Gracious Goodness: Living Each Day in the Gifts of the Spirit
When Christians think about the gifts of the Holy Spirit, their thoughts often rush to those gifts cited by St. Paul—healing, teaching, prophecy, prayer. . . . Melannie Svoboda, SND, takes seriously the “traditional” gifts of the Holy Spirit—but she believes that the Spirit’s gifts are far broader and more common than most of us realize or are willing to accept.In Gracious Goodness, Svoboda lists more than fifty gifts of the Spirit, many of which may surprise readers: childlikeness, common sense, dazzlement, levity, relaxation . . . even anger, failure, and guilt are included. Each two-page meditation, based on Scripture and real-life experiences, begins with a relevant quote and ends with a few application questions, followed by a short prayer. The gifts are presented in alphabetical order for easy reference, and a topical index at the end of the book adds to its flexibility for personal devotion or group sharing.Ideal for anyone involved in church ministry, this book will also appeal to lay Christians, encouraging them to fully trust God as they learn to recognize and welcome the abundance and diversity of the Holy Spirit’s gifts in every person’s life.