Sparkhouse

Jesus for Farmers and Fishers: Justice for All Those Marginalized by Our Food System

Food producers in America are in the midst of one of the most severe farm crises of the last half-century. Yet we are largely unaware of the plight of those whose hands and hearts toil to sustain us. In Jesus for Farmers and Fishers, Gary Nabhan offers a fresh look at the parables of Jesus to bring us into a heart of compassion for those in the food economy hit by this crisis.

9781506465067

The Defiant Middle: How Women Claim Life's In-Betweens to Remake the World

Women who don't fit in amid cultural expectations, because of life transitions or changes in their body, mind, or gender identity, are carving out new ways of being in and remaking the world. Drawing on the wisdom of women mystics, this book explores how transitional eras can be both spiritually challenging and excitingly freeing. Ultimately, we see how these in-between times lead us to reinvented ways of seeing ourselves and changing the world.

9781506467689

Hidden Mercy: AIDS, Catholics, and the Untold Stories of Compassion in the Face of Fear

The height of the AIDS crisis in the United States in the 1980s and 1990s left many profound stories that remained untold. In Hidden Mercy, gay Catholic journalist Michael O'Loughlin uncovers the stories of Catholics who at great personal cost chose compassion. A compelling picture of those who responded to human suffering with mercy, offering insights for LGBTQ and other people of faith struggling to find a home in religious communities today.

9781506467702

Finding Beauty

Beauty is far more than something you can have. It's also something you have to find. In other people. In nature. In acts of kindness. In math, and art, and music, and sports.

9781506463797

When Things Are Hard, Remember

A seed falls to the ground. A child moves away from home. Can life bloom in a new place?

9781506463803

Our Last Best Act: Planning for the End of Our Lives to Protect the People and Places We Love

How do we align our end-of-life choices with our values?

In a world experiencing a climate crisis and a culture that avoids discussions about death and dying, environmentalist and educator Mallory McDuff takes readers on a journey to discover new, sustainable practices around death and dying--and how it's possible to make end-of-life choices that honor our values, create a sustainable legacy, and help to heal the earth.

9781506464466

Messy Minimalism: Realistic Strategies for the Rest of Us

Drowning in clutter and a crazy schedule, Rachelle Crawford assumed you had to be naturally organized to be tidy. Then she found messy minimalism, which is less about perfection and more about purpose. With empathy and humor, Crawford lays out strategies for curbing consumption, decluttering, and finding lots more joy. Becoming a messy minimalist is not about pristine countertops. It's simply about carrying fewer things so that we find ourselves holding only what truly matters.

9781506466866

The Seeker and the Monk: Everyday Conversations with Thomas Merton

In The Seeker and the Monk, Sophfronia Scott mines the extensive, private journals of Thomas Merton, one of the most influential contemplative thinkers of the past, for guidance on how to live in fraught times. Race, ambition, faith, activism, nature, prayer, friendship, love: with intimacy and a refusal to settle for cliché, Scott invites readers into the themes that occupied Merton and that still command our attention today.

9781506464961

Be the Brave One: Living Your Spiritual Values Out Loud and Other Life Lessons

The Rev. Ann Kansfield left Wall Street and found her calling as the first female and openly gay chaplain at the New York Fire Department. Guiding her life are the values that anchor her. Weaving real-life stories with wit and practical faith, Kansfield challenges readers to discover and live out their own spiritual values.

9781506463735

The Sacred Pulse: Holy Rhythms for Overwhelmed Souls

Contemporary life is leaving us frazzled, overwhelmed, and out of sorts.

In The Sacred Pulse, pastor and author April Fiet invites us to examine the frantic patterns of perfection and production and to reclaim the deeper, sacred pulses that pattern our days. Through stories, scripture, and practical guidance for daily living, she lays out twelve practices that are both sustainable and sustaining so we can tap into the joyful, holy rhythms of life.

9781506469089

Once Upon Another Time

A stunning portrait of a world that used to exist, and can still be found--if you just know where to look.

9781506460543

#ChurchToo: How Purity Culture Upholds Abuse and How to Find Healing

Sexual abuse is utterly rampant in Christian churches in America. And the reasons are somewhat different than those you might find in the #MeToo stories coming out of Hollywood or Washington. #ChurchToo turns over the rocks of the church's sexual dysfunction, revealing just what makes sexualized violence in religious contexts both ubiquitous and uniquely traumatizing, and lays the groundwork for survivors of abuse to live full, free, healthy lives.

9781506464817

12 Tiny Things: Simple Ways to Live a More Intentional Life

In a culture that says bigger is better, it is subversive work to take tiny, lasting steps toward learning and growth. In 12 Tiny Things Ellie Roscher and Heidi Barr journey with us through twelve essential areas of life--space, work, spirituality, food, style, nature, communication, home, sensuality, creativity, learning, and community--inviting us to take one tiny action at a time to open up growth and renewal.

9781506465043

Dear Doctor: What Doctors Don't Ask, What Patients Need to Say

In the form of an open letter from patients to their doctors, spiritual writer and professor of medical humanities Marilyn McEntyre brings to light the hidden fears, desperate needs, deepest hopes, and heartfelt truths that many feel doctors overlook in their approach to health care. Ultimately, Dear Doctor is an important first step to begin a dialogue between two communities that often have a very large disconnect.

9781506460475

Fulfilled: Let Go of Shame, Embrace Your Body, and Eat the Food You Love

Today's culture has distorted how women view our bodies. But God longs for you to embrace your body, eat with freedom, and live with a deep confidence that you (and your body) are loved exactly as you are. In Fulfilled, nutrition expert Alexandra MacKillop explores physical, mental, and spiritual health through a non-diet lens, encouraging you to respect your body, honor your hunger, and embrace the unique size and shape that God created for you.

9781506466828

In My Grandmother's House: Black Women, Faith, and the Stories We Inherit

A grandmother's theology carries wisdom strong enough for future generations. In the pages of In My Grandmother's House, public theologian Yolanda Pierce builds an everyday womanist theology rooted in liberating scriptures, stories from the Black church, and truths from Black women's lives. The Divine has been showing up at the kitchen tables of Black women for a long time. It's time to get to know that God.

9781506464718

First and Only: A Black Woman's Guide to Thriving at Work and in Life

A map for finding on-the-job success, challenging systemic racism, and seeking inner healing through the power of faith, First and Only is a guidebook for every Black woman who has had to work twice as hard to be perceived as half as skilled. Trainer and activist Jennifer R. Farmer skillfully blends helpful tips with stories from psychologists, activists, and organizational experts, equipping Black women to lead others and heal past wounds.

9781506466842

A Girl's Bill of Rights

A girl-power manifesto.

9781506464527

3000 Miles to Jesus: Pilgrimage as a Way of Life for Spiritual Seekers

3,000 Miles to Jesus applies wisdom and insights from the highpoint of spiritual pilgrimage in the Middle Ages to spiritual pilgrims today. Understanding the risks taken and the courage and conviction driving the spiritual pilgrim, Deam offers the bigger picture of a lifelong journey of faith. For those on a quest for the sacred, this book promises to be a guide on the pilgrim path to spiritual transformation--offering rewards that last a lifetime.

9781506461632

Rainbow Boy

A story about a boy with a heart too big for one color alone.

9781506463988