REIMAGINING MONASTICISM
INTO ORDINARY LIFE
FOR THE SAKE OF THE WHOLE CHURCH.
THE CONSTRAINTS OF THE SPIRITUAL LIFE, PRACTICED IN COMMUNITY, ARE WHAT SET US FREE.
CONSTRAINT IS THE PRACTICE OF LEARNING TO PAY DEEPER ATTENTION TO THE THINGS IN OUR INNER WORLD THAT PREVENT US FROM PROGRESSING IN THE SCHOOL OF LOVE.
“Jared Patrick Boyd has written a beautiful book that enlivened my love for Jesus and made me want to live by greater constraint, a strange but honest statement. But the accessible, tangible way Jared articulates constraint gives vision for the good to run wild. I know this book’s author to be a man who has lived his message, who writes not only from his head but even more profoundly from his heart and his bones. ”
“Christianity proposes not so much a set of beliefs as a way of life, a bid for the total transformation and fulfillment of human existence. Jared Boyd, a wise and experienced pastor, unpacks this proposal with insight, fervor, and a gracious sensitivity to contemporary questions and concerns. This book will be for many a welcome challenge and summons to a holistic encounter with God in Christ.”
“Boyd’s vocation to bridge Christian traditions shines through the pages of this book. He is a Vineyard pastor who loves Ignatius of Loyola, John Cassian, and Saint Benedict. He is a charismatic who cherishes the contemplative tradition of the church. Somehow in his insightful telling, these diverse streams of the Christian faith fit together harmoniously. This book does a great service to the church by showing charismatics and Pentecostals how the constraint that characterizes monastic practice offers joy, flourishing, and faithfulness.”
“In a world of excess and distraction, constant demands for our attention, and moral confusion, Jared’s book is an invaluable resource for the church, not only for those who have a natural leaning toward simplicity and introspection but especially for those who do not. Finding Freedom in Constraint is accessible, conversational, and funny. It is filled with wisdom and guidance for incorporating these ancient, life-giving practices into our hearts and our intentionally developed communities. Jared doesn’t shy away from engaging the difficult topics in our culture but instead holds them with a gentle, thoughtful, and humble hand that we are wise to emulate.”
YOUR ABILITY TO TEACH YOUR CHILD HOW MUCH GOD LOVES THEM WILL, IN LARGE PART, DEPEND ON YOUR OWN ABILITY TO RECEIVE GOD'S LOVE.
THE SPIRITUAL FORMATION OF YOUR CHILD IS INTRICATELY CONNECTED TO YOUR OWN FORMATION.
