AuthorsBookshop.com: Make a Joyful Noise

ReaderViews by Cherie Fisher:

Make a Joyful Noise: Searching for a Spiritual Path in a Material World
Chariss K. Walker
iUniverse (2008)
ISBN 9780595481194

Reviewed by Cherie Fisher for Reader Views (8/08)
Are you one of those people who are thinking about living a more spiritual life but do not know how to go about it? Then this book is definitely for you. A person new to the spiritual path as well as a person already well into their journey would benefit from reading this book. The author knows the topic well as she has spent the last thirty years studying the subject.

The author, Chariss K. Walker, truly understands that we are spiritual beings having a human experience. God wants to give us what we want but it is our humanness that often precludes us from asking the right way for something or understanding God s response when it is given.

The first section of the book lays the foundation of spirituality by exploring what spiritual laws really are.

The second section of the book delves into the different spiritual laws. These fourteen laws include the laws of oneness, vibration, attraction, action and very importantly the law of forgiveness. It is very important to read and understand all of the laws as they build upon each other.

The third section explores how to put the spiritual laws into practice. This can be done through prayer, meditation, thanksgiving and visualization to name just a few. A combination of these practices will also strengthen what you are looking to accomplish.

Chapter Thirty was particularly valuable as it discusses how this information can be beneficial to you.

I really enjoyed every aspect of this book. The author�s approach was easy to read and comprehend; it drew me in from the first page to the very end. The quotes and affirmations used were inspiring and relevant to the topic at hand. Make a Joyful Noise� by Chariss K. Walker is an excellent resource for anyone who is on the spiritual path or contemplating it.

The Kirkus Review:

Incorporating mystic concepts from various world religions with Christianity, this book offers inspiration for Christians seeking happiness and spiritual growth. In a friendly, conversational tone, Walker presents the concept of spiritual laws� divine edicts governing the universe that exist in every religion, culture and society. Understanding and utilizing these laws, the author promises, will help readers achieve their goals and fulfill God�s higher purpose. Interspersed with biblical references, modern-day parables, positive affirmations and quotations from famous historical figures, the book explains the usefulness of spiritual laws in personal endeavors, and how they lead to a meaningful life. The book takes a feel-good stance, placing great emphasis on loving oneself, reexamining one�s life goals and the importance of a positive attitude...The third portion of the book, a �toolkit� for spiritual growth, gives details on practicing the spiritual laws, covering such metaphysical topics as reiki, shamanism, angels, auras, dream interpretation, meditation and the power of prayer ...
~~ The Kirkus Review

Rebecca Johnson of SeasonedwithLove.com:

What I liked most about this book is the way it is written. While reading it is as if you are having a conversation with a trusted friend or advisor. In each chapter you may also discover something about yourself. What are your motivations when you make a request in prayer? I had never thought about the motivations behind the request but now that I understand how to pray more effectively I will definitely use the new information to see my prayers answered in new ways. There is also a great discussion about how your spoken words and thoughts can powerfully affect your life for the better. Your thoughts literally become your reality. This book will not only put you on a more spiritual path, it will help you realize your dreams.
~~ The Rebecca Review -- Amazon.com

TheBookReview.com:

Chariss Walker's new book, Make a Joyful Noise , is aptly described in the subtitle: Searching for a Spiritual Path in a Material World: A Book of Hope. Ms. Walker's goal is clearly to help individuals sail a straighter course through today's seas of spiritual confusion and improve their lives. While Make a Joyful Noise has a very strong Deist and Christian focus and relies heavily upon biblical wisdom and direction, Walker does make an effort to be as inclusive as possible within those parameters, and stresses at several points in the text the need to respect the faith of others. As it says on the jacket: "Chariss Walker uses liberal Biblical references to explain Spiritual Laws, their relevance in your life and how to put them into practical use without destroying your present convictions." She is also spiritually eclectic in her selection of fine quotes throughout the book, including for example, snippets of Zen Buddhist wisdom, and a quote from the Bhagavad-Gita.

Distilling the wisdom of the ages into an easy to understand self-help book on spiritual growth is an extraordinarily ambitious task, and that makes it interesting to see how she goes about it. And Ms. Walker does take an interesting approach, marshaling her personal beliefs to shape and buttress the text, but also striving to be inclusive and allow for some imaginative flexibility as she strives to create a book which will appeal to those whose faiths may differ subtly or substantially from her own.

She proceeds toward by this goal by identifying herself and her prospective readers as "seekers," and by laying out a series of Spiritual Laws which each seeker is invited to follow. These laws, each encompassing a mini-chapter, include the laws of Oneness, Vibration, Attraction, Polarity, Action, Rhythm, Cause and Effect, Asking and Receiving, Increase, Compensation, Transmutation, Relativity, Reciprocation, and Forgiveness. These laws, she believes, are anchored in science and natural law as well as God's will. The laws are supplemented with examples from real life and a large number of intriguing quotes. After describing the laws and the principles behind them, she provides seekers with a toolkit for moving forward. The tools include: Prayer, Meditation, Thanksgiving, Praise, Affirmations, Visualization, Dreams, Miracles, Light of The World, and Angels.

This book is worth reading just for the rich treasury of quotes it contains. In addition to many passages from the Bible, Ms. Walker cites diverse religious texts as well as a huge array of quotes from an amazing assortment of individuals, including: Aristotle, James Baldwin, Maya Angelou, Albert Einstein, Muhammad Ali, Billy Graham and Pliny the Elder. Joyful Noise concludes with two appendices: one containing a glossary of terms and one containing a list of recommended reading. Finally a set of endnotes provides a profusion of web links for those who would like to pursue some of these topics on the internet.

Individuals, especially Christians, interested in seeking a clearer path to spiritual growth are sure to enjoy this thoughtful and serious book.
~~ TheBookReview.com

Lightword Publishing:

Subject: An insigthful work illuminating the confusion surrounding God and different religions, and how these contradictions can be reconciled without sacrificing current convictions. Biblical passages are aligned with Spiritual Laws. The methodology is to provide a syngery of fresh insight allowing for life enhancing practical application in everyday living. Noteworthy: The book explains the necessary steps to take for understanding Spiritual Laws. Next, readers are privy to an intelligent, understandable explanation of 14 laws. Part three explains how to apply these laws to create a more rewarding life. The work is rare and noteworthy in that it explains deep principals in a way anyone can understand, and apply to "Make Your Own Joyful Noise."
~~ Lightword Publishing

Sandie Kirkland of RebeccasReads.com:

Chariss Walker has written a book to give hope and help to individuals facing various life issues, through a Christian filter. She divides the book into three sections. The first section is titled Understanding Spiritual Laws. In this section, Ms. Walker tells her story and how she came to believe in these ideas. She talks about concepts such as how we come to understand truth, that we are led to those who can help when we are ready for such help. She discusses the power of words, and how having the right attitude can change the way a life unfolds.

The second section is titled The Spiritual Laws. Ms. Walker devotes a chapter to the following laws: The Law of Oneness, The Law of Vibration, The Law Of Attraction, The Law of Polarity, the Law Of Action, The Law of Rhythm, The Law of Cause and Effect, The Law of Asking and Receiving, The Law Of Increase, The Law of Compensation, The Law of Transmutation, The Law Of Relativity, The Law of Reciprocation and The Law of Forgiveness. Each law is interpreted through the filter of Christian concepts, and Bible verses are used throughout to illustrate the principals. Each chapter ends with various affirmations the reader can use when practicing the law.

The last section is titled Putting Spiritual Laws Into Practice. It covers topics such as prayer, meditation, thanksgiving, praise, affirmations, visualization, dreams, miracles, light of the world, and angels. The same format is used; each topic is explained with either a short parable or Bible verses or both. I found the indexing of angels into various groups very interesting. The book ends with recommended reading and a glossary of terms.

The audience for this book would be either a reader who is interested in the Christian faith, or one who is searching for answers to make sense of their life. Readers in those categories will find this book informative and helpful.

Midwest Book Review:

With so many ancient manuscripts, some of which contradict, how can one really understand what God wants? "Make a Joyful Noise: Searching for a Spiritual Path in a Material World A Book of Hope" seeks to explain the will of God seeks to explain the spiritual laws to help readers come up with their own ideas about what God wants and to find their own happiness through these methods. A fresh message of spirituality, "Make a Joyful Noise" is definitely worth a read.