Customer Reviews

Sacred Threshold: Crossing the Inner Barrier to A Deeper Love

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In her openly personal manner, Paula D'Arcy has brought us to an understanding of what it means to truly love, how to open our hearts to others and give what is most needed, our authentic selves. She shares her own tragic loss of her husband and child in a drunk driving accident and the story of her rise from the grief of that sudden detour in the life she had envisioned for herself and then moves us through the stories of three others with whom she shared deeply of life and death and grief: Julia, a young woman courageously trying to make a new life after a prison term, Scott, a teenager locked in feelings that he cannot deal with, and Morrie Schwartz (Tuesdays With Morrie), dying of ALS and searching for meaning in his life. Through her experiences with these people and her willingness to be completely authentic with them, she learns as much as she gives. "Acceptance and healing had begun in earnest for me when I became willing to see beauty in exactly what I'd been given. As soon as I stopped holding onto memories, or even to the way I wanted my life to unfold, I began taking in how it was unfolding." The message of love permeates the memoir as we see these relationships develop and grow and become something life changing for each person, including the author. This growing knowledge of how to forgive and love moves Ms. D'Arcy to mend her broken relationship with her father and risk beginning a new life of discovery, leaving behind her home of many years and moving half way across the country to be near a friend who shares her desire to grow in spirit. Sacred Threshold is a little book with a big message - a very good read.

In Sacred Threshold, Paula invites us into her heart and journey in such a tender and genuine way, calling us to forgive, to love, and walk boldly toward new thresholds. It held my attention in a way a book hasn't in a long time. I laughed and cried, didn't want it to end. This time through, I'm reading it with pen and journal in hand.

I was profoundly touched by "Sacred Threshold: Crossing the Inner Barrier to a Deeper Love". I could not stop reading this book once I started it! This book was truly comforting, insightful and gave me reason to pause and reflect about my own perceptions on this journey of life we are given, and caused me to start journaling again, which is so very healing and helpful in itself. Paula nails it dead on in describing the emotions and feelings one goes through in life after a huge loss. I especially like that Pauls shares the steps she took in her own progress of healing, forgiving and love instead of the way other books tell us what we should do. Her style of writing makes the reader feel like she understands exactly the emotions the readers feel because she has lived it herself.

My family and Paula share a similar, life-shattering story for both of my sisters kids were killed by a repeat drunk driver who only served a 120-day sentence for his crime. Their children were only eight and fifteen years old as they stood helplessly by and watched them die. It has been a long, difficult journey since that horrible, tragic day two years ago, and Paula's books have helped and inspired us tremendously in our request to forgiving and moving on. We had the fortunate opportunity to recently attend a three-day retreat which Paula gave, and it was positively uplifting and extremely helpful in continuing our journey of life with courage. If an opportunity arises to see her in person at a retreat/workshop, etc., please try to attend because it is very worthwhile and beneficial. I highly recommend this book "Sacred Threshold" to anyone who has lost their loved ones. Thank you so very much, Paula, for sharing your story with the world.

Paula D'Arcy is a wonderful author with a lot of insight on personal needs based on her experiences, professionalism and the christian woman that she is. I have read other books by her and really appreciate hers style of writing as well as her messages brought forth.

I was skeptical at first but kept reading. It is well written and the topic well presented.
I could see applications for my life and those close to me. I would recommend the book.

I purchased this book because I had so enjoyed the workshop Paula D'Arcy gave at a Religious Education Congress. I was disappointed in the book. In her opening she speaks of her second husband being abusive--verbally, emotionally, and mentally. How unfair to rip open a past relationship and expose another's behavior. When this is done the exposed person is put on trial and convicted by the injured party without recourse.