Book Review: Celtic Wanderings by Cindy Thomson

CELTIC WANDERINGS: A 40-Day Devotional
GENRE: Devotional / Spiritual Growth
PUBLISHER: Emerald Path Press
RELEASE DATE: June 29, 2021
PAGES: 109

Inspired by stories of ancient Celtic saints, this devotional will guide you and inspire you along the often winding path of life. Structured to be flexible to fit the natural flow of your day or evening, offering both challenge and wisdom, this devotional makes a great gift for others and for yourself.

Be guided by St. Patrick, St. Brigid, St. Columcille, St. Brendan and more ancient Irish saints and stories.

“Dear Father, show me where the ancient paths lie.”

I come from a church tradition that didn’t reference specific saints much, if at all. And even though I believe Scripture teaches that all of us who belong to Jesus are saints and that we can directly approach the throne of Grace without the intercession of a saint or priest, there are lots of good things we can learn from these ancient believers. As such, my interest level is always piqued when I have the chance to learn more about them – throw in Ireland too, and I’m there for this devotional!

One of the first things that struck me was in the very first day’s readings, on pilgrimage and how there’s not just a spiritual benefit to it (though that is key as well). Rather, it also helps us prevent an all-too-common narrow view of the world and other people which, in so doing, can teach us a lot about our relationship with God too. I can attest to this truth, as my work with adult internationals for over 10 years did more to grow my faith than all my years in church preceding that time in my life – or since. Seeing a different perspective on the world and on what I believe challenged me in all the best ways and brought me irrevocably closer to Jesus. Ever since reading the first day of Celtic Wanderings, I’ve been pondering how to take another spiritual pilgrimage – this time intentional & through books – and the words of the prayer I quoted above have remained on my heart, along with this verse:

“Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” Jeremiah 6:16 NIV

I also loved the day about the Celtic Christian teachings on ‘anamchara’ or ‘soul friend’ – a friendship and belonging that endures even through distance, a friendship in which you are understood deeply. The discussion on prayer (listen for what God is already doing in the world before you speak your own prayers) and the reference to Be Thou My Vision (the song I walked down the aisle to at our wedding) were also meaningful to me.

Bottom Line: Travel. Gather. Listen. Remember. Love. Act. Guide. Celebrate. Hope. Begin. These ten concepts were important to the Celtic Christians of old, and Cindy Thomson takes us on a thoughtful journey through each one, applying ancient wisdom to our modern lives & drawing us ever closer to Jesus in the process. These forty short devotionals are each bookended by Scripture and a sweet prayer, and while the readings might be relatively quick they are nonetheless packed full of things to ponder. If you’re looking for a good way to end your day, keeping your eyes on Jesus and tuning your heart to His grace, then Celtic Wanderings is a great choice for you!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)

My Rating: 4 stars / loved it!

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Known for the inspirational Celtic theme employed in most of her books, Cindy Thomson is the author of both novels and non-fiction books. She is co-founder of the Faith & Fellowship Book Festival and vice president of the Mordecai Brown Legacy Foundation, a nonprofit that seeks to promote the legacy of this early twentieth century Hall of Fame baseball pitcher. She owns the team blog Novel PASTimes, a venue for readers of historical fiction. A genealogy enthusiast and traveler to Ireland, she writes from her home in Ohio.

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