Part of the produce that is given away (and never for sale) at the farm comes in the form of books. These are selected based on Farmer Fred's experience for what has helped him flourish in his own faith journey.
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| Many of our incarcerated friends love to read! |
Particularly, Farmer Fred is called upon to do video visits with people that
request it as well as be a pen pal with others. This is a tiny continuation of
the in person ministry that he did there for a few years.
For both pen pals and video visits, he tries to sense the nudging of the Holy
Spirit in which titles to recommend to each person based on where they are at
in their journey and what their particular faith tradition is.
Thanks so much to all who contribute and pray to make this possible!
The list below is the inventory as of the first week of August, 2024.
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The Great Adventure Catholic Bible - (3 copies)
This is the one Fr. Mike Schmidt uses in his "Bible in a Year" Podcast. "Each book of the Bible is color-coded with a thumb index, indicating where it belongs within the [Great adventure Catholic] Bible timeline. Twelve timeline charts provide a visual overview of the Bible, including: important characters, key events, geography, major covenants, world rulers, and contemporary events in secular history. Twelve articles give a summary and explanation of each period of salvation history. Seven articles introduce and explain the major covenants of salvation history ... Seventy key event call-outs provide a brief description of the milestones in the biblical narrative"
The Bible Timeline Chart - (3 Copies)
This Chart goes along with the Great Adventure Catholic Bible and is referred to by both Fr. Mike and Jeff Cavins as an aid to getting the big picture of scripture. This color-coded Bible study tool shows how all of the books of the Bible fit together to tell the story of salvation history. It arranges the key people, places, and events of Sacred Scripture in chronological order, so that you can get the big picture of the Bible. This chart is the cornerstone of The Great Adventure Catholic Bible Study Program.
J.R.R. Tolkien - Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit (2 copies of each book - 8 books total)
This is a long story of good vs. evil written by a very devout Christian. He is a weaver of myths. The stories take place in a time long after the fall in the garden and long after the great flood that reshaped the world yet long before the coming of Christ. It is full of beauty and truth and love conquering evil… often at the last minute.
Calvin Miller - Singer Trilogy (2 copies of the Trilogy in one volume each)
This is a long poetic telling of the life of Christ (The Singer), the Acts of the Apostles (The Song) and the end of the ages (The Finale). It breathes beauty, hope and love into my heart every time I read it. The fullness of the sacramental vision is somewhat absent, but the beauty of the poetic prose is what keeps drawing me back in.
Dr. John Bergsma - Bible Basics for Catholics (3 copies)
One of the better big picture introductions to Holy Scripture. A very good foundation to build on later with other great works.
Dr. John Bergsma - Stunned by Scripture (2 copies)
A very interesting conversion story of a man who lived and served in the Grand Rapids area for a time. It hit home to me because the family I married into knows his family.
Dr. Scott Hahn - Hail Holy Queen (3 copies)
Dr. Hahn is famous for showing how Catholic practices are deeply rooted in scripture. His conversion story is also very interesting. This book dives into the many misunderstandings about Mary and putting forth a solid scriptural basis for proper respect for the Mother of God. It shows her continuing role (along with all our dear dead dears who mystically part of the Church triumphant in heaven) to pray for us outside the boundaries of time and space.
Dr. Scott Hahn - The Lamb’s Supper (3 copies)
This is in part a retelling of Dr. Hahn’s conversion story and in part a new and refreshing take on the book of Revelation (The Apocalypse). It will help you have a much deeper understanding of the Holy Mass or as they call it in the Eastern Church the Divine Liturgy. It is a beautiful Bible Study as well.
Dr. Peter Kreeft - Jacob’s Ladder (2 copies)
This is an imaginary conversation between two women, one a devout believer and one still searching. In it the believer takes the seeker step by step into a deeper understanding of life and eternity. Very good for helping one understand how a person moves from being completely lost and confused to realizing they must make a decision to either to surrender and follow Jesus or walk away. Very entertaining read.
Fr. Jacques Philippe - Time for God (2 copies)
Fr. Jacques Philippe - Called to Life (1 copy)
Fr. Jacques Philippe - Searching for and Maintaining Peace (2 copies)
These three booklets are by a famous French monk who has a knack for discussing the things of the Lord in rich and uplifting ways. I’ve read the one about peace and found it very beneficial. I have been told the other two are wonderfully delicious and good soul food as well.
Fr. Michael Gaitley - 33 Days to Merciful Love (2 copies)
This book is designed to be read little by little over a 33 day period, sort of like a little retreat in one’s heart. In it, Fr. Gaitley explores what it means to truly trust God, to contemplate what it takes to completely surrender to Him and do His will in the little things with great love. He uses the lives of many famous Christians to demonstrate what this trust looks like and means and ultimately what it means to be a conduit for God’s Divine Mercy to others. Beautifully written and I read it over and over again, including the extensive footnotes on the text.
Fr. Henry Nouwen - Life of the Beloved (3 copies)
Fr. Nouwen wrote this for his secular atheist friends who want him to explain the Christian faith in language that they could understand. Turns out that Christians also love the book which is very rich and nourishing, myself included. One that I reread often.
Rita Simmonds - Convicted by Mercy (Frank’s Biography) (2 copies)
Rita is a poet and was considering entering a monastery when she met Frank and married him. Her retelling of his life and death is full of good examples of what it means to offer up one’s suffering as a prayer for the benefit of others… just like Jesus did. Beautifully told true story of a life lovingly lived.
C.S. Lewis - Space Trilogy (2 copies of the Trilogy in one volume each)
This is another set of books I return to every few years. The stories are set just after World War II and are beautiful explorations of the soaring imagination of C.S. Lewis who saw that God was everywhere. He saw through the nonsense of science as a religion that had no room for anything it couldn’t see or touch and he demonstrates this with great humor throughout these beautifully written books. Remember, it was written long before actual space travel occurred so you must forgive it’s inaccuracies regarding what Mars and Venus are really like in real life. It is still very good at painting a picture of the Cosmos that is mind blowing and permeated with God’s presence through and through.
C.S. Lewis - Chronicles of Narnia (3 copies of 7 book set in one volume each)
I am not ashamed to say that I read or listen to all seven of these books almost every year. They bless my heart so much! So good to see the tenets of our faith portrayed in the hearts of little children as is done so well in these books. So rich with spiritual truth… these are classic stories of love, life, faith, courage, hope and joy. They expand my mind to make room for Jesus a little more each time I read them!
Christopher West - Pope Francis To Go (5 copies)
Christopher is very good at drawing out the theology of the body wherever he gazes. As he dives into the words of our Pope Francis he does this especially well. You will get acquainted with a proper framework of family and spousal love through reading this sampling of Pope Francis’ words on the subjects, coupled with Dr. West’s extensive insights.
Dr. Brant Pitre:Jesus and the Jewish Roots of Mary (1 copy)
Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist (2 copies)
Dr. Pitre digs into scripture and helps us learn how Mary’s Jewish roots help us understand her better. In fact, without a thorough grasp of Mary and Jesus’ Jewishness, we are bound to make errors in how we see them both. Both of these books really help us dig into what it meant to be Jewish in their times and how that fact really can enlighten our view on so many levels.
Scot McKnight - The Real Mary: Why Protestant Christians Can Embrace the Mother of Jesus (1 Copy)
Popular biblical scholar Scot McKnight explores the contours of Mary's life from the moment she learned of God's plan for the Messiah to the culmination of Christ's ministry on earth. Dismantling the myths and challenging our prejudices, the author introduces us to a woman who is a model for faith and who points us to her son.
Richards and O'Brien - Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes: Removing Cultural Blinders to Better Understand the Bible (1 Copy)
Biblical scholars Brandon O'Brien and Randy Richards shed light on the ways that Western readers often misunderstand the cultural dynamics of the Bible. They identify nine key areas where modern Westerners have significantly different assumptions about what might be going on in a text. Drawing on their own cross-cultural experience in global mission, O'Brien and Richards show how better self-awareness and understanding of cultural differences in language, time and social mores allow us to see the Bible in fresh and unexpected ways.
Remember, all produce on the farm is freely given
and never for sale. All donations to the farm
are tax deductible as we are a registered 501(c)(3).
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