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Book Review: Hearing with the Heart
Reviewed by Sandy Zeigler, Director of Lay Leadership Development,
The General Board of Discipleship
 Hearing with the Heart: A Gentle Guide for Discerning God's Will for Your Life
by Debra K. Farrington
Jossey-Bass, 2002
What is the will of God for your life?
What is God's will for the church's life in your annual conference? As a conference leader, you may sometimes wonder if you are in fact following God's will.
Debra Farrington's book provides "A Gentle Guide to Discerning God's Will for Your Life," as the subtitle suggests. Listening for God's will with "new eyes, new ears, new hearts," and opening ourselves to new ways of hearing the voice of God enables us to experience God with hearts that are open, not hard. (See Mark 8:17-18.)
In Hearing with the Heart, Farrington challenges us to surrender our lives to God, to "leave the comforts of normal," and to "ignore the world's idols" so that we might have hearts that are attentive to God's voice.
Both individuals and small groups can use the principles and suggested practices in this book to discern God's will. Using "The Spiritual Exercise of Saint Ignatius," the author helps us to:
- Prepare our hearts and minds,
- Clarify the question,
- Remain open and objective, and
- Pray for God's guidance.
Individuals and groups will also want to use "A Prayer Service for Discernment,"
which is included at the end of the book, to work on discerning an issue or direction.
Discovering God's will for your life or the life of the church in your annual conference could be a step toward revival and renewal for you or your annual conference.
Posted 6-1-05
Text Only Version
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