Invitation to Solitude and Silence: Experiencing God's Transforming Presence [Hardcover]

Ruth Haley Barton (Author), R. Ruth Barton (Author), Dallas Willard (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 9, 2004

Winner of a Christianity Today 2005 Book Award! To seek to fill a book with words about moving beyond words into solitude and silence is a daunting task; it is laughable really, if one sees the irony in it all. I have found myself . . . drawn to the task and yet somehow strangely resistant. On the one hand, I have been drawn to the task because my journey into solitude and silence has been the single most meaningful aspect of my spiritual life to date. . . . On the other hand, I am aware of the continuing challenge solitude and silence represent in my own life. Even though it has been well over ten years since I first said yes to God's invitations to enter more intentionally into these disciplines, I still find it challenging to protect space for these times apart which so deeply satisfy the empty places of my soul. Ruth Haley Barton describes how she has discovered the real presence of God--the God who is present through the practice of solitude and silence. Her book invites you to meet God deeply and fully outside the demands and noise of daily life. It is a call to the adventure of spiritual transformation--an adventure that will lead you to freedom and authenticity, allowing you to become the person God created you to be. In Invitation to Solitude and Silence Barton offers spiritual guidance for your journey, helping you to hear God's call more clearly and showing you concrete ways to say yes. Chapter by chapter she combines teaching and reflection on different aspects of the journey with activities and disciplines that will help you to practice solitude and silence. Barton offers the prophet Elijah as a biblical guide for your journey. And she offers her own perspective to help you understand the ups and downs you might experience along the way. The beauty of a true invitation is that you really do have a choice. You can say yes or no. God is waiting for you to respond to him from the depths of your desire for relationship, belonging and transformation. Will you say yes?

Editorial Reviews

Review

"I have not otherwise found a more excellent and accessible guide for those who seek, as Elijah, to know and be known by God in solitude and silence. . . . I have given this book to all of our employees and it has become an integral part of what we call '8:30 Stillness.'" (Gary A. Haugen, president of International Justice Mission )

From the Author

IVP: Why do you think words like solitude and silence are so difficult to grasp and implement into our lives?

Ruth Haley Barton: Solitude and silence challenge us on every level of our being. They challenge us culturally because nothing in our culture supports quietness and non-activity. Technology now intrudes on every aspect of our lives, and the idea of not being continually available by cell phone, beeper, and palm pilot is now almost unheard of. Solitude and silence challenge us on the level of our relationships because it means that for this period of time we are not available to the people in our lives, and those we care about may resist our lack of availability. Solitude and silence challenge us psychologically because the psyche knows that if we become quiet, we will have to face those inner realities and emotions that we would prefer to avoid by distracting ourselves with noise and activity. Solitude and silence challenge us spiritually because all the forces of evil seek to prevent us from entering in because when we become truly still we experience and know God in ways that will unseat Satan's power and dominion in our lives. "Be still and know . . ." IVP: What inspired you to write Invitation to Solitude and Silence?

Barton: I was inspired to write Invitation to Solitude and Silence out of my own journey into solitude and silence that began when I came to the end of what the traditional "quiet time" had to offer. Silence and solitude have yielded powerful results--connection with God and authentic spiritual transformation--in my own spiritual life that have not come in any other way.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: IVP Books (January 9, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0830823867
• ISBN-13: 978-0830823864
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #163,133 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Ruth Haley Barton is founder of the Transforming Center (www.thetransformingcenter.org), a ministry dedicated to strengthening the souls of pastors, Christian leaders and the congregations and organizations they serve. A sought-after teacher, spiritual director, and retreat leader, Ruth is the author of numerous books and articles on the spiritual life including Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership: Seeking God in the Crucible of Ministry, Sacred Rhythms: Arranging Our Lives for Spiritual Transformation, Invitation to Solitude and Silence, and Longing for More.

Educated at Northern Seminary, the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation and Loyola University Chicago Institute for Pastoral Studies, she has served on the pastoral staff of several churches including Willow Creek Community Church.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great insights to time with God, November 9, 2006

By 

Kay Hodges - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Invitation to Solitude and Silence: Experiencing God's Transforming Presence (Hardcover)

Barton speaks from experience about life without solitude and silence. She is open and vulnerable. She shares from experience and backs that with biblical references. This book will help you see the rewards for solitude with God in your life; the struggles that one can have when trying to find that solitude time and space.

20 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For those who long to commune deeply with Christ, June 24, 2005

By 

Sandra Glahn "S Glahn" (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Invitation to Solitude and Silence: Experiencing God's Transforming Presence (Hardcover)

This book won the 2005 "Christianity Today Book Award" in the Spirituality category--and for good reason. It is distinctly Christian and it's as refreshing as a sea mist on an August day. Through her work, Ruth Haley Barton leads readers in the power of the Holy Spirit to a place of deeper intimacy with God.

S. Glahn, adjunct professor, Dallas Seminary

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Accompanies You Through a Daunting but Life Changing Experience, June 13, 2008

By 

Rhonda Jones "http://www.thechristianmeditato... (Sacramento, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Invitation to Solitude and Silence: Experiencing God's Transforming Presence (Hardcover)

Invitation to Solitude and Silence guides us through the journey of moving beyond the obvious and into a deep and meaningful relationship with God and with ourselves. Many of us are afraid of what the silence will bring, conjuring up those inner demons that we've tried to either bury or hide. But uncovering and facing these aspects of ourselves can bring healing and freedom. A great book that takes your hand and accompanies you along what can be a daunting, yet life changing discovery. Christian Meditation CD: Taking Control of Your Thought Life