When I was first introduced to Sonja Corbitt’s work by my co-chair, Julie Naporano, I was immediately enamored by her. She had a sweet southern drawl with a spunky attitude; yet delivered the Gospel with beauty and truth. I immediately bought all of her CDs and couldn’t stop listening! Our conference team is so delighted that Sonja will be joining us as one of our speakers for the next Columbus Catholic Women’s Conference, Mercy Changes Everything, this February 20, 2016.
This year, Sonja released her first book Unleashed: How to Receive Everything the Holy Spirit Wants to Give You through Ave Maria Press. Sonja, a convert from an evangelical Baptist church, shares her love of scripture and how you can tap into the graces God desires to give to you. She shares her personal journey of how the Holy Spirit unleashed her from toxic relationships, self-medicating habits, repeating drama, out-of-control desires and how God can release us from all that hold us back from Him. He waits for us to invite Him in so He can “ unleash his Spirit” into your life. Sonja explores the slow process of this unleashing, coming to self-knowledge of your predominant fault, surrendering judgment to peace, using suffering to purify your soul and how our desires can lead us to God. She also has a great chapter on Lectio Divina – reading, praying and meditating on with the Scriptures. In fact, one of the talks I initially listened to was her explanation on this topic and it was excellent. I knew it was something God wanted to be discussed at the Catholic Women’s Conference! (If you want to here Sonja talk about Lectio Divina, check out her February 17th radio show here.) My favorite chapter is the final one, where Sonja shares the story how her son was severely injured and went through a lengthy rehabilitation process. This painful process bore such beautiful fruit when her son shared with her one day he was “kinda glad” he had the accident because “God brought us closer together.” I have been down that path as well, when my son suffered from Guillian Barre Syndrome and we journeyed in hospital rehab for over a month as he learned to walk again. I too, like Sonja learned that passage from Luke 11:11-13 to be true:
“What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the holy Spirit* to those who ask him?”
As she writes “Dear One, what we get is a fish, no matter how much it looks like a snake.” (pg 152)
This fabulous book has personal study questions as well as group questions for bible study groups. You can also purchase the DVD series to go deeper into your relationship with the Holy Spirit. I would highly recommend it! Why wait until the CCWC? Start a study group this fall and let the Holy Spirit be unleashed in you! Or join in the online bookclub at Catholicmom.com. Ave Maria Press is offering a coupon code for a discounted price for Catholic Mom readers!