It's the Best!

"Books are the treasured wealth of the world and the fit inheritance of generations and nations." Henry David Thoreau

Recently in one of my devotion books I came across Catherine Marshall's name. She's written 22 books, and I've never read one of them. Many people came to know her from the television series "Christy" many years ago. I watched the program and have the pilot movie, which I enjoy watching.

Perusing the title's of the books she's written I decided to go for "The Best of Catherine Marshall." Excerpts from 11 books are included in this volume so I thought I'd get a good feel for her books. This book would open my eyes to the life of Catherine and get a taste of her writing style.

One chapter that really spoke to my heart in her "Best" book is "The Dark Night of the Soul." Catherine experiencedthis dark time after her grandchild died. She was extremely open about her difficulties, which lasted several months, and she poured out her heart from that disturbing and difficult season in her life. It shook her faith and tested all her resources.

The inside flap says" One of America's most beloved authors, Catherine Marshall wrote with candor, simplicity and eloquence about the deepest issues of the human heart." I got to taste samples from "A Closer Walk," "Meeting God at Every Turn," "Julie," and others.

She was married to Peter Marsahll, a great Scotish preacher and U.S. Senate Chaplin, whose reputation as a "thrilling evangelical preacher" is captured in her book, "A Man Called Peter." The book was on the bestseller list for 50 consecutive weeks, and made into a movie.

When she was dating her second husband, Leonard LeSourd, he said: "What man wants to play second fiddle to a famous Scottish preacher? Surely you must realize that 'A Man Called Peter' made yours one of the great love stories of our time." "I do like a good love story!

Her words are indeed inspiring. I'm glad I purchased Catherine's "Best" and look forward to reading other books she wrote. I picked up a copy of "A Man Called Peter" and "Christy" at my local library. I'm just in the beginning chapters of "A Man Called Peter."

I pulled out my copy of the video of "Christy" and watched it the other evening. I remember the television series was popular, and seeing life at that time was interesting. Purchasing the entire series which was only $20, Jerry and I watched it last weekend--the entire series! I enjoyed it immensely and Jerry did too!

I'm thankful to God for continuing to direct my mind to books and movies that fill my life with encouraging thoughts and inspiring words. There is a wealth of books to be read on men and women who lived for Christ through all ages of our history. There is always a special nugget(s) to be had in reading how God worked in and through other people that can help me in my walk of faith.

"Books worth reading are worth reading twice; and what is most important of all, the masterpieces of literature are worth reading a thousand times." John Morley