Exploring the Way, Participants Book: An Introduction to the Spiritual Journey (Companions in Christ)

Do you long for something more? Maybe you can't explain your yearning, but you want to make a difference in the world, and you're never quite satisfied with your life. You're not alone. Even people raised in church can feel disconnected from God.

Exploring the Way will help you understand and deepen your experience of God. You'll be able to ask questions about issues and faith in a safe place. You'll discover (or rediscover) a way of grace, joy, and peace -- indeed, the way of Christ himself. Ideal for the novice and veteran alike, this book defines and explains the most basic concepts and language of the Christian spiritual life: prayer, the Bible's message for our lives today, spiritual gifts, listening, journaling, and much more. It's the ultimate 6-week orientation to spirituality and the essential elements of faith. Sessions include:

Stories, scripture, and exercises in each chapter will help connect your beliefs with daily experiences. Through independent and group study, you'll establish a rhythm of daily time with God, weekly time in Christian community, and a lifelong attentiveness to possibilities for serving the world. Feed your hungry soul, and use both your head and your heart while rejuvenating your own spiritual journey.

Marjorie J. Thompson is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA). She has served as director of the Pathways Center for Spiritual Leadership and as spiritual director to Companions in Christ, a program outgrowth of the Pathways initiative of The Upper Room. Companions in Christ is a series of small-group resources for spiritual formation in local congregations, suited to ecumenical use. Marjorie has exercised a ministry of teaching, writing, and spiritual guidance for many years.