Made for Love: Spiritual Reflection for Couples by Joy Cowley

In her introduction Joy Cowley talks of "love as the creative force of the universe, infinite and without boundaries".

Made For Love is a gender neutral book of spiritual reflections for all couples who live in faith and love.

Made for Love includes:

• Introduction: the author explains how the book came to be written
• Celebrating Love: the goodness/Godness of couple commitment
• Claiming Love: knowing love without fear, and finding strength in adversity.
• Honouring Love: the values that bring couples closer to each other and to God.
• Living Love: service is the fertility of love, and gift to the world.

The book is beautifully colour illustrated by top NZ design artist Miranda Brown.

Softback. 104pp.

MADE FOR LOVE ”“ by Joy Cowley ”“ REVIEW ”“ by James B Lyons

At first glance, ”˜beautiful' and ”˜powerful' may seem awkward together but they accurately describe Joy Cowley's latest book, Made For Love. Launched on 24 July at St Andrew's on The Terrace church in Wellington it was introduced by MP Grant Robertson as a book for our time and for all time. He lauded its inclusiveness. Made For Love certainly lifts “love” out of the restrictive limits of culture and social custom, giving it universal status. Subtitled, “Spiritual Reflection for Couples”, the book is a series of poetic conversations in which “love” is celebrated, claimed, honoured and lived. There is indeed a feeling throughout the book that loving and being loved are the cords that bind the entire creation which was made for love! There is beauty in Joy's inspiring words and in the imaginative illustrations of Miranda Brown. There is power in their combination providing a forceful platform from which the reader can leap into a space and time that elevates, encourages and affirms. Made For Love celebrates relationships. It speaks for every heart for it captures with remarkable clarity the language of love which, in Joy's words, has a myriad voices [see page 66]. This is more than a book. It is a glossary of life understood from within and presented in an art form that tells me I am truly known and very much loved. Pleroma Press NZ brings beauty and power together with 100 hope-filled pages. Publisher, Shirley Duthie, who plans to retire this year, says this will be her last publication. Like that special Cana wine, she has kept the best till last.