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The Book of Confidence
religious book
80 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
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140 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
May 13, 2023
This book was actually written many years ago (early 1900s) by a French priest, Father Raymond Thomas de Saint-Laurent. I have just recently discovered that this priest wrote a number of excellent biographies of saints which are being republished by TFP but due to the various spellings and misspellings of his name, it looks like there are actually several different authors. When I get some time, I need to go back and consolidate all of these books under the correct name, whatever it is.
In the meantime, this is an EXCELLENT book and reminded me of a cross between Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence: The Secret of Peace and Happiness and Searching for and Maintaining Peace: A Small Treatise on Peace of Heart which are already two of my favorite books.
The theme of the book is total confidence and trust in Jesus. In Chapter 1 we learn that Jesus exhorts us to have confidence in Him, why so many souls are afraid of God and/or lack faith and how this harms them.
Chapter 2 is all about the qualities of Confidence. I loved this chapter and could read it over and over again. My used copy was marked with lots of underlining, asterisks and circling, which when I read it gives me the feeling of extra confidence that I am not alone. The best line of the whole chapter is the last one. It is something Jesus said to a saintly religious who died in the odor of sanctity: "Confidant souls steal my graces!" How is that for encouraging?!
That is what I mean by saying this reminds me of Trustful Surrender. In there, toward the end, St. Claude de la Colombière writes that we never ask our LORD for too much. Rather we ask Him for too little and in so doing we insult Him. I remember trying to convince a class of Catholic adults I was teaching of this point. They just looked at me skeptically and said, "But I can't ask Jesus for all that I want..." Yes, you can, and you should. He already knows what you need and want, but He is waiting for you to let Him know how important it is to you.
Chapter 3 is about our temporal necessities and Chapter 4, our spiritual needs. God is concerned with both.
Chapter 5 is about the reasons for confidence in God. Simply we do not know His goodness, power and love for us. We have NO IDEA of all He wants to give us. We greatly underestimate Him.
Chapter 6 is the fruits of confidence in God: 1) It glorifies Him. 2) It attracts special favors. 3) Confident prayer obtains everything, and, 4) We have the examples of the saints.
In conclusion, the author recommends we make acts of confidence frequently. One he particularly suggested was, "Heart of Jesus, I trust in Thee." I found this especially interesting as this book was written before Father de Saint-Laurent could have heard of the Divine Mercy devotion and Jesus's request to St. Faustina.
This book is most highly recommended!
May 13, 2023: Edited for spelling and grammatical errors.
In the meantime, this is an EXCELLENT book and reminded me of a cross between Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence: The Secret of Peace and Happiness and Searching for and Maintaining Peace: A Small Treatise on Peace of Heart which are already two of my favorite books.
The theme of the book is total confidence and trust in Jesus. In Chapter 1 we learn that Jesus exhorts us to have confidence in Him, why so many souls are afraid of God and/or lack faith and how this harms them.
Chapter 2 is all about the qualities of Confidence. I loved this chapter and could read it over and over again. My used copy was marked with lots of underlining, asterisks and circling, which when I read it gives me the feeling of extra confidence that I am not alone. The best line of the whole chapter is the last one. It is something Jesus said to a saintly religious who died in the odor of sanctity: "Confidant souls steal my graces!" How is that for encouraging?!
That is what I mean by saying this reminds me of Trustful Surrender. In there, toward the end, St. Claude de la Colombière writes that we never ask our LORD for too much. Rather we ask Him for too little and in so doing we insult Him. I remember trying to convince a class of Catholic adults I was teaching of this point. They just looked at me skeptically and said, "But I can't ask Jesus for all that I want..." Yes, you can, and you should. He already knows what you need and want, but He is waiting for you to let Him know how important it is to you.
Chapter 3 is about our temporal necessities and Chapter 4, our spiritual needs. God is concerned with both.
Chapter 5 is about the reasons for confidence in God. Simply we do not know His goodness, power and love for us. We have NO IDEA of all He wants to give us. We greatly underestimate Him.
Chapter 6 is the fruits of confidence in God: 1) It glorifies Him. 2) It attracts special favors. 3) Confident prayer obtains everything, and, 4) We have the examples of the saints.
In conclusion, the author recommends we make acts of confidence frequently. One he particularly suggested was, "Heart of Jesus, I trust in Thee." I found this especially interesting as this book was written before Father de Saint-Laurent could have heard of the Divine Mercy devotion and Jesus's request to St. Faustina.
This book is most highly recommended!
May 13, 2023: Edited for spelling and grammatical errors.
June 1, 2025
Pasitikėk Jėzum, pasitikėk Dievu, pasitikėk Jėzum, pasitikėk Dievu, pasitikėk Jėzum, pasitikėk Dievu...
Teiginių, kurie sukeltų abejonę ir tada ją išspręstų? Mažai. Tik tiesioginė, vieno sluoksnio, propoganda.
Jei norisi nuraminti save - skaityki;
Jei norisi išmokti, atrasti, pamąstyti - neskaityki.
Teiginių, kurie sukeltų abejonę ir tada ją išspręstų? Mažai. Tik tiesioginė, vieno sluoksnio, propoganda.
Jei norisi nuraminti save - skaityki;
Jei norisi išmokti, atrasti, pamąstyti - neskaityki.
May 20, 2024
Um pequeno tratado sobre a confiança, que não mais explica o quão irrazoável é não confiar em Deus.
July 13, 2023
The Book of Confidence is exactly what I needed to read! Fr. Thomas de Saint-Laurent cites prodigiously from Scripture and the saints. He simply and beautifully articulates what confidence is: it is hope fortified by certitude, which grows from faith. This certitude is a grace, but it is also a duty. How can we doubt the goodness of God and that He truly desires to offer us many graces? Instead, we must become like little children and "audaciously" place our trust in Him, expecting to receive all the good things we ask of Him, whose hand is overflowing with gifts He is waiting to give. Such confidence overcomes pusillanimity and finally gives God the total affection He waits for and deserves from the heart of man.
November 13, 2021
This book talked about confidence, not in the worldly sense, but in trusting more in God which I think also helps you in what society deems as gaining more confidence because if you gain more confidence and trust in God you will learn to lean more on Him rather than yourself. God makes no mistakes so we can trust in Him in our lives but I find it is one of the hardest things to do. I think it is hard because I have to let go of control and leave it to God but this book guides you through it and although I am not “cured” of not wanting to control things, I feel it reading this a few times it will help me a lot in implementing measures in myself to learn to take some control away from myself and giving it to a higher power which is God who can do anything if it is His will and if it is good for us and our souls.
January 2, 2020
One of the greatest spiritual works I have ever read. It is short, but full of inspiring quotes and ideas. In our daily lives when we often fall short of our obligations or amid the trials of daily life, it is very easy to get discouraged. This book offers great hope and consolation. It offers more than hope. It offers confidence which as you will learn is greater than hope. I recommend this book to anyone, but especially to anyone who is discouraged or who is suffering.
August 21, 2019
Trully a meditation book, for some it will just be more of the same , or more of what they already know. But if you adjust the reading proocess as Father Thomas says, page from page you will testify the miracle of "Greater Trust".
November 22, 2017
This book promotes confidence in God.
July 31, 2019
Read very slowly. Beautiful way to be encouraged in learning to Trust Gods faithfulness.
December 14, 2019
This wonderful book is telling us to not look at our trials and tribulations but to look upon the face of Jesus who is the Christ and have faith that He will sustain us, love us, and we shall lack for nothing. As in the words of Saint Teresa of Avila, “Let nothing disturb you, Let nothing frighten you, All things are passing: God never changes, Patience obtains all things Whoever has God lacks nothing; God alone suffices.” This is a great little book to help those who need constant reminders of faith and confidence, like me.
March 14, 2026
Exceptional! Do what you can and quit worrying! :)
April 17, 2023
Even though the older and academic English can be tricky to get around, Fr. Thomas does a good job of establishing the importance of practicing absolute confidence in our daily relationship with God. This book is recommended for anyone who needs to set aside fear and trust God, but doesn’t know how to.
April 16, 2019
Um pequeno grande livro. A virtude da confiança é apresentada seguindo estritamente as concepções do Evangelho e dos grandes santos que escreveram sobre o assunto. É voltado principalmente para as almas inquietas que hesitam em entregar-se completa e confiantemente a Deus.
September 14, 2019
Ótimo para quem procura entender em como (e se) confiar em Deus. O livro trás irmos exemplos, de diversos ângulos, passagens e relatos de Santos que firmam quem segue na fé católica. É um clássico. Recomendo.
October 4, 2022
Un opúsculo delicioso a los sentidos. Un libro de espiritualidad sencillo y profundo a la vez. El título describe la intención del autor: abrir los sentidos del lector a una confianza total en Dios. La condición: confianza total. ¿Cómo se logra? Confiando.
July 6, 2024
Excellent little book I have the one with Mother Mary on the cover tan color softcover and a version with Christ on the cover arms extended. Beautiful and insightful.
August 5, 2019
An excellent little book on learning to trust God with one's whole heart and the benefits the trusting soul will reap from such childlike faith.
May 31, 2025
An excellent little book. "We must act, then, but from Him alone must we expect the efficacy of our actions."
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews