BOOKS
PRAYER IN NURSING
THE SPIRITUALITY OF COMPASSIONATE CAREGIVING
By Mary Elizabeth O'Brien 164pp., Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett, 2003, $19.95, paperback.
Historically, prayer has been a natural dimension of nursing. However, for most nurses, it raises a host of questions: What is prayer? Why should nurses pray? How can I as a nurse pray? Will prayer affect my relationship with patients? Are prayer and healing related? Sr. O'Brien responds to these questions and many more in her remarkably sensitive yet practical new book, Prayer in Nursing. In the opening chapter, she states that "the ultimate goal is to explore the practice of prayerful, compassionate caregiving in the world of 21st-century nursing" (p. 3).
From the opening chapter on prayer as a part of our spiritual heritage to be reclaimed in nursing, O'Brien moves to describing nursing as a holy calling, prayer as a natural aspect of that calling and the nurse as one who can know and communicate God's thoughts. The following chapters speak more to the sacredness of the nurse-patient relationship that allows nurses to show compassion and relate to suffering. The book ends with two chapters specifically about the nurse as a healer (the relationship of prayer and healing) and the nurse as one who needs to seek restoration (through personal prayer, contemplation, journaling and spiritual reading).
Throughout the book the author artfully weaves together historical documents from both nursing and religious writings, clinical situations, Scripture and theology. Thanks to the personal tone of the book, the reader experiences the compassion integral to the nurse as caregiver. The transparency and vulnerability of the writing enable the reader to enter the experiences of the book.
Two dimensions of Prayer in Nursing set it apart from other texts on caregiving. First, O'Brien draws on many years of nursing to illustrate every point with a poignant patient story. Second, the book is as much a devotional volume as a teaching text. Each chapter begins with a meditation and ends with a prayer. Chapter seven, an outstanding chapter, illustrates the nurse as a minister of caring through associating each station of the cross with a patient story and the nurse's prayer
Prayer in Nursing unapologetically emerges from a Christian worldview and upholds the historical spiritual heritage of nursing. It is a gem for nurses in all settings, from acute care to parish nursing. I plan to keep the book nearby for frequent inspiration, for it merges the two most important aspects of my life as a Christian nurse: my faith and my profession.-Reviewed by Sandra L. Jamison, RN, DNS, Director of NCF Faculty/Graduate Student Ministry
WALK ON
LIFE, LOSS, TRUST AND OTHER REALITIES
By John Goldingay 200pp., Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 2002, $16.00, paperback.
Goldingay, an Old Testament professor at Fuller Theological Seminary, offers his musings about the goodness of God and his wife's thirty-year struggle with multiple sclerosis. After a brief introduction to himself and his wife, Ann, he begins weaving the Old Testament stories and New Testament hope into his life story.
In introducing Job, he tells us, "Whereas modern Christians prefer a God who is very nice but not very efficient, the Job story offers us a God who does some pretty odd things but who is at least clearly in charge" (p. 31). He then tries to reconcile the fact that God is in charge with Ann's illness. With remarkable transparency, he allows us to listen into his conversations with God and to struggle along with him.
He not only argues with God but comes to the conclusion that there are "five amazing things that you can tell God not to do," based on Moses' prayer in Exodus 32. He discusses the meaning and purpose of community, and ho w he and Ann have been supported by their seminary community, but also how Ann has ministered to the community through her illness.
As Ann's illness becomes increasingly debilitating, Goldingay wrestles with a biblical understanding of the body and its relationship to personhood. He explains, "Another consistent feature of Ann is her physical body, recognizably one even with all the changes that have come about because of those wretchedly sclerosed myelin sheaths that prevent messages from passing between brain and limbs. The physical continuity in who Ann is draws attention to the important physical base to human personality" (p. 85). He continues, "The fact that Ann will be raised in Jesus to dance in the New Jerusalem is important to both of us" (p. 87).
Throughout the long struggle, the author lovingly cares for Ann's body. Although he never glosses over the hard parts-working late into the night cleaning up diarrhea right before an important meeting, fighting a continuous battle with decubiti, facing constantly increasing losses in their relationship-he also sees the goodness of God and the beauty in Ann. He senses a communication with her spirit, even though she can no longer talk or move. He sees the compassion she engenders in her visitors and caregivers. Although encouraged to sign permission for "no code" with every hospitalization, he cannot do it, seeing value and worth in Ann, despite her weakening body.
Goldingay shows his humanity, as well as his scholarship. He easily moves from the biblical text to his favorite movies and rock-and-roll songs, and relates them to his personal angst. Most of all, though, we see a man who loves God and loves his wife in the face of what seems like overwhelming adversity. He clearly shows how caring for the body of another is an act of obedience to our loving God.
JOY IN OUR WEAKNESS
A GIFT OF HOPE FROM THE BOOK OF REVELATION
By Marva J. Dawn 220 pp., Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2002, $16.00, paperback.
While the book of Revelation may seem a strange place to start when wrestling with the reality of physical disability, theologian Dawn shows how this picture of God's mysterious purposes sheds light on human suffering. She begins with a brief introduction on how to read the Revelation, explaining, "It is necessary to remove ourselves from ordinary present-day ways of thinking in order to recognize the vast difference between contemporary anthropocentrism and the theocentrism of the first century" (p. 9). She further notes, "God's message to us in the book of Revelation is that in the present we are not always going to win; our lives will not always be characterized by triumph. That is a lesson hard to accept-in fact, impossible-except that it is balanced on the opposite side with this hope: eventually we will win because Christ reigns" (p. 12).
She practically applies this understanding through her struggle with the complications of diabetes, as well as the physical limitations of several close friends. In chapter three she describes her friend, Linden, who is quadriplegic. Linden became frustrated with his pastor's insistence on constantly praying for his healing in public worship. "[Linden] seemed to represent a failure on their part to claim God's sufficiency, and so they could not tolerate this weakness that reminded them of their own" (p. 22). Instead, Linden needed them to pray for his ability to cope with his disability. He needed their support as a community to live with it.
Another friend, Tim, lives with kidney failure. When the author faced an especially frightening period of uncontrolled blood sugar, Tim's faith encouraged her. While attached to a dialysis machine, he told her, "I just try to remember that Jesus is Lord over my body too" (p. 32).
This book was written after Dawn led a series of Bible studies on Revelation for senior citizens. She noted the hope that the message gave to the participants and wrote the book as an attempt to convey that hope to readers in practical terms. Far from being "pie in the sky," Revelation is a book of comfort and encouragement for the saints who struggle with physical suffering in the world today. Dawn's cogent biblical exegesis and poignant illustrations make that message unquestionably clear.
Book Briefs
EMBODIED HOLINESS
TOWARD A CORPORATE THEOLOGY OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH
Edited by Samuel M. Powell, Michael E. Lodahl 200 pp., Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1999, $20.00, paperback.
JCN receives more books than we have space to review Book Briefs are short synopses based on the publisher's descriptions: JCN staff have not read or evaluated these books.
Modern Western Christianity has too often seen holiness and growth in Christian character as exclusively an individual and spiritual (or non-physical) matter. Centered on a proposal about "the sanctified body" by Stanley Hauerwas, the essays in this multi-authored volume insist that any genuine Christian holiness is vitally related to our physical and social bodies. Contributors include Craig Keener, Rodney Clapp, Theodore Runyon, Joyce Quiring Erickson and others.
FULLY ALIVE
DISCOVERING THE ADVENTURE OF HEALTHY AND HOLY LIVING
By Jerry Hull &Larry Hull 160pp., Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press, 1998, $14.99, paperback.
Engaging every aspect of personhood: body, mind, soul and spirit, the authors help readers rethink their approach to spirituality, relationships, fitness and work. Jerry Hull is chairman of the Department of Social Work and Sociology at North-west Nazarene College and an ordained minister. Larry Hull is a physician. Chapters cover topics such as wholeness, happiness, pain, hope, prayer, meaning, relationships, fitness, weight control, generosity and work.
MAKING ROOM
RECOVERING HOSPITALITY AS A CHRISTIAN TRADITION
By Christine D. Pohl 205 pp., Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1999, $15.00, paperback.
For most of church history, hospitality was central to Christian identity. It encompassed the physical, social and spiritual dimensions of human life, as well as relationships. Yet our generation knows little about this life-giving practice. Pohl revisits the discipline of welcoming strangers and provides the foundation for renewed commitment to caring for the needs of others.
PARENTS' GUIDE TO TEEN HEALTH
RAISING PHYSICALLY & EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY TEENS
By Paul C. Reisser 288pp., Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale, 2002, $14.99, paperback.
Incorporating advice from more than fifty physicians (no nurses), this book provides guidance for Christian parents on the physical and emotional needs of today's teens. It includes information about growth and development, nutritional needs, weight issues, relationships and lifestyle issues such as eating disorders, body image, sexually-transmitted diseases, drugs and alcohol.
THE OVERCOMMITTED CHRISTIAN
HOW TO SERVE GOD WITHOUT WEARING OUT
By Pamela Evans 206pp., Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2001, $12.00, paperback.
Evans, a physician and counselor, draws on years of experience to demonstrate how to overcome burnout. She starts with building a healthy picture of God, then leads readers to discover what God really wants from us. She guides readers toward good mental and spiritual health by considering such issues as motivation, appearances, people-pleasing, worship, authority and leadership, and a healthy relationship with God.
NURSING IN THE CHURCH
Edited by Judith Allen Shelly 346pp., Madison, WI:NCF Press, 2002, $19.95, paperback.
Whether you are serving as a parish nurse, or trying to use your nursing expertise as a member of your congregation, this book offers suggestions for how to do it well. Chapters are drawn from the best of JCN on parish nursing. Authors include parish nurses from across the United States and Canada. Topics include: The church and health care, What is parish nursing? What does a parish nurse do? Models of ministry, Spiritual care, Issues in congregational health and Ideas that work.
PARISH NURSES, HEALTH CARE, CHAPLAINS AND COMMUNITY CLERGY
NAVIGATING THE MAZE OF PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS
Edited by Larry Vandecreek Sue Mooney 263 pp., Binghamton, NY: The Haworth Press, 2002, $49.95, hardback, $24.95, paperback.
This book attempts to clarify the roles and interprofessional dynamics of parish nurses when working with hospital chaplains, community clergy and the health care system. It presents theological perspectives on each profession, practice models of collaborative programs, suggestions for spiritual formation and clinical pastoral education information for parish nurses. It also provides practical tips on getting started in parish nursing, as well as resources to increase your ministry's effectiveness. Chapters are contributed by a wide range of professionals, including JCN editor, Judith Shelly.
I CAN'T BE AN ADDICT-I'M A CHRISTIAN
By Melinda Fish 286 pp., Grand Rapids: Spire, 1999, $6.99, paperback.
What are the symptoms of addictive behavior? What is the difference between a habit and an addiction? How can family and friends help? Fish addresses such questions from a Christian perspective with insight and clarity. Many chapters include a series of questions designed to help one uncover truths about addictions. Addictions encompass a broad range of behaviors and substances. Fish explores the problems, but provides Scriptural answers that do not cloud the issue. This book is not a quick-fix approach, but a solid, gradual cure that works.
THIN AGAIN
A BIBLICAL APPROACH TO FOOD, EATING AND WEIGHT MANAGEMENT
By Judy Wardell Halliday & Arthur W. Halliday 208 pp., Grand Rapids: Revell, 2002, $12.99, paperback.
Hunger is a universal language. Our compelling desire to be loved and protected is a God-given hunger for intimacy and significance. When these needs are not met, we turn to counterfeits such as food, drugs, alcohol or other compulsions in an attempt to fill the void. At some point we must admit that food is not the problem. The authors deal with real, beneath-the-surface reasons that we struggle with food. They stress the importance of meeting emotional and spiritual hunger. As these issues are resolved, perspective on food is gained and healthier living results.
CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE CHRISTIAN WOMAN'S SOUL
STORIES TO OPEN THE HEART AND REKINDLE THE SPIRIT
Edited by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen Patty Aubrey, Nancy Mitchell Autio LeAnn Thieman 388pp., Deerfield Beach, FL: Health Communications, Inc., 2002, $12.95, paperback.
The latest Chicken Soup collection is created especially for women. These true stories of women will challenge and encourage, bringing perspective to difficult times and renewing one's faith. Chapters include Faith, The Love of Family, God's Healing Power, Friendship, Making a Difference, Challenges and Miracles.
GOOD EATING
By Stephen H. Webb 272pp., Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2001, $21.99, paperback.
As part of The Christian Practice of Everyday Life Series, the book is intended to make readers think. And think they will. Questions regarding faith, food, animals, vegetarianism and fasting are explored. Questions of ethics, Christian witness and social conscientious are written with historical insight and perspective. This is not your typical diet book.
THE MONSTER WITHIN
FACING AN EATING DISORDER
By Cynthia Rowland McClure 206 pp., Grand Rapids: Revell, 2002, $12.99, paperback.
Millions of people live with bulimia. McClure openly shares her long, lonely struggle with the disorder. She helps readers look at issues leading to bulimia. Her story encourages those living with this monster within to find a safe place and safe people who understand why there is a death wish and turn it into a life wish. Insights are shared from someone who understands the monster within.
FOOD AND LOVE
THE AMAZING CONNECTION BETWEEN FOOD AND LOVE
By Gary Smalley 246pp., Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2001, $21.99, hardcover.
Smalley shares the connection he made between food and relationships. Food influences behavior and thus relationships. Smalley shares how to making lasting changes in both areas of life.
A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY THROUGH BREAST CANCER
STRENGTH FOR TODAY-HOPE FOR TOMORROW
By Judy Asti 156pp., Chicago:Northfield Publishing, 2002, $12.99, paperback.
Asti writes of her experience with breast cancer. Physical and spiritual observations are recorded. She encourages other women to rely upon a personal relationship with God to help them survive. The story recounts her journey from reckless living and planning her funeral, to a deeper walk with God and strength for new life.