Remember the peace and calm that came over you as a child when you filled in the spaces in your coloring book? Paraclete Press is convinced that coloring can serve as an act of devotion and wonder for adults – and help you destress. Sybil Macbeth, author of Praying in Color, explains:

"Sometimes coloring is just coloring. To put crayons to paper and create a rainbow of marks and swaths is relaxing, playful, and maybe even artistically satisfying. But sometimes coloring is more. To put colored crayons, markers, or pencils to paper is to create a pathway to the numinous. Coloring invites the body and the senses into an experience of inner stillness. While the hand moves, the mind and the body slow down. The heart and the ears open carving a space for rich silence and an opportunity for God to speak."

The 30 designs in this paperback were hand drawn by Sisters at the Community of Jesus, an ecumenical monastic community rooted in the Benedictine tradition. Each design is paired with a short scripture, blessing, or quote.

If you find the Celtic path to be rich source of spirituality, you will be drawn to these blessings. Here are a few of the words which accompany the designs:

"Bless to me, O God,
Each thing my eye sees."

"May your thoughts be
As glad as shamrocks."

"May you always have the courage
To spread your wings and fly!"

"Until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of his hand."

Another book in this series is Words of Faith. The designs surround the initial letters of key words, such as Love, Joy, Creator, Mystery, Wisdom, Passion, and Trust; a scripture passage expands on each concept. A third book is a variation on a favorite seasonal activity: The Advent Coloring Calendar. There are 25 designs for the days of this holy season, followed by illustrations to color for the hymns "Silent Night, Holy Night," "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing," "Joy to the World," and "We Wish You a Merry Christmas."