|  Booklist: Spiritual Growth

  Making Room:  Recovering Hospitality as a Christian

  Tradition

  by Christine D. Pohl

  "Just as Jesus opened his heart to each person, so we are 

  called to open our hearts to each other.  A disciple of Jesus is

  a 'welcomer.'  This excellent book calls us all to become hospitable people who welcome, and so too become like Jesus."  (Jean Vanier, L'Arche).  Grand Rapids:  Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1999.

The Return of the Prodigal Son:  A Story of Homecoming

by Henri J. M. Nouwen

Nouwen puts himself in the role of each character depicted in the Rembrandt painting.  In his inimitable and personal way, Nouwen draws the reader into growing self-awareness as well.  New York: Bantam Doubleday, 1994.

Eat this Book:  A conversation in the art of spiritual reading

by Eugene H. Peterson

Do we read the bible for information about God and the history of salvation, or do we read to listen to God and respond in prayer and obedience?  Read this book to learn about "lectio divina," or as Peterson describes it, reading as though we were "dogs gnawing on a bone."

Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2006.

Receiving the Day:  Christian Practices for Opening the Gift of Time

by Dorothy Bass

Dorothy Bass's book reorients our attitude towards time, challenging our time-obsessed society to turn our calendars from taskmasters into gifts from the Creator for creation and for us.  San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Inc., 2000.

Sabbath:  Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight in our Busy Lives

by Wayne Muller

A near fatal illness taught the author that without Sabbath times built into our busy lives, we will die not only spiritually, but physically and emotionally as well.  Muller learned to observe sacred times of renewal, to find a balanced life between work and rest.  New York: Bantam Books, 1999.

The Rest of God

by Mark Buchanan

In case you didn't get the message with Wayne Muller's book, this is another book on the importance of keeping Sabbath in our busy lives.  We've lost the God-instilled rhythm of work and rest, of Sabbath.  Buchanan calls it "the rest God bestows, and with it, that part of himself we can know only through stillness."  Nashville: W. Publishing Group, 2006.

The Cloister Walk

by Kathleen Norris

Author Kathleen Norris continues her spiritual journey by becoming an oblate in a Benedictine monastery.  She learns to walk in tune with the Benedictine rule for life as far as a married woman can do.  She learns a new perspective on time as a gift from God.  You may notice this theme of "time as gift" related to several books on this list. New York: Riverhead Books, 1996.

Living with Contradiction:  An Introduction to Benedictine Spirituality

by Esther de Waal

Our lives are often fragmented and filled with tension.  The ancient wisdom of St. Benedict teaches us that the contradictions and ambiguities of our lives can open doors to healing, transformation and new life.  Harrisburg, PA: Moorehouse Publishing, 1997.

The Spirit of the Disciplines

by Dallas Willard

Willard explores the secret of Christ's "easy yoke" and how we can learn from Christ how to live our lives totally for him, practicing the disciplines of the Christian life.  Besides an introduction to the spiritual disciplines such as fasting and prayer, this book has an enlightening chapter on poverty and riches, which clears up many misconcpetions about biblical teachings concerning the poor and the rich.  San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1991.

Inner Compass:  An Invitation to Ignatian Spirituality

by Margaret Silf

A contemporary introduction to the "Spiritual Exercises" of St. Ignatius of Loyola, this is a practical guide that will be helpful to newcomers to Ignatian spirituality.  Plan to spend time with each chapter using the suggestions for prayer and reflection for personal spiritual growth.  Chicago: Loyola Press, 1999.