Have you ever picked up a book and were somehow changed by the time you got to the end? I have. In future blog posts, I’ll talk about a few of those books, but right now I want to start with one that was pivotal in helping open my eyes to beauty.
When I first started freelance writing, I sometimes wrote ad copy for a mail order catalog. One of the books on my list was Windows of the Soul by Ken Gire. Both the subtitle, Experiencing God in New Ways, and the black dust jacket with its image of a sunrise through a window pulled me in. Then the one-page introduction hooked me.
In Windows of the Soul, Gire writes, “We reach for God in many ways. Through our sculptures and our scriptures. Through our pictures and our prayers. Through our writing and our worship. And through them He reaches for us…Our search for God and His search for us meet at windows in our everyday experience. These are the windows of the soul.”
These windows where God reaches out include stories, art, movies, memory, dreams, scripture, tears, nature, and more.
As I read, I underlined whole passages that spoke to me. While Gire shared stories about windows where God had met him and other people, I began remembering times and places where he had met me, where he had shown me more of himself.
Like in the art gallery in front of a masterpiece I loved. In the theater watching Les Miserables. In the forest with redwoods towering above me.
Many of those times involved beauty, and I’ve written about several of them on the blog already: through nature (here and here) and through art (here and here).
When I finished the book, I felt like I'd somehow expanded inside. I started seeing God differently and my life differently, too. From then on, I began looking for windows of the soul. And finding not only beauty but God also.
What books have you read that changed you or expanded your view of something? Can you think of any windows of the soul in your life? Let me know in the comments below or on Facebook.
I'm honored that you've taken time out of your day to stop by my blog, Glimsen. If you like what you see, sign up to receive my blog posts and updates by email, and you'll receive a free gift of beauty in your inbox. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. I look forward to connecting with you.