Great Encouragement on Contemplative Prayer
353358
I have thrououghly enjoyed reading this book (bought it on the Kindle).  I appreciate Mr. Goll's treatment of contemplative prayer, quiet times and practicing the presence of God.

I kept a copy of Brother Lawrence's "Practicing the Presence of God" next to me while I read this book.  Reading through Brother Lawrence's 15 letters from his book while reading Mr. Goll's book provide a great insight into daily contemplative prayer and walking your whole day through with God always in your thoughts.

I recommend this as a good place to start with a modern "mystic".  Then I would suggest reading some of Richard Foster's work as well as Thomas Merton.

Enjoy reading!
4720050
The authors personal stories really resonated, and the prayers were well written and really hit the mark. It's like having An encouraging friend pray with you, while waiting on God's plan. Looking forward to more from this author.
3895272
I have been quite blessed to have received this gift of The Better Part: A Christ-centered Resource for Personal Prayer by Fr. John Bartunek of RC Spiritual Direction.  Often, I will share a book review because  there are many books out there that are *hidden treasures* of sorts and I like to get the word out.

This is one of those treasures.

After we fall into a daily pattern of prayer, there may be times (almost always) when it becomes dry,  distracted, and just plain routine.  We pick up scripture and put it down, we pick up the rosary and put it down, then switch to yet another book on spiritual meditations.  And yet, we are still unfocused and distracted.

I was experiencing this type of *desert* when I received The Better Part.

Fr. Bartunek addresses the aim of solid Catholic meditation in the beginning of the book.  I found this section extremely informative and it reinforced the solid teaching on meditation I have received as a Secular Carmelite. He uses the four components of Concentrate, Consider, Converse and Commit.

The crux of this book is the inclusion of all four Gospels with points of meditation following under these titles:
Christ the Lord, Christ the Teacher, Christ the Friend,  and Christ in My Life.  One is free to follow the calendar of the Liturgical year or to read straight through each Gospel.  The topics above contain more than enough food for meditation and I have found through prayer, many times, that I only reached as far as Christ the Lord without feeling the need to read further.  I love that this book can be used again and again and the next time I approach the same reading, I can focus on a different point.  I have appreciated that I have been more focused during my meditation...there may not always be a need for words but I can sit in His presence in silence and when the distractions threaten to pull me away from prayer, I can return once again to the Gospel reading or meditation point.

It is a beautiful book that includes fold out reminders inside the cover as well as a ribbon marker.  For those seeking to deepen their prayer life through Lectio, this book is an indispensable means to practice this.  St. Teresa of Avila continually stressed the need to keep the humanity of Christ before us no matter how advanced we are in the spiritual life.  This book is a great aid in living in Christ's presence...always.
2779022
This little book can be a spiritual director for you if you don't have one and feel called to contemplative prayer.
1991103
Very thankful for Angela Thomas' encouragement and exhortation to go deeper with Jesus on this side of eternity. The material is very thought-provoking; I found it better to read small chunks and ponder on the thoughts presented awhile before continuing to read. It's an easy read but don't expect to read it end to end in one or two sittings. Take the time to do the work: pray, read, pray, digest, pray, proceed, pray, change, pray.... :) I'd definitely recommend and have purchased some bound copies to give to friends.
3506037
A Deeper Kind of Calm by Linda Dillow is a devotional-type book that delves into Scripture for ways to find comfort in suffering. Based primarily off of Psalms 77, 46, 63, and 84, Dillow explores what each of these chapters has to teach us about how to navigate our own personal "valleys of weeping". We all go through trials, Dillow contends- and whether those trials are big or small in comparison to each other, each of us has pain that seems unbearable at times. Many times we despair or turn to wordly comforts to ease this hurt - but it IS possible, Dillow implores, to find peace in these times. Using these chapters of Psalms as a guide, Dillow walks us through four different truths that she says are central to drawing strength from God's presence. 1)Remembering past instances of God's goodness and knowing that He is still the same, 2) Hiding in Him as our literal refuge from the storms of life, 3) Clinging to Him as our one and only lifeline, and 4) Journeying diligently to the place in life where we can find ourselves in His presence. Obeying the truths of Scripture in these four ways, Dillow says, will bring us the calm that we so desperately seek in our anxieties. I really enjoyed this book and was very encouraged by it. So often our first instinct in hard times is to run from the Lord and sink into despair - but Dillow doesn't just throw some platitudes at us - she goes into Scripture, takes it apart and examines exactly what the message means for us. These aren't just idealisms either - dillow shares stories of faithful women who, despite horrendous trials and suffering, continue to testify of the peace that abiding in God's presence brings. I think sometimes we talk about God's faithfulness like something we are forcing ourselves to believe in and hold onto because we know it's gotta be true, rather than something that we are or have actually experienced, first hand, directly. It was encouraging to hear real, true accounts of the blessings and riches He brings us. I would definitely recommend this book to women who want to learn to trust God on a deeper level.

I received this book free from NavPress Publishers as part of their blogger review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
4566006
Great encouraging book, written well.  great to prayer thru and with
3666741
This is an excellent resource for both teaching your child to pray and encouraging parents to pray.  What I really love about it is the practical steps.  I have many excellent prayer resources for meditation, but it is nice to have something laid out to use in a practical manner when you are a super busy mom.  I know the Holy Spirit gives so much grace to let us learn from resources like this and I believe He led me to this one.  I have time to pray, but I don't always have time to make up my own lessons.
4110399
For those seriously seeking to grow in holiness and bring some order to their daily prayer life, I strongly recommend this series. Drawing upon Sacred Scripture, the writings of the saints, and his own life experiences, the author brings together three daily meditations (about five to ten minutes each) that center around the Scripture readings of the Mass that day.

Imparted in these meditations are knowledge of the faith, advice on how to pray more fervently, and a clear understanding of virtue and its importance. It also inspires us to serve God faithfully. A good Catholic answer to the latest Protestant craze over "The Purpose Driven Life".
2825048
Let me say it from the outset - I dislike reading. The style, format and length of this book however is just right to allow someone like me with a busy lifestyle and real desire to enhance prayer life. I was able to read through the 40-day cycle (even with a day missed here or there) and keep up with a book study group I was in.

The thoughts and ideas so clearly revealed thread the narrow slot between being easy to comprehend but not light on message. Deep truths came alive through every chapter.

It was good to have the mix of life stories, historical backgrounds, scripture verses from new angles and practical steps.

Highly recommended, especially for those looking to pray - more, deeper, consistently, with results. A bonus cherry on top would be an audio-version.
2062043
Short chapters, great food for thought regarding silent prayer
570326
Excellent book guide for contemplative prayer!
The book is organized into days of contemplation.  Brother Roger founded the Taizr community in France.
2649771
This was the best I have read on the subject of prayer.  This Minister covered in depth enough thought provoking material to keep me busy for a very long time.  I read two chapters at a time and had to think about how much simplicity yet great depth there was in each chapter.  This will bring  you straight to the heart of real prayer as taught by the Master.
223909
I love Holman's interpretation of Saint Paul's curious phrase, "Pray without ceasing," found in Thessalonians.

Holman's definition of "Pray without ceasing is "an unceasing attitude of appreciation and delight which may be offered to God as an unending prayer." Alternative words for appreciation and delight are thanksgiving and joy. When we are thankful and joyful we are prayerful. These are root attitudes of prayer. A wonderful insight! This prayerful attitude that Holman illuminates is essential for making prayer accessible in the twenty-first century. There are many who still think of prayer as getting on one's knees and praying specific auditory prayers. On the contrary, Holman teaches that prayer is primarily a disposition of our minds and hearts. This disposition is more important than the position of our bodies or any specific words uttered. I resonate with this!

The two attitudes of prayer, thankfulness and joy, also feed off of one another. When we are thankful we become joyful and vice versa.

This is a brief and practical book that can be read in one sitting and that has instructions to develop a prayerful attitude. Toward the end, the book sketches various forms of prayer in Christian Contemplative Tradition. It ends with a summary, daily practices to reverse negativity, and with suggested affirmations to develop and deepen a prayerful attitude.

Books that seriously engage teachings of scripture then work to make those teachings relevant and accessible for our times are important. This is one such book!

-Amos Smith (author of Healing The Divide: Recovering Christianity's Mystic Roots)
2405849
I purchased "The Prayer of Jabez: Breaking Through to the Blessed Life on a whim - a quick scan of a short book between novels.  That whim might be a miracle.  I am now enamored by this simple prayer. "Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain."
Bruce Wilkinson explains the prayer's meaning and benefits in an informative, yet soothing tone.  For those, like me, that tend to lose the true meaning of our existence in our busy lives, this book yields a needed renewal.  It is a short prayer in a small book that provides a very loud and memorable message.  I recommend you consider the leather bound version to prevent the book from wearing out after repeated readings.
1264265
This is a terrific resource for prayer warriors.
4212019
Women Who Move Mountains is a good book on prayer, helping the reader see herself more clearly in relationship to God and then to be able to communicate more clearly with God in light of that relationship.  The book alternates chapters between helping the reader overcome obstacles in her relationship with God (odd-numbered chapters) and then how to apply those relationship insights while praying (even-numbered chapters).  The second part of the book is then a 21-day devotional encouraging the reader to practically apply what she has just learned in the previous chapters.  The 21-days part includes suggestions for journaling, taking a personal retreat, and fasting.

I recommend that the reader have her Bible open while reading this book.  Many of the Scriptures presented are just references and not written out.  The book was easy to read, helpful, and encouraging.

I gratefully received a free eARC from the author, publisher, and NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review.