Norvene Vest is now a spiritual director, author, and workshop leader, and previously worked in housing and community development both for the government and in private enterprise.

She is an Episcopal laywoman and an oblate of St. Andrew’s Abbey in Valyermo, California, USA. Norvene has written six books on Benedictine spirituality for oblates, including a devotional commentary on the Rule (Preferring Christ), reflections on work (Friend of the Soul --now also available in Italian), and guidelines for group lectio divina (Gathered in the Word).

Ms. Vest has graduate degrees in Political Theory, Theology, and World Mythology, and is at work on a Ph.D. She lives simply and gratefully, with her husband Doug and their cat Mellow, in an oak grove in the Southern California foothills. Their website is www.composury.com