Abba's Child: The Cry of the Heart for Intimate Belonging

This will be a keeper book that I will continue reading and rereading for years to come…. Contemplate, ruminate, digest, ponder,….. and then spend more time with the One who loves you so much……… I can’t say enough about this well written book that speaks to your soul….. I don’t regret buying it. Blessings.

Beautifully written book.

I wish I could have met Brennan Manning, to become an intimate friend of his; for I relate to so much of what he writes; real life, sunshine-living days, and dark, miserable, fearful, black-valley days and nights. I have purchased 7 of his books already and am sure I'll be ordering more. I read it often through tears of identification and conviction. I love his quotations of numerous other authors. I identify more and more personally to that Prodigal son, running into the Father's arms; a father I never knew in my life, as he was killed 10 days before I was born. Pg. 95 in "Abba's child" shouts a truth I need to focus upon, contemplate more frequently, that "Thorns and thistles choke the UNUSED path." (My emphasis.) Oh if you want to listen to a real human being, who sits down inside your heart, puts his feet up, sips the coffee you offer him, comments on your barking dog, your aching back, the REAL issues of your life that you share with him, this is the guy to read. I was raised to fear and judge harshly all Catholics. And while he left his ministry, as I did mine, he retains some basics of Catholicism, but THAT is not what he promotes. He's all human, and just can't help it that a colorful "Catholic" pin is stuck to his lapel. But inspiring? Oh WOW, yes! Jabs you on the chest with a finger that points out your own hypocrisy and puts his arm around you in human identity as he sheds his own tears with your own; that's Brennan Manning.If you want to know more about who this dude is, I recommend reading first: "All is Grace - a Ragamuffin Memoir" as I did. His "Ragamuffin Gospel" is about the Gospel. Read about his books on-line, and then decide. I'll bet if you read one, you will purchase a second. Maybe even catch up or pass me at …. I just re-counted and I have 8. Two, un-read await on the shelf. I wish I'd have had a pastor like Brennan Manning during my past "church years."Finding Brennan Manning's books, - thus far - is the most positive, self-helping, encouraging- Preaching at me - experience I've had this year.I make my own Index at the back of all such books I read....most books actually. It helps me find quickly thoughts that come to mind, quotations I want to share or recall, specific gems, stories, illustrations, convicting statements...all at a glance. I highly recommend writing your own index at the back of good books!Hey! Why are you sitting there questioning whether you should order one of Brennan's books or not. JUST DO IT! :)GOD BLESS you, especially if you feel or know yourself to be just a Ragamuffin believer! …. Jess

I’m looking forward to delivering this book at Christmas time. It comes well recommended.

This will make you think. It talks about the impostor and the beloved...and who we really are in Christ. Great for group discussions also. The author is so real and down to earth and makes you feel likes he's sitting at your kitchen table telling you his story.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I originally stumbled upon Brennan Manning because I grew up listening to Rich Mullins (and, if I'm being honest, I still do), so I went in with pretty high expectations. I agree that God's grace covers over all of our brokenness and our failed attempts. I can agree that God fathers us and loves us passionately. I struggle, though, with the presentation of grace without a call for it to bring about radical life change. I think the Gospel leads us to repentance; not that we will ever be perfect this side of eternity, but that the Holy Spirit within us is continually making us new and shaping our hearts to be like his. I appreciate that Brennan Manning openly shared ways that he had stumbled along the way, and used his understanding of grace to bring about forgiveness and healing in his view of his childhood. I am also not claiming that he doesn't love Jesus or that he is not saved. I just struggle that this book was not about taking our eyes of our sin and pointing them to the cross, it was about accepting ourselves and others for the sake of acceptance because Jesus accepts us. But Peter fell because he took his eyes off of the cross and put them on to himself, and I think any understanding of grace other that pointing our focus away from ourselves and completely on Christ is not complete. I honestly am still wrestling through my opinion; I do not quite know how I feel about saying that all is grace. I definitely think it is a good read, though, of an honest struggle through life with honest shortcomings.

This book is a life changer. One of the top 5 books I’ve ever read. After I read it, I had to go over all my highlights and notes because there’s so much to take in. Highly recommended.

This book is in the stack of books that God has used to deeply change me in a season of his healing and revamping of my life. It's simple, transparent discussion of the love our creator has for us is truly life altering. It's not an exploration of feelings and affection but the experience of those in a context of what being a child in a love that has always been here really looks like. Read this book slow, consciously chew slowly so it can be savored and digested fully. I re-read nearly every page to press all the content out of it. Enjoy, I'm positive that you will see a love that you recognize but never thought it was (or could be) yours.