Guiding Gideon [Hardcover]

Guiding Gideon chronicles the encounters between Gideon, a young man in his thirties in the midst of crisis, and his spiritual guide, Julian. With Julian accompanying him to attend prayerfully to the life directly before him, Gideon traverses the troubled landscape of his interior life, where he encounters grace, his deepest wounds become sacred, and he is invited into fuller participation in the kingdom of God. Julian reflects prayerfully on each session, conscious that he is a privileged witness to the restorative movements of the Spirit within Gideon's life and that the same Spirit is forming him in the way of Jesus. Guiding Gideon is for all who desire to become more attentive to their formation in the likeness of Christ. It is also for spiritual guides who want their mentoring, counseling, pastoral care, or spiritual directing to reflect and embody the way of Jesus. Written as a narrative, Guiding Gideon offers prayerful reflection within the context of guiding a fictional pilgrim and also invites readers to witness the formation of a fictional guide. Reflective of the contemplative vision of New Monasticism, Guiding Gideon models a prayer-action praxis inspired by Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. Today we need very practical but wise guidance for our journey of faith and love, and not more rarefied theology. Well, here you have just that, and from someone who is walking the journey himself--maybe a few steps ahead of you! Spiritual direction like this is surely one of the best ways that the Spirit will mature Christianity in our time. --Richard Rohr, OFM, Center for Action and Contemplation, Albuquerque, New Mexico Guiding Gideon is an extraordinarily evocative depiction of the magic of spiritual companioning. What a gift it truly is to companion others and be companioned by others on the journey! This book is sure to elevate one's appreciation for this sacred privilege. The author is masterful in allowing the rich process . . . to come alive page after plc;