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Roger Hutchison

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Roger is a best-selling author, illustrator, and multi-talented creative communicator. He is also a lay ministry leader in the Episcopal Church. Roger is known for his compassionate work with children affected by tragedy, and for his openness about his personal journey with ADHD, anxiety, and depression. His writing, art, and photography aim to bring healing and hope to a world in need. Additionally, Roger is an award-winning photographer with a focus on nature photography, and his work is displayed at Houston's St. Luke's Hospital. He also serves as the Director of Children's and Youth Ministries at Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church in Houston, TX.

​To learn more about Roger and follow his story, you can find him on Instagram @rogerhutchisonbooks.

THE ART OF CALM Cover
BOOK REVIEW

THE ART OF CALM

BY Roger Hutchison • POSTED ON April 18, 2023

This spiritual guide offers advice to readers dealing with anxiety and depression.

In his book, Hutchison relates how his own life was shadowed by stress and anxiety. He was in a loving family with his wife, Kristin, and his daughter, Riley; he was supported by friends and colleagues; and yet he felt overwhelmed and found himself in a hospital emergency room. He was diagnosed with something called “Generalized Anxiety Disorder,” the first of many self-discoveries the author reveals about himself in these pages. He learned that he was an “empath,” highly sensitive to the needs of other people, and from this and other surprises, he created the book’s core philosophy: “It has taken me a lifetime to come to the realization, but I now know that I am not broken but something to celebrate.” In a series of chapters grounded in his own experiences, Hutchison leads readers through reflections on how they can center themselves and find peace in a critical world. The essence of his program is a passionate, personal Christianity. Each chapter includes a section on “supplication” to the Christian God, and spiritual calls and prayers abound throughout the text (“Christ, be with me in places of toxicity”), making the book of limited use to non-Christian readers. But readers sharing Hutchison’s faith, or wanting to, will find him a genial and supportive guide to the process of reshaping routines to discover personal calm and acceptance through a renewed faith—and, as the author repeatedly advises, grounding a healthy worldview in creativity. Christian readers who have been struggling with the demands and harshness of the world will find Hutchison’s calm, self-effacing tone extremely refreshing.

A compassionate, helpful, faith-oriented series of meditations on finding peace in a tumultuous world.

Pub Date: April 18, 2023

ISBN: 978-1640656321

Page count: 224pp

Publisher: Morehouse Publishing

Review Posted Online: Aug. 10, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023

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