Description:
Cindy Crosby's collection of essays reads like a landlocked version of Gifts from the Sea. Living in a suburban community on the outskirts of Chicago, the author finds that nature is the ever-present metaphor that connects her to God. In her opening essay, Crosby writes of a bout with depression, and how a tiny garden helped her come to terms with a God who allowed suffering. Another essay reveals her disappointment over a homemade pond and how it teaches her about expectations and the uncertainty of life. When a summer breeze rattles her bedroom blinds. she is reminded of the winds of change that come with midlife. In one of her most soul-stirring chapters, Crosby speaks of watching the night sky from her patio as she ponders the randomness of divine order. As a seasoned magazine writer (Christianity Today, Publishers Weekly), her own narrative stands strong beside quotes taken from Carl Sagan, Barry Lopez, and Teresa of Avila. Staring at the roof of the world, Crosby ponders how "insignificant we feel in the face of this black bowl we call night, lit up with sparks kindled from God's own hands." If you are in a time of darkness, sip these soothing essays one at a time, as if they as were a spiritual tonic. It will only take a few doses to feel their healing effect. --Gail Hudson
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