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Sensible Shoes #1

by Sharon Garlough Brown, Roeleke Meijer-Muilwijk (Translator)

Sharon Garlough Brown tells the moving story of four strangers as they reluctantly arrive at a retreat center and find themselves drawn out of their separate stories of isolation and struggle and into a collective journey of spiritual practice, mutual support and personal revelation.

Genres: Fiction, Christian Fiction, Christian, Book Club, Faith, Spirituality, Religion

416 pages, Paperback

Published July 1, 2016

About the author

Sharon Garlough Brown (MDiv, Princeton Theological Seminary) is a spiritual director, retreat leader, and author. Her book "Sensible Shoes" was named one of television personality Kathie Lee Gifford's "favorite things" in March 2013, and her book "An Extra Mile" won Christianity Today's Fiction Book of the Year for 2019. She and her husband Jack have served congregations in Scotland, Oklahoma, England, and West Michigan, where they co-pastored a congregation for many years. They now direct Abiding Way Ministries, offering spiritual formation retreats and resources (abidingwaylife.com). Her latest book, "Feathers of Hope" (third in the Shades of Light series) released in April 2022.

Reviews

[Laura Kurk · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book unmasked me. Without leading readers to rote, memorized theology, Brown leads her readers to questions that have the power to change. We watch her characters struggle to find the right questions to ask and we feel their profound relief when they begin to see the clear path--the one they were led to slowly, gently, and lovingly. Sensible Shoes is soaked through with the story of redemption. It's full and heavy with the message, but it's sweet and goes down easy. It's smooth.

What is so masterful about Brown's book is that she pulls her characters and her readers through murkiness to dawning awareness to poignant discovery. The four characters are carefully created to represent the things we know as truth about ourselves. I found my own frailties in the personalities and stories of each character. So often, while reading Sensible Shoes, I wanted to call friends and read them the tender lines that meant something to me. Brown's heart for people shines through and in reading her story it felt as if I was sitting at the feet of one much wiser than me who wanted me to be comforted, and to learn a better way.

Sensible Shoes blends fiction and allegory and comfortable familiarity with scripture and ancient truths to help us see the world around us in a new light. I highly recommend the book and hope Brown continues to write and share in this way.

[Susie Finkbeiner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never read a novel quite like this before. Part fiction, part Spiritual instruction, part Bible study. I read this book slowly so that I could really absorb it. I'm so glad I didn't rush through to find out what happens to the characters. Because, doing so would have stunted the experience I was able to have through the multi-faceted approach of the author.

This is a book that would be fantastic in a small group, book club, or Bible study. I highly recommend it.

[Katherine Pershey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would have never picked this book up if I hadn't heard the author speak at the Festival of Faith and Writing. The premise - a novel about spiritual direction, more or less - sounded hokey and heavy handed and hopelessly middlebrow. But I heard SGB speak and was taken by her wisdom and charisma. So, the book. I bought it right then and there, got it signed, and within 24 hours of getting home from the Festival one of the cats threw up on it. (How many people can say their cat threw up on Sharon Garlough Brown's Sensible Shoes? Har har.).

Wise, compelling, utterly endearing. The right book at the right time for me. I would definitely use this with groups at church, too... And I've already booked SGB for our spring retreat. (I'll keep my cats away from her feet.)

[Chautona Havig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes a friend says, "You really need to read this book," and you grab it and read. Other times, you buy the entire series and let them languish on a shelf. If you'd asked me last week why I hadn't read Sensible Shoes yet, I would have told you that I'm not comfortable with a book that promises to take me on a spiritual journey... with a female pastor. My understanding of Scripture doesn't allow that, and something so focused on the spiritual life just ... rankled.

But I picked up the book a few days ago, and decided to read it. I couldn't have told you why then. I can now.

Because it was time. Sensible Shoes follows the spiritual path of four very different women... an empty-nester widow, a shallow, "uncouth" housewife, a controlling grad student, and yes... a pastor who has been forced into a sabbatical she doesn't want. These four women couldn't be more different from each other, and yet I saw myself in every single one of them.

That right there is the genius in this book, because when I asked my friend about it, she said the same thing, and she and I are two very different people, too.

I'm going to have to reread it. Part of me wants to recommend you read it with a journal in hand, but I won't. Because I think knowing the STORY before going through the spiritual journey with them yourself will ensure you're focused on what the Lord can do in you in a way you can't if you're constantly wondering what is going to happen next.

Highly recommended--for everyone. I want to say, "If you've been putting it off, stop. Just read." But I won't. Because I really believe the Lord had me hold off for just the right time. So, instead, I'll say, "When you think, 'I should probably check that book out...' THAT is when you should grab it and plow in."

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sensible Shoes is a good, fast-moving story about four women who attend a spiritual retreat and become friends. However, it has theologically problems. Red flags go up in regards to two tools used to help participants journey to heart of God. One tool called Labyrinth Prayer Walking has mystical roots. Katherine, the facilitator, acknowledges this but says she is not concerned.
Most troubling is Praying with Imagination. This discipline challenges scriptural accuracy (called historical accuracy in the book) by letting the participant’s imagination go wherever it wants within the Bible story. In the process scripture is changed. The Scripture (2 Peter 1:20-21) refers to this when it speaks against private interpretation.
There is, however, beauty in this book. I appreciated the love and forgiveness of the women; trusting God no matter what; the name of Jesus is clearly spoken; and several of the disciplines were not as troubling as the ones stated above.
The goal of knowing God’s love is good but does the end justify the means? This is especially true if the process goes against scriptural teaching. Read this book with caution. There are 3 more books in the Sensible Shoes Series. I am not planning to read them.

[Shelly Hammond · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a fan of Christian fiction, thought provoking books, and well written stories you will likely find this to be the book for you! You can tell from the start the author puts a lot of love and thought into every single word she puts down onto the pages of the book. This is the first Christian fiction book I have ever read and I found that it was an enjoyable book that takes the reader on an unexpected journey with four women looking to find themselves and to find ways to come to terms and deal with their pasts and currents situations and in this book they find this way through God.

I dislike giving details of a book away past a few good points about the actual story and the writing of the author but I will give you just a tiny bit of information before abruptly stopping because you should , as I always say if you’ve ever read another of my reviews, read the book for yourself! It’s good to read all the books for yourself no matter what. Read them all! Ok, sorry. I got a little lost there. I’ll get back to it now. The book takes place in Michigan at a retreat center. Four women meet there when they arrive to; well you know, retreat and stuff. They have things that they are having some trouble with so they head to this retreat. Through it all they become closer to each other and also to God. There are some exercises within the book they practice and find they are getting closer and closer to God. If you are Christian and follow the God thing, you may find that they are quite helpful to you as well and may help you with your own life also.

The author is a truly brilliant writer. She has a style of writing that pulls you in and keeps you right there with her. It’s as if the characters she writes are as real to her as someone that she knows in the really real world. They are so relatable and rich with personality. It’s as if they are living on the pages. The setting of the story is another thing that comes alive. As you read you can picture it in your mind as if it’s a place you’ve seen or can see if you just go around a corner. It’s very well written.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book. I will say again that it is a Christian fiction book just to remind everyone out there in case anyone really reads this but even if you are not Christian or into that, it is still a really enjoyable read and very well written. I highly enjoyed it and I would recommend it whole heartedly.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It tells the story about the spiritual journey of four different women. The book is not only an excellent character study, but it also goes through all of the spiritual exercises that the women in the book are going through and how each react to them.

If you enjoy Christian reading and are looking for the journey, this is an excellent read. I personally got a lot out of it, plus I enjoyed the story.

Reader received a complimentary copy through the Good Reads First Reads program.

[Jacqui · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book. I wanted it to speak to my own life and spiritual journey, and that of my friends. Unfortunately, it did not. It is very, very heavy on the retreat exercises - parts of it read like you should be doing it - and as a result the characters are underdeveloped stereotypes. And there is very little resolution at the end. For example, one character's husband is verbally abusive to her and remains so at the end. No redemption, no change. Parts of it are really touching and meaningful, and I did a little bit out of those, but there just was not nearly enough story to go with the religion.

[Laura Spinella · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing. I highly recommend to anyone who wants to enhance their spiritual journey. Sure, some of the dialogue comes off as cheesy, but I realized that it was isolated to certain characters and very much part of their characterization. I learned so much about myself and grew so much in my walk with God just by reading this one book.

[Nettie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Spiritual!ity not Christianity

In the pages of The Bible there is what we need to grow and mature in Christ. Adding to that mystical tools is very unnecessary. Books can bless and entertain but why are we finding more and more Christians talking up these practices and integrating them into our spiritual journey? We don’t need to add to the Word of God.

[Bice · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book. Very different than what I expected. It is a story of four women each on a spiritual journey ( even though they did not know it) who attend a retreat. All in all a good story. What I liked best were the Spiritual Disciplines. Author via the retreat master goes into detail about Examen prayer, Lectio Divina, reading Scripture with imagination (although St. Ignatious is never mentioned) Rule of Life, (St. Bernard of Nursia is mentioned) and other Disciplines. So gratified that these decidedly Catholic Spiritual Disciplines are being discovered by our separated brothers and sisters. Not sure though if I will read the other books in the series.

[Jenn Sands · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've just finished a repeat reading of this book. It is a real gem. I wanted to get reacquainted with the characters before reading the sequel. I think I got more out of it second time through. I can recognise a bit of myself in each of the four women.

[Amanda Tranmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

If all you do is read this book, you'll miss out. It's one for walking, for implementing, discussing, doing. I read it with three other girlfriends, and we completed the study guide as we read. I think we did it the right way. We're moving on to book two.

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly? This book was exactly what I needed. Yes, it was a bit cheesy at times (the excessive use of “you go girlfriend” comes to mind) and I didn’t agree with a few things. BUT. I gave it 5 stars because it was lovely, and therapeutic, and deeply spiritual. ❤️

[Lisa Harding · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was chosen for me from our local library for a book bag they put together for patrons. It was very timely for our life situation right now and it was exactly the book I needed to read! Loved it!

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

ETA 2020. I picked this up as a comfort read. Then I got stuck on the questions "What do you want? Where have you come from? Where are you going?" and let the book fall under my bed and gather dust for a few months. It's still a good read. It's just not an easy one. On to Two Steps Forward

2017.
Someone whose opinion I trust asked me if I liked Francine Rivers.
“Yes.” Of course.
“Then you’ll love Sharon Garlough Brown.”

I came across a copy while thrifting and began reading, naturally with some skepticism. At the beginning, some moments felt contrived and stilted. But I kept with the journey and discovered real depth, pain, and vulnerability. The Sensible Shoes Club wrestle with struggles I have. Many of their fears are reflections of my own. They receive wisdom and spiritual direction* I need.

I still have plenty to chew on from this first book, but am looking forward to the rest of the series.

*There are several retreat guides and reflection questions included in the book.

[Meggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a unique novel. It is one part Christian fiction (not a genre I would choose), another part lessons in the spiritual disciplines, another part spiritual exploration. Brown uses this fictional work to teach about spiritual direction and ask hard questions of her readers, similar to how Taste of Many Mountains used a fictional story to explain the coffee trade. This format was quite effective in both cases.

While some of the dialog, plot and characters were annoying at times (typical of Christian fiction), when I got past it, I found myself challenged and encouraged in my own spiritual life. As four women go through a six-session spiritual formation seminar, their lives are broken open by the truth of the gospel by some very real very probing questions like, “what do you want?” “where are you going?” Each woman’s struggle is identifiable in different ways and I found each quite challenging. I think most women could be reached in some way by reading this.

I wouldn’t turn to this book for solid theological truth in reformed doctrine, but it is a place to think about the gospel, scripture and life in a new way. I’m glad I was encouraged to read this book, and continue to reflect on the questions asked of me.

[Alanna O'Brien · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am disappointed with a number of aspects in this book.
I understand the characters are in many ways caricatures, which makes them easier for the audience to identify with.
The portrayal of the female pastor is what disappoints me most. The only character to be single, and the obvious storyline is followed: She is single because of a fear of intimacy, and once she repents she finds love. God’s love yes- but of course demonstrated through a man.
Singleness is not a punishment for sin. The repentance of a single person will not guarantee a husband.
There was so much potential to demonstrate God’s gifts to this character and the author went with the least imaginative, choosing instead to perpetuate the same old myths.

[Joey Spinella · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book isn't just for women. It cracks open the lid on how easy it is for each of us to auto-pilot our way through life and community, propagating wounds and defense mechanisms we may not be aware of. The book walks through a journey of self discovery and healing for four very different women that are attending a weekly spiritual direction group and exposes dysfunction and strength in each of them. What I most appreciated was the range of characters and the subtle dysfunctions that exposed blind spots in my own life. I especially resonated with Carissa, and seeing the way her actions affected others helped me gain an awareness of my own impact.

[Christine Dillon · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 star. An unforgettable book which deserves to be read many times. I suspect you'll get more out of it each time.
4 different women embarking on realistic journeys of faith complete wtih issues of anger, disappointment in God, dysfunctional relationships ...
The loss of a part of a star is that there were several pacing issues with the Charissa character (she seemed to have here breakthroughs too fast sometimes).
I read book 2 first (it was loaned to me earlier) and that it worked to read them out of order.
This book will linger in my mind and keep bearing fruit for eternity. Highly recommended.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a blessing. I was able to identify with all the characters in different ways. It really helped me think about and process areas in my own life that have kept me from going deeper in my relationship. It shares many spiritual disciplines that I hope to incorporate in my life. I want to read the next one. Great book club book but I really think I could do a 12 week study on this book. I listened to it so the next time I read it, I want to have the book in hand so I can highlight and write notes.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more than I did. If I think of it as “not-a-novel” my rating might go up to a 3 1/2 or 4.

As an exploration and fleshed our explanation or introduction of spiritual formation, it’s good.

But as a novel, the characters are too plastic. And never have I met four women who all manage to grow so easily in 3 months.

This is not to say that I don’t love the material being presented. It’s just not a satisfying novel for me.

[Jean · Rating 1 out of 5]

Read as part of a adult bible study group. Although I got a few "nuggets" out of it, overall, I just didn't care for this book. The characters are a bit too fragile for my liking. I finished it only because I wanted to be able to participate in the conversation of our group, but if not for that, it would have gone on the bookshelf long before the end.

[Jacci · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book. It is interesting as fiction and equally amazing in the amount of spiritual formation activities you learn from it. It is basically the best job description of my own job, I've ever read. Now, when people ask me what I do, I can just tell them to read this book!

[Jill Gallant · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me a little longer than normal to finish this book. It was because I was reading it slowly on purpose, letting it sink in. Definitely worth the read if you're interested in delving deeper into an intimate relationship with Jesus. Reads like a novel, but it's so so thought provoking.

[Alana Hargraves · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect book, for a perfect time in my life. It helped me to see things from a different perspective and I learnt so much!

[Jenn Harrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings.

What it is:
A group of women attend a series of classes together and slowly work through their stuff. Each woman's story is told in overlapping snippets and each story shares their growing knowledge of God and their spiritual growth. The book walks through events in their lives that caused certain patterns and then untangles their perspectives and helps them move forward in Christ. It is basically free therapy as you work through things with these women.

The cons:
1. It shares specific moments and influences in each woman's life that are THE reason she is the way she is. This can feed the unhealthy idea that "it's all my parents' fault", if only XYZ hadn't happened, etc. when the reality is that we are the culmination of all of the events of our lives, and we cannot be whittled down to one contributing element. This is a trendy, toxic focus in modern therapy which leads to cutting out anything "toxic" in your life and I have concerns about this representation fueling that trend.

2. The group works through different tools to further their journey and the first tool introduced is walking a prayer labyrinth. I am not opposed to walking in circles. I am a fan of things that make us slow down and be present in the moment. But this is a tool that is used in some very non-Christian religious journeys, so I am not comfortable with it casually being introduced in a novel as if it is perfectly safe for anyone to utilize. I imagine it would be very easy for some baby Christians to see it as a green light to incorporating all kinds of "religious" habits into their lives which could also mean introducing demonic activity into their lives. If you're going to introduce it, I think it needs some disclaimers and explanation...some cautions.

Pros: it is basically free therapy. It DOES introduce some useful tools for your walk. It does encourage you to see some of your own hangups in the characters and to release some of your own mess up to our Heavenly Father and Healer.

[Isabella Vidal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Um livro simples e muito tocante. A história é sobre vida cotidiana e, ainda assim, nos causa todo tipo de emoção. As personagens são muito realistas: ou pensamos que são como nós mesmos ou como alguém que conhecemos, e isso é incrível, causa um impacto muito maior, porque traz a ficção para a realidade.
Acho que o mais importante que a história nos traz é como podemos enxergar o próprio Deus. Todas as relações que temos com Ele, Pai, Senhor, Noivo, Amigo, Salvador etc., todas aparecem ao longo do livro e cada uma nos ensina mais sobre Ele - e isso é o mais bonito desse livro.
Li como áudiobook, no Pilgrim App. Recomendo muito ouvi-lo, gostei bastante, mas tem recursos que seriam melhor aproveitados no livro físico.

[Afton Rorvik · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finally read this book I had heard about from so many people. I think the title put me off a bit. I guess I connected sensible shoes with older women and a rules-based way of thinking and practicing faith. So not the story within these pages!
Mara, Charissa, Meg, and Hannah, while fictional characters, comes across as authentic in part because of their struggles and honest anger at God. By traveling with them on their spiritual formation journey, I felt challenged to think differently about God, reading the Bible, and caring for others. Their fictional journey definitely spoke into my real-life journey.
I like that the author includes some of the spiritual formation exercises as part of the story line. I enjoyed participating in them.
Don't stop with the first book in the series. :)

[Dianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved reading about these four women who partake in a spiritual journey, some on purpose and others unknowingly. Part fiction, part Spiritual instruction, part Bible study that would be wonderful to be involved. I want a New Hope Retreat Center near me!
This is the first of the trilogy so I can't wait to see where this journey leads them. (And me)
3.8 stars