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

As I read this book I was struck time and time again by its quaint simplicity and its penetrating truth-telling. Brennan Manning is perhaps the foremost writer of Christian Living books since Henri Nouwen and he shows it again in this magnificent little book. It is short enough for a quick read but deep enough to come back to over and over again as we are attacked by self-hatred. There is perhaps no bigger emotional/psychological plague during our time than self-hatred and Brennan helps us see that this disease comes from every but God. Brennan helps us see that we are God's beloved, his special creation, and that he wants what is best for us. Part of this divine desire is that we love ourselves because God asks us in his Word to love others as we love ourselves. How then can we love others if we have not love of ourselves? Brennan helps us see that we can't, at least not honestly. Reading this book helped me see that I am not alone in my battle with self-hatred. Thank you Brennan for writing it and this is a book that every single Christian should read?I would give it 10 stars if I could!

I couldn't begin to expound on how my Jesus has touched my heart through this book. As one who struggles with seeing myself as God sees me, still struggling from co-dependence and desire to feel loved by others, I found out the main truth God has been desiring to convey to His people since the beginning of time: He wants to commune with His creation. That's it... no whistles, bangs, or bucks about it. Throw away religion, doctrine, and denominations. Every aspect of God I will ever need to know is centered around what Brennan points out: Our self worth and reason for existence is based on what Abba has to say about us! Thank you Brennan for conducting the best book I have read so far aside from the Holy Scriptures.

A powerful and wonderful book. One of the best I have every read! A great way for people who don't know God to be able to unlike the way we learned in Church. Manning's presentation on God's grace is wonderful. His definition of a "Legalist", (those church people who put the rules above love, mercy and grace) will probably have a hard time understanding this book. For those of you who don't know God, read this book. He is not what you think. For those of you who think you know God, read this book, you may learn somethings. I certainly did.

After years of having evangelical education crammed into my head, Abba's Child is a book which challenges what I say I know and believe. Manning's honesty about the terrible sin problem all born-again sinners are acquainted with rings true to the Apostle Paul's lament "the things I wish to do, I do not (and vice versa)". But, instead of talking us out of our bad feelings about our condition, Manning challenges us to begin the journey of intimacy with the God Paul also teaches us is named Abba. Far from the typical modern Christian books which skim the surface of the human experience, Abba's Child is a primer for those who quietly realize that the Christian faith is much more than a call to a system of belief of Absolute Truths-----and that it is a call to the most important Relationship of our lives, that with our utterly "Other" God. Evangelical friends who presently are teaching, studying and ministering at Yale and Cambridge (UK) have thanked me over and over for giving them this book, both saying they must read it over and over----a life changing book! If you are squeamish in thinking God the Father's name is "Daddy", and that he longs for you to address and know him as such, this book probably will make you uncomfortable. If you have arrived at the exhaustion of modernity in the American evangelical experience, this book will remind you that the Gospel is a relationship, not a "plan of salvation" to know, memorize and regurgitate. Great reading for worn-out evangelicals!

Once again Brennan Manning has hit the nail on the head and pierced my heart. For monthes I did my best to read this book but could not. Every word hit me to the core and made me think. Manning has the ability to speak to your heart and make it past all of our defences, opening us up to God's amazing love for us, as broken as we are. In this book he looks at the imposter that we place over our real self to hide from all of the pain and sadness in our lives. Manning reminds us that we were all created special by God and that His love is more than we need. Manning calls for us to understand the imposter and to accept it as part of us, a part that Jesus loves unconditionally and desires for it to accept His love and forgiveness. Manning is wonderful at getting the reader to understand God's love and leads you to God's feet where you can't help but surrender and love Him. Anyone struggling with who they are and realize that teh imposter is alive and well in their lives needs to read this book.