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A Message from Rob Shimwell,
St Mildred's previous vicar: I have some exciting news to share with you. Earlier this year, the manuscript of a book I’ve been working on for some years was accepted for publication by Instant Apostle (https://instantapostle.com/books/pilgrimage-and-promise/) under the title Pilgrimage and Promise. It is nearly twenty years ago that I walked with a close friend across the Swiss Alps from Chamonix to Zermatt. By day, we travelled along steep and sometimes dangerous paths with breathtaking views. By night, we enjoyed the hospitality of alpine huts and inns, with excellent food and comfortable beds. Each night, I read from a few pages torn from a scruffy paperback of the Psalms. Those pages consisted of Psalms 120-134, the Psalms of Ascents written for pilgrims on a journey. I still have them, yellowed, dog-eared and covered with almost illegible notes! |
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Since those unforgettable days of walking and companionship, I have lived with these psalms, praying them, studying them, preaching them and, hopefully, living them. They are psalms for every occasion and every situation. They restore faith, bringing light into dark places, security when fearful, guidance when wandering and a constantly renewed trust in our covenant-making, promise-keeping, never-changing Lord who walks with us every day of our earthly pilgrimage.
Each chapter starts with a study of the psalm in question followed by a reflection on how Jesus might have read and prayed it in His last days on earth. We move on from there to see how we can use each psalm to help us to follow Him and pray day by day on our own journey. The last section of each chapter encourages our personal response and prayer.
I’ve received some really encouraging endorsements…
· Rob’s love of the Psalms leaps off every page of this book in a way that draws us into the profound depth and richness of our Lord’s faithfulness and grace in every changing scene of life. This book is food for the soul. (Mark Tanner, Bishop of Chester)
· This is a truly encouraging treatment of the ‘Psalms of Ascents’ which provides plenty of useful material for Christian preachers and teachers as well as profound spiritual nourishment for pilgrims. Writing with a clear, accessible style, Rob Shimwell draws on his own personal experience as a much-loved pastor to relate these Psalms on the one hand to the life of Jesus, and on the other hand to our struggles and joys as Jesus’ disciples. Like the Psalmist, he combines realism about suffering, pain, questioning and temptation with abundant hope in a God of unfailing mercy and loving-kindness. He also shows how the longings of the Psalmist are fulfilled in Jesus’ redeeming work, and makes illuminating connections between events in the Old Testament and the Gospels. I commend this book most warmly as a source of inspiration and guidance ‘along the way.’(James Newcome, Bishop of Carlisle)
· Imaginative, warm, insightful—Rob Shimwell draws upon a lifetime of pastoral ministry in these clever expositions of the pilgrimage Psalms of Ascents, imagining them first on Jesus’ lips and then drawing them forward for us today. This is Bible exposition at its best. You will be informed, encouraged and drawn closer to Jesus through this book—read and be blessed!
(Steve Motyer, formerly New Testament lecturer, London School of Theology, and Theology and Counselling Programme Leader)
The publication date for Pilgrimage and Promise is September 15th, available on Amazon, Kindle and in bookshops. However, the publishers have made a number of copies available to us prior to this date and you can order copies through me now. I am selling them at the reduced price of £12 for one or £22 for two).
To order, please email me at rob.shimwell@gmail.com
I would really appreciate it if you were able to promote Pilgrimage and Promise amongst friends or your church fellowship. Looking forward to seeing you on October 1st.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours
Rob
Each chapter starts with a study of the psalm in question followed by a reflection on how Jesus might have read and prayed it in His last days on earth. We move on from there to see how we can use each psalm to help us to follow Him and pray day by day on our own journey. The last section of each chapter encourages our personal response and prayer.
I’ve received some really encouraging endorsements…
· Rob’s love of the Psalms leaps off every page of this book in a way that draws us into the profound depth and richness of our Lord’s faithfulness and grace in every changing scene of life. This book is food for the soul. (Mark Tanner, Bishop of Chester)
· This is a truly encouraging treatment of the ‘Psalms of Ascents’ which provides plenty of useful material for Christian preachers and teachers as well as profound spiritual nourishment for pilgrims. Writing with a clear, accessible style, Rob Shimwell draws on his own personal experience as a much-loved pastor to relate these Psalms on the one hand to the life of Jesus, and on the other hand to our struggles and joys as Jesus’ disciples. Like the Psalmist, he combines realism about suffering, pain, questioning and temptation with abundant hope in a God of unfailing mercy and loving-kindness. He also shows how the longings of the Psalmist are fulfilled in Jesus’ redeeming work, and makes illuminating connections between events in the Old Testament and the Gospels. I commend this book most warmly as a source of inspiration and guidance ‘along the way.’(James Newcome, Bishop of Carlisle)
· Imaginative, warm, insightful—Rob Shimwell draws upon a lifetime of pastoral ministry in these clever expositions of the pilgrimage Psalms of Ascents, imagining them first on Jesus’ lips and then drawing them forward for us today. This is Bible exposition at its best. You will be informed, encouraged and drawn closer to Jesus through this book—read and be blessed!
(Steve Motyer, formerly New Testament lecturer, London School of Theology, and Theology and Counselling Programme Leader)
The publication date for Pilgrimage and Promise is September 15th, available on Amazon, Kindle and in bookshops. However, the publishers have made a number of copies available to us prior to this date and you can order copies through me now. I am selling them at the reduced price of £12 for one or £22 for two).
To order, please email me at rob.shimwell@gmail.com
I would really appreciate it if you were able to promote Pilgrimage and Promise amongst friends or your church fellowship. Looking forward to seeing you on October 1st.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours
Rob
