The Practice of Remembering - by Casey Tygrett (Paperback)

About the Book

How we hold and carry our memories--good and bad--is a part of what forms us spiritually. In this way we have a common bond with the people of Scripture who also had a sensory life. Exploring the power of memory, Casey Tygrett offers biblical texts and practices to guide us in bringing our memories to God for spiritual transformation.

Book Synopsis

"The Practice of Remembering does something no other book I have seen dares to do. It explores the importance of memory in our spiritual formation. Our experiences, memories, and stories form a script that influences our lives in deep ways. This beautifully written, honest book is full of much-needed wisdom. Prepare to be changed." - James Bryan Smith, author of The Good and Beautiful God

Christianity Today Award of Merit

Your Memories Are More Important Than You Think

You carry whispers deep within you--experiences, events, messages you heard throughout your childhood, the designs and desires of your life, and the highs and lows of your relationships and inner world. You hold memories of being loved or ignored, encouraged or discouraged. These memories journey with you. They're your companions, your constant friends. This is the fabric of your everyday life.

These memories shape every decision you make, every action you take. But have you ever stopped to ask yourself--why do you do what you do, in the way that you do it? Why not choose differently?

In The Practice of Remembering, Casey Tygrett shows us that how we hold and carry our memories--both good and bad--is a part of what forms us spiritually. Previously titled As I Recall, this book explores the power of memory and offers biblical texts and practices to guide us in bringing our memories to God for spiritual transformation.

The Practice of Remembering includes spiritual practices like

• narrating a memory,
• writing a spiritual autobiography,
• the examen for memories,
• writing your own Psalm,
• and more.

When it comes to our engagement with God and our formation around the life and teachings of Jesus, our memories come with us; they help make us. Without memory, there is no formation, whether those memories are joyful and treasured, ambiguous and circumstantial, or traumatic. We are God's memory-made beings. Discover how your memories have formed you with The Practice of Remembering.

Review Quotes

"The Practice of Remembering does something no other book I have seen dares to do. It explores the importance of memory in our spiritual formation. Our experiences, memories, and stories form a script that influences our lives in deep ways. This beautifully written, honest book is full of much-needed wisdom. Prepare to be changed."

"If you've ever wondered where wonderment comes from, thought about where thoughts are born, or wished you could forget a painful memory, then Casey Tygrett's The Practice of Remembering is a must-read. It is not a how to but a how come book. How is it that we can remember the color of socks we were wearing in an accident a decade ago, yet we can't remember what we had for lunch last hour? How do all these memories we carry with us relate to the life Christ would have us live? Tygrett has some thoughts on these subjects. The Practice of Remembering is a good read for anyone who thinks."

"Our memories bind us not only to our personal past, but also to people, places, and experiences. Casey Tygrett's The Practice of Remembering is an exquisite meditation on the role of memory in our formation. By teaching us to pay careful attention to our memories, Tygrett points us toward a richer and more connected life."

About the Author

Casey Tygrett (DMin, Lincoln Christian Seminary) is a theologian in residence at Parkview Christian Church in Orland Park, Illinois. He previously served as teaching pastor at Heartland Community Church and has taught at Lincoln Christian University and Seminary and Emmanuel Christian Seminary. Casey now oversees the spiritual direction practice for Soul Care, hosts the Restlessness Is a Gift Podcast, and is the author of Becoming Curious and The Gift of Restlessness.