“Wow! It is truly astounding! There is such an outpouring of Grace, Hope, Devotion, and Love with the turn of each page. It’s clear that she is not just putting pretty words on a page, but persevering the turbulence of life with something greater that flows like a river throughout the book, throughout her life. It is an inspired work of Love, born out of her resilience, tenacity and devotion to Holy Mystery and respect for what has been gifted to her as life.”

—Don DeMercurio, Integral Life Path Counselor and
Spiritual Healer

“Catherine Coates beautifully lays her heart bare in this brave and thoughtful collection that illuminates the journey through depression and offers hope at the same time. The work of finding and keeping faith will resonate with those struggling with adversity or questioning their beliefs. Coates’ resilience is inspiring.”

—Suzanne Washburn

“What Catherine has pulled together is an entirely honest and raw set of poetic ponderings. If you read these poems slowly enough, you begin to sense the depth of inquiry they are opening to, and it becomes clear that this isn’t just about Catherine’s journey. These poems are bread crumbs, leading us toward transcending but including our past. This is a journey toward wholeness.”

—Nathan Brisby SHRM-SCP/MBA/MA/GC-C/PGRS-C/CMMT

“This book is a treasure trove of wisdom and love. I just finished it and am going to start again. Your writing is exquisite encompassing every aspect of feelings, life cycles, spiritual pearls of wisdom and most of all hope. It was an honor to read it and I can’t wait for it to be available. It will help and inspire so many people.”  

—Rev. Sandy Fischman 

“Too often, modern spiritual writing points to a self-affirming positivity which ignores the difficulties of walking a surrendered spiritual path. Luckily, in these intimate pages Catherine Coates has dared to show a less naïve experience, giving impassioned voice to the shadows which accompany any encounter with light. We are the better for her wise and intelligent companionship. Throughout these brave and honest meditations, Catherine shares the struggles of her own dark night: the soulful experience of despair and heartbreak which appear when our best efforts to find and connect to the divine are left unanswered. She offers gorgeous prayers along the way. From the lived experience of her own depression and painful struggles—and her steadfast longing and devotion—we are left with a true blessing of Mystery; that we may each live in the fullness of a compassionate, open, and accepting life, as a ‘portal of wisdom’ with humility. One such prayer from this collection includes this plea: ‘Holy Spirit/May I be a channel of your/Presence this day./A lantern through which Your/Light shines. Throughout Longing for Intimacy, Catherine is such a shining lantern.”

—Rev. David Wallace, Dean and Senior Teacher (retired)
One Spirit Interfaith Seminary, NYC

“With utmost vulnerability and unceasing strength, Catherine Coates offers readers vivid snapshots of the sacred mess we call life. Through thought-provoking poems and useful prayers, she urges us to deepen our connection to that which is holy for us individually, and encourages us to jettison that which we’ve outgrown.”

—Sarah A. Bowen, author of Spiritual Rebel: A Positively Addictive Guide to Finding Deeper Perspective and Higher Purpose, Dean at One Spirit Interfaith Seminary

“Catherine Coates has really poured her heart and soul into this book.”

—Judy Bristow