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sarahfett's review
2.0
The title made me think I’d love this book, but as much as I tried it just didn’t resonate with me. Goodreads rating: 2 stars (it was ok)
bartendm's review against another edition
4.0
I didn't know Sue Monk Kidd wrote spiritual books until I saw this older book on Bookbub. Because I like her fiction I thought I'd give it a try. It was interesting not only for the spiritual content, but also to learn a little about the life of an author I admire. It comes from a time in her younger life when Sue was a young mother trying to do too many things for everyone and driving herself crazy with it. She grew up thinking she would get points in heaven for all her good deeds, but she had no real depth to her faith and her relationship with God. This book describes her journey back to a healthier spiritual journey (because we are never done in this life) and a happier life. I enjoyed seeing that it took several years for her to change and she was open about where she was failing. The book seemed most appropriate to white, middle-class Americans and much of it is covered by others or "common sense" but she had several quotes and passages I did really like and that stayed with me for contemplation. Here's a few:
It is a fearful awareness that you and I are responsible for the extent we will be present to God. We choose. God has made it that way. His presence is magnanimous, yet He leaves it to us to notice him or not, to enter His presence and commune with Him on whatever level of intimacy we choose. His desire for communion with human creatures is surpassed only by the enormous freedom He gives us to enter his intimacy with Him.
"When you pray always, you don't pray exclusively. You pray simultaneously." he said, gazing at me with dark smiling eyes. "It is to pray when I catalog these books and eat lunch and make change. It is to keep up prayer beneath the surface lifting my hear to God during all my daily activities."
It is a fearful awareness that you and I are responsible for the extent we will be present to God. We choose. God has made it that way. His presence is magnanimous, yet He leaves it to us to notice him or not, to enter His presence and commune with Him on whatever level of intimacy we choose. His desire for communion with human creatures is surpassed only by the enormous freedom He gives us to enter his intimacy with Him.
"When you pray always, you don't pray exclusively. You pray simultaneously." he said, gazing at me with dark smiling eyes. "It is to pray when I catalog these books and eat lunch and make change. It is to keep up prayer beneath the surface lifting my hear to God during all my daily activities."
alltheradreads's review against another edition
2.0
Back in November, I visited Austin, TX and grabbed this book in a cute little church coffee shop... and I juuuuust now actually finished it. I’ve loved her fiction books but have especially loved her faith/memoir writing (like When the Heart Waits). This one is a really personal account of her journey into discovering more of God’s love in her life— a love that is so much less about doing and more about being. It did feel a little dated (it was first published in the 80s), but I found it refreshing to have less references to technology and a more simple and natural approach to slowing down and experiencing more of God’s love through solitude, family, nature, prayer, etc. I wasn’t wowed by it (and clearly wasn’t super motivated to keep reading it often), but did find many encouraging snippets throughout and found it to be a good reminder to slow down, be still, and know that God is God.
bettylupe's review
3.0
Not What I Expected
This was a big disappointment compared to her wonderfully written previous novels. Way to religious for my taste in her books.
This was a big disappointment compared to her wonderfully written previous novels. Way to religious for my taste in her books.
pattydsf's review
4.0
This was definitely the right book at the right time. If I owned it rather than borrowed this from the library, I would have been underlining whole paragraphs. I needed the reminders about God, prayer, paying attention and presence that Kidd provides.
It was odd to be reading this book after finishing Kidd's The Dance of the Dissident Daughter. In that, Kidd realizes that she is in need of a feminist spiritual awakening. So as part of her journey, she looked at how she saw God. By the end of Dance, Kidd is seeing God as feminine. This earlier book refers to God as he very, very often. I am already uncomfortable with God as masculine, but reading Kidd's feminist book and then this one made the masculine pronouns even weirder. I probably should not have read them so close together.
For all the strangeness about God's gender, I found Kidd's book very helpful. She is honest in her depictions of her spiritual life and it seems too close to mine. I don't spend enough time just being present. I am very stressed for a number of reasons and I keep forgetting that some space and quiet would be helpful. Many of Kidd's discoveries are familiar, but I can always use a refresher course.
I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for new ways to see and experience God and are not familiar with contemplative prayer. Also to those who need a reminder that showing up is important. This is more in line with traditional Christianity, so it may appeal to some people who would be uncomfortable with Kidd's spiritual journey in The Dance of the Dissident Daughter.
It was odd to be reading this book after finishing Kidd's The Dance of the Dissident Daughter. In that, Kidd realizes that she is in need of a feminist spiritual awakening. So as part of her journey, she looked at how she saw God. By the end of Dance, Kidd is seeing God as feminine. This earlier book refers to God as he very, very often. I am already uncomfortable with God as masculine, but reading Kidd's feminist book and then this one made the masculine pronouns even weirder. I probably should not have read them so close together.
For all the strangeness about God's gender, I found Kidd's book very helpful. She is honest in her depictions of her spiritual life and it seems too close to mine. I don't spend enough time just being present. I am very stressed for a number of reasons and I keep forgetting that some space and quiet would be helpful. Many of Kidd's discoveries are familiar, but I can always use a refresher course.
I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for new ways to see and experience God and are not familiar with contemplative prayer. Also to those who need a reminder that showing up is important. This is more in line with traditional Christianity, so it may appeal to some people who would be uncomfortable with Kidd's spiritual journey in The Dance of the Dissident Daughter.
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