The Way of Belonging - by Sarah E Westfall (Paperback)

About the Book

What if belonging isn't something to attain, but someone to become? Sarah E. Westfall takes our longing to belong as an invitation to embrace and extend God's love. Teaching a posture of welcome in the way of the Father, she guides us toward a deep connection where our humanity draws us closer to people and envelops us in the heart of God.

Book Synopsis

Find True Belonging in Becoming

No one is a stranger to loneliness. In an age saturated with constant digital noise and fleeting connections, true belonging remains elusive. We all want someone else to really see us and choose us for who we are. We want a place to finally fit in.

But what if belonging is not something to attain, but someone to become?

Drawing from a rich background in community-building, Sarah E. Westfall invites readers on a transformative journey toward authentic belonging, inviting you to embrace and extend the deep love of God.

With a wealth of wisdom gleaned from years of searching for acceptance and meaning, she reveals how true belonging is not a destination, but a way of being-rooted in the deep, welcoming love of God. Incorporating story, research, Scripture, and spiritual practice, Sarah teaches how belonging is a posture of welcome in the spirit of the Father who extends his arms to those returning and those who don't yet know they've resisted his love.

What you'll find in The Way of Belonging:

• A wealth of wisdom on how to foster deep connection in a disconnected world.
• A two-session group guide perfect for small groups, book clubs, or personal reflection.
• A challenge to awaken to empathy and be affirmed with the truth that you, too, are welcome.

This book serves as a warm, trustworthy guide, helping you navigate relationships with others through a posture of welcome that mirrors God's open-hearted invitation to us all. Whether you're the outsider in need of acceptance or you're eager to include others, the barriers to belonging can come down as Sarah gently guides you toward deep connection, where your humanity draws you closer to people and envelops you in the heart of God.

Review Quotes

"Belonging can be a fraught concept-both essential as we live into the reality of our belovedness and yet complex for many of us. In The Way of Belonging, Sarah Westfall has masterfully woven together a picture of our need to become our God-given selves while balancing it with the yearning we have to matter in the hearts and lives of others. I'm so grateful for this beautiful book."

"In The Way of Belonging, Sarah Westfall makes room for all of us at the table, no matter who we are or where we come from. With eyes open to the empathy that builds for other people in suffering, we're invited to find our truest sense of belonging in God's love. Instead of working hard to fit in, we can exhale and move in to a fuller version of who we were made to be."

"In this kind and relatable debut work, Sarah Westfall offers a spiritually formative resource for anyone who questions their place with people, with God, or with themselves. While reading The Way of Belonging, I found myself nodding my head and sighing with relief. I'm grateful for this honest book."

"Maybe you, like me, are homesick for Eden. And maybe your longing to belong is an invitation to a better story, one in which your heartache is honored, your questions are held, and your deepest desires are given space to be spoken. Sarah Westfall's exquisite book reawakened my own heart, opening me to currents streaming within that I'd been ignoring of late. It will thaw your heart too, awakening a hunger and a thirst for the Edenic inheritance of belonging tucked deep within your heart."

"Sarah Westfall's words in The Way of Belonging are poetic and pierce the heart. She reminds us that true belonging and connection cannot be manufactured, checked off a list, faked, or forced. True belonging and connection emerge from finding home with God and others. Home transcends walls, roofs, and lines; it's the place where unconditional love, acceptance, and worthiness are found."

"The epidemic of loneliness in our country is a real thing, and in her gentle and engaging fashion, Sarah offers the antidote: belonging. While so many in our world are concerned with self-preservation, this book encourages us to see the isolated among us and to extend a hand of love. Her words are a beautiful invitation into a different way of being."

"When Sarah Westfall writes, I read. When Sarah speaks, I listen. Offering captivating narrative, scriptural wisdom, and a practical guide, The Way of Belonging will challenge long-held beliefs about belonging and offer a more life-giving approach to relationships as we consider belonging as a welcome we carry with us. Belonging is not something we passively hope for but rather a gift we are empowered to offer others when we absorb the reality of God's wide welcome of us. I feel excited about what might be possible in our hearts, relationships, and communities if we have the courage to practice what is written in this important book."

"With tender wisdom, warmth, and depth, Sarah E. Westfall invites us to examine our communal desire for belonging and journey with her into a lifelong practice of welcome. Sarah generously shares her own story and struggle while extending a hand of hope and hard-earned insight. I found my own wrestling alongside the stories she shared and found hope and a way forward for all of us who have wandered and searched for belonging and come up short. The Way of Belonging is a book for our time and for all time-it is a gentle guide and a wise companion."