Brother Lawrence...

I am sooo feeling the book "The Practice of the Presence of God." Blowing my mind away right now. Honesty about the spiritual life; the groans for sanctification, growth in the love of God, and the continual failure of attaining the next level are all so well expressed. Brings me to tears to read something so refreshing. So simplistic. A 5 year old could understand the material (barring some of the run-on sentences, old english syntax, etc.) The meat of the book is truly, spiritually organic.

"When we undertake the spiritual life, we must consider in depth who we are, and then we will find ourselves worthy of all scorn, unworthy of the name Christian, subject to all sorts of miseries and to countless misfortunes that trouble us and make us unstable in health, in moods, and in our inner and outward dispositions. In short, we find that we are people whom God wishes to make humble through innumerable difficulties and labors, both inward and outward. Knowing this, should we be surprised if sufferings, temptations, oppositions and contradictions on the part of our neighbor should happen to us? Should we not, on the contrary, submit ourselves to them and bear them as long as it pleases God, as things which are to our spiritual advantage? ... A soul is all the more dependent on grace the more it aspires on to perfection."

I am sooo moved to long and love for God more....deeply. In the dryest season of my life, I am having to revisit and relearn and re-experience the Truth that He is with me. And that this season was (probably) prescribed for me for me to sincerely ENJOY God, alone. Not just his gifts: friends, ministry, encouraging words, the feelings of ecstatic corporate worship, etc.

O Lord, you've ordered my steps....help me to walk your same pace.