When the Heart Waits: Spiritual Direction for Life's Sacred Questions

Over 15 years ago a spiritual director pointed me to this book. Timing matters. I know that I read through Monk's personal journey, but it didn't resonate with me then. Now every page found home in me.

I cannot really read without writing and underlining, (nor can I write without reading). Happily, I realized this was a keeper and returned the library copy and got one of my own to enjoy and digest at leisure. As I write about life changes and the process of transition, I found Monk's thoughtful and personal approach wise and honest. She speaks of her midlife passage, which for her was her 40's. In my early 50's I find myself just now catching up to many of her soul experiences. Lovely weaving of one woman's story of change with the show more wisdom of a variety of other writers and thinkers. A treasure.

update: 4.5 stars. Even better the third time through. What a wise and honest companion. Thank you, Sue. show less

The essence of this book is that a vital part of the spiritual transformation process is waiting; that one cannot always be doing, but that one must also wait on God and on His timetable. The author’s main metaphor is that of the transformation of the caterpillar into the butterfly; it is quite a leap of faith for a caterpillar to enter a chrysalis to become transformed.

rabck from Mysscyn; I didn't realize before her Fiction career that this author wrote Christian Life Books. Excellent for the current time of my life, comparing the spiritual work to a butterfly - you must cocoon first, before you can transform and unfurl your wings to fly into the next phase of your life.

Perhaps it's a timing thing, but this book was an amazing read for me. Like the author, I am going through a bit of a funk in midlife so her stories and insights resonated with me. Perhaps I would not enjoy it at another stage in life but right now it was the book I needed to read.

This is an excellent source text for those who are on a personal spiritual journey or are leading a spiritual retreat. Sue Monk Kidd encountering a mid-life crisis writes of her transformation of the spirit to become more what God would have us evolve into.

This book has been donated in memory of Doris Johnson (mother of Verlinda Henining) by Ward Mayer of the 2002-2003 EFM Seminar Group.