Tuesday, September 30, 2014

The Sacred Year



Michael Yankoski The Sacred Year



Book info and review
About the book: 

One searcher's honest and fascinating journey to encounter God, love others, and discover his true self through a year of spiritual practices.

Frustrated and disillusioned with his life as a Christian, motivational speaker Michael Yankoski was determined to stop merely talking about living a life of faith and start experiencing it. The result was a year dedicated to engaging in spiritual practices, both ancient and modern, in a life-altering process that continues to this day. Whether contemplating an apple for an hour before tasting it (attentiveness), eating on $2.00 a day (simplicity) or writing simple letters of thanks (gratitude), Michael discovered a whole new depth through the intentional life.

Stirred on by the guiding voice of Father Solomon, a local monk, Yankoski's life is slowly transformed. Both entertaining and heart-wrenching, Yankoski's story will resonate with those who wish to deepen their own committed faith as well as those who are searching --- perhaps for the first time --- for their own authentic encounter with the Divine.

My thoughts:  THE SACRED YEAR is not meant to be inhaled in one lump sum by reviewers. I was about three or four chapters in when I realized that. It's like sitting in your pastor's study and hearing him preach every message in his collection--at once. Too much, too soon.  So, that said, as a reviewer, reading it in one lump sum, it is overwhelming. Mind-boggling. Skim-inducing. Too much, too soon. 

BUT reading it as a reader, you read one section at a time. You ponder it. Highlight. Make notes. Study it. Think about it. Agree (or disagree.)  Find tidbits you can use on your own spiritual journey. And then, it is not overwhelming, mind-boggling, nor skim-inducing. It is inspiring. Motivational. Encouraging. Engaging. 

I requested this book because my son read Mr. Yankoski's Under the Overpass and was fascinated by it. It's on his keeper-shelf. I don't think my son read any of Mr. Yankoski's other books, and I hadn't read any of them, but I asked if he'd be interested in THE SACRED YEAR if I reviewed it. I didn't ask him to; he's a busy university student who makes time to read, but it's on his schedule, not the calendar the serious reviewer has to maintain.  He agreed. And I'm glad he did. Because Mr. Yankoski is a really thought provoking author.  I will read this book again. Slower. As it's meant to be read. 

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/BFhp6

About the author: Michael Yankoski is a writer, aspiring theologian, and urban homesteader who dreams of becoming a competent woodworker, musician, and sailor. He received his MA in theological studies at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia, is a (novitate) Oblate of St. Benedict, and has authored four books. Michael grew up in Colorado, feels at home on the Pacific Coast, and currently resides in Indiana, where he and his wife are pursuing PhDs at the University of Notre Dame.

Find Michael online: websiteFacebookTwitter

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God is at work everywhere. And every-when. We only need to open our eyes and take the time to notice.



Michael Yankoski became jaded and disillusioned with his life as a Christian motivational speaker, feeling as though he was another act in the “Christian Carnival.” Religion started to become a façade instead of a deep, nourished, lived experience of faith. He knew he needed to stop talking about his faith and begin living and practicing it. In a sort of desperation, Michael dedicated the next year to engaging various spiritual practices, and The Sacred Year is a firsthand account of the downs and ups, the failures and successes of an honest search for answers to the human yearning for life, love, and God.
It’s time to stop talking about your faith and begin living and experiencing it.



Join Michael and #EmbraceTheSacred—seek out God at work in the mundane and attend to what God is doing in your life. Share those moments on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and make sure to use the tag #EmbraceTheSacred.



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 As a thank-you for ordering The Sacred Year, Michael is giving away a free ebook! Email your proof of purchase of The Sacred Year to TheSacredYear@gmail.com, and you will receive A Straightforward Guide to Three Essential Spiritual Practices ebook for FREE! Learn more here.



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