Customer Reviews

Joyful Surrender

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I've known Cindy Tuttle for a longtime via her writings at Associated Content(.com) and she is so gifted and inspirational. My favorite on this site and her works are like Daily Devotionals. Please buy this book because you will be blessed, I have no doubt. I am a published author (e.g. on Amazon.com too) and I highly recommend her.

Associated Content writer and author Cindy Tuttle brings great emotion to her story in "Joyful Surrender." Her nonfiction work lays out for the reader her spiritual journey, and how she created her own path to a sense of happiness and peace. Where organized religious orders could not fulfill her calling, Cindy embarked on quest that continues, yet follows her own heart.

Not only has she created a step-by-step spiritual pathway for herself, she shares her inspirational techniques with others. While it has adopted some familiar religious rituals to mark the stepping stones along the way (and celebrate her achievements and readiness for the next level), most of the pathway is filled with the same challenges we all face in trying to be better people, living in accordance with our beliefs and morals. That is to say, readers don't necessarily have to subscribe to an organized religion (or even the same beliefs as Cindy, which for her are the Catholic faith and a belief in Jesus) to benefit from "Joyful Surrender."

Laying out her own journey for others to follow, Cindy divides the path into three clear steps: Seeker, Follower, and Sister or Brother of Jesus, which she uses for the final religious commitment as a lay person. Although she repeatedly explored joining an already established religious order and becoming a nun, in the end, she decided that she could make her own commitment as lay person by finding her own religious community, embracing the help of a spiritual advisor, and leading others (with dance and music) to a closer relationship to God.

In "Joyful Surrender," Cindy boldly exposes her painful childhood, lays out her challenging work life (with those who face mental illness), and even shows her own questioning of her religious beliefs. That is to say, she presents a realistic portrayal of what challenges lay ahead on a road to seeking a sincere spiritual life. Yet she aptly conveys the joy and positive contribution her religious quest brings, and describes well how she is able to integrate religious principles with her own work in the world.

Most important, in telling her story and struggles with pain, she is able to find the missing element in her life, a relationship with God that glorifies her own life as a spiritual person. Unlike many who seek to share their advice with others, Cindy Tuttle walks the walk, not just talks the talk of making life better. For anyone seeking guidance and support on their own spiritual quest, "Joyful Surrender" will clearly illuminate just why the struggle and commitment to God is a worthy pursuit.

Joyful Surrender is a very well written memoir about a women who spent years of her life in search of fulfilling her Spiritual Quest. Her Quest was one initiated through her own innate desire to commit to God. Cindy Tuttle shares with her readers her Spiritual Journey and what seemed to be an exhausting and almost never ending road to what she felt to be her natural path in her life. This book reaches out to its readers through inspirational and Spiritual focus which offers a new and creative way to live what Cindy Tuttle calls, "A Vowed Life"

Womensselfesteem.com:
Highly recommends, JOYFUL SURRENDER to all educators and people young and old as a true Spiritual resource book and most of all a bright light that will guide you through all of the negative elements that continuously work to blind your Spirituality throughout your life!

Interview with Cindy Tuttle. Womensselfesteem.com's chat-room (D's Bistro).. Sun Nov 02 .... 2008

Dorothy - Cindy...thank you for coming and sharing your time with us this evening.

Dorothy - I promise to not ask you anything to personal.
Cindy_Tuttle - Thank you for having me.

Dorothy -It is our pleasure.

Dorothy -Lets begin this interview with you Cindy....sharing a little bit about Cindy...where you are from ...ect.
Cindy_Tuttle - I am from Sacramento Calif. I work with adults who have severe mental illness and I have a sister and a mother who is 95 years old.

Dorothy -When did you begin writing in your life?
Dorothy -Not necessarily this book but other writings.
Cindy_Tuttle - I started a journal about 25 years ago. Started doing poetry 10 years ago and started writing books 1 year ago.

Dorothy -So you have been on the path of actually writing your own book for a long time?
Cindy_Tuttle - Well I actually started wring Joyful, Surrender about a year ago. But wrote for my own enjoyment over 20 years ago.

Dorothy -Do you have any favorite Authors or books that you would say have influenced your life?
Cindy_Tuttle - I like Christian book by Joyce Rupp Merton and lately I have been very deep into Mother Teresa
Dorothy -I will join you in regards to Mother Teresa...she is an amazing women..one to be looked up to.

Dorothy -What inspired you to write Joyful Surrender?
Cindy_Tuttle - I wanted to share my great love and joy in following God and to help others in their own spiritual path.
Dorothy- In reading Joyful Surrender...I will say that you have achieved that goal very well.

Dorothy -About the title...JOYFUL SURRENDER..how did you come up with that?
Cindy_Tuttle - Thank you Dorothy
Dorothy -:)
Cindy_Tuttle - The title seemed to say how I try to open myself totally to God. To try and surrender my life to God while at the same time trying to bring His compassion to people I meet.

Dorothy- Joyful Surrender is about you & your Spiritual Searchings....do you feel that writing this book has helped you in any way in your life?
Cindy_Tuttle - It has helped me a lot. It made me reflect on the things I reflected on as I developed my vows and looking back at my life and how God was and is so involved.

Dorothy -When did you first begin to realize that your commitment to Serve God was so necessary? Some say they saw a sign...was it like that for you?
Cindy_Tuttle- I don't think I saw a sign. It was more of a strong deep urging is me. Something I just couldn't ignore.

Dorothy -What part did the disabled people you mention in your book play in awakening your won awareness in your search?
Cindy_Tuttle - A lot.They helped me see that our cultures views of success and happiness were so different than the people I try and help have. For some of them it was being able to hold a spoon and eat something.
Dorothy -It is truly amazing how everyone views what is important in life. It only takes a shortcoming or disability to realize the real gifts we have.
Cindy_Tuttle - I agree.

Dorothy -What does it mean to you, 'To Follow Jesus'?
Cindy_Tuttle - It means to let the love I have received from Jesus be given to others. To empty myself in a sense so that Jesus can become alive in me in some small way. To let His love be born every day. If that makes any sense.
Dorothy -That makes complete sense.

Dorothy -Was there a difficult part in telling your story and if so...what was it?
Cindy_Tuttle - I wondered if I should tell about the teen ager who was going to kill me. That was such a big event in my life and kind of personal. But after I thought about it I thought that it was the only way I could tell what God has done for me.I wondered if I was trying to make myself a big deal or something.
Dorothy -I do not look at it that way at all. I look at it as more of a divine intervention. It may just be the catalyst that put you on your course of seeking Spirituality.
Dorothy -It is part of who you are and how you came to be.
Cindy_Tuttle - It was.

Dorothy -Is there any one who you would consider played a strong part in making your book possible?
Cindy_Tuttle - I would say the person that helped me work through the abuse and my spiritual adviser.

Dorothy -You mentioned earlier in the interview that it took you one year to write Joyful Surrender...did you run into any roadblocks on the way?
Cindy_Tuttle - Well- the only road block I can remember is getting the grammar right. That isn't my strong suit.
Dorothy- Well if that is the toughest part...I will say that someone was definitely watching over you!

Dorothy -Have you done any traveling in order to promote Joyful Surrender?
Cindy_Tuttle - No. I wouldn't mind doing that though.

Dorothy -Are you planning another book anytime soon?
Cindy_Tuttle - Yes. I am working with Paulist Press on a book called Every Day with Mother Teresa. I also have two children books that I am trying g to find a publisher for and I am working on a book where I use parts of psalm 27 to help us live with courage and hope.

Dorothy -Very nice to hear...I look forward to reviewing those for you.
Dorothy-Last question for you Cindy & by the way you have been fantastic....Is there a message that you hope your readers will grasp from your story?
Cindy_Tuttle - Yes. I guess it would be that I believe everyone has a purpose and goodness and my hope is my readers know how loved they are.

Dorothy -I want to take a minute more to thank Cindy Tuttle for being here tonight ...now I will sit back and allow you very patient ladies to share a few thoughts of your won! Thank you and God Bless you Cindy Tuttle!

Cindy_Tuttle- Thank you Dorothy
Dorothy -You are most welcome.