stood at the window watching the cocoon, which hung in the winter air like an upside–down question mark. That was the moment... I understood. Really understood. Crisis, change, all the myriad upheavals that blister the spirit and leave us groping– they aren't voices simply of pain but also of creativity. And if we would only listen, we might hear such times beckoning us to a season of waiting, to the place of fertile emptiness. Blending her own experiences with an intimate grasp of contemplative spirituality, Sue Monk Kidd relates the passionate and moving tale of her spiritual crisis at midlife, when life seemed to have lost meaning and how her longing for hasty escape from the pain yielded to a discipline of "active waiting." Comparing her experience to the formative processes inside a chrysalis on a wintry tree branch, Kidd reflects on the fact that the soul is often symbolized as a butterfly. The simple cocoon, a living parable of waiting, becomes an icon of hope for the transformation that the author sought. Kidd charts her re–ascent from the depths and offers a new understanding of the passage away from the  self, which is based upon others' expectations, to the true self of God's unfolding intention. Her wise, inspiring book helps those in doubt and crisis recognize the opportunity to "dismantle old masks and patterns and unfold a deeper, more authentic self." When the Heart Waits, which first appeared in hardcover in 1990, has been embraced by t

When the Heart Waits: Leader's Guide

Kidd, Sue Monk

Christian Books & Bibles

Harpercollins

One of today's most promising new Christian writers explores the thrilling possibilities of God's everlasting love.

God's joyful surprise: Finding yourself loved

Religion & Spirituality

Worship & Devotion

Guideposts

The bestselling author's inspiring account of her spiritual journey into discovering the love of God.
"Beautifully written . . . the message and challenge of the book is profound. . . . This book will awaken your longing and set you off on your own spiritual journey."—Today's Christian Woman
"A joy to read from beginning to end."—Virtue Magazine 
Sue Monk Kidd explores the thrilling possibilities of God's everlasting love. God's Joyful Surprise makes an important statement about devotion to God rather than activity. Strands of humor and warmth woven throughout make it a joy to read from beginning to end.

God's Joyful Surprise: Finding Yourself Loved

Biographies & Memoirs

Community & Culture

HarperOne

Selected as Virtue magazine's "Book of the Year" for 1991, Sue Monk Kidd's inspirational autobiographical account of personal pain, spiritual awakening, and divine grace.

When the Heart Waits: Spiritual Direction for Lifes Sacred Questions

When the Heart Waits

"A masterpiece of women’s wisdom."—Christiane Northrup, M.D. 
"The journey to capture her feminine soul and live authentically . . . makes a fascinating, well-researched and well-written story."—Publishers Weekly
In celebration of the twentieth anniversary of its publication, a newly reissued edition of the bestselling author’s classic work of feminine spiritual discovery, with a new introduction by the author.
"I was amazed to find that I had no idea how to unfold my spiritual life in a feminine way. I was surprised, and, in fact, a little terrified, when I found myself in the middle of a feminist spiritual reawakening."—Sue Monk Kidd
For years, Sue Monk Kidd was a conventionally religious woman. Then, in the late 1980s, she experienced an unexpected awakening, and began a journey toward a feminine spirituality. With the exceptional storytelling skills that have helped make her name, Kidd tells her very personal story of the fear, anger, healing, and freedom she experienced on the path toward the wholeness that many women have lost in the church. 
From a jarring encounter with sexism in a suburban drugstore, to monastery retreats and to rituals in the caves of Crete, she reveals a new level of feminine spiritual consciousness for all women—one that retains a meaningful connection with the "deep song of Christianity," embraces the sacredness of ordinary women’s experience, and has the power to transform in the most positive ways every fundamental relationship in a woman's life—her marriage, her career, and her religion.

The Dance of the Dissident Daughter: A Woman's Journey from Christian Tradition to the Sacred Feminine

Leaders & Notable People

The acclaimed spiritual memoir from the author of The Secret Life of Bees 
I was amazed to find that I had no idea how to unfold my spiritual life in a feminine way. I was surprised and, in fact, a little terrified when I found myself in the middle of a feminist spiritual reawakening. 
Sue Monk was a "conventionally religious, churchgoing woman, a traditional wife and mother" with a thriving career as a Christian writer until she began to question her role as a woman in her culture, her family, and her church. From a jarring encounter with sexism in a suburban drugstore to monastery retreats and rituals in the caves of Crete, Kidd takes readers through the fear, anger, healing, and transformation of her awakening. Retaining a meaningful connection "with the deep song of Christianity," she opens the door for traditional Christian women to discover a spirituality that speaks directly to them and provides inspiring wisdom for all who struggle to embrace their full humanity.

From the bestselling author of The Secret Life of Bees, an inspiring autobiographical account of personal pain, spiritual awakening, and divine grace.
Blending her own experience with an intimate grasp of spirituality, Sue Monk Kidd relates the passionate and moving tale of her spiritual crisis, when life seemed to have lost meaning and her longing for a hasty escape from the pain yielded to a discipline of “active waiting.” Full of wisdom, poise, and grace, Kidd’s words will encourage us along our spiritual journey, toward becoming who we truly are.

When the Heart Waits: Spiritual Direction for Life's Sacred Questions (Plus)

"I was amazed to find that I had no idea how to unfold my spiritual life in a feminine way. I was surprised, and, in fact, a little terrified, when I found myself in the middle of a feminist spiritual reawakening." ––Sue Monk Kidd
 For years, Sue Monk Kidd was a conventionally religious woman. Then, in the late 1980s, Kidd experienced an unexpected awakening, and began a journey toward a feminine spirituality. With the exceptional storytelling skills that have helped make her name, author of When the Heart Waits tells her very personal story of the fear, anger, healing, and freedom she experienced on the path toward the wholeness that many women have lost in the church. From a jarring encounter with sexism in a suburban drugstore, to monastery retreats and to rituals in the caves of Crete, she reveals a new level of feminine spiritual consciousness for all women– one that retains a meaningful connection with the "deep song of Christianity," embraces the sacredness of ordinary women's experience, and has the power to transform in the most positive ways every fundamental relationship in a woman's life– her marriage, her career, and her religion.
 This Plus edition paperback includes a recent interview with the author conducted by the book's editor Michael Maudlin.

The Dance of the Dissident Daughter: A Woman's Journey from Christian Tradition to the Sacred Feminine (Plus)

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Kidd, Sue Monk. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Kidd, Sue Monk

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Kidd, Sue Monk. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

When the Heart Waits: Leader's Guide

God's joyful surprise: Finding yourself loved

God's Joyful Surprise: Finding Yourself Loved

When the Heart Waits: Spiritual Direction for Lifes Sacred Questions

When the Heart Waits

The Dance of the Dissident Daughter: A Woman's Journey from Christian Tradition to the Sacred Feminine

The Dance of the Dissident Daughter: A Woman's Journey from Christian Tradition to the Sacred Feminine

When the Heart Waits: Spiritual Direction for Life's Sacred Questions (Plus)

The Dance of the Dissident Daughter: A Woman's Journey from Christian Tradition to the Sacred Feminine (Plus)

The Dance of the Dissident Daughter: A Woman's Journey from Christian Tradition to the Sacred Feminine