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Mystics and Misfits: Meeting God Through St. Francis and Other Unlikely Saints
"A lively memoir mixed with short biographies of appealing religious outcasts." Publishers Weekly
With untested ideals and a thirst for adventure, Christiana Peterson and her family moved to an intentional Christian farming community in the rural Midwest. It sounded like a simple and faithful way to follow Jesus, not to mention a great place to raise kids. In Mystics and Misfits, Peterson discovers that community life is never really simple and that she needs resources beyond her own to weather the anxiety and exhaustion of trying to save a dying farm and a floundering congregation. She turns to Christian mystics like Francis of Assisi, Simone Weil, and Dorothy Day to find sustenance for the everyday struggles and unique hardships of community life. With a contemplative's spirit and poet's eye, Peterson leads readers into an encounter with the God of the wild mystics and the weird misfits.
With untested ideals and a thirst for adventure, Christiana Peterson and her family moved to an intentional Christian farming community in the rural Midwest. It sounded like a simple and faithful way to follow Jesus, not to mention a great place to raise kids. In Mystics and Misfits, Peterson discovers that community life is never really simple and that she needs resources beyond her own to weather the anxiety and exhaustion of trying to save a dying farm and a floundering congregation. She turns to Christian mystics like Francis of Assisi, Simone Weil, and Dorothy Day to find sustenance for the everyday struggles and unique hardships of community life. With a contemplative's spirit and poet's eye, Peterson leads readers into an encounter with the God of the wild mystics and the weird misfits.
256 pages, Paperback
Published April 17, 2018
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543 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
April 10, 2018
I must start off with an apology because there are no words to clearly share how incredibly special this book was to me and how fantastically written it is. I needed this book. Thank you, Christiana Peterson, for writing Mystics and Misfits.
***
When I first read the synopsis for Mystics and Misfits, I was immediately intrigued. But beyond back cover overviews and enticing cover art, this book seemed to come to me at a time when I really needed it. I’ve been looking for that “more” and “deeper” in my spiritual life. I know that I am not alone.
Mystics and Misfits is a beautifully and honestly written memoir of Christiana Peterson’s experiences in an intentional Mennonite community. She is a mother, a wife, a sister, a daughter, a friend – reaching beyond typical relationships of community and looking towards the closeness and understanding of the misfits (saints). Incredibly, Christiana’s conversations with the saints are both encouraging and inspiring. Perhaps, these conversations are even a bit of a “like goal” for myself.
Maybe many of us want to reach out to the saints – to find understanding, peace, kinship. Shouldn’t we try? After reading Mystics and Misfits, more than ever, I’m inclined to try.
Pages of stories of her own personal life (struggles and triumphs), anecdotes of the lives of saints, her own personal journey of spiritual discovery, and so many letters to her misfit friends (the saints) – this book is unlike anything I have ever read. It is heartfelt, it is thoughtful and it is so moving.
Mystics and Misfits is wildly special and belongs in my top five all-time favorite books.
I gave Mystics and Misfits 5/5 stars!
Thank you Netgalley and Herald Press for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
***
When I first read the synopsis for Mystics and Misfits, I was immediately intrigued. But beyond back cover overviews and enticing cover art, this book seemed to come to me at a time when I really needed it. I’ve been looking for that “more” and “deeper” in my spiritual life. I know that I am not alone.
Mystics and Misfits is a beautifully and honestly written memoir of Christiana Peterson’s experiences in an intentional Mennonite community. She is a mother, a wife, a sister, a daughter, a friend – reaching beyond typical relationships of community and looking towards the closeness and understanding of the misfits (saints). Incredibly, Christiana’s conversations with the saints are both encouraging and inspiring. Perhaps, these conversations are even a bit of a “like goal” for myself.
Maybe many of us want to reach out to the saints – to find understanding, peace, kinship. Shouldn’t we try? After reading Mystics and Misfits, more than ever, I’m inclined to try.
Pages of stories of her own personal life (struggles and triumphs), anecdotes of the lives of saints, her own personal journey of spiritual discovery, and so many letters to her misfit friends (the saints) – this book is unlike anything I have ever read. It is heartfelt, it is thoughtful and it is so moving.
Mystics and Misfits is wildly special and belongs in my top five all-time favorite books.
I gave Mystics and Misfits 5/5 stars!
Thank you Netgalley and Herald Press for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
December 14, 2019
I think what I liked most about this book is that it makes no attempt to hide the pain and disappointment that accompany one who follows Christ. Yes, of course, there are seasons of spring, full of blossoming hope and laughter. But there is the summer of backbreaking work, fall of anxiety, and interminable winters where loved ones get cancer and hopes grow brittle. There’s no “Jesus loves me so I live happily ever after.”
I can’t quite put my finger on what was lacking in the book. Perhaps it was simply this—the book’s strength was also its weakness. There was very little eucatastrophe, which is also at the beating heart of the Christian life. A shadow of darkness sat on the story. A kind of melancholy. I could have used a bit more of a smile dancing round the corners of the narrative. But perhaps this is my own weakness, and not the storyteller’s. Some of us crave a bit more joy in our stories, especially since life often gives us that gift in such small portions.
I can’t quite put my finger on what was lacking in the book. Perhaps it was simply this—the book’s strength was also its weakness. There was very little eucatastrophe, which is also at the beating heart of the Christian life. A shadow of darkness sat on the story. A kind of melancholy. I could have used a bit more of a smile dancing round the corners of the narrative. But perhaps this is my own weakness, and not the storyteller’s. Some of us crave a bit more joy in our stories, especially since life often gives us that gift in such small portions.
October 20, 2020
One of my favourite books of the year. Christiana’s story about living in community and the inspiration she finds from Christian mystics, as well as her graceful vulnerability in sharing the difficult aspects of her experience, made this an unputdownable read for me. Her writing is compelling, lyrical, and informative, and I appreciated the style of this book and how it blends theology & memoir so well.
I didn’t grow up in a tradition that introduced me to saints, and it certainly didn’t celebrate anything with “mystics” in the name. My practice of faith has since expanded to include these things, and I value this book as a great primer on some of the mystics & their impact on the church. It will be one I frequently recommend for that reason, but primarily I’ll be sharing it because it was a delight to read and I think Christiana‘s experience & wisdom deserves a wide audience.
I didn’t grow up in a tradition that introduced me to saints, and it certainly didn’t celebrate anything with “mystics” in the name. My practice of faith has since expanded to include these things, and I value this book as a great primer on some of the mystics & their impact on the church. It will be one I frequently recommend for that reason, but primarily I’ll be sharing it because it was a delight to read and I think Christiana‘s experience & wisdom deserves a wide audience.
April 15, 2018
When I began reading the material about St. Francis, I felt like Christiana was spot on. She took what I have read about St. Francis to a whole new level with a much greater depth of intrigue bringing thoughts to current living in intentional community. Christiana's thoughts about ministry and intentional community gripped me from the first page to the last. I confess that I internalized her stories and compared them to my own. The early years with small children and the challenges of community hit home for me. Christiana has written this material beautifully.
December 20, 2018
I was expecting more history of mystics, and instead got a kind of memoir/autobiography of a portion of the author's life interspersed with snippets of info about some of the biggest names in Christian mysticism.
April 11, 2018
Powerful writing on saints, faith, motherhood, and the difficulty of intentional community.
July 11, 2018
First, I will explain my star rating system for books. A 1 is a book that I don't finish. 2 is one that I finish but wish I hadn't. A 3 is an ok book. A 4 is a book that I would recommend to others. And a 5 is a book that I would re-read. Very few books are ones that I would re-read.
I give Peterson's book a 5 because the phrases are so beautifully crafted, and the call to examine our own lives through the lives of the mystics is one that I want to and plan to revisit at various times in my own spiritual journey.
Peterson's memoir shares her personal experience of living in intentional Christian community, farming, motherhood, grief, and mental health with beautifully crafted phrases and images.
Some of my favorites are:
"Longing seems to be an active, unarticulated sort of restlessness. Maybe melancholy is the gloominess of a long-term unfulfilled longing."
"The daily discipline of loving my neighbor is often ugly and painful. In larger churches, people don't have to face these unpleasant people every day. Once we are home, we take the memory of them off as we shed our Sunday dress. But intentionally nurturing neighborly love means recognizing that this love cannot be taken off."
"Mystics from other religions have much in common with the Christian mystics: they all long for unity with whatever they call God, for a union with the divine. But what distinguishes Christian mystics is the incarnation of Christ. Christian mystics long to be in union with the God who made himself small, who came to suffer alongside his creation, who descended and entered into our world, and who called us to join him in that truly baffling kind of love."
I give Peterson's book a 5 because the phrases are so beautifully crafted, and the call to examine our own lives through the lives of the mystics is one that I want to and plan to revisit at various times in my own spiritual journey.
Peterson's memoir shares her personal experience of living in intentional Christian community, farming, motherhood, grief, and mental health with beautifully crafted phrases and images.
Some of my favorites are:
"Longing seems to be an active, unarticulated sort of restlessness. Maybe melancholy is the gloominess of a long-term unfulfilled longing."
"The daily discipline of loving my neighbor is often ugly and painful. In larger churches, people don't have to face these unpleasant people every day. Once we are home, we take the memory of them off as we shed our Sunday dress. But intentionally nurturing neighborly love means recognizing that this love cannot be taken off."
"Mystics from other religions have much in common with the Christian mystics: they all long for unity with whatever they call God, for a union with the divine. But what distinguishes Christian mystics is the incarnation of Christ. Christian mystics long to be in union with the God who made himself small, who came to suffer alongside his creation, who descended and entered into our world, and who called us to join him in that truly baffling kind of love."
December 10, 2018
In this memoir, Christiana N Peterson weaves together three main narrative strands. The first is the story of her family's move to an intentional farming community (Mennonite inspired) and their life there. The second follows her coping with the deaths of her grandmother, her father, and several members of her community. The third is about her growing acquaintance with the stories/writings of several saints, especially Francis and Claire of Assisi, Dorothy Day, Margery Kempe, and Simone Weil and how that acquaintance guided her in the other two strands. This third strand comes mainly in the form of biographical "interludes" and short "letters" to the saints. The focus is on the saints as role models of simplicity, faithfulness, devotion, etc., here on earth rather than as intercessors in heaven -- a way for Protestants to relate to them. It all works amazingly well, especially when read in small chunks with time for reflection in the meantime. (It was my midday devotional book for 30 days.)
December 9, 2020
It has been said that there are some stories that are so good that they have to be true. Mystics and Misfits by Christiana Peterson is one such story. You can’t make up a story like this. Through Peterson’s pen, she invites the reader to walk alongside her from her privileged roots in central Texas to her life in an intentional faith community in the upper midwest. Her story is as uplifting as it is heartbreaking and she writes in such a way that you will share in both. Peterson leaves herself vulnerable as she spares no details even in something as personal as the death of her father and the faith community she had come to love. The apostle Paul states that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against those malevolent beings in the air.” Peterson learns this first hand as one who is both a mystic and a misfit. She generously allows her readers to share in her struggle. I applaud her talent and skill as an author and am pleased to highly recommend this book to you as your next read. Grace!
May 22, 2018
I’ve been aware of this author’s writing for a while now through her blog, some of her articles, etc., so I’m already aware of her talents as a writer. As I started reading the book, I wondered if the unusual format of first telling a story from the life of St. Francis or another saint, then follow that narrative with one of the author’s own stories, and then ending that section with a letter to the saint would continue to work, and it did! All the way through the format worked, and I looked forward to seeing how the sections would fit together! Congratulations to the author, the editor, or both on that accomplishment!
I also appreciate the honesty the author uses in telling her story. Such storytelling from real life is what we the readers want, to know that another has made it through such experiences, with God’s help, too, or to learn that God can use various ways to reveal himself to us.
I also appreciate the honesty the author uses in telling her story. Such storytelling from real life is what we the readers want, to know that another has made it through such experiences, with God’s help, too, or to learn that God can use various ways to reveal himself to us.
March 18, 2019
The premise of the book drew me in, but it wasn't everything I hoped it would be. Drawing on her experiences of living in intentional community and paralleling her challenges and spiritual journey to saints and mystics, Peterson provides one part memoir and one part biography, with some splashes of Christian living. But it lacked the depth I was hoping for. She got close in speaking of her struggle with anxiety, and close when pulling back the curtain on the challenges of living in close community. She plumbed the depths in discussing her dad's death. But overall it left me wishing she would have gone deeper in exploring community, simplicity and contemplative spiritual practices.
April 17, 2018
I don't often say this about a memoir, but when I finished Mystics and Misfits, I wanted to go for a walk with Christiana Peterson to get to know her more. Peterson has a gift for letting the story rest - she draws the reader into the journey but there are no neat bows at the end. She lives in the tension of being on a journey and she invites her reader generously into that space. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone on the journey of life, spirituality, and mystery.
August 20, 2019
This book gives a good overview of the lives of the saints, through Christiana’s personal life and family journey. I skimmed some parts, but still found it an uplifting book. I especially appreciated her reflections on being a “stayer” while people came and went from their intentional living community. We feel that, as long-term expatriates, and the fulfillment and losses that are inherent in staying resonated with me.
April 16, 2018
For those of us who pursue distraction, Peterson’s book is a gentle call to face the difficulty of the real. Her book invites us to a conversation between her and her crew of Mystics and Misfits as she goes through a period of loss, trouble, and failure. Peterson perseveres, and she does, her difficult curriculum leads us with her into a graced communion with the Christ.
August 28, 2019
I will be honest: I did not expect to like this book as much as I did. Peterson was an unknown author to me when I picked this up on a whim in a local bookstore. I’m a huge fan of memoir, and I’d classify this as “Memoir Plus.” :) The language is rich and vibrant, and the story is powerful. It’s a short read, but a great one, and I highly recommend it!
January 23, 2019
So glad I read this one. A beautiful, vulnerable, difficult memoir about living in community when it's good, hard, and filled with joy and suffering. Gorgeous writing. I will read anything this woman writes!
June 23, 2019
Christiana Peterson is one of the authors that has led me to read more about Christian mystics. We share a spiritual background and are graduates of the same university. She speaks of longing to immerse herself in the mysterious ways of God. This is an important book—you will be glad you read it!
October 22, 2019
I loved this book. It's a really interesting interweaving of the author's personal story with her imagined conversations with various mystics. I found it to be original, moving and absorbing. I couldn't put it down.
May 21, 2018
Memoir with beautiful longings for faith and truth ... loved the interactions with the saints.
April 15, 2019
Beautifully written, honest and an enjoyable read.
June 25, 2020
Only okay and probably my fault for not reading intro material. I bought as a book for bio of mystics and it is a memoir of woman occasionally mentioning misfits.
January 3, 2022
This is a wonderfully courageous book sharing the joys and pains of following God on a heart-led journey. I admire the author's authenticity and raw honesty in her engagement with God, her family and community. This author does a masterful job of weaving biographical insight into the lives of courageous Christian mystics with a deep and profound autobiographical account of her own faith journey with its triumphs and struggles. I enjoyed her "letters" to these saints of old and her willingness to question their and her assumptions. This was a very creative way to help create a conversation that spans centuries that is poignant and relevant today. Her dialogue with many female mystics was welcome and seemed relevant to her spiritual pilgrimage rather than forced inclusion.
Whether you are well versed in the Christian mystics or just starting an exploration this book is a treasure. And if your looking to engage with the creator of the universe and not content to sit in a pew pew or follow soulless rituals, Christiana Peterson is a great guide!
Whether you are well versed in the Christian mystics or just starting an exploration this book is a treasure. And if your looking to engage with the creator of the universe and not content to sit in a pew pew or follow soulless rituals, Christiana Peterson is a great guide!
January 11, 2023
Mystics and Misfits is a memoir about the author’s life in intentional community, as well as the influence that mystics and saints have on her Christian faith. I enjoyed both the memoir and the vignettes about the mystics/saints, but wasn’t always sure how they fit together. The author doesn’t say much about how she got connected to these particular mystics or saints, and while they fit the themes of the book, it felt like going back and forth instead of reading a more integrated story.
The book did make me want to learn more about these mystics, though, and I truly appreciated the candor which which Peterson discusses her life of faith and her relationships, with all their ups and downs.
The book did make me want to learn more about these mystics, though, and I truly appreciated the candor which which Peterson discusses her life of faith and her relationships, with all their ups and downs.
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January 8, 2026This is totally dramatic, but in summary - a poor woman’s obsession with constant suffering as a tool to know God…… I think I would feel a lot more tender towards this book if I read it 4 years ago but reading it now just reminded me how disconnected I feel from the Christianity of my youth, and the one described in this book.
I did enjoy the experience though. Even though the chapters on the Christian Mystics read a little like fan fiction, I found them totally endearing. Now I can go read some more (Simone Weil you have my attention!!!). This book made me reflect on how I relate to suffering post religion & demystified the fantasy of living on a commune with a bunch of eccentric strangers - which is great because now I can now move forward with my lifestyle in peace🩷🩷🩷
July 9, 2021
Excellent book by a woman living on a Mennonite Communal Farm with her husband. As she deals with the stresses and joys of living in community, she discovers herself communicating with various saints for the first time in her life. Counting on St. Francis and others to be examples and consultants in her life on the farm, she describes their lives and writes letters to them as she explores her spirituality in this new setting.
January 13, 2025
Should have ready this sooner.
I actually had an opportunity to get to know Christiana and Matthew due to their proximity to my home and their involvement in that “small town in Ohio.” Unfortunately, I didn’t take advantage of that opportunity as much as I should have. This retelling of their history and how it plays with the Mystics is enlightening. It makes me wonder how my own journey might reflect the pillars of old.
I actually had an opportunity to get to know Christiana and Matthew due to their proximity to my home and their involvement in that “small town in Ohio.” Unfortunately, I didn’t take advantage of that opportunity as much as I should have. This retelling of their history and how it plays with the Mystics is enlightening. It makes me wonder how my own journey might reflect the pillars of old.
December 1, 2020
The book felt disjointed with the way it was presented. Within you find the narrative of Christiana’s time at Plow Creek, letters to Saints, and the descriptions of events in different saint’s lives. I found Christiana’s narrative compelling, but think there’s a disconnect between the role of the Saints in that narrative. It might be more subtle than I was able to perceive, however.
April 19, 2022
Poignant and personal
Poignant and personal, this book tracks Peterson's journey of faith and loss as a mother experiencing the breakup of her intentional community and the death of her father. She plucks gems from misfit saints to guide the way, ultimately coming to see that to truly become a mystic is to follow Christ in the incarnation and meet God in the dust of human life.
Poignant and personal, this book tracks Peterson's journey of faith and loss as a mother experiencing the breakup of her intentional community and the death of her father. She plucks gems from misfit saints to guide the way, ultimately coming to see that to truly become a mystic is to follow Christ in the incarnation and meet God in the dust of human life.
October 26, 2020
I’m glad that many people enjoyed this as much as I have enjoyed other works by and about the saints, but this style simply did not work for me. Too many unexplained oddities slipped into journal entries as if they were normal.
Read as a memoir, not as a book about the saints.
Read as a memoir, not as a book about the saints.
September 2, 2023
Such a good book!!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews