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Nourishing Narratives: The Power of Story to Shape Our Faith
Humans are story-shaped creatures. We make sense of our world, pattern our lives, and reflect on what is ultimately significant through language and the words that compose our stories. But how does this relate to the narrative of the Bible and the story that God is writing through history? In Nourishing Narratives , writer and professor Jennifer Holberg engages with words from the likes of Dante, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Flannery O'Connor, Marilynne Robinson, and more while also offering some of her own stories to reflect on the importance of story to our lives and our faith. Here, readers are encouraged not only to understand how stories nourish our faith, but to discover how our stories are part of God's great story.
- GenresNonfictionChristian
240 pages, Paperback
Published July 25, 2023
18 people are currently reading
306 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
August 28, 2023
Nourishing Narratives stands out among Christian bibliomemoirs and reflections on story. It is deeply personal, but also broadening. I can clearly see how Holberg's faith has been shaped by story, and I found it encouraging. I also found in Holberg someone who reminds me of the dear professors in my college's English department (who drove us over 1,000 miles overnight in a university van to the Festival of Faith & Writing that Holberg's university hosts, praise be upon them). Holberg's reflections on hospitality, friendship, service, and more offered thoughts and interpretations that I haven't experienced elsewhere in this genre.
Through personal stories that showed me a life filled with love, humility, and joy, I saw virtue and faith in Holberg's life. Holberg loves her students, her coworkers (even the difficult ones), and the challenge of teaching during crisis. She never takes a chance to assert her intelligence over her students', or her largesse over and against her colleagues. I found that commendable and encouraging, especially since the author of a similar book released this year disappointed me in this way.
Overall, I really enjoyed Nourishing Narratives and am glad to give it and its beautiful cover a special place on my shelf.
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"...I believe there is a need in the world for the appreciator, the bolsterer, the friend of the artist, whose primary gift is not creative but supportive." (95)
"If the Holy Spirit is at work in our imaginative lives, then stories that rattle us are tools to move us toward self-examination, repentance, and reconciliation." (161-162)
Through personal stories that showed me a life filled with love, humility, and joy, I saw virtue and faith in Holberg's life. Holberg loves her students, her coworkers (even the difficult ones), and the challenge of teaching during crisis. She never takes a chance to assert her intelligence over her students', or her largesse over and against her colleagues. I found that commendable and encouraging, especially since the author of a similar book released this year disappointed me in this way.
Overall, I really enjoyed Nourishing Narratives and am glad to give it and its beautiful cover a special place on my shelf.
-----
"...I believe there is a need in the world for the appreciator, the bolsterer, the friend of the artist, whose primary gift is not creative but supportive." (95)
"If the Holy Spirit is at work in our imaginative lives, then stories that rattle us are tools to move us toward self-examination, repentance, and reconciliation." (161-162)
January 21, 2025
In Nourishing Narratives: The Power of Story to Shape Our Faith, Professor Jennifer L. Holberg invites the reader to contemplate the narratives (stories, rationales, thought patterns, faith traditions, etc) that one believes or follows. How do these narratives shape our lives? What truths (or lies) do we believe and how do they affect our actions? Does the literature, music, art, and other entertainment we consume point us to truth, illumination, and positive action? What narratives do we automatically accept or unconsciously absorb?
Surprisingly, the focus of Nourishing Narratives isn’t self-help for the reader or acclamation of literary works (though there is some of both). The weight of the book rests on sharing the hope found in Jesus through our interactions with others. Some prominent topics include generosity, friendship, community, contentment, etc. Inside those topics are smaller, but still important, ideas. I like how page 152 sums up the book’s aim: “Paying attention to the way we read – the strategies, the presuppositions, for example – and the why we read can help us determine if we are indeed pursuing ‘nourishing narratives’ and moving toward more Christlike ways of viewing the world.”
Nourishing Narratives, like most of life, is complex. Holberg writes with a thorough, academic tone that made me feel smarter just for having read it. Her excellent word choice and sentence structure carries beauty and information while remaining accessible for all teen or adult readers. Holberg shares many stories from her teaching career which fit in naturally with her topics. I did not feel like the book was targeted to teachers until the final chapter, though she framed her ideas within the context that we are all teachers and learners, no matter our age or station in life. I will also note that the author appears to follow a Calvinist faith tradition. I had no theological disagreement with her topics, and I don’t think most evangelicals would.
Of course, Nourishing Narratives incorporates lots of literature, especially poetry, that complements the topics and ideas. I now have even more authors that I would like to read including Dante, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Katerine Paterson, plus more.
My main takeaway from Nourishing Narratives: The Power of Story to Shape Our Faith by Jennifer L. Holberg was the importance of examining what we accept, absorb, create, and retell. I recommend this book to Christian readers who enjoy literary references, gentle challenges of beliefs (narratives), and encouragement to share Jesus with those around us. Four stars!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.
Surprisingly, the focus of Nourishing Narratives isn’t self-help for the reader or acclamation of literary works (though there is some of both). The weight of the book rests on sharing the hope found in Jesus through our interactions with others. Some prominent topics include generosity, friendship, community, contentment, etc. Inside those topics are smaller, but still important, ideas. I like how page 152 sums up the book’s aim: “Paying attention to the way we read – the strategies, the presuppositions, for example – and the why we read can help us determine if we are indeed pursuing ‘nourishing narratives’ and moving toward more Christlike ways of viewing the world.”
Nourishing Narratives, like most of life, is complex. Holberg writes with a thorough, academic tone that made me feel smarter just for having read it. Her excellent word choice and sentence structure carries beauty and information while remaining accessible for all teen or adult readers. Holberg shares many stories from her teaching career which fit in naturally with her topics. I did not feel like the book was targeted to teachers until the final chapter, though she framed her ideas within the context that we are all teachers and learners, no matter our age or station in life. I will also note that the author appears to follow a Calvinist faith tradition. I had no theological disagreement with her topics, and I don’t think most evangelicals would.
Of course, Nourishing Narratives incorporates lots of literature, especially poetry, that complements the topics and ideas. I now have even more authors that I would like to read including Dante, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Katerine Paterson, plus more.
My main takeaway from Nourishing Narratives: The Power of Story to Shape Our Faith by Jennifer L. Holberg was the importance of examining what we accept, absorb, create, and retell. I recommend this book to Christian readers who enjoy literary references, gentle challenges of beliefs (narratives), and encouragement to share Jesus with those around us. Four stars!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.
May 15, 2025
Nourishing Narratives joins the shortlist of books that strike me as doctoral theses or post-doctoral works that have been adjusted to appeal to a more layman audience. Both this book and The Narnia Code do this with great aplomb, brilliantly bringing a conversational feel to erudite content in a way that makes the work equal parts engaging and informative. Nourishing Narratives adds another facet to that by being both relatable and applicable. There were so many instances where I felt Holberg to be a kindred spirit. Bookishness has been one of my defining character traits from an early age, just like Holberg. I, too, felt that I suffered from "Boring Testimony Syndrome" when I was young, as I was raised in a dedicated Christian home and became a Christian in my own right at the tender age of six. We view the world through the same lens, and have reached many of the same conclusions or found ourselves with the same unanswered questions. It’s always a joy to find someone who speaks to your own experience, but who draws you further up and further in, who makes you stretch yourself and look at things more deeply. Holberg does that in this slim book.
I love all of the poetry Holberg included, as well as her lovely commentary on it. It's easy to see that she practices what she proclaims in this book; she is a woman who reads deeply and thoughtfully. She also inspired me to look again at novels and authors I've read but didn't particularly enjoy and see them in a new, softer, more nuanced light. I highlighted so many passages of Holberg’s own writing to revisit, and compiled a lovely list of poets to explore. I’m so glad to have stumbled across Nourishing Narratives. It will always have a home on my shelves.
I love all of the poetry Holberg included, as well as her lovely commentary on it. It's easy to see that she practices what she proclaims in this book; she is a woman who reads deeply and thoughtfully. She also inspired me to look again at novels and authors I've read but didn't particularly enjoy and see them in a new, softer, more nuanced light. I highlighted so many passages of Holberg’s own writing to revisit, and compiled a lovely list of poets to explore. I’m so glad to have stumbled across Nourishing Narratives. It will always have a home on my shelves.
April 19, 2024
Review forthcoming in Religious Studies Review
June 11, 2023
This book is absolutely beautiful. Jennifer's love of poetry and story is contagious. Her obvious love for God and for others throughout the book is even more contagious, encouraging me to love God and my neighbor more. The book constantly reminds me of the beauty - in myself, in others, and in the ordinary - without disregarding or belittling the power of the darkness. In a world so full of darkness (especially in the past few years), that reminder is much needed. And it reminds me of the power (and the hard work) of hope, the power of a seed planted and nourished, and the reality that sometimes, we do not get to see the results of our labor.
This book made me laugh one line and cry the next. I didn't want to put it down but I also didn't want it to end. It will surely be one I revisit often. Every page is a great encouragement to me, and I cannot recommend it enough.
This book made me laugh one line and cry the next. I didn't want to put it down but I also didn't want it to end. It will surely be one I revisit often. Every page is a great encouragement to me, and I cannot recommend it enough.
September 21, 2023
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher. Opinions expressed are my own.
What to Expect
This is one of those cases where I misinterpreted the title/synopsis of the work, and was therefore expecting something different than what the book had to offer.
I was expecting the book to interact with “story” in the sense of what J.R.R. Tolkien referred to as “myth.” I use that phrase loosely, based on my recollection of his comments, but what I was expecting was more about allegory, narrative, and parables, with allusions to literature. While there is a good deal of allusion to literature (as well as poetry, commentary and even artwork), these are used more for the purpose of explication, as examples of what the author is discussing.
With that said, the author does explain what the book is about (not recommending books, but gaining a new lens for how we read). And I did enjoy the book. It just wasn’t what I was expecting when I requested it.
Organization
The book consists of nine chapters. Overall, I would say that chapters built on one another very loosely. From what I recall, each chapter conveys a distinct point, but the points, in total, are more of a collection of ideas, rather than ideas leading to a single conclusion.
Some of the chapters include:
Chapter 2, “Enough,” which is about having a mindset of trust in God’s certain provision
Chapter 4, “Assessing the Hill,” about the importance of community and the different community members who contribute to the birth of a creative expression
Chapters 8-9, “Root Room” and “Our Hope for Years to Come,” about cultivating a mindset of hope
What I Liked
I both enjoyed and appreciated the literary analysis, throughout. I liked revisiting some works, with a new lens for examination, as well as being exposed to a good deal of excellent writing that I hadn’t read before. I really appreciate that, when citing passages, Holberg takes the time to “unpack” the ideas therein: offering paraphrase in addition to commentary. I have no trouble glazing over in quoted passages, especially when the syntax or diction make the passage feel denser. For this reason, I was very grateful for how Holberg “slows me down,” as she highlights relevant elements and provides context for the passage cited, as well as background information on the creator of the “story” (or art, poem, commentary).
Holberg’s prose are, themselves, engaging. I enjoyed her writing style and the generous amount of anecdotes sprinkled throughout. Chapter 1 starts off with a story about a particularly special birthday card (and the teacher who made it!), capturing my interest.
Holberg describes Christ, in one place, as “The Word made flesh, the model of perfectly embodied language.” This is such a beautiful expression of a concept I have meditated on. As someone who’s frustrated with so much of what is being published, I’m so glad that Christ, the Word, is “perfectly embodied language” (p. 133).
Chapters end with a strong punch. The author crafts powerful summarize statements.
Favorites
Chapter 2, “Enough” was certainly my favorite in the book. The chapter begins with the author’s delight in cookbooks, referencing a phrase found on a loose recipe card in one antique volume. The yield amount reads simply, “This makes enough.”
Holberg draws on this phrasing and meditates on gratitude and God’s generosity: “We believe in a God who not only feeds the multitudes but makes sure there are leftovers” (p. 48).
Especially meaningful, for me, was a description of a practice, slow looking, that Holberg teaches her first-year composition class. Students are encouraged to observe their surroundings, “to be cognizant of how [they] are seeing” (pg. 44). I appreciate that the author offers examples in her description, because this seems like something worth trying!
Quotes
“I believe there is a need in the world for the appreciator, the bolsterer, the friend of the artist, whose primary gift is not creative but support.”
P. 95
This quote was meaningful to me, because I know I am called to be the “bolsterer,” in my work as my mom’s agent and as a book reviewer.
“How do we testify to the Spirit’s leading when it is clear that we feel we know the truth already?”
P. 157
This is such a great point!
“Our faith does not require that we deny the existence of the thundering voices of the floods; it simply asks us to know that there is a louder voice still.”
P. 175
Amen!
Content Notes
Although it’s subtle and very occasional, the author makes a few (admittedly, ambiguous) references that read as potential support of a sinful lifestyle. (And my Google search does suggest that this is the author’s stance, though it is very minor in the book).
Early on, there’s a mention of how narratives form of concept of sexuality, among other things. There’s also an offhanded remark about business owners wanting to choose whether or not to bake cakes or take photos, but don’t recognize that fellow business owners can also make decisions, such as about masking. (I actually wear a mask to work every day, but I STRONGLY believe businesses should not be forced to support sinful lifestyles).
Recommendation Status
Recommended, with reader discretion, to readers who enjoy nonfiction and commentaries on creative expression.
What to Expect
This is one of those cases where I misinterpreted the title/synopsis of the work, and was therefore expecting something different than what the book had to offer.
I was expecting the book to interact with “story” in the sense of what J.R.R. Tolkien referred to as “myth.” I use that phrase loosely, based on my recollection of his comments, but what I was expecting was more about allegory, narrative, and parables, with allusions to literature. While there is a good deal of allusion to literature (as well as poetry, commentary and even artwork), these are used more for the purpose of explication, as examples of what the author is discussing.
With that said, the author does explain what the book is about (not recommending books, but gaining a new lens for how we read). And I did enjoy the book. It just wasn’t what I was expecting when I requested it.
Organization
The book consists of nine chapters. Overall, I would say that chapters built on one another very loosely. From what I recall, each chapter conveys a distinct point, but the points, in total, are more of a collection of ideas, rather than ideas leading to a single conclusion.
Some of the chapters include:
Chapter 2, “Enough,” which is about having a mindset of trust in God’s certain provision
Chapter 4, “Assessing the Hill,” about the importance of community and the different community members who contribute to the birth of a creative expression
Chapters 8-9, “Root Room” and “Our Hope for Years to Come,” about cultivating a mindset of hope
What I Liked
I both enjoyed and appreciated the literary analysis, throughout. I liked revisiting some works, with a new lens for examination, as well as being exposed to a good deal of excellent writing that I hadn’t read before. I really appreciate that, when citing passages, Holberg takes the time to “unpack” the ideas therein: offering paraphrase in addition to commentary. I have no trouble glazing over in quoted passages, especially when the syntax or diction make the passage feel denser. For this reason, I was very grateful for how Holberg “slows me down,” as she highlights relevant elements and provides context for the passage cited, as well as background information on the creator of the “story” (or art, poem, commentary).
Holberg’s prose are, themselves, engaging. I enjoyed her writing style and the generous amount of anecdotes sprinkled throughout. Chapter 1 starts off with a story about a particularly special birthday card (and the teacher who made it!), capturing my interest.
Holberg describes Christ, in one place, as “The Word made flesh, the model of perfectly embodied language.” This is such a beautiful expression of a concept I have meditated on. As someone who’s frustrated with so much of what is being published, I’m so glad that Christ, the Word, is “perfectly embodied language” (p. 133).
Chapters end with a strong punch. The author crafts powerful summarize statements.
Favorites
Chapter 2, “Enough” was certainly my favorite in the book. The chapter begins with the author’s delight in cookbooks, referencing a phrase found on a loose recipe card in one antique volume. The yield amount reads simply, “This makes enough.”
Holberg draws on this phrasing and meditates on gratitude and God’s generosity: “We believe in a God who not only feeds the multitudes but makes sure there are leftovers” (p. 48).
Especially meaningful, for me, was a description of a practice, slow looking, that Holberg teaches her first-year composition class. Students are encouraged to observe their surroundings, “to be cognizant of how [they] are seeing” (pg. 44). I appreciate that the author offers examples in her description, because this seems like something worth trying!
Quotes
“I believe there is a need in the world for the appreciator, the bolsterer, the friend of the artist, whose primary gift is not creative but support.”
P. 95
This quote was meaningful to me, because I know I am called to be the “bolsterer,” in my work as my mom’s agent and as a book reviewer.
“How do we testify to the Spirit’s leading when it is clear that we feel we know the truth already?”
P. 157
This is such a great point!
“Our faith does not require that we deny the existence of the thundering voices of the floods; it simply asks us to know that there is a louder voice still.”
P. 175
Amen!
Content Notes
Although it’s subtle and very occasional, the author makes a few (admittedly, ambiguous) references that read as potential support of a sinful lifestyle. (And my Google search does suggest that this is the author’s stance, though it is very minor in the book).
Early on, there’s a mention of how narratives form of concept of sexuality, among other things. There’s also an offhanded remark about business owners wanting to choose whether or not to bake cakes or take photos, but don’t recognize that fellow business owners can also make decisions, such as about masking. (I actually wear a mask to work every day, but I STRONGLY believe businesses should not be forced to support sinful lifestyles).
Recommendation Status
Recommended, with reader discretion, to readers who enjoy nonfiction and commentaries on creative expression.
December 4, 2023
This book, which I will read again and again, perfectly captures what it is like to sit in one of Jennifer’s classes. Her compassionate and intelligent nature shines through. And the book offers many ways to think about how narrative and story shape our lives. Highly recommend this book for reading in a small group setting; it inspired many wonderful conversations!
April 20, 2024
This book was not what I initially thought it would be, but it was what I needed it to be.
July 13, 2023
What is our story? Are they defined by highlights in our careers or are they tarnished by failures in our ventures? How do we tell our own stories? Which narrative should we share? Do we share inspiring ones or lament about the negative events in our lives? For author Jennifer Holberg, this book is about helping us share life-giving narratives of our lives. Readers also learn about paying close attention to the narratives of others, all for the purpose of sensing God's story in the larger world. We associate the names of people with memories of our encounters with them. We get a frank assessment of the popular use of testimonies, with the author questioning the stereotypes of the "Boring Testimony Syndrome" where believers are urged to share sensational conversion stories. The truth is, many of our personal narratives are complicated. We cannot and should not allow others to dictate our own narratives. Here, we learn to ask ourselves questions like:
- Why do I find it hard to share my personal stories?
- Why am I uncomfortable with my own narrative?
- What does the discomfort tell us about ourselves and our theology?
I- s the tension we feel need to go away or to be embraced?
- What is the essence of the story and how can I share it in such a way as to bless another person?
Holberg urges us not to let stereotypes or other voices prevent us from telling our true stories. No story is too insignificant to tell. There is no shame to celebrate one's life no matter the fear of misconstrued perceptions. She encourages us with some inspired thoughts from celebrated writers like Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Flannery O'Connor, Frederick Buechner, Mary Oliver, Gerald Manley Hopkins, and also from a cookbook! Having addressed the nominal pressure to be less authentic due to cultural expectations, Holberg breathes fresh encouragement about the beauty of the ordinary. It is hoped that we can learn to look at the ordinary with enlightened eyes, to cultivate "seeds of joy" no matter how insignificant they might be perceived to be. Holberg also looks at friendships and the relationships we all cherish. Our desire to help and carry the burdens of others should be a two-way process. We need to learn to accept help in return. When we do so, we open ourselves up to the narratives of not just helping others but also being helped by others. We can also develop nourishing narratives in our vocation. Much of everyday work involves the mundane and repetitive. This can sometimes become a chore in our minds. Are we in the right job? Is God calling me to continue what I am doing? Do we need to have brilliant "success" in some projects before we can count it a successful career? How do we craft a narrative of such normal work? If we can just learn to see our vocation from the lens of witnessing, that might inject some purpose.
On the thought of books that could "save the world," Holberg is a little more cautious. While there are books that bring about some semblance of beauty and hope, what is more important is the appropriate "reading principles" to help us cultivate love for God and for neighbour. In a society that is increasingly threatened by selfishness, hate, and evil behaviours, we learn about how we can resist such tendencies through storytelling. From adequate representation to having a multiplicity of voices, it is hoped that greater understanding among diverse communities would bridge any longstanding or hidden gaps. Speak out against wrongs. Uphold the rights of the marginalized. Learn to recognize that there is more than enough space for all to live in peace in this world. Stories can move us deeper into "self-examination, repentance, and reconciliation."
My Thoughts
==============
I appreciate the angle that the author uses to address the need for hope. I remember watching the disaster movie, Deep Impact, which has been marketed with the catchphrase, "Oceans Rise. Cities Fall. Hope Survives." In a world that is increasingly troubled by assaults, divisiveness, hurts, violence, and all manner of despair, we need a way to anchor ourselves with hope. Surely, there is light at the end of the tunnel. There is an oasis in the massive desert terrain. There is hope in a gloomy world. The gospel itself is full of hope, but we all need a way to see this hope come alive in our lives. Author Holberg shows us how stories can be a powerful medium to make such connections. Using her formidable knowledge of literary giants, Holberg equips us with a lens of hope through the profound eyes of such great writers. From the novelist Katherine Paterson, we learn that Christian hope needs to be perceived in the community. From the humble garden to the humble bee, we learn powerful lessons on drawing hope in nature. From the theologian NT Wright, we connect healing and love with hope. Poets like Christina Rossetti and Donald Hall write earnestly about life's challenges but ultimately point us to the fact that hope is always bigger than despair. Of death, the great writer Frederick Buechner declares boldly the Christian message that death will never have the final say. I am left bewildered that such a book with a "nourishing" title would in fact be a powerful device to instill hope.
A second reason why I am impressed with this book is the way the author weaves faith into storytelling. From literature to real life, it is the gospel that anchors one's interpretation or worldview. Such a reading is a subversive manner to help turn despair to hope; doubt to faith; and hatred to love. Holberg does not simply use literature to show us nourishing narratives, she includes stories of her own to show us how she manages to subvert the different forms of cultural intimidation, such as gender inequality, work inequity, social injustice, etc. For instance, she admits her struggle with the problem of evil and suffering, but clings on to faith and hope. While the world complains and laments about the problems caused by Covid-19, she learns to see the good opportunities presented during the pandemic lockdowns. She even points out the role of critiques that is not about tearing us down but opportunities to build up. Loss and the reality of death are never ever greater than the gain and the hope of the resurrection in Christ.
Finally, this book reminds me of the importance of personal spirituality and practicing faith. The late Eugene Peterson once said something like, "Spirituality is about noticing the things of the ordinary." Through ordinary literature, life, and events, if we maintain the gospel perspective, it is unlikely one will let despair overcome hope. Hopefully, this book can equip us to interpret our reading, our lives, and the world we live in with positive hope, something that the author calls "nourishing narratives." I love the title as it is an invitation toward spiritual nourishment and constructive participation in the world we live in. This book is a valuable resource to share and a treasure to keep.
Jennifer L. Holberg (PhD, University of Washington) is professor and chair of the English department at Calvin University and codirector of the Calvin Center for Faith and Writing, the home of the Festival of Faith and Writing. She is a founding coeditor of the academic journal Pedagogy and also the editor of Shouts and Whispers: Twenty-One Writers Speak About Their Writing and Their Faith.
Rating: 4.5 stars our of 5.
conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of IVP Academic via NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.
- Why do I find it hard to share my personal stories?
- Why am I uncomfortable with my own narrative?
- What does the discomfort tell us about ourselves and our theology?
I- s the tension we feel need to go away or to be embraced?
- What is the essence of the story and how can I share it in such a way as to bless another person?
Holberg urges us not to let stereotypes or other voices prevent us from telling our true stories. No story is too insignificant to tell. There is no shame to celebrate one's life no matter the fear of misconstrued perceptions. She encourages us with some inspired thoughts from celebrated writers like Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Flannery O'Connor, Frederick Buechner, Mary Oliver, Gerald Manley Hopkins, and also from a cookbook! Having addressed the nominal pressure to be less authentic due to cultural expectations, Holberg breathes fresh encouragement about the beauty of the ordinary. It is hoped that we can learn to look at the ordinary with enlightened eyes, to cultivate "seeds of joy" no matter how insignificant they might be perceived to be. Holberg also looks at friendships and the relationships we all cherish. Our desire to help and carry the burdens of others should be a two-way process. We need to learn to accept help in return. When we do so, we open ourselves up to the narratives of not just helping others but also being helped by others. We can also develop nourishing narratives in our vocation. Much of everyday work involves the mundane and repetitive. This can sometimes become a chore in our minds. Are we in the right job? Is God calling me to continue what I am doing? Do we need to have brilliant "success" in some projects before we can count it a successful career? How do we craft a narrative of such normal work? If we can just learn to see our vocation from the lens of witnessing, that might inject some purpose.
On the thought of books that could "save the world," Holberg is a little more cautious. While there are books that bring about some semblance of beauty and hope, what is more important is the appropriate "reading principles" to help us cultivate love for God and for neighbour. In a society that is increasingly threatened by selfishness, hate, and evil behaviours, we learn about how we can resist such tendencies through storytelling. From adequate representation to having a multiplicity of voices, it is hoped that greater understanding among diverse communities would bridge any longstanding or hidden gaps. Speak out against wrongs. Uphold the rights of the marginalized. Learn to recognize that there is more than enough space for all to live in peace in this world. Stories can move us deeper into "self-examination, repentance, and reconciliation."
My Thoughts
==============
I appreciate the angle that the author uses to address the need for hope. I remember watching the disaster movie, Deep Impact, which has been marketed with the catchphrase, "Oceans Rise. Cities Fall. Hope Survives." In a world that is increasingly troubled by assaults, divisiveness, hurts, violence, and all manner of despair, we need a way to anchor ourselves with hope. Surely, there is light at the end of the tunnel. There is an oasis in the massive desert terrain. There is hope in a gloomy world. The gospel itself is full of hope, but we all need a way to see this hope come alive in our lives. Author Holberg shows us how stories can be a powerful medium to make such connections. Using her formidable knowledge of literary giants, Holberg equips us with a lens of hope through the profound eyes of such great writers. From the novelist Katherine Paterson, we learn that Christian hope needs to be perceived in the community. From the humble garden to the humble bee, we learn powerful lessons on drawing hope in nature. From the theologian NT Wright, we connect healing and love with hope. Poets like Christina Rossetti and Donald Hall write earnestly about life's challenges but ultimately point us to the fact that hope is always bigger than despair. Of death, the great writer Frederick Buechner declares boldly the Christian message that death will never have the final say. I am left bewildered that such a book with a "nourishing" title would in fact be a powerful device to instill hope.
A second reason why I am impressed with this book is the way the author weaves faith into storytelling. From literature to real life, it is the gospel that anchors one's interpretation or worldview. Such a reading is a subversive manner to help turn despair to hope; doubt to faith; and hatred to love. Holberg does not simply use literature to show us nourishing narratives, she includes stories of her own to show us how she manages to subvert the different forms of cultural intimidation, such as gender inequality, work inequity, social injustice, etc. For instance, she admits her struggle with the problem of evil and suffering, but clings on to faith and hope. While the world complains and laments about the problems caused by Covid-19, she learns to see the good opportunities presented during the pandemic lockdowns. She even points out the role of critiques that is not about tearing us down but opportunities to build up. Loss and the reality of death are never ever greater than the gain and the hope of the resurrection in Christ.
Finally, this book reminds me of the importance of personal spirituality and practicing faith. The late Eugene Peterson once said something like, "Spirituality is about noticing the things of the ordinary." Through ordinary literature, life, and events, if we maintain the gospel perspective, it is unlikely one will let despair overcome hope. Hopefully, this book can equip us to interpret our reading, our lives, and the world we live in with positive hope, something that the author calls "nourishing narratives." I love the title as it is an invitation toward spiritual nourishment and constructive participation in the world we live in. This book is a valuable resource to share and a treasure to keep.
Jennifer L. Holberg (PhD, University of Washington) is professor and chair of the English department at Calvin University and codirector of the Calvin Center for Faith and Writing, the home of the Festival of Faith and Writing. She is a founding coeditor of the academic journal Pedagogy and also the editor of Shouts and Whispers: Twenty-One Writers Speak About Their Writing and Their Faith.
Rating: 4.5 stars our of 5.
conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of IVP Academic via NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.
August 11, 2023
Summary: Making sense of our lives and our faith through the stories that shape us.
Stories have a powerful way of shaping our lives. Some are the stories we tell of ourselves. Some are the stories that have captured our imagination. And there is the story of our faith, the larger story of God in which we find ourselves. Jennifer L. Holberg, a professor of English and co-director of Calvin College’s Center of Faith and Writing found her own life shaped by stories from childhood and loves exploring their shaping power with her students. In this work, she reflects on the ways stories have shaped her and how they are central to a vibrant Christian faith.
She opens the book by sharing some of the story of discovering the power of story in her life and the work she does with students to read stories in nuanced ways that nourish their lives. She draws on sources as diverse as old cookbooks, the Exodus narratives, and the poetry of Mary Oliver and Gerard Manley Hopkins to explore the idea of enough. Carrie Newcomer’s lyrics open a chapter on the grace of the ordinary, going on to explore Mary Oliver’s “Summer Morning” and “In the Storm,” in which the tails of ducks form a roof to protect sanderlings, “a hedge of feathers” that is a miracle amid the ordinary. And then she speaks of the faithfulness of her own father, a military officer who modeled Christ, put family first, and remembers the anniversary of her doctorate each year. She uses Tennyson’s In Memoriam to explore the nature of friendship and loss, remarking the power of churches bringing casseroles and cakes when you are in trouble, the need to be vulnerable, and the generous gift that enabled Harper Lee to write To Kill a Mockingbird–the generosity of a friend. She spotlights the biblical Martha and Matthias, the thirteenth apostle, those ready to serve as faithful witnesses.
I found the chapter on “Small Steps at Very Great Cost” particularly striking. Holberg writes of our experiences of the pandemic. As a single person who was used to being alone, a bit of a hermit, she enjoyed it in a way, yet like many of us was deeply concerned with the rents in our social fabric. She quotes a poem of Tracy K. Smith, “An Old Story” with the phrase “When at last we knew how little/Would survive us–how little we had mended.” but concludes with the reappearance of creatures and color thought gone forever, expressing the hope of renewal out of the ashes that we hope for. She speaks tellingly of the power of our words, the stories we tell, not to save, but to shape; likewise the small acts of great service, the considering of the other’s interest. And to those who would hurl the epithet “sheep” at those who embrace the servant way, she considers this an honor. She is following the Lamb of God.
The whole thrust of this book is to draw together the constituent elements of hope, because such hope, nourished on story is what sees us through. She concludes the book sharing of her love of working with students. She is not one to bemoan “this generation” but rather shares her hope for them as they explore stories together to know they are loved, to know they are enough, and to know their voice matters.
I think I would have loved to have Holberg as a teacher. She loves literature, not as material just to analyze and critique, but when read closely, to read our lives and offer hope. She writes both with informal elegance and spunk, sharing vulnerably her own stories, even challenging the silence around women’s health issues and menstruation. Through the many poems and stories, we see the biblical story, the pilgrim journey in the way of the cross, the hope of those who forsake all to follow Christ. She sums up what she has drawn from these stories (and particularly from The Divine Comedy) in three phrases. Don’t be afraid. Love in abundance. God’s got this.
These are good watchwords and evidence someone who has mastered, or been mastered by, her subject matter. How we need these words for our time. What strikes me as I consider this is that they reflect the kinds of stories to which Holberg has given herself–true, noble, good, and beautiful stories. Not all stories are such, nor would all lead to these watchwords. On what narratives will we nourish ourselves?
________________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher.
Stories have a powerful way of shaping our lives. Some are the stories we tell of ourselves. Some are the stories that have captured our imagination. And there is the story of our faith, the larger story of God in which we find ourselves. Jennifer L. Holberg, a professor of English and co-director of Calvin College’s Center of Faith and Writing found her own life shaped by stories from childhood and loves exploring their shaping power with her students. In this work, she reflects on the ways stories have shaped her and how they are central to a vibrant Christian faith.
She opens the book by sharing some of the story of discovering the power of story in her life and the work she does with students to read stories in nuanced ways that nourish their lives. She draws on sources as diverse as old cookbooks, the Exodus narratives, and the poetry of Mary Oliver and Gerard Manley Hopkins to explore the idea of enough. Carrie Newcomer’s lyrics open a chapter on the grace of the ordinary, going on to explore Mary Oliver’s “Summer Morning” and “In the Storm,” in which the tails of ducks form a roof to protect sanderlings, “a hedge of feathers” that is a miracle amid the ordinary. And then she speaks of the faithfulness of her own father, a military officer who modeled Christ, put family first, and remembers the anniversary of her doctorate each year. She uses Tennyson’s In Memoriam to explore the nature of friendship and loss, remarking the power of churches bringing casseroles and cakes when you are in trouble, the need to be vulnerable, and the generous gift that enabled Harper Lee to write To Kill a Mockingbird–the generosity of a friend. She spotlights the biblical Martha and Matthias, the thirteenth apostle, those ready to serve as faithful witnesses.
I found the chapter on “Small Steps at Very Great Cost” particularly striking. Holberg writes of our experiences of the pandemic. As a single person who was used to being alone, a bit of a hermit, she enjoyed it in a way, yet like many of us was deeply concerned with the rents in our social fabric. She quotes a poem of Tracy K. Smith, “An Old Story” with the phrase “When at last we knew how little/Would survive us–how little we had mended.” but concludes with the reappearance of creatures and color thought gone forever, expressing the hope of renewal out of the ashes that we hope for. She speaks tellingly of the power of our words, the stories we tell, not to save, but to shape; likewise the small acts of great service, the considering of the other’s interest. And to those who would hurl the epithet “sheep” at those who embrace the servant way, she considers this an honor. She is following the Lamb of God.
The whole thrust of this book is to draw together the constituent elements of hope, because such hope, nourished on story is what sees us through. She concludes the book sharing of her love of working with students. She is not one to bemoan “this generation” but rather shares her hope for them as they explore stories together to know they are loved, to know they are enough, and to know their voice matters.
I think I would have loved to have Holberg as a teacher. She loves literature, not as material just to analyze and critique, but when read closely, to read our lives and offer hope. She writes both with informal elegance and spunk, sharing vulnerably her own stories, even challenging the silence around women’s health issues and menstruation. Through the many poems and stories, we see the biblical story, the pilgrim journey in the way of the cross, the hope of those who forsake all to follow Christ. She sums up what she has drawn from these stories (and particularly from The Divine Comedy) in three phrases. Don’t be afraid. Love in abundance. God’s got this.
These are good watchwords and evidence someone who has mastered, or been mastered by, her subject matter. How we need these words for our time. What strikes me as I consider this is that they reflect the kinds of stories to which Holberg has given herself–true, noble, good, and beautiful stories. Not all stories are such, nor would all lead to these watchwords. On what narratives will we nourish ourselves?
________________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher.
July 27, 2023
Jennifer Holberg’s Nourishing Narratives is a lovely consideration of the value of story in shaping lives and strengthening faith. Considering the stories we tell (or tell ourselves), listen to, value, or deeply engage with, the author draws from a carefully curated collection of poetry, literature, traditional hymns, fine art, and scripture to build a strong case for each of us to become “better reader[s]—more attuned to narrative assumptions and strategies and expectations.”
In meandering prose frequently punctuated with quotes and anecdotes, Holberg encourages us to shift our focus away from the apparent hero, assuring us that “the sweeping saga and the grand dram” are not the only stories worth looking for, reading, telling, and living. Quiet, everyday tales of the supportive and encouraging friend, the behind-the-scenes servant, and the folks who persist without necessarily succeeding (a cultural concept that deserves reconsideration in its own right) are just as vital and Christ-affirming as any of the great, thundering tales we’ve been conditioned to value. What’s more, it’s these small stories that we are more likely to relate to and see ourselves in. The overall result of this volume is that of taking a long, meditative walk with a drifting but thoughtful friend.
Because drift she does. As lovely as the book is overall, the anecdotes and metaphors (of which there are plenty) often feel a bit forced or simply pushed too far. By the final chapters, the dominant “story” motif, which tied the initial chapters together so beautifully, gets a bit muddied, either lost entirely or inflated to the point that it embraces everything. The initial idea of close reading for spiritual strength fizzles into just another watered-down version of “change your focus, change your life.”
Despite my disappointment with the final 20% of the book, I would still recommend this to any Christian reader looking for encouragement and uplift. In Nourishing Narratives, Holberg provides a thoughtful and compassionate defense for each of us to more deliberately consider which stories we invest in and tell.
[I received an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.]
In meandering prose frequently punctuated with quotes and anecdotes, Holberg encourages us to shift our focus away from the apparent hero, assuring us that “the sweeping saga and the grand dram” are not the only stories worth looking for, reading, telling, and living. Quiet, everyday tales of the supportive and encouraging friend, the behind-the-scenes servant, and the folks who persist without necessarily succeeding (a cultural concept that deserves reconsideration in its own right) are just as vital and Christ-affirming as any of the great, thundering tales we’ve been conditioned to value. What’s more, it’s these small stories that we are more likely to relate to and see ourselves in. The overall result of this volume is that of taking a long, meditative walk with a drifting but thoughtful friend.
Because drift she does. As lovely as the book is overall, the anecdotes and metaphors (of which there are plenty) often feel a bit forced or simply pushed too far. By the final chapters, the dominant “story” motif, which tied the initial chapters together so beautifully, gets a bit muddied, either lost entirely or inflated to the point that it embraces everything. The initial idea of close reading for spiritual strength fizzles into just another watered-down version of “change your focus, change your life.”
Despite my disappointment with the final 20% of the book, I would still recommend this to any Christian reader looking for encouragement and uplift. In Nourishing Narratives, Holberg provides a thoughtful and compassionate defense for each of us to more deliberately consider which stories we invest in and tell.
[I received an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.]
August 16, 2023
As an English professor and lifelong reader, Jennifer Holberg spoke my love language in Nourishing Narratives. She dips into her story-shaped life to come alongside readers who want to become better interpreters of the stories we are reading and—more importantly—the stories we are living.
Holberg discerned early on that God went with her into “whatever bookish land” she traveled. On that basis, she urges readers to bring imagination and delight to our reading life, to receive the gift of narrative beauty as evidence of “God’s loving generosity and our own ‘enoughness.'”
She’s a gifted storyteller herself, and I chuckled over the tale of her first foray into Hobby Lobby and was delighted by her memories of Mrs. Ash’s fifth-grade reading tub. Turning the last page, I realized that the force pulling me into the book was its strong memoir vibe, the fact that the author was employing the details of her own story to accomplish the goals she had set for her book!
Understanding genre is key to our understanding of Scripture, and this book serves up a buffet of wisdom to bring to our reading of novels, poetry, and short stories from a wide range of writers. As a woman of faith, Holberg offers biblical insight into friendship, the church, community, and vocation, all with humor, warmth, and candor. Her goal throughout is to consider how “narrative can make us more capacious in our approach to God and to ourselves.”
My copy of the book is abundantly highlighted and dog-eared, and I felt compelled to copy a few significant passages into my journal and into the pages of Eliot’s Four Quartets. Fair warning: I came away from Nourishing Narratives with a considerably longer TBR list!
Many thanks to InterVarsity Press for providing a copy of this book to facilitate my review, which is, of course, offered freely and with honesty.
Holberg discerned early on that God went with her into “whatever bookish land” she traveled. On that basis, she urges readers to bring imagination and delight to our reading life, to receive the gift of narrative beauty as evidence of “God’s loving generosity and our own ‘enoughness.'”
She’s a gifted storyteller herself, and I chuckled over the tale of her first foray into Hobby Lobby and was delighted by her memories of Mrs. Ash’s fifth-grade reading tub. Turning the last page, I realized that the force pulling me into the book was its strong memoir vibe, the fact that the author was employing the details of her own story to accomplish the goals she had set for her book!
Understanding genre is key to our understanding of Scripture, and this book serves up a buffet of wisdom to bring to our reading of novels, poetry, and short stories from a wide range of writers. As a woman of faith, Holberg offers biblical insight into friendship, the church, community, and vocation, all with humor, warmth, and candor. Her goal throughout is to consider how “narrative can make us more capacious in our approach to God and to ourselves.”
My copy of the book is abundantly highlighted and dog-eared, and I felt compelled to copy a few significant passages into my journal and into the pages of Eliot’s Four Quartets. Fair warning: I came away from Nourishing Narratives with a considerably longer TBR list!
Many thanks to InterVarsity Press for providing a copy of this book to facilitate my review, which is, of course, offered freely and with honesty.
July 24, 2023
My grandpa was a book editor for his entire career. A deep love of reading books was passed on to my mother and then to my siblings and me. This beautiful book, Nourishing Narratives, is a precious offering to the literary world. Not only does Jennifer Holberg share potent quotes and stories from a variety of genres (poetry, fiction, and non-fiction) but she weaves it all together with sharing from her own life, inviting the reader to consider the power of stories.
Holberg begins the book by sharing that she still has a card given to her by her fifth-grade teacher: a special teacher who taught her students to love reading (encouraged by a big pillow-lined bathtub where they could take turns reading!). As a Christian, Holberg invites other followers of Jesus to reflect on what it means that we are “people of the Book.” How does the gospel story- the Large Story that we seek to align our lives to- interact and intersect with the countless other smaller stories we read, hear, and live into every day?
Holberg is also a teacher, and she reflects on the profound gift and opportunity that teaching can be. She tries to help her students learn to see— to observe the wonder and beauty around them. To be people who take off their shoes when they notice they are treading on holy ground.
The closing words of the book are wonderful:
“Our hope as teachers is to send forth a shoeless generation, full of wonder, to continue to share the greatest story ever told.”
As someone who loves books and also seeks to love Jesus with my life, I found this book extremely fascinating- a beautiful read!
Holberg begins the book by sharing that she still has a card given to her by her fifth-grade teacher: a special teacher who taught her students to love reading (encouraged by a big pillow-lined bathtub where they could take turns reading!). As a Christian, Holberg invites other followers of Jesus to reflect on what it means that we are “people of the Book.” How does the gospel story- the Large Story that we seek to align our lives to- interact and intersect with the countless other smaller stories we read, hear, and live into every day?
Holberg is also a teacher, and she reflects on the profound gift and opportunity that teaching can be. She tries to help her students learn to see— to observe the wonder and beauty around them. To be people who take off their shoes when they notice they are treading on holy ground.
The closing words of the book are wonderful:
“Our hope as teachers is to send forth a shoeless generation, full of wonder, to continue to share the greatest story ever told.”
As someone who loves books and also seeks to love Jesus with my life, I found this book extremely fascinating- a beautiful read!
July 31, 2023
This is a well-written collection of thoughts on why words, language and stories are so central to our own narrative.
I believe that creativity is a reflection of God. It is His very nature to be creative, infinitely creative. His imagination is unlimited, displayed in the endless creativity we see around us, as well as the way He has created each of us to be unique. Billions of souls, all made in His image but all unique. What depth of imagination that takes. So to me it makes sense that our imaginations are a gift from Him, which, if well directed, can be used as an act of worship to bring the glory back to Him.
After all, storytelling was a tool that Jesus often used to communicate His message, each time bringing the focus back to the Kingdom of God. For millennia, people have used storytelling to communicate important truths ... stories grab our attention, spark our imaginations, engage us in the narrative and help us to associate with the message.
Hence why I resonate with the subtitle of this book, “The power of story to shape our faith”.
Professor Jennifer Holberg draws on her extensive knowledge of literature, writing and teaching, taking content from the likes of Dante, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Flannery O'Connor and Marilynne Robinson, drawing out many truths of how important story-telling is to our lives and our faith.
See more reviews of Christian books at https://www.robseabrook.com/category/...
I believe that creativity is a reflection of God. It is His very nature to be creative, infinitely creative. His imagination is unlimited, displayed in the endless creativity we see around us, as well as the way He has created each of us to be unique. Billions of souls, all made in His image but all unique. What depth of imagination that takes. So to me it makes sense that our imaginations are a gift from Him, which, if well directed, can be used as an act of worship to bring the glory back to Him.
After all, storytelling was a tool that Jesus often used to communicate His message, each time bringing the focus back to the Kingdom of God. For millennia, people have used storytelling to communicate important truths ... stories grab our attention, spark our imaginations, engage us in the narrative and help us to associate with the message.
Hence why I resonate with the subtitle of this book, “The power of story to shape our faith”.
Professor Jennifer Holberg draws on her extensive knowledge of literature, writing and teaching, taking content from the likes of Dante, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Flannery O'Connor and Marilynne Robinson, drawing out many truths of how important story-telling is to our lives and our faith.
See more reviews of Christian books at https://www.robseabrook.com/category/...
August 5, 2023
"Nourishing Narratives: The Power of Story to Shape Our Faith" by Jennifer L. Holberg is an enlightening exploration of how stories influence and enrich our spiritual journey. Holberg masterfully delves into the profound connection between narratives and our faith, inviting readers to embark on a thought-provoking introspection.
With eloquent prose and insightful analysis, Holberg highlights how stories shape our beliefs, values, and perceptions. Through captivating examples and engaging anecdotes, she underscores the transformative impact of narratives on our spiritual growth. Her exploration extends across a diverse range of literature, underscoring the universality of storytelling's influence on our lives.
In "Nourishing Narratives," Holberg doesn't merely discuss the theory but also offers practical insights for readers to apply in their own lives. Her motivational approach encourages us to embrace the stories that resonate with our beliefs, fostering a deeper connection to our faith.
Overall, "Nourishing Narratives" is a compelling read that beautifully underscores the power of storytelling in shaping our faith. Holberg's passion and expertise make this book an inspiring reminder of the profound ways narratives can illuminate our spiritual path.
With eloquent prose and insightful analysis, Holberg highlights how stories shape our beliefs, values, and perceptions. Through captivating examples and engaging anecdotes, she underscores the transformative impact of narratives on our spiritual growth. Her exploration extends across a diverse range of literature, underscoring the universality of storytelling's influence on our lives.
In "Nourishing Narratives," Holberg doesn't merely discuss the theory but also offers practical insights for readers to apply in their own lives. Her motivational approach encourages us to embrace the stories that resonate with our beliefs, fostering a deeper connection to our faith.
Overall, "Nourishing Narratives" is a compelling read that beautifully underscores the power of storytelling in shaping our faith. Holberg's passion and expertise make this book an inspiring reminder of the profound ways narratives can illuminate our spiritual path.
April 15, 2023
When I picked up Jennifer Holberg's Nourshing Narratives, I was excited to see a modern Christian author addressing the importance of stories. The books that I most frequently hear about are often practical verging on self-help. While these are not bad and certainly have their place, I was excited to see a new publication that dealt with the academic and theoretical side of the narratives we read and tell. Still, as I read through the book, I found myself feeling that the book fell just short of my lofty expectations. Partly, this is a failing of my own. Holberg, an English professor, pulls heavily from poetry to make her case, and I haven't read poetry as extensively as prose. While I now have a long list of works to look up, I think I would have connected with the book earlier had my frame of reference overlapped a bit more.
Still, I did enjoy the book, and by the last chapter, I appreciated the lessons of the book deeply. The author's candid tale of her experience with pain mirrored that of a close friend who I long to support in a more Christ-like and helpful way, and Holberg's reminder that we should remind each other of the hope that we have in Jesus was so timely.
Still, I did enjoy the book, and by the last chapter, I appreciated the lessons of the book deeply. The author's candid tale of her experience with pain mirrored that of a close friend who I long to support in a more Christ-like and helpful way, and Holberg's reminder that we should remind each other of the hope that we have in Jesus was so timely.
July 31, 2023
Do we see ourselves in God’s great story? In Nourishing Narratives, Jennifer L. Holberg shares on the power of story to shape our faith.
At just over 200 pages and in 9 chapters, this book weaves together literature and life stories to give us a glimpse of God. It is an incredibly moving experience as the book speaks to your soul and stirs you up with wonder. Holberg knows her Bible, and she sees that God continues to write with the stories of our lives.
Look for the Lord in Your Stories
I was most moved at Holberg’s personal stories. Going back all the way to the days of her youth, she recounts and retells her own tales. She is a master writer, but she does not speak down to her readers. She invites us into her world, showing us how God enters and impacts her stories. I was moved to see the beauty of a life well-lived, and inspired to look for the Lord in the stories of my own life.
With warmth and charm, this book is a beautiful testimony to Christ and how he writes on our hearts. It is a celebration of story, and a call to trust the Storyteller.
I received a media copy of Nourishing Narratives and this is my honest review.
At just over 200 pages and in 9 chapters, this book weaves together literature and life stories to give us a glimpse of God. It is an incredibly moving experience as the book speaks to your soul and stirs you up with wonder. Holberg knows her Bible, and she sees that God continues to write with the stories of our lives.
Look for the Lord in Your Stories
I was most moved at Holberg’s personal stories. Going back all the way to the days of her youth, she recounts and retells her own tales. She is a master writer, but she does not speak down to her readers. She invites us into her world, showing us how God enters and impacts her stories. I was moved to see the beauty of a life well-lived, and inspired to look for the Lord in the stories of my own life.
With warmth and charm, this book is a beautiful testimony to Christ and how he writes on our hearts. It is a celebration of story, and a call to trust the Storyteller.
I received a media copy of Nourishing Narratives and this is my honest review.
November 25, 2023
I love stories--and how they have power to shape how we think, what we think, who we become. Holberg interweaves literary works, including Biblical narratives and poems, with her commentary about how what we read may shape our faith. Les Miserables, for example, with its themes of justice, mercy, love, and guilt has greatly impacted thousands of readers with Valjean and Javert.
How does Les Miserables relate to the narrative of the Bible and God's story being written through our lives?
Holberg includes reflection on literature which she has taught and which she loves, from George Eliot to Dante, to poets George Herbert and Gerard Manley Hopkins, thus helping readers gain insight into the literature they encounter.
Karen Swallow Prior (another faith/lit writer) has said that this book will "open your eyes, grow your faith and feed your soul." It's filled with truth, goodness, and beauty.
This book will also help readers understand how narratives nourish our faith and how our stories are part of God's great story.
I'd like to sit in the literature classes that Holberg teaches.
How does Les Miserables relate to the narrative of the Bible and God's story being written through our lives?
Holberg includes reflection on literature which she has taught and which she loves, from George Eliot to Dante, to poets George Herbert and Gerard Manley Hopkins, thus helping readers gain insight into the literature they encounter.
Karen Swallow Prior (another faith/lit writer) has said that this book will "open your eyes, grow your faith and feed your soul." It's filled with truth, goodness, and beauty.
This book will also help readers understand how narratives nourish our faith and how our stories are part of God's great story.
I'd like to sit in the literature classes that Holberg teaches.
July 13, 2024
This book does not make a cohesive argument about the power of story, and she seems almost allergic to tying any bows here. Each chapter is pretty disconnected and some seem geared specifically to the higher-ed world. I imagine it was hard to decide how to market this amalgamation of essays. In chapter 1 she says that we read to save people and then in chapter 7 says she’s hesitant to say literature “saves”! Frankly, the title doesn’t really encapsulate much about the book’s contents at all.
But Holberg’s writing is excellent and her use of poetry is profound and beautiful! She captures so much truth through her own telling of stories and through her honest and hopeful interpretations of the world. In other words, the writing is so good and each chapter so compelling, I’m totally fine not knowing what the book is about! I wrote that whole long paragraph to start so you’d know how good the writing is on a micro-level! With all of its flaws, it still gets five stars! I’d recommend it to anyone who likes good writing.
But Holberg’s writing is excellent and her use of poetry is profound and beautiful! She captures so much truth through her own telling of stories and through her honest and hopeful interpretations of the world. In other words, the writing is so good and each chapter so compelling, I’m totally fine not knowing what the book is about! I wrote that whole long paragraph to start so you’d know how good the writing is on a micro-level! With all of its flaws, it still gets five stars! I’d recommend it to anyone who likes good writing.
June 19, 2023
Because I'm lucky enough to count Jennifer Holberg a dear friend, I've had the added happiness of hearing her voice in my mind while reading Nourishing Narratives--and also the strange, sweet experience of knowing some of the stories and people that root this book in the stuff of real life, where stories are (as Holberg often acknowledges) as indispensable as they are complicated. In addition to hearing some familiar gems, though, in reading this book I've been grateful anew for my friend's wisdom and generosity and humor. And I'm sure that even those who don't know Jennifer in person will feel, by the book's end, not only fond of her but indebted to her--for enlarging their perspectives, for giving them a more charitable way of understanding the stories of their dear ones, of their nemeses, of the scriptures, of their own lives.
June 16, 2024
This is a book to be savored. The author writes with warmth, wisdom, humor, optimism, and deep faith, making it a joy to spend time immersed in its pages. I loved Holberg's personal stories and felt encouraged and inspired to be reminded as I read them that we all have stories worth sharing. I had the privilege of meeting the author at the Festival of Faith and Writing (2024). Her smile, obvious caring nature, and exuberant personality compelled me to buy the book, and I relished how her authentic words confirmed those impressions. Two favorite thoughts/takeaways: "If ... we must be people who speak out against wrongs and work against the justification of broken systems, then we must also be a community for whom the right use of language matters." (p. 159) And: "For hope to grow in a life, it needs to be intentionally cultivated." (p. 179)
Want to read
August 9, 2024Kindle cost - $20.66; Paperback cost - $21.75 I heard her speak at the FFW 2024. Also, she hosted a podcast/youtube - 100 Days of Dante
From amazon:
Humans are story-shaped creatures.
We make sense of our world, pattern our lives, and reflect on what is ultimately significant through language and the words that compose our stories. But how does this relate to the narrative of the Bible and the story that God is writing through history?
In Nourishing Narratives, writer and professor Jennifer Holberg engages with words from the likes of Dante, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Flannery O'Connor, Marilynne Robinson, and more while also offering some of her own stories to reflect on the importance of story to our lives and our faith.
Here, readers are encouraged not only to understand how stories nourish our faith, but to discover how our stories are part of God's great story.
From amazon:
Humans are story-shaped creatures.
We make sense of our world, pattern our lives, and reflect on what is ultimately significant through language and the words that compose our stories. But how does this relate to the narrative of the Bible and the story that God is writing through history?
In Nourishing Narratives, writer and professor Jennifer Holberg engages with words from the likes of Dante, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Flannery O'Connor, Marilynne Robinson, and more while also offering some of her own stories to reflect on the importance of story to our lives and our faith.
Here, readers are encouraged not only to understand how stories nourish our faith, but to discover how our stories are part of God's great story.
May 10, 2023
Jennifer is an esteemed colleague, so I started this with a positive bias. Similar to another reviewer, I realized part way through that I had been expecting a slightly different book than the one I was reading. The book does a lot more showing than telling, modeling through a winsome series of personal engagements how the stories we tell ourselves and glean from our cultural resources become resources for good and ill in building and sustaining our sense of self. By the end the book had won me over to its approach, and I found the final chapter about students moving, while noting that really the whole book has implicit and occasionally implicit lessons about the ways in which we create stories for others, especially those whom we teach.
August 2, 2023
Nourishing Narratives: The Power of Story to Shape Our Faith by Jennifer L. Holberg is an important work. I have always been intrigued by story and that is what drew me to this book. I expected a book that reinforced my belief in the power of story, and yes I found exactly that. But the author of this book takes story to much greater lengths, to the level of life changing. This is a book to read slowly, to savor. I was reading this while waiting for an appointment and I was shocked how quickly the time flew. This book is an important read for all, especially people of faith. I highly recommend it. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.
June 1, 2023
I requested this book because I was looking at ways to better integrate faith in my composition classes. What I found was the need for me to better integrate this book in my day to day life. There were moments of conviction, moments of encouragements, moments of enlightenment, and moments of confirmation. I feel like this is a book I will reread regularly. The author does a wonderful job of incorporating research and outside sources without it being heavy handed. While this isn’t necessarily a book for teachers…all readers of faith could benefit from reading it…it does offer challenges and approaches for teaching that I believe would be helpful to many.
I received an ARC from NetGalley
I received an ARC from NetGalley
October 23, 2023
As a writer this book encourages the story makers. It is a reminder that so much of our life is a story and how we learn is through stories. How God as creator uses stories and our lives to teach us, love us and help us love others and be of use to the people around us.
And as married to a teacher, the insights on teaching in the classroom helped me better understand his passion and the driving desire etched in him to walk alongside his students.
Along with these main themes: grief, singleness, and calling are discussed too. Growing in compassion was throughout and I found this read a great addition to the intersection between to my faith and the creativity instilled in me.
And as married to a teacher, the insights on teaching in the classroom helped me better understand his passion and the driving desire etched in him to walk alongside his students.
Along with these main themes: grief, singleness, and calling are discussed too. Growing in compassion was throughout and I found this read a great addition to the intersection between to my faith and the creativity instilled in me.
September 3, 2024
When I read Nourishing Narratives by Jennifer Holberg, I sat with pen in hand, ready to underline and notate as I usually do, but the pen went unused. Not because there was nothing of value in the book, but because EVERYTHING was of value.
I got lost in Holberg's prose. Everything in the book builds on what came before. There is no break in the writing. There is no point where you stop and think, "Oh, that's important. I should make a note of that." Instead, you just ride the flow of the writing and everything kind of speaks to your soul and then you get to the end and find yourself inspired and thinking more deeply. You find that your life is richer for having read the book.
It is, in fact, a nourishing narrative in and of itself.
I got lost in Holberg's prose. Everything in the book builds on what came before. There is no break in the writing. There is no point where you stop and think, "Oh, that's important. I should make a note of that." Instead, you just ride the flow of the writing and everything kind of speaks to your soul and then you get to the end and find yourself inspired and thinking more deeply. You find that your life is richer for having read the book.
It is, in fact, a nourishing narrative in and of itself.
Want to read
August 24, 2023An enjoyable read that invites readers to look at the narratives that are being told around us and how they shape the world we live in and our faith. More and more I have been reading about how the narratives of the time shape the culture, faiths, and policies. This book through stories of the authors own, and others shows us examples of this which hopefully will help me think more critically about the stories I am allowing to shape myself and my faith.
January 21, 2024
“…this is not a book so much meant to prescribe what or who to read, but more about how and why.” We need stories of people who are living faithful, ordinary lives as “scenes of miracle,” Jennifer Holberg states, of God at work. Drawing from literature, the Bible, and her own life, Holberg guides her readers to think about enough-ness, grace, service—as in the story of Martha and Mary—community, and the challenge and comfort of love and hope. This book is a gem.
July 27, 2024
I found Nourishing Narratives to be incredibly thought-provoking and encouraging. Holberg's prose is lovely, and she culls deep theological meaning from not only the texts she teaches but also the stories of her own life. Reading this work has definitely reminded me of the impact of the stories we tell ourselves about God, our neighbor, and ourselves. This is an especially applicable read for educators in faith-based colleges and universities.
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