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Praying with Jonah

Praying with Jonah

Practices for Imperfect Pilgrims  
by Sharon Seyfarth Garner
eBook
Creativity Devotional Prayer Spiritual Practice

In a world of cacophony and chaos, how do we live into a faith that is both deeply contemplative and courageously responsive?

When spiritual director Sharon Seyfarth Garner began forgetting small but important details — appointments, family milestones, even a pot of boiling water left on the stove — she feared the worst and turned to her doctor for answers. After the tests revealed no physical cause for her forgetfulness, she was forced to acknowledge a spiritual truth: the very wisdom she offered others was the wisdom she herself needed most — to slow down and listen for God again.

Praying with Jonah: Practices for Imperfect Pilgrims is a gentle yet compelling invitation to rediscover God's sacred rhythms — stillness and boldness, being and doing, contemplation and action — woven into the messy magnificence of everyday life.

With the reluctant yet relatable prophet Jonah as our fellow pilgrim, Seyfarth Garner invites us to wonder together what it means to be still enough to know and bold enough to go wherever God is calling. Along the way, readers are guided into creative prayer practices — contemplative coloring, poetry, journaling, movement, reflection questions, and more — designed to help us wake up, pray honestly, act boldly, and love extravagantly.

Each chapter includes:

  • Reflections on Jonah's journey
  • Creative and engaging prayer practices for a deeper dive into meaningful spiritual rhythms
  • Whale Spout journal prompts with questions for individual or group reflection based on the themes of the chapter
  • A blessing and guidance for creating your own pilgrim's prayer journal

Perfect for personal devotions, small groups, sermon series, or retreats, Praying with Jonah offers a hopeful way forward in tumultuous times.

Come just as you are and discover how to thrive in the belly of the whale and beyond.

Sharon Seyfarth Garner is an ordained United Methodist pastor and the founding director of Belly of the Whale Spiritual Direction & Retreat Ministries. She is the author of several books including Praying with Mandalas: A Colorful Contemplative Practice and Mandalas, Candles and Prayer: A Simply Centered Advent. Sharon is a certified Spiritual Director and cherishes the gift of walking alongside folks in faith. She also leads pilgrimages and retreats across the United States and along the Camino de Santiago in Spain. She loves spending time with family at their cabin in the woods, listening to audiobooks as she gardens, taking long walks in nature, and singing loudly while making up the words.

Reviews

"Praying with Jonah invites us into a heartfelt journey through an ancient story. Sharon Seyfarth Garner helps us slow down, notice God, and pray honestly with self-reflection and accessible spiritual practices. Through coloring, journaling, and contemplation, she offers us an approachable path to loving boldly and living our calling. This is a trusted guide for anyone seeking grounded and vibrant faith." —Rev. J. Dana Trent, professor, minister, and author of Between Two Trailers: A Memoir



"The story of Jonah may seem an unlikely theme for a book on prayer and spiritual practice. Yet author Sharon Seyfarth Garner masterfully turns the unexpected into an exceptional resource by engaging the reader with refreshing authenticity and ideas that appeal to human senses. Both accessible and relatable, Praying with Jonah is an invitation to dive into deeper faith waters alongside a spiritual director whose vulnerability and experience are sure to inspire!" —Missy Buchanan, speaker and author of eleven books, including Feeling Your Way through Grief: A Companion for Life After Loss



"With warmth, love, and gentle humor, Rev. Seyfarth Garner offers a practical path to prayer in the beautiful (and sometimes messy) reality of everyday life. She reminds us that we don’t have to be perfect, just present and willing, to connect with God. In a world of rigid "how-to" books, Praying with Jonah is a refreshing, accessible, and flexible invitation to a faith that can actually be lived." —Dr. Rachel Mitchum Elahee, licensed psychologist and author of Choose You!



"Creative prayer practices and imaginative storytelling—Jonah's and the author's—draw the reader toward honest lament, hope and transformation as well as seeing the importance of contemplation and action in our spiritual lives." —Bishop Sally Dyck, retired United Methodist Bishop



“Grounded in this book, individuals or groups will welcome Jonah as a prayer partner, friend, and best of all, shining example of how God delights in even the most petulant of us humans. Sharon has transformed this whale of a story into a beautiful collection of practical and powerful ways to encounter the Holy.” —Teresa Blythe, author of 50 Ways to Pray and Spiritual Direction 101



“Seyfarth Garner's lived intimacy with the teachings of Jonah shines forth in this beautifully crafted and inspiring book. With clarity and grace, and through many creative practices, she offers a path that is both accessible and deeply transformative, guiding us to draw wisdom from the rich and colorful narrative of Jonah. We are invited to enter the belly of the whale alongside Jonah, where contemplative depth unfolds and opens naturally into service to the world.” —Tania Casselle, author, retreat leader, certified meditation trainer, and senior faculty for Sage Institute for Creativity and Consciousness

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