A life filled with blessing is already within your reach. With ever-increasing pressures building in our lives, we often slip into believing that the world is a burdensome place. As a result, our souls tighten, our hearts become dull, and our joy slowly drains away. Yet it doesn’t have to be this way. Through penetrating reflections and practical tips for uncovering the blessed wonder in our lives—even in trying circumstances—Jay Marshall shows you how to recapture the goodness, holiness and abundance that saturate our world. The secret lies in opening yourself to divine blessings, which inspires thankfulness, and responding by sharing that spirit with others in acts of thanking and blessing. Practices that will change your perspective, and your life, include: Expectant Waiting—slowing down to perceive the presence of the Divine within you Sacramental Living—experiencing the Sacred in every situation Walking Cheerfully—cultivating a positive disposition Answering that of God” in Others—elevating everyday interactions to the realm of spiritual discovery Whatever your spiritual tradition, this thoughtful book will help you rediscover your profound connection to God, to others and to the world.

With ever-increasing pressures building in our lives, we often slip into believing that the world is a burdensome place. As a result, our souls tighten, our hearts become dull, and our joy slowly drains away. Yet it doesn't have to be this way. Through penetrating reflections and practical tips for uncovering the blessed wonder in our lives-even in trying circumstances-Jay Marshall shows you how to recapture the goodness, holiness and abundance that saturate our world. The secret lies in opening yourself to divine blessings, which inspires thankfulness, and responding by sharing that spirit with others in acts of thanking and blessing. Practices that will change your perspective, and your life, include: Expectant Waiting-slowing down to perceive the presence of the Divine within you, Sacramental Living-experiencing the Sacred in every situation, Walking Cheerfully-cultivating a positive disposition, "Answering that of God" in Others-elevating everyday interactions to the realm of spiritual discovery. Whatever your spiritual tradition, this thoughtful book will help you rediscover your profound connection to God, to others and to the world. Book jacket.

Practical tips and inspiring thoughts for living a life of abundance and spirit-filled generosity. Giving of your resources is a profound act that can change your life and the lives of those around you. With gentleness and wisdom, this practical guide outlines the ways in which cultivating a lifestyle of generosity can be a source of personal transformation, spiritual renewal and deep joy. You will learn about: Giving as Worship—how the major faith traditions offer reverence through giving Giving as Stewardship—managing resources for maximum benefit Giving as Charity—providing for others out of a sense of compassion Giving as Justice—creating righteous equality in our world

Dare to Take Ownership of the Wildness and Wonder of Your Truest Self “Nature is there for you, waiting to reflect your deepest self back to you and to teach you the Creator’s wisdom. A step into nature’s embrace is always a step into a richer, fuller life. The door is wide open; come on out!” —from “Beginning” This book is your invitation to experience the life-energizing process of reclaiming your spiritual roots through nature—be it your backyard or the wilds of the forest. Nancy Barrett Chickerneo, a twenty-year veteran leading women’s retreats, guides you on a journey into nature to reconnect with your senses—what you see, hear, touch, taste and smell—in order to reactivate your ability for personal discovery. Combining creativity, playfulness and spiritual depth, she poses eight life-changing questions that help you explore ways to awaken, transform and nurture your spirit. Practical exercises for individual or group use encourage you to let go of self-judgment and seek balance in your everyday life, empowering you to find your own path to spiritual growth. Whether you have picked up this book out of curiosity, longing—even skepticism—you will be inspired to get out there into nature to reclaim the person you were created to be.

Challenge our common images of God by blowing the lid off conventional God-descriptors. “We do not have to let go of one sense of God to take up another. Neither do we need to go about challenging old metaphors. What is crucial is to find a metaphor—or two, or six—that creatively point toward what we believe.” —from Chapter 1 Let Carolyn Jane Bohler inspire you to consider a wide range of images of God in order to refine how you imagine God to have and use power, and how God wills and makes divine will happen—or not. By tapping into your God-given ability to re-imagine God, you will have a better understanding of your own beliefs and how you, God, and the world relate to each other. Wonderfully fresh and down to earth, Bohler uses playful images, moving stories, and solid scholarship to empower you to break free of old habits and assumptions, whatever your faith tradition. She encourages you to explore new names for God that are not only more consistent with what you believe, but will also deepen and expand your experience of God. Think about... God the Choreographer of Chaos God the Nursing Mother God the Jazz Band Leader God the Divine Blacksmith God the Divine Physical Therapist God the Team Transformer ... and more

For centuries, Christians of different traditions and seekers from various backgrounds have found strength for their spiritual journey in The Book of Common Prayer (BCP). First composed in 1549 by Thomas Cranmer, Henry VIII's Archbishop of Canterbury, the BCP, alongside Shakespeare's works and the King James Bible, helped shape the English language. Today over seventy-five million Anglican Christians throughout the world use the BCP in public worship, and countless people Anglican and otherwise use it in their private devotional life. In this unique presentation of selections organized by themes such as "Belonging in God's Family," "Blessing in Times of Joy and Pain" and "Learning from Our Past" with facing-page commentary, C. K. Robertson offers fascinating insights into the history and heritage of the BCP. He also makes available the riches of this spiritual treasure chest for all who are interested in deepening their life of prayer, building stronger relationsh

Maybe you're praying and you don't even know it. In this unique and encouraging guide to prayer, Kent Ira Groff, a longtime retreat leader and inspiring writer-poet, explores how to engage in spirituality that blesses your soul--and the world. Whether you're advanced or just starting on your spiritual path, this practical prayer path breaker will lure you in with its novel combination of touching, real-life stories, pithy thoughts and inspiring prayer practices. For those turned off by shopworn religious language, it offers innovative ways to pray in four metaphorical movements that parallel both Native American traditions and Ignatian spirituality: East--Morning / Prayer as Awareness Waking up to reality--opening South--Noon / Prayer as Empowerment Embracing your dreams and possibilities--expanding West--Afternoon / Prayer as Relinquishment Letting go of attachments--emptying North--Night / Prayer as Paradox Uniting the opposites of life--integrating Prayer practices for each of the four "movements" provide for personal and group enrichment at home and work, in formal programs and informal friendships. They interweave the author's own experience to say: "This is honest to God spirituality and I'm seeing myself."

Josef Pieper claims, "The ultimate fulfillment, the absolute meaningful activity, the most perfect expression of being alive, the deepest satisfaction, and the fullest achievement of human existence must needs happen in an instance of beholding." He adds, "A particularly venerable form, particularly neglected as well, is religious meditation, the contemplative immersion of the self into the divine mysteries."But, we say, our attention spans are but seconds. We live in a fast paced world. It's static. There's noise pollution. How can we ever foster an attitude of contemplation? We close our eyes during the homilies, determined to listen without much gain. We kneel, opening our hearts to hear the Lord, and then our phone buzzes, breaking that fragile peace. We buckle down, eliminating the noise from our instagram accounts to only fill it with beauty, yet overexposure dulls our sense of wonder and awe. We are a visual generation, and we're lightning. But there is a yet. It looks like this: yet, there is a new way to draw us back to our Holy. And it is called Visio Divina.Visio Divina: Praying With Sacred Art is a compilation of nearly one hundred paintings with corresponding scripture passages and reflections to guide oneself into deeper prayer through focused meditation.This book can be used privately or within a group setting and is available in both soft and hardcover, as well as an electronic version.

This is a groundbreaking, accessible look at the implications of cognitive science for religion and theology, intended for laypeople. Avoiding neurological jargon and respectful to all faiths, it examines:

The best-selling author of The Essential Kabbalah now offers readers the best introduction to the Zohar. The splendor and enigmatic appeal of the Zohar, the major text of the Jewish mystical tradition, has never intrigued readers of all faiths more than it does today. But how can we truly understand it? Daniel C. Matt brings together in one place the most important teachings from the Zohar, the cornerstone of Kabbalah—described as a mixture of theology, mystical psychology, anthropology, myth, and poetry—alongside facing-page stories, notes, and historical background that illuminate and explain the text. Ideal for the first-time reader with no prior knowledge of Jewish mysticism. Guides readers step-by-step through the texts that make up the Zohar—midrash, mystical fantasy, commentary, and Hebrew scripture—and explains the inner meanings of this sacred text, recognized by kabbalists as the most important work of mystical teaching, in a way that is both spiritually enlightening and intellectually fascinating.