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Sister Ignatia: Angel of Alcoholics Anonymous
by Mary C. DarrahSister Mary Ignatia Gavin epitomized the spirit of love, service, and honesty that today are the hallmarks of Alcoholics Anonymous. As a hospital admissions officer in the 1930s in Akron, Ohio, Sr. Ignatia befriended Dr. Bob Smith, co-founder of AA, and courageously arranged for the hospitalization of alcoholics at a time when alcoholism was viewed as a character weakness rather than a disease.
Sister Roar: Claim Your Authentic Voice, Embrace Real Freedom, and Discover True Sisterhood
by Kay Robertson Lisa N. RobertsonDuck Dynasty matriarch Miss Kay and her daughter-in-law Lisa encourage you to live your strongest, happiest, most fulfilled life centered around the only One who loves you perfectly: Jesus.Through faith-filled, poignant, and sometimes hilarious stories about the sisterhood they&’ve built with each other and with other women they&’ve met on their journey, Kay and Lisa&’s Scripture-infused message in Sister Roar emboldens you toembrace how God can transform your voice into the powerful tool it was meant to be;find inspiration, comfort, and encouragement through true stories of healed heartbreak;see how much you have in common with beloved women of the Bible, such as Lydia and the woman at the well;discover a place of sisterhood, where you are loved for who you are; andidentify your own unique roar.A love letter to the sisterhood of believers around the world, Sister Roar reminds you beyond any doubt that you have a voice we need to hear. In fact, the world has never needed your voice more than it does at this moment. Set aside your loneliness, your mistakes, your disappointed expectations. Nothing can take away the voice God gave you!Your sisters are calling. Are you ready to roar?
Sister Thorn and Catholic Mysticism in Modern America
by Paula M. KaneOne day in 1917, while cooking dinner at home in Manhattan, Margaret Reilly (1884-1937) felt a sharp pain over her heart and claimed to see a crucifix emerging in blood on her skin. Four years later, Reilly entered the convent of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd in Peekskill, New York, where, known as Sister Mary of the Crown of Thorns, she spent most of her life gravely ill and possibly exhibiting Christ's wounds. In this portrait of Sister Thorn, Paula M. Kane scrutinizes the responses to this American stigmatic's experiences and illustrates the surprising presence of mystical phenomena in twentieth-century American Catholicism.Drawing on accounts by clerical authorities, ordinary Catholics, doctors, and journalists--as well as on medicine, anthropology, and gender studies--Kane explores American Catholic mysticism, setting it in the context of life after World War I and showing the war's impact on American Christianity. Sister Thorn's life, she reveals, marks the beginning of a transition among Catholics from a devotional, Old World piety to a newly confident role in American society.
Sister Wendy on Prayer
by Wendy BeckettSister Wendy Beckett, adored and renowned art historian, has spent years in silence and contemplation in her calling as a nun. Her celebrated television specials and books about art have led her many admirers to ask about her own faith and practices. For the first time, in this thoughtful examination of the nature of prayer, she reveals her deeply held beliefs about her religion and her intimate understanding of God. What should I do during prayer? Can prayer really be as simple as a conversation? How do I let God enter my being? Do I need to belong to a religion in order to pray? Sister Wendy answers these and many other common questions, all the while imparting the importance of prayer in our daily lives.
Sister Wife
by Shelley HrdlitschkaIn the isolated rural community of Unity, the people of The Movement live a simple life guided by a set of religious principles and laws that are unique to them. Polygamy is the norm, strict obedience is expected and it is customary for young girls to be assigned to much older husbands. Celeste was born and raised in Unity, yet she struggles to fit in. Perhaps it's because of Taviana, the girl who has come to live with them and entertains Celeste with forbidden stories, or Jon, the young man she has clandestine meetings with, or maybe it's the influence of Craig, the outsider she meets on the beach. Whatever it is, she struggles to accept her ordained life. At fifteen she is repulsed at the thought of being assigned to an older man and becoming a sister wife, and she knows for certain she is not cut out to raise children. She wants something more for herself, yet feels powerless to change her destiny because rebelling would bring shame upon her family. Celeste watches as Taviana leaves Unity, followed by Jon, and finally Craig, the boy who has taught her to think "outside the box." Although she is assigned to a caring man, his sixth wife, she is desperately unhappy. How will Celeste find her way out of Unity? Torn from the headlines and inspired by current events, Sister Wife is a compelling portrait of a community where the laws of the outside world are ignored and where individuality is punished.
Sister Wife: A Memoir of Faith, Family, and Finding Freedom
by Christine Brown WoolleyFrom TLC’s Sister Wives star Christine Brown Woolley, a groundbreaking and heartfelt memoir about living in a family like no other and finding the strength to leave polygamy—and the only life she's known—behind. <P><P> Christine Brown Woolley had always dreamed of having a picture-perfect family—beautiful children, an adoring husband, and of course, a sisterhood of wives to share him with. Raised in Utah by practicing polygamists, Christine knew her life was less than normal, but that didn’t stop her from loving the full house of her childhood any less. Becoming Kody Brown’s third wife in 1994, Christine finally found the big, happy family she had hoped for. When TLC’s hit show Sister Wives premiered in 2010, Christine knew it was her chance to shine a light on the brighter side of polygamy—the helping hands, the lively discussions, and their unmatched devotion to each other. But the cameras also revealed a much darker truth. <P><P> Now, in this candid tell-all, Christine shares for the first time the journey that led her away from polygamy and the bold path she is carving to live apart from all she has ever known. Moving, genuine, and insightful, this is a uniquely powerful tour de force of Christine’s journey toward and beyond her time in the spotlight as a sister wife. <P><P> <B>New York Times Bestseller</B>
Sister Wit: Devotions for Women
by Jacqueline JakesFeaturing a combination of powerful devotions and inspirational quotes for meditation, this book addresses all the trials and triumphs that encompass a woman's life. Jacqueline Jakes explores four areas of life--struggles and troubles, virtues, encouragement, and inspiration--and the ways in which they affect us. She draws upon childhood lessons, insights she learned while coping with a life-threatening illness, and the general wisdom of the ages, challenging us to make the most of our lives.
Sister Wives
by Cleo JonesThe time is 1856. Haunted by a final vow to her parents to see her fragile sister Connie married in the Mormon tradition, sixteen-year-old Caledonia Spencer gives her blessing when Elder Harley Crick proposes to take Connie as one of his three wives. But life in the Harley household becomes a nightmare as Callie becomes entangled in a web of rivalry among the three wives and discovers her own attraction to her sister's husband and his obvious desire for her. She escapes to the lawless gold-rush town of Virginia City, where her tempestuous involvement with a dashing lover unleashes her blossoming sexuality and compels her to question her destiny within the Mormon patriarchy. When Callie returns to Salt Lake City, her attempt to gain freedom for herself and her strong-willed daughter leads inevitably toward the book's explosive climax.
Sister for Sale: Biblical Values (I Can Read! #Level 1)
by Michelle Medlock AdamsImagine the joy of selling off an annoying younger sibling! No more fighting, biting, or tattling. But who will you play with after your sister is gone? Children will learn to appreciate the value of family, even if getting along takes some work.
Sister of Darkness: The Chronicles of a Modern Exorcist
by Sarah Durand R. H. StavisOne woman alone has the power to destroy our demonsWe may not be able to see them, but they’re always there. Smoke and shadows, ghoulish features or lifelike forms, there are the demons, or what Rachel Stavis calls “entities,” that float around us, or even attach themselves to our bodies, feeding off our fears and our negative energy. As the world’s only nondenominational exorcist, Rachel has found herself at the crux of the spiritual crossroads of thousands of clients—all of whom she’s been able to save by ridding them of their spiritual baggage, and getting at the root causes of their low frequency at the same time. Stavis realized her gift as young child, but for years she pushed it away, wishing for it to disappear as her mother dismissed it as a call for attention, the lies of a schoolgirl. After years of denying her gift for communicating with the spirit world, she fearlessly turned what she once regarded as a curse into a blessing to help those in need. Stavis has cleansed thousands of tormented people, from small children to musicians, politicians, and everyone in between, quietly performing her work in obscurity, until now. In Sister of Darkness, Rachel Stavis takes us on a journey into an unseen world, describes the diverse range of entities that surround us, the Spirit Guides and Ancient Ancestors that come to her aid to reveal the root causes of your pain, and what you can do to protect yourself from creating a hospitable environment. A unique look at demonology removed from religious dogma, Sister of Darkness is the true story of Rachel’s journey to becoming an exorcist. Chronicling some of her most extreme and interesting cleansings, the hows and the whys of what she does, and stories of danger and of triumph, Stavis creates a world that is at times frightening, eye-opening, and utterly enthralling.
Sister, Sinner: The Miraculous Life and Mysterious Disappearance of Aimee Semple McPherson
by Claire HoffmanA Must-Read: The New Yorker, The New York Times Book Review, The Millions, Alta“Gripping . . . Wonderfully thorough, the type of biography in which you learn just the right amount about everything . . . Magnificent.” —Casey Cep, The New YorkerSister, Sinner chronicles the dramatic rise, disappearance, and near-fall of Aimee Semple McPherson, America’s most famous woman evangelist.On a spring day in 1926, Aimee Semple McPherson wandered into the Pacific Ocean and vanished. Weeks later she reappeared in the desert, claiming to have been kidnapped. A national media frenzy and months of investigation ensued. Who was this woman? America’s most famous evangelist, McPherson was a sophisticated marketer who used spectacle, storytelling, and the newest technology—including her own radio station—to bring God’s message to the masses. Her innovations brought Pentecostalism into the mainstream, paved the way for televangelists, and shaped the future of American Christianity. Her Angelus Temple in Echo Park, Los Angeles, can be called the first megachurch. Her Foursquare Church continues, with more than eight million faithful around the world. But after her disappearance, as crowds gathered at the water’s edge, people asked: Was McPherson everybody’s saintly sister, or a con-artist sinner? The story of what happened next—sex scandals, religious persecution, legal shenanigans, the seemingly unshakable faith of thousands of followers, and the race to cover it all—runs through the center of Claire Hoffman’s thrilling Sister, Sinner. A riveting journey into the rise of popular religion in America and life in early Hollywood, and told with the flavor of the period's noir mysteries, this is an unforgettable story of an iconic woman, largely overlooked, who changed the world.
SisterWife
by Natalie R. CollinsProphesied to be the catalyst in a modern-day Armageddon, Kelsey flees, freeing herself from a polygamous lifestyle and abuse. She is forced to face her demons--when her child is kidnapped.
Sisterchicks Do the Hula
by Robin Jones GunnSome dreams take a while before they come true. Best friends Hope and Laurie never made it to Hawaii during their college years. But when they're about to turn forty, the islands still beckon, and off they go - with an unexpected stowaway on board (Hope happens to be seven months pregnant). A little pineapple, a little sunshine, and a surprising little surfing lesson give these two sisterchicks all their crazy hearts could hope for - and more - as they enter the next season of their lives with a splash and with a beautiful vision of what God has dreamed up for them.
Sisterchicks Down Under
by Robin Jones GunnKathleen joins her husband for a three-month trip to New Zealand when he's hired by a film studio in Wellington. Leaving behind all that is familiar in her comfortable corner in Southern California, she realizes that the past twenty years have been so tightly woven into the life of her only daughter that she's not sure who she is on her own or with her husband. In her isolation, Kathleen begins to contemplate reinventing herself, but before her crazy schemes take flight, she meets Jill at the Chocolate Fish café. Even though the two women are very different at first glance, they find they share a common Sisterchick heart and instantly forge a friendship that takes them on a journey where both Kathleen and Jill find that God has returned to them the truest part of themselves that was set aside so many years ago.
Sisterchicks Go Brit!
by Robin Jones GunnCheerio, Sisterchicks! SISTERCHICK®n: a friend who shares the deepest wonders of your heart, loves you like a sister, and provides a reality check when you’re being a brat. Two midlife mamas hop over to jolly ole England and encounter so much more than the usual tourist stops. Liz does have a bit of a childhood crush on Big Ben, and she has hoped to “meet” him ever since her fifteenth birthday. Kellie dreams of starting an interior design business and figures Liz needs to be a part of that equation–a calculation that hasn’t added up for Liz yet. Nothing on the excursion goes the way these two friends had envisioned. They start with a village pancake race and end up being held for questioning on The Underground. Kellie and Liz take a wild tour through the land of C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien and then find themselves swept up, up, and away in a hot air balloon over the Cotswalds. London beckons with the Tower of London, Windsor Castle, shopping at Portabella Road in Knotting Hill, and of course, reservations at the Ritz for a posh high tea. A few detours along the way and the possibility of being lost in a London fog of wonderment aren’t enough to stop these two Sisterchicks! Each step of their regal journey is lined with evidence of God’s gracious compassion, and both come to realize that God knows their every wish. He is the One who planted every dream in their hearts. And, oh, what a surprise awaits them when they return home! From the Trade Paperback edition.
Sisterchicks Say Ooh La La!
by Robin Jones GunnChildhood Friends Reunite to Rendezvous! All giggles and wiggles, Lisa and Amy sealed their friendship under the pink ruffles of a canopy bed, promising to be friends forever. They remained inseparable until an argument over Lisa's prom date divides them. In a plan that could only be devised by their heavenly Father, Amy and Lisa end up in the same hospital emergency room years later. With their promise to always be there for each other unexpectedly fulfilled, the two friends grow close again. Amy reminds Lisa of one of their childhood promises yet to be realized--their plan to rendezvous in Paris . Amy and Lisa find a way to make good on their Parisian promise from thirty years ago and pack their bags for the adventure of a lifetime. From becoming unexpected counselors for a rocky marriage to scaling the Eiffel Tower to winking at Mona Lisa in the Louvre, these two Sisterchicks find the treasures of Europe can't compare with the gems of a friendship renewed for eternity! C'est magnifique! SISTERCHICK n.: a friend who shares the deepest wonders of your heart, loves you like a sister, and provides a reality check when you're being a brat. When they were little girls, Amy made Lisa promise her that someday they'd go to Paris and walk down the Champs-Elysées together looking tres chic. After all, Amy's classy grandmother was from Paris. Then over the years, they drifted apart. But some promises seem to be held for safekeeping in the courts of heaven until the time is right, and these reconnected friends-for-life are handed the opportunity to see Paris together! Lisa's only response to her patient friend is, "Oui oui, mon ami!" The City of Lights turns out to be all Amy ever promised, with world-class shopping, flaky croissants, the Eiffel Tower, Monet's Water Lilies, and food running the gamut from frog legs to fabulous chocolate. Of course, there are also con men, indignant waiters, and spring cloudbursts. But nothing deters these Sisterchicks as they set out to climb a few personal " Eiffel Towers" in this next season of life. The only way to go is step by step together under the careful protection of their Heavenly Papa, who showers them with grace upon grace. Reader's guide included Story Behind the Book"Each of the Sisterchicks books portrays the reality of how a close friendship between two women can draw them closer to God, and reveal clear direction for their futures. In Sisterchicks Say Ooh-La-La!, readers discover the value of rekindling an old friendship and replacing old, incorrect assumptions with new truth. I hope readers will take away a sense of God's immense plan for His children and His unending grace in every season of life." --Robin Jones GunnFrom the Trade Paperback edition.
Sisterchicks in Gondolas
by Robin Jones GunnSisterchicks Take the Boot! (and we don't mean shoe thievery) Jenna and Sue have been sisters-in-law for nearly thirty years but inseparable friends for only the last five. When Jenna is invited to a week's stay at a fifteenth century restored palace on a quiet canal in Venice , Sue is her travel companion of choice. The catch? They must cook for a group that is staying at the palace for a retreat. It's the first time Sue has been this far from home, and both women are coming out of a valley season of life where they operated each day in long shadow s of fear. Entering into the lilting gondola-paced Italian lifestyle and discovering corners of Venice most tourists never see, they welcome a new time of refreshing. And over boiling pots of pasta, they dare each other to dream again. Ciao bella! SISTERCHICKn. : a friend who shares the deepest wonders of your heart, loves you like a sister, and provides a reality check when you're being a brat. When Jenna is invited to Venice for a week of cooking for a small retreat group, she knows just who to take along: her sister-in-law Sue. With her Dallas drawl and wild tangle of red hair, Sue desperately needs her own retreat from the pressures of the past two yearshellip;and blessedly for their guests, Sue actually knows how to cook (unlike Jenna)! With about six words of Italian between them, a map, and a keen appetite for gelato, they puzzle out the lovely city together. During their stay, Jenna and Sue become victims of grace in ways they never expected-starting with their accommodations: a restored fifteenth-century palace on a quiet canal complete with a stairwell perfect for mattress sledding! Coming out of a time of dark shadows in their lives, these two friends dive into a new season of refreshing and realize that sometimes when serving God, the most important thing to do is just show uphellip;and watch for goodness and mercy to follow close behind. Come join Jenna and Sue over boiling pots of pasta in this lilting gondola-paced adventure! Discussion guide included Story Behind the Book Sisterchicks in Gondolaswas birthed after Robin experienced Italy for herself. "In the summer of 2004, I went to Venice with my lifetime fellow Sisterchick from Ireland , Ruby," she says. "We explored the city with our daughters and discovered the joys of Italian living. " With a splash of humor, grace, and a few zany antics, this latest Sisterchicks release continues to celebrate the unique and timeless bond between women friends. Entertaining and delightful, the story also challenges readers to examine their relationships with one another and with God. From the Trade Paperback edition.
Sisterchicks in Sombreros
by Robin Jones GunnTwo Canadian sisters inherit beachfront property in Mexico and take off on an adventure to claim their inheritance. They travel opulently by cruise ship to Ensenada and survive a rocky trip through Baja California, only to be shocked when they arrive in San Felipe. Their beachfront property is, indeed, on the beach, but the "structure" is a cement slab and the Airstream trailer their uncle parked on the property in the early 1960s! With the help of a few locals, the Canadian cuties figure out what to do with their less-than-desirable legacy. The true gift, they find, is that they are reconnected as sisters and discover that everything that happened along the way was part of God's plan. Say Olé the Sisterchick Way ! SISTERCHICK TM n.: a friend who shares the deepest wonders of your heart, loves you like a sister, and provides a reality check when you're being a brat. Canadian sisters Melanie and Joanne are stunned to hear they've inherited their uncle's beachfront summerhouse in Mexico. With a snap, a trip is planned: They'll travel opulently by cruise ship to Ensenada, zip over to San Felipe, sign a few papers at the bank, and the tropical hideaway will be theirs. What they don't expect is a spa treatment gone loco, snails and cactus on their dinner plates, risky ocean dips, a cross-country desert drive, a dishy doctor, or a Federale who doesn't speak English! Fortunately, some problems really can be solved with coconut cake and, if necessary, a water fight. The beachfront property--and what it takes to get them there--becomes a gift beyond their wildest wishes as these Sisterchicks relinquish themselves to the dreams God has for them...all under the sombrero of His grace. Story Behind the BookA year ago in July, an associate from my publishing house walked up to my friend and I and said, "You need to go on a cruise." She grinned and told us that she had a cruise package she couldn't use and it would be her delight to see my editor and me go to Mexico on a Sisterchick adventure. After we got over the shock, we gratefully made arrangements to go cruisin' in December. What a time we had! Was it research or was it recharging of our creative efforts? Both! The result is the third Sisterchicks novel, Sisterchicks in Sombreros! I love it when God does His God things. His eye is on the sparrow, or in this case, Robin and her Sisterchick friend! From the Trade Paperback edition.
Sisterchicks in Wooden Shoes!
by Robin Jones GunnA multi-tasking mama, Summer Finley has found ways to handle whatever life throws at her with grace and a grin. Until now, that is. An "abnormal" medical test result sends Summer into an emotional tailspin and prompts her to fulfill a life-long dream of "meeting" her best friend and pen pal since fourth grade, Noelle Van Zandt, face-to-face. Their blissful week together in the Netherlands finds Summer and Noelle floating down a canal in Amsterdam, visiting Corrie Ten Boom's Hiding Place, sipping decadent Dutch cocoa in Delft, and bobbing merrily along through a sea of brilliant, spring-fresh tulips. Each day takes them further from midlife anxiety and closer to trusting God in deeper ways. When Summer finally confides in Noelle about the abnormal test results, Summer's honesty prompts Noelle to share a long-held heartache. The two friends find they both needed to be together more than either of them realized. Could it be this adventure was tucked away in God's imagination long before Summer bought her ticket to fly to the land of merry tulips and kalomping wooden shoes?From the Trade Paperback edition.
Sisterchicks on the Loose
by Robin Jones GunnSharon has lived calmly in Chinook Springs, Washington, her entire life. All that changes when her best friend of twenty years, Penny, takes an impulsive trip to seek out her only living relatives in Finland -- and brings Sharon with her. The land of reindeer and saunas holds infinite varieties of zaniness for these two unlikely friends -- Sharon is a quiet mother of four and Penny was a motorcycle mama before she came to Christ -- who return home with a new view of God, a new zest for life, and a big impact on those around them for decades to come.Get set for adventure as the sisterchicks drive, float, or fly off to faraway places--exploring new territory and delighting in the soul ties that forever bind their hearts.
Sisterhood of Faith: 365 Life-Changing Stories about Women Who Made a Difference
by Shirley BrosiusWoman to Woman...Sister to Sister…Friend to Friend…Bound by an Unstoppable Faith...Changing Their World Forever The forces that bind woman to woman, sister to sister, and friend to friend are among the most powerful in the world. Add to that the strength of faith, and you have a union that transcends all earthly holds. That unique bond is the sisterhood of faith. The women whose stories are told in this book are the kind of women who wave a hand of dismissal at the obstacles in their paths. The kind who are unstoppable in their mission, stubborn in their resilience. They are women just like you. Women whose lives make a difference because they trusted in their God as they lived their lives in service to Him—women who belong to the sisterhood of faith. Each daily devotion features an inspirational sister of faith. In addition to Her Story, you'll find Her Service, Her Message, and My Response. Meet women like • Mary Kay Ash • Lisa Beamer • Patsy Clairmont • Elizabeth H. Dole • Ruth Graham Bell • Liz Curtis Higgs • Florence Nightingale • Condoleezza Rice • Dale Evans Rogers • Joni Eareckson Tada • Mother Teresa • CeCe Winans Be inspired, be challenged, believe that you, too, can change your world forever.
Sisters (Carolina Chronicles #4)
by Lisa WingateIn the book, Sisters, experience " three novellas about the joys and trials of sisterhood." Sisters is the last book in The Carolina Book Series. Each of its novellas relate to one of Wingate's novels. The first novella, The Sea Glass Sisters provides background for The Prayer Box; the second novella, The Tidewater Sisters, is a continuation of The Sea Keeper's Daughters; and the third novella, The Sandcastle Sister, continues the story of The Story Keeper. Each novella has its own synopsis which is on the back cover of Sisters: In The Sea Glass Sisters, a "mother-daughter road trip is the last thing Elizabeth Gallagher needs. But with an impending hurricane, they are determined to convince Aunt Sandy to abandon her seaside store and return home. Instead, they discover that sisterhood can change hearts, lives, and futures... often in unpredictable ways"; In The Tidewater Sisters. Tandi Reese and her sister, Gina, have complicated ties. Faced with legal papers for a fraud she didn't commit, Tandi heads to the North Carolina Tidewater for a reckoning. But to unravel lies from truth, she must first confront strained sibling bonds and uncover a dark family secret"; And in The Sandcastle Sister. "New York editor Jen Gibbs has not only acquired Evan Hall's blockbuster book deal--she's also accepted his engagement proposal. Now she's scared to death. In Jen's family history, marriage represents the death of every dream a woman holds. Will her mother's long-held secret change Jen's beliefs about life and love?"
Sisters In Crisis, Revisited: From Unraveling to Reform and Renewal
by Ann CareyFifty years ago, nearly 2000 religious sisters worked in Catholic schools, hospitals, and other institutions throughout the United States. American Catholics honored these women of faith who founded and built these flourishing works of mercy. Then came the ideological shifts and moral upheavals of the 1960s, and ever since most women's orders in the United States have been in a state of crisis. Now the sisters are aging, with fewer and fewer younger women to take their place. Perhaps related to this demographic shift is the continuing doctrinal confusion that has come under the scrutiny of the Vatican. Using the archival records of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious and other prominent groups of sisters, journalist and author Ann Carey shows how feminist activists unraveled American women's religious communities from their leadership positions in national organizations and large congregations. She also explains the recent and necessary interventions by the Vatican. After examining the many forces that have contributed to the crisis, Carey reports on a promising sign of renewal in American religious life: the growing number of young women attracted to older communities that have retained their identity and newly formed, yet traditional, congregations.
Sisters and Brothers of the Common Life
by John Van EngenThe Devotio Moderna, or Modern Devout, puzzled their contemporaries. Beginning in the 1380s in market towns along the Ijssel River of the east-central Netherlands and in the county of Holland, they formed households organized as communes and forged lives centered on private devotion. They lived on city streets alongside their neighbors, managed properties and rents in common, and worked in the textile and book trades, all the while refusing to profess vows as members of any religious order or to acquire spouses and personal property as lay citizens. They defended their self-designed style of life as exemplary and sustained it in the face of opposition, their women labeled "beguines" and their men "lollards," both meant as derogatory terms. Yet the movement grew, drawing in women and schoolboys, priests and laymen, and spreading outward toward Münster, Flanders, and Cologne.The Devout were arguably more culturally significant than the Lollards and Beguines, yet they have commanded far less scholarly attention in English. John Van Engen's magisterial book keeps the Modern Devout at its center and thinks through their story anew. Few interpreters have read the Devout so insistently within their own time and space by looking to the social and religious conditions that marked towns and parishes in northern Europe during the fifteenth century and examining the widespread upheavals in cultural and religious life between the 1370s and the 1440s. In Sisters and Brothers of the Common Life, Van Engen grasps the Devout in their humanity, communities, and beliefs, and places them firmly within the urban societies of the Low Countries and the cultures we call late medieval.
Sisters in Blue/Hermanas de azul: Sor María de Ágreda Comes to New Mexico/ Sor María de Ágreda viene a Nuevo México (Querencias Series)
by Enrique R. Lamadrid Anna M. NogarSisters in Blue tells the story of two young women—one Spanish, one Puebloan—meeting across space and time. Sor María de Jesús de Ágreda, New Mexico&’s famous Lady in Blue, is said to have traveled to New Mexico in the seventeenth century. Here Anna M. Nogar and Enrique R. Lamadrid bring her to life, imagining an encounter between a Pueblo woman and Sor María during the nun&’s mystical spiritual journeys. Tales of Sor María, who described traveling across the earth and the heavens, have traditionally presented her as an evangelist who helped bring Catholicism to the Pueblos. Instead this book, which includes an essay providing historical context, shows a connection between Sor María and her friend Paf Sheuri. The two women find more similarities than differences in their shared experiences, and what they learn from each other has an impact for centuries to come.