Sacred stories of ordinary families : living the faith in daily life Living the Faith in Daily Life J–B Families and Faith Series, Vol. 1

Stories from families whose lives together both reveal and rely on extraordinary faith Sacred Stories of Ordinary Families identifies resilience, strength, and faith in the stories of all kinds of families-not just "traditional" families, but also single-parent and blended families, single adults, and older adults both married and widowed. These extraordinary stories show readers how to find the resource of faith in their own daily lives-and recognize the power of interpreting their own stories to unify and strengthen their family. Diana Garland connects these stories with the Christian story and with Biblical texts while exploring the diversity of structures these families represent and the ways they seek to live their faith in everyday life. Readers will be encouraged to connect their own experiences with the sacred and to tell their own stories of faith to one another and to the congregational community. Diana R. Garland (Waco, TX) is Chair of the Social Work Department at Baylor University and director of Baylor's Gheens Center for Christian Family Ministry. She is also the Editor of the journal Family Ministry.

Foreword.

Preface.

Chapter 1 Melodies for Daily Life.

Chapter 2 The Challenge of Being Family.

Chapter 3 Binding Families Together.

Chapter 4 Faith That Sustains Us.

Chapter 5 The Challenging Practices of Living Faith.

Chapter 6 Kitchen Linoleum as Holy Ground.

Chapter 7 The Congregation as a Community of Families.

Your Family Stories: Questions for Reflection.

Thinking About Families and Faith: A Discussion Guide for Groups.

References.

The Author.

Index.

Christian Parents, Christian Marriage and Family Counsellors, Clergy and Lay Leaders

Diana R. Garland is the chair of the School of Social Work Department at Baylor University and director of Baylor′s Center for Family and Community Ministries. Her previous works include Family Ministry: A Comprehensive Guide.