During the March 11 "favorite things" segment of NBC's Today, Kathie Lee Gifford said that one of her new favorite things is Sensible Shoes: A Story about the Spiritual Journey by Sharon Garlough Brown (IVP Crescendo from InterVarsity Press, February release).

"I like to give new authors a chance," said Gifford. "This is a brand-new, first-time novelist. It's called Sensible Shoes: A Story about the Spiritual Journey by Sharon Garlough Brown. If you're a spiritually inclined person I think you'll really love it. It's about four women, every one of them coming from a different place spiritually. But all of them in need of a new, fresh cup of mercy, if you know what I mean. So it's terrific. I highly recommend it."

Sensible Shoes tells the moving story of four women who embark on a journey of spiritual formation. Brown, a pastor and spiritual director with the Evangelical Covenant Church in West Michigan, said that the story grew out of her own experiences with a group of women that came to be called the "Sensible Shoes Club." “None of the characters represent 'real' people," Brown said. "But they do wrestle with real issues: letting go of control, trusting God, people pleasing, perfectionism, hiding behind roles and busyness, fear, regret, guilt and shame. Though the details are different, their stories are our stories of healing and redemption." 

Cindy Bunch, Brown's editor at InterVarsity Press said, "It was exciting to see that Kathie Lee Gifford knows what I know: Sensible Shoes is a great read! Further, it is inspiring readers to try out some spiritual practices that may be unfamiliar but take us deeper into God’s presence."

For women wanting to read the book as a group, a 12-week companion guide will be available as a free download April 1 at SensibleShoesClub.com.