Abilene, TX —Ancient Extravagance shows us that life is more than our accomplishments and what we do. The key to a life of meaning is developing our spiritual senses, which only come awake when we worship with others. That might seem like a waste of time, but in fact, these ancient practices have the power to wake up all parts of our lives—not just Sunday morning. Snider begins with a recovery of childlike wonder and story, reclaiming how prose, poetry, memory, and reflection heal and strengthen the soul. Next, he turns to melodies our grandmothers taught us, examining how they reach into our bones. He then reflects on what it means to eat meals with strangers and how a simple act of hospitality can gently inscribe love, generosity, gratitude, and hospitality in our hearts.
These seemingly insignificant practices are mustard seeds that grow into trees to create shade for the world. When we cease simply going to worship and start becoming the worship, we will discover the friendships, beauty, purpose, stories, and sacred moments that will save us and make us more human. Deeply meaningful and delightfully humorous, candid yet surprising, Ancient Extravagance will connect you with a more beautiful and meaningful life.
“At first glance this is a deeply humane book that builds on our life experience and demonstrates how the Holy Spirit turns it from water into wine. But on closer inspection this is a profoundly incarnate book that inspires us through example, argument, anecdote, and timely quotation to see God in Christ entering the intricacies of our mundane existence and raising up that existence into the heart of God’s eternal essence. As you read you will find the exalted in your life humbled and the humble in your life exalted.”
—Samuel Wells, Vicar of St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square, London, UK
Ryan Snider is a writer, pastor, thinker, and educator committed to nurturing spiritual growth, fostering meaningful connections, and telling a more beautiful story. He has spent his career in the church and higher education. Ryan lives with his wife, Danielle, and two children in Atlanta, Georgia. He enjoys hiking, biking, and exploring the outdoors with his family. He also takes pictures and drinks a lot of Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee. Find out more at ryancsnider.com.
Ancient Extravagance
By Ryan Snider
October 2024, Softcover
224 Pages, $17.99
ISBN: 9781684260836
Media Contact: Rachael Ray, publicity@leafwoodpublishers.com
