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The Promise, Or The Pros and Cons of Talking With God
A story of first faith and first love and how the two became almost fatally intertwined. The Promise, or the Pros and Cons of Talking with God is Sean’s inspirational, coming-of-age tale of first faith and first love and how the two became almost fatally intertwined in his life. It is a poignant and insightful meditation on surviving in the gray area between God’s sovereignty and our individual free will.
191 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 5, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 21, 2015
THE PROMISE, OR THE PROS AND CONS OF TALKING WITH GOD by Sean Paul Murphy takes a candid stroll through the very heart and soul of this widely acclaimed screenplay writer and author’s life. The memoir is transparent, captivating, tender and profoundly human.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The fact that the author, Sean Paul Murphy is a product of the 1960’s was just one of the alluring features. The narration is so descriptive that I found myself drifting back into those youthful days gone by. The drive-in movies, stretched phone cords in an unsuccessful attempt at privacy, and warm summer nights swinging on the porch under the stars conjured up all sorts of wonderful memories for me.
However, the most endearing quality of this book is simply the author’s voice. Murphy’s attention to detail and humorous delivery are exceptional. He exposes a depth of emotion and permeability that is unique. As the author unveils years of life experiences, some glorious and others tragic, the reader is forced to ponder their own life in a way that requires a studious look at the issue of mortality. Further still, the relationship between God and man is brought to the forefront of our minds as we read of the author’s interactions with the Lord throughout the pages of the book. Sean Paul Murphy’s description of his time with God and his interpretations of those meetings are priceless. Murphy manages to integrate Biblical truths throughout the course of the reading and seamlessly maintains a reverent posture towards the Son of God and the reality of our “spiritual immortality.”
Like a large ball of yarn that has been unraveled and shuffled from one end of the room to the other, so to this book: The Promise, or the Pros and Cons of Talking With God by Sean Paul Murphy. The winding words twist and turn through the years of Murphy’s life and lead the reader down a gentle path towards self actualization. This book is a catalyst into some serious soul searching.
One of my favorite conclusions drawn by the author is that there is no value of enduring and surviving pain and heartache if we are not willing to share our experiences to help others. This concept is just one of several empowering and equipping revelations that Murphy shares. Imagine the change in our world on a global scale if we all had this perspective on life and love.
This book touched me in the 1970's.
Throughout the reading of this book, Sean Paul Murphy's communication of a persistent love and hope reminded me of the writings of Leo Buscaglia. Dr. Buscaglia was a world renown author and speaker who delivered a strong message of gracious love that profoundly impacted my own life after reading his work in the 1970's. In this same way, Murphy's intention to live his life on a “love note" and to clearly communicate the source of that love in a nonthreatening manner is infectious. It is an interesting side note, that the two have an uncanny similar physical appearance as well. Perhaps in the long lineage of Italian heritage there lies some genetic connection between the two, but without a shadow of a doubt, their passion for reaching out to a hurting world is very similar.
I appreciated, especially after learning of his normally guarded personality, Murphy’s candor throughout this work. Not only is The Promise, The Pros and Cons of Talking with God, entertaining and insightful, but it more importantly provides fuel for a great deal of thoughtful reflection and, if you dare, conversations with God.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The fact that the author, Sean Paul Murphy is a product of the 1960’s was just one of the alluring features. The narration is so descriptive that I found myself drifting back into those youthful days gone by. The drive-in movies, stretched phone cords in an unsuccessful attempt at privacy, and warm summer nights swinging on the porch under the stars conjured up all sorts of wonderful memories for me.
However, the most endearing quality of this book is simply the author’s voice. Murphy’s attention to detail and humorous delivery are exceptional. He exposes a depth of emotion and permeability that is unique. As the author unveils years of life experiences, some glorious and others tragic, the reader is forced to ponder their own life in a way that requires a studious look at the issue of mortality. Further still, the relationship between God and man is brought to the forefront of our minds as we read of the author’s interactions with the Lord throughout the pages of the book. Sean Paul Murphy’s description of his time with God and his interpretations of those meetings are priceless. Murphy manages to integrate Biblical truths throughout the course of the reading and seamlessly maintains a reverent posture towards the Son of God and the reality of our “spiritual immortality.”
Like a large ball of yarn that has been unraveled and shuffled from one end of the room to the other, so to this book: The Promise, or the Pros and Cons of Talking With God by Sean Paul Murphy. The winding words twist and turn through the years of Murphy’s life and lead the reader down a gentle path towards self actualization. This book is a catalyst into some serious soul searching.
One of my favorite conclusions drawn by the author is that there is no value of enduring and surviving pain and heartache if we are not willing to share our experiences to help others. This concept is just one of several empowering and equipping revelations that Murphy shares. Imagine the change in our world on a global scale if we all had this perspective on life and love.
This book touched me in the 1970's.
Throughout the reading of this book, Sean Paul Murphy's communication of a persistent love and hope reminded me of the writings of Leo Buscaglia. Dr. Buscaglia was a world renown author and speaker who delivered a strong message of gracious love that profoundly impacted my own life after reading his work in the 1970's. In this same way, Murphy's intention to live his life on a “love note" and to clearly communicate the source of that love in a nonthreatening manner is infectious. It is an interesting side note, that the two have an uncanny similar physical appearance as well. Perhaps in the long lineage of Italian heritage there lies some genetic connection between the two, but without a shadow of a doubt, their passion for reaching out to a hurting world is very similar.
I appreciated, especially after learning of his normally guarded personality, Murphy’s candor throughout this work. Not only is The Promise, The Pros and Cons of Talking with God, entertaining and insightful, but it more importantly provides fuel for a great deal of thoughtful reflection and, if you dare, conversations with God.
December 21, 2014
I read “Sarah’s Choice” and found it to be thought-provoking which cause a great deal of soul searching on my part. When Mr. Murphy approached me about reading “The Promise” I quickly agreed.
As with “Sarah’s Choice” I am not sure what I was expecting, but the straight-forwardness of Mr. Murphy’s beliefs kept me turning the pages. His personal spiritual journey causes him to examine his actions time and again. I found my life paralleling his from time to time. As I continued to read it caused me to stop and consider if maybe I need to rethink the direction of my life and actions? Early in the book I read a statement that stuck with me through-out the entire book. It simply states: “God doesn’t need you. He created you” and “Faith is essential for Salvation but obedience is also necessary to stay within God’s will”. To me those are two very profound statements.
Mr. Murphy’s ability to be honest about his life, kept me turning the pages, because I wanted to see how he and God would handle each situation. His walk with God is pretty straight-forward and in no way considered “preachy”.
No matter what your religious faith may be, this is a book that will inspire you to want a closer relationship with God and if you are not religious, it will cause you to want to be a better person.
I am not sure I could ever open up about my feelings of faith as Mr. Murphy has, but it is my hope that after reading this I will be able to speak more freely about God and my faith. Many times I have felt I am not perfect enough, however Mr. Murphy shows it doesn’t take perfection to know, love and share the goodness of God…because God is filled with forgiveness.
Disclosure: I was given a copy of this ebook by the author, Sean Paul Murphy, for review. I was not required to write a favorable review nor was I compensated for my review. The opinions in this review are my own.
As with “Sarah’s Choice” I am not sure what I was expecting, but the straight-forwardness of Mr. Murphy’s beliefs kept me turning the pages. His personal spiritual journey causes him to examine his actions time and again. I found my life paralleling his from time to time. As I continued to read it caused me to stop and consider if maybe I need to rethink the direction of my life and actions? Early in the book I read a statement that stuck with me through-out the entire book. It simply states: “God doesn’t need you. He created you” and “Faith is essential for Salvation but obedience is also necessary to stay within God’s will”. To me those are two very profound statements.
Mr. Murphy’s ability to be honest about his life, kept me turning the pages, because I wanted to see how he and God would handle each situation. His walk with God is pretty straight-forward and in no way considered “preachy”.
No matter what your religious faith may be, this is a book that will inspire you to want a closer relationship with God and if you are not religious, it will cause you to want to be a better person.
I am not sure I could ever open up about my feelings of faith as Mr. Murphy has, but it is my hope that after reading this I will be able to speak more freely about God and my faith. Many times I have felt I am not perfect enough, however Mr. Murphy shows it doesn’t take perfection to know, love and share the goodness of God…because God is filled with forgiveness.
Disclosure: I was given a copy of this ebook by the author, Sean Paul Murphy, for review. I was not required to write a favorable review nor was I compensated for my review. The opinions in this review are my own.
July 6, 2016
This is an incredibly poignant account of a personal and touching and unforgettable memoir. From the first page all the way through the end, I was deeply engaged in Sean Paul Murphy's story. I felt like I was involved in an intimate conversation with a friend about experiences underlaid with depth and significance. Every single thought he shared with regards to biblical truth and God's nature about his experiences or the choices that he made was spot on, completely aligned with the Bible, and I kept saying 'yes' to his reflections on God, grateful for his spiritual-truth accuracy. It's amazing to read about God speaking to him and he praying to God and God answering, the powerful connection there as he grew up, that confirmation of His presence in the power of prayer and Sean's faith in those conversations with God (Mark 11:24). Perhaps because I was so immersed in his story, or because I, too, know what it feels like to ignore God's will for us, I broke down into tears when he chose to ignore God's desire for him. This pivotal moment became the crux from which the rest of his life would play out. I felt the spiritual intimacy tear and it just bled into my own heart. Yet, God still remained; He never abandoned him. The major lesson here is that the worst thing we can do is not listen to God because we will miss out on His blessing, and we may be haunted by that, but His love for us will never die and we can find comfort and peace there. Sean, thank you for sharing this story because it is a story that we all need.
February 2, 2015
The book is an honest account of Sean's life and the love he had for a girl whom he believed would one day be his wife. Just as I do with his films, I laughed, I cried, I reconsidered my opinions on a few things. I usually come away from his movies with a deeper understanding of the views of another and make adjustments in my own beliefs---sometimes solidified, sometimes altered a bit. While I have also heard the Lord clearly speak to me, it has never been to the degree Sean experienced, and I was definitely intrigued to know more.
It was worth the journey to get the answer I wanted. Sean shared himself and his life, even to the point of a vulnerability few are capable of sharing, and made you feel like these are people you actually know yourself. He is just a few years younger than me, so it was also a bit of a walk down 'Memory Lane' for me with some of his interests. He is a very gifted story-teller with a talent for drawing the reader into his world. His faith is a large part of who he is and I love the way he expresses the relationship he has with God. His failures and frailties are expressed with the same honesty as the forgiveness received. I definitely recommend this book.
Disclosure: I was given a copy of this book by the author, Sean Paul Murphy, for review. I was not required to write a favorable review nor was I compensated for my review. The opinions in this review are my own.
It was worth the journey to get the answer I wanted. Sean shared himself and his life, even to the point of a vulnerability few are capable of sharing, and made you feel like these are people you actually know yourself. He is just a few years younger than me, so it was also a bit of a walk down 'Memory Lane' for me with some of his interests. He is a very gifted story-teller with a talent for drawing the reader into his world. His faith is a large part of who he is and I love the way he expresses the relationship he has with God. His failures and frailties are expressed with the same honesty as the forgiveness received. I definitely recommend this book.
Disclosure: I was given a copy of this book by the author, Sean Paul Murphy, for review. I was not required to write a favorable review nor was I compensated for my review. The opinions in this review are my own.
September 4, 2024
My uncles book very very good book I am a very big book worm and I enjoyed it 😆❤️
July 25, 2023
I finished reading the book earlier this year after my mother’s death. It was a fascinating story. Although the first 13 chapters was about a long-lasting young romance, when the first-love romance finally ended I felt as though the story picked up and was easier and happier to read and was more inspirational in the following chapters when he was able to release his first love and move on. I gave this book a 5-star rating because it brought about a healing for me from my own mourning of loss and grief I experienced several times in my own life that I just couldn’t break on my own.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews