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Invitation to Solitude and Silence: Experiencing God's Transforming Presence
Winner of a Christianity Today 2005 Book Award! To seek to fill a book with words about moving beyond words into solitude and silence is a daunting task; it is laughable really, if one sees the irony in it all. I have found myself . . . drawn to the task and yet somehow strangely resistant. On the one hand, I have been drawn to the task because my journey into solitude and silence has been the single most meaningful aspect of my spiritual life to date. . . . On the other hand, I am aware of the continuing challenge solitude and silence represent in my own life. Even though it has been well over ten years since I first said yes to God's invitations to enter more intentionally into these disciplines, I still find it challenging to protect space for these times apart which so deeply satisfy the empty places of my soul. Ruth Haley Barton describes how she has discovered the real presence of God--the God who is present through the practice of solitude and silence. Her book invites you to meet God deeply and fully outside the demands and noise of daily life. It is a call to the adventure of spiritual transformation--an adventure that will lead you to freedom and authenticity, allowing you to become the person God created you to be. In Invitation to Solitude and Silence Barton offers spiritual guidance for your journey, helping you to hear God's call more clearly and showing you concrete ways to say yes. Chapter by chapter she combines teaching and reflection on different aspects of the journey with activities and disciplines that will help you to practice solitude and silence. Barton offers the prophet Elijah as a biblical guide for your journey. And she offers her own perspective to help you understand the ups and downs you might experience along the way. The beauty of a true invitation is that you really do have a choice. You can say yes or no. God is waiting for you to respond to him from the depths of your desire for relationship, belonging and transformation. Will you say yes?
144 pages, Hardcover
First published January 31, 2004
About the author
Ruth Haley Barton
39 books246 followersRuth Haley Barton (Doctor of Divinity, Northern Seminary) is founding president/CEO of the Transforming Center, a ministry dedicated to strengthening the souls of pastors and Christian leaders, and the congregations and organizations they serve. For over twenty years, she has ministered to the soul care needs of pastors and leaders based upon her conviction that the best thing we bring to leadership is our own transforming selves. Trained at the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation and the Institute for Pastoral Studies Loyola University Chicago, Ruth is a seasoned retreat leader and spiritual director. A sought-after speaker and preacher, she has served on the pastoral staff of several churches and teaches frequently at seminaries and graduate schools. Ruth is the author of numerous books and resources on the spiritual life, including Invitation to Solitude and Silence, Sacred Rhythms, Longing for More, Pursuing God's Will Together, and Life Together in Christ. She continues to share her thoughts and perspectives on soulful leadership through an online resource called eReflections as well as a podcast entitled Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 271 reviews
November 5, 2016
I was a tiny bit uncomfortable with some of the language the author used, many of which are regularly used in new-age publications by unbiblical "churches"...as a friend mentioned, there's a lot of text in the book and some ideas, that sound a little eastern-mystical, and I definitely don't agree with all the quotes that are listed, but those were just quotes from other (mostly Catholic) authors, and not the book itself.
Regarding the general content of the book, I really enjoyed it - she covers principles that I was taught as a new believer. Regular, quiet, intimate time and relationship with Jesus - time spent alone with Him, both speaking to Him in prayer and then listening for His direction and guidance, is what I was nursed on as a baby Christian!
Points that I resonated with:
a. I was created with a desire for God - for reunion and communion with Him.
b. Because of the constant 'noise' of distraction and sin, I often neglect spending quiet time alone with God but it's what my soul needs. I tend instead to get caught up in busyness, and in things, people, or activities that offer a temporary "fix" - I would call these 'broken cisterns' - something I've built to fill with water for my spiritual refreshment, but because it's not the spring from which the Living Water comes, it's broken and only leaks. I can only find lasting fulfillment in quiet time with Jesus.
c. I have to be wary of allowing myself to become dangerously tired. If I don't get regular refreshing in the Spirit, I will burn out. Our family observes the Sabbath for this reason. The author came really close to encouraging her readers to observe the Sabbath for the purpose of regular rest and refreshing, I'm surprised she didn't. Even with observing the Sabbath though - having a day (once we get home from church) of just family hang-out time, not work or shopping or chores - I still have to watch how much I commit myself to. I am a people-pleaser because I love to bless people, so I WANT to do everything for everyone but I know I can't. I have to allow myself to say No based on putting my family and my ability to care for and be there for them first. But the second greatest commandment is to love others as yourself. And if I don't know how to love (care for) myself and my needs well, how on earth am I supposed to do so for others?
d. She had a lot to say about quieting the mind, which I really resonate with right now. With my husband working 3/4 time for a seminary, me working 3/4 time for our previous church, both of us together pastoring a church with the hopes of getting it picked up off the ground and growing again, and raising our kids...I will say, when I finally lay my head down at night, my body may be exhausted but my brain is still running a million miles an hour. I think what I need to do more is stop working right up until bedtime, and spend that last time before I lay down in quiet time with Jesus, wether just being with Him in silence, our journaling, or drawing...I think it will help quiet my mind so I fall asleep faster.
e. She talked (in a manner) about having a quiet spirit so that we can hear the promptings of the Holy Spirit. I am finding this to be so true as we are in ministry. If my mind is constantly full of all that must be done, I feel too busy to stop and listen to those promptings.
f. I love too, how it's often only in solitude and silence that He shows me my faults, my self-protective strategies, and how He wants me to improve.
g. Finally, I loved her chapter about how when we have built up enough of that quiet time reserve, then we'll find that we can live our busy lives, while being calm and quiet in our spirits. Life is busy! But our spirits don't have to be ruffled or "frenetic" because of it. If I continue to invest regular quiet time alone with Jesus, He will calm my waters and speak what I need to hear and restore and refresh my soul.
Regarding the general content of the book, I really enjoyed it - she covers principles that I was taught as a new believer. Regular, quiet, intimate time and relationship with Jesus - time spent alone with Him, both speaking to Him in prayer and then listening for His direction and guidance, is what I was nursed on as a baby Christian!
Points that I resonated with:
a. I was created with a desire for God - for reunion and communion with Him.
b. Because of the constant 'noise' of distraction and sin, I often neglect spending quiet time alone with God but it's what my soul needs. I tend instead to get caught up in busyness, and in things, people, or activities that offer a temporary "fix" - I would call these 'broken cisterns' - something I've built to fill with water for my spiritual refreshment, but because it's not the spring from which the Living Water comes, it's broken and only leaks. I can only find lasting fulfillment in quiet time with Jesus.
c. I have to be wary of allowing myself to become dangerously tired. If I don't get regular refreshing in the Spirit, I will burn out. Our family observes the Sabbath for this reason. The author came really close to encouraging her readers to observe the Sabbath for the purpose of regular rest and refreshing, I'm surprised she didn't. Even with observing the Sabbath though - having a day (once we get home from church) of just family hang-out time, not work or shopping or chores - I still have to watch how much I commit myself to. I am a people-pleaser because I love to bless people, so I WANT to do everything for everyone but I know I can't. I have to allow myself to say No based on putting my family and my ability to care for and be there for them first. But the second greatest commandment is to love others as yourself. And if I don't know how to love (care for) myself and my needs well, how on earth am I supposed to do so for others?
d. She had a lot to say about quieting the mind, which I really resonate with right now. With my husband working 3/4 time for a seminary, me working 3/4 time for our previous church, both of us together pastoring a church with the hopes of getting it picked up off the ground and growing again, and raising our kids...I will say, when I finally lay my head down at night, my body may be exhausted but my brain is still running a million miles an hour. I think what I need to do more is stop working right up until bedtime, and spend that last time before I lay down in quiet time with Jesus, wether just being with Him in silence, our journaling, or drawing...I think it will help quiet my mind so I fall asleep faster.
e. She talked (in a manner) about having a quiet spirit so that we can hear the promptings of the Holy Spirit. I am finding this to be so true as we are in ministry. If my mind is constantly full of all that must be done, I feel too busy to stop and listen to those promptings.
f. I love too, how it's often only in solitude and silence that He shows me my faults, my self-protective strategies, and how He wants me to improve.
g. Finally, I loved her chapter about how when we have built up enough of that quiet time reserve, then we'll find that we can live our busy lives, while being calm and quiet in our spirits. Life is busy! But our spirits don't have to be ruffled or "frenetic" because of it. If I continue to invest regular quiet time alone with Jesus, He will calm my waters and speak what I need to hear and restore and refresh my soul.
May 16, 2022
I think what is missing is an emphasis on a strong Biblical foundation. It is possible to be “open” to God’s voice and yet fail to drink deeply of His Word and end up more of a heretic than ever, deceiving ourselves.
However, I’m putting into practice a little of her suggestions and have found my time with the Lord deeply enriched. God wants my undivided attention; the challenge is to stop long enough to quiet my racing mind.
However, I’m putting into practice a little of her suggestions and have found my time with the Lord deeply enriched. God wants my undivided attention; the challenge is to stop long enough to quiet my racing mind.
August 3, 2017
I think I will use this book and refer back to it for the rest of my life. It was full of such helpful thoughts and ideas, and I have adopted a few new concrete practices that I hope will blossom more trust in my heart, and then overflow in more tangible love!! Thankfully, this book did not encourage my often selfish craving to be alone and think, but challenged that tendency! She writes of how our desire for God (often masked by a desire for other things) and our capacity to connect with him as a soul is the truest essence of who we are. She notes that solitude and silence are not indulgent exercises for when we are too busy and tired, but a way of acting in dependence on Him - a decision and practice that we then carry with us into our lives with others... a way of releasing fears and concerns, noticing what is true about me, stopping the endless chatter of my thoughts. I laughed when I read the chapter on rest for the mind because it nailed me! ( "..even in prayer my mind keeps me flailing around rather than settling into the rest of God. My mind distracts me from the very thing my soul is longing for, the experience of rest and communion with God. I seem to always be occupying myself with things to great and marvelous for me.. my human mind is perpetually busy trying to control things, to figure things out...") This was timely reading for me during this summer sabbatical of rest and being loved by God apart from what I do for Him.
Note to my future self: This is where I got the poem for beginning the day, the nighttime prayer of examen, the "wall of mental impasse", and the trust envelope.
Note to my future self: This is where I got the poem for beginning the day, the nighttime prayer of examen, the "wall of mental impasse", and the trust envelope.
March 23, 2024
I started this while already in a season focusing on solitude and silence (prompted by ideas and resources from John Mark Comer and Practicing the Way). Since I was already convinced of the importance of the topic, some of the introductory chapters felt unnecessary, but she quickly got to interesting and new territory. The chapter that connected solitude to discerning between our true and false selves was really fascinating and thought-provoking. Just as I was hoping, I left encouraged and challenged (or invited, if you will) to lean deeper into practicing solitude and silence in my own life.
February 27, 2020
Some books inform the mind, while others entertain the imagination. This book does something that many attempt, but very few actually accomplish: change the life of the reader. I am convinced that the reason so many people have stopped growing in their faith is not because they are overcome with sin, but because they are overcome with distractions. This book offers a better way forward--a way into silence and solitude with the presence of God. I highly recommend this to a culture intoxicated with entertainment and unable to pay attention to one thing for more than 8 seconds.
February 18, 2021
Each chapter was composed of short anecdote from the author with a couple quotes from popular writers on spiritual formation. These were followed by a specific practice that related to the content of the chapter. I think the author supplied some good ways to pursue silence and solitude with God, but her words did not seem to spur me on to wholeheartedly pursue God in silence and solitude. The best parts of the book were the quotes from other authors. Oops. I quite often finished chapters wanting more.
The entire book was based around the story of Elijah which was great, but I wish there would have been more scriptural reference. I can't decide if I would recommend this book, but if I did it would only be to believers who are solid in their faith and theology. The author often used vague wording mainly only mentioning God. Jesus and the Holy Spirit were mentioned less times than fingers I have on one hand. I think a Buddhist or a Muslim could have gotten as much out of the book as I did. I think that if a younger believer were to read this book they could possibly misinterpret things and turn away from scripture in exchange for more solitude and silence.
BUT, I think if you are firm in your faith, have good theology, and have a base knowledge of the presence of God this book could be helpful for you in your practice of solitude and silence.
The entire book was based around the story of Elijah which was great, but I wish there would have been more scriptural reference. I can't decide if I would recommend this book, but if I did it would only be to believers who are solid in their faith and theology. The author often used vague wording mainly only mentioning God. Jesus and the Holy Spirit were mentioned less times than fingers I have on one hand. I think a Buddhist or a Muslim could have gotten as much out of the book as I did. I think that if a younger believer were to read this book they could possibly misinterpret things and turn away from scripture in exchange for more solitude and silence.
BUT, I think if you are firm in your faith, have good theology, and have a base knowledge of the presence of God this book could be helpful for you in your practice of solitude and silence.
March 24, 2017
This is not a book to be read, but to be experienced, month by month, ideally in a year divided by the twelve chapters. Ruth Haley Barton takes the story of Elijah on the mountain with God and dissects it into the daily Christian life. Move slowly through it, absorb it and contemplate, rest and be refreshed.
And take your time.
And take your time.
September 10, 2024
Silence and solitude are not just for introverts(!) … and Ruth Haley Barton is an experienced guide. Her practices at the end of each chapter walk the reader/learner into these practices well. A deeper intimacy awaits…
A communal benefit of solitude, from pg 132-3:
“Without solitude, we are dangerous in the human community and in the Christian community, because we are at the mercy of our compulsions, compelled by our inner emptiness into a self-oriented, anxious search for fullness in the next round of activities, accomplishments or relationships. When we are not finding ourselves loved by God and solitude, in the company of others, we are always on the prowl for ways they can fill our emptiness. We enter life and community trying to grab and grasp from others what only God can give.
On the other hand, when we are experiencing ourselves as the beloved of God, accepted and cherished by him in all of our beauty and brokenness, our hard, rough edges start to soften. We begin to see others as beloved as well, and that is what gets reflected back to them when they look into our eyes. Not only does the love of God come to us in solitude, the love of God begins to pour through us to others. This is a very different kind of “productivity,” and only God can bring it forth.”
A communal benefit of solitude, from pg 132-3:
“Without solitude, we are dangerous in the human community and in the Christian community, because we are at the mercy of our compulsions, compelled by our inner emptiness into a self-oriented, anxious search for fullness in the next round of activities, accomplishments or relationships. When we are not finding ourselves loved by God and solitude, in the company of others, we are always on the prowl for ways they can fill our emptiness. We enter life and community trying to grab and grasp from others what only God can give.
On the other hand, when we are experiencing ourselves as the beloved of God, accepted and cherished by him in all of our beauty and brokenness, our hard, rough edges start to soften. We begin to see others as beloved as well, and that is what gets reflected back to them when they look into our eyes. Not only does the love of God come to us in solitude, the love of God begins to pour through us to others. This is a very different kind of “productivity,” and only God can bring it forth.”
December 29, 2022
Barton has written such a beautifully simple guide to an incredibly important spiritual discipline that is overwhelmingly undervalued (and need I say it? blatantly devalued) by our society today. I highly recommend owning a copy for yourself, so when you find yourself brought to your knees— in a position of utter desperation with no clue where to turn— you are able to have some clarity / understanding of where to begin and how to take that first step into His invitation for you.
I am still learning what it means to really lean into this practice for myself, but I am more at peace with knowing that it will take time. I find myself more thankful (disclaimer: not necessarily all the time!) that He is having me dwell in these chapters I may find myself wrestling with bitterly, as now I see them as sweeter and richer moments of life, since I know He is calling me to spend time in His presence in those times. "Take it day by day" is a phrase that has come up often in this season for me, and I see it as no coincidence that I was led to this book in the midst of it. If you are a person who finds themselves living in the future more often than the present, then I believe this to be a practical book for you.
I am still learning what it means to really lean into this practice for myself, but I am more at peace with knowing that it will take time. I find myself more thankful (disclaimer: not necessarily all the time!) that He is having me dwell in these chapters I may find myself wrestling with bitterly, as now I see them as sweeter and richer moments of life, since I know He is calling me to spend time in His presence in those times. "Take it day by day" is a phrase that has come up often in this season for me, and I see it as no coincidence that I was led to this book in the midst of it. If you are a person who finds themselves living in the future more often than the present, then I believe this to be a practical book for you.
January 16, 2023
Wow— I’m a huge fan and looking forward to diving into more RHB content in the future. This book is to be savored. It also is meant to guide a real practice of solitude and silence (easier said than done, esp. since it means saying and doing nothing!!!). These short chapters are insightful and convicting, truthful and provocative, and, above all, loving and hopeful. This is a resource I will return to again and again.
April 29, 2024
Western culture doesn’t allow for much time for solitude and silence. As Ruth Haley Barton says, “We have been feeding so long in the emptiness of words and noise and activity that our soul is emaciated.” Solitude and silence nourish a hungry soul- a beautiful truth to remember as I enter a busy life season.
October 16, 2023
Really enjoyed this book. It really encouraged me to dive into the practice of silence and solitude and it feels like she walks through the process with you like a real spiritual advisor
July 8, 2024
I really enjoyed this book and found the practices helpful/formative.
July 5, 2024
I really loved this book and took my sweet time in it. God was so faithful in giving me exactly when I needed in the time I took to read it. She put so many things I have been feeling into words. God did some pretty big things in my time in silence with him.
June 11, 2019
“I believe silence is the most challenging, the most needed and the least experienced discipline among evangelical Christians today.”
An important discipline in a culture that seems to always be on the go. She guides you to a journey of experiencing stillness before God, His provisions in the chaos and an increasing awareness of the deep places in our hearts that need to be filled.
An important discipline in a culture that seems to always be on the go. She guides you to a journey of experiencing stillness before God, His provisions in the chaos and an increasing awareness of the deep places in our hearts that need to be filled.
September 17, 2018
This is a life style that isn't foreign to me. However, I let the craziness of this world, along with anxiety overcome me in a strong way, this book helped bring me back. An easy read but impactful and well written.
February 1, 2023
One of my goals in 2023 is to tune out the voices of the world and be in tune with the Holy Spirit. I was hoping this book would help guide me through ways to do that. The audio book begins with an author interview where she states that she's a Christian and often with the subject of solitude comes other philosophies that are not Christian. She claims that she isn't taking an alternate path, however, by the end of the book she was talking about "true self" verses "essential self" and I was lost. Those ideals are most definitely not found in the bible, nor are they Christian terms. As the new age philosophies began spilling out I was disappointed.
The author does take a look at 1 kings and the story of Elijah hiding in the mountain waiting to hear from God. Also, when Elijah was exhausted from doing the work God gave him and sat beneath a tree where God nourished him with food and drink and rest. She compared our busy stressful world and the ways it wears us down to the fatigue Elijah was feeling. God met his physical needs and then his spiritual needs. Both are important. She drew from her personal experiences with life wearing her down and how her desperation lead her to seek solitude. I wish she had gotten into parts of scripture where we see Jesus going off alone to pray. He took time for solitude and prayer and I'd love to learn more about his example.
At the end of each chapter, she guides you through a time of silence and prayer. While I don't agree with her philosophy, this book did encourage me to take time to be silent before the Lord by sitting and listening or keeping a journal, and also to make time to get outside for nature walks- unplugged!, so that I can talk to him and also hear from him :) I'm not interested in long days of solitude that were mentioned in the book, but rather the small things that I can fit into my daily life.
The author does take a look at 1 kings and the story of Elijah hiding in the mountain waiting to hear from God. Also, when Elijah was exhausted from doing the work God gave him and sat beneath a tree where God nourished him with food and drink and rest. She compared our busy stressful world and the ways it wears us down to the fatigue Elijah was feeling. God met his physical needs and then his spiritual needs. Both are important. She drew from her personal experiences with life wearing her down and how her desperation lead her to seek solitude. I wish she had gotten into parts of scripture where we see Jesus going off alone to pray. He took time for solitude and prayer and I'd love to learn more about his example.
At the end of each chapter, she guides you through a time of silence and prayer. While I don't agree with her philosophy, this book did encourage me to take time to be silent before the Lord by sitting and listening or keeping a journal, and also to make time to get outside for nature walks- unplugged!, so that I can talk to him and also hear from him :) I'm not interested in long days of solitude that were mentioned in the book, but rather the small things that I can fit into my daily life.
February 16, 2024
“For all of our piety and activity, we Christians are not always known for our kindness. Sometimes we are downright mean and judgmental. But most, if not all, of our meanness comes from the places within us that have been unattended and untouched by God’s love. Every broken place that has not been healed and transformed in God’s presence is a hard edge of our personality that slices and dices other people when they slide up against it. No wonder Bonhoeffer makes the startling, and counterintuitive, statement ‘Let him who cannot be alone beware of community.’
Without solitude, we are dangerous to the human community and the Christian community because we are at the mercy of our compulsions. Compelled by our inner emptiness into a self-oriented, anxious search for fullness in the next round of activities, accomplishments, or relationships. When we are not finding ourselves loved by God in solitude, in the company of others we are always on the prowl for ways they can fill our emptiness. We enter life into community trying to grab and grasp from others what only God can give.”
This was such a powerful book truly showcasing the absolute need for solitude and dangers of a lifetime without it. I am so grateful for such a palatable introduction to the concepts of silence & solitude and will certainly use this book as a guide to be referenced moving forward.
Without solitude, we are dangerous to the human community and the Christian community because we are at the mercy of our compulsions. Compelled by our inner emptiness into a self-oriented, anxious search for fullness in the next round of activities, accomplishments, or relationships. When we are not finding ourselves loved by God in solitude, in the company of others we are always on the prowl for ways they can fill our emptiness. We enter life into community trying to grab and grasp from others what only God can give.”
This was such a powerful book truly showcasing the absolute need for solitude and dangers of a lifetime without it. I am so grateful for such a palatable introduction to the concepts of silence & solitude and will certainly use this book as a guide to be referenced moving forward.
December 15, 2020
This book challenges my typical approach to devouring books as quickly as I can and deserves to be savored in tune with the oft-neglected practice of silence and solitude. It is an invitation to slow down. It's been sitting on my shelf for years, and I was drawn to pick it up in the midst of the 2020 pandemic that has brought with it a slower pace of life and additional time of solitude. This little book offers short chapters and accompanying practices at the end of each providing a true companion for anyone wanting to take seriously practicing silence and solitude. There really is nothing earth-shattering in Barton's book, but rather it offers permission for the reader to find times of silence and solitude, to listen to God's voice, to be comfortable dwelling there regularly, and provides gentle suggestions for navigating, what for many, is a novel concept. I will be finding my way back to this book from time to time, I am sure, to remind myself of the importance of slowing down and making these disciplines a regular part of my spiritual rhythm. This is a fine contribution to the field of the spiritual disciplines and it understandably it has found a warm reception among Christians wanting to take seriously silence and solitude.
June 7, 2022
This was a lovely book to read alone, it it would also serve as a fantastic small group book. There’s even a Leader’s guide and chapter questions in the back of the book to follow. Each chapter gives examples from the authors life but also a practice guide for the reader to immediately integrate more silence into their lives.
The author at the time of the writing has teenage children but frequently refers back to the hard times of when they were little: where I am now. Like Burton, I know the importance of quiet time and how hard it can be to find.
The book is structured around 1 Kings 19:1-19 where Elijah runs off into the wilderness to escape murder and cries out to God for help. This is the passage where God is not in the wind or the earthquakes but in the silence.
Nothing super profound but it’s always nice to get a reminder to slow down, value silence, be encouraged to do nothing, and to listen and wait for Gods voice.
The author at the time of the writing has teenage children but frequently refers back to the hard times of when they were little: where I am now. Like Burton, I know the importance of quiet time and how hard it can be to find.
The book is structured around 1 Kings 19:1-19 where Elijah runs off into the wilderness to escape murder and cries out to God for help. This is the passage where God is not in the wind or the earthquakes but in the silence.
Nothing super profound but it’s always nice to get a reminder to slow down, value silence, be encouraged to do nothing, and to listen and wait for Gods voice.
October 13, 2019
"Solitude, at its most basic and profound level, is an opportunity to be ourselves with God." (Pg. 136)
I found Barton's encouragement to enter into a journey into solitude and silence compelling, not because she "sells" it well, but because it stems from an honest look in the mirror at her own life. I resonated with much of her experience and so perhaps it's because of where I've been and what I have personally encountered when I have removed myself from "performance" and "striving" that this book sits so well with me. If a reader is not in a place where encountering the presence of God, and consequently, his or her own inner self is "attractive", this book may be tedious. "Invitation to Silence and Solitude" is an invitation to be stripped of the old self and an encounter with the Presence of God and one's true self. HIGHLY recommend.
I found Barton's encouragement to enter into a journey into solitude and silence compelling, not because she "sells" it well, but because it stems from an honest look in the mirror at her own life. I resonated with much of her experience and so perhaps it's because of where I've been and what I have personally encountered when I have removed myself from "performance" and "striving" that this book sits so well with me. If a reader is not in a place where encountering the presence of God, and consequently, his or her own inner self is "attractive", this book may be tedious. "Invitation to Silence and Solitude" is an invitation to be stripped of the old self and an encounter with the Presence of God and one's true self. HIGHLY recommend.
January 6, 2024
An excellent introduction to the practices of solitude and silence. Drawing from the life of Elijah and her own experience, Ruth speaks eloquently the nuance and importance of meeting God as you are, where you are and letting yourself be known as you are right now, trusting in God's goodness to direct and transform you. For those who are skeptical or frustrated in your practice, I'd highly recommend Barton's Invitation to Silence & Solitude.
May 16, 2018
This is a wonderful introduction to the practices of solitude, silence, and meditation. Very accessible and practical. Barton, along with other teachers, asserts that these spiritual practices, although difficult to access and demanding at times, are the most transformative and freeing of all spiritual habits. I have found this to be true in my life, and I highly recommend this insightful guide!!
October 15, 2019
This was a great read - very helpful if you're interested in learning practical tips/ideas/suggestions on how to begin being quiet and still before the Lord. I enjoyed the way she wrote and found her use of Scripture and prayer practices solid and consistent with what I have learned in my own life.
December 17, 2019
By far one of the best books that aligns meditation with faith. It's inspired me so much that I took a 24 hr silent and solitude retreat and have reread half the book again in that little time. It's good over and over and a welcomed challenge for my faith journey.
January 17, 2022
A great primer for beginning the spiritual discipline of silence and solitude. I appreciated the authors candid view into her own journey on this. There’s also helpful practical guides at the end of each chapter that are simple enough to encourage you to keep practicing this discipline.
January 16, 2018
Reading this book made me long for more of God in my life. Definitely a great book to read (and reread), contemplate, experience and apply in my life from now on.
January 26, 2021
absolutely phenomenal guide for practicing silence and solitude. well structured, great balance, practical, and deeply beautiful. like a glass of cold water after a day in the carolina sun. hidden gem!!!
July 25, 2021
Silence. “Be still and know,” the psalmist says. But what do we do on our solitude. Ruth Haley Barton has many good suggestions in this book. Using the story of Elijah, Barton guides us to silence and solitude which is an all too neglected area in the spiritual lives of many today! Thank you Ruth Haley Barton!
December 21, 2021
Undone! Such a needed book!!
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