Spot of Grace: Remarkable Stories of How You DO Make a Difference [Paperback]

Ph.D. Dawna Markova (Author), Sylvia Boorstein (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 11, 2008

You don’t have to discover penicillin, feed the poor in the streets of Calcutta, or be the first person to swim to Antarctica to make a remarkable difference in the world. The stories in Spot of Grace tell about moments when one person did something very simple — asked a question in wonder, smiled from the heart, risked a reach across the chasm of isolation so many of us experience. Extraordinary things start with these ordinary gestures. And as they grow and flourish, they can make a profound difference in someone else’s life.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“In Spot of Grace, Dawna Markova provides inspiring stories that guide us to live from the source of lasting happiness – true inner joy.”
— Deepak Chopra, author of Third Jesus: The Christ We Cannot Ignore

“Get ready for your mind to fill with joy and delight and inspiration! You will not want to put this book down, and its magic will carry you a long way after you finish it.”
— Sylvia Boorstein, PhD, author of Happiness Is an Inside Job

“Please dip into this heart-floating stream of goodness whenever you need to remember that you do make a difference and that love really is the key.”
— Jennifer Louden, author of The Woman’s Comfort Book

“Dawna Markova not only sees the patterns in life that connect us all in dazzling relationships; she also writes about them magically and poetically. . . . Spot of Grace is more like a revelation than a book.”
— Larry Dossey, MD, author of The Extraordinary Healing Power of Ordinary Things

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: New World Library (February 11, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1577315863
• ISBN-13: 978-1577315865
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #125,858 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More Than 100 Stars Will Shine Brightly into Your Life from This Sturdy Little Volume, March 28, 2008

By 

David Crumm "Editor of ReadTheSpirit magazine" (Canton, Michigan) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Spot of Grace: Remarkable Stories of How You DO Make a Difference (Paperback)

First, I don't know about you - but the skeptical side of my 30-plus years in journalism begins to rise when I pick up a new book and find that the author identifies herself on both the front and back covers as "cocreator of `Random Acts of Kindness'." Now, on one level, Dawna Markova's work as a consultant and as the author of an earlier book called, "Random Acts of Kindness," has promoted this idea in many quarters.

However, the idea itself is timeless spiritual wisdom, especially in Eastern traditions, and was not created by anyone alive today. And, the phrase that crystallized the idea is credited to writer Anne Herbert, who wrote: "Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty." Inside her book, Markova does credit Herbert with the phrase.

But, let's set aside the specific way this book is promoted - because the heart of the book is as beautifully timeless as the idea behind "acts of kindness." This new book is a collection of very short, personal stories from more than 100 people talking about moments of realization, when these men and women glimpsed - sometimes just for a moment - that their lives have real meaning.

What I'm trying to say is this: Whether you've heard of Dawna Markova or not, whether you particularly care about her story (which she shares in the various sections of the book) or not - is really almost irrelevant in this instance. That's because the stars that shine brightly from this book are the 100-plus people who contributed brilliant sparks from their lives.

If you're among the majority of Americans, who tell researchers that you've got a fairly traditional religious affiliation - then, perhaps you already pick up day-by-day devotional literature in your parish or you get it from some other mainline source. For millions of regular devotional readers nationwide, that discipline often involves scripture verses and short meditations on the lessons from scripture.

If that describes your religious experience, then you may want to reach out and try this book for several months. For many Americans, you'll find that this is a nontraditional approach to exploring deep inspiration in your life. There are, indeed, traditionally religious people in this book. But the overall approach is broader than traditional devotional books - and it's refreshing, even liberating, to spend a season of the year exploring timeless truths we can discover in the lives of our neighbors.

This book is designed to fit comfortably in briefcases, purses or backpacks. My copy already has dozens of corners turned down on stories I want to read again. It's a sturdy little book designed for spiritually active people. So, grab a copy - and these folks will travel very well with you.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Treasured Resource for Inspiration, March 1, 2008

By 

Katie Davis "Author, Awake Joy" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Spot of Grace: Remarkable Stories of How You DO Make a Difference (Paperback)

Spot of Grace is a gift that could be your treasured resource for daily inspiration. In elegant, poetic, yet practical language, Dawna Markova has compiled a collection of encouraging short stories that highlight the moment when people have discovered grace. With a focus on the purpose and passion of the human spirit, rather than our problematic differences, Dawna opens a window, through which we may appreciate the qualities of spirit in one another, while we nurture and sustain humanity.

Katie Davis, Author, "Awake Joy"

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Uplifting stories for anyone, July 21, 2008

By 

Sally Kline - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Spot of Grace: Remarkable Stories of How You DO Make a Difference (Paperback)

I have nearly finished this wonderful book of stories. They are stories written by many people from all over the world. Each one is a tale of how the life of the writer was touched by a spot of grace from another human being or life experience. My favorites so far have been those that remind us how every small act can have a major impact on someone else and therefore ourselves. Small acts like generosity with time and talent that reach across time. Observations of the shared humanity of us all. Signs from animals and nature that show us we are not alone. Reading each story is like a warm meditation on human frailty and courage.