The book invites us to examine our various attachments, as well as the desire to be in control over our lives. But are we in control? To a certain degree, perhaps, but as one ages, one is blessed with the wisdom that all the good things in our lives did not come about because of our own doing solely. More importantly, not all the not-so-welcome events, were totally useless either.

In several chapters, Daniel Conway explains that everything we have is a gift from God and that it is in God’s will and ways, that we must trust. The author is thankful to Archbishop Thomas Murphy who taught him a lot about stewardship by the words that the Archbishop shared but more importantly, with the life that he lived. Daniel Conway shares what Archbishop Murphy said when the latter was about to undergo surgery. He uttered words to the effect that when you are in the operating room, it does not really matter who you are or what you own. The only things that will matter then are your doctors and God’s grace.

The book reminds us that God gives to us continuously and so we must also give too. It invites us to pursue a “lifestyle of sharing.” Stewardship involves conversion, sharing, and wanting to be a holy people.

The chapters of the book are short and easy to read and they offer questions for reflection and discussion after. These provide good guides for personal introspection and can also be used in generating new ideas for individuals intent on pursuing a life of stewardship.

The book cites the example of the Dead Sea — it is a body of water that just takes but does not give. One which takes, but does not give — is dead. All of us, for as long as we are on earth, take, in some way. But do you give? If you do, then that’s fine. You can be finer by giving more. If you don’t give at all … well, it’s never too late.

Interested in stewardship concepts? Get a copy of this book and learn more about how life can be more spiritual and meaningful through the practice of stewardship daily.

Being grateful is one of the characteristics of a steward or a stewardess. It was thus with much interest that I went through the book.

I liked the book. It is easy to read, with very short chapters and it talks about being thankful amidst the daily demands of life. Or amidst the ordinariness of things.

The book offers a lot of useful insights which will help us all appreciate life better. This is a good gift to give to people whom you would like to say thank you to. Your parents, your friends, your teachers.

To inquire about the book, you may contact springs@elimglobal.org and you may also call 722-6749 in Metro Manila, Philippines.

It’s the perfect time then to get hold of a copy of The Gift of Abundance by Pido Aguilar, Jr. I mean, who does not want to be abundant when everyone says that 2009 will be difficult financially?

The book is published by my publisher also, Claretian Publications. It likewise has a foreword written by Fr. Dan Mahan. It is available in bookstores locally and is also distributed in North America. It will also be available in Amazon.

I came across the original print of the book more than a year ago. I won it in a raffle. Soon after, I had the chance to meet Pido Aguilar in person and am amazed at his positive attitude and energy all the time. The version that is now out in the bookstores is the international, improved version with Pido adding some fresh, new content.

Do check out the book and practice the heartsets that it prescribes for you to live an abundant life. I must warn you though that the principles that Pido teaches may run counter to what people usually believe. Like to have more, you must give more.

Pido also gives inspirational talks and lectures on human resource related topics. For corporate training, he charges a fee but for his Abundance talks, you can request or schedule these for your company or organization free of charge. If you are interested to get in touch with Pido, to order his book or to invite him for a talk, send me e-mail or leave a comment here. I will refer your inquiry to him directly.

Christmas is fast approaching. If you are of a certain age, you are probably the godparent (or ninong or ninang) of the children of relatives and friends. If your godchildren are in their teens or older, you may want to check out this book: On Prayer — A Letter to My Godchild by Phyllis Zagano. This book is the result of the author’s conversation with her 21 year old godchild on her godchild’s birthday. On that day, the two of them sat together and talked about God and prayer.

It’s a wonderful little book that everyone and anyone can benefit from. It talks about the four types of prayer: Adoration, Contrition, Petition, and Thanksgiving. It discusses the methods of prayer and what the results of prayer will be. For example, the author states that if “…we are genuinely praying, we cannot help but be concerned with others…” She also says that prayer is an important part of building our relationship with God.

I gave this book as a gift to some of my godchildren. I think I will buy more copies in the future to give to the rest of my godchildren at the right time. More than material gifts, we must remember, that as godparents, we need to nurture our godchildren’s spiritual lives and growth. We must bring them closer to the Lord.

The book is distributed by Claretian Communications. You may reach them at 921-3984 or you can e-mail them at cci@claret.org for orders or inquiries.

This is the book that started it all for me. After I attended Fr. Mahan’s retreat in August 2007 and after I read his book, the concept for my book, Mom’s A Stewardess became more clear. I am also grateful for the encouragement given by Fr. Mahan and I also appreciate his writing the Foreword for the book.

More Than Silver or Gold, explains through a collection of homilies delivered over several years, the characteristics of a steward and how stewardship can be applied to each and every aspect of our lives. The book also highlights the greatest gift that we have received, the Eucharist, “the treasure worth more than silver or gold.”

As we go through our busy lives, it is a challenge to set our priorities and focus on the things that really matter. With this book, may we all be reminded that the gift of faith is something that we must be grateful for and something that must guide the way we live every single day.