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The Gift of Wonder: Creative Practices for Delighting in God Paperback – March 26, 2019

by Christine Aroney-Sine (Author)

4.6 81 ratings

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2020 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award Finalists - Body, Mind and Spirit

I choose to breathe in the wonder of God's eternal love, And dance to the rhythm of eternal breath, Listening to the whispers calling me to slow down and take notice. I choose to absorb the beauty of the divine presence, to delight in the Creator of all things and relish the delight God takes in me. Can you imagine a God who dances with shouts of joy, laughs when you laugh, loves to play, enjoys life, and invites us to join the fun? Like many of us, Christine Sine had spent many years with an image of God who was "a very serious, workaholic type of God." And even when her theology told her this was not true, she struggled to live into this new way of thinking. What she needed was a childlike spirituality. In this book, Christine Sine, online host of the Godspace community, invites us to pay attention to childlike characteristics that have the power to reshape us. Each chapter addresses a childlike characteristic to embrace, including delight, playfulness, imagination, awe and wonder, love of nature, the ability to live in the present, and much more. Fresh spiritual practices that engage all our senses help us live a new spiritual life that embraces the wonder and joy that God intends for us.

Print length

240 pages
Language

English
Publisher

IVP
Publication date

March 26, 2019
Dimensions

5.5 x 0.61 x 8.25 inches
ISBN-10

9780830846535
ISBN-13

978-0830846535
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Since 1947, InterVarsity Press (IVP) has been publishing thoughtful Christian books that shape both the lives of readers and the cultures they inhabit. Throughout these seventy-five years, our books and authors have established a legacy of speaking boldly into important cultural moments, providing timeless tools for spiritual growth, and equipping Christians for a vibrant life of faith.

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"Christine Aroney-Sine's new book is as delightful as its subject. Full of invitations to pleasure, rejoicing, and play, it celebrates a truly incarnational spirituality that reflects God's exuberant yes to all of creation." -- Christine Valters Paintner, author of The Soul's Slow Ripening

"Spiritual practice is designed to awaken us to God's presence, but it need not be boring. Aroney-Sine has produced a brave work here, inviting spiritual seekers to become like children―playful, curious, and trusting. With Aroney-Sine's guidance and support you will discover the God who delights in you and unlock a wellspring of joy." -- Phileena Heuertz, founding partner of Gravity, a Center for Contemplative Activism, author of Mindful Silence

"Once after baptizing some young children, I invited them to splash in the baptismal font and even splash the congregation a bit too. . . . In The Gift of Wonder, Christine Aroney-Sine is pointing to those splashing in the water inviting us to do more of the same in order to be more of what God intends for us to be." -- Gregory H. Rickel, VIII Bishop of Olympia

"Jesus talks about childlike trust in God. The apostle Paul writes about compassion and thankfulness. These themes play a big role in Christine Aroney-Sine's new book. Using stories from the Bible, creative exercises, reflection questions, and her own beautiful poems, Christine addresses the questions of how we can bring joy to God and how we can live out the Christian faith as a journey of discovery. The topics of her book―awe, play, curiosity, creativity, imagination, adventure, and wonder―bring balm to the soul in this age of fear and polarization. She guides us on pathways to experience God's generous gifts and to grow in contentment and peace in Christ." -- Lynne M. Baab, author of Sabbath Keeping and Nurturing Hope

"Christine Aroney-Sine has always provided a consistently prophetic voice that is edged with intelligence and grace and enfolded in an active spirituality of discipleship. This book continues in that vein. The Gift of Wonder takes the reader on a journey of discovery through the integration of goodness, beauty, and truth. A great read." -- Alan Hirsch, founder of 5Q Collective and Forge Mission Training Network

"There's a deep desire among so many people I work with as a spiritual director and pastor to connect with God in a new way, to get out of their heads and into their bodies and hearts, to lighten up and play, to experience joy and healing. Christine Aroney-Sine is one of my favorite writers and practitioners because she brings things to life in simple yet profound ways; The Gift of Wonder is a wonderful mix of accessible spiritual practices, stories, and hope for those who long to experience the kingdom of God here―now. I have no doubt it will rekindle delight and ignite our sense of wonder for all who engage with it." -- Kathy Escobar, copastor of The Refuge, author of Faith Shift

"In a culture that values adulthood it will stretch us to explore Jesus' crucial observation that we can only enter the kingdom through childlikeness. To explore that strange reality we'll need some friends on the journey. Christine Aroney-Sine is such a friend, inviting us into the kind of rich, whole-person communal engagement with God we knew as children. If you join her on this playful, messy, wonder-full adventure, you might never be the same again!" -- Mandy Smith, pastor, author of Making a Mess and Meeting God and The Vulnerable Pastor

"The Gift of Wonder is a joyful and profoundly serious invitation to get dirty and play with the Creator. This book makes me want to get outside, take out some art supplies, become curious, and experience divine delight! If you are craving a fresh approach to connecting with God, this book will ignite your imagination and inspire you to explore new life-giving practices." -- Lisa Scandrette, coauthor of Belonging and Becoming and Free

"As a pastor committed to the spiritual nurture and formation of my congregation, this book is a dream resource. Christine Aroney-Sine doesn't just recover the by now familiar ground of spiritual practices laid out by others, she brings to bear research, commentary, story, and practical experience that make her contemporary take on these practices (and the large number of new practices she offers) applicable to a huge range of settings, learning styles, and intelligences. A rare strength of what she offers is that it isn't a soft spirituality but a robust approach that has something in it for men as well as women. Any individual, group, or leader will find creative inspiration and sustenance to flourish in this book." -- Mark Pierson, pastor, worship curator, author of The Art of Curating Worship

"For many, the term spiritual disciplines conjures thoughts of monotonous practices performed alone and by rote, but not for Christine Aroney-Sine. With her usually exuberant style she reimagines the spiritual practices as communal activities that restore the intense joy and unbridled enthusiasm God wants for all followers. The Gift of Wonder is indeed a gift for anyone wanting to explore more creative approaches to the spiritual disciplines. The exercises and prayers are worth the price of admission alone." -- Michael Frost, author of Surprise the World and Keep Christianity Weird

"Refreshing and helpful, The Gift of Wonder soothed my oft-weary spirit. In our polarized, driven, and consumer-obsessed culture, this book is an invitation into God's creative freedom. Christine not only encourages us to wonder again like a little child, she also gives us practical ways to experience God's delight. From the childlike characteristic of playfulness to trust, she leads us into a rare and grace-filled space of choosing joy." -- MaryKate Morse, author and professor

"I trust Christine Aroney-Sine to teach me about wonder because she lives with playful curiosity―discovering beauty in the unexpected and the everyday details of life―and she writes with uncommon eloquence and simplicity." -- Mark Scandrette, author of Belonging and Becoming, Practicing the Way of Jesus, and FREE

"Christine Aroney-Sine's The Gift of Wonder is a book of wisdom and delight! Repeatedly while reading, I found myself grinning and laughing from sheer joy. Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel wrote, 'Only one response can maintain us: gratefulness for witnessing the wonder.' Gratefulness in the form of paying attention, adoring the work of God in the world, and reveling in the mystery of our own life and our lives woven together pervades Christine's The Gift of Wonder. From philosophical and theological reflection to practical application, Christine shares how to see anew through appreciating God's goodness infused all about us. She gives full permission to play―to delight in the Lord's delight of each of us! Read this and then live it; it's that good." -- Clint Baldwin, executive director of Word Made Flesh

"Play, pray, plant, paint! Christine Aroney-Sine invites us to recover our childlike sense of wonder. Each page encourages us to pause, to exhale, and to breathe in each moment with holy awe. Aroney-Sine offers wise, practical ways to care for our souls by cultivating gardens all around us. This is lived theology, rooted in the world, mediated through our eyes and ears, hearts and hands. I'm grateful for such respite and creative renewal." -- Craig Detweiler, president of The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology

"The Gift of Wonder is warm and inviting, thoughtful and sincere. Its calm, persistent playfulness chips away at the too-serious facades of faith, uncovering a joyful faith that is refreshing and deep. Its tools and exercises will help Christians more fully embrace God by diving into childlike wonder." -- Melissa Wuske, Foreword starred review, March/April 2019

Review

"Play, pray, plant, paint! Christine Aroney-Sine invites us to recover our childlike sense of wonder. Each page encourages us to pause, to exhale, and to breathe in each moment with holy awe. Aroney-Sine offers wise, practical ways to care for our souls by cultivating gardens all around us. This is lived theology, rooted in the world, mediated through our eyes and ears, hearts and hands. I'm grateful for such respite and creative renewal."

-- Craig Detweiler, president of The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0830846530
Publisher ‏ : ‎ IVP; Reprint edition (March 26, 2019)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780830846535
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0830846535
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.1 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.61 x 8.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #833,385 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #853 in Ritual Religious Practices
- #6,235 in Spiritual Self-Help (Books)
- #6,620 in Christian Self Help

Customer Reviews:
4.6 81 ratings

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Christine Sine

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Greetings from Seattle, where I live with my husband, Tom, and my dog, Goldie. I am a passionate organic gardener; in the spring my front porch sprouts an assortment of tomatoes, peppers, squash, and other vegetables awaiting the warmer weather. I am also passionate about helping Christians connect their faith and spiritual disciplines to their everyday life. I call myself a contemplative activist and believe that our spiritual formation should interweave through all of life and equip us to engage in the challenges and struggles of our broken and needy world.

I am the founder and facilitator for the popular contemplative blog Godspace, (godspacelight.com) which grew out of my passion for creative spirituality, gardening and sustainability. Together with my husband, Tom, I also co-founded Mustard Seed Associates a small organization that encourages followers of Jesus to think about how the world is changing and how we need to change to be more effective in the future. I recently retired as Executive Director to make time available for writing and speaking.

I am a contemplative activist, passionate gardener, author, and liturgist. I love messing with church traditions and inspiring followers of Jesus to develop creative approaches to spirituality that intertwine the sacred through all of life. I facilitate workshops on contemplative and creative spiritual practices, spirituality and gardening, simplicity and sustainability as well as how to develop a more spiritual rhythm for our lives. I often encourages participants to paint rocks or leaves, plant contemplative gardens, walk labyrinths and create spiritual pathways that draw us into deeper intimacy with God. I am inspired by Celtic Christian spirituality, which has opened my eyes to the God who is present in every moment, every experience and every place. I am open to learning from everyone and everything around.

In a former life, I trained as a physician in Australia practiced in New Zealand and developed and directed the healthcare ministry for Mercy Ships. I spent 12 years on board the mercy ship M/V Anastasis as a seasick doctor, facilitating the development of a program for cleft lip and palate repair and cataract removal as well as setting up medical and dental clinics to help bring health care to the world’s most vulnerable. I have worked extensively in Africa, Asia, Caribbean Islands, Central America and South Pacific. I no longer practice medicine but delight in guiding people towards the health and wholeness of God’s new world.

My newest book, published in March 2019 by InterVarsity Press is The Gift of Wonder:Creative Practices For Delighting in God. Her other books include Rest in the Moment: Reflections for Godly Pauses.(MSA 2016), Return to Our Senses: Reimagining How We Pray (MSA 2012), To Garden with God (MSA 2010) Light for the Journey (MSA 2010) GodSpace: Time for Peace in the Rhythms of Life (Barclay Press 2006), and Tales of a Seasick Doctor (Zondervan 1996). Christine and Tom Sine also co-authored Living on Purpose: Finding God’s Best for Your Life. (Baker Books 2002).

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Margaret Hannon

Finally a God centered approach to mindfulness and meditating on Him

Reviewed in the United States on August 13, 2019

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I love, love, love this book. The author is my soul sister and kindred spirit! I received affirmation and encouragement to live in and celebrate every moment with Christ.

I’m reading this book as I travel on the train. I consider long distance train travel to be one of my restorative and transformative spiritual practices.

5 people found this helpful

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Michele Morin

Wonder 101: What Your Kids Can Teach You About Delighting in God

Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2019

In The Gift of Wonder: Creative Practices for Delighting in God, Christine Aroney-Sine has produced a curriculum of awe, reminding readers of spiritual practices which can be as natural and as much a part of our life as eating a ripe tomato. For example, when I’m walking the dog and the bees are hard at work ransacking the honeysuckle bushes for all they are worth, it is an act of worship to stop and listen to their buzzing productivity. The small insects’ devotion to the task at hand instructs me in unity of purpose and focus for my own calling.

Imagination as a Pathway to Loving God
Our big picture thinking ends up shaping the minutes of our days, and the inclusion of delight, playfulness, imagination, and love of nature becomes a scope and sequence that shapes our thinking about God. Embedding the spiritual practice of noticing God at work in the beauty around us sharpens our prayer life and leads us to worship in the present moment. Aroney-Sine works this out personally by taking regular Wonder Walks with her husband, and has introduced me to this spiritually seismic question: “What has God enjoyed today about who I am and what I do?”

The imaginative practice of painting names and inspiring phrases on rocks to serve as prayer reminders is an alternative to structured list-making. Using colored markers and clipboards for note taking during a sermon can heighten comprehension and retention for some listeners. As a gardener, I find that God’s voice comes to me more clearly when my hands are in the dirt.

Finding God in the Present Moment
My grandson’s enjoyment of grape tomatoes is not lessened by the fleeting nature of the season or by foreshadowings of the coming frost. He takes every flavorful bite as it comes, and this ability to live in the present is a gift to the very young, but not inaccessible to adults. Christine gently inquires:

“What distracts you from the Divine Presence and prevents you from fully appreciating the revelation of God in this never-to-be-repeated moment?” (126)

Creative spiritual practices reassure the believer that God is not a workaholic–even as he is always at work! Therefore, the invitation and the example are one. He longs for us to enjoy him and to enter into his singing, buzzing, fluttering, splashing creation as co-creators–lovers of God who bring maximum glory to him.

Many thanks to Intervarsity Press for providing a copy of this book to facilitate my review, which, of course, is offered freely and with honesty.

3 people found this helpful

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J.C.

Great Book

Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2019

Verified Purchase

Loved most of the ideas in this book to reconnect with nature and your inner child.

2 people found this helpful

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Melody George

Getting past religious cycnicism

Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2019

What this book has been so far for me is a series of tools to help me relax my religious cynicism and remember my first love. This has helped me reconnect with that childlike sense of awe, and actually enjoy it with my mature mind. The exercises helped remind me about what first drew me to God and helped clear some of the religious clutter that had been getting in the way of trusting God. I really appreciate how Christine Sine doesn't shy away from the hard questions like "Where is God in the midst of disaster?" and does not advocate for immaturity, but to allow the parts of us still growing the space in which to seek answers that are deeper and less tied to platitudes we use to hide from difficult emotions. While some may attempt to believe she is advocating infantile behavior, in my reading I see a constant advocacy to gain the maturity to let go of our cynicism, our desire for control, the need to be right, and give ourselves permission to dream big, live fully, and step away from the vanity telling us we have to maintain a serious front at all times. It is very easy for us to use religion as a shield to hide ourselves from the awe inspiring and consuming fire of God's love, which over the years raised a callous exterior which really is a shell to protect my vulnerability. What Christine Sine does is to help us reclaim the perspective that for us vulnerable humans every day is a miracle filled with opportunities for wonder, connection, and the peace that comes from actually trusting God.

One person found this helpful

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Michelle Van Loon

Overflowing with abundant life

Reviewed in the United States on November 26, 2019

Christine Aroney-Sine’s The Gift of Wonder: Creative Practices for Delighting in God suggests that childlike traits including play, awe, curiosity, compassion, love of nature, and trust best exemplify what it is to be a member of the kingdom of God. She invites readers to reclaim those childlike traits as a way to renew their first love for Jesus. Fourteen chapters detail the why behind various facets of a mature childlike faith, and contain direction and inspiration for a delight-directed exercise individuals and groups can use to ignite wonder in God.

The chapter on imagination is a good example. Sine quotes Russian philosopher Nikoali Berdyaev, who said, “God creates the world by imagination” as the foundation for her exposition. She writes,

“Imagination and creativity are at the core of who God is and who God created us to be. Our job is to learn to take notice of what our imaginations are observing, processing, and expressing, just as kids do.”

She cites examples of imaginative prayer and worship that include both devotional and justice elements, as imagination often precedes action. The exercise closing the chapter includes an individual “deep read” of a new or favorite children’s story and a collaborative group exercise reading and re-telling a story from Scripture with the idea that it could become a book to share with little ones.

The book overflows with life and joy. Highly recommend!

* I received a review copy of this book from the publisher

2 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Karen warren

A true “gift of wonder”… I am forever transformed

Reviewed in Canada on September 27, 2021

Verified Purchase

“When a student is ready the teacher will appear.”I was the ready student and Christine was a very capable teacher.

HD

Rekindle wonder

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 14, 2021

Verified Purchase

Inspiring book which has encouraged me, and others, to rekindle a wonder at God’s amazing love and provision for us.

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