If you are someone who is feeling drawn to a time of solitude and silence and yet cannot begin to imagine how this could happen for you, this is your book. Ruth Haley Barton begins by writing that she did not know where to start either,and uses her learned experience toguide you into new depths in your relationship with Jesus. The book also recognizes the negative effects of being “dangerously tired,” and provides a “Practice” section at the end of each chapter that will usher you into a time of silence as you ponder the content. The book’s appendix also includes a self-help guide in the appendix for spending a personal day in solitude, and group guide for shared solitude.
Mansions of the Heart
“Mansions of the Heart begins with the author’s personal story of frustration and confusion and the discovery that there is more to the Christian life than building a successful church. While strengthening his relationship with God, R. Thomas Ashbrook — an engineer-turned-pastor — went on a wondrous and often challenging adventure of discovery. By revealing his story of transformation, Dr. Ashbrook offers seekers a way to move forward on their own spiritual paths.”
A must-read primer for anyone drawn to the formissional life, Mansions of the Heart draws the reader ever deeper into a love relationship with Jesus while leaving behind the performance-based, success-driven culture of modern religious life. If you want to discover the path to a life with God — not under God or in the name of God or for God — read this book! The insets throughout tracing the spiritual maturation process in the lives of mythical Michael and Abigail make it even more practical.
