Amazon Digital Services LLC - KDP Print US

Roads for Renewal Amazon Digital Services LLC - KDP Print US

Here's the story: you have a sixty-year-old grandmother riding a motorcycle into the ever-changing autumn weather of Great Britain while seeking to find communities of peace and acceptance. Her goal is to better understand the world of today while affirming her faith for the future. She is a strong Christian and leader, a pastor of an established Lutheran church in the state of Washington. She is happily married, loves her work and congregation, and has been given the opportunity of a lifetime to go forth and explore the world from a Christian perspective. And so she did.

Jane Prestbye's book is of her personal journey. Roads for Renewal: thoughts while I wonder about renewal during my sabbatical year is her story of a soul-feeding, four-month journey through Europe and the western States. Riding a 600cc Honda motorcycle across England and Scotland is only part of the story. Later in her sabbatical, she travelled through France, Italy, Germany and Scandinavia. As a solo traveler, Pastor Jane visited religious communities and retreats, met unexpectedly sweet people throughout her journey, and shared her stories with many people who cared about the spiritual side of life as much as she did.

After many years of ministry Jane's personal break was funded by a grant from the Lilly Endowment Clergy Renewal Program. She was offered an island of peace in the middle of her highly active career being an urban pastor in a downtown setting..

Roads for Renewal is her story. It speaks of adventures (she loves adventures) and people (she loves people) and places, animals and unexpected blessings (all of which she loves). She asked for a glass of water and was given a cup of tea with warm milk and sugar instead. She shared her story and listened to others share theirs. Jane is a terrific listener, she listens from the inside of the story; when people speak, they know she is listening. She visited homes and joined in on family life with people who had been strangers the day before. She lived her life welcoming everyone and everyone seemed to respond as if they'd always known her. It is a remarkable story of growth through fellowship based on faith.