Dr. Wes Tracy

Younger Than I Used to Be
Celebrating Maturity
by Dr. Wesley D. Tracy
aka Wes Tracy

This book is for more than those on the Cemetery Side of 70. It's for all of us whose children are grown and have at last a chance to breath and re-examine ourselves, our attitudes, and how we choose to live our own lives. That's right I said choose. When we were raising our kids, we had our priorities set for us. We had bosses and co-workers, teachers and babysitters, our loving and demanding children, and of course our parents to please. Now things have changed and society as a whole might like us to go away, stop cashing our Social Security checks, and stop clogging up the Healthcare system. But Wes Tracy is here to tell us: "You've reached the age when you can wave good-bye to parent-teacher conferences, second mortgages, and third jobs. But that's barely the beginning of the good news ahead."
Life lifting new freedoms and new spiritual insights await. New attitudes and opportunities beckon. As you discover your unique self, explore your best self, and treasure the image of God within, you will feel kick-up-your-heels younger. Dr. Wes Tracy helps you discover that you don't have to have all the answers, you don't have to live on the starvation diet of daily devotions, and you don't have to chase happiness anymore. Sometimes giving up hope is just right and making friends with failure is the proper "road less traveled." Of course, the senior stage of life is not a magical "golden age." But there are plenty of books out there that moan and groan about the "catastrophe" of aging. This book, however, emphasizes the blessed opportunities of this life stage.

While this book appears to be for and about Nazarenes from Phineas F. Bresee forward, the reader quickly finds this to be the most definitive and scholarly work available on organized religions, their core beliefs, similarities and schisms.

Starting with the Nazarene church Tracy and Ingersol branch out into the Nazarene's Closest Kin the Methodist and Holiness Churches.

Part III of the book discusses the Liturgical Churches (Eastern Orthodox Churches and The Roman Catholic Church). Part IV covers the Classical Protestant Churches from the first Protestants the Lutherans, to John Calvin and his in, the Presbyterian and Reformed Churches and the Catholic and Reformed Anglican Movement. Part V is about the Believers' Church Tradition which includes the Peace Churches (Anabaptists, Brethren and Quakers), the Baptists, and The Christian Church (aka the Disciples of Christ) Part VI covers the Pentecostal and Charismatic Churches, Part VII Uniting and Independent Churches and Organizations like the United Church of Canada, United Church of Christ, and Unitarian Universalist Association, Community Churches and Parachurch Organizations like Youth for Christ, Promise Keepers, and Focus on the Family.

One of the most colorful sections of the book is Part VIII The American Melting Pot of Religion which covers everything from Mormonism to Scientology and UFO Cults. Part IX wraps up with three chapters on the Non-Christian Religions, Judaism and Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism, and New Age Thought.

You might think from the outline presented that this is some pretty dry material, but remember Wes Tracy is one of the two authors of this book, and just like Tina Turner never does anything "nice n' easy", Tracy never does anything dry n' boring. In the section on Methodism we learn about the history of African Methodism in American, its merger with the Episcopal Church and that the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church actively opposed slavery and claimed as members Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman.

In the section of Easter Orthodoxy we learn "More martyrs have died for their faith in the 20th Century than in all preceding ones. Most Christians dying for their faith in this century have been victims of Communism."

This book is available at the Nazarene Publishing House Site (Click on the larger image of the book) and at Amazon.com (Curiously, you can get it cheaper at Amazon)

This site has a religious flavor because, I've had a religious upbringing. As a matter of fact by the time I was 18, I had heard about 2000 sermons. You can't do something that much and not form opinions. In my opinion there are about a half a dozen truly great preachers of sermons. However for me there is only one best preacher. I wish I could give each of you the experience of being ministered to by the best preacher I've ever had the privilege of hearing. I can't do that, but the best preacher of this century has written a book or two, more like twenty, but my favorite is a book of his more colorful sermons entitled, What's a Nice God Like You Doing in a Place Like This? God's word comes alive in this book, and His nature is revealed. It's a quick, humorous, and easy read. The women in Christ's genealogy take a front seat, even the ones of ill-repute. You'll crack up when Tracy has Old Testament figures, enjoying a frosty Dr. Pepper while lounging at the Springs in Hebron. There's lots to learn here and Tracy makes it fun. If you've heard Dr. Tracy speak or have had the pleasure of attending one of his College or Seminary courses, you may enjoy a visit with some old friends, as these are some of Dr. Tracy's "lollipop" sermons. Even old or well-known themes are shown in a new light. I guarantee you'll be touched and encouraged by this book, which is available at Amazon.com.