“We live in a remarkably bountiful world that teems with life. The resurrection calls us to live gently and peaceably with ourselves, our neighbors, and all the rest of creation.” There is so much in this world that we take for granted: the land, the air, the water. Indeed, we take all living creatures for granted and we take each other for granted. Our souls reach out, begging for sustenance, and yet it struggles because we don’t allow it the time, the space and the purity to do so. Bob Flanagan takes us on an insightful journey to discover not only what is good for our souls, but also what is good for our bodies. He leads us through Scripture and he points us in the direction of finding and fulfilling our place within God’s greatest creations. Flanagan provides us with another vista, another place of understanding, to appreciate all that we have, to nurture all that we have and to use it wisely, carefully and with due reverence.

Growing a Sustainable Future is not the usual global warming type of read, but the message is there, nonetheless. The message is also very clear in Scripture. We need to have a connection with the earth, with the food that we eat, the water that we drink and the air that we breathe: “Affirming this connection, the Bible tells of a people who lived in a land where the relationship with the soil, water, and earth infused their life.” Using examples from his own life, Flanagan discusses the current issues that face the well-being our planet and, of course, the well-being of our bodies and our souls. He challenges us to look around us, to take note of all of God’s creation and to learn to appreciate, respect and preserve all that we have. Each chapter has sections, called “Action”, which requires reader intervention, making the reader think about these issues and how they affects us individually as well as globally. This is an excellent resource and study guide for everyone. Well done!

Growing a Sustainable Soul by Bob Flanagan is a very different sort of spiritual book which tells us that experiencing the natural world that God has created can help us to experience God. Flanagan writes about our disconnection with the land in today’s modern society. So few of us farm the land and we need to find other ways to stay conscious of man’s responsibility to God and all his creations. Becoming aware of the beauty of our world helps replenish the soul’s energy through staying connected to what God has created for us. Flanagan gives suggestions as to what will bring us in closer harmony with our natural environment. He uses quotes from the Bible and from other spiritual leaders to demonstrate how God treasures all he has created. Jesus uses the natural world in many of his teachings, and Bob Flanagan suggests rediscovering Jesus by thinking of him as a farmer. Interconnectedness of all and our stewardship of the earth are concepts we need to consider in our everyday lives.

Growing a Sustainable Soul by Bob Flanagan is a beautifully written spiritual book. I found it to be insightful and thought provoking. While I have always kept the stewardship of the earth in mind, this book adds so many more dimensions to stewardship and interconnectedness. When I swim in a lake or walk in the woods, I feel free and happy. Flanagan talks about this type of experience as absolutely necessary to all of us. Buying local produce, not squandering energy, walking in nature, reusing bags and many other actions are all things to help our environment be healthy. This book connects those actions to feeling close to God. The concept should be obvious to all spiritual beings but it isn’t. Growing a Sustainable Soul gives us this very important message.