A wholly different way of living in the Holy Spirit’s gifts

 

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 we realize.
In Gracious Goodness, Svoboda lists fifty-two gifts of the Spirit, many of which will surprise readers: childlikeness, common sense, pleasure, relaxation, zeal . . . even anger, failure, and guilt are included as gifts! Each two-page meditation, based on Scripture and real-life experiences, begins with a relevant quote and ends with application questions, followed by a short prayer.
Ultimately, Gracious Goodness encourages Christians to fully trust the unending goodness of God as they learn to recognize and embrace the abundance and diversity of the Holy Spirit’s gifts in every person’s life.

“The Latin phrase nota bene (n.b.) means ‘note well!’ Sr. Melannie Svoboda not only knows that phrase—she lives it. In Gracious Goodness we have fifty-two n.b.’s that will enrich our spiritual treasure troves.”
—Bishop Robert Morneau, Auxiliary Bishop of Green Bay

“In Gracious Goodness, Sr. Melannie Svoboda offers accessible meditations to today’s Everyman and Everywoman. These meditations come from life’s daily gifts and they range from kindness to whimsy. Anyone who wants a spiritual companion for the new millennium could do no better than to turn these pages.”
—William J. Bausch, author, The Yellow Brick Road: A Storyteller’s Approach to the Spiritual Journey

“Sr. Melannie herself is one of God’s treasures as she so ably demonstrates here. She delights us, encourages us, and surprises us with her inspiring insights and homey images. A wonderful book!”
—Gwen Costello, author, A Prayer Primer for Catechists and Teachers

“We are once again indebted to Sr. Melannie Svoboda for opening our eyes to the beauty of life. Prophet-­like, she guides us in fifty-two brief essays, from Abundance to Zeal, to consider the Spirit’s gifts and qualities with fresh insight, with a new slant. She peppers the chapters with stories, poignant quotations, and references to Jesus’ words and example.”
—John van Bemmel, author, Prayers about Everyday Stuff,
coauthor, 100 Prayers for Making Faith Connections