Mary Rose O'Reilley

Teach from the Heart

Discipleship & Christian Education

“Dag Hammarskjold wrote that 'in our era, the road to holiness necessarily passes through the world of action.' Holiness--whatever little we might know about it--is grounded in grace and spiritual practice. It pitches its tent because it wishes to, and because we call it to dwell with us. But how, in the distracted secular world, can we give voice to our longing? We are busy. We have families to raise, a home to make. If we are teachers, we have to get to school by 8:30. Jenell Paris makes these 'distractions' the point of practice. To be human, present, and real. Creative, subversive, and--with luck--joyful. Her book has many practical pointers, but its great gift is promoting the conversation, shifting the kaleidoscope of received information, so that the teacher can 'open a space'--each in his or her own way--'to change and growth.'”