I am delighted to announce the publication of my book on baptismal spirituality, Water for Your Soul, by Infinity Publishing.com. Just days before its publication date of February 6, I excitedly opened a box with the first copies. I am very pleased with the quality of the printed product, and I hope the book will serve well the church and the Gospel message.
The book has 31 chapters about living the baptized life every day. For years of my ministry, I have been concerned about moving our understanding of baptism from a little ceremony for infants and children into a spiritual event that blesses and affects our whole life. So I have written pre-baptismal materials to use with parents. I’ve preached and taught on the meanings of baptism. I’ve begun personal practices related to baptismal to deepen my own spiritual life. But this book pulls together all this “baptismal spirituality” in ways I’ve been dreaming of and working at for a long time. When you get your copy, I hope you’ll enjoy it – and more than enjoy it, that you’ll be affected in your heart and life.
You may find Water for Your Soul interesting and valuable if –
● you wonder what your own baptism – maybe as an infant – has to do with your spiritual life today;
● you watched impatiently as a baptism took place in church because “it doesn’t mean much for the rest of us;”
● you hunger for a deeper spiritual life and wonder if there can be more meaning in rites of the church.
I am convinced that baptism is a wonderful treasure of the church that we need to celebrate and learn to “spend” in our daily lives. My intent is that Water for Your Soul helps us do just that. Whether you’re a parent wanting your child baptized, a Christian who wants to grow, or a skeptic about baptism, I hope this book will connect you with God in new ways.
I am very grateful for the many people who’ve had a hand in helping this book reach printed form, but special thanks go to The Louisville Institute for a summer writing stipend and to the congregation I serve, Holmen Lutheran Church, for granting me uninterrupted sabbatical time. What blessings! I look forward to marking this event in my congregation with a book signing early in March. And now you really should check out Water for Your Soul for yourself.
