|
|
 |
Book encourages seeing God in daily life
By John Gleason, Denver Catholic Register
Do you recognize God when you see him? To put it another way, do you recognize Him in your daily life? Given that people today are products of media, do you expect God to announce his presence like something out of the film, “The Ten Commandments” accompanied with intense wind, dazzling visual effects and a rich musical score?
Karina Lumbert Fabian laughs at this notion. The mother of four and writer of fantasy fiction has put together a book, with the help of her father, Deacon Steven Lumbert of the Diocese of Pueblo, called “Why God Matters: How to Recognize Him in Daily Life” (Tribute Books).
“If people are waiting for the booming voice, they’re going to miss it,” she told the Denver Catholic Register. “I’m reminded of the story about the prophet who waited in a cave for God to make his presence known. The prophet (Elijah) ignored the thunder and fire and the earthquake that occurred outside. But when he heard the little whisper of wind, he threw himself on the ground because he knew God had come.”
“Why God Matters” is made up of 14 chapters, each a true story written by Fabian and Deacon Lumbert, which demonstrate how God has made his presence known and helped them on their journey.
“Each chapter begins with a saying which relates to the story in that chapter,” Deacon Lumbert said. “Next comes the story, followed by a life lesson, a reflection on the story and how people can relate it to their own spiritual lives.”
The stories deal with guardian angels, the correct way to pray (what to really ask for), building a legacy of love and consequences of small temptations.
“That’s one of my favorites, dealing with temptation,” Deacon Lumbert said. “We all learn about big versus little sins, mortal and venial. But regardless, temptation is always big, it’s always a constant.”
The authors agree that great faith isn’t something achieved all at once, but something that comes in small steps over a period of time. Believing is different from inspiration and Fabian points out that those who are waiting for the inspiration—for God to suddenly appear—are going to miss him.
“They’re looking for the ‘wow’ moment,” she said. “But ‘wow’ isn’t sufficient for faith. When it’s gone, people pass it off as illusion.”
At the same time, as Deacon Lumbert pointed out, people don’t pay attention to what’s going on around them even though God is involved in every facet of their lives. He hopes that if people read the book and come away feeling that God has shown himself to them, then the authors have accomplished what they set out to do.
“God is there, loving us, giving us guidance and helping us—if we just allow him to do so,” Deacon Lumbert said. “Forget the booming voice. Look for the subtlety; he gives us opportunities to recognize him. All we have to do is accept that.”
“Why God Matters” retails for $15.95 and is available at Barnes and Noble, and Borders bookstores. It’s also available online at www.amazon.com and from the publisher, www.tribute-books.com., or by calling 570-876-2416. Additio-nal information about the book and its authors is also available online at www.whygodmatters.com.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||