Academy of Parish Clergy Top Ten List "Come away and rest awhile." Jesus invites us to be with him, offering our full and undivided attention to him. When we choose retreat, we make a generous investment in our friendship with Christ. We are not always generous with ourselves where God is concerned. Many of us have tried to incorporate regular times of solitude and silence into the rhythm of our ordinary lives, which may mean that we give God twenty minutes here and half an hour there. And there’s no question we are better for it! But we need more. Indeed, we long for more. In these pages Transforming Center founder and seasoned spiritual director Ruth Haley Barton gently leads us into retreat as a key practice that opens us to God. Based on her own practice and her experience leading hundreds of retreats for others, she will guide you in a very personal exploration of seven specific invitations contained within the general invitation to retreat. You will discover how to say yes to God's winsome invitation to greater freedom and surrender. There has never been a time when the invitation to retreat is so radical and so relevant, so needed and so welcome. It is not a luxury, but a necessity of the spiritual life.

Christianity Today Book Award Much of our faith and practice is about words—preaching, teaching, talking with others. Yet all of these words are not enough to take us into the real presence of God where we can hear his voice. This book is an invitation to you to meet God deeply and fully outside the demands and noise of daily life. It is an invitation to solitude and silence. The beauty of a true invitation is that we really do have a choice about embarking on this adventure. God extends the invitation, but he honors our freedom and will not push himself where he is not wanted. Instead, he waits for us to respond from the depths of our desire. Will you say yes? This expanded edition includes a guide for groups to use both in discussing the book content and in learning to practice silence together.

A PERSONAL RETREAT. We've never needed it more. We run from one place to the next - from meetings and appointments to our kids' soccer practice, from work to class to choir rehearsal, from the grocery store to small group - and then drop into bed later than we hoped, exhausted and dreading the morning. We want to slow down but don't know how and don't really believe that we can. And often, the idea of a personal retreat - time for solitude and silence - makes us feel as anxious as all our frenzied rushing. What in the world would we do with an hour, an afternoon or (gulp!) a whole day of solitude with God? But what is the cost of our frantic pace? What are we missing by not slowing down for reflection and meditation on Scripture? What kind of toll does our anxious running take on those around us - and, even more deeply, on our own soul? In Resting Place, retreat speaker Jane Rubietta addresses soul matters with retreat topics such as: dealing with our fear of abandonment; wrestling with discontent; overcoming our attempts to control others; fulfilling our deep desire to be loved Spiritual retreats help us enter Psalm 23 rest, a place of true rest and trust in our loving, gentle Shepherd. With Scripture to meditate on, quotes to contemplate, questions, prayer and journaling ideas, and creative exercises, Resting Place leads us to and through times of rest. The silence and solitude will follow us into our everyday world as we allow Jesus to guide, comfort and restore us. Come to the Shepherd and find the true rest your soul longs for.

Logos Book Award Do you long for a deep, fundamental change in your life with God? Do you desire a greater intimacy with God? Do you wonder how you might truly live your life as God created you to live it? Spiritual disciplines are activities that open us to God's transforming love and the changes that only God can bring about in our lives. Picking up on the monastic tradition of creating a "rule of life" that allows for regular space for the practice of the spiritual disciplines, this book takes you more deeply into understanding seven key disciplines along with practical ideas for weaving them into everyday life. Each chapter includes exercises to help you begin the practices--individually and in a group context. The final chapter puts it all together in a way that will help you arrange your life for spiritual transformation. The choice to establish your own sacred rhythm is the most important choice you can make with your life.

Logos Book of the Year Meetings can sap our energy, rupture community and thoroughly demoralize us. They can go on forever with no resolution. Or they can rush along without consensus just to "get through the agenda." What if there was another way? Church boards and other Christian leadership teams have long relied on models adapted from the business world. Ruth Haley Barton, president of the Transforming Center, helps teams transition to a much more suitable model—the spiritual community that discerns God's will together. In these pages you will discover personal and group practices that will lead you into a new way of experiencing community and listening to God together.

2020 International Book Awards, Finalist: Spirituality—Inspirational 2019 Independent Press Awards, Winner: Spirituality 2019 Association of Catholic Publishers, Second Place: Prayer 2019 Best Book Awards, Finalist: Spirituality—Inspirational Every person needs a retreat sometime—to replenish the soul and renew life’s focus. But what if you can’t spend time away from home? What if, instead, you could go on a personal at-home prayer retreat with one of the most experienced and best-loved spiritual directors of our day? An Invitation to Love provides a practical and adaptable sequence of prayer sessions on the great commandment of the Christian faith: to love God and love our neighbor. All other aspects of a healthy and hopeful life grow from our practices of love. When we experience God’s love for us, we can respond with a growing love for God. Loving God will transform us into people who can love our neighbors, too, whoever they are. The voice that speaks in these pages so personally and warmly is that of William A. Barry, SJ, who for decades has gently accompanied people in their prayer. His understanding of Scripture, expertise in nurturing spiritual growth, and joyful confidence in God’s desire for our friendship prepares a welcoming and walkable path to conversation with God and renewal in our hearts.

"I'm tired of helping others enjoy God—I just want to enjoy God for myself." With this painful admission, Ruth Haley Barton invites us to an honest exploration of what happens when spiritual leaders lose track of their souls. Weaving together contemporary illustrations with penetrating insight from the life of Moses, Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership explores topics such as responding to the dynamics of calling facing the loneliness of leadership leading from your authentic self cultivating spiritual community reenvisioning the promised land discerning God's will together Each chapter includes a spiritual practice to ensure your soul gets the nourishment it needs. Forging and maintaining a life-giving connection with God is the best choice you can make for yourself and for those you lead. This expanded edition includes the popular "How Is It with Your Soul?” assessment for leaders and a flexible six- or twelve-week guided experience for groups.