The Sacred Pulse
April Fiet
Confession: everyday life runs past me at breakneck speed, leaving me feeling like I’ve experienced whiplash at different moments throughout the day. When The Sacred Pulse; Holy Rhythms for Overwhelmed Souls landed on my doorstep, I heaved a grateful sigh and eagerly dived into this book. Who couldn’t use some guidance on how to incorporate sacred patterns to help reclaim our days?
Organized into four sections, this book guides readers through ways to dance through and with time, intentionality, belonging, and renewal. Rev. Fiet beautifully weaves everyday experiences, Scripture, and healthy responses together, helping the reader to find ways to reclaim the sacred in the ordinary. She speaks to the need for rest, the holiness of mealtime, and the rhythms of relationships, along with nine other important pockets of our human lives. Her beautifully worded examples flow with gentle but impressionable reasons for how we can reclaim the sacred in the midst of the beauty, frenzy, and difficulty of the ordinary. This book is accessible to all; one does not need a seminary education in order to appreciate the wisdom and reasoning.
In my work as a children’s and family minister, this book has worked its way to the top of my list to get to the parent I am blessed to work with. I continue to hear from parents about how this period of time has been incredibly difficult. They are making time for activities that meet the needs of their families and are true to who they are called to be in this world. They are asking me for ways to feel less overwhelmed. Copies of this book will be in a summer care package for them. We will also gather on Zoom once a month to discuss some of the questions that the author has provided for discussion and reflection. These are another gift of the book- even if the parents have been unable to read along with the group, they can still participate in the conversation.
Imagine a congregational reading of this book as we continue to process the lessons we have learned throughout this pandemic. Each of the twelve topics are incredibly relevant as we discern our calling in our current places, in this current time. The discussion questions would be wonderful for organizing conversations, and the resources listed by the author would provide further important information to help in discerning next steps.
Personally, I have a copy of this book wrapped and ready for my oldest child. She has just completed her senior year of high school and is beginning all the planning and advising for her first semester in college this fall. This will be a book she can grow into. Many of the examples haven’t been part of her everyday life yet, but the lessons are still pertinent. As she continues to experience new relationships, responsibilities, and activities, knowing how to tap into the sacred patterns gifted to us will be wonderful grounding for her. I will also be purchasing a copy for our youth and young adult resource library because my daughter is not the only one in this age group that can benefit from this title.
