​Preface
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Funny thing about the moon. It only shines by reflecting the sun’s rays. I, too, can take little credit for this non-ordinary life, for any light I’ve been blessed to shine has certainly come directly from God. Yes, it’s true, I’ve yearned for nothing more than to be a reflection of the One living just beyond my understanding, the One to whom I can only point. But, still, I harbor no illusion it’s been me, in any way, who’s created all the moments of grace I’ve known.

And even more wondrously, in the end, I’ve come to see that those most debilitating circumstances, the insurmountable crippling fear, were a small price to pay for what I’ve received, as I was made to blossom not in spite of but because of. And where there’d only been the long night did come the light of day, and, arising from the pit of despair, came love. And where before I could only see the world through my shrouded lens, I came to see the face of God everywhere.

Still, I don’t fully understand. Never will. But it’s okay. Even better really. It’s a mystery, after all, living quite outside the bounds of my loosely threaded thoughts, feelings, and dreams. A mystery hiding in the folds of everyday life and quite fond of revealing itself in unexpected ways. Such times leave me a bit unhinged but also a little freer from the shackles of my inner prisoner. Like snapshots captured in old photographs, they seem to freeze the moment, inviting me to pause and look with soft eyes, to slowly sense the mysterious, the non-ordinary, hiding beyond the faded and crinkled edges.

In these pages, I offer you a few of those snapshots from the non-ordinary life I never saw coming. Perhaps by pausing by each one you’ll recognize something of yourself, delight in a new possibility or, simply, tuck something away to revisit at a later time. Mostly, my hope is that you’ll discover, beyond the faded details, a place where, though strangers, we meet and know one another. 

Endorsements​

"This is a story that reveals what is possible even when you think it's not. It beautifully shows how surrender opens the door to grace. Stephanie shares depth and insight in all she does.”
–AMY LEIGH MERCREE, medical intuitive and bestselling author of 16 books including “Aura Alchemy” (Hay House, Inc., 2024)
 
“My cup now overflows to receive levels of understanding through this beautifully written book, Come Dance on the Moon. Stephanie writes with bare honesty, connecting with your own soul to journey together closer to God like never before. I read this twice without stopping because I didn't want it to end. I realize now, that her shared experiences will keep the reader immersed in continued blessings and spiritual growth that will never end.”
–REV. TEAL L. GRAY, N.D., bestselling author of seven books including “Shades of Angels” (Gray Fults Press, 2016)
 
“Stephanie may invite us to dance with the moon but, through her collection of vignettes, she invites us to dance with her through the deep heat of the south and the Maine woods of the north, through heritage and legacy, through relationship joys and tears, always keeping step with the Unseen Hand of the Beloved that holds her close in the delight of disguise.”  
–REV. DR. LAWRENCE JAY, Executive Director, Rolling Ridge Retreat and Conference Center, North Andover, MA.
 
“This memoir of spiritual self-discovery through life experiences touched my soul. I sang, cried and laughed along her journey as if I were there to witness this discovery. Her poignant stories through life offered me confirmation to my spiritual journey; in particular to trust and have faith in the “Unseen Hand.” I highly recommend Rev. Dr. Stephanie Rutt’s brilliantly written book to anyone on a life of self-discovery.”
–REV. DR. RHONDA SCHIENLE, Retired Board Chair of World AWAKE, Inc. & Founder of Interfaith Ministry Services, LLC 
 
“I have known Stephanie for fifty-five years. Reading this personal story of her life has touched my heart deeply. Stephanie has a brilliant quest for learning and constantly seeks ways to share this knowledge with others. This memoir is a work of true love and appreciation of her roots, devotion to family, unique goodness to cultures, her resilience, her awareness of nature, love of the human spirit, and belief in the goodness of God. Reading her memoir allows you to feel her reality in life but also her deep care about the unknown and the search for answers.”
–JANE MASSEY, Retired Educator of Mississippi, Teacher of the Band of Choctaw Indians, Adjunct Professor of Education at Mississippi State University, Certified Yoga Instructor
 
"Stephanie has been in my life for years, impacting it with laughter and adventure every step of the way. She has always been a BEAUTIFUL poet but it shines in her prose during the telling of her stories in her memoir. The writing is musical and the story is magical. It takes you on a journey of looking at life as an awe-filled series of challenges interspersed with the joy of discovering life where, when choices become infused with love or worry, she always chooses love. Enjoy that love and that journey with my beloved friend Stephanie."
–SALLY GRUMBLES, Speech Pathologist, retired AT&T executive
 
Stephanie is a master teacher and mystic, a lover of “the One to whom I can only point.” In her spiritual memoir, she shares stories of her experiences of this love which has called her to live a non-ordinary life. Stephanie’s heroine journey through sorrow and joy, pain and passion illuminate for the reader her tender encounters with the divine mystery as she struggles to recover from loss, wrestles with racial injustice and learns to see the One Love everywhere. Readers will be inspired to recognize moments of their own dance on the moon as they are gently guided by a woman who knows who she is because she knows to whom she belongs.
–REV. CAROL LACHANCE, M.Ed., author of “The Way of the Mother” and an upcoming memoir, “Pondering the Heart: A Sacred Walk with My Father, My Husband and My Horse.”
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