A Different Kind of Fast

“Christine Valters Paintner has a wonderful gift for inviting us to meet traditional spiritual practices in new and expansive ways. A Different Kind of Fastis both a deeply nourishing revisioning of fasting and a new, beautiful, and insightful approach to the season of Lent. It’s perfect for everyone, whether you are new to Lent or have a long relationship with this season of prayer.” –Carl McColman, author of The New Big Book of Christian Mysticism and Eternal Heart

“With wisdom and grace, Christine Valters Paintner unveils our deep yearning for our true home in God and offers a treasure trove of practices and guidance to nourish our souls. Reading this book is like sitting at the feet of a modern-day desert mother, who, with wisdom and care, guides us on our way. I wholeheartedly recommend A Different Kind of Fast to anyone seeking a profound Lenten experience or simply desiring to feel closer to God.” –Adam Bucko, author of Let Your Heartbreak Be Your Guide: Lessons in Engaged Contemplation

“In a time when consumerist pressure weighs heavily on all of us, Christine Valters Paintner’s A Different Kind of Fast asks us to consider what ‘giving something up’ for Lent really means. Drawing on the wisdom of the desert mothers and fathers and their contemporary descendants, this book offers readers a multisensory approach to contemplation that is sensitive, thoughtful, and inclusive.” –Kaya Oakes, author of The Defiant Middle and Radical Reinvention

“This insightful book will help open doors for spiritual directors they may not have anticipated. Highly recommended!” –Rev. Seifu Singh-Molares, executive director, Spiritual Directors International

Christine Valters Paintner is the online abbess at Abbey of the Arts, a virtual global monastery offering retreats, prayer services, books, and resources to nurture contemplative practice and creative expression. A writer, poet, spiritual director, and teacher, she earned her PhD in Christian spirituality from the Graduate Theological Union at Berkeley and is a Registered Expressive Arts Consultant and Educator (REACE). Paintner is the author of over twenty-five books on spirituality, including The Artist’s Rule and Breath Prayer. She and her husband, John, live on the west coast of Ireland, where together they shepherd Abbey of the Arts and lead online programs.

Kreg Yingst is an illustrator with a focus on block printing, with original works created from carved blocks of wood, linoleum, or other materials, and printed onto paper or other media. He received his BA from Trinity University in San Antonio and his MA in painting from Eastern Illinois University. His work can be found in numerous international public and private collections, including Purdue University, Indiana and Templeton Honors College, Eastern University, St. Davids, Pennsylvania. He lives in Pensacola, Florida.