The Contented Soul: The Art of Savoring Life [Hardcover]

Lisa Graham McMinn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 5, 2006

Winner of a 2006 Chicago Book Clinic Award! Is your life characterized more by long, leisurely walks--or by frantic sprints to get the kids to school, rush to work, beat out other cars in traffic so you can pick the kids up on time and grab dinner before your seven o'clock meeting? Most of us are racing through life at dangerously high speeds, striving for a higher-paying job or a larger house, and volunteering for a hundred activities without ever stopping to notice what we do have or to reflect on who we are apart from all our doing. Our culture teaches that possessions equal success and busyness equals importance--and we have believed the lie. Though we search for contentment, we never find it. Even more, we begin to doubt its existence. In The Contented Soul, sociologist Lisa Graham McMinn invites us to slow down, be still and learn the art of savoring life. Our souls were not made for frantic, frenzied living. In the midst of our busy culture, we have forgotten--or perhaps never learned--how to savor moments and days. But McMinn calls us back to a significant, simpler way of life, a way characterized by intimate connection with our Creator, authentic relationships with others and a profound hope for the shalom that is to come. Along the way, the author also gives us examples of people who have chosen this way of life and found it genuinely satisfying, stirring hope that we, too, can choose and find lasting contentment. So pull up a chair by the fire, or set out for a quiet stroll, binoculars in hand, and begin living life the way God intended: a life of freedom, beauty, connection and true satisfaction for your soul.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. McMinn, chair of the sociology-anthropology department at Wheaton College in Illinois, explores the nature and practice of contentment from a contemporary Christian vantage point in this excellent guide to spiritual practice. She turns her attention first to what constitutes contentment and then to some ways we can cultivate it in our busy and sometimes unfulfilled lives. There is much to ponder about slowing down in order to become more aware, practicing fortitude, living with our physical limits and resisting "rugged individualism" in favor of embracing and supporting strong community ties or "communitarianism." McMinn pays special attention to the act of remembering, "because the needs of the day demand attention and energy that drain our capacity to remember." To engage readers with each theme, McMinn places discussion and reflection questions at the end of each chapter. The unique gift of this book is McMinn's background as a sociologist; she deepens many popular spiritual practices by placing them in the context of the great web of life and does so with the ease and beauty of a memoir. This book will especially delight those interested in understanding how inner peace is vitally connected to peace in the exterior world. (May)
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Review

"In an age where there's much to be troubled by, Lisa McMinn has a terribly important word for us about contentment--a word that's rooted in eternity but full of practical counsel. It's a word about 'sipping and savoring' the good gifts of life and reflecting on what really matters. I highly recommend a slow read of The Contented Soul, with time to ponder the queries at the end of each chapter." (Ron Woodward, minister, Northwest Yearly Meeting (Quaker) )

"The Puritan Jeremiah Burroughs said Christian contentment is a rare jewel. Lisa McMinn has held this gem up to the light and looked at its many facets with gentle wisdom and eloquence. She also shows us that contentment is not passive satiety but earnest desire applied to the good things of God and his kingdom. More than a manual of contentment, it is an invitation to hunger and thirst for righteousness. The Contented Soul is a delight to read and to follow." (Ben Patterson, author of Deepening Your Conversation with God and He Has Made Me Glad )

"This book is challenging, encouraging, provocative. We would all do well to accept Lisa McMinn's invitation to contentment." (Lauren F. Winner, author of Girl Meets God )

"This is a comfortable book--as peace-filled as its title suggests and as subtle as its subtitle promises. But if you believe, as I do, our faith is written in our lives and that souls are the eternal, animate result of that union, then you need to stop a while and read what Lisa McMinn has to say about the process." (Phyllis Tickle, author of The Divine Hours )

"This autobiographical reflection on simplifying life is a lovely addition to popular Christian literature. Especially calming are its phrases 'mellowness of heart' and 'walking gently,' traits that we would all do well to embrace." (Ellen T. Charry, associate professor of systematic theology, Princeton Theological Seminary )

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 185 pages
• Publisher: IVP Books; 1 edition (April 5, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0830833358
• ISBN-13: 978-0830833351
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #587,543 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How to get more out of life, May 31, 2006

By 

Beachwriter (Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Contented Soul: The Art of Savoring Life (Hardcover)

The author invites the reader to travel the road of life with her. On the journey, she draws from personal experiences and insights gained. Based on the author's own discoveries, the reader is invited to answer provocative questions that are designed to give understanding and promote contentment.

Lisa Graham McMinn discloses her own faith, but she does so in a way that is non-judgmental. Readers are invited to accept the tenets the author has embraced, but the text is written in a manner that promotes choice without insistence. The truths exposed can easily be adapted to other faiths. Many concepts would be reasonable for consideration by non-believers as well. It is a book that has appeal to a wide audience.

The writing is homespun and earthy. It has that inclusive "we" element that captivates the reader in his or her own thoughts as he or she relates to the roads walked down by McMinn.

A history of meaningful relationships permeates and gives credence to the claims made for contented living. The influence of father and mother, the mutual tasking and love with a mate, the voice of three grown daughters, the interaction with friends, and the joyous companionship with a dog put flame on the candles for those of us seeking light and life.

The complexity of life's innovation and opportunity is carefully weighed in the balance. Simple principles are suggested that empower the reader to take advantage of technological advances without getting inundated by them.

The contented soul is not an insouciant being. If you want a book that encourages proactive choice to live joyously and productively, this one is a must read.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Clearly stated secrets of contentment, January 4, 2007

By 

David K. Stuebing "TCK David" (Chestertown, MD USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Contented Soul: The Art of Savoring Life (Hardcover)

In her book, The Contented Soul: The Art of Savoring Life, Lisa Graham McMinn puts into words things that I have never been able to articulate as well as ideas that had not fully formed or even entered my mind. The insights help us to see that contentment lies not in circumstances, achievement or belongings, but in seeing God and the world around us through the eyes of our savior. Her practical concepts of walking gently and being the caretakes that God created us to be are seen side by side with nuggets of truth regarding submission to God and to restrictions on our lives in order to fully understand the contentment available through loving and being loved by the God of all creation. This book helped me to stop and rest and drink in the beauty all around me (even on a cold winter day - which used to be my concept of hell on earth since I grew up in a tropical climate). There is beauty and contentment in sadness, in difficulty and in all other situations in which we may find ourselves. If we continue to seek God and what He created us to be... there is contentment given freely no matter what the world may throw at us.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A breath of fresh air!, January 9, 2007

By 

K. Chipman (HI) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Contented Soul: The Art of Savoring Life (Hardcover)

Love it! Grab a cup of tea at the end of the day and get refocused on what is really important. A GREAT read!