Embark on an emotionally charged journey of the human experience unfolding against the ever-shifting landscape of life.
Embark on an emotionally charged journey of the human experience unfolding against the ever-shifting landscape of life.
Meet Thomas Strongtree, a retiree whose serendipitous encounter with aged juvenile police records sets in motion a poignant quest. With a heart full of compassion, he reaches out to each former detainee, weaving together a narrative that transcends the challenges of their youth. "Blessed Memorial" is not just a story; it is a compelling testament to the profound transformation that unfolds through the tapestry of faith, acceptance, and the enigmatic depths of our shared humanity.
Author Paul Martin’s Blessed Memorial: Imaginings from Lectio Divina follows a retired carpenter who, after unexpectedly discovering the criminal history of previous offenders, decides to track them down – only to discover information that challenges his overall self.
Thomas Strongtree and his wife discover a vendor selling a set of mug photographs and fingerprint cards from police arrests of teens arrested in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s at a flea market one Saturday morning. Strongly feeling “drawn” to meet them and hear their stories, he hires an investigator to assist in their search. He does this against legal advice to refrain from starting such a “project,” as it may easily destroy and bury him.
Many of those he encounters on his quest are shocked to hear that the records were never sealed or purged. Notably, some of them have quite successful lives, which astounds Tom and makes him wonder how that happened. During their chats, he notices one name in particular: that of a police officer in charge of supervising their community work. Tom grows increasingly fascinated by him as the individuals show their adoration for the officer. He later discovers principles and an epiphany moment that altered the officer’s outlook on life and led him to make a drastic decision.
The readers embark on an emotionally stirring journey through this gripping book to discover how some young people’s early encounters with the police impacted their lives and what advice they would give to their younger selves. The tale majorly focuses on their brave but challenging choices that produced greater than expected results, as well as their touching and motivational epiphanies. There is no denying the story’s compelling viewpoint on forgiveness and the consequences of decisions right from the start. It flawlessly succeeds in offering a novel perspective on fostering a reading culture. Last but not least, by depicting the potential long-term implications of both good and bad parenting practices, it manages to provide clear guidelines on acceptable parenting.
With its well-founded themes on self-redemption, Blessed Memorial: Imaginings from Lectio Divina reaffirmed my core convictions while also stretching my imagination. In addition to establishing the biblical account of the affluent young man, it piqued my interest with its potential application in everyday life. My admiration and inspiration were sparked by the protagonist’s courage, altruism, dignity, and calm demeanor as he attempted to do something that appeared impossible for someone his age. By showing how one can draw on the positive aspects of their past, Blessed Memorial: Imaginings from Lectio Divina by Paul Martin offered me lessons I feel are crucial for anybody hoping to change their life. I believe that its straightforward approach and smart universal life lessons will make the book an enjoyable read for individuals of all ages and religions.
After thinking about it overnight, Thomas Strongtree, a retired woodworker, decides to return to the flea market and buy the folder full of fingerprint cards with mugshots and personal details he can’t stop thinking about. They are all twenty to thirty years old. The records don’t say anything about the charges these mostly teenage kids faced, but the fact that they are in such a public place piques Strongtree’s interest. He was never one to break the rules and begins to wonder what happened to all these kids who did break the rules. Strongtree dismisses the advice from a lawyer who told him not to go down this rabbit hole and hires a private investigator to find out where these people are now. He learns that a few of them have passed away but gets contact information on the group. Strongtree feels a strong pull to learn about these people's lives and will find himself surprised by the common connection these people share and moved by their personal stories.
Readers will immediately place this book on the same section of the shelf as books like Mitch Albom’s The Five People You Meet In Heaven and Tuesdays With Morrie. Both authors present an optimistic view of life where the challenges are overcome, and individuals can create lasting and positive changes in the people they encounter. Small kindnesses result in fundamental changes in behavior and life’s path, eventually leading to great success in life. Martin ties his stories to biblical parables featuring well-known characters, such as the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son, and the Woman at the Well. He leans heavily into biblical stories but does this without being heavy-handed. That is a remarkable feat. Martin does a great job of not being too apparent in his correlations to biblical stories and manages to have his characters appear with universal flaws and challenges.
Martin displays an inborn ability to write relatable stories about his characters. His prose is clean, and the dialogue is fluid and effortless. This book can easily be read by anyone who has no particular leaning toward religion and can still be enjoyed through the stories given. The author is adept at creating tales where there is always a little bit of information the reader wants but is not told until the end of the story. The book brings back the relationship between Kristin Hanna’s The Nightingale and Anthony Doerr’s All The Light We Cannot See. Both are excellent books and give the reader an insight into the everyday lives of people who just wanted to survive WWII. Hanna turns her tragedies into triumphs and leaves the reader with hope and optimism. Doerr does not give all his characters happy endings, but the story itself graces the reader with a more realistic and believable outcome that some may find hopeful because of its realism. Martin's book leans into everyone ending up happy and extremely successful. This is an optimistic and hopeful read and will likely be enjoyed by many readers, especially those who enjoy inspiring stories.
Author Paul Martin’s Blessed Memorial: Imaginings from Lectio Divina follows a retired carpenter who, after unexpectedly discovering the criminal history of previous offenders, decides to track them down – only to discover information that challenges his overall self.
Lectio Divina means “divine reading” in Latin. It's a meditative way of reading the Bible in which we let go of our own agendas and open ourselves to what God is saying.
"Ask and listen. It’s not about asking God for anything in particular. Ask God what God wants. Your best life will come as you listen for His answer and let Him work through you.
Paul Martin
Author, Husband, Father, Follower
Curious about who Paul Martin is? Why did he feel called to write this book and build a program about lectio divina?
Discover a fresh perspective on faith. Too secular for church, too much Holy Spirit for polite conversation.
The Spirit is here for churchgoers, skeptics, and everyone in between. Great men and women have been listening to God for centuries.
I have no special qualifications. I’m not a priest or a minister. I’m a husband, father, bicycle mechanic and woodworker, but that’s the point. God talks to anyone.
I'd love to hear how God is talking to you and your journey along the path of listening and lectio divina.
Contact Paul Martin at Email: bluejfiddles@gmail.com Phone: (937) 307-6725
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