An intellectually stimulating, profoundly inspiring anthology, wherein 60 authors reveal their own spiritual journeys and examine timeless problems of significance.

This memoir focuses on an experience all of us dread. Pat Lotz was an accomplished author and editor, active in her community, and a loving wife and mother. She succumbed to dementia which was later diagnosed as Alzheimer's at the age of 81. Jim Lotz, her husband, and himself the author of more than 20 books, became her primary caregiver and spent six years in this role before her death in 2012. Growing numbers of people are falling victim to dementia, and the condition challenges health care professionals and the health care system because there is no cure or treatment. Many people unexpectedly find themselves in the same role as Jim -- caregiver -- because they don't want to see their loved ones institutionalized before it is necessary. But caring for someone suffering from dementia is enormously challenging, and there are very few places to look for useful information and guidance. Jim's experiences offer insight, understanding, and hope for others facing the same situation. The past is often key to understanding the present for someone caring for a person with dementia. A caregiver who has shared a life is often able to understand what others could hardly guess at. Time and again in Jim's narrative, he is able to bring the perspective of his knowledge of Pat, her values, her loves, her fears, and her life experiences to shed a light that makes her words and actions more understandable. For many, the best approach to coming to grips with dementia has been through the worlds of literature and film. To these resources we can now add Jim Lotz's moving and compelling account of his life with his wife Pat before -- and after -- the onset of her dementia. In Pilgrim Souls, Jim has written a clear-eyed, emotionally honest and tremendously moving love story.

The renowned author of eight books and abbess of the online retreat center Abbey of the Arts, Christine Valters Paintner takes readers on a new kind of pilgrimage: an inner journey to discover the heart of God. Eight stages of the pilgrim's way--from hearing the call to coming home--are accompanied by scripture stories of great biblical journeys and the author's unique and creative practices of prayer, writing, and photography. As she did in The Artist's Rule and Eyes of the Heart, Christine Valters Paintner once again helps readers travel to the frontiers of their souls to discover the hidden presence of God. In The Soul of a Pilgrim, Paintner identifies eight stages of the pilgrim's way and shows how to follow these steps to make an intentional, transformative journey to the reader's inner "wild edges." Each phase of the exploration requires a distinct practice such as packing lightly, being uncomfortable, or embracing the unknown. Paintner shows how to cultivate attentiveness to the divine through deep listening, patience, and opening oneself to the gifts that arise in the midst of discomfort. Each of the eight chapters offers reflections on the themes, a scripture story, an invitation to the practice of lectio divina, and a creative exploration through photography and writing.

A journey full of lost souls, gravity defying landscapes, and creatures that stretch the ability of the human imagination await. Simon Floyd, a man whose story on earth is ending, is about to discover firsthand all that the human spirit can conjure. Simon is given a second chance, and though he does not know it, he is about to embark upon an adventure that has the ability to reshape the universe. In his first published novel, author Samuel Kane crafts a new and intricate world that is both familiar and foreign. A world complete with historical figures, fantastical creatures, and an inter-dimensional logic that Simon must learn to navigate if he is to have any chance at redemption.  The Pilgrim’s soul is an imaginative romp into the human psyche, transporting readers into a place and time of eternal possibilities. Anyone who has contemplated the afterlife will find something to love in this book.

You can only go so far for so long before you find the limits of yourself. For Phileena Heuertz that moment arrived, mercifully, around the same time as a sabbatical to mark her twelfth year of service with Word Made Flesh, a ministry to some of the poorest people in the world. With six months' respite from the daily task of serving those who have nothing, Phileena rediscovered the genius of contemplative spirituality. Activists often see contemplation as a luxury, the sort of thing that must necessarily be laid aside in the quest to see the world set aright. But in Pilgrimage of a Soul we see that contemplation is essential--not only to a life of sustained commitment to the justice and righteousness of God, but to the growth in faith and discipleship that the Holy Spirit beckons each of us to. Tracing seven movements from a kind of sleepfulness to a kind of wakefulness, Heuertz shows us that life is a journey that repeats itself as we are led by Christ deeper and deeper into our true selves and a truer knowledge of God.

1.“Divine Threads”: A tale of interconnected lives, where faith weaves a tapestry of hope. 2.“The Sacred Cipher”: Unravel the ancient symbols that hold the key to a hidden truth. 3.“Chalice of Miracles”: A quest for a mystical vessel that can heal hearts and souls. 4.“Whispers from the Sanctuary”: Secrets shared among the hallowed walls of a forgotten chapel. 5.“The Pilgrim’s Labyrinth”: Journey alongside a seeker as they navigate the twists of faith. 6.“Soulbound Scrolls”: An ancient manuscript reveals forgotten wisdom and eternal bonds. 7.“The Oracle’s Veil”: A seer’s visions blur the line between prophecy and reality. 8.“Eternal Ember”: A flame that burns across generations, igniting faith and courage. 9.“The Icon’s Tears”: A weeping statue holds a message of redemption for those who listen. 10“Harmony of Saints”: A choir of diverse souls harmonizing in their devotion.

“Wandering, one gathers honey,” observes the Aitareya Brahmana. In this spirit Ravi Ravindra, renowned for his integration of physics and comparative religions, explores the heart of Buddhism, Christianity, and Hinduism to define a universal spiritual path that transcends any tradition. People with a pilgrim soul, he says, are open to a freedom from all that is known. They seek to practice mindfulness in each moment, so that washing the dishes or emptying the garbage becomes a sacred act; they seek to enter the dimension of eternity, realizing that the eternal is always present, right here, right now. Wisdom is the ability to act freshly in time while being anchored in eternity, says Ravindra. This deceptively simple small volume contains a wealth of wisdom for living that way.