Books

Hearken Books — white watercolor edge
Book 1 — Surprise Journey: A Spiritual Memoir — by Josefina J. Card

—BOOK ONE—

SURPRISE JOURNEY:
A Spiritual Memoir

Life can turn on a dime. 

This is the true story of amazing grace guiding an ordinary life to extraordinary peace and vibrant color. As the story opens the author is living a well-ordered California life—happily married to a kind, renowned scientist; parent to two incredible daughters; founder and CEO of a successful business; and owner of a comfortable home with a spectacular view of San Francisco Bay.

One day she slips on a sidewalk and falls, sustaining a very painful injury.

She discovers that the world is much more fragile than it seems. The mishap sets her off on a search to put order back into her newly disordered life. This, she discovers, is not an easy task, her happy secular life and childhood religion notwithstanding. She embarks on a spiritual journey, discovering that God is seeking her as much as she is Him. God reaches out in unexpected ways as their personal relationship develops and grace takes her on an unanticipated surprise journey—through life’s triumphs and adversities—to the heart of the Divine.

  • “As someone who has studied and written about the autobiographies of spiritual greats, I highly recommend following this journey of an everyday woman, who has a fascinating story to tell and who also offers wonderful insights into realms of the spiritual life.”

    —DAVID HAZARD
    AUTHOR OF THE REKINDLING THE INNER FIRE SERIES

  • “The quest for meaning and understanding in life transcends religion. Surprise Journey is infused with grace and kindness among human beings. Though I am antagonistic about organized religion, the author’s ability to represent these life-affirming themes from a perspective different from my own nonetheless captivated me.”

    —JAN WALLANDER, PHD,
    DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR OF PSYCHOLOGY
    UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, MERCED

  • “Surprise Journey is a story of growth and change that I find amazing, hopeful, and personally very encouraging. I was swept up in the multiple threads that weave together, each chapter ending with an anticipation of more spiritual depths to be discovered.”

    —JAMES L. PETERSON, PHD
    CO-FOUNDER, SOUL WORK STUDIO

  • “As the author says, ‘God comes to us in places that are hidden in plain sight.’ This memoir is one of those places!”

    —EVELYN C PETERSON
    FRIEND AND FELLOW SEEKER

  • “…a story for all of us who struggle to speak the language of spirituality and reunite with God.”

    —URIAH Y. KIM, PH.D.,
    PROFESSOR OF BIBLICAL STUDIES & PRESIDENT
    GRADUATE THEOLOGICAL UNION, BERKELEY, CA

Book 2 — Traveling: A Spiritual Seeker's Guide — by Josefina J. Card

—BOOK TWO—

TRAVELING:
A Spiritual Seeker’s Guide

Both sorrow and joy are a part of our earthly travel. What can we do to embrace both with faith and hope?

Traveling is a simple and practical travel guide for spiritual seekers everywhere.

Part One lays the foundation of the journey, providing tips and suggestions for developing a personal relationship with the divine. How do we gift the one and only life we will ever have with meaning and purpose? How in our busy lives can we find time for the spiritual journey? How do we stay attuned to the Inner Whisper, the voice of wisdom and love within us? How can we experience inner peace and steadiness during life's trying times? Part One addresses these universal questions. It provides a nourishing Spiritual Care Kit, offers science-based tips on how to develop a regular spiritual practice, and teaches us how to go further and deeper along the spiritual path.

Part Two describes the transformation that can take place once the foundation of the journey is laid. We learn the importance of community, serving, and sharing. We are encouraged to persist through inevitable delays, detours, and curves in the road. The journey’s rich rewards will be the “fruits of the spirit” that heal and make us whole: "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23).

A field journal is embedded in the book in the form of Pause and Reflect journal pages that encourage deeper awareness, discernment, learning, and action.

Also! As a gift from the author to you, you can download FREE journal PDF pages here.

Many blessings to you…enjoy your travels!

FREE Download — Journal Pages (Traveling: A Spiritual Seeker's Guide)

  • “Traveling is unique in providing a combination of clear and honest writing—about both the spiritual journey and spiritual practices—in a very accessible and practical way. Suitable to both the novice spiritual journey-er and the experienced traveler. This volume is particularly helpful to those for whom the spiritual path is relatively new, or who find themselves on a plateau on the journey and wish to re-engage purposefully.”

    —JAMES PETERSON, PHD
    CO-FOUNDER, SOUL WORK STUDIO

  • “Traveling is spiritually rich and ground-level helpful. The many great suggestions offer both spiritual growth-and-survival perspectives, along with techniques to help deepen one's inner life. This is a well-thought, well-laid-out book. All the colorful illustrations add a particular charm.”

    —DAVID HAZARD
    AUTHOR OF THE REKINDLING THE INNER FIRE SERIES

  • “The gift of Traveling is that it offers many possible options—informed by the author’s own journey—of delving into one’s spiritual self. The paths Dr. Card offers can lead to a more life-giving, supportive, and enriching relationship with the Divine. This is something that many of us long for, a desire addressed and assisted by the wisdom and accessibility of Traveling.”

    —DR. TOM POWERS
    SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR