Category: Books & Mentors That Changed Me
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Spiritual Friendship in a Fractured World: Lessons from Aelred of Rievaulx
A Reflection by Roy Pearson This summer, our church reviewed the lives of those who have lived before us as followers of Jesus. We studied some “saints” of the church that we may not remember, like Aelred of Rievaulx. I just read Aelred’s most famous treatise on “Spiritual Friendship”. n the twelfth century, Aelred of…
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Reflections on The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran: A Christian Perspective
by Roy Pearson Introduction:Every generation seeks wisdom that speaks to both the heart and the soul. Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet has done exactly that for nearly a century — offering poetic reflections on love, work, freedom, and faith. As a follower of Jesus, I recently revisited this timeless masterpiece and found that, while its message…
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🌤️ Illusions by Richard Bach: A Christian Reflection on Reality and Faith
By Roy Pearson ✈️ Introduction I recently read Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach, a thought-provoking and beautifully written story that invites readers to look at life from a spiritual perspective. While I do not agree with all of the book’s ideas — especially since I am a follower of Jesus…
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Comparing the Teachings of The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari, The Alchemist, Siddhartha, and the Bible
Across time and cultures, people have searched for meaning, purpose, and a deeper spiritual life. Books like Robin Sharma’s The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari, Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist, and Hermann Hesse’s Siddhartha speak to this human longing. Each explores the journey toward inner peace, enlightenment, and destiny. The Bible, however, offers a unique perspective…
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From a One-Room Schoolhouse to a Lifetime of Learning: A Tribute to Teachers Who Shaped My Life
For the first years of my education, I attended Union School in Greene County, Mississippi — a small, rural school where six grades shared one room, and the seventh and eighth grades were together in another. Looking back, it feels almost like a scene from a history book, but for me, it was simply where…
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Temperance as a Fruit of the Spirit: Lessons from F. D. Maurice and John Stuart Mill
Paul tells us in Galatians 5:22–23 that one of the fruits of the Spirit is temperance—or self-control. This fruit reminds us that Christian maturity is not just about passion or conviction, but about living with balance, restraint, and wisdom that serves the good of others. When I think of temperance, I see how it shone—though…
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Rediscovering the Kingdom: From Adam Smith to F. D. Maurice
When we hear the phrase “the kingdom of God is here now,” many of us imagine a spiritual ideal, a distant reality yet to come. But Jesus’ teaching often emphasized a present, active kingdom — a call for justice, mercy, and love to transform society today. Surprisingly, there’s a historical thread linking this vision of…
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Radical Love
Dr. Patrick S Cheng, Professor at the Episcopal Divinity School, stated the following in his book Radical Love: 1. “Radical love, I contend, is a love so extreme that it dissolves our existing boundaries, whether they are boundaries that separate us from other people, that separate us from preconceived notions of sexuality and gender identity,…
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Swimming Upstream
Life is challenging. Growing up in Mississippi as the son of a Baptist preacher, I learned quickly I was to conform to the church’s teachings and the area’s culture. From an early age, I felt different. I didn’t fit into the norms. I have been that way all of my life. It seemed like I…
The Curious Pilgrim 