There Is A Light

by Kim R. Shaffer

Encouraging and inspiring. Penetrating and enlightening. Spare and to the point. There Is A Light marries the transcendent and the practical in very personal and human ways. The wisdom found in this book is not wisdom in the abstract. It is wisdom in the commonplace and everyday. Fresh, original, and authentic, its clarity, its immediacy, and its fascinating stories shift the reader out of routine ways of seeing and habitual ways of being. There Is A Light can opens doors you did not even know existed and present new thresholds to you. Eighteen years in the writing, There Is A Light is the creation of author Kim Shaffer. His writing could be characterized as an expression of Christian mysticism, without reference to dogma or theology. He does not try to explain as much as he shows you things.

Genres: Spirituality

136 pages, Paperback

First published November 11, 2011

About the author

My name is Kim Shaffer. If you have ever heard of me, I would be surprised. I began writing and publishing in the 1970s, but my early work was never widely available. After more than ten years of writing very little, I began again in the spring of 1996. What started out as one book, over a period of twelve years, became a series of eleven books. I then began experimenting with different kinds of internet publishing. In the course of that experimentation, I went through all eleven books, taking just the best material from each. This was then formed into a single book, which I entitled Passageways.

When I decided to publish this work as an ebook, the book was edited again, in ways large and small. At that time, I did away with the verse-like format, which I had considered important at one time, but no longer. I then retitled the book, There Is A Light. I am explaining this, in part, so that if you should happen upon references to these other books, and earlier ones, you will not think you are missing something.

I am a Gemologist, by profession. My training and work in gemology has involved the identification, grading, and appraisal of diamonds and colored gems. In some ways, this may seem a curious choice of professions for someone preoccupied with spiritual and philosophical matters. Perhaps so, but diamonds and gems are beautiful creations of nature. They are rocks that are cut and polished to reveal their unique qualities and characteristics.

I have worked in retail jewelry, on and off, but for more than half of the last twenty-five years, since graduating from the GIA, I have made my living as an antique dealer. Antique quilts were my full-time business for a number of years, and they remain an enthusiasm of mine. Vintage movie posters have been my specialty for the last ten years.

My wife Cindy and I live in Kansas. Cindy is an elementary special education teacher. She is a saint, in many ways, and she has been the single most important spiritual influence in my life. My personal experiences and their spiritual dimensions are often the subject of my writing. As you will see, if you have not already read, I am usually the slow learner in these stories. Others are usually the sources of inspiration.

Reviews

[Hope · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won a copy through Goodreads' Firstreads program!

This is one of those short, insightful books that stays with you throughout the day. I enjoyed the light prose, and the brevity seemed perfect. The author basically says, "Hey, I had some thoughts I felt I was supposed to share with you."

Those thoughts, dealing with a variety of topics, give insight for the moments of darkness and questions. Shaffer shows God's love through understanding, patience, and kindness. There are so many wonderful nuggets of wisdom that I have already started sharing them with friends! You really want to give this one a read.

[Natacha Pavlov · Rating 4 out of 5]

'There Is A Light' is a compilation of 99 inspirational passages suitable for readers of varied spiritual backgrounds. We get to know some of the writer’s background via the short personal stories provided, which reflect his own spiritual journey and growth.

Within the context of God/Jesus’s love, some of the themes explored include success, growth, kindness vs. rightness, mattering (“nothing is small”), forgiveness, poverty, dreaming (in the literal sense), and worthiness. At times, some passages called to mind readings I’d done on Edgar Cayce, an American psychic who referred quite a bit to ‘minimizing faults and magnifying virtues,’ as well as using our mistakes as stepping-stones to a better path.
There are quite a few quotes which I found memorable, two of my favorites which are as follows:

“I have no doubt He knew there was bound to be a mess, but that does not mean He made it so.” (pg. 37)

“Those who follow him, follow his example in small and everyday ways, not with one big choice, but with a thousand little choices, in a thousand little instances, in a thousand little ways.” (pg. 48)

[BookeryBliss · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently won this book from the author and I was quite impressed with its insight.
It's an easy read, light and airy, but yet meaningful with each passage.
One of the quotes that I found deeply inspiring and even comforting was the following;
"There is a struggling kind of beauty in the desert,' autumn said. "There is something to admire in the struggles no one sees, and we all have them.'"
And another one of my favorite paragraphs of the book reads (and I quote);
The truth can be a fairy tale, a fable, or a myth. It does not inform us. It enlightens us."

Enlighten is a great word to describe this book overall. It does not go into any references of theology or dogma teachings but I did enjoy the the uplifting and meaningful messages. (sometimes the best things are the simple ones.) This book would be great as a quick "pick me up", devotional reading, or to spark some thoughts that may lead you to some inner peace.

Disclaimer
*I received a copy of this book in a First Reads giveaway in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book or the content disclosed in my review. *

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. It is an easy book to read, but each of the 99 passages could be read individually, so if one had limited time, one could read it over days or weeks without that causing difficulty.

The 99 passages are short, varying in length from half a page to nearly two pages. Some are poignant or thought-provoking. Others seem less so. The passages are stories the author has heard that make a point he appreciates, or one aspect of his thoughts and comments about a topic, or a description of one of his experiences and what it indicates to him.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another compilation of short writings that could be used as a source of daily inspiration. What Kim Shaffer has set out to and has achieved in this simple book is relating his experiences in an approachable manner for anyone to be able to draw inspiration. Spiritual and Authentic as billed. *** Please note I received this book for free from Goodreads First-Reads.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. I think this book's strength is that it makes you think and gives you things to consider. It's weakness is the sometimes disjointed feel between passageways. At times, it jumps topics and I don't see the connection to the previous passage. Overall, though, this was an enjoyable, inspirational book for those who want to read about faith and life.

[Vivian · Rating 3 out of 5]

A first reads winner.

It's an Oswald Chambers minus the theological depth. It is a good read per se as in a source for daily inspiration. However, if you are searching for more Christian theology or dogma, then this is not it. Great for those who consider themselves spiritual but not religious.

[Amber · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book for free as part of the goodreads firstreads giveaway. While some parts of it were thought provoking and inspiring, it seemed to me that a lot of it was repetitive and nonsensical. I was really hoping for more from this book.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I took a long time to read this book and I will read it again with a highlighter in hand. He sounds like he's talking about my life at times. I enjoyed the honesty and down to earthiness of this book, if earthiness is a word. :-)

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was a lot of disconnect from passage to passage and even within passages. But as a whole it was a very interesting read that makes you really think about what the smallest act can really do and mean to others.

[Tabitha Tucker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was not my cup of tea but I did read it and thought it was okay.
I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book and it was good stories, but it was a little hard to read and confusing at times the way the author worded things.