Listening for Life: Cultivating the Courage to Connect

Writing from the authentic perspective of a veteran healthcare chaplain, Pat Johnson unites with her readers as she demonstrates the art of basic human connection through listening. Accentuated with illustrations from her ministry, the author’s approach invites us on a journey that is as introspective for her as it is other-focused on those for whom she has cared. Johnson infuses a wholly accessible spirituality throughout even as she induces our similar reflection in a meditative muse for faith seekers of all types. — William Foster, VP of Spiritual Care, Trinity Health

An inside look at chaplaincy, the value of presence and how often showing up is the greatest gift we have to offer. A very readable how-to that touches both the heart and funny bone. — Nancy Sparrow, Therapist and Spiritual Director

Pat Johnson starts with stories from her work as a chaplain, draws us into the wonder, awe and grace she experiences, and then offers ways to reflect on our own spiritual journeys. A gifted storyteller, she weaves together the world of the hospital and the world of the spirit, drawing us into God’s presence through her own experiences, and with the questions she poses to us.This book can be read all at once, or you can savor each section, using it for reflection, journaling and prayer. The author’s experiences mirror our experiences of fear and worry, connection and faith. and she leads us reliably toward God with her writing. — Mary Austin, author of Ashes at the Coffee Shop, Resurrection at the Bus Stop, Senior Pastor, Gaithersburg Presbyterian Church

Pat Johnson has redefined what it means to listen. Her fifteen years as a hospital and hospice chaplain have brought an awareness, understanding, and sensitivity to a way of being that most of us are thirsting for – to be heard, to be listened to, with kindness…something we need more than ever in the midst of the pandemic. Pat draws back the curtain of this most important life skill and touches our hearts in the process. — Micky Golden Moore, Chaplain and author of Tails Beyond the Pawprint: Twenty-Two Stories of Love, Loss, and Lessons Learned from our Adored Animal Companions