Decision Making & Spiritual Discernment: The Sacred Art of Finding Your Way (The Art of Spiritual Living) - Hardcover

Bieber, Nancy L.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1683360249 ISBN 13: 9781683360247

Publisher: SkyLight Paths, 2010

Synopsis

Stay spiritually grounded and open to divine wisdom as you shape your life.

"To make wise decisions, we need the aid of that wise and loving Spirit whose wisdom and light exceed our own. With the Spirit illuminating the complexities of our decisions, we can see and understand more about ourselves and our choices."
―from the Introduction

Spiritual discernment is the traditional name for listening and responding to divine guidance. In this book you will approach decision making as an active participant, a co-creator with God in shaping your life. Drawing on twenty-five years of experience as a psychologist and fifteen years as a spiritual director, Nancy L. Bieber presents three essential aspects of Spirit-led decision making:

• Willingness―being open to God's wisdom and love
• Attentiveness―noticing what is true, discerning the right path
• Responsiveness―taking steps forward as the way becomes clear.

With gentle encouragement, Bieber shows how to weave these themes together to discover the best path for you.

Each chapter is enriched by practical spiritual exercises to help you understand yourself and your specific situation, as well as to strengthen spiritual discernment as a daily way of life. An appendix includes a detailed guide for using the book in group study.

About this title

About the Author

Nancy L. Bieber is a spiritual director, psychologist and teacher with thirty years of experience in working with individuals and groups in transition and change. She is author of Decision Making and Spiritual Discernment: The Sacred Art of Finding Your Way (SkyLight Paths). A core leader with Oasis Ministries for Spiritual Development, she leads spiritual formation retreats and workshops around the country. She also teaches at Lancaster Theological Seminary.

Nancy L. Bieber is available to speak on the following topics:

• The Sacred Art of Finding Your Way: Decisions and Discernment
• Contemplative Practices for Daily Life
• The Ancient Gift of Spiritual Direction. What Difference Does It Make?
• Strengthening Spiritual Life in Community
• Remembering Who You Are: The Prayer Pause

Review

"Prayerfully and skillfully facilitates the readers' recognition of 'truths (they) already know ... hidden anywhere in life,' thus opening us to the heart of discernment as the process of living the values of our lives."
―Rose Mary Dougherty, SSND, author, Discernment: A Path to Spiritual Awakening; codirector, Companioning the Dying: Opening Fully to Living

"Weaves practical insights for cultivating discernment with page-turning stories and repeatable practices. [It] will create ... healthy decisions that are the ripe fruit of ongoing practices for discernment."
―Kent Ira Groff, founding mentor, Oasis Ministries; author, What Would I Believe If I Didn’t Believe Anything? and Facing East, Praying West

“A brilliant lead and many lessons.”
―Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, founder, Center for Action and Contemplation; author, The Naked Now: Learning to See as the Mystics See

“Compelling and beneficial ... filled with insight and wisdom, as well as practical practices in discernment. This is a volume you’ll return to often.”
―J. Brent Bill, Quaker minister, retreat leader and photographer; author, Sacred Compass: The Way of Spiritual Discernment

“Offers readers clarity and practical tools―just what we yearn for when facing uncertainty and change.... It will reassure those seeking to understand their own experience of being led by the Spirit.”
―Eileen Flanagan, author, The Wisdom to Know the Difference: When to Make a Change―and When to Let Go

“Balancing self and other, honoring self and other, embracing self and other is a great challenge for many of us. [This book] helps us take up that challenge in a manner that moves us further along the path of godliness. Read this book. And, more importantly, practice its method.”
―Rabbi Rami Shapiro, translator and annotator, Ecclesiastes: Annotated & Explained; author, The Sacred Art of Lovingkindness: Preparing to Practice

“I loved this! A priceless book for living a spiritually centered life. User-friendly and reassuring ... the practices offer gentle guidance for making any decision, large or small. A must have for everyone on a spiritual path as well as anyone supporting that journey.”
―Kay Lindahl, author, The Sacred Art of Listening: Forty Reflections for Cultivating a Spiritual Practice; founder, The Listening Center

Edition details

• Publisher: SkyLight Paths
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 1683360249
• ISBN 13: 9781683360247
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 208