Abba's Child: The Cry of the Heart for Intimate Belonging [Paperback]

Brennan Manning (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1994

IS AN IMPOSTER ROBBING YOU OF GOD'S LOVE?

Many of us live with an awareness that our lives are ridden with anxiety, guilt, and a lack of joy and passion. Our relationship with God and our relationships with others fall far short of our expectations and hopes. In a desperate attempt to make ourselves acceptable before God and others, we hide our true selves and present an imposter to the world-someone we hope will be accepted.

The liberating message of this book is that God longs for us to know in the depths of our being that He loves and accepts us as we are. God is our "Abba," our loving Father, who knows us far better than we know ourselves. The shocking revelation of this book is two-fold. Sin has a far greater grip on our hearts and lives than we imagine. And God, who knows this full well, loves us far more than we can imagine, and longs to bring us into deeper, more joyful, passionate fellowship with Himself.

This is a book for people who are tired of the shallowness and hollowness of superficial relationships-relationships that require them to keep up pretenses. It is for those who are willing to risk being exposed for who they really are and to be loved by a God who doesn't want them to pretend they are something they are not.

"Brennan is my friend, walking ahead of me on the path toward home. As I watch him from behind, I am drawn to more closely follow on the path, to more deeply enjoy Abba's love. Thanks, Brennan." -Dr. Larry Crabb, professor of counseling at Colorado Christian University and author of Inside Out and Finding God

"Brennan Manning has the wonderful gift of making Jesus a real answer to our real questions, a desirable lover for our ever-desirous hearts. He does it again in Abba's Child." -Richard Rohr, O.F.M. Founder of the New Jerusalem Community in Cincinnati and the Center for Action & Contemplation in Albuquerque

"Brennan awakens a sense of wonder at the possibility of a real relationship with the Abba of Jesus. I was gently led closer to becoming a true child of Abba." -Michael Card, singer, songwriter, and author of Immanuel: Reflections of the Life of Christ

"Brennan Manning brings us a wealth of experience and insight from Abba's children-from ancient and contemporary times-and connects us all with the one to whom we cry, 'Abba!' This is a rich book." -Rich Mullins, former recording artist

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Honest. Genuine. Creative. God-hungry. These words surface when I think of the writings of Brennan Manning. Read him for yourself- you'll see what I mean!" -- Max Lucado senior minister Oak Hills Church of Christ --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

From the Back Cover

Is an impostor robbing you of God’s love? Many Christians have bought into the lie that we are worthy of God’s love only when our lives are going well. If our families are happy or our jobs are meaningful, life is a success. But when life begins to fall through the cracks and embarrassing sins threaten to reveal our less-than-perfect identity, we scramble to keep up a good front to present to the world––and God. We cower and hide until we can rearrange the mask of perfection and look good again. Sadly, it is then that we wonder why we lack intimate relationships and a passionate faith. Yet all this time God is calling us to take the mask off and come openly to Him. God longs for us to know in the depth of our being that He loves us and accepts us as we are. When we are our true selves, we can finally claim our identity as God’s child-Abba’s child-and experience His pure pleasure in who we are. Brennan Manning encourages readers to let go of the impostor lifestyle and freely accept our belovedness as a child of the heavenly Father. In Him there is life, our passion is rekindled, and our union with Him is His greatest pleasure.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 188 pages
• Publisher: Navpress Publishing Group (July 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0891098267
• ISBN-13: 978-0891098263
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (60 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #978,525 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Brennan Manning is a writer and speaker who leads spiritual retreats for people of all ages and backgrounds. He is the author of more than ten books, including Abba's Child , Ruthless Trust , The Ragamuffin Gospel , and Posers, Fakers, and Wannabes. A resident of New Orleans, he travels extensively in the U.S. and abroad to share the good news of the unconditional love of God.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

128 of 130 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Draws one into the Mystery of the Gospel, May 16, 1999

By 

Pamela J. Bush - See all my reviews

This review is from: Abba's Child: The Cry of the Heart for Intimate Belonging (Paperback)

After years of having evangelical education crammed into my head, Abba's Child is a book which challenges what I say I know and believe. Manning's honesty about the terrible sin problem all born-again sinners are acquainted with rings true to the Apostle Paul's lament "the things I wish to do, I do not (and vice versa)". But, instead of talking us out of our bad feelings about our condition, Manning challenges us to begin the journey of intimacy with the God Paul also teaches us is named Abba. Far from the typical modern Christian books which skim the surface of the human experience, Abba's Child is a primer for those who quietly realize that the Christian faith is much more than a call to a system of belief of Absolute Truths-----and that it is a call to the most important Relationship of our lives, that with our utterly "Other" God. Evangelical friends who presently are teaching, studying and ministering at Yale and Cambridge (UK) have thanked me over and over for giving them this book, both saying they must read it over and over----a life changing book! If you are squeamish in thinking God the Father's name is "Daddy", and that he longs for you to address and know him as such, this book probably will make you uncomfortable. If you have arrived at the exhaustion of modernity in the American evangelical experience, this book will remind you that the Gospel is a relationship, not a "plan of salvation" to know, memorize and regurgitate. Great reading for worn-out evangelicals!

46 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Abba's Child, September 30, 1997

By 

[e-mail] (Menlo Park, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Abba's Child: The Cry of the Heart for Intimate Belonging (Paperback)

Once again Brennan Manning has hit the nail on the head and pierced my heart. For monthes I did my best to read this book but could not. Every word hit me to the core and made me think. Manning has the ability to speak to your heart and make it past all of our defences, opening us up to God's amazing love for us, as broken as we are. In this book he looks at the imposter that we place over our real self to hide from all of the pain and sadness in our lives. Manning reminds us that we were all created special by God and that His love is more than we need. Manning calls for us to understand the imposter and to accept it as part of us, a part that Jesus loves unconditionally and desires for it to accept His love and forgiveness. Manning is wonderful at getting the reader to understand God's love and leads you to God's feet where you can't help but surrender and love Him. Anyone struggling with who they are and realize that teh imposter is alive and well in their lives needs to read this book.

39 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Solid, August 21, 2002

By 

Joseph Valentine Dworak (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Abba's Child: The Cry of the Heart for Intimate Belonging (Paperback)

This book is easy to review, quite simple actually, and it can be done in one sentence: This solid book will not allow you to reject the fact that God loves you unconditionally.

There is a lot more to say about this work, but really it is all summed up in the last sentence. Manning consistently writes eloquently for the masses who are hurting, broken, and need love. He is honest with his own journey and leaves no detail spared of his own personal trials and tribulations. He gives hope to those who might not have any hope, and joy to those who might think they have to be perfect for God to love them. I appreciated the honesty from the author, and the risk he takes in sharing his soul with the reader. Not many authors are willing to do this where it will make a difference, Manning obviously will.

This book is a must read for anyone wondering if anyone cares about what happens in their life, read the book, find out why God loves you. Seems pretty simple to me.