Product Description
The long-awaited book from best-selling spiritual guide Joyce Rupp,creatively leads readers to explore how the image of the door can guidethem in a process of discovering their true self.

Joyce Rupp brings new life to the ageless spiritual image of the door,weaving insights from East and West with the wisdom of contemporaryspiritual writers, poets, and novelists in a practical format that isjust right for contemporary readers. Structured as a daily prayer guidefor everyday use over six weeks, each day offers a thematic reflection,a guided meditation, an original prayer, a thoughtful question, and arelated scripture quote. A built-in guide for small groups makes thisthe perfect resource for groups of all kinds as well as individuals. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

We need to 'open more doors' today
In these tumultuous times, we have little choice. We must open new doors. Baby Boomers are heading into retirement - some more financially prepared than others. People are losing their jobs, while they watch entire industries fade into memory. Probably more now than ever, we are being forced to reinvent ourselves.

In "Open the Door," by Joyce Rupp helps us through this journey. She draws on an incredibly wide range of authors for daily meditative readings. Exercises and prayers complete a six-week course that will leave the reader open to new, unexpected opportunities.

Likely the reader will want to return to "week one" and begin the daily journey again when they have completed this book.

For people looking for a new fuel to help run the engines of their lives, this book will provide it. Rupp encourages us to open new doors with a sense of excitement, rather than fear.

John Hardisty
Bakersfield, Calif.
[...]

Doors open every day
As an author and editor with books on Amazon Where the Wild Rose Growsmyself, I know just how well Rupp has put her thoughts to words readers can easily follow. My Bible study group is now using this book in our weekly study.

Poetic but lacking
I have just signed up for a 5 week program using this book and my thoughts on the book is that it is poetic and filled with a new age look at life. My wife calls it the "Tyranny of nice"....... My thoughts are that if you are into doing the hard work of opening doors you would be better off using the books written by John Powell SJ. The book has you doing rituals in the beginning that fit more into the end of the Process when you have done the hard work as a group and know each other. I had just finished reading one of my old issues of Parabola titled the threshold which discusses doors and thresholds and it deals on the cautions involved in opening some doors. Like all books of this type it forgets that you cannot have a feeling without a thought. It does not deal with attitudes which can be far from the truth but focuses more on this magical internal self which can be a false way of thinking. It mixes Sufi,Buddhist,Hindu and the teachings of Jesus without what led to these teachings. An aside if you want to open doors with a Buddhist flavor read the book Happiness which mixes meditative discipline with scientific thinking.

Open the Door: A Journey to the True Self

Good book.We used it as a group to study and discuss.Would recommend to all.

Exceeded my expectations
"Open the Door" by Joyce Rupp helped me dive deeper into my spiritual life. Her questions are keys to opening doors that may be stuck, may be difficult to open, doors that are hidden or avoided. For if you want to engage in asix week process that invites you to explore your inner worlds, this book is a must. ... Read more

Product Description
Anyone thirsting for a more intimate and disciplined life of prayer will find a rich wellspring in The Cup of Our Life. In this original and practical book Joyce Rupp shares how ordinary cups can become sacred vessels that draw us closer to God. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Offers a Daily Practice
This is an exceptional book for spiritual seekers. Joyce Rupp offers a daily practice with reflection, scripture, questions for journaling. The process is 6 weeks and at the end of each week there is time to review that week. She asks questions that take you deep into your process. The book also can be used in a group setting. It is also very inclusive, open to the human experience.

Great Women's devotional book
Short well written devotitionals for women of all ages. I purchased 6 extra copies to use as gifts.Makes a great group study or individual study.

The Cup of Our Life - A Spiritual Growth
The stories shared in the book helps you to relate to stories in your life.Our group found it helps you get intune with your spirituality.

The Cup of Our Life: A guide for spiritual growth
This book has shown me the areas of my life that need to be more in tune with a Christian lifestyle.Prayer and devotional time are 2 important areas of a Christian life.A friend introduced me to this book and I am so glad she did. I am using it as a teaching aid in my small group ministry.

A Lot To Like In This Book
I've read many spiritual books, so I guess you could say it takes a lot impress me when I pick up such a book, but that certainly happed here. I bought it as part of a Lenten class and was immediately moved by its imagery and simplicity. The metaphor of the cup is perfectly articulated as I saw it as my connection with God, others and myself. Ms. Rupp does a wonderful job of expressing all of this in scripture, reflections and breathprayers (which are like mantras). I loved how she asks us to see our own brokenness before we use the cup as a means of compassion for others.

It is an easy read and one that will transform the way you view your spiritual life. I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Product Description
This revised edition of Joyce Rupp's best-selling book May I Have This Dance? (over 158,000 copies sold) has been updated with new guided meditations for each month of the year. Joyce Rupp invites readers to join God in the dance of life. She explores twelve themes, including "The Road to Life" and "The Playground of God," following each with prayer suggestions such as litanies, guided meditations, and journal keeping. Readers will be delighted to accept the invitation to dance with the Divine Partner--a dance of truth and wholeness--throughout the seasons of the year. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Wonderful meditation cd for the whole year!
This meditation cd goes with a book of the same title. It is wonderful to listen to. It is read by the author and she has a very soothing voice, which makes it good for listening to at night. It goes thru all the months of the year but that does not distract from the meditation. I really enjoy it and if you buy the cd, you should get the book too. The book is full of poems and wonderful writing. You'll enjoy them both together

May I Have This Dance by Joyce Rupp
Joyce Rupp has once again written a book that is inspirational and thought provoking. This book is for everyone. I highly recommend it.

Uplifting and Genuine
We have used this book as a couples' book for our group.It is wonderful for this type of thing because it is separated by month.Each month is appropriate for the season and Joyce Rupp's poems are so wonderful and her spiritual insights and writing are great.We all enjoyed the book.I have since lent May I Have This Dance to a 84 year old widow friend who liked it so much she asked me to order two copies for her!Great Book!

Accept this dance
Monthly, this book touches you in places where you may have been dormant.I feel as if this book was written especially for me to read.With wonderful examples, Joyce Rupp shares her journey and challenges you to dance with God.As gifts, I have given this book to many people so they also can have a guide for their journey through life.Monthly, a group of my friends get together to share how the particular monthly chapter has affected them. I have read many, many spiritual books but somehow go back to this one when I feel that my spiritual life is dry.Joyce's book gives me sustenance for the journey.

May God's Life Dance within You
In this revised edition of Joyce Rupp's 1992 book, as in the original, monthly themes are connected to daily life and the seasons of the year. In the introduction Rupp invites us to "be more faithful to prayer, be more constant to the dance of life that God desires for us." Each chapter consists of a Rupp poem, scripture passage, reflection, suggestions for prayer, guided meditation, and closing prayer.

The reflection for March, entitled Leaning on God, begins with the author's discovery of lean-tos during a mountain hike. "I imagined cattle, horses, and sheep seeking shelter, finding comfort from the harsh storms that can come so quickly to the high places," she writes. From there, she explores the human need for lean-tos and offers examples in the life of Jesus, mentioning his visits with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus as he traveled. In the Garden of Olives, Jesus turned in vain to the disciples for comfort, and as he suffered on the cross he directed John to act as Mary's lean-to.

Rupp addresses the common tendency to resist relying on others and urges us to examine what keeps us from leaning on God or others. She suggests that we become aware of lean-tos in the world, bus shelters, shade trees, and awnings, for example. That awareness can bring to mind our own spiritual shelters, and we can take a moment to give thanks for them.

As Rupp explains, this book is flexible enough for everyone to use, individually or in a group, at time intervals of our choice. The suggestions for prayer in each chapter provide a variety of opportunities to write, reflect, draw, and read scripture. And the author's prayer is with us: "May God's life dance within you as you pause for quiet places and prayer in your busy life."
... Read more

Product Description
Everyone has unique goodbyes--times of losing someone or something that has given life meaning and value. With the touch of a poet, Joyce Rupp offers her wisdom on "these experiences of leaving behind and moving on, the stories of union and separation that are written in all our hearts." Praying Our Goodbyes, Rupp says, is about the spirituality of change.It is a book for anyone who has experienced loss, whether a job change, the end of a relationship, the death of a loved one, a financial struggle, a mid-life crisis, or an extended illness. It is designed to help readers reflect, ritualize, and re-orient themselves--to help heal the hurts caused by goodbyes and the anxieties encountered when one season of life ends and another begins. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

PRAYING OUR GOODBYES
I bought this book for a friend who had recently lost her mother.I bought one for myself first and found that there are a lot of goodbyes in our life that we have to move on from.Some good byes are big and some are small.How we handle our goodbyes affects our everyday life.Praying our good byes is the best way to look at our lives and accept the things we have to leave behind.,

Praying Our Goodbyes
I have given this book many times as a gift when a death occurs.It's a beautiful, inspirational and comforting read for the bereaved.

reflective
I came across this book in an odd sort of way and at a time when many around me were faced with difficult illnesses, job decisions, loss of loved ones.In all cases it was insightful and applicable, Everyone faces some sort of loss this author brings us into the reality of that situation and offers, faith, sensibility and remarkable tips for endurance, learning and moving on a better stronger person. excellent reading, wonderful gift. I'm recommending and sending out copies to many friends.

Praying Our Goodbyes by Joyce Rupp
This book is a good read for almost all levels of life's losses in need of closure.Rupp's detailed explanations for creating a personal "Praying Good-bye" space using a symbolic object item from the loss situation, nature, one's faith, etc. facilitates personal wholeness.

Although the writer's Christian faith is predominant in this work, the book can be acclimated to all faiths and perhaps to those with a lack thereof.It is the one book I return to for myself or, when appropriate, to give as a gift to others who may be experiencing a grief, retirement and other loss issues.

Very pleased
I recieved this book in excellent condition amazingly quickly and its exactly what I wanted.Thanks so much for your excellent service. ... Read more

Product Description
Rupp opens up Scriptures that teach how to pray and applies them to dailylife. She encourages readers to pray always through an awareness ofthe God of Love, in whom we live and move and have our being. Distributor: Spring Arbor/Ingram Author: Joyce Rupp Format: 127 pages, paperback ISBN: 9781570757129 ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Prayer by Joyce Rupp
The books came in time for the prayer discussion. All were in great condition.

Thank You.

Book on Prayer
This book is a must for those who pray daily and sometimes find it difficult to do so.

Prayer Joyce Rupp
Very focused, intentional, coming out of personal faith journey's and drawing one into the Divine Presence that is the real longing of all our hearts. Not just another how to, but this took me into my own relationship and friendship withJesus and the"Eternal Love".Motivatesself surrender and embrace of the Holy One, transforming and Trinitarian in all its mystery of divine communication and revelation.

PRAYER by Joyce Rupp
Joyce Rupp is wonderful Spiritual writer.I have never been disappointed in any of her books.Her book PRAYER is wonderful for all Catholics who are searching for their own spirituality.

A Lived Experience
Having finished reading Joyce Rupp's book, Prayer, my inclination was to begin to read it again.Clearly, she first lives what she then shares through her writing. She writes with a welcomed sincerity and honesty and acknowledges prayer as the door to deeper relationships and personal transformation.Her book is filled with sentences so packed with meaning that the words should be read slowly and reflectively.Sister Rupp offers questions at the end of each chapter to encourage the reader to stop, ponder, and pray.This book will encourage anyone who seeks to grow in personal relationship with God. ... Read more

Product Description
Readers will find here a unique invitation to join with God in the dance of life, an invitation to experience God in the daily and seasonal rhythms of life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Wonderful reflections, and no guilt!
Because this thoughtful, down to earth book is organized by month you DON'T GET that, OH NO, I'VE FALLEN SO FAR BEHIND THAT I'M CHUCKING THE WHOLE BOOK feeling that you get with so many books that have dailyreflections (including the allegedly simple Simple Abundance).You canrefer to the book daily, every couple weeks, or once a month and find ittremendously worthwhile.It also seems to be acceptable to people of allChristian denominations

Joyce Rupp captures the experience (running thegamut from anxiety-laden to peace-filled) that people desiring to deepentheir relationship with God go through.One gets the feeling that Rupp isan admittedly fallible but patient and wise teacher who has been thereherself.May I Have This Dance is a book (like Anne Lamotte's TravelingMercies) that I feel comfortable recommending to friends who aren'tparticularly religious, but are seeking some indefinable thing (comfort? anew vision of God? insights about their own actions?).

Rupp breathes life into meditation
Joyce Rupp creates a simple outline for the dance oflife with God.These monthly meditations follow 12 themes which focus one's inner life in a depth of prayer with "litanies, creative writing, guidedmeditations, and ideas for reflection and journal writing".Theseinspirational suggestions may be used by one's self, or in groups to guidethe participant in a lovely, inspiring, experience with God. ... Read more

Product Description
Joyce Rupp's characteristic creativity and reverence for the Divine are on full display in this collection of prayer resources for birthdays, holidays, holy days, transitions, and many other occasions, helping readers enter more deeply and reflectively into the liturgical and seasonal celebrations of their lives.

Ideal for personal use, or as a gift for loved ones celebrating a landmark occasion, this enduring spiritual classic is an invaluable resource for ministers, spiritual directors, and lay leaders alike, who turn to its prayers, reflections, and rituals for personal and communal occasions both "ordinary" and profound. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Prayers and poems, liturgical use, meditation use.
A great value as a used book.It is in very good condition.
Rupp connects spiritual musings with personal conditions very nicely.An ordinary situation can gain timeless depth.A divine thought can gain practical application.
Not meant for a quick read-through.Rather, it's useful for slowing down, centering, connecting to eternal good.

A beautiful book
Joyce Rupp's name came up a few times over the last couple of months and I decided to order one of her books.It is filled with spiritually inspirational prose.I look forward to reading many of her other books.

Out of the Ordinary
The name says it all. A very useful book for me in my work.
The book arrived on time and in very good condition.

A contagious passion for worship
"The natural object is always the adequate symbol." Joyce Rupp embodies Ezra Pound's famous quote by using diverse images as springboards for spiritual transformation; in elevating the ordinary, she reveals an extraordinary God.

These meditations and seasonal reflections include prayers of all kinds: from call and response to blessings to holy day invocations.Drawn from her years as a spiritual director and retreat leader, her work gives voice to our common losses and aspirations, our longings and celebrations.Forthright poems emulate traditional religious poetry, and her prose is direct, insightful, and heartfelt.

This is one generous soul."Use the rituals and prayers as seeds or as whole plants," she writes. "Either way is fine with me." She requests that her poems be preserved intact but graciously offers the other materials in her book -- including the music -- for adaptation for personal or liturgical use.The user need only include the appropriate acknowledgement, as explained in her introduction.

"Must" reading for all Joyce Rupp fans!
Out Of The Ordinary features more than 125 thoughtful compositions drawn from author Joyce Rupp's treasure trove of unpublished work. Herein contained are attentive prayer resources for a wide spectrum of needs and times, including resources for groups, individuals, prayer rituals, guidedvisualizations, reflections, and poems -- suitably for open or closedmeetings, prayer sessions, and days of recollection. When used within thecontext of worship and small group prayer, they can be duplicated withoutcost or written permission. Out Of The Ordinary is further enhanced forstudents of spirituality with a collection of prayerful, Taize-like chantsthat Rupp composed to accompany the many rituals outlined in her book. Themusical notation of these chants is contained in the Appendix, and are alsoavailable on CD or cassette. ... Read more

Product Description
We long for connections in the midst of disconnected lives--connections to ourselves, to others, to the world we live in. Most of all we yearn to connect with the sacred. In The Circle of Life Joyce Rupp and Macrina Wiederkehr invite us to listen carefully and closely to the wisdom of each season. Using reflections, poems, prayers, and meditations, they explore the relationship between the seasons of the earth and the seasons of our lives. The Circle of Life encourages readers to connect their experience of the unfolding seasons with inner spiritual growth and movement, and to know that the presence of God is within and around us all. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

A real heart's journey.
This book is so very special.It is definitely a wonderful companion prayer book for those who want to be in harmony with all of the elements of creation.

Overkill
I was pretty disappointed with this book.I guess I went in with high expectations.In the beginning of the book, I thought it might be worthwhile, but as I read on.......the repetitive nature of the book got old very fast.The book could have gotten its message across with a lot less pages.I found the ceremonies that they had in there useless....I hope they don't recommend this book for someone that is lonely.I think the authors idea for the book was a good one, but the execution of their idea didn't deliver in print.

Prayer
I like the concept of viewing life and prayer through the four seasons.I like how the prayers can be used as an individual prays or for group prayer.The words speak to the heart when one does not have the words within.It encourages one to be aware of the presence of God in the day to day ordinary.Simple and direct yet challenging one to move from the head to the heart and be conscious of the movement of prayer.Helps to open our eyes and see life differently.A great addition and help especially when planning for prayer for groups.

Apositive Catholic look
If you are looking for a stern, in-your-face, pre-Vatican ll book on religion, this is not it!What you will find is a beautiful spiritual companian written by two wise and sensitive nuns and gorgeously illustrated by another talented sister. This is a healing book for many, especially those who feel their Catholic faith has let them down at some point in their life. I think this would also be great for anyone who embraces Waldorf- style education or parenting.I absolutely loved it!!!!!!

Wicca Watch!
If you remain at all confused as to the nature of this book, simply try google-ing the names of the authors.We find here a trend in the Wiccan religious tradition being written by purportedly Catholic nuns.Here is a quote by Wiederkehr in one of her other books, "God is Someone who has taken the time to sit on a quilt with me waiting for beauty. She is a Mother of Presence." -- Yes, you heard right, God is a woman; does that make Jesus a woman too?It's all so confusing.Buyer beware!This isn't the placid book it claims to be about happy, let's-hold-hands-in-the-sunshine banal spirituality, it is a quiet indoctrination into Wicca. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

The Cosmic Dance, an in vitation...
Another great resource. Rupp never fails to present new ideas and open us to new understandings.
Thanks again.

The Cosmic Dance
We have much to learn of the divine presence that is everywhere in creation. God is inviting the human family to join the dance of life. It is a critical book for our time. The choice is being made everyday. Do we want to go on exploting the earth and her resources or will be awaken to the sacredness of our world and build a new relationship of respect and appreciation for all life on our plant. Joyce Rupp leads us into a prayer filled dance of celebration.

Awe inspiring book in every way
This book by Joyce Rupp is my favorite in that the poetry and essays each offer words to relate to in our lives. Her subject of cosmic connections is also very timely as more and more people are growing in their conscious awareness. In addition, she has offered illustrations by Mary Souuthard which are always moving to the mind and soul. This is a rare book I share with others at every opportunity. ... Read more

Product Description
Here bestselling author Joyce Rupp offers us the spiritual assurance that God is always with us, a loving, enduring presence. On encountering God in Scripture she writes: One word or phrase from Scripture can leap out at me and draw me into spending time with the whisper of truth calling to me. In this brief moment of recognition I see that this stirring comes not from my human consciousness but from a deeper place where Wisdom dwells within me. These beautiful reflections are filled with hope and abiding faith in God s presence. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Excellent path to follow for the spiritual journey
Sister Joyce Rupp uses her own spiritual knowledge as well as scripture to guide us through the Church calender of seasons.The messages are very well expressed and easy to understand -- but yet with a wisdom that shows her deep understanding of God's love and compassion.

Just as promised
This book came in the mail quickly and was in the 'good'condition as promised. THANKS

Great but not the best
Joyce Rupp always inspires.These are very nice little meditations for the Church year.Unfortunately they are not meditations on EACH day of the church year, which would have been great.Joyce is brief and to the point, challenging but not too challenging.All in all a good read, but I like her other books much better, like STAR IN MY HEART, and CUP OF MY LIFE. ... Read more

Product Description
Building on the success of May I Walk You Home? (50,000 copies sold since 1999), this collection of stories picks up where the first book left off, helping readers navigate the bewildering landscape of grief once a loved one has died. Coauthors Joyce Hutchison and Joyce Rupp reflect on their own stories of loss, as well as those of others, and offer meditations to assist readers through some of the more difficult issues that come with the loss of a loved one, including remarriage and feelings of relief or regret. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Blessing
If you are grieving the death of a loved one, this book is a MUST. Uplifting and comforting.

A Help in Grief
I have long been a fan of Joyce Rupp.This book is a wonderful help for those who are in the process of grieving the loss of a loved one.I think it would be especially helpful for someone who has lost a spouse.Each chapter ends with a meditation and prayer.It is written with tendernesss and care toward the person grieving. ... Read more

Product Description
God is always there, always waiting for our invitation to come in.Yet sometimes we need help hearing the knock at the door, putting some time aside, or beginning the conversation. In this collection of scriptural reflections and prayers, Joyce Rupp offers us the encouragement we so often require to stop and pray.Her thoughtful, perceptive reflections on scripture guide us as we open our hearts and ponder the meaning of God's word in our lives.And her poetic personal prayers help us find words for the longings in our hearts.

Inviting God In is organized according to the seasons of the church year, from Advent and Christmas, to Lent and Easter, and on through the days of Ordinary Time and particular festivals.Each entry is just one page long, beginning with a verse from scripture followed by a reflection and a prayer.The book begins with an insightful reflection on prayer as "God's Gift to Us," reminding us of those basic truths about prayer that are sometimes easy to forget.

One of our best-loved spiritual writers, Joyce Rupp once again sets just the right tone to invite us to pray. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Inspiring
This book is inspiring and helpful to all who are seekers of God.Great book for Lent.

Daily help
Joyce Rupp is one after my own heart.Her daily devotionals on Bible verses are so helpful, and I'm looking forward to using the book throughout the year because it's divided into sections to correspond with the church year.Although she is a Roman Catholic nun, her writings are what I would call ecumenical, based upon the Bible.

Inviting God In
I've just started using this book, and the reflections are very much to the point. Rupp's style of writing gives one much food for thought. It's simple, yet profound, brief (one page) but with enough wisdom to last and reflect on for the entire day. Each reflection really DOES invite God in!

More Spiritual Nourishment from Joyce Rupp
Joyce Rupp continues to provide down to earth yet challenging spiritual nourishment to her readers.As with "May I Have This Dance", "Inviting God In" has excellent, brief readings for each season of the year.Our women's covenant group often uses her books for study and spiritual direction.

A thoughtful and recommended spiritual reminder
Joyce Rupp's Inviting God In: Scriptural Reflections And Prayers Throughout The Year is a collection of scriptural reflections and prayers to encourage readers to remember to stop and pray. It's so easy to get surrounded by the chaos of everyday life and forget that God is always there, waiting to be let in. Inviting God In is a thoughtful and recommended spiritual reminder to carry worship and love in one's heart. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Overkill
I initially thought this book would be an engaging and spiritual description of the Camino experience.Rupp's complaints and negativity quickly took their toll on this reader and left me disenchanted with her whole experience.However, every pilgrim finds individual purpose in his or her own journey and I respectively leave that manifestation without ridicule if this is what moved her spiritually.

Odd and very disappointing
Based on the reviews (which was prior to the one by Thomas Heckel) I purchased this book.I have to totally agree with Mr. Heckel.I was shocked and disappointed.

Ms. Rupp, who proclaims from the outset that she is a Catholic nun, totally belies the position.I was confused.Granted not all nuns are like Mother Teresa, however, I was under the impression that nuns are more non-judgmental then the average person.I also must have suffered from the delusion that nuns are loving, open, helpful, and gracious.This account is contrary to those thoughts.

Ms. Rupp's personal insights were disturbing.Her incessant complaining, judging, and paranoia regarding everyone she meets, (including her walking partner), and everything she experiences do not seem to tell the tale of a "religious" or "spiritual" person, let alone a person of faith.She is FAR more comfortable with the comforts of her home and lifestyle, as she reminds the reader throughout the book.What was she expecting on the Camino?

She shows no trust in fellow man.Why is she a nun?Her writing lends itself to self-importance by telling the reader that she consciously decided not to tell others that she was a "published writer or nun" (I'm guessing that she feels superior in her own eyes).However, I think had she told the people she met that she was a nun, they would have been just as shocked as I was, and not in a good way.

When she and her walking partner, a priest, return home still she has no real "life lessons" to provide either herself or the reader, although the chapter titles would lead you to think otherwise.

I've kept a library of books I've read regarding the Camino as I plan to walk it very soon.This book, however, I did not keep, nor do I recommend to anyone.

Disappointed
I was extremely disappointed in this book.It almost turned me away from my planned Camino later this year. Ms Rupp (who sort of disguises her true persona as a Catholic nun) complains about everything, not once, but continually.There is the filthy communal bathrooms that digust her.The food is substandard, and in short supply.Fellow pilgrims annoy her due to their physical appearance (she describes one large Spaniard in detail) and mannerisms.Her walking companion gets on her nerves at times.She senses disdain and disapproval frequently due to her appearance.She struggles with the difficulty of having to unpack and repack her things each day.She is constantly anxious about where she will sleep each night.

It is the constant repetition and dwelling on all these difficulties that left me wondering what she was expecting?She contrasts her life in the US, where she has a choice of many outfits to wear each day, her precious privacy, her sumptious meals, her plethora of "material things".Indeed, she succeeded quite well in disguising her true identity as a Catholic nun

She is even suspicious of 3 friendly priests when she finds they are Opus Dei.God forbid. Yet she is able to "suck it up" and realize the lesson that even conservatives can be good people, and we should not judge them.But in her heart, she really wanted them to be Jesuits.

She decides not to let anyone know that she is a "published author" or a nun.She wants no special treatment due to her self-perceived real life status.I found this very strange. When I walk the Camino I pray that God lets me meet Catholic priests and nuns who are not in disguise.

If you want to tread through Oprah-like introversion and self-analysis, this book is OK.Despite her clever chapter titles that suggest wonderful life lessons, this book is laden with negativity.

The best Camino book
I walked the Camino Frances and read about six books by authors who did as well.This is the best of the lot in my opinion especially if you are interested in the philosophy/theology of pilgrimage.The author articulates that compellingly and without a surplus of Christian code language.

Best book on the subject
So far I have read two internet stories, one e-book, two travel guides and 4 books on the subject. Finally, page by page as step by step, this book told me the essence of walking to Santiago. ... Read more

Product Description
Now in a beautiful new companion book, Joyce courageouslyoffers fifty prayers from her personal journal. Rather than presentingan intellectual study or theological debate on the subject of Sophia,her words share a relationship with Sophia that is steeped in lifeexperience and enriched with poetic metaphor. The added touches ofquotations from the Wisdom literature, questions for personalreflection, and suggestions for journaling combine to gently nudgeseekers toward the discovery of new riches on their spiritualjourney. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Sophia who?
Joyce Rupp is obviously writing about the worship and prayer to another dead "saint" of Roman Catholics. Practicing necromancy is a gross sin. Necromancy = communication with the dead).

No true Christian would pray to anyone but God through Jesus Christ.

An addition
My copy arrived today, and as an addition to my spiritual practice tailored to meet my individuality, I opened it up randomly to a page where the first line contained the word 'Nurturance.' Once I felt a deep resonance to these words, I knew that I have found another piece along the way...

Prayers to Sophia
Beautiful poetry and a great companion to The Star in my Heart. Joyce Rupp envokes peace and calmness through her writings, which makes for great daily meditation.

Prayers to Sophia
This book contains many beautiful prayers that are thought provoking and leads into a wonderful part of our spirituality that seeks divine wisdom in all we do.

A thoughtful and provocative way to pray
Joyce Rupp continues to astonish me with her assertive honesty toward the Holy and her vulnerable honesty about herself. She puts into words what many of us don't even know we long for. I am very grateful that it was recommended to ,e. ... Read more

Product Description
Filled with stories, journal entries, poetry, guided visualizations, and evocative images, this book is a spiritual feast. Joyce Rupp shares her own hidden midlife journey with honesty and insight that readers will identify with and benefit from the discoveries she has made along the way. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Dear Heart, Come Home
I have purchased this book for our Small Christian Community/Book Club and we are just getting started in reading it...so I am unable to rate the book @ this time. Irealize that I gave it 5 stars and was unable to delete the rating; I would rather rate it after reading and discussing it with our group.Thanks.

Excellent
It is as if this book was written about my spiritual journey!It has provided insights into the path that many people in mid-life experience.Great book!

A great help for midlife crisis
Joyce helps us face the dark corners of our hearts -- the places where we would rather not go. But, in doing so, she brings us into a light more bright than we ever thought possible. Using her suggested guided visualizations and journaling suggestions makes the experience more powerful, too. The visualizations can even be done by yourself. Don't rush through this book. Take your time and really enter the cave. I found Jesus waiting there for me.

Dear heart, Come Home
My faith-sharing/prayer group used this in our weekly meetings.Our group ranges from 53 to 73, so we were all in different stanges ofour mid-life. Joyce's book seemed very "dark" and only one person couldactually relate well to the contents.However, I felt it prompted moresharing within the group than other books we've used.The idea for groupmeetings were excellent.I also purchased the audio tape to go with thisbook which was excellent (5 stars). Great mediations and the chants are agreat way to begin your reading or the evening's activity.

Disappointing if you are a faithful Roman Catholic
This book does not contain the gifts of the Catholic faith, but instead is a new age spiritual treatise of total, unqualified tolerance. What comes to mind is the old phrase "if it feels good, do it".This is exactlywhat is wrong with society. Too much of doing one's "own thing".Nothing about obedience and belief in what will strenghten us through midlife is contained in the book. Do not read this book if you are looking forthe answer to your mid life crisis.One thing about reaching fifty is thatyou can cut through the mustard and see a hidden agenda under a guise ofhonesty.This book will not lead one to their home, but farther away intoconfusion. ... Read more

Product Description
Reissued on its tenth anniversary, May I Walk You Home? remains an invaluable resource for professional caregivers and loved ones assisting those on their final journey home. Accompanied by the experience and empathy of hospice educator Joyce Hutchison and the wisdom and inspiration of best-selling author Joyce Rupp, readers will discover the courage necessary to embrace the struggles and rewards of this final companionship. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Encouraging
This book was so helpful and encouraging to me as I cared for my husband. The stories are so real and the prayers I used daily. Wow! I recommend this for all who are caring for a loved one who is dying.

Comfort for Caregivers
As a hospice nurse I often recommended this book to the caregivers of my patients.It helped me minister to my patients as they walked their final journey home.I am no longer a hospice nurse, but I keep a supply of these books to give to my friends who are facing the challenge of helping a loved one on their final journey.Every nurse, regardless of his/her area of practice, should read this book. I've probably given away 30 of these books, and have yet to find anyone who did not receive a blessing and gain valuable insight from this book.

wonderful
First off, I loved the title of this book!What a concept, to "walk someone home"--and that is just what we do as caregivers.This book was comforting and uplifting.Worth the read, for sure.

Read to absorb
I have read this book a few times.It is not one that you should do in one or two settings..it is a book to be your companion and as such, should be absorbed rather than read.Over the past six years I have probably bought about 30-40 of these for friends, nurse staff that I have walked alongside, as well as strangers whom I felt would identify with these writings.My last purchase, which is prompting this review,was for a person I met while volunteering with Habitat for Humanity in Louisiana.This person is now a surgical medical student who wants to be an oncology surgeon.I thought the book would compliment this person's compassion and understanding of the pursuit of medical/surgical oncology.I figure, as long as this book is in print, I will continue to buy it and pass it on.Skip DM, BCC (Chaplain)

As comforting as a cup of tea on a rainy day
This book was an easy and comforting read.I can highly recommend it if you are caring for someone who is terminally ill.It gives a very gracious and encouraging picture of the final months and days.The analogy of "May I walk you home" will stay with you long after you put the book down.It's also a great read for those who support the caregivers who support the ill. ... Read more

Product Description
A hope-filled book that reaches into the human heart and encourages the reader to approach painful inner darkness as a help rather than a hindrance for personal growth. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Little Pieces of Light
Easy to hold - easy to read - and best of all - relative to the situations and events that many people exprience in life at one time or another. It's uplifting and hopeful. I love this little book.

Opening
A tiny book which opens windows to the soul. As a spiritual director and gynaecologist this book has proffered a life-line to some of my patients in their darkest places.Thank you Joyce Rupp a minster to the souls who you touch with your writing.

I buy multiples to give away
This book was given to me at a dark time in my life and it was very helpful.I took it bit by bit at that time.It is a small book and about right for anyone feeling overwhelmed.Prayers alternate with relevant chapters.I own many of Joyce Rupp's books but this is the one I go back to all the time.I buy 8-10 of these at a time and send to those suffering from grief, depression or a devastating disease...it is really for anyone of us who has felt abandoned by God.When I send it out, I tell the people it is not THE answer; they might need to wait to read it and/or they probably need to read small parts and let them percolate.But it has comforted and helped many of my friends and so I always keep some in stock.

Great Gift
These were a gift to my aunt who loves to give them as gifts.She says they are great to read in times of trouble.She likes to skip around in them.

Inspirational and encouraging for those expeiencing depression
I ordered an extra coy of this little book.I like having it on hand if I chance to learn a friend
is suffering from post-partum or similar depression.Joyce Rupp writes so personally...you come away feeling
so uplifted. ... Read more

Product Description
Joyce Rupp's extraordinary reflections on Sophia-FeminineWisdom in the Hebrew Scriptures-have become a classic. For ten years,this collection of quieting verse and meditative writing, withmandalas and suggestions for spiritual journaling, has gently invitedreaders to explore the inner journey. Rupp's healing images invite usto dip into Sophia's quiet guidance and come away refreshed. EXCERPT:Thoughts from the Author

This book was born on a sunny day as I sat among the myriad colors andfragrances of my friends' rose garden. I was watching over theirtwo-year old, Elizabeth Ann, who was delightfully playing among theflowers, talking to them, laughing, and splashing the roses with herlittle watering can. It was there that I became keenly aware ofSophia's presence. I look at the beautiful child at play, and Iremembered how Sophia (Wisdom) speaks of herself in Proverbs:

I was at God' side. . . delighting God day after day,ever at play in God's presence,at play everywhere in God's world . . .--Proverbs 8:30-31

It was not the first time that I had experienced this deep awareness of Sophia's presence. There had been many moments in my life when the sudden recognition of her radiant presence had pressed tears into my eyes. Oftentimes it happened when I looked upon something in nature and felt a wordless connection between the vast beauty of the universe and the goodness of Divine life.

This kind of recognition happened when I saw Elizabeth at play. In an instant all the years that stretched between Elizabeth's age and my own were connected. I saw how Sophia had touched my heart time and again and had brought me to truths that had indeed changed my life. I knew then that I wanted to write about Sophia's presence in my life. I wanted to tell how her activity in my spirit has led me to many truths which now inspire my life's journey and give order to my inner being. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Outstanding spiritual reading
I have never been disappointed with a Joyce Rupp publication.She has the humility and insight to reach all levels on their journey.This book is another one of her great works.

Star in my Heart
A most unusual book that explores the writer's spiritual journey in a sincerely mystical way. I was unable to relate completely to it, but I do admire her efforts to present a different approach tothe inner life.

open a window
If one is struggling for a deeper understanding and communication with the Deity, this is an excellent book.By focusing on the feminine side of the Deity, one can more easily access one's own deeper wisdom, which comes from deep within the Deity.

Excellent service
Despite international mail, book arrived within a week.Well packed, great condition.Thanks Amazon.

Turning within to Sophia
This is a guidebook that transcends the written page and follows you into your own living experience.I read it several years ago during a transitional period. . .it has remained close to me in a special sort ofway.I picked it up again this morning and re-read a few pages. Hurriedly, I had to leave for work in a retail store at a shopping mall. In a very public place, full of Christmas shoppers,I met a young motherwith her beautiful infant daughter.Asking the child's name, came thewords. . .Carmen Sophia. . .Immediately there was a significant connectionwith the young mother, as though wisdom itself spoke to both of us in asilent recognition.I told her to read this book and share it with herdaughter.I KNOW she will.Holyroses. . . . ... Read more

Product Description
Joyce Rupp has gently guided hundreds of thousands toward a deeper understanding of personal and universal spiritual truths.Now, she shares her first collection of poetry and her highly personal search for growth, inner freedom, and peace.Rupp shares her own awakening to the spiritual realities in nature, affirming the inner journey and challenging the way we live our lives.

Each of these uncomplicated, profound verses demonstrates how the simple things in nature reflect a larger spiritual reality.Each was born from a moment of Rupp's attention to nature(a literal manifestation of a truth revealed as she focused upon some particular aspect of the natural world.She encourages readers to trust their own dreams, no matter how fragile they may seem - just as a bird rests itself on a small twig and trusts it for support.

The simple beauty of the poetry in Rest Your Dreams on a Little Twig is enhanced by the accompanying line drawings by artist Barbara Loomis.With stunning strength and simplicity, each drawing is a visual poem that reflects Rupp's insight with an exquisite clarity. Loomis conveys the spiritual truths of nature through her art as beautifully as Rupp conveys these truths through verse.The combination is powerful. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Short but profound
Joyce Rupp has created simple and short, but thought-provoking and profound, poems that are beautifully illustrated by Barbara Loomis.They are treats for the mind and heart.

Joyce Rupp does it again
The title and cover art alone are nearly worth the price of the book to me!Another excellent Joyce Rupp book.I read Rupp by myself but also as part of the reading for a spirituality group of which I am a part. I always leave her reading with new images and wisdom offering food for thought. I love her poetry, solid advice, and creativity.

Beautiful Meditations
With wonderful simplicity, Joyce Rupp once again touches the sacred in ordinary life.Each short poem, while unique in its own way, can also open the way for personal reflection. Barbara Loomis' illustrations are intricate and touching and complement the text beautifully. This book can be opened to any page since each stands on its own.I know I will return to these poems frequently for a subtle reminder of what makes life special.Would also make a great gift! ... Read more