Full of Grace: Women and the Abundant Life

Godly womanhood and femininity are the focal points in this book by Benkovic, founder and director of a Catholic communications ministry called Living His Life Abundantly. Using Mary, the mother of Jesus, as her prime example, Benkovic shows how Mary's faithful example of obedience provides a model for the spiritual lives of women today. In eight chapters, Benkovic discusses ways that women may incorporate spiritual practices like prayer, praise, the Eucharist and discernment into their everyday lives. The author exhorts women to be introspective and contemplative as they examine their attitudes and actions and to measure them against the standards of Godly womanhood--obedience, loyalty, wisdom, faithfulness, compassion--found in scripture. As they nurture their spirituality, Benkovic's readers can find parallels in their own spiritual lives to the lives of biblical women of faith. Benkovic's anecdotal style brings her staid admonitions to life. (Feb.)