A Spirituality of Listening - by Keith R Anderson (Paperback)

About the Book

God is speaking in our everyday world. How can we become more attuned to listening for God's voice? Keith Anderson walks us through key biblical themes that help us see and experience how God is present with us if we would only listen, paying attention to the moments that make up our days. Listen--and step into a world alive with God's presence.

Book Synopsis

• 2016 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 invites 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 Quotes

"A Spirituality of Listening invites 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."

"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 writes as one who has listened with discipline and has heard the voice of God."

"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."

"With accessible style, Anderson blends personal experience with a wealth of widely different sources in his essays."

About the Author

Keith R. Anderson is president of The Seattle School of Theology Psychology. He has authored a number of books and is the coauthor of Spiritual Mentoring.

Dan B. Allender (PhD, counseling psychology, Michigan State University) is professor of counseling at The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology. He taught previously at Grace Theological Seminary and Colorado Christian University. A speaker and writer, his books include The Healing Path, To Be Told, How Children Raise Parents, The Wounded Heart and Leading with a Limp. With Tremper Longman, he wrote Bold Love, Cry of the Soul, Intimate Allies and the Intimate Marriage Bible studies.