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Something More: In Search of a Deeper Faith
Catherine Marshall writes movingly of her quest for Something More‹a fuller, richer relationship with God through the Holy Spirit. Candidly she reveals the challenges her faith underwent and how personal tragedies led her to a new, life-changing understanding of the Spirit¹s work. Readers who want a deeper faith will discover what it means to be spiritually rich and how to find God even in the midst of chaotic days. Something More also explores provocative topics like forgiveness in daily situations, how to be obedient to God¹s will while struggling to understand his ways, what to make of night dreams as people in Bible times did (without seeming "New Age"), and how to recognize what¹s truly evil in the world. Engaging and inspiring, this book is an intimate classic on the quest for deeper spirituality.
276 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1974
22 people are currently reading
523 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Marshall
197 books1,043 followersMarshall was born in Johnson City, Tennessee. She was the daughter of the Reverend John Ambrose Wood and Leonora Whitaker Wood. From the age of nine until her graduation from high school, Marshall was raised in Keyser, West Virginia, where her father served as pastor of a Presbyterian church from 1924 to 1942.
While a junior at Agnes Scott College, she met Peter Marshall, marrying him in 1936. The couple moved to Washington, DC, where her husband served as pastor of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church and Chaplain of the United States Senate.
In 1940, Marshall contracted tuberculosis, for which at that time there was no antibiotic treatment. She spent nearly three years recovering from the illness. Her husband died in 1949 of a heart attack, leaving her to care for their 9-year-old son, Peter John Marshall. He later also became a minister and author.
Marshall wrote a biography of her husband, A Man Called Peter, published in 1951. It became a nationwide success and was adapted as a film of the same name, released in 1955. Her success encouraged her to keep writing.
Marshall wrote or edited more than 30 books, which have sold over 16 million copies.[citation needed] They include edited collections of Peter Marshall's sermons and prayers, and her own inspirational writings. Her most successful books were A Man Called Peter (1951); and her novel, Christy (1967), which was inspired by the story of her mother's time in the mountains teaching the impoverished children of Appalachia. Christy was adapted as a CBS television series, starring Kellie Martin, beginning in 1994.
In 1959, Marshall married Leonard LeSourd, who was the editor of Guideposts Magazine for 28 years. Together they founded a book imprint, Chosen Books. They had three children, Linda, Chester and Jeffery.
Marshall died on March 18, 1983 at the age of 68. She was buried alongside her first husband.
While a junior at Agnes Scott College, she met Peter Marshall, marrying him in 1936. The couple moved to Washington, DC, where her husband served as pastor of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church and Chaplain of the United States Senate.
In 1940, Marshall contracted tuberculosis, for which at that time there was no antibiotic treatment. She spent nearly three years recovering from the illness. Her husband died in 1949 of a heart attack, leaving her to care for their 9-year-old son, Peter John Marshall. He later also became a minister and author.
Marshall wrote a biography of her husband, A Man Called Peter, published in 1951. It became a nationwide success and was adapted as a film of the same name, released in 1955. Her success encouraged her to keep writing.
Marshall wrote or edited more than 30 books, which have sold over 16 million copies.[citation needed] They include edited collections of Peter Marshall's sermons and prayers, and her own inspirational writings. Her most successful books were A Man Called Peter (1951); and her novel, Christy (1967), which was inspired by the story of her mother's time in the mountains teaching the impoverished children of Appalachia. Christy was adapted as a CBS television series, starring Kellie Martin, beginning in 1994.
In 1959, Marshall married Leonard LeSourd, who was the editor of Guideposts Magazine for 28 years. Together they founded a book imprint, Chosen Books. They had three children, Linda, Chester and Jeffery.
Marshall died on March 18, 1983 at the age of 68. She was buried alongside her first husband.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
July 17, 2012
This book has a very special place in my heart as being one of the first books I read when my eyes began to "open". A lot of the material stuck with me and impacted me in a deep way all those years ago. Like the title implies, I finished the book knowing that I knew that I knew there was something more and I've been searching it out ever since. What a journey it has been!
July 11, 2015
I may have finished this book but it hasn't finished with me. I was surprised that a book written in the 70's was so timely. Worthy of a second and third reading.
April 20, 2015
I borrowed this from my church library, and very quickly realized it is one that I would like to own and reread and look back to. I feel reading it has informed my faith in a way that changes me. Read it!!
July 25, 2011
This was an interesting book. It was definitely inspirational in parts and helped me to look at some things differently. I appreciated the urging to seek God in a deeper and more personal way. Some of her "radical" stories were interesting--and I think it's perfectly likely that they ARE true. But I felt the implication was that if these types of things didn't happen to you, then you weren't trusting God enough. God doesn't ALWAYS work in public, flashy ways. He speaks quietly, too.
December 16, 2013
I picked this up on a whim. I really enjoyed Marshall's Christy and I was interested in her perspective of Christianity. It was a good, solid read, but I felt a lot of the stories she shared were more faith promoting then spiritually edifying. More like "See? This is what happens if you believe" rather than illustrating a christian principle. The Satan chapter and Dreams chapter were also a little... off to me.
All in all, I found good truths and I enjoyed reading it.
All in all, I found good truths and I enjoyed reading it.
April 17, 2021
This is not a mamby-pamby book about the Christian walk, but a challenging, thought-provoking work about the tough parts of our walk: understanding God is in all things, about forgiveness, and the Holy Spirit. From the start I was challenged, and re-read several chapters to make sure I understood what she was trying to teach. I have read it through, but will keep it close to re-visit it often.
January 11, 2011
First book I read after becoming a believer in 1976. Loved it then.
May 29, 2011
Love her books
June 24, 2016
The cover of this little book is deceptive-- it looks like it might be an old-fashioned, poorly written harrangue in the vein of popular current "Christian novels." It turned out to be a well researched, well-written coverage of various aspects of deepening one's faith, with lots of Bible references in the footnotes so that you could go there after you read, should you wish.
Catherine Marshall is the "real deal"-- a gentle, intelligent Christian woman who follows Jesus' lead and is happy to share what she has learned with others who want to deepen their faith. The stories she chooses in this book are inspiring and "stick-y"-- I'm going to remember them.
Now I want to read "A Man Called Peter" about her Scottish Preacher husband.
Catherine Marshall is the "real deal"-- a gentle, intelligent Christian woman who follows Jesus' lead and is happy to share what she has learned with others who want to deepen their faith. The stories she chooses in this book are inspiring and "stick-y"-- I'm going to remember them.
Now I want to read "A Man Called Peter" about her Scottish Preacher husband.
September 13, 2025
Something More, by Catherine Marshall, was published in 1974, seven years after her novel Christy. For someone who turned to writing later in life, and who by her own admission struggled with the process, Catherine Marshall was surely gifted at it. I do not agree with everything she writes—especially in Christy, and in her non-fiction she relies a little too much on the supernatural and unusual, but I have a great deal of respect for her. I always glean some wisdom from her books, and I fully believe she wrote the kind of books that you can read and reread, and gain something different each time.
Something More is 276 pages, a manageable length, but the chapters are long, so you can’t really binge this.
In each chapter Catherine tackles a different subject, some connected to each other, some not. My favorite chapters, and the ones I found the most personally helpful, are chapters 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8. But all of the chapters are good, and have something insightful to offer.
In reading this book I found Catherine Marshall had fleshed out ideas about storytelling, about spiritual power and its repercussions, that I’d previously thought about, but couldn’t fully express—Catherine puts all of it into words wonderfully.
There are so many great things in this book that I cannot possibly cover all of them in a review, however, here are a few.
Catherine Marshall’s topics are a little scattered in this book, so my thoughts may be as well. In chapter 3, she references a comment by David du Plessis—there is no inherited Christianity because “God has no grandsons.” Not to get technical, but this is the very reason I have disagreements with church traditions that have infant baptism and emphasize the ‘covenant’. They aren’t necessarily wrong, but this view can lead to children becoming lax, and thinking they are fine because “my parents were Christians, and I was baptized.” It removes personal responsibility, and the need for each generation, each person, to go to God themselves and ask for forgiveness. Later in that same chapter, which incidentally is titled ‘Forgiveness’, the author talks about the things we hold against people, and how it poisons us over time. Or we justify avoiding certain people because they rub us the wrong way. This is where I think there is a little more room than the author allows for. It is a modern term, but there are people who are just plain toxic, and at some point, you give them over to God to take care of: you can pray for them and ask for forgiveness for anything you’re holding against them, but interacting with them regularly isn’t healthy. However, I did find this passage convicting, so maybe she’s right after all. 😊
Also in chapter 3—boy, this chapter is chock-full of good stuff! There is a testimonial, and the person says this, “I choose You, Lord. Then I got in the shower. That shower was my true baptism.” I think this story illustrates two points. First, water baptism will always be associated with salvation—with cleansing. Water is an important part of that process—after all water in the real world does exactly that—it cleanses. Second, in the testimonial, the transformation had already taken place—that is why something as humble as a shower could feel like baptism. It isn’t the water, the place, or anything else; only the cleansing power of Christ, and if that cleansing hasn’t taken place, the rest is superfluous.
This is a minor observation, but in chapter 4 Catherine Marshall lays out the routine in the Jonathan Edwards household, and it is exactly what I would aspire to do with my own children. And based on the statistics from just that one family—everyone who wants to see cultural change—be encouraged. It does start at home, and within a few generations, you have the potential for social transformation.
In chapter 6 Catherine Marshall discusses dreams and what they can mean. Not all of what she says is necessarily helpful and applicable, but some of it is certainly fascinating. And it is here that she says, and research backs her up, that there are certain universal symbols in human’s brains, bound up in who we are and what we respond to, and this is why everyone can find truth in “the symbolism used by Jesus, the folk stories of all peoples, and the world’s fairy tales.” I agree, and this is what I’ve wanted to put into words for ages. This is why I have almost a visceral response to stories that speak to me, and why certain stories open up a vista of the world that leaves me in awe. How could anyone discount the power of the different storytelling techniques when God Himself is a storyteller?
Here in this same chapter the author has a beautiful passage about balancing the emotions with the rest of the body as a whole—metaphorically, literally, and spiritually. It is from a conversation she had with Professor Morton Kelsey. “You see, Christianity is the world’s earthiest religion. Centuries ago, even very spiritual monks knew that working with their hands—gardening or erecting buildings, working vineyards or even winemaking, copying manuscripts, whatever—was as much a part of true worship as prayer. The use of the whole person, you see.” This is wonderful. And something I wish people would get back to. We can worship Christ in all aspects of life—enjoying the creation—all the goodness that He has given us—all of that can be worship. Simple tasks can be a form of worship too—as well as walking in the wild and basking in a beautiful sunset. Some Christians relegate worship to something done within the four walls of a church, or just on the Sabbath. It isn’t.
In chapter 8 Catherine Marshall talks about spiritual warfare, and she relates something very insightful. In talking about moral relativism, and how so many people dabble in the occult, or try things out, because they think there isn’t good or evil, or any moral absolutes, so anything that’s interesting is fine; this is the view that spirituality is great, and that there isn’t any danger in exploring it because it is neutral. It reminds me of people who partake in the world of fantasy and magic and insist there is nothing to be worried about—it is all fake. Nowadays it is fine to believe in the supernatural, to be “spiritual”, but to believe in a God that created this universe—now, that is silly. People don’t deny the supernatural—they deny a God that they must be accountable to.
To sum up this book, and this rather meandering review: Something More by Catherine Marshall is the kind of book I wish more people wrote—you just can’t find these kinds of books anymore—confronting, comforting, insightful—all at the same time. Read this book and find that “something more” that you’ve been missing.
Something More is 276 pages, a manageable length, but the chapters are long, so you can’t really binge this.
In each chapter Catherine tackles a different subject, some connected to each other, some not. My favorite chapters, and the ones I found the most personally helpful, are chapters 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8. But all of the chapters are good, and have something insightful to offer.
In reading this book I found Catherine Marshall had fleshed out ideas about storytelling, about spiritual power and its repercussions, that I’d previously thought about, but couldn’t fully express—Catherine puts all of it into words wonderfully.
There are so many great things in this book that I cannot possibly cover all of them in a review, however, here are a few.
Catherine Marshall’s topics are a little scattered in this book, so my thoughts may be as well. In chapter 3, she references a comment by David du Plessis—there is no inherited Christianity because “God has no grandsons.” Not to get technical, but this is the very reason I have disagreements with church traditions that have infant baptism and emphasize the ‘covenant’. They aren’t necessarily wrong, but this view can lead to children becoming lax, and thinking they are fine because “my parents were Christians, and I was baptized.” It removes personal responsibility, and the need for each generation, each person, to go to God themselves and ask for forgiveness. Later in that same chapter, which incidentally is titled ‘Forgiveness’, the author talks about the things we hold against people, and how it poisons us over time. Or we justify avoiding certain people because they rub us the wrong way. This is where I think there is a little more room than the author allows for. It is a modern term, but there are people who are just plain toxic, and at some point, you give them over to God to take care of: you can pray for them and ask for forgiveness for anything you’re holding against them, but interacting with them regularly isn’t healthy. However, I did find this passage convicting, so maybe she’s right after all. 😊
Also in chapter 3—boy, this chapter is chock-full of good stuff! There is a testimonial, and the person says this, “I choose You, Lord. Then I got in the shower. That shower was my true baptism.” I think this story illustrates two points. First, water baptism will always be associated with salvation—with cleansing. Water is an important part of that process—after all water in the real world does exactly that—it cleanses. Second, in the testimonial, the transformation had already taken place—that is why something as humble as a shower could feel like baptism. It isn’t the water, the place, or anything else; only the cleansing power of Christ, and if that cleansing hasn’t taken place, the rest is superfluous.
This is a minor observation, but in chapter 4 Catherine Marshall lays out the routine in the Jonathan Edwards household, and it is exactly what I would aspire to do with my own children. And based on the statistics from just that one family—everyone who wants to see cultural change—be encouraged. It does start at home, and within a few generations, you have the potential for social transformation.
In chapter 6 Catherine Marshall discusses dreams and what they can mean. Not all of what she says is necessarily helpful and applicable, but some of it is certainly fascinating. And it is here that she says, and research backs her up, that there are certain universal symbols in human’s brains, bound up in who we are and what we respond to, and this is why everyone can find truth in “the symbolism used by Jesus, the folk stories of all peoples, and the world’s fairy tales.” I agree, and this is what I’ve wanted to put into words for ages. This is why I have almost a visceral response to stories that speak to me, and why certain stories open up a vista of the world that leaves me in awe. How could anyone discount the power of the different storytelling techniques when God Himself is a storyteller?
Here in this same chapter the author has a beautiful passage about balancing the emotions with the rest of the body as a whole—metaphorically, literally, and spiritually. It is from a conversation she had with Professor Morton Kelsey. “You see, Christianity is the world’s earthiest religion. Centuries ago, even very spiritual monks knew that working with their hands—gardening or erecting buildings, working vineyards or even winemaking, copying manuscripts, whatever—was as much a part of true worship as prayer. The use of the whole person, you see.” This is wonderful. And something I wish people would get back to. We can worship Christ in all aspects of life—enjoying the creation—all the goodness that He has given us—all of that can be worship. Simple tasks can be a form of worship too—as well as walking in the wild and basking in a beautiful sunset. Some Christians relegate worship to something done within the four walls of a church, or just on the Sabbath. It isn’t.
In chapter 8 Catherine Marshall talks about spiritual warfare, and she relates something very insightful. In talking about moral relativism, and how so many people dabble in the occult, or try things out, because they think there isn’t good or evil, or any moral absolutes, so anything that’s interesting is fine; this is the view that spirituality is great, and that there isn’t any danger in exploring it because it is neutral. It reminds me of people who partake in the world of fantasy and magic and insist there is nothing to be worried about—it is all fake. Nowadays it is fine to believe in the supernatural, to be “spiritual”, but to believe in a God that created this universe—now, that is silly. People don’t deny the supernatural—they deny a God that they must be accountable to.
To sum up this book, and this rather meandering review: Something More by Catherine Marshall is the kind of book I wish more people wrote—you just can’t find these kinds of books anymore—confronting, comforting, insightful—all at the same time. Read this book and find that “something more” that you’ve been missing.
July 24, 2008
This book took me to a new level in my faith. Catherine Marshall was amazing, but she was also a regular person who struggled with her faith, then grew into a spiritual giant. She has inspired me more than any one man or woman. If you don't read the whole book, at least read the part where she compares the teachings of evil to the teachings of Christ.
March 3, 2017
Mrs. Marshall threw some big punches in the most gentle way and made me question my faithfulness to God. It has been a long while since a book has hit me so heavily and inspired so many large changes in my response to God. While the book was weighty, the obedience to which it lead has made me light.
September 21, 2009
Excellent, informative, enlightening ideas from a kindred spirit. I give it 4 stars instead of 5 because in the last 100 or so pages she's more preaching or editorializing than sharing her insights or faith-answers.
February 11, 2021
This book may have been written years ago, but is still applicable to today. Enjoyed her research and stories weaved into scriptural truths. Great read any time you want to go deeper in discovering something more regarding faith and your life’s journey.
Read
March 20, 2008248.4
February 7, 2009
Just what I need at this time. Very spiritually enlightening.
January 3, 2011
The main inspiration for the "Mullah" speech I gave as a young teen. Look forward to rereading these as an adult someday.
February 11, 2011
Very inspiring.
November 26, 2012
this book is really encouraging. A must for your bookselves. XD
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2016
Accurate view of life and attitudes in Alabama in early 1950's. Some dialogue is hard to follow and too long.
September 29, 2016
Great christen Literature. This Lady tells it straight. My dearest Christen Friend who is now 81 told me to read this. You will not be sorry.
May 18, 2023
There are some interesting aspects to this book, but there are also several areas that I had trouble accepting the author's view. In previous books, the author had difficulty when her prayers weren't answered the way she thought they should be; this is mentioned again in this book with long sections dealing with how to figure out the formula for answered prayer. She spends a great deal of time with the concept of interpreting dreams, an area in which one should be extremely careful.
April 16, 2024
Something More is a rich and redolent read. Although I didn't agree with Catherine Marshall on every last thing (her belief in tithing, for example), I distilled a lot of wisdom from her words. This book covers a variety of subjects: trusting God in trials, thanking Him for everything, the meaning of dreams, spiritual warfare, revival, healing, and the Holy Spirit among them, and in the end comes full circle by reminding readers that in Christ there is always Something More .
January 1, 2025
“Self will turn the eyes on self and what self strongly wants. Faith turns eyes on Christ to ask him what he wants. Self will worry about the results. Faith worries only about obedience and then leaves the results to Jesus.”
In Something More, as with all of her other books, Catherine Marshall invites you into her journey of faith. She walks you through her thought process and learning experience on a myriad of topics. The chapter on forgiveness was worth the read alone!
In Something More, as with all of her other books, Catherine Marshall invites you into her journey of faith. She walks you through her thought process and learning experience on a myriad of topics. The chapter on forgiveness was worth the read alone!
May 10, 2022
Cathrine was always such an honest writer!
She shares here many stroies of other people that she found helped her grow in trust of the way God was teaching her his ways
There are three chapters that impacted me greatly. Chapters I will be going back to again.
I still find it amaing how a book comes to me when I am needing it's message.
This has been such a book.
She shares here many stroies of other people that she found helped her grow in trust of the way God was teaching her his ways
There are three chapters that impacted me greatly. Chapters I will be going back to again.
I still find it amaing how a book comes to me when I am needing it's message.
This has been such a book.
July 27, 2023
This was the second time for me to read this book. I am encouraged by Catherine’s documentation of her experiences as a Christian. Her ability to struggle, analyze, submit, and learn lessons from The Bible, history, and others is exemplary. I will hang onto this book for a third reading in another 5-10 years!
July 16, 2022
Tremendous book by a stalwart Christian who constantly sought a deeper faith and a closer walk with God. I loved the vignettes of amazing healing, hope, and sustenance from people she encountered. The book is encouraging and fulfilling, and a truly glorious testimony of God's Love.
December 7, 2023
Loved this book because she talks about different theological biblical aspects of the reality of God and then uses stories to show how it works out in reality. An old book now but oh so relevant! I learnt a lot.
September 6, 2025
These personal essays on faith helped me examine my own. Some of the author's experiences might seem unreal but remember, God deals with us as individuals and our individual experiences with Him are unique.
February 1, 2019
I read this book a few times in years past. Many years past. I think the first few chapters are wonderful, but as she goes on in the book, I don't like it as well; I disagree with many of her views.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews