A laugh-filled, fictional daily chronicle of family and church exploits features Adrian Plass's literary alter ego and a memorable cast of supporting characters.
The Shadow Doctor isn't your usual kind of doctor. Sure, you can bring him your problems - but the chances are his solutions will blow your mind. This man can see into your soul, and the cures he prescribes don't come from the pharmacy. If you have fears you just cannot face, wounds you can't even bear to remember - if you've been abused, ignored, damaged by all life throws at you - the Shadow Doctor is here to help. But the Shadow Doctor has shades of his own, and the work of helping others may be the only thing keeping him afloat. Can he stay ahead of the demons that torment him long enough to help those who need him?
Confronting his inner zealot with his weakness for the bacon sandwich, writer Adrian Plass comes through with a "humorous antidote" for the Pharisee in us all.
When David Herrick receives an invitation to a reunion from a long forgotten acquaintance, his first reaction is to refuse. After all, he hasn't seen Jenny, Peter or the others since they were all a part of the same youth group two decades ago. Moreover, he isn't feeling very sociable since his wife Jessica died six months ago. But the invitation comes from Angela, one of his wife's oldest friends—and mysteriously, she has something for him from his beloved Jessica. Reluctant but curious, he makes his plans to visit Headly ManorWhen the friends gather, they no longer resemble the fresh-faced group of twenty years ago. Each member bears the weight of their own burden. One has been deserted by her husband, another has lost his faith and another is filled with anger and bile. Life hasn't been the sugar-coated existence they might have hoped for. As they have less than forty-eight hours with each other, they decide to be vulnerable and share their greatest fears, Will they have the courage to bare their souls? And if they do, how will such revelations be received? Will they find a way to lift each other up or will their burdens be too much to bear? This poignant, moving and sometimes disturbing story blends Adrian Plass' rich style of humor with his knack for addressing the deep issues we all face, such as faith, grief, love...and fear.
In this second diary, the fictional character Plass is in demand as a public speaker which demands a new diary revealing what has happened to the outrageous Gerald, the joyless Flushpools, incompetent Leonard, the long-suffering Anne and the other well-known characters.
Why did Jesus weep at the tomb of Lazarus when he knew his friend was about to be raised to life? Why was it all right for Zacchaeus to give away part of his wealth while the rich young man had to give it all? What about that extraordinary passage in Genesis about angels marrying the daughters of men? Although not offering easy answers, Adrian Plass opens up over 40 blind spots, asking searching questions and responding from his own vulnerable honesty.
A book which takes a wry look at faith and its self-inflicted problems from the pleasurable but insecure viewpoint of an inflated bouncy castle at a children's fairground. The author tells of his own bounces and his belief that God still loves and catches people each time they bounce and fall.