Customer Reviews

Things Unseen: Living in Light of Forever

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Before this, I was unfamiliar with Mark Buchanan's writing. In fact, having received this book as a gift, I took my time getting around to it.

Too bad. Buchanan's writing is smooth and beautiful. He weaves words with rare skill, communicating deep thoughts with sparkling threads of sentences. Quickly, we are wrapping ourselves in these thoughts. He reminds us that heaven is our goal, that we are not intended for ultimate fulfilment on this earth but for a celestial culmination in God's presence.

Ah, the warmth of it all. Except...

Except that Buchanan does not only encourage us for the hereafter, he challenges us in the here and now. His threads, so warm and comforting, become earthy and gritty clothing by which we march on into each day with a purpose. This is what makes "Things Unseen" so moving. The book demands that we realign our perspective. Buchanan tears down our facades and tells us to be so earthly minded that we are of some heavenly good.

I was inspired and convicted by the truths in these pages. Heaven is real...What a beautiful sight! And what a source of motivation for our lives here on earth.

Mr. Buchanan certainly has a gift with words. This was the first book I picked up by him, and I am blessed to have found it. He writes on such a personal level, bringing so much to light, clarification of scriptures at it's greatest. It was hard for me to put this book down. Mr. Buchanan has a lot of wonderful things to say, and I admit, I learned a lot from this book. I have since read another of his books, YOUR GOD IS TOO SAFE, and found that just as gripping and inspiring. This man was truly born to write about God and give others an understanding about our Lord God. God bless you and your family Mark. I thank God for your writing, writing that has given me a greater understanding.

This life is only temporary. There is a world beyond it, a better one, called Heaven, which we all long for deep in our spirits. That is the main message of this book.

No matter what faith you adhere to, there is the constant longing for more life, but also the longing to go beyond this one, for something more. We seek miracles and other things in endless quests to discover a piece of that in the here and now. Even as we dread death, we long for it, for passage beyond this life into eternity. With that in mind, we should reguard all that is here as temporary, therefore, both more and less important. It is more important because the things that are good are only momentary and can disappear with no warning, yet less important because they are so. Therefore, the painful, irratating, bad things are to be taken as just a brief trial that is refining us for the Kingdom of God.

Citing both the Bible and popular media, the author clarifies these and other points in an insightful, easy to understand book that will appeal to a broad range of readers. It is comforting, yet thought provoking and should make the essential library shelf of both Christians and philosophers of any faith.

This is a book that I wish I could convince everyone to read, especially my family members who do not have faith. I see the longing in their lives and wish they could understand where it comes from. If I could leave one message when I pass away, it would be for them to read this book and understand why I have the hope I have. Mark Buchanan explains the feelings in our hearts so eloquently. He puts answers to the questions we all have about life. Great work.

I can't believe there is only one review for this book.. and that I haven't reviewed it before now! I originally received this book by mistake.. but since, have purchased two more copies as gifts. This is one of the most incredibly moving, stirring, life and perspective altering books I have ever read.

Mark Buchanan's writing style, first of all, makes it a very easy read - like he is "talking" to you. But this book touched me so deeply. It gave me some sort of "confirmation" for the stirrings I felt inside. A sense of understanding of the spiritual focus I was taking. The funniest part is that I had this book on my shelf for about 4-5 years before I finally read it. Once I did, I started it and read it in a day and a half... I couldn't put it down. I truly felt like God put that book in my hands at the very moment I was meant to read it. It was incredible. When I was finished, I almost didn't want it to end... it was such a sense of revelation and comfort to me, that I wanted to wallow in it a while longer. So what did I do? I read it again! hehe I've read it several times actually and each time, grasping something new.

What I gleaned most from this book was what it means to be "Heaven Bent"... what I felt stirring in me and the longing I sometimes feel with no explanation... no real desire for something of this world - something I can't explain - yet something very real and deep seated within. When I read this book, I felt this incredible sense of "YES! That's it! That's what I feel.. that's what I sense! THAT'S IT!" :) It was an incredible sense of ... I don't even know the word - reassurance? Peace? Calm? Familiarity? I couldn't put my finger on it.. and still can't, but as I was turning those pages, I felt so reassured that the stirrings I've felt are a longing, literally, for Things Unseen.

You will not be disappointed in this book if you are a Christ follower and "Heaven Bent" .... it is an incredibly eye opening, life changing book. Thank you to Mark Buchanan for an absolutely incredible book!

The book is well written, very readable. The insights into what the Scriptures have to say on living life in true peace and joy, in spite of the bad, or even the good, things that may happen day in and day out has helped me to completely readjust my view of life, and my attitudes toward what happens to me. I am discovering the meaning of God's grace and how to exercise it toward myself and toward others, and to truly live in the light of an Eternity with my LORD and Savior. This book has really opened my eyes to what makes life worth living.

I recommend this book very highly for Christians who want to learn to see life in a different light, and for non-Christians who would like to know what true Christianity is all about - thank you, Mark, from the bottom of my heart.

EHF

I would definitely recommend this book to believers and non-believers--seekers, perhaps--alike. Mark has a way of explaining the unexplainable, shedding light and bringing new perspective to things unseen. He takes you on a quest, on a truth seeking journey. He asks impossible questions and then winds his way through shadowy mysteries to the truth of the matter. Incredible!

If you don't read this book, it is my opinion that you are missing out on a deeper understanding of life, death and heaven itself. Hidden in Plain Sight: The Secret of More

Thank you, Mr. Buchanan. This book has been a real blessing to me and made me think after reading parts of it, long into the next week and thereafter. You truly have a gift. I hope to see much more from you.

This is one of the more beautiful books I've read in the last few years. Over and again, it reminded me of favorite books from years past-- books by C.S. Lewis and Annie Dillard, for example, and St. Augustine's Confessions.

I'm reading this book mainly because I liked his first book "Your God is too Safe". I'm not sure that this book is as life-changing as the first one but it is quite good. I particularly have liked his discussion of Heaven as our "flag" to stir us to battle. Buchanan encourages us to become so "heavenly minded that we become earthly good." This is a good book for helping you to follow that quote.