I am a freelance religion reporter living in and working from the San Francisco Bay Area. I have been covering religion for the secular media since 1993, and my work has appeared in The Dallas Morning News, USA Today, The Washington Post, Newsweek, Publishers Weekly and The Chicago Tribune. I am the 2005 recipient of the American Academy of Religion’s Award for Best In-Depth Reporting in media with a circulation larger than 100,000 for five stories I wrote for Beliefnet.com. I am the author of three books, Faith Beyond Faith Healing, Fabric of Faith: A Guide to the Prayer Quilt Ministry, and the new Bead One, Pray Too: A Guide to Making and Using Prayer Beads. I started this blog because I was so inspired by the reporting and work I did for Bead One, Pray Too that I wanted to continue exploring the use, creation and history of prayer beads with my readers and others. My journalistic writing can be read on my website, http://www.kimberlywinston.com.
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As a prayer bead lover, I was so pleased to find your site. :) Looking forward to reading more. And, to reading your book as well.
Thanks for your consideration,
R.E.
Hi, Kimberly,
Thank you for a lovely book. I would like to know where I could find the beads pictured on the cover, specifically, the labyrinth bead and the beautiful tree.
Thank you!
Tracy
Hi, Tracy! Thanks so much for your kind words. I am very happy you like it.
The charms on the cover came from two San Francisco Bay Area stores. The labyrinth is a pewter charm that I bought at Sagrada in Oakland (www.sagrada.com) and I believe it was sold as a necklace on a leather cord and came on a card. It was about $10-$12, if memory serves. The tree came from Baubles and Beads in Berkeley (www.baublesandbeads.com) and is the original design of the store’s owner. It was also about $10 and comes in a gold vermeil version that was a little more expensive. The store does not do mail order, but if you call and ask for Lisa, tell her you saw it on my book, I am sure she will try and accomodate you. GOOD LUCK. And send pictures of your creations!
Thank you so much, Kimberly! I will give them a call, and send photos when I am done!
Kimberly,
I’m enjoying Bead One, Pray Too so much. The Pearls of Life beads are entirely new to me, and I’m very drawn to them and the intent of each bead. I’ve visited the wreathoflife.com site to read more about them. I plan to try my hand at making some, but I would also like to buy some to support the Tara Projects effort described at that site. Do you know if they are readily available in the US? I have not found a source on the web and the sources at the wreathoflife site are outside the US.
Please post more pictures of Pearls of Life if you have them. I would love to see what others are creating.
Thank you for your fine book and informative blog!
MJ
Kimberly,
I was just going through your website and realized I might be missing alot about your writing. Though I’ve not read the whole of this story ‘Bead One, Pray Too’ but it real caught my eyes. I must read it later.
By the way I’m a catholic and we use rosary to pray;that’s why I’m interested.
Dear Kimberly
I ordered your beautiful book and have read it cover to cover. It is truly a work of art!
How grateful I am for the mention of my web site http://www.arosaryforall.com in your book. I believe my web site was on your blog earlier and I appreciate it. If you would like for me to link your site on mine I would be happy to do so. Just say when. I have also been in touch with Br. Nathan-James and working to link to his site also.
Isn’t it amazing how fast and far the Anglican Rosary design has traveled from the Dallas area? Ever since an article appeared in the Diocesan newspaper, I drew upon my experience from my jeweler family and started making them right away.
I discovered a lovely blister pearl crosses I’m using from Fire Mountain Gems. They are on the web site.
Blessings,
Joney Ferguson
214-460-1362 cell
A Rosary For All Christians
10455 N. Central Expwy #109302
Dallas TX 75231
Dear Kimberly: I’ve read and enjoyed your book, especially the history and the prayers surrounding the Anglican Rosary.
I’ve been making rosaries for several years, and am always amazed at the response from many people who see and touch a rosary for the very first time,,, very extroverted people become shy and awkward to the extent that many of them have a friend contact me to make one for them! Others will not ask but I usually make a special rosary and offer it to them as a gift. I’ve never been refused! How strange it is that when offered an aid to speak with God, we become fearful.
I always include suggestions for praying the rosary and have found that for the truly inexperienced, A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving, Supplication) works the best.. It’s easy to learn and to apply your own prayers, and the four week Anglican rosary is uniquely adapted for the prayer.
Thank you for your good work,
Ren Flagg,
Elder
Jackson’s First Presbyterian Church,
Jackson, Michigan
I came across your site and have been making malas for four years. I would love to talk about anything you may want to know. Beyond this I have studied Buddhism for 15 years and have a teacher in the Hindu faith of Shaivism.
Just thought I would offer up anything I can contribute to your site :)
Blessings.
I’ve had your book for about three weeks, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I’ve since bought one set of beads from the Solitaries of DeKoven, and am waiting for payday to go crazy at Fire Mountain so I can make my own. Thank you for a beautiful, useful and inspirational book.
Hi Kimberly!
I’ve been meaning to write to you forever and tell you how much I loved your book, and how much I enjoy both of your blogs. I’ve been following your adventures in Italy and enjoying the trip vicariously. :)
I love the links you post, and love to see how other people are making their own interpretations of prayer beads. I’ve been making malas using the “wrist mala” configuration of 6/15/6 using semi-precious stones. If you’d like to see, my Etsy shop is http://willa.etsy.com.
I’m especially proud of this one: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=17728465
Thank you again for your work,
Willa
I am interested in purchasing the 9 pointed star charms in silver – do you know where I can get them?
Thanks,
kathleen.
I just purchased a copy of your book, Bead One, Pray Too. I am really enjoying the book. It is wonderful.
Thanks,
Kerri
I’ve just been diagnosed with breast cancer and my college roommate…at a Baptist college…. who’s a Methodist minister… sent me some Anglican prayer beads.
For a l-o-n-g time, I been crying out for a “Baptist rosary” because my mind tends to wander when I’m praying silently. Heck. It wanders when I pray aloud. This wandering is usually productive as it allows God to lead me where he wants me to go. However, sometimes it’s a little difficult to find my way back home.
I knew when I read your post referring to your son’s “undergraduate detritus” that this was a blog that I, as a former Earth science teacher, wanted to follow. Hoping, of course, that I’ll be able to find my way back home.
Please change:
For a long time, I HAVE been crying….
and
a little difficult FOR ME to find my way…
Where is the dang grammar check on this reply box? :-)
mjd
Kimberly, a friend sent me your article for Religion News Service “Judaism Without God,” which I enjoyed, and in turn thought you might be interested in this article:
http://www.tikkun.org/nextgen/another-word-on-god-and-the-twenty-first-century
and this book,
which help explain the sense in which God exists even for Jewish “atheists”.
Hi Kimberly,
I wanted to say that I enjoyed your book. Obviously the writing, but also the layout, photos, and design! Very well done. I do have a question for you or your editor. On page 21 in the section on the Apostle’s Creed you write the word “Catholic” with a Capital C, and not with a lower case c. I have seen it both ways but have always thought you use a “C” when referring to the Roman Catholic church, and a “c” when referring to the universal church. BTW in the “Catechism of the Catholic Church” Page 50 it is written with a lower c. Did this come up at all with your editor? Thanks
I have been so thankful for prayer beads. I always think that each time we enter into prayer it can be comforting but also risky, sometimes dangerous. You never know what will happen to you and what you will be like on the other side. Prayer beads give me something tangible to hold onto as I enter into this sacred wilderness. Being both a physical and spiritual being, it is comforting to hold a physical thing that keeps me focused on the task at hand which is being in the presence of God. My first prayer beads came from Praxis in the late 1980’s or early 1990’s. I now have several sets and usually have one in my pocket. They have fallen in and out of use but I am praying that this time they will get worn out.