Tag: spiritual journey

The Body Grateful: A Review of Garden in the East: The Spiritual Life of the Body by Angela Doll Carlson (audiobook)

· Brandi Willis Schreiber 2 Leave a Comment on %s

“The body is a garden,” proclaims Angela Doll Carlson in the opening lines of her book, Garden in the East: The Spiritual Life of the Body. It is a declaration that should make any reader pause, particularly anyone who has ever struggled with body image, chronic illness, or immobility. It’s the line that immediately pulled me into the rest of Carlson’s poetic exploration of the relationship she has with her body and…

Writing the Akathist to St. Mary of Egypt

· Bev. Cooke

St. Mary of Egypt is one of the most important saints on the calendar – so important she gets an entire Sunday in Lent dedicated to her, in addition to her feast day of April 1. She’s a major part of the Canon of Repentance that’s said at the beginning and ending of Lent. So why write an Akathist to her, since we already have so much about her? Around the turn…

Time and Despondency: Yes, it is about you!

· Selena Ewing 1 Leave a Comment on %s

This was to be a book about other people. Not about me. I am an Orthodox Christian with a strong tendency to get involved in activism. Being a woman with children, my special interests are women and children. Let me tell you some of the things that keep me awake at night. We are seeing unprecedented rates of anxiety and depression amongst children and teens. Porn use is sky high for boys…

Journey to Pascha 2019 Chart

· Fr. Jonathan Bannon 3 Leave a Comment on %s

We’re delighted to share this year’s edition of Fr. Jonathan Bannon’s wonderful “Journey to Pascha” chart. This chart can be used like a map of Lent, marking off the milestones along the way and providing a suggestion for personal spiritual practice for each week. Last year, the original edition of this chart traveled around the world. It was even translated into other languages. Glory to God! Fr. Jonathan came up with the…

A Letter to Saint Philonella

· Kate Mulinix

I wonder many things about your life. I am thrilled to know as much as I do, since there is very little on so many saints that have passed through this life. I contemplate what your life must have been like, to be both educated and come from a family with means, and also to have a heart for those who struggle, including those who couldn’t afford to see a physician. What was it like to work closely with your sister? Did you face trouble from your family for choosing this life over, say, marriage and children? What opposition did you face from male students and teachers as you studied and worked?

3 Ways to Manage Imposter Syndrome as an Orthodox Writer

· Nicole M. Roccas, PhD 6 Leave a Comment on %s

One morning earlier this week, I woke up to four or five messages from new readers who had some positive things to say about my work at Ancient Faith, specifically my book, Time and Despondency: Regaining the Present in Faith and Life. There was nothing excessive about these notes–they were polite and positive and encouraging, by all accounts just the kind of thing an author likes to receive from time to time.…

Memory Eternal, Kevin Allen

· Melinda Johnson 12 Leave a Comment on %s

With sadness and in the hope of the resurrection, we honor the repose and remember the life of our dear friend, Kevin Allen. Kevin was born on December 11, 1949 and reposed on August 7, 2018. He served faithfully as a board member of Ancient Faith Ministries as well as a member of St. Barnabas Antiochian Orthodox Church in Costa Mesa, CA. He is best known for his outstanding content on Ancient Faith…

Schedule for the Ancient Faith Women’s Retreat

· Melinda Johnson

The first-ever Ancient Faith Women’s Retreat will take place at Antiochian Village in Bolivar, PA on November 15-18, 2018. You can see a complete list of our speakers and topics here. For the purposes of this post, just remember that our speakers are Elissa Bjeletich, Nicole Roccas, Melissa Naasko, Molly Sabourin, and Melinda Johnson, and we’ll be joined by Barli Ross from the Antiochian Village staff. All sessions will run twice, and…