Books and Prayer

My last post was about prayer and how I have taken to prayer during CoVid 19. 

I am praying morning, afternoon, and evening.

I believe in prayer.

I think prayer.

I feel prayer.

I am praying.

​It would make sense to review the books that have touched my heart about prayer. 

I am starting with a children's book. The title is Prayer for a Child. 

This book is a classic for a reason! It so incredibly simple and it sweetly rhymes. 

It's a long list of things to be grateful for during the day.

We can be thankful for the food.

We can be thankful for the world as it is.

We can be thankful for family.

We can be thankful for the care received from others.

We can be thankful for light.

We can be thankful for fire. 

We can be thankful.

It is thankfulness that puts us in God's presence. 

It is gratefulness for life that allows to know that He loves us.

This is such a sweet, small book with profound truths inside.
​

This book won more than a few awards and deservedly so. Richard Foster does a brilliant job of delving in prayer.

Prayer brings you closer to God.

Prayer shows that you need God.

Prayer is an invitation to come near to Him.

Did you hear that? Invitation.

He goes through many kinds of prayer. 

There is the prayer that moves us inward.

Simple prayer.

Prayer of the forsaken.

The prayer of examen.

The prayer of tears.

The prayer of relinquishment

Formation prayer.

Covenant prayer.

There is prayer that moves up upward; this is seeking intimacy with the Savior.

The prayer of adoration.

The prayer of rest. 

Sacramental prayer.

Unceasing prayer.

The prayer of the heart.

Meditative prayer.

Contemplative prayer.

There is prayer that moves outward; this is seeking the ministry we need.

Praying the ordinary prayer.

Petitionary Prayer.

Intercessory Prayer. 

Healing Prayer.

The prayer of suffering.

Authoritative prayer.

Radical prayer.

It's an invitation. 

It's simple. 

God invites us to know Him. 

There is diversity and history here.

Come and know Him a little better than you did.

Prayer.

I bought this book ten years ago and I still remember it.  

This woman wrote about the limits of the rational mind. The rational mind? Isn't that a God we all put before us?

For, according to the ancient tradition known as Wisdom, the human mind's full scope includes heights and depths which rationality can never encompass.

Neglecting these other regions of our being leads to a limited state of mind, known by the Wisdom tradition as sleep.

Yes, that's right, the more invested we are in our intellect, our ego, and our attempts at logical control of the world around us, the more asleep we really are.

I know it all sounds very strange, but I absolutely loved this and I been a fan of Cynthia Bourgeault ever since. 

She defines wisdom.

She points to other traditions.

She invites us out of our sleep.

She writes about three-centered knowing. 

We balance mind, heart, and body.

This book was eye-opening and mind-bending. 

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!