Please note that the content and viewpoints of Mr. Hansen are his own and are not necessarily those of the C.S. Lewis Foundation. We have not edited his writing in any substantial way and have permission from him to post his content.
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Dear Friends:
Thursday morning, I stopped by a friend’s office. He was preparing for an important meeting on institutional finances in less than two hours.
The times are stressful. The stacks of spreadsheets and financial statements on his desk tell the story of a community with entrenched, high unemployment. By nightfall the State of California, financially insolvent and in legislative paralysis, will cut off payments to our physicians and hospital for caring for state-insured patients. The specter of cut-backs, lay-offs and reorganization lurk in the muddy, roiling waters of uncertainty. My friend was visibly tense and frustrated with competing demands for data and information while preparing books for an annual audit.
I went on my way to another appointment, but my heart stayed with my friend in silent prayer. The Holy Spirit brought to my mind the opening stanza of my Grandmother Jenny’s favorite hymn:
Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father’s throne
Make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!
– William Walford, 1845
I text-paged those lines to my friend with this message: “You don’t have an hour, but take a minute. Close your door. Look out the window and breathe. He will receive it as a prayer and extend grace and mercy.”
Dr. Greg Bourgond just released A Rattling of Sabers, the book that he wrote while at The Kilns as a Scholar-in-Residence in 2009. If you would like to purchase it through Amazon.com, while helping the C.S. Lewis Foundation to earn a referral percentage, click here.
Here is the description of the book:
Men - it is finally ready - a labor of love by God’s grace representing 18 years in the making. I finished the manuscript at the Kilns, C.S. Lewis’ home in Headington England last September. It is now available for purchase at Amazon.com and iUniverse.
This book will help you become men of honor and integrity by aligning your heart with the heart of God. Our behavior, good or bad, is reflective of what’s in our heart. Let the scalpel of God’s word perform surgery on your heart so that your life will bring glory and honor instead of shame and dishonor. The objective of this book is to help you become a man after God’s heart. I encourage you to engage in a life-transforming journey that will teach you to live differently–to live victoriously, to live lives of integrity, courage, authenticity, and valor under God’s authority, Christ’s example, and the Holy Spirit’s empowerment. Read the rest of this entry »
Our dear friend and event speaker Malcolm Guite just invited me to link to a post on his blog related to this year’s Summer Seminar at The Kilns. Malcolm spent an afternoon with a group of seminar participants at the Orchard in Granchester. After receiving an unexpected and very welcome gift from Jerry Root, Malcolm was inspired to post a poem he wrote called “Tree and Leaf.” Read about it on his blog.
And don’t miss out on Malcolm speaking at the 2010 Southwest Regional Retreat! He’ll be joined by Louis Markos, Randy Alcorn, David McKechnie, and several others. Performing will be Noel Paul Stookey (of Peter, Paul, & Mary fame) and Ad Deum Dance Company.
The following is a press release from the Westside Theatre production of The Screwtape Letters:
C.S. Lewis’ Stepson & Producer of Narnia films Douglas Gresham will have a Post Show Talk Back after June 11 performance of The Screwtape Letters at Westside Theatre
New York - THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS, the provocative and wickedly funny theatrical adaptation of the C.S. Lewis novel about spiritual warfare from a demon’s point of view, will feature an exclusive one-night-only performance and post-show talk-back discussion with Douglas Gresham, the stepson of C.S. Lewis, well-known author and Chronicles of Narnia producer; and star Max McLean at the Westside Theatre, 407 West 43rd Street, New York on Friday, June 11 at 8 p.m. Tickets to the not-to-be-missed event are available by calling 212.239.6200 or visiting www.telecharge.com. THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS is currently on sale through September 5. Read the rest of this entry »
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By offering a variety of programs and resources for scholars, faculty, administrators as well as seekers and lay readers of all Christian traditions, the Foundation seeks to advance the renewal of Christian thought and creative expression throughout the world of learning.
Men - it is finally ready - a labor of love by God’s grace representing 18 years in the making. I finished the manuscript at the Kilns, C.S. Lewis’ home in Headington England last September. It is now available for purchase at Amazon.com and iUniverse.
