A Willing Heart
How to serve When You Think You Can’t
by Marci Alborghetti
Paperback
Price: £8.99
Publisher:Ave Maria Press from Alban Bks
Published:June 2011
ISBN:978-1-594-71248-7
GoodBookStall Review:
The new book by this prolific and popular Roman Catholic author will do much to encourage its readers to live lives of service and generosity, on the model of Jesus. ‘We have no choice but to help others if we are to follow Jesus.’ I wonder where she gets the title from? ‘How do you serve when you think you can’t? You decide to serve and you do it.’ It’s not always easy, and that’s where grace comes into the picture. ‘Grace is God’s way of making it possible to accept his invitation to serve, and grace is what gives us the knowledge that God will protect us and guide us as we serve.’ I found Marci Alborghetti’s style warm, personal and easy to read. She offers, as a way of inspiring our growth in servanthood, the examples of many biblical characters (indeed, the book does have a strong biblical content - each chapter begins with a verse or paragraph from the Bible, and a thoughtful commentary on it), and then adds information about several non-biblical saints and Christian organisations. Among the thought-provoking chapter titles are ‘Unclench your Fist… and your Heart’, ‘Do not Judge’, ‘Persevere’ and ‘Accept Grace’. Marci also helpfully rounds each chapter off with a Psalm, a Prayer, a pair of Questions and a couple of Service Suggestions. ‘If every person who reads this book takes a step on the road to service, and encourages another to do so, we will make blessed progress on living the word of Gods as Jesus gave it to us.’ I think that hope makes it a book worth reading.
Reviewer: Barry Vendy (21/01/12)
The new book by this prolific and popular Roman Catholic author will do much to encourage its readers to live lives of service and generosity, on the model of Jesus. ‘We have no choice but to help others if we are to follow Jesus.’ I wonder where she gets the title from? ‘How do you serve when you think you can’t? You decide to serve and you do it.’ It’s not always easy, and that’s where grace comes into the picture. ‘Grace is God’s way of making it possible to accept his invitation to serve, and grace is what gives us the knowledge that God will protect us and guide us as we serve.’ I found Marci Alborghetti’s style warm, personal and easy to read. She offers, as a way of inspiring our growth in servanthood, the examples of many biblical characters (indeed, the book does have a strong biblical content - each chapter begins with a verse or paragraph from the Bible, and a thoughtful commentary on it), and then adds information about several non-biblical saints and Christian organisations. Among the thought-provoking chapter titles are ‘Unclench your Fist… and your Heart’, ‘Do not Judge’, ‘Persevere’ and ‘Accept Grace’. Marci also helpfully rounds each chapter off with a Psalm, a Prayer, a pair of Questions and a couple of Service Suggestions. ‘If every person who reads this book takes a step on the road to service, and encourages another to do so, we will make blessed progress on living the word of Gods as Jesus gave it to us.’ I think that hope makes it a book worth reading.
Reviewer: Barry Vendy (21/01/12)
