I could certainly write lots about the wonderful books of our friend Ruth Haley Barton, her books for women, her book on men & women as friends (Equal to the Task), and her recent batch on spiritual disciplines and how God can transform us as we align ourselves with the Spirit.  We can do that, allowing God to work, by creating space in our lives for solitude and silence, listening prayer and serious Scripture study.  Ruth has trained at the world-renowned Shalem Institute, and brings a broad yet uniquely evangelical perspective to their important ecumenical work in spiritual formation and contemplative living. 

Her 2007 Sacred Rhythms is one of our favorite books in recent years, a natural follow-up to the excellent Invitation to Solitude & Silence.  Her new one, which I will review at length eventually, uses Moses as a case study in leadership development, and the possibility of leaders being less faithful, effective and fruitful then they might because they fail to attend to the ancient and classic disciplines of prayer, meditation, fasting, solitude, journaling and such.  There are not many books that adeptly bring together leadership development and spirituality, and Stengthening the Soul of Your Leadership is marvelous. Her own vocation to help leaders in this prayerful inner journey is described at the website of The Tranforming Center.  Check it out.

We’re very pleased with her as a writer, and appreciate her ability to write about such deep and mysterious stuff and yet remain clear, upbeat, practical and thoroughly rooted in the Biblical story.  We’re biased since we care for her so, and although we are not intimate friends, we’ve connected well whenever we’ve been together, know each others families a bit, enjoy good conversations with her. We, along with our local friends, will have a chance to get caught up this coming Monday, when she has agreed to offer a presentation for us, followed by an autographing party.

 We are hosting “An Evening with Ruth Haley Barton” and she’ll talk and teach a bit, share some stories, inspire us to move more deeply into greater faith maturity, and maybe talk about how she–busy wife and mom that she is—came to be a renowned writer of spirituality.  I suspect she still has to pinch herself sometimes, but God has, I am certain, used her in important and true ways as she serves and encourages and guides many, though her lively speaking and excellent books, to Christ’s transforming grace.

SO:  please spread the word!
 We will start around 7 pm this Monday, November 17th, in a fairly spacious, though intimate, coffee bar and art gallery in the nearby Living Word Community Church (2530 Cape Horn Road) in Red Lion.  This is on Route 24 just a couple of miles from our shop. Many thanks to LWCC for allowing us to use their space, and for their enthusism in helping host this author reception, presentation and autographing party.  Yes, of course, we will be selling her books.

May be suggest that autographed books make very special holiday gifts?  Let us know if you are unable to be with us but want me to pick you up an autographed book which we could mail next week.  I’ll do a blog post in a day or so about that, listing her titles, some prices and such.  For now, though, pray for us, tell anybody in central Pennsylvania that you can, and join us if you are able for this great opportunity to met an author, be blessed by a very special presentation, and join with others in reminding ourselves of how to come to know God more deeply.  We are very, very excited.    Special thanks to Ruth and InterVarsity Press for their genorousity in showing up at our funky little spot.  We are grateful.