Kindred Souls

By Stephanie A. Ford

Book Overview

Many of us go through our busy lives with many acquaintances but few true close friends. Most of our daily conversations focus on the mundane, or we barely scratch the surface of what's going on in our friends' lives as we try to catch up on the run.

We weren't meant to travel alone.

Yet many of us are afraid to reveal our innermost thoughts, of being too nosy or not "religious enough" to commit to spiritual kinships.

Using the story of Ruth and Naomi as an example, Stephanie Ford describes how to overcome the risk and fear of sharing and explains how to be a faithful listener. She offers new insights that will empower you to build and nurture soul friendships. Through this book you will

discover what spiritual friendship is and how it differs from other formsfind practical ways to develop and nurture spiritual friendshipsmeet spiritual companions from biblical and Christian historyexplore the most profound friendship of all - friendship with God - and learn how it can transform your life

Kindred Souls is for individuals, prayer partners, or small groups who want to deepen the friendships they already have and open themselves to new possibilities God offers. Let this book guide you as you seek kindred companions to encourage and challenge you on the spiritual journey.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0835899039
• ISBN13: 9780835899031
• Release Date: April 2006
• Publisher: Upper Room Books
• Length: 124 Pages
• Weight: 0.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.3" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Walks her talk

Kindred souls is more than a book on theology, church history, or spiritual direction. It is a moving meditation in the depths of prayer. There is an authenticity within these pages that seeks to encounter at the deepest levels a relationship with the ineffable. It is moving, honest, given to a vulnerability that is refreshing and filled with integrity! This well written book carries the reader along upon a gentle heartbeat of subtleness that one rarely finds in books of this type. We find ourselves being carried along on the rhythmic pulse of the author's verse. And on this journey we discover gentle human qualities that merge us with loving divine qualities. On the wings of this prayer we further discover something authentically our own: a doorway into the interior castle of our own heart where we can drink life giving waters. And as we go deeper into this space, we also find the ultimate mystery that holds our attention and mirrors back to us our highest ideals. There is a richness in this book that cannot be fully spoken of, but needs to be experienced. If you do, you will find a font of pristine water that refreshes the soul.!

Kindred Souls

Kindred souls is an excellent resource for women who are looking to deepen relationships on a spiritual level. Stephanie Ford challenges her readers to realize the responsibility and priviledge of spiritual friendship. It is not for the faint hearted, but for those desiring to be sharpened and molded by others on the same spiritual plane. I recommend it to women who are in accountability groups as a way to deepen the use of your time and relationships.

Enlightening and insightful

Dr. Ford's book Kindred Souls is an insightful piece of work that interweaves church history, theology, spiritual direction, and personal antedotes to engage the reader in deep consideration of the friendships that mean the most to us. Each chapter builds on the next from a brief introduction to spiritual friends and concluding with guidance on issues that should be considered before and while engaging in spiritual friendships. It offers a brief, and helpful, history of friendship within the Christian tradition and invites the reader to consider how God is central in all spiritual friendships. Those less familiar with church history, spiritual direction, and theology will find Dr. Ford's work a pleasant and inviting work that is accessible and applicable. Those familiar with and/or educated in religious studies will find new resources to consider in their use of this book and its implications for congregational and seminary life. All readers will find in Dr. Ford's work a spirit of playful engagement that is an inviting as a warm fire on a cold winter day. There is an air of familarity and openness that is refreshing and invites the reader to explore honestly their own experiences with spiritual friendships.