A Spirituality of Listening: Living What We Hear

Product Description2016 IVP Readers' Choice Award"Biblical spirituality . . . asserts that God is not done with the business of revelation and creation but instead continues to have something to say and something yet to be accomplished in the very culture that isn't sure if God is done speaking." So begins Keith Anderson as he invit's us on a journey to relearn how to listen. "My claim is simple: spirituality is grounded in ordinary life experiences. We need to learn to listen to rhythms of life, narratives and creation." Rather than settling for a one-sided relationship with God in which we speak but never hear back, we can learn to hear God as we go through our lives. The key is paying attention to the moments that make up our days. As we participate in the world around us, God'speaks to us through creation, through the stories we tell, through our pain and as we follow God down unexpected pathways. Learning to listen doesn't happen in ten easy steps. Instead it is a process of approaching the world with wonder and curiosity as we seek to make sense of what we hear. Hearing God'speak takes time and practice, and Anderson offers reflective exercises at the end of each chapter to help us along the way. Listen?and step into a world alive with God's presence.Review"With accessible style, Anderson blends personal experience with a wealth of widely different sources in his essays." -- Willard E. Roth, Sharing the Practice, September 2016"In the midst of incessant noise and relentless texts, tweets and emails, A Spirituality of Listening offers an accessible and welcome respite. With an obvious respect for Scripture and tradition, Anderson provides a contemporary, relevant and fresh perspective on the difficult practice of listening. Transcending evangelical, mainline and Roman Catholic categories with honesty, vulnerability and realness, Keith writ's as one who has listened with discipline and has heard the voice of God." -- Tisa Lewis, retired senior director, The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada"A Spirituality of Listening invit's the reader to take the leap into the wondrous ways to listen. In so doing, it offers a salve for the soul that leads us to experience God in a way that permeates and illuminates every aspect of life. Refreshing, relevant and timely." -- Romanita Hairston, vice president, US programs, World Vision"Many people are on a journey to find new practices of Christian spirituality?meaningful ways to know God and to reflect God's love faithfully in their lives. Keith Anderson provides reflections and practical guidance for this journey out of his lifetime of listening to God, reading spiritual guides from across the centuries and practicing what he has heard and discovered. A Spirituality of Listening is a wise and encouraging invitation to listen in order to hear God'speaking in every part of our lives." -- Jo-Ann Badley, dean of theology, Ambrose University"Keith Anderson is a fiercely humble, kind and generous man who will help you receive the blessing of attunement. Keith writ's in a manner that is accessible but also invit's you to join him on a theologically rich trek up his beloved Mount Rainer. The journey is demanding, and at times stunning and dangerous. The benefit is the certainty that your heart will become larger and your capacity for meaningful connection with God and others enriched. . . . I am Keith's debtor for a lifetime of listening and now I am thankful that you get to listen to the beauty of his words and life. You too will never be the same." -- From the foreword by Dan B. Allender, author of To Be ToldReview"Keith Anderson is a fiercely humble, kind and generous man who will help you receive the blessing of attunement. Keith writ's in a manner that is accessible but also invit's you to join him on a theologically rich trek up his beloved Mount Rainer. The journey is demanding, and at times stunning and dangerous. The benefit