Gifts to Enrich Faith

A Guide to Faith Matters Publications

Dear Friends,

Part of our mission at Faith Matters is to produce content that is thought-provoking, soul-enriching, and sparks important conversations. With the season of gift-giving upon us, now seems like a good time to mention that a book or a magazine subscription, combined with an offer to talk about it, makes a really meaningful and thoughtful gift.

For the person on your list who…

• Loves both science and faith, choosing a God who is present in the bioluminescence of fireflies as well as the poetry of psalms,

• Deals with chronic illness and longs to engage in a meaningful religious life even if they can’t participate in a more traditional, works-driven way,

• Is a parent who wants to guide their children towards a deeper relationship with God—helping them learn the dance steps while also revealing the beauty of the music,

• Needs a break from constant busyness and is seeking a slower-paced exploration of a deep, nourishing spirituality,

• Dabbles in the teachings of other faiths, enjoying the search for common threads that connect religious traditions,

• Struggles with the idea of a covenant path and may appreciate meandering a while through a covenant garden,

• Is navigating difficult relationships, believing that, in theory, God is present in the face of each human being, but sometimes struggling to see it in practice,

• Wants to love the world, even when they are disillusioned by it,

• Wants to love the Church, even when the pews seem too narrow,

• Enjoys books that defy neat categories, blending theology, biology, memoir, humor, pop culture, and poetry,

• Loves Jesus, loves grace, and seeks heaven where they are,

We recommend Gracing, by Hannah Packard Crowther.

If they’re interested in thought-provoking essays, beautiful artwork, and in pushing the boundaries of Latter-day Saint thought to be ever more expansive and radiant, consider a gift subscription to Wayfare. They’ll immediately receive our most recent issue, a special issue this May dedicated to peacemaking, and a third issue before the end of 2025. Plus, you’ll be helping sustain the work Latter-day Saint artists, thinkers, writers, and editors. You can also purchase individual copies of past issues here.

For the loved one on your list who:

• is interested in an expansive spirituality that takes them beyond their familiar borders,

• is frustrated with the checklist approach to religion and wants to feel more spiritually alive,

• wants a calmer, more spacious mind so they can be fully present to their life,

• is interested in a more meditative way of life and wants to learn from a trusted, experienced guide,

Consider gifting them a copy of At-One-Ment, by Thomas McConkie.

At-One-Ment is a powerful, wonderful experience. A great resource and guide for all Latter-day Saints wanting to live with their minds, hearts, and bodies—a gentle provocation to a new life: more vulnerable, more open, more full. —Conor Hilton, Association for Mormon Letters

If you have someone on your list who longs for a deeper connection to feminine wisdom and to their Divine Mother, The Mother Tree offers a beautiful and sensitive exploration into the symbolic realm of the tree of life—Mother God’s chosen metaphor in scripture—to discover Her regenerative powers in root work, the sturdy now of Her trunk, and the divine wisdom of the heavens in Her leafy crown.

This book has both beautiful insights and well-supported scholarship. It is a book for anyone who wants to explore what it means to be embodied and approach deeper connections to an experience with the divine. The insights about our Heavenly Mother brought me closer to seeing both of my heavenly parents. —Steven L. Peck

For the friend or family member ready to tackle questions like: What does it mean to “restore Israel”? How can a church with less than one percent of the world’s population be “true”? And, What baggage have we picked up these past two centuries, and how do we move forward with confidence, relevance, and impact? Restoration by Patrick Mason will inspire and challenge them to rethink, recommit, and respond to God’s call to the 21st-century world.

For anyone who cares about the Church’s mission in the twenty-first century, Restoration is a necessary book.
— Richard Bushman, author of Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling

For your loved one who has been wounded or confused by popular understandings of sin, salvation, or atonement, and who is ready for a more joyful, spiritually healthy way of understanding these ideas—All Things New could be a gift of healing and restoration.

All Things New is a feast to satisfy today’s spiritual hungers. —Kate Holbrook

In Better Than Happy, Jody Moore shows how a simple 5-step model she uses in every session with her clients can reveal the unconscious patterns of thoughts that keep us from deeper and healthier connection with ourselves, with our loved ones, and with God. Jody then shows how, once we clear the debris of our unconscious patterns of thought, new streams of understanding of Christ’s teachings begin to flow.

BECOME A FRIEND OF FAITH MATTERS

And for perhaps the ultimate gift this year, consider becoming a Friend of Faith Matters in their name. They will receive a complimentary copy of each new book we publish, a complimentary print subscription to Wayfare, a 50% discount on our online courses, discounts on our in-person gatherings (including Restore,) and more. Plus, you’ll be making a donation in their name that will continue to support the work of Faith Matters. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.

Whatever you choose to give this season, we are grateful to you for your ongoing support and to be in community with you. We wish you a season of renewed hope, deepened peace, heartfelt joy, and truer love.

In faith,

The Faith Matters Team