Books and Resources for Your Journey 

Chasing Francis:  A Pilgrims Tale (Ian Morgan Cron)
In this compelling novel by pastor, musician, and spiritual philosopher, Ian Morgan Cron, the main character, Chase Fallon--a mega-church pastor from New England--loses his faith right in front of his congregation.  When the elders want him to take some time away, Chase travels to Italy where he encounters the life and teachings of Francis of Assisi.  What follows is a fictional spiritual journey that many pastors or other Christian leaders will easily relate to.  The book comes complete with an extensive study guide on the life and spirituality of Francis of Assisi.  More than just a "can't put down" read.  This book will whet your appetite for doing your life in Christ difrerently and reconsidering what it means to be a follower of Jesus.

In the Name of Jesus:  Reflections on Christian Leadership (Henri Nouwen)
Simply the most profound book on Christian Leadership in the past 50 years.  Nouwen, Catholic priest and a former theology professor at Yale and Harvard, received an invitation to Washington D.C. to speak on Christian Leadership in the 21st century.  The "problem" is that he had spent the previous few years living among and caring for the severely mentally disabled at Daybreak Community in Toronto.  Such experiences radically altered his perspective on the nature of Christian leadership.  At Daybreak, no one knew his credentials.  No one cared that he taught at Ivy League schools.  As Nouwen says, he was faced with his "naked self" and he came face to face with the simple question, "Did becoming older bring me closer to Jesus? ...everyone was telling me I was doing so well, but something inside was telling me that my success was putting my own soul in danger."  A must read for anyone serious about a restored soul.