Reviews

"Today we are in a state of flooding and yet have no water to drink. It is difficult to find authentic principles that satisfy our spiritual thirst. This is the very book that greatly helps those who are thirsty, worn out, burned out and tired of religious malpractices that are not truly spiritual. Richard Foster and Gayle Beebe show us how our faith ancestors found the wellspring of the deep and authentic spirituality and drew the fresh water that cleared their thirst. If you are looking for an authentic spiritual formation manual, you must read this book that will take you to the 'never-ending presence of God' experience!"--Joshua Choonmin Kang, author of Deep-Rooted in Christ, and pastor of OMC, Los Angeles "Living amid the rush of today's world--especially as one who leads in today's church--I need the wisdom of past saints. Their will to nakedly live in the light of God's Word distinguishes them from our tendencies to clothe ourselves in mere success, recognition or knowledge. Foster and Beebe afford us a resource to 'strip down'--to till our hearts, review our priorities and invite the Holy Spirit to plow our souls. His rain on such prepared soil is the key to any lasting fruitfulness in life or leadership."--Jack W. Hayford, chancellor, The King's Seminary, Los Angeles "Reading Longing for God is like stepping into an unfamiliar room and finding a wonderful group of vital and brilliant brothers and sisters in the way of Christ, reaching out to us from across the ages and from all kinds of personal characteristics and circumstances. We need to reach back and let them help us to know the fullness of life in the kingdom of God for who and where we are now. The spiritual impoverishment so widespread today among Christians is largely due to disconnection from 'the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.' The authors have opened doors into 'the unsearchable riches of Christ.' Let's go in."--Dallas Willard, author of The Divine Conspiracy "This is a feast for the mind and the soul. This is the best and richest of Christian thinking and soul-making made accessible to everybody. It would be very hard to read this without having your heart grow."--John Ortberg, author and pastor, Menlo Park Presbyterian Church "This is very much a survey work, useful as an introduction to a wide range of spiritual masters--and especially useful if it inspires one to read some of the classic texts it summarizes."--Lawrence S. Cunningham, Commonweal, June 4, 2010 "Few people pass through life without at one time or another wishing they had faith--or more faith. Longing for God offers the examples of Christians whose longings were answered."--J. Douglas Ousley, August 2009 "By featuring the lives and teaching of 26 spiritual masters from church history, Foster and Beebe shine a light on seven paths (or orientations) to spiritual development. This survey brings together shared themes and unique contributions that guide those journeying with and toward God."--The 2010 Christianity Today Book Awards, Spirituality Category Winner, February 2010 "Anyone longing for God will find this book to be a treasure chest full of gems. Dig in and you will be lavishly rewarded."--Barbara Sartorius-Bjelland, The Covenant Companion, November 2009 "A rich resource which can lead one into a more intimate relationship with God."--Arnold Rzepecki, Catholic Library World, December 2009 "Like a personal introduction to those well-known Christian writers of the past."--Betty Waller, The Lamplighter, vol. 41, no. 2 "Foster and Beebe certainly captured my interest and spiritual imagination as I used this book for my morning quiet time. I recommend it highly. The book is also available as an abridged audio book--a great resource for the morning commute or a road trip."--Gerry Ediger, Mennonite Brethren Herald, September 2009 "The authors do an excellent job. They relay the practical and powerful messages of great thinkers and doers who were not always understood in their times, and they do so in a way that is intelligible for today's readers."--Wayne E. Groner, Congregations, Fall 2009 "This book can serve as spiritual 'food' to nourish a hungry soul and serves as a great resource for teachers and pastors who do not have time to dig through ancient manuscripts looking for nuggets of useful information."--David Mercadante, Quaker Life, September/October 2009 "A rich feast of Christian life and practice. Powerfully instructive on how serious people make real progress in the life with God."--Dallas Willard, Christian Retailing, July 6, 2009 "Articulate, intellectual dialogue will satisfy the mind looking for a clear understanding of the ways people have historically attained spiritual intimacy."--K. R. C., Church Libraries, Summer 2009 "When it comes to growing in-depth in one's spiritual life, Richard Foster is one of the first authors to whom you should turn. In his latest book, Foster teams up with Gayle D. Beebe, president of Westmont College in Santa Barbara, CA, on a project that has taken three years to develop and write. [This] is well worth the wait. The book is based on the idea that throughout history, both individuals and societies have taken different paths to become alive to God. . . . [As] a result, the book is part devotional, part lesson in church history, and part challenge for deeper spiritual growth. Reading the pages is a rich reminder that we are not alone in our journeys of spiritual formation--God is with us, and many have gone before us."--Margaret Oines, FaithfulReader.com, June 2009 "Looking for a good mentor? This book helps you reach back into history to find spiritual mentors who had deep and abiding relationships with Christ. Each person featured (from Martin Luther to Augustine to John of the Cross) represents seven enduring paths to Christian devotion. You'll learn how they cultivated their relationship with Christ and gain insights for your own life and those you lead."--"Ministry Toolbox" (pastors.com), May 2009 "I have found this book to have excellent insight into our walk with God. To probe deeply into the lives of those who had generally given all to have a relationship with God, resulted in much valuable reading. I can recommend this book to all those who want to invest more deeply into their Christian lives, or are interested in learning more about church history."--City Light News, Calgary, Alberta, May 2009 "For a survey text on Christian spirituality, this would be an excellent book. Foster has always excelled at helping Christians appreciate the large variety of spiritualities and paths of spiritual formation that grow out of various Christian traditions. By using 3-4 persons as examples of each path, and drawing those persons from a broad historical and denominational background, the reader will certainly encounter everything from Quakers to Catholics, classical spiritual writers to contemporary guides."--Internet Monk (internetmonk.com), April 13, 2009 "I would like every single Christian I know to read the book. It is a gold mine of knowledge, inspiration, encouragement, straightforwardness, and a joy to read. I could hardly put it down. It moves rapidly and keeps your interest. I cannot recommend it highly enough."--Bill Vaswig, founder and president, Preaching & Prayer Ministries, Inc., May/June 2009 "This marvelous source book by Foster and Beebe invites us to a pilgrimage toward God. It takes us deeply and slowly into the old trusts of our fathers and mothers in faith. The book will be a valuable detailed reminder that the journey is not an easy one, and that we are not the first ones who have walked that way. The book meditates on the old habits whereby one may break from the present rush in order to be refreshed and transformed by a holiness that is beyond every quick fix and every surface offer."--Walter Brueggemann, author of The Prophetic Imagination "Deep wells of living water dug by our ancestors have been filled with religious rubble and trash by American consumer spirituality. Like Isaac, digging again the wells of his father that the Philistines stopped up, Richard Foster and Gayle Beebe have cleaned out these deep sources of Christian nurture and formation for us. It turns out that there are wells all over the place. Use this book for your bucket."--Eugene H. Peterson, translator of The Message