Cozy up in your favorite chair and let yourself be drawn into the lives of these holy women in a powerful and deeply personal way.

The saints are the supreme champions of our Faith, but so often they seem both unfamiliar and unattainable to us. This reflective book bridges that gap. Therein lies the genius of Seven Holy Women, a Conversation with Saints and Friends.

You will be drawn into the lives of these remarkable, courageous women. They become your own story, deepening your spiritual journey. Meeting them in this way is so intimate, it’s almost breathtaking. For a moment, I am Morwena. I am Nino. I am Margaret. Can I really be like these bold, faithful women? Hasn’t God called all of us to be saints?

Next, we read the life of the saint from Holy Tradition. As if this book weren’t already full of so many good things, each author reflects on how their special saint has inspired them, motivated them, and woven themselves into the fabric of their lives.

Questions at the end of every chapter provide time for thoughtful reflection, which can be completed with a friend or study group. Let this book seep into your being. I promise, you won’t be the same.

I’m only to chapter 8 but so far this is the most helpful and encouraging parenting book I have read.

I love it! It’s absolutely beautiful.

I was puzzled by my response to this work. There is nothing shockingly new about what the author has written, but it was presented clearly and had the added input of Byzantine liturgy and theology to make it distinct from other self-help devotional works. I intend to re-read it regularly.

A great read!

Very well written

This book is gentle and challenging at once. It is already proving helpful to re-center my thoughts, and I’m finding I have new direction in prayer.

I am drawn to some saints’ stories far more than others, but it is because of seasons of life, not the writing. Each saint’s section is written in an accessible, personalized style that is refreshing in a world of hyperbolic hagiography. Most importantly, their stories are told in a way that returns to me later as I meet various challenges in my life.

There is a journaling/discussion component that is supposed to be done with a friend, and I have not yet attempted this. Attempting to answer these questions on my own could be uncomfortable because I wasn’t sure of how or who would make them apply. On further reflection, I realized that this discomfort was yet another tool to help me work out my salvation because it prevents me from taking a too self-centered approach. These questions are on my mind in my friendships and I pray they may bear fruit.

I’m indebted to the authors for “introducing me to their friends,” as several of these holy women have already begun to make an impact in my life, even reframing the meaning of the tasks in front of me. I read this book during a time of intense transition in my life and found much help for the journey. Highly recommended!

Excellent just what I neefed

I have read half of this book. I am finding it extremely easy to read and very helpful in sorting out some of my personal issues. I read it slowly in order to let it sink in as part of a healing process.

A beautiful book full of guidance on how to build an Orthodox home on the foundation of Christ.

I appreciated the abundance of concrete advice, from how to set up an icon corner to how to establish a prayer rule. As recent converts, my family and I are still learning how to walk in the wisdom of the Church, so this book was helpful as a window into what our home could look like as our family grows. It also provided much-needed insight into the history and beauty of the many traditions of the Church.

The authors have clearly experienced the joys and struggles of bringing up children in the Lord, and incorporated insights from a wide range of other Orthodox parents as well. As I listened to Elissa's voice, I felt encouraged to push onwards toward greater holiness for myself and for my family. I was given small, clear, practical steps to take in continuing to build a Christian home.

Listening to this audiobook made joining the Orthodox Church seem much less overwhelming and much more beautiful!

Healing Your Wounded Soul by Joshua Makoul is a treasure. I will say that it was difficult wading through the early chapters because they seemed to read like a textbook; filled with all the different ways past pain and trauma can have a negative effect on our lives. I promise you; it is worth it to get through because the ending chapters are pure gold.
I think determining your reason for reading this book will help you decide how to approach reading it. If you are interested in learning more about trauma and the myriad ways it manifests, then a thorough read-through of the beginning is warranted. If you already have a basic knowledge of trauma etc… then you would really only need to scan the beginning and focus your attention more fully on the chapters dealing with how to heal.
I like to dog ear pages where I’ve found a particularly powerful quote. Starting from Chapter 5: The Fruits of Healing onward, pretty much every page is dog eared! Since I can’t write every quote that resonated, I will focus instead on Chapter 7: Keeping the Past in its Proper Place and the Conclusion. Joshua Makoul writes in Chapter 7 some different ways we can process our traumatic experiences in healthy Christ-centered ways. Prayer is perhaps the most obvious, but Makoul makes the point that prayer is not only communion and space to be with God, but it is also a tithe of our time. It is a way we can offer what we have. And then, here comes the real kicker, prayer is also our supply station. Makoul quotes St. Isaac the Syrian, saying that our prayer life is like a traveler going from island to island taking on supplies. “We go through our lives sailing from prayer to prayer until we reach our destination.” (p. 126) Prayer is the supply necessary to complete our journey. So beautiful!
And, finally, in the Conclusion, Makoul ends with the most powerful imagery…The Empty Tomb. Just like a child who derives comfort from knowing the end of the story ahead of time, so do we, as Christians derive comfort and strength to continue our journey, by knowing that the tomb is not just a symbol of sin and tragedy but that the Empty Tomb becomes our symbol of ultimate victory. We know the end of this story. And Good triumphs. Death is destroyed. Sickness, sorrow and sighing are obliterated. There is always hope. “We have an opportunity to go through our life in this world with the confidence of a child who knows how the story will end.” (p. 144)
I definitely recommend that anyone who wants to deepen their understanding of themselves and others read this book.
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Excellent book! He thoroughly explains topics in a gentle way. Easy to understand.

Elder Sophrony of Essex once said, "Stand at the brink of the abyss of despair, and when you see that you cannot bear it anymore, draw back a little and have a cup of tea." At this moment in history, in the midst of a global pandemic and all of the trouble in the world, it is clearly time for a spot of tea. Many Orthodox women - even though we have the Church and all of the sacraments to bolster us, are finding ourselves in need of such a cup of tea. And if we are being completely honest, we probably need a whole pot of it.

“Seven Holy Women” offers a healthy sip of the Kingdom of God. Weary women will come and drink and find kinship, bolstered courage, and spiritual strength within its pages. The wisdom therein springs from centuries of Christian Faith, gently ladled out to its readers by gifted Orthodox women, writing in community, as God intends all of us in the Church to interact and work. The refreshment of community becomes personal as the reader reacts to the saints’ stories in her own words, sips them with trusted friends, then dives in for a deeper drink through journal prompts.

The book introduces its readers to seven new friends, seven women saints of the Orthodox Church. A far cry from traditional saint stories, wherein the reader observes the life of the saint from afar (generally speaking, in both time and space), this book removes such hindrances by introducing each saint in the context of “you are…” That is to say, the reader steps right into the saint’s shoes and experiences a portion of her life, her questions, her doubts, her struggle; suspending all disbelief while simultaneously erasing any potential barriers of time, space, language, and culture. Only after this immersive introduction is the “saint’s story” told. By that time, the reader has already identified with the saint on one level or another with a “me, too!”, so her “story” is more than just a story - it is alive and applicable to the reader’s life. The ensuing questions and journaling prompts allow the reader the opportunity to wrestle with her challenges, as the saint did, both on her own and in community with a close friend or friends.

It took great restraint for this reader to keep from ingesting this book in great gulps, for it is beautifully written and the saints that it features offer timely encouragement. Readers who steep themselves in its pages will find support, strength, and new friendships to sustain them and bolster their faith. “Seven Holy Women” is a timely spot of tea.

I truly enjoyed reading All Is Well by Dr. Albert Rossi. And I definitely got something out of it. I often listen to his podcast as well.

A beautiful book full of guidance on how to build an Orthodox home on the foundation of Christ.

I appreciated the abundance of concrete advice, from how to set up an icon corner to how to establish a prayer rule. As recent converts, my family and I are still learning how to walk in the wisdom of the Church, so this book was helpful as a window into what our home could look like as our family grows. It also provided much-needed insight into the history and beauty of the many traditions of the Church.

The authors have clearly experienced the joys and struggles of bringing up children in the Lord, and incorporated insights from a wide range of other Orthodox parents as well. As I listened to Elissa’s voice, I felt encouraged to push onwards toward greater holiness for myself and for my family. I was given small, clear, practical steps to take in continuing to build a Christian home.

Listening to this audiobook made joining the Orthodox Church seem much less overwhelming and much more beautiful!

I really loved both the concept of this book and the content, too. Although each chapter is written by a different author, the unity of the format keeps the book from feeling like it was cobbled together. Each chapter has four sections: the “you are…” section, an imaginative retelling of a scene from the saint’s life told in second person; the “on the life of the saint” section, which gives the historical background and traditional hagiography of the saint; the “stepping further into the story” section, in which the author of that chapter identifies with the story of the saint and helps modern readers connect it to their lives; the “personal survey” section, which has a list of questions to help the reader apply the example of the saint’s life to their own struggles; the “observations from a friend” section, which is intended to be used while working through the group with another person or group; and the “journal prompt,” which invites a longer reflection on the life of the saint in connection with the reader’s life.

I was reading this book during a very busy season in my life, but it never failed that I would sit down to read “just one” chapter and find myself drawn in and end up reading “just one more.” On the other hand, when I finished, I was definitely ready to sit back down and work through the book more slowly. I would definitely like to find a “sister” to work through the book with so we could discuss it and really savor the beautiful stories and connections the authors make.

All of the “you are…” sections are well done, bringing the situation and prayers of the saints to life in modern prose, but Summar Kinard’s “You are Piama” is especially drenched in sensory, poetic language and is not to be missed! All of the “stepping further into the story” sections are also excellent, but the one that struck me particularly was Katherine Bolger Hyde’s “Battling the Ugly Beast,” connecting St. Margaret’s battle with the demon to the author’s own battle with depression. Katherine’s honest, open, accurate description of this all-to-common struggle was like a breath of fresh air, and her journal prompt seemed like it was written just for me.

I encourage you to pick up a copy of this book, read through it, be encouraged by the lives of the saints that it illustrates, and deepen your faith through your participation in the struggles of the authors and the holy women they introduce us to.

Hello,
Though I am not finished yet, but so far it is a great book.
I might write a complete review once I am done (slow reader)

Healing Your Wounded Soul: Growing from Pain to Peace is one of those books that seem to be dropped down into the palm of your hands from the angels, themselves.

Upon the first page, the readers’ eyes will grow wide and their hearts warm as author Joshua Makoul manages to speak directly to them as if they were in his immediate care.

The reading style is straightforward and light in difficulty, however, this book is powerful and one that can deliver ease from emotional distress and help to lift any heavy burdens that may be weighing on their soul.

The book itself is written by a Christian Orthodox priest (who also holds a degree in psychology) yet one does not need to be “strictly religious” in order to connect with the healing messages revealed.

Although a current of theosis (union with God) flows beautifully throughout the book, one must have only a resolve to revisit and delve into the painful moments of their past in order to establish the self-awareness necessary to free themselves from the chains of trauma and truly live grounded in the present moment.

Valuable insights are effortlessly interwoven throughout the chapters together with powerful quotes from early members of the Orthodox Church to create a seamless thread of support.

Practicing gratitude, learning the correct way to grieve, how to set healthy boundaries, and how to offer true forgiveness (to both themselves and others) are just a few of the many fruits of healing that are introduced to the reader and will indeed serve as continued gifts throughout this gift of life.

While reading through the chapters, it’s important to note that previous life events or even suppressed memories may come to light as well as subsequent questions or thoughts. As explained in the book, this process is an integral step on the path to gaining insight and self awareness.

Comfortingly enough, and as if the reader were engaging in a direct dialogue, those new questions or thoughts are addressed in a nearby chapter. It’s both fascinating and palpable that much time was taken to carefully lay out this blueprint for healing.

From the first page to the last, Fr. Joshua manages to initiate an objective yet personal conversation with the reader and consistently serves as a gentle (yet honest) friend to them as they navigate their journey of healing.

Within this fallen world, humans are bound to experience trauma; they are also allowed to heal from it. Healing Your Wounded Soul: Growing From Pain To Peace provides readers with a trusted toolbox to complete such challenging but rewarding work.

Ultimately, it reminds us all of our self worth and that although we are not “better” than another, we are certainly not “worse” either.

Recommended for the person who has experienced trauma during their lifetime – whether that comes in the form of a betrayal, loss, abuse, injury, abandonment, shame, guilt, or fear… Healing Your Wounded Soul: Growing From Pain To Peace is the perfect book for the brave soul who is ready to let “it” all go.

I gave them away as B-Day gifts! My girlfriends were so happy! Great gift! Keep printing the Julian version. We're Serbian Orthodox and follow the old calendar! I asked my girlfriends to return the calendars to me and I cut out the pictures (icons) and use them in our Sunday School program! So, they actually are used twice!

This journal can be used as a gratitude journal, a prayer journal and even a place to record answered prayers.