Logo

 

Banner Image:   Baptist-Times-banner-2000x370-
Template Mode:   Baptist Times
Icon
    Post     Tweet

'Full of grace and gratitude'

Delightful book about finding peace and purpose in a long life, alongside one with advice for bringing up children

Rich in Years250Rich in Years
By Johann Christoph Arnold
Plough Publishing 
ISBN: 978-0-87486-898-2
 
Their Name is Today
By Johann Christoph Arnold
Plough Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-87486-612-4
Reviewed by David Stuckey

Johann Christoph Arnold is a new name to me but a welcome one. Having recently come to terms with being ‘rich in years’ myself, I found this slim book to be a delight. To discover how other people handle getting older is engaging and enlightening.

Rich in Years contains interviews with those of a certain age; it is subtitled Finding Peace and Purpose in a Long Life – and he has interviewed a number of folk who have discovered that for themselves.
 
Old age creeps up on everyone, he suggests. In my case it seemed to hit me suddenly when I passed 70, but still …I can confirm that love and laughter is the best tonic especially when forgetfulness strikes – but more crippling is regret  (“I wish I’d lived my life differently. I wish I’d been more successful”)
 
The best way to deal with regrets, he says, is to accept God’s grace as we face the future. With gratitude for the life we’ve led comes realisation of how exciting our senior years can be. And with that realisation comes peace of mind.
 
Their Name is Today focuses on the opposite end of the spectrum; its sub-title is Reclaiming Childhood in a Hostile World. It’s easy to be pessimistic of the future in this day and age but Arnold argues for a positive response to the myriad distractions children have to face in our modern society.

And the best way to keep young minds focused on what really matters? “We need to believe in them”, he says and this book is full of timely warnings and advice.
 
As a couple, we’ve learnt to count our blessings – our grandchildren, more time to enjoy the concert hall, the theatre, time to reconnect with long-neglected friends.

“We all find ways to play the hand life has dealt us” says Johann, “and we should not neglect the opportunity. The moment you relate to God, thank him for your existence, for loving you … you gain a beautiful heavenly relationship – and real peace of mind.”
 
There is a lot of common sense Johann’s writings. Rich in Years does not simply mean older – it means full of grace and gratitude. Their Name is Today is a warning we should heed. Thanks to Johann and his interviewees for spelling it out so clearly.
 


David Stuckey is a journalist and member of Maghull Baptist Church

Baptist Times, 14/08/2015
    Post     Tweet
My Big Story Bible by Tom Wright 
'Wright is retelling the stories in an accessible way in something closer to the whole Bible, with his inclusions of the books of the prophets and the New Testament letters'
Clever Cub Forgives a Friend, and Invites Someone New, by Bob Hartman  
Latest titles in series which takes the world of the child seriously and then tries to choose appropriate stories from the Bible to address their experiences - relevant and readable
The Hardest Problem: God, Evil and Suffering by Rupert Shortt 
'Not only helpful to Christians but worth passing on to thoughtful unbelievers who find the problem of evil and suffering an obstacle to belief'
Heroes or Villains by Jeannie Kendall 
'A gem of a book, thoughtfully and insightfully exploring the qualities we share with Bible characters'
Poverty, Riches and Wealth by Kris Vallotton
A book which makes you think with sections you might disagree with - but the golden thread that you are wealthy in proportion to your generosity, not according to your riches - is an excellent, Biblical principle
Lydia by Paula Gooder 
'Thoroughly recommended, not just as a historical novel, but also as a useful reference book kept close to the regularly-used commentaries'
     Reviews 
    Posted: 01/03/2024
    Posted: 22/09/2023