The Cup of Our Life: A Guide to Spiritual Growth

by Joyce Rupp

Joyce Rupp's best-selling, contemporary classic has sold over 200,000 copies. This new edition continues a 15-year tradition of helping individuals and groups pray.

Now with a new preface and fresh design, The Cup of Our Life is available to anyone seeking a more intimate and disciplined life of prayer. Joyce Rupp, the best-selling Catholic woman writer today, illustrates how the ordinary cups used each day can become sacred vessels that connect listeners with life and bring them into closer union with the divine. She explores how the cup is a rich symbol of life, with its emptiness and fullness, its brokenness and flaws, and its many blessings.

With daily devotions for six weeks, this audiobook is ideal for individual usage, as well as, group usage in parish settings, religious communities, and small Christian communities.

Genres: Spirituality, Nonfiction, Prayer, Religion, Christian, Christianity, Faith

Audible Audio

First published July 31, 1997

About the author

Joyce Rupp is well known for her work as a writer, a spiritual "midwife," and retreat and conference speaker. She has led retreats throughout North America, as well as in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Joyce has a B.A. in English, a M.R.E. in Religious Education, and a M.A. in Transpersonal Psychology. She is a member of the Servites (Servants of Mary) community and was a volunteer for Hospice for fifteen years. She currently resides in Des Moines, Iowa. A list of Joyce's works can be found in the left column of this page. Click on the book title to find out more information about that title.

Reviews

[Hannah Bergstrom de Leon · Rating 4 out of 5]

If the daily practice of holding a steaming cup of coffee or tea appeals to you, this might be the spiritual guide book for you!

“The Cup of Our Life” takes the reader on a six week spiritual journey using the metaphor of the simplest of things, a cup. Intended to be used either individually or in a group, Rupp offers a daily rhythm that feeds the soul as the hands hold a cup.

At the beginning of this book, this spiritual journey, I wasn’t sure how the cup imagery and metaphor would hold up through six weeks. I was pleasantly surprised that in each week’s iterations, I found connection, fresh content and relevant reflection. Rupp moves the reader through a variety of experiences of God as symbolized by the cup and each resonated and informed the previous. She also offers an Integration and Review day once a week, which served as a Sabbath for me and allowed grace within this established rhythm. I appreciated the many daily tools provided such as a Breath Prayer, Scripture, Journal Prompts, etc. as they allowed me to build my own space and practice each day.

Spiritual growth books can be hit or miss depending on where you are in life, but Rupp provided a guided intentional time to look inward and towards your relationship with God/Divine/Universe/etc. I was able to take 30 minutes of each day to pause, breathe, pray and connect, grounding me in the ever changing currents I experienced in these first cold Minnesota months of 2022.

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[Paige Kleinsasser · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a six week guide to spiritual growth (took me a little longer than six weeks). I liked it because there were different spiritual practices in there that I don’t normally do (a breath prayer, a reflection with the same cup every day) that really slowed down my time with the Lord and got me out of my head when I normally just sit & read the Bible & think. Each week has a category/ topic. I enjoyed some more than others. If you are seeking spiritual growth this book is definitely helpful!

[Martha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read a number of books by Joyce Rupp and enjoyed meeting her in person. I highly recommend her books, particularly A Cup of Our Life. Check out her website, too.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Used it in a Bible study and enjoyed it.

[Brian White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book although not as powerful as "Praying Our Goodbyes." Well worth the six weeks I spent with this book. I may never look at a cup the same ever again.

[Santina Kerslake · Rating 4 out of 5]

Using something as simple as a cup helps you realize that transformation happens in the tiny moments of each day. The cup is a metaphor for life itself. In order to fill it, it needs to be emptied. The book is divided up into 6 weeks of daily practices to help you with your meditations and rituals. Quotes are sprinkled throughout and offers prompts as well as information on setting up group gatherings for discussion.

[Shar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Torn on this book. Lots of ideas to help people center themselves and work through their internal challenge, but when coupled with the religious aspect .some aspects are troubling such as the centering of oneself’s need from God over service to God, obvious privileged POV, and inconsistencies based on cherry-picking aspects of the Bible. So, huge yes as a self-help book for those of comfortable means . Big no as a spiritual practice guide.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book for group spiritual growth. Short daily readings, instructions for breathing meditations, journaling and reflection. Great guide for facilitating as has the format for weekly meetings in the back of the book. Joyce Rupp writes beautiful spiritual poetry. One of my favorites.

[Kathleen Fogarty · Rating 5 out of 5]

For people who want to have a morning devotion, this book centers short readings and journaling with the metaphor of a cup. I found it helpful, centering and the writing insightful. I really enjoy Joyce Rupp’s honest and thoughtful commentary and approach to spiritual life..

[Brian Wilcox · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the better, if not best, works I've read on spiritual growth as an expression of Christian devotion. This treatment could appeal to persons of any devotional faith-orientation.

[Cheryle Totten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read as part of book group, definitely moving and life changing.

[Gail Kennon · Rating 2 out of 5]

didn't do the exercises..just read the text of this workbook so my opinion's not worth much.

[Lorrie Fern]

It was an interesting exercise

[Gayle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe unfair to review as it just didn't resonate with me at the time in my life. I have kept the book and someday will turn to it.

[Jennifer Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would’ve been better in book format where you could meditate on each chapter as a devotional—but I wanted to listen before it was removed from the Audible membership’s included catalog 😅

[Joy Heine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Power daily spiritual guide to deepen relationship with God.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect book study for Lent

[Nan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I used this devotional over the last six weeks and loved my time with my "chosen cup" and being led into reflecting on my life as a cup.

[Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I purchased this book along with the members of our church to use for a daily devotional during Lent. That made it more special, since I knew each day that others I knew were reading the same devotional. Rupp centers the book around a teacup or coffee cup or mug of your choosing and uses scripture to teach each day's lesson. I chose a cup that reminded me of my mother whose passing still affects me this time of year. The daily reading follows a pattern that includes a breathing prayer. When I read the introduction I thought that it sounded silly, but it turned out that I looked forward each day to finding out what the words were for that day. In a day with a rough patch, I would breathe the prayer again.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book for a bible study group. I liked it but didn't quite finish it as I missed a few meetings. It did lead to some good discussions. I liked the use of the cup. You choose favorite mug and have it with you as you read the book. We are now reading another Joyce Rupp book for our study.

[Alexa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic daily reading type book for spiritual development. I can't recomend this one strongly enough. I can imagine doing this 6 week program yearly. In some ways it is wrong to call it a daily reading book because that implies that it is just about its topic and doesn't build. Perhaps think a more spiritual version of the artists way.

[Rosalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A most amazing book, especially if you stay with it day by day. Joyce Rupp's poetry and prose and both wonderful, her words are beautiful, encouraging and full of wisdom. Now I understand why people read this book numerous times - I think I might go right back through it myself. Going through the book as a group is especially good.

[Joy-Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joyce Rupp has been the top choice from my "Circle of Hearts" book club. We have just started this book on spiritual practices for a more Western audience.
She provides a daily practice as well as weekly.

[Kay Mcgriff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been using this book for my morning devotions the past six weeks. I've used it before, but since I'm at a different place in my life, the reflections are still fresh and relevant. Once again, I am moved by the symbolism of a cup for many things in my life.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a keeper! This study guide is one that I can easily see revisiting in the years ahead. Lots to think about and ponder. Well written and organized. Great for a group or individual reflection.

[Kelle Schnabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great study for self-evaluation and reflection. It is worth repeating as I believe I will learn new things from it each time I work through it. Simple yet effective, this study also helps reinforce the habit of daily time with God.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

You will return to this spiritual book again.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book that made for some great discussions within a small study group.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The group I'm in liked it so much they want to start it again.

[Erika Nerdypants · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my all time favourites