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.
“Filled with wisdom, warmth, and
practical advice for living a life full of thankfulness and
blessing ... leads you to new ways of experiencing God’s
goodness and grace in everyday life.”
—J. Brent
Bill, executive vice president,
Indianapolis Center for Congregations;
author, Holy Silence and Mind the Light
“A rich mixture of personal
reflection and engagement of spiritual traditions from West and
East.... Challenges you to venture toward unimagined horizons
of faithful living. To read this book is its own
blessing.”
—Richard
F. Wilson, chair, Roberts
Department of Christianity, Mercer University
“If you need a spiritual
practice, but are just way too busy, this is the book for you.
The multiple examples and practical applications create a
gratitude workbook that will set you on the path of discovering
the Sacred in the daily-ness of your life.”
—Nancy
Corcoran, CSJ, author, Secrets of Prayer:
A Multifaith Guide to
Creating Personal Prayer in Your Life
“A joyful guide that carries you
step-by-step into a life abundant with possibilities for
creating your own expression of God’s love [through]
simple, daily practices that build into an intentional way of
living.”
—Margaret
D. McGee, author, Sacred Attention:
A Spiritual Practice for
Finding God in the Moment
“A lovely, lovely book. Captures the
heartbeat of Quaker spirituality, offering it as a treasure for
others to share. Truly a gift for the individual seeker, [as
well as for] congregational educational programs and ecumenical
book groups.”
—Ann K.
Riggs, PhD, Associate General
Secretary,
National Council of Churches USA
“Clearly and cogently written....
For anyone who would like to learn more about individual
spirituality and how that would make for a better
world.”
—James M.
Efird, professor emeritus of
biblical interpretation,
Duke Divinity School
“A gentle and mindful book …
enter the sacred world it describes and you will be truly
grateful.”
—Rabbi
Karyn D. Kedar, author, The Bridge to Forgiveness:
Stories and
Prayers for Finding God and Restoring Wholeness
Jay Marshall, PhD, a gifted teacher noted for his ability to express
spiritual insights with compassion and grace, is dean of
Earlham School of Religion, a recorded Friends (Quaker)
minister, and author of The Ten
Commandments and Christian Community, The Beatitudes of
Christmas, Family Faults, and Where the Wind Blows. He frequently speaks and leads workshops around the
country.
Philip Gulley,
author of the popular Harmony series of novels, including Home to Harmony and Almost Friends, is
renowned for his wit and keen observations about spirituality
and life. A Quaker pastor, he is also author of the nonfiction
Porch Talk series and hosts “Porch Talk with Phil
Gulley” on an Indiana PBS television station.
About the Art of Spiritual Living Series
Because spirituality is much more than what you think—it’s what you do. Explaining little-known or misunderstood spiritual practices from around the world with clear instructions on how you can do it, too.
