OUR MISSION:
Soul Growth.
Traces of God Ministries is a response to the need for soul-growth, of individuals and communities, who are expressing their yearning towards transcendence with words like, “Teach Us to Pray.”
About
About Us
Traces of God Ministries
Our Mission Statement:
To continue the ministry of Jesus to his disciples as He taught them to pray.
How We Do This:
- Provide a place of retreat, for the purposes of learning to pray, learning to discern God’s presence and leading, rest, encouragement, and spiritual counsel.
- Provide individual spiritual direction.
- Give presentations and lead events that help people find hope and be love amidst the predicaments that confront humanity.
- Support the spiritual life of the community of Hide-Away-Hills where our ministry is located.
- Network with other ministries of spiritual formation, such as the Spirituality Network, and local churches.
- Partner with inter-faith organizations.
- Provide spiritual guidance through a quarterly spiritual formation newsletter.
- Remain open to God’s leading in discerning the foci of our ministry.
Book
Dr. Ken Whitt’s new book
God is Just Love
The following is courtesy of David Crumm, Editor readthespirit.com.
The Rev. Ken Whitt’s book is not yet listed in Amazon for pre-sale, but will appear in the most popular online bookstores this autumn. Meanwhile, readers will be able to order books and receive them even before the official Amazon launch date. So, if you are interested in a visit from Ken, email us at readthespirit@gmail.com and we will let you know what’s available based on your schedule and the production timeline.
A Long Ride in the “Elevator Speech”:
“God Is Just Love.” Love is the essence of everything. You are loved unconditionally. If you have difficulty knowing this love, this book is for you.
Both spirituality and science lead us toward the conclusion that God Is Just Love and we are loved unconditionally. Humanity will have an easier time learning and living this truth when spirituality and science are friends.
Everything is sacred. Abundant life is life lived in in love with everything. Humanity has not been living this way for about 10,000 years. We have done irreparable harm to the earth, ourselves and each other. We are now living with the consequences.
None-the-less, we can live each day with joy and hope. We can do the next right thing to make the future better for our children. We can find hope. We can be love. We can prepare our children to find hope and to be love. Resilient spirits and sustainable communities are required for this work.
We make choices every day. How we make these choices and how we live these choices transforms our lives, the lives of others, and the future of everything. If you long to choose well and live well, no matter what is happening around you, this book is for you.
God is Just Love. Love never fails. Love never ends.
Notify Me When AvailableKen Whitt is the Executive Director of Traces of God, a spiritual formation ministry founded after his retirement from 40 years of service to American Baptist Churches (ABC/USA). Ken’s ministries have focused on nurturing children, youth and families, mission trips, prayer and justice building. Through the ABC, he served on the General Board, the Board of International Ministries and the National Minister’s Council. His love of global diversity extends throughout his entire life from the communities with which he works—to the global variety of woods that fill his woodworking shop. Ken has four children and 11 grandchildren. His wife, Kathy, is a stained-glass artist, weaver, gardener and spiritual director.
What’s in the book? Ken’s full title is, God Is Just Love—Building Spiritual Resilience and Sustainable Communities for the Sake of Our Children and Creation. He likes to describe it as “a big book.” Here’s what he means: This book is big on hope—and even bigger on love that supports everyone who is concerned about the future world our children will inherit. Because of the big challenges we all face—from climate change to ever-deepening poverty in many regions of the world—we need to share big ideas and make big decisions. Ken invites his readers on a journey toward solutions where God’s guidance is our compass.
Because Ken has years of experience working with multi-generational groups, his book has lots of great ideas for adults to participate with children through stories, songs, art projects and especially stepping out into nature. The cover of his book illustrates a central story he shares of families looking up at the starry night sky with their children.
PLUS: His book closes with a list you’ll definitely want to share with your congregation of 100 Things You Can Do with Your Family right now.
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Sign Up NowTestimonials
Sister Lois A. Barton, CSJ
, Staff Member & Retreat Director at The Spiritual Center, Windsor, N.Y.
To experience Ken Whitt’s book is not unlike encountering the author himself. Ken is steeped in his calling as a spiritual leader, which I believe he rather perceives as companionship. His concern and love for others that began in deep family relationships broadens out to a wide range of connections that manifest in the living of his life. This book is born of that reality. Ken sees the connection of spirituality and science, brilliantly warning of the risks we face in ignoring what is before us and the generations to come. Each chapter moves the reader more deeply into the urgency of recognizing and responding to the call of love that we owe to our children and to our planet. Truly, Ken Whitt is on a journey where God is his guide and his roadmap is “Just Love.
Rev. Michael Dowd
, Host of Post-Doom Conversations
In a world dominated by specialists, Ken Whitt has invested his life towards becoming a generalist who can see the “Big Picture. He connects the dots for his readers; spirituality and science, history and current events, scripture and experience, past and future, despair and hope, love and justice. Ken makes it possible for us to know and share the “universal Story,” the story that answers the big questions. Who are we? Why are we here? What do we do next? This book is a field guide for adults who love children and long to accompany them on their journey through a present and future of ongoing perils. Ken shares the journey he and his family are on and, with a pastor’s care, a preacher’s passion, and a grandpa’s tenderness, invites us to join him in embodying Christ-live Just Love.
David Crumm
, David Crumm Media, Readthespirit.com
This book is big on hope—and even bigger on love that supports everyone who is concerned about the future world our children will inherit. Because of the big challenges we all face—from climate change to ever-deepening poverty in many regions of the world—we need to share big ideas and make big decisions. Ken invites his readers on a journey toward solutions where God’s guidance is our compass.
Inspirations
In Reality, What Is Our Story? Part 4
Looking Reality in the face can be a bummer! What a drag it can be to come eye-ball to eye-ball with the way things really are, especially when you’ve bet your life on the way things really aren’t! And, you didn’t even know about the bet!
Foreword to God is Just Love by David P. Gushee
David P. Gushee is Distinguished University Professor of Christian Ethics and Director of the Center for Theology and Public Life at Mercer University. He is Past-President of both the American Academy of Religion and Society of Christian Ethics. He is the author and/or editor of 24 books, including Changing Our Mind.
In Reality, What Is Our Story? Part 3
The “insignificant” ones are becoming more and more difficult to unearth. They have long been buried amidst the accumulating rubble of civilization; and it has been going on for 10,000 years. We continue to bury them, each and every time that they stand in the way of civilization’s progress; whenever there is gold in them there hills; whenever trees are needed as a cash crop; whenever land can be stripped of beauty and health for the purposes of wealth.
Be Prepared, Or Not?
Jesus—”Be NOT prepared.” A deep spiritual insight is presented here; the only way to be prepared for the ventures of our lives is to be completely unprepared, totally dependent, walking by faith–with just a few instructions on how to handle the inhospitable people we meet on the way.
