Carol Howard (FRW) Merritt

Find peace, connection and heartfelt joy in everyday life." This book] doesn't come at me as a self-help list of things I ought to be doing, adding to my full life, but focuses me on my own path. Each week offers practices that encourage gratitude, mindfulness and listening.... With gratitude for Anne s words, I hand t his book over to you, so that we might journey, contemplate and practice together." from the Foreword by Rev. Carol Howard MerrittIn this week-by-week guide to living more thoughtfully, Anne Kertz Kernion leads you through an exploration of everyday spirituality, combining the wisdom of spiritual luminaries, life lessons, and insights from social science and neuroscience. A businesswoman, wife, mother, grandmother and friend, Anne shows how it is possible to bring more awareness, love and gratitude into your busy life, keeping in touch with your deepest beliefs and most authentic self."

For anyone who wants to be informed and inspired, delighted and supported, encouraged and entertained by stories and prayers on the work of the Church from the unique perspective of clergywomen from around the United States, Canada and the UK. In the online universe of bloggers, a group of women coalesced around their common work as pastors. Many of them were pioneers they'd left the denominations of their childhoods to follow Jesus; they'd taken risks and talked about that story in the news no one wanted to hear connected to the Gospel; they d been the first woman to serve a church, or the first mom. Deep relationships formed in the writing and sharing of their stories of ministry in the pulpit, through the sacraments, outside the church walls, in their homes, in holy moments and at times when they wondered why they don t teach plumbing in seminary. This collection captures and expands that fierce and faithful bond, offering insight into the lives of Christian clergywomen and the rigors that come with commitment to religious life. Over fifty contributors represent fourteen denominations, as well as dozens of seminaries and colleges. They come from twenty-five US states as well as Canada and the United Kingdom. Their churches are large and small, liturgical and not, urban and rural. They serve as chaplains, in specialized ministries and through their writing. Their backgrounds are as diverse as their approaches to ministry single, married, divorced, widowed; some in clergy couples; gay and straight, cis- and transgender; parents and not; ranging in ages from 20-something to 70-something. Intended for laypeople, women discerning a call to ministry and clergy of all levels of experience, these stories and prayers will resonate, challenge, inform, inspire and amuse anyone who has a passion for the work and the faith that they love."