What causes faith to transform from an intellectual knowing about God to a passionate love story with God? Scott MacLellan asked this question as his daughter battled cancer and he looked for purpose in his family's suffering. He couldn't believe that God was uninterested, but he also rejected trite reassurances.

He finally found a satisfying answer in the three-step passage--based on the writings of Solomon--that Christian mystics identified as a path through pain to true spiritual devotion. In The Ancient Ladder, Scott helps us apply the wisdom of past centuries to our challenges today as we:

• Move through Proverbs (fearing the Lord) to Ecclesiastes (honoring the Lord) to Song of Solomon (loving the Lord).
• Journey from stale spirituality to a robust and meaningful faith that enriches our relationships, self-awareness, and enjoyment of God.
• See with fresh eyes the big picture of the Christian life.