Lovers in the Wilderness: Awaken Mystical Unity and Create a Joyful Life with Mantra Prayer by Stephanie Rutt is a brief but complete invitation into the practice of mantra prayer. She covers everything from the desire to explore the practice to its history and benefits to practical guidance on creating and maintaining an individual practice unique to each reader. The book is easy to understand regardless of what you know (or don’t!) about mantra prayer, can be digested in one sitting, and can be returned to again and again to support a mantra for each new season in the reader’s life.

I’ve been curious about mantra prayer but have never fully invested in learning the practice, so I was excited to pick up Rutt’s book and delighted to find it exactly what I had hoped for––an accessible introduction and practical guide. Whether you’re dissatisfied with your current spiritual practice or just curious to try something new, Rutt’s guide to mantra prayer is a great resource.

This one may not make it to my bookshelf; I’ll likely be re-reading it too often!

Link-Love:

Stephanie Rutt’s Website
Tree of Life School on Facebook
Tree of Life School on Twitter

#LoversInTheWilderness

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the author and/or publisher through the Speakeasy blogging book review network. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

NIV Beautiful Word Bible: Updated Edition, published by Zondervan, is a hefty NIV Bible with a plethora of colorful hand-lettered verses featured throughout and on nearly every page. If you grew up memorizing Bible verses from the NIV like I did, then flipping through this Bible will take you back to those VBS and sword-drill days (if you know, you know).

Although this Bible offers wide margins with lines for taking notes, the paper is so thin that I’m not sure what pen you could write with that wouldn’t bleed through. It might hold up to colored pencils for readers who want to add their own illustrations, doodles, or hand-lettering. If you’re not planning to write your own notes on every page or aren’t bothered by seeing the back side if your writing through the pages, then there is definitely plenty of room to add your thoughts.

This Bible might make a nice gift for an artistic, NIV-loving woman in your life.

Link-Love:

NIV Beautiful Word Bible Website
NIV Beautiful Word Bible on YouTube

#NIVBeautifulWordBible

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the author and/or publisher through the Speakeasy blogging book review network. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Learning to Be: Finding Your Center After the Bottom Falls Out by Juanita Campbell Rasmus is the true story of the journey from depression to a life-giving way of living. Part memoir and part devotional guide, Rasmus shares hard-learned truths from what she calls the “homeschool of God” about how to care for oneself and know the unconditional and limitless love of God. She brings her readers along on her journey from doing to being through reflections inspired by daily events and Bible stories. She offers guided instruction for spiritual practices that help support a reshaping of the framework for a lifestyle that allows for more presence and grace.

If you’re someone steeped in the Christian tradition and interested in spiritual practices, then you’ll find this book to be a wonderful window into a new way of living that, in Rasmus’ words, is “grounded in the ground of all being.”

Link-Love:

Juanita Campbell Rasmus’ Website

#LearningToBe

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the author and/or publisher through the Speakeasy blogging book review network. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

The Hidden Gospel of Thomas: Commentaries on the Non-Dual Sayings of Jesus by William G. Duffy is an intriguing intellectual deep-dive into the ancient collection of Jesus sayings that some scholars call “the fifth gospel.”

Reading Duffy’s book brought back memories of my days as a seminary student reading and editing fellow students’ dissertations. I found his systematic approach both fascinating and illuminating, and I now have a better understanding of non-dualism both as a philosophy in itself and as it informs and is expressed within the Gospel of Thomas. I look forward to what comes out of future scholarly efforts building on the foundation of Duffy’s commentary.

If you’re into academic works or looking for a scholarly resource for understanding the meaning of the Gospel of Thomas, then I highly recommend this book!

Link-Love:

William G Duffy’s Website

#TheHiddenGospelOfThomas

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the author and/or publisher through the Speakeasy blogging book review network. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

I’m entering my second year with Holistic Body Theology, and I’ve been making some small developments around the blog.  Here’s one you might not want to miss.

I’m starting up a FREE monthly newsletter.  It’s still in the development stage, so we’ll see what it turns into.  For now, the newsletter will be featuring updates from around the blog, guided prayer/meditation exercises, recommendations for further reading, and more.

If you’d like to receive the monthly newsletter in your email box, click the link below to fill out the brief sign-up form.  Don’t worry! I’ll never share your information, and you can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in each email.

Sign up for our free newsletter!

Let me know what you’d like to see in the newsletter. It’s a work in progress, so I want to hear from you!

Blessings on you all today, dear readers!

Hi Lovely Readers,

I know I’ve been a little inconsistent and unavailable the past few weeks.  My work volume has increased, so I’ve had less time for the joy of blogging than I expected.

Consequently, I’ve decided to start posting Monday/Wednesday/Friday in the hope that I can be a little more consistent with that schedule.

Many thanks to all of you for your comments, emails and Facebook messages over the past few months.  I would be lost without your support and encouragement.

So come back on Wednesday for a brand new post, or click the follow link to have new posts emailed directly to your inbox.  I look forward to continuing the journey with all of you!

Love,

Laura

Hello lovely readers! I hope you had a wonderful Easter celebration yesterday. I’m taking this week off from blogging.  See you all back here April 16th!  If you miss me in the meantime, here are 10 popular posts you might have missed:

Reflections on Body Theology: 10 Things That Annoy Me About Being a Woman

Conversation: Are You an Ender or a Starter? (Part 1)

Bathtub Spirituality: Getting Naked Before God

Performing Open-Heart Surgery

I Gave Up BEING AWAKE for Lent!

Sex Is Good, Even When You’re Not Having Any

My Body Is Rebelling

Powerful Words

Gender-Inclusive Language; Gender-Inclusive God (Part 1)

Response to: Is Premarital Sex Okay for Millennials?