Twelve Little Ways to Transform Your Heart

St. Thérèse of Lisieux's "Little Way" has been embraced by people of all walks of life. In Twelve Little Ways to Transform Your Heart, author Susan Muto explores twelve facets of St. Thérèse's simple spiritual path as a way to personal holiness and the secret to being a powerful witness to Christ in the world today. Though she lived only to the age of twenty-four and spent almost her entire life at her family home and in the Carmelite convent, St. Thérèse of Lisieux displayed a love for Jesus and a passion for his gospel that have made her the patroness of the missions. The "Little Flower's" humility and childlike trust are still powerful examples of how ordinary people can grow closer to Jesus and respond to Pope Francis's call for a new evangelization. The calls to holiness and to witness to Christ can seem daunting, but as Susan Muto--renowned speaker and expert on Carmelite spirituality--explains, Thérèse shows us that they are neither difficult nor dramatic. The Little Way can be lived by any of us, even with what Thérèse called the "ministry of the smile." With deep insight and warm personal devotion, Muto explains the Little Way and will help you put twelve dimensions of it into practice, drawing others to Christ by living a simple, joyful life. These twelve ways, derived from the example of Thérèse, are: Learn to love the hidden lifeAppreciate what a treasure the ordinary isTrust in Divine Mercy as little children doReceive the sacraments devoutly day after dayAbandon yourself to Father, Son, and Holy SpiritFoster friendship with God and othersTake up your cross and follow JesusPray unceasinglySimplify your lifeLet God free you to be your best selfCommit yourself--body, mind, and spirit--to living the GospelLeave a legacy of evangelical virtues others want to cultivate Muto features short quotations from the saint's autobiography, poetry, letters, and prayers, as well as perceptive reflection questions and personal prayers to show how imitating Thérèse can make us a powerful force of love. Muto also offers practical spiritual advice for those who want to deepen their faith and are attracted to the simplicity of St. Thérèse's Little Way.