Sacred Chaos - by Tricia McCary Rhodes (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

Tricia McCary Rhodes offers us a fresh view of connecting to God, one that focuses on quality time and frees us from the rigidity of a devotional life that may feel stifled, grow stagnant, or bring about guilt when we can't keep up. Ideas at the end of each chapter and suggestions for prayer experiments give practical suggestions noticing God's work throughout each day.

Review Quotes

"Sacred Chaos is a sacred gem. I have long been a fan of Tricia Rhodes's writing, but this is her best work yet, her tour de force of real-life spirituality. It is eminently practical, while grappling seriously with the demands of everyday life. It is chock-full of arresting images; Tricia makes spiritual truth seem very vivid. She has mastered the art of making the mundane serve the cause of the marvelous and even the miraculous. Your life can find room for a growing and rich relationship with God; this book will show you how."

"God is in the bedlam, and Tricia opens access to the hidden sacred moments of our jam-packed lives. With short, honest, hope-filled chapters and solid, doable application, Sacred Chaos makes it possible to live in God's presence, day after crowded day."

"How can we open ourselves to God in the midst of the chaos of our lives? This book, with short chapters for busy people and a section on 'Making the Chaos Sacred' at the end of every chapter, offers valuable help."

"Tricia Rhodes's walk of faith is a well-paced pilgrimage. You will find counsel enough in these pages to bleed the hassle from all frantic discipleship. And the soul at the center of your hurriedness will be a soul at rest, for you will have found that gentle pace that tells the world it will be good for them to be around you, for you have walked the edges of her wisdom."

In Sacred Chaos the disciplines become attainable; they are not limited to superhero Christians, but available to each humble believer. The tone of Rhodes' writing is never academic or removed, but always encouraging.

The author shows us that we are indeed spending time in prayer and God's presence in the everyday things we do. She gives practical simple advice on how to make the most of every minute to assure that you are experiencing God. This is an author who I will always look to for books that will assist me in continued spiritual development.

This book is [an] encouraging message for those youth workers fighting to find a little more sacred time within the incredibly chaotic demands of loving teenagers.

While I've read some books in the spiritual discplines genre that either too ethereal or too commonsense-y, Sacred Chaos is simple yet profound, practical yet deeply spiritual. Don't let one more "Sacred ___" title scare you away. This one's a keeper.

About the Author

Gary Thomas is a writer and the founder and director of the Center for Evangelical Spirituality, a writing and speaking ministry that integrates Scripture, church history and the Christian classics. He has served as a campus pastor and is currently an adjunct faculty member at Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon, where he teaches on spiritual formation. He is the author of several books including Sacred Influence, Authentic Faith and Sacred Marriage.

Tricia McCary Rhodes is a writer and teacher whose works include The Soul at Rest, Contemplating the Cross, Intimate Intercession, Taking Up Your Cross and At the Name of Jesus. Together she and her husband, Joe, founded New Hope Church in San Diego, California, and have served there for twenty-five years.