Glory Land

By Lyn Cryderman

Book Overview

As a child, Lyn Cryderman saw few advantages to growing up as the preacher's son. He couldn't play basketball or watch TV on Sunday, and God forbid he should squirm or fight with his brothers in... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0310224543
• ISBN13: 9780310224549
• Release Date: May 1999
• Publisher: Zondervan
• Length: 176 Pages
• Weight: 0.74 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.3" x 0.8" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

I felt the story of GLORY LAND was my story, too.

Rarely has such a small book carried such a big surprise for me. GLORY LAND captures every Baby Boomer's heart IF they grew up churched. While the geography and names were different, Lyn Cryderman's story was my story, too. His memoirs served to reactivate my own memories of growing up in the turbulent, radical sixties as one of those "good kids" in church. The graphic recollections and honest, sometimes humorous admissions embrace the reader and then lead the reader to a heart-melting conclusion. GLORY LAND redeemed all the embarrassment, shame, and even the irritating feelings I had about my conservative, religious upbringing. GLORY LAND, while one person's story, becomes all the readers' stories. The author, then, stuns us with the gracious fact that we actually grew up in the Greatest Story of all--God's story. And the ending to that story...hey! it's awesome!

Garrison Keillor Meets Adrian Plass

Blending Heartland humor with tongue-in-church-cheek persiflage, "Glory Land" has solved a profound mystery for me. Each Sunday as our eight-year-old Preacher's Kid wiggles in a front row pew, I wonder if she sees church life differently than those of us who volunteered to come. Rather than remain pew bound, this child sinks to her knees with her back to her father. Using pew seat as writing desk, her stylus fills a magic silver slate. As my middle aged vibrato breaks in mid-hymnody, she looks up from her work and stares me down with a toothless grin. Then her eyes drop back down and she scribbles furiously. Thanks to Lyn Cryderman, I now know what she is doing. She is writing a book like "Glory Land." Growing up in a similar pew, Cryderman had his sights set on all us church mice. His sacred diary is a warm and playful one. The mere mortals he describes make a congregation into a community and a church far more than mortar and bricks. Pastoral families can take heart that a PK can come away from childhood with an unquenchable passion to be part of a local family of faith. This is a great read for those who find Sunday morning worship the high point of their week.

Made to feel grateful for "a lifetime in church"

I am about the same age as the author, grew up in the same denomination he did, experienced church much the same as he did, attended the same Christian college at the same time he was there, went to the same church across the street from the college, and know many of the same people he writes about. Yet until reading his book I have taken for granted how much that same background means to me. Even though a minister I have always had sort of a love-hate relationship with "the church." But while reading the last chapter--in my opinion the best in the book--I cried, and then upon finishing it, literally dropped to me knees and thanked God for the privilege of "a lifetime in church." Thanks, Lyn. See you in Glory Land!

A Wonderful Trip

While reading "Glory Land" I was taken on a wonderful trip to a wonderful place that I haven't been to in a long, long time. Thank you Lyn Cryderman for making me cry, laugh out loud, and seriously consider those who, during the course of my life, have been instrumental in helping me find my way to the cross. Praise the Lord.