Borrowed Vessels By Gary Brothers Borrowed Vessels: The Hidden Power of Relationships by Gary Brothers, Pure Word Communications, 2001.  Author Gary Brothers takes the 2 Kings 4:1-7 passage of the woman who comes to Elisha in desperate need and makes beautiful, practical music to our ears and eyes. The woman’s husband has died and she fears for her two sons. Elisha instructs her to go borrow vessels from everywhere and fill them. She does so and fills all the vessels, and then the oil ceases. Here’s where the beauty comes in. Brothers makes comparisons with this great story to illustrate the value of our relationships in our lives. The more we have of them the more the blessing that flows from them. When they stop, so do the blessings. He writes in plain, unmistakable English of the five warning signs of unhealthy relationships: unequally yoking, no respect for life’s calling, deceptive communication, destruction, and celebration of failure. Brothers goes on to write of the five attributes of healthy relationships. Honesty, trust, commitment, forgiveness, and love go the distance in building healthy relationships. Friends of all stripes demonstrate these attributes. One of the greatest parts of the book is the author’s encouragement to be open to new relationships. Ceasing to add new friends stifles one’s growth spiritually and otherwise. To increase is good and Brothers makes that so appealing. God’s friend is something we all want to be. “Relationships with God and with other people are the most valuable treasures that God has given us,” says Brothers. “That truth changed my life.” Think of the song I Am a Friend of God. Who would not want to be called a “friend of God”? You will not be disappointed with your reading of Borrowed Vessels.