Jesus, Our Spiritual Director


Book Description

Wendy Miller shows the deep biblical roots of Christian spiritual direction in her new book, Jesus, Our Spiritual Director. Very much aware of the growing interest among church leaders in Christian spiritual direction, Miller helps readers see the ways in which Jesus guided his first disciples. She encourages readers to grow spiritually through contemplative reading of the gospels. As readers explore the Gospels through Miller's guidance, they also gain insight into the spiritual lives of the disciples. Miller writers, for example, that readers will sense "the internal array of persons like Simon Peter, listening carefully to his submerged story of fear and anxiety which Jesus notices and brings to light." In reading this gentle guide to the Gospels, readers will discover that Jesus notices and brings to light their own "submerged" stories. Most important, Miller helps readers recognize ways in which God is in dialogue with disciples today. In addition to the Gospels, Miller includes stories of people that show the continued conversion that comes from Christ. Miller offers a groundbreaking book that demonstrates with clarity the ways in which spiritual directions is rooted in the Gospels and in the ministry of Jesus. Each of the thirteen chapters contains guidance for individuals and, beginning with chapter four, guidance for leaders. Here is an antidote for spiritual burnout.




Soul Guide


Book Description

Spiritual and professional mentor Demarest provides biblically based, practical information on life and soul guidance, using the example of Christ as our Spiritual Director. This book is ideal for evangelical and mainstream readers who want spiritual emphasis (versus psychological emphasis) in the area of soul guidance.




Holy Invitations


Book Description

Learn how to nurture your awareness of and response to God's love and guidance through the historical practice of spiritual direction.




Journey of the Soul


Book Description

The healthy Christian life is one of continuing spiritual, emotional, and relational growth. But so many of us feel stuck or stagnated at one stage of the journey. It's not always clear to us where or why we are stuck, making it difficult to take the next step on our journey of the soul. That's where Bill and Kristi Gaultiere come in. After decades in private practice as counselors and therapists, they have developed a unique model for growing in grace. In Journey of the Soul, they draw on more than 70,000 hours of providing therapy and spiritual direction to show you how to identify your current stage of faith and the next steps to take based on your unique needs and struggles. With Scripture, self-assessments, and soul care practices to support your progress along the way, this insightful and inspiring book will be a treasured companion on your journey no matter where you are or how long you've been following Jesus.




Holy Listening


Book Description

Describes the role and practice of a spiritual director as distinct from pastoral care and from psychotherapy. Compares the spiritual director to a midwife for the soul, describing actions of teaching prayer and offering exercise suggestions.




Using the Bible in Spiritual Direction


Book Description

Spiritual direction is increasingly popular among Christians of all mainstream traditions, with demand for directors outstripping supply in many places. And although the Bible is central to the practice of spiritual direction, very little has been published on how best to use it in this form of ministry. Experienced spiritual director Liz Hoare explores the central role the Bible has played in Christian experience, in order to discourage poor, shallow, or rigid use of the Bible, which can lead to damage and inhibit spiritual growth. According to Hoare, the goal of spiritual direction is not a personal improvement plan but a people who are being shaped into the likeness of Christ, for the flourishing of the church as a whole. Using different methods of praying with the Bible and drawing on historical traditions of Christian spirituality, as well as current literature and practice, this book offers a rich, stimulating, and thoroughly biblical resource for all those who give and receive spiritual direction.




Invitation to Retreat


Book Description

When we choose retreat we make a generous investment in our friendship with Christ. Seasoned spiritual director Ruth Haley Barton gently and eloquently leads us into an exploration of retreat as a key practice that opens us to God, guiding us through seven invitations to retreat. You will discover how to say yes to God's winsome invitation to greater freedom and surrender.




Spiritual Direction: A Guide for Sharing the Father’s Love


Book Description

The need for spiritual direction—or the accompaniment of a spiritual guide—is becoming more prominent in a world where so many are suffering from so many wounds. With a harmonious integration of both timeless spiritual wisdom from the Catholic Church’s tradition of prayer and direction, and the insight of the psychological sciences, Fathers Thomas Acklin and Boniface Hicks offer a comprehensive guide for all who provide or seek spiritual direction. Spiritual Direction: A Guide for Sharing the Father’s Love fortifies priests, religious, and lay faithful who embrace the ministry of spiritual direction and accompany the wounded, assist men and women in hearing the voice of God, and model the love and mercy of the Father for the many who are seeking Him but do not know Him or have false images of Him. This book also shows how various aspects of the spiritual life can emerge from and be fostered by a one-on-one relationship with a spiritual director. Together with concrete guidelines and numerous examples from personal experience, this book refers extensively to Sacred Scripture as the foundation for spiritual direction. Furthermore, since the practice of spiritual direction goes back to the first centuries of the Church, the authors turn for guidance to the Doctors of the Church, the writings of the saints, and the papal magisterium in developing and supporting their insights. Spiritual Direction will call spiritual directors to deeper holiness even as they assist others in growing closer to the Father through His loving gaze of mercy.




The Alluring Voice of God: Forming Daily Encounters


Book Description

Written for young adults and Catholic teens who may be questioning their faith, The Alluring Voice of God invites them to experience God's voice in direct communication. By developing and living in a personal connection with God, readers of all ages longing for a closer relationship will discover our beloved Christ dwells in a prominent place in our hearts. Through various prayer exercises, lesson plans for group leaders and personal reflection guidance, The Alluring Voice of God addresses questions like: "Is God really listening?" "What is God calling me to do?" "Where is God in my life right now?" "How do I distinguish God's voice?" With relatable content and detailed instruction, anyone suffering a crisis of faith will learn to know and hear His loving and caring call.




Earth, Our Original Monastery


Book Description

How can we meet God in our everyday lives? In Earth, Our Original Monastery, Christine Valters Paintner, bestselling author and online abbess for Abbey of the Arts, shares how living contemplatively with an appreciation for the natural world can make you more aware of the presence of God in every aspect of your life. She explores monks, mystics, and saints who have experienced the goodness of the Divine in nature and invites you to find solace and spiritual revelation in the wonder of God’s creation. The purpose of contemplative living, Christine Valters Paintner suggests, is to allow you to integrate the pieces of your life within yourself, in your community, and in the world around you. When you pay attention to each moment, you nurture your ability to see God’s actions in those moments. In Earth, Our Original Monastery, Paintner invites you to begin the journey of contemplative living by focusing on the image of the earth as your original monastery—the place where you learn your most fundamental prayers, participate in each day’s liturgy of praise, and experience the wisdom of the seasons. Paintner provides seven ways of seeing the earth in light of faith and pairs each one with a practical invitation to a practice. These include: the earth as original cathedral—where you first learn to worship and feel God’s presence around us, paired with the practice of stability the earth as original saints—plants and animals live their calling without trying to be something they’re not and inspire you to do the same, paired with the practice of gratitude the earth as original icon—nature can serve as a window to the holy in the same way that icons do, paired with the practice of lament As you explore what these connections between the earth and faith mean for how to see God in the world around you, you can also look at saints and mystics who experienced nature and the flow of the divine in similar ways.