Books
Spiritual Direction
Retreats & Gatherings

Three Books Available for Purchase from My Independent Bookshop

1. I’ve been bored by memoirs lately, and The Order of Things: A Memoir about Chasing Joy by Sarah Gormley gave me a new spark for the genre. This book is one of the best memoirs I’ve read in a while, and here are three reasons why: the voice, the structure, and the playfulness between the voice and structure in this narrative that’s very much about loss and grief. Gormley’s writing is also really refreshing in general. While reading The Order of Things, I kept saying, “Thank God she’s giving me something new.” I have so many more things to say about this book. Maybe I’ll do so soon.

2. Jamie Quatro’s Two-Step Devil is a brilliant work of art. It’s only September, and I have several more books to read before the end of the year, but I’m adding this one to my top five fiction books of 2024. Quatro’s storytelling drew me in, and her attention to craft kept me there. When I finished reading it, I wondered how in the world she had just done that. She just did that. Like her previous fiction, Quatro takes her readers by the hand and leads them through the pages of this novel, showing them various facets of the human condition while embracing nuance and complexity.

3. I’m officially attending my first women’s book study at a church for the first time in who knows how long. I honestly don’t remember the last time I participated in something like this which is wild because I used to be in charge of coordinating and leading such gatherings.

One reason I decided to be a part of this group is that we’re reading The Seeker and the Monk by Sophfronia Scott. I’m thankful to be in a church environment that feels safe and welcoming, and I love that so many women want to gather to read and discuss this book together. Here’s an excerpt from the foreword (by Barbara Brown Taylor) that wraps words around so much of the goodness I received earlier today:

“It is easy to forget that these are conversations between a monk and a seeker. When Sophfronia calls him “Thomas” and offers him “loving correction,” it begins to sound more like a holy heart-to-heart that spans gender, race, vocation, history, and religious tradition. Spanning these differences may sound less grand to you than transcending them, but the distinctions between this particular monk and this particular seeker are too precious to be eclipsed. They prove that like-spirited people need not be alike. They show how people coming at faith from separate directions can still reach for each other’s hands when they make a run for it. Whether they are on their ways in or out of their comfort zones, they recognize each other as kin.”

*

Parenting with Art® Lectio Divina Cards

Kids of all ages have way more deep thoughts than we give them credit for, especially when engaging with books and other forms of art.

My Parenting with Art® Lectio Divina cards are a great way to encourage meaningful conversations and thoughtful considerations when reading any type of stories. I initially designed this resource for a friend to use with her young children while reading The Jesus Storybook Bible (which I love for kids of all ages, and adults, too), but I realized it’s also helpful to use with any stories.

So I made a bunch of different versions:

—There’s a version with 13 total questions that includes a question about God.
—There’s a version with 12 total questions that skips the God talk.
—There’s an option for both versions with symbols for younger kids.
—And there’s an option for both versions without symbols for older kids who don’t need the extra visual cues.

This Instagram reel shows you a glimpse of what they look like. The double-sided, printed, and laminated cards will be ready for me to mail out next Tuesday, September 17.

Here are a few of the questions so you can get a feel for what it’s like:

What’s one word that describes this story?

What does this story show you about yourself?

If you could re-write this story, what would you change?

For now, the best way to order them is to respond to this email and/or Venmo me $10 and your mailing address. My Venmo is @CharlotteDonlon

$10 will get you four 5x8 laminated lectio divina cards. Please tell me if you have color preferences of green, purple, mustard, or berry (see the IG Reel for color options), if you want the symbols, and if you want the question about God.

At this time, I can only mail these cards to addresses in the contiguous US.

I hope to have everything on the Parenting with Art® website in the coming days. Bulk pricing is also available for churches, parenting groups, etc.

*

A Birmingham Retreat for Belonging

I’m excited to be leading a Retreat for Belonging here in Birmingham on Saturday, October 19th. Please see the image below for more details and register at bit.ly/retreatforbelonging