Description of Books
Beyond the Dead End:
Letters to My Father
A Memoir by Mary Ylvisaker Nilsen
298 pages, $13.95
ISBN 978-145637991
In her memoir Mary Ylvisaker Nilsen reaches out to her father, who died when she was six. Through story-filled letters, she begins, little by little, confiding in him, telling him of her yearning and rebellion, her faith journey and call, her doubts and hopes.
You will find yourself in tears of laughter and sorrow, as you journey with Mary from age 6 to 70, beyond the dead end of her childhood street and the dead ends of her life. You will see through Nilsen's eyes the wisdom of asking tough questions of God and wrestling with others' easy answers. You will struggle with her through problems of parenting, marriage and vocation, as she gains resilience and finds meaning and joy in the ordinary and the extraordinary. Finally, you will find inspiration as you seek life beyond your own dead ends.
Can be ordered at Amazon.com
Bookstore or bulk order rates are available.
Price: $13.95 plus tax and shipping/handling
Sample page November 2 So life came to mean nothing to me, because everything in it had brought me nothing but trouble. It had all been useless; I had been chasing the wind. Ecclesiastes 2:17 When we find our souls filled with frustration and rage over the uselessness of our lives, when all effort seems hopeless and all struggle in vain, when we yearn for purpose and meaning, then we know that we have not yet laid claim to our calling. We all have been summoned to a vocation, a calling, a task in this world for which we are uniquely qualified. Sometimes that vocation is what we do to earn a living. Often it is not. The call is from God, who needs us to be passionately engaged with the world, working to bring healing and wholeness to all creation. Our call resonates deep within us, interweaving with our gifts and talents in a way that creatively empowers us. We have no road maps, no guides, only a call. When we hear that call and respond with a hesitant but faithful yes, then rage and frustration fade, and hope can grow. May we hear and respond to our calling. |
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Nude Truths: An Odyssey in Poetry, Painting, and Prose Kristi Ylvisaker and Mary Ylvisaker Nilsen 28 pages, full color ISBN: 978-0-9627147-5-7 Featured in this book are the 24 paintings created by sisters Kristi Ylvisaker (artist) and Mary Ylvisaker Nilsen (prose writer) based on the poetry of Denise Levertov. The colors in the cycle move from white and light creams through dense, dark colors and out into ethereal blues and cool lights. Similarly, the thought progression of prose and poetry moves from innocence to awe and in between struggles with the illusive quality of peace in our world and peace within ourselves. The intensity of color combined with tight and powerful thoughts inspires viewers to explore their own unique responses, thus continuing the flow of creative energy. Artist Kristi Ylvisaker (1942-2010) did her graduate work in painting at the University of Iowa and studied at the New York Studio School during the late '60s. She lived in Norway for more than thirty years. Ylvisaker was a member of the Norwegian Organization of Professional Artists and was widely commissioned and exhibited. Nude Truths was her third exhibit to travel to the United States. To visit Kristi Ylvisaker's website, click here. Price: $15.95 + $3.99 shipping and handling |
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In the Hollow of God's Hand Roy C. Nilsen 224 pages, $12.95 ISBN 0-9627147-2-0 In the Hollow of God's Hand is a moving collection of funeral sermons preached by Roy C. Nilsen during his forty years of ordained ministry in the Lutheran Church. In each sermon, Nilsen introduces us to a real person. An ordinary person. A mother, father, daughter, son, friend, coworker, neighbor. A sinner and saint all rolled into one. On every page we meet a beloved child of God, from the gardener to the fisherman, from the five-year-old girl to the ninety-year-old jazzman. These ordinary, extraordinary children of God were all asked to walk through death's door - some suddenly, some painfully, some much too soon. And they did. Fearfully, tearfully, peacefully, courageously, they did. And in their stories, the reader discovers the God whom Nilsen has come to know so well - a God who sees holiness in the most simple or salty of lives; a God whose mercy is wider than our wildest imaginations; a God who is for us, not against us; a God who brings hope in our darkest hour. In this collection, Nilsen gently invites us to contemplate our own mortality and discover what those who have gone before already know. Death will come as surely as evening follows morning. But be not afraid. For in life and in death, from womb to open tomb, we are held safe and secure in the hollow of God's hand. |
Single orders of this book can also be purchased online at: Amazon.com
Price: $12.95 + shipping and handling
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The Blessing of Feelings Text by Erika Nilsen Photography by Mary Ylvisaker Nilsen 32 pages, hard cover. Size: 8 1/2 X 7 Designed for ages 3-8 ISBN 978-0-9627147-4-0 This intriguing collection of black and white photographs captures a wide range of feelings that come and go. Children, relating to the faces and the corresponding emotions in each picture, will easily engage in conversation about what situations might cause that feeling and how it can be handled in a healthy manner. The book is based on the premise that a feeling is neither good nor bad, right nor wrong, it just is. After honestly naming that feeling, children can learn to move through it in a constructive way. Written by Pastor Erika Nilsen, with photographs taken by her mother Mary Ylvisaker Nilsen, this book is an indispensable tool for parents and others working with young children. It will help those children understand their wonderful and sometimes painful and complicated world of feelings. Single copies of this book can be ordered at: Amazon.com Retail Price: $10.95 + 3.99 postage and handling |
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For Everything A Season: 75 Blessings for Daily Life By the Nilsen Family Size: 10 X 8 inches, 96 pages ISBN 0-9627147-1-2 This collection, an invaluable resource for pastors, parish nurses, and parents, helps in the spiritual formation of both adults and children. Simple instructions guide people in calling upon God's presence and blessing during ordinary and extra-ordinary times, including blessings for adolescent or mid-life body changes, getting a driver's license, struggles with infertility, closure when leaving a congregation or group. Divided into seasons of the day, the year, our lives, our relationships, Christian life, and the church year, the 75 blessing rituals transform ordinary events into sacred time. By using the blessings in this book, people will... • Discover the power of Christian blessing rituals in their lives. • Transform ordinary and out of the ordinary events into sacred moments. • Deepen their sense of God's presence in daily life. • Attend to their own faith formation and that of children. |
How do these Blessings work?
Simple instructions guide people in calling upon God's presence and blessing for:
Seasons of the day - 3 blessings for cradling the day in grace from morning to night.
Seasons of the Year - 13 blessings for those holidays we celebrate from New Year's Eve to Thanksgiving.
Seasons of Our Lives - 25 blessings for predictable life events: getting a driver's license or a new pet, leaving home, times of muddling through...
Seasons of Our Relationships - 17 blessings to lift up the joys and challenges we face in relationships: friendships, reunions, blended family, forgiveness and reconciliation, anniversary of a death...
Seasons of the Christian Life - 11 blessings to enhance Christian events: baptismal anniversaries, the discovery of spiritual gifts, leaving a congregation...
Seasons of the Church Year - 6 blessings for Advent through Pentecost.
Orders of this book are handled by:
Vibrant Faith Ministries:
Call 952-405-7300
"As a parent and a leader in the church, I am continually looking for tools to help both my family and other families take the moments of our daily lives and connect them with our spiritual journey. For Everything A Season is an answer to prayer for those who join me in this search. The Nilsen family has crafted 75 blessing rituals for transforming ordinary events into sacred time. This resource is a must for pastors, lay leaders and parents of all ages."
Terri Elton, Director of Changing Church
"Inside you'll find blessings for birthdays, the new school year, and the changing of the seasons. You'll find blessings for adolescent body changes, getting a driver's license, graduations, a new home, a new pet or the death of a pet. Ever wonder what to do for an ill friend of family member? Bless them! Try blessing an important conversation before you begin -- it could be good for business. There is even a blessing for protection against evil. We all could use that. Anyone who uses this book will unleash the power of blessings in their life. May you be so blessed!"
A reader from a midwestern city
