Epiphanies of the Ordinary – Charles Cleverley (Hodder & Stoughton)
This devotional book explores the value, and indeed necessity of moments of epiphany – times when we are awakened to God’s reality. Arranged in three parts: Come, Abide and Go, with six chapters under each, the author, rector of St Aldates, Oxford, draws from the experiences of Bible characters and Christians through the ages, including poignant and powerful reflections on tragedy and joy in his own life. Accessible for everyone, and with a wonderful array of quotes, the profound insights make this a book to read slowly, prayerfully and thoughtfully with the breadth of themes (eg. love, surviving, touching, soul resting, self-denying) making it likely to touch you deeply somewhere. I found his allegorical take on Song of Songs, in the ‘Abide’ section, odd, but even those chapters included much to warm the heart.