For more than forty years author Jerry Aaker and his wife, Judy, worked across the globe among people living in abject poverty. Through his work with Lutheran World Relief, Heifer International, Agros International and Church World Service, Jerry helped establish and manage sustainable development programs on five continents, from South America to Asia. He also organized numerous relief efforts in response to disasters and humanitarian emergencies across the globe.
In A Spirituality of Service Jerry shares his lifetime of spiritual insights, personal reflections and uplifting encounters, often recorded in his journal at sunrise in poor rural villages across the globe, as he meditated on Scripture and sometimes wondered, “What am I doing here?” Not just another ten hour lecture about spirituality—this book is filled with deep wisdom, personal observations, honest questions and touching stories of generosity among people of great poverty but even greater spirit.
A Spirituality of Service can be used for personal learning, private devotions and meditation as well as for reflection and discussion in a group setting. It’s a useful tool for individuals engaged in exploring spiritual practices, and can also be a helpful resource for groups exploring the call to social, economic, and spiritual service—church groups, non-governmental organizations, book study groups and college classes.
Jerry invites you to walk with him and let his reflections stimulate your own as you wonder and wander on your own life-long quest for a glimpse of spiritual truth and how you can put it into action.
In these pages I explore out loud with you my life-long quest to understand and live out the rich
and varied elements of my own spirituality of service. I try to present an honest account of how I employed spiritual practices and faith as integral to my work of service in many cultural contexts around the world.
I invite you to walk with me as I reflect on how my questions and explorations about spirituality have been tested and honed during this 40 year sojourn working with people living in conditions of injustice and poverty in many countries around the world.
My hope is that, as we walk together, you will find flashes of wisdom and insight that help you to understand your own spiritual journey with a new depth. My wish is that you will gain an increased appreciation for the mysteries that abound within the complexities of your own faith and that you will uncover practical applications for your daily life and work in service to others.
In the end the important question is, “What about you?” How have you worked out your own answers to the questions about life’s meaning, purpose and calling? In what ways do you continue to ask and answer, to discern and respond, as you craft your own understanding of how you are called to the dual challenges of spirituality and service—as you live out your life?
Blessings on your journey. Jerry Aaker
