Illinois State Library

General Information

Name:  Paul Egel  

Genre: Non-Fiction

Audience: Adult;

Born:

Signalman Publishing. 2011

"The Mushroom Farm" is offered as nourishment and inspiration for personal spiritual growth. Each carefully woven story in the book stands alone, and is intended to provide strength, solace, comfort and reinforcement, particularly to Christians, as they experience similar challenges and events in their own lives. The stories are based on the author's life experiences just as they happened and they are stories that have been used in the author's sermons for more than fifteen years. Each of Rev. Dolan's stories has been woven into Holy Scripture selected for that day. The cross referencing to scripture allows the reader the opportunity to explore their own stories in relation to God’s word. Through this sharing of experiences, the book’s purpose is to offer hope and strength in troubled times and enhance one’s joy in those special moments in life. The stories selected for the "Mushroom Farm" purposely follows Dolan's age in life. The stories travel through his early childhood in England and growing up in Llandaff, Wales. They continue through his life studying and working in London and ultimately his life here in the United States, taking taking the reader through 52 stories to the present day… The stories contain the experience of a growing awareness of the Holy Spirit from more than fifteen years preaching experience as a Deacon, the combined effect of these timelines is to reveal a "forward movement" in Dolan's ability to discern the Divine in his life. God is always present and available to us, but we as human beings have the opportunity for a growing discernment of that presence if, as Bishop Griswold describes it, "we just watch, listen and learn". After reading “The Mushroom Farm”, the reader will be able to relate these stories to their own spiritual journeys and be more sensitive to the presence of the Holy Spirit on their own journey through life...

Signalman Publishing. 2012

This book describes one man's life experiences as he struggled with anxiety and depression. The book describes the mental, physical but most importantly the power of the Holy Spirit that eventually enabled John to develop resilience, and thus led him into the sunlight of a full and meaningful life. Anxiety and depression have always been taboo in society. Frequently, the subjects cannot be touched with a "ten-foot pole", let alone be a subject for family discussion. Depression is seen as neither worthy of compassion nor understanding. For the author of this book, a familiar record plays. "Young man, depressed? Nonsense you have everything you need just buck up and face the world the way we all have to." The message in this book is one of hope and of love, but most of all it demonstrates what is possible when you place your life, unconditionally, in the hands of Jesus Christ.