Cultivate an Awareness of the Often-Missed Nuances of the Holy Spirit's Work in Your Life

Do you find yourself longing for a richer, more meaningful spiritual life? Or maybe you're quietly wondering, "Am I even doing this right?" You've heard metaphors like light or dark, feast or famine, close or far, to express connection with God. But what if the Spirit's work in your life is not just a binary of presence or distance, but a vast landscape of movements, invitations, and transformations?

In The Way of the Spirit, Dr. Jeremy Sims explains how to cultivate attentiveness to the Holy Spirit so you can recognize the subtle, often-overlooked ways God works in your life. Rather than reducing God's activity to a formula, this book expands your spiritual vocabulary to name the Spirit's many distinct movements across the seasons of life.

Sims introduces seven Waypoints along the spiritual journey, each offering a glimpse into a season of life through which the Spirit works. As you walk through each Waypoint, you'll be accompanied by a guide—a saint or spiritual figure whose life embodies the work of the Spirit in that season. You will sit with Mary, the Mother of Jesus; the DesertFathers and Mothers; Ignatius of Loyola; Teresa of Avila; John of the Cross; Julian of Norwich; and Brother Lawrence. Through their lives and stories, you will trace the patterns of the Spirit's work, learn to recognize His presence in your own life,and engage in spiritual practices along the way.

With The Way of the Spirit, you will:



- Learn how to cultivate attentiveness to the Spirit's work and why it matters.

- Explore how you perceive the Spirit's work in your life.

- Broaden your spiritual vocabulary to help recognize and partner with the Spirit's work.

- Move beyond binaries to learn ways the Spirit moves beyond just the familiar.



The Spirit is always present and working in your life, leading you through different seasons in your spiritual journey. Become more attuned to God's movements, opening the door to the returning, refining, and deepening rhythm of spiritual growth in your daily life. With The Way of the Spirit, begin to navigate your own spiritual journey in a way that feels both ancient and refreshingly new.



Jeremy Sims (DMin, Portland Seminary) is professor of spiritual formation at Southeastern University, where he leads the Doctor of Ministry and Master of Arts in Ministerial Leadership programs. He previously served in pastoral ministry for twenty-five years and is the author of Easy As Hard Gets and coauthor with his wife Hannah of What Is Spiritual Direction?. Jeremy lives in Lakeland, Florida, with Hannah and their five children.



Foreword by A. J. Swoboda

Introduction



Part I: The Cultivation of Attention

Mark of Attention 1: Attentive Presence

Mark of Attention 2: Spiritual Naming



Part II: The Pilgrimage of the Spirit

Waypoint 1: Holy Threshold

Saint Mary

Waypoint 2: Desert Formation

The Desert Fathers and Mothers

Waypoint 3: Repentant Reordering

Ignatius of Loyola

Waypoint 4: Inner Journey

Teresa of Avila

Waypoint 5: Dark Night

John of the Cross

Waypoint 6: Divine Encounter

Julian of Norwich

Waypoint 7: Sacred Ordinary

Brother Lawrence



Part III: A Granular Life

Mark of Granularity 1: Shared Recognition

Mark of Granularity 2: Sustained Attention



Acknowledgments

Questions for Reflection and Discussion

Notes