The Shepherds' Prayer: A Christmas Novel

by Richard M. Barry

The Shepherds' A Christmas Novel by Richard M. Barry is one of the few books that chronicles the Bethlehem shepherds and the extraordinary events at the time of Christ's birth, and does so in a most captivating way. The Shepherds' Prayer , originally published in 2006, is also available as a radio drama and an audio book.

Genres: Christmas, Christian Fiction, Fiction, Christian

128 pages, Hardcover

First published September 27, 2006

Reviews

[J.D. Sutter · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars
An interesting look at the events surrounding the birth of Christ in Bethlehem from a different perspective.

[DustBunniesAndBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's become a tradition to listen to the audio version every year while wrapping Christmas gifts. It never gets old, and it's always as good as the first time. ❤️

[Alan Lampe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Richard Berry crafts a wonderful story using Biblical characters. He shows us the aftermath of life in Bethlehem after King Herod's soldiers killed the innocent male babies in order to secure his kingship. He also shows how to keep the faith through the shepherds. They were heavenly invited to worship the newborn King of Kings and then we see them no more. Richard expands their story with their desire to see the Lord once again. A wonderful, short read to keep you on track to being the best version of yourself.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, richly imagined story! What must the shepherds tending their flock one night in the hills outside of the little village of Bethlehem have felt and thought and endured, they who had been the first recipients of the great message (and its first proclaimers) that the long-awaited Messiah had come at last? In this rich retelling of the story, the author imagines just those things together with interweaving a fictionalized, but credible, embellishment of the life of Stephen, the first person to die for The Name.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not a Christian and was gifted this book by my friend. The book is short, easily digestible, and has a great story line. I now have a better understanding of what happened when Jesus the Messiah was born in Bethlehem and how his followers devote their lives to him. This book is about a young man named Anam who wanted to find the truth about his parents and heritage. During this search he met the shepherds who had claimed to see the angel’s proclamation of Jesus’s birth. At the end he finally meets Jesus and became one of his followers.

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short novel reminds us that Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of Christ and to take solace in knowing that Christ prepared the way to heaven for all who listen to God’s words. Let not your hearts be troubled for God’s will be done. “In this world there will always be hatred and violence and suffering. But let not your hearts be troubled. Let my peace protect and comfort you.” Page 122 THE SHEPHERDS’ PRAYER by Richard M. Barry

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what a book! I read it this morning. I didn't want to put it down. A very timely story about a young man trying to find out who he is and where he came from. His efforts brought him to Bethlehem and eventually to the shepherds who witnessed the angel's proclamation of Jesus's birth.

I recommend this book, especially now during Advent. Enjoy and Merry Christmas.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

The storyline itself was good, but the dialogue and descriptions were written in more modern day language. The author described Jesus as being handsome and the Bible doesn't say that about Him, rather that he would NOT have a desirable beauty. Several little things like that took away from the book for me, even thought I liked the concept.

[MargaRAT · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good short read with an interesting plot. It has a nice surprise ending but I won’t tell you what it is.

Discover the mystery of Anam “No Name” as he struggles to find his identity. His only clue is a baby blanket proclaiming Jesus as Lord!

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5. There were things i struggled with about the character Anam. The dialogue used for him seemed more suited to an uncertain teenage girl. The storyline was good i just struggled with dome of the dialogue. Good fast read at Christmas time

[Kathleen Dragan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not that it’s groundbreaking literature, but it was a sweet story and uplifting especially for the Christmas season. A quick read to put you in the holiday spirit.

[Kathy Pero · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet Christmas story - reminds us of the holiday's true meaning.

[Emilee Faraci · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are two words that come to my mind while reading this book: Beautiful and Astonishing.

[JR Eftink · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good book to read at Christmas time and it's very interesting too!

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the story being told by Anam...a view of Jesus' birth by a true believer...who found himself through this journey. Excellent!

[Dolores Stack · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great Christmas story; one to read each Christmas season.

[Linda Reding · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great lttle read for the holiday season

[Jill M Caldwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a tale of heart-warming spiritual fiction. It gives what could be the back story of Stephen, the first Christian martyr. It was a good Christmas read, short and timely.

[Zinta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Christmas approaches, even as I sense my own not completely suppressed bah humbug mood rising in response to all the bling and blare of this increasingly materialistic season. I've for some time now felt that we are losing sight of the spirit of Christmas, substituting a rat race for the biggest, gaudiest array of gifts for the quiet family gathering and meditation on the birth of a new spirit in each and every one of us, a reminder to give ourselves over into the hands of a higher power in gratitude and submission. Towards that goal, reversing this trend where Santa has become the god of the holiday rather than Christ, I welcome such a book as Richard M. Barry's "The Shepherd's Prayer."

We have so many versions of this biblical story of the birth of Christ. Surely it is nearly impossible to find a new angle, a fresh perspective - but Barry has achieved this. In a slim, gift-ready volume, he has brought the reader back to Bethlehem to revisit this timeless event and its consequences and repercussions. In the bright light of Christ's birth, I would guess that few have thoroughly considered what might have happened to the shepherds who witnessed the star over Bethlehem, were visited by an angel with the news of a birth, and how they may have been treated by others since that birth. Nor have we seen much material on the mass murder by Herod of the infant boys in the surrounding area in his effort to murder the son of God. Surely this was an earth-shattering trauma to that community and beyond...

Barry brings us to this scene and gives us a look around through the eyes of Anam, literally meaning No Name, who has grown up into a 30-year old man with the bloody history of being an escapee of this mass murder, raised by others after his own parents were killed. Like any person in any age, he longs to know his roots, but no one will speak to him of that time, everyone shies away, some quite rudely, when he shows a lambskin blanket with mysterious writing on it and the name "Jesus." He seems to inspire only anger and fear when he asks about the place and time in which he was born, not getting any answers to his questions from anyone.

Until Anam meets a group of shepherds, ostracized from the rest, gathered in remembrance of a great day long ago. They embrace him kindly and fill in the blanks, telling him his name and providing the history of the day which we now remember, or should, every Christmas.

This is a well-written Christmas novel, not preachy or overly predictable as so many in this genre can be, but everything a good story requires. And, it can serve to remind us what we seem to have forgotten: Christmas is not about gifts under a tree. There is a far greater gift awaiting all of us, there for the asking.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting new look at the Christmas story from one who was seeking to find out his own true identity. It makes you think more about the various people that were involved and what they must have experienced and felt at the time. I had never really considered the aftermath of all the babies being killed and how resentful those people must have been, or what the shepherds must have thought after seeing baby Jesus, or how some of these same people must have been around thirty years later when Jesus became active in His ministry. This story is a fictionalized account of those times, but it makes you think a little deeper to what happened beyond the original story.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice, quick read which takes a closer, fictional look at some of the lives touched by Jesus. In particular, this book focuses on the shepherds of Bethlehem, the circumstances surrounding Jesus's birth, and Herod's slaughter of the innocents. I like how it weaved in and out of biblical references, and combined the main characters search for his earthly destiny (who are his real parents) to his spiritual destiny.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A comfortable 125 page read aloud.
Adam was found as a babe, wrapped in a lambskin inscribed with a paragraph containing the words "Glory to God in the highest...Jesus Christ...who is the Savior of the World." In his late 20's, he journey's with it towards Bethlehem in hopes of finding his birth family.
He encounters coldness in Bethlehem, but someone guides him to shepherds who gather near and he discovers amazing answers.
I love the way it takes me into the feel of that time and place.

[Madelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

While this is a sweetly written, short book about the shepherds who come to see Jesus just after His birth, it was a stretch for me to take that short biblical passage and turn it into this story of another man of the Bible. I must remember that it is called a novel on the cover and the conclusions that the author makes in the book are just that, fiction.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This short book was quick and easy to read. As the Christmas season approaches, I found it spiritually uplifting. I have never contemplated the shepherds before so it was interesting to consider just how their lives may have been. I appreciated the author's note at the end of the book.

[Deena Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://deenasbooks.blogspot.com/2007/...

[William]

Fine, deeply moving account of Jesus' birth and events surrounding it. Excellent!

[Mikayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a beautiful story of the events and people surrounding the Nativity. It gave me a new perspective about the upcoming celebration of Christmas. A quick and interesting read!

[Reed Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

very entertaining

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very nice story. Very spiritual.