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Living
Prayer by Robert Benson
Examining centuries-old traditions of liturgy, the calendar year
of the church, and contemplative prayer practices, and the Rule
of St. Benedict, Benson explores how we communicate with God.
What he discovers is a practice both old and new that is much
more than our calling our to God. He demonstrates how prayer can
enter the fabric of one's existence so that life itself becomes
prayer. He illustrates the reasons we are drawn to pray, and
affirms the grace of leading a life attuned to the voice of God.
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When
the Soul Listens by Jan Johnson
Finding Rest and Direction in
Contemplative Prayer
Jan Johnson encourages readers to get away from the
formulas and ten-step plans to discover true contemplative
prayer. Readers will discover that listening to God and learning
to interact with Him through prayer is the real answer to a
deeper relationship with Him. Jan leads readers to transform
their outward behavior in order to cultivate their inner life.
For those who are disillusioned, searching for something that
makes sense, or experiencing spiritual dryness, When
the Soul Listens offers a clear path to a fulfilling
connection with God. Jan uses simple directions and real life
examples. This book is the newest in the Spiritual
Formation Line from NavPress.
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The
Way of the Heart by Henri J. M. Nouwen
Desert Spirituality and Contemporary
Ministry
The modern classic that interweaves the solitude, silence, and
prayer of the fourth and fifth century Egyptian Desert Fathers
and Mothers with our contemporary search for an authentic
spirituality.
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Out
of Solitude by Henri J. M. Nouwen
Three Meditations on the Christian Life
Three beautifully written, scripture-based meditations show how
it was in solitude that Jesus found the courage to follow God's
will, not his own- the core the the Christian life, a message of
profound importance. Out of Solitude; the necessity of prayer
away from the crowd. With Care; in solitude our caring grows
strong and mature. In Expectation; the expectation of Christ's
coming affects our solitude and care.
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Making
All Things New by Henri J. M. Nouwen
An Invitation to the Spiritual
Life
"In this quietly written call to follow the way of
Christian spirituality, Nouwen emphasizes the necessity for a
personal program of contemplative solitude and for the
individual's involvement in a community of like-seeking
Christians."—Booklist
"I think Nouwen has written a marvelous little book on
helping people to walk quietly into the presence of God and
begin to hear with a more sensitive part of their ears. I will
recommend this book to anyone who wants to have a closer and
more personal relationship with God."—J. Keith Miller
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New
Seeds of Contemplation by Thomas Merton
"It can become almost a magic word," Thomas Merton
says of contemplation; "or if not magic, then
inspirational, which is almost as bad." With these words,
Merton takes us through the reality of contemplation, which is,
the author says, "life itself, fully awake, fully active,
fully aware that it is alive. It is spiritual wonder."
Above all, contemplation is "awareness of the reality"
of the Source, "with a certitude that goes beyond reason
and beyond simple faith." Covering a diverse range of
subjects ("Faith," "Renunciation," "The
Night of the Senses"), it moves the reader through certain
traditional "phases" of contemplation, and gives an
idea of what to expect in this spiritual process.—Doug Thorpe
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Thoughts
in Solitude by Thomas Merton
What has made this book such an enduring and popular work (now
in its 25th printing) is that it recognizes how important
solitude is to our morality, integrity, and ability to love. One
does not have to be a monk to find solitude, notes Merton;
solitude can be found in the act of contemplation and silent
reflection in everyday life. Also, this is not a pious book that
assumes that a relationship with the divine can be obtained only
by denying our humanity and striving for saintliness. Instead,
Merton asserts that connection with God can most easily be made
through "respect for temperament, character, and emotion
and for everything that makes us human."—Gail Hudson
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