through his church.
By Tim Hughes. Number of Volumes 1. Catalogue Number G2211. This book provokes us to worship God wholeheartedly - with all of our heart, mind and strength, giving everything we are in worship. Tim also writes on the themes of creativity, humility, adoration and the greatness of God.
By Charles Marsh. Number of Volumes 1. Catalogue Number G2256. Running to win in the Christian life.
By Selwyn Hughes. Number of Volumes 1. Catalogue Number G2249. A compilation of extracts from the best Every Day with Jesus issues, enhanced by new material from Selwyn Hughes and poems by Susan Lenzkes.
By Stephen Cottrell. Number of Volumes 1. Catalogue Number G2268. For every day of Advent, Stephen Cottrell provided short, practical steps to help us slow down, take time out - and resist the pressure of the Christmas whirl.
By Hilary McDowell. Number of Volumes 2. Catalogue Number G2275. Bible readings, comments, prayers and meditations for every day in Advent.
By Tracy Williamson. Number of Volumes 1. Catalogue Number G2212. This book is a fellow traveller's guide to the joy of discovering God afresh. The teaching in every chapter focuses on a key aspect of our relationship with God and shows how we can develop life-changing encounters with him.
By Jack Winslow. Number of Volumes 1. Catalogue Number G2192. "My experience over the years has taught me that this quiet hour spent with God day by day is an unfailing secret of power, progress, purpose and peace."
By Anona Coates. Number of Volumes 2. Catalogue Number G2227. The compelling and often haunting account of one woman's journey to find her true identity.
By David Gregory. Number of Volumes 1. Catalogue Number G2228. Invited to dinner with a man calling him self Jesus of Nazareth, stressed, overworked business man Nick Cominsky assumes his fellow workers are pulling a prank.