Reviews for Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation

The average rating for Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation based on 2 reviews is 5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2011-07-06 00:00:00 Edward Rawn I read this too fast, like eating an incredibly rich piece of cake that gives you a stomachache and a desire to never eat again. I read this too fast, because it's only 109 pages, and these days that's a Post-It note to me in a world of dissertations. I will buy this book, and I will read it again, and I will take at least ten minutes for each page. The thing about Palmer's writing is not that it is lofty or erudite or accompanied by some hidden soundtrack of thunderous drums and resonant string sections. It is that it is simple, and quiet, and in acceptance of brokenness. This is not a how-to-figure-out-what-you-are book, which is what I had been looking for; it is a why-to-accept-what-you-could-be book, which is what I actually needed. I applaud Palmer's honesty and willingness to discuss not knowing, not understanding, to admit that depression was a part of his journey without sensationalizing or diminishing it. It is the brevity that encourages me to go seek my own ideas of community and fellowship, to listen to my own life's voice, to disagree with his ideas of seasons and agree with his notions of soul solitude and fight to hold these oppositions, as we no longer learn to do. This is a book among the books that require thinking, praying, mulling, expanding, and never reading in a handful of days and gleefully moving on to the next volume. That makes it a worthwhile book--that I am not content to stop with this, and that Palmer never meant for his readers to do so.

Review # 2 was written on 2019-09-10 00:00:00 Ian Mackay This is a reflective short book. Parker talks about the difference between a goal and a calling in relation to a vocation. ... ...listening to our inner truths....our gifts, our limitations, regrets and mistakes...in the area of vocation. His shares about his own life's journey with depression, ( the ultimate state of disconnection), and shares about his position in leadership, and his connection with community. By Parker sharing his experiences....his trials and tribulations.. we contemplate the different perspectives on what empowers and what dis-empowers our own choices. As he reflected on his human modesty - authenticity - and consciousness- in human responsibility... we do the same. We look into our own lives. I especially resonated with this excerpt: Its one I've looked at and explored a few times with Elkhart Tolle in his book "A New Earth"... awakening to your life's purpose": "Without a global revolution in the sphere of human consciousness, nothing will change for the better...and the catastrophe toward which this world is headed weather it be it ecological, social, demographic, or a general breakdown of civilization, will be unavoidable". Parker, in much the same way as Tolle does... asks us to look at our life's purpose. Ha.... unfortunately it's not something we only do once! At every age and stage of our lives - our purposes are evolving... Leaders like Tolle and Parker teach and empower us to be better people and be a contributor in building a better world. For about the past 10 or 15 years.... I have had a request for myself: that I include in my reading ...at least once a year ' enlightening - uplifting- and spiritual books.... "read from the great spiritual leaders". 'Before' my own calling came - late in life - ( reading called me late in life)... I was constantly exploring transformation....with self and through organization. The only books I read for pleasure during my young adult life were about awakening, consciousness, quality of life, meditation, well being, child development, nutrition, human growth, health, happiness, love, and full self expression. Once I discovered the world of fiction, historical fiction, and 'stories'...( delicious storytelling), I got away from reading books from our spiritual leaders and/ or nutritional leaders.... so as I mentioned about 10 or 15 years ago ... I requested of myself that I not drop the ball completely... So... at least once a year I make sure to read 'something' that taps into questions about my life's purpose ...and how I might be a better human being. Parker Palmer was new to me until months ago...a perfect-yearly- spiritual-choice. He's the real deal. This was my second time reading one of his books. Parker's life journey and life's work inspires. This book is packed with truth..... a gentle - non- preachy guidance through darkness into the lightness of finding one's own calling. Ha... and again... fortunately or unfortunately, it's not something we can only ask of ourselves only one time in life. It's part of our life work. Books like Parker's... support us. Once more - I have *Laysee *to thank for introducing Parker to me. Thank You, Laysee! Blessings to ongoing journeys: self & globally together.