Fr Brian Grogan has written an extraordinary book for ordinary people. In simple, clear language he shows how God is involved in all the details of our lives. God does not blush easily at our faults, he writes. In failure or in success, every individual remains uniquely important to God. He waits for us, searches for us, and cares for us; always drawing us to the person of Jesus, who offers himself as our constant companion on our pilgrim way and who helps us to shape our world by making wise decisions. Extensively revised edition.
In this beautiful and broken world, God is here. The heavens declare the glory of God . . . but are we listening? Yes, God created this world, but sometimes we forget that he hasn’t left—that his redemptive, creative work happens still today, right here under our feet. So when we seek for God and study his truth, how much are we missing if we don’t awaken to all he has placed in the soil and sky? God made this world of light and darkness, summer and winter, life and death. What does he intend to teach us in these ever-repeating cycles and seasons? Seamlessly weaving biblical truths into everyday life, Catherine McNiel will help you discover an unbelievable reality: God meets and transforms you in the mess and abundance of every mundane moment.
Where do you seek God? Are you waiting for him to appear in a monumental, life-altering event? In God Moments, Catholic blogger Andy Otto shows you how to discover the unexpected beauty of God’s presence in the story of ordinary things and in everyday routines like preparing breakfast or walking in the woods. Drawing on the Ignatian principles of awareness, prayer, and discernment, Otto will help you discover the transforming power of God’s presence in your life and better understand your place in the world. Andy Otto found God’s presence in surprising moments during his life—when, as a Jesuit scholastic, he taught children in Jamaica and also as he discerned the call to marriage with his wife. By combining elements of Ignatian spirituality with the lessons that came from his experiences, Otto identified three practices that helped him find God in all things: Awareness—Gain an understanding that God is present in the ordinary messiness of our lives such as battle with depression or sharing in the struggle of a friend. Prayer—Develop a prayer life using Ignatian practices such as asking for a morning grace and examining how your prayer was answered at the end of the day. That way you can focus on a personal relationship with God that finds everyday physical activities such as making a meal as an opportunity to talk to him. Discernment—The more you are aware of God’s presence and draw closer to him in prayer, the better you can learn how to plug into God’s narrative of the world in a way that enables you to participate in the divine story through the use of your gifts and talents. With God Moments as a guide, you’ll have a better understanding of how to seek personal wholeness in the reality of God’s presence in the ordinary and learn to accept his invitation to participate in his transformation of the world.
"'Science Mike' draws on his personal experience to tell the unlikely story of how science led him back to faith. Among other revelations, we learn what brain scans reveal about what happens when we pray, how fundamentalism affects the psyche, and how God is revealed not only in scripture, but in the night sky, in subatomic particles, and in us"--Dust jacket flap.
These essays deal with four major themes: the relationship between belief and unbelief, the connection between religion and science, the interpenetration of theology and spirituality, and the nature and value of higher education within the Catholic context--themes that reflect the persistent quest to discern the presence and action of God within the multiple dimensions of human existence.
What if the annoying person you try to avoid is actually an accidental saint in your life? What if, even in our failings, holy moments are waiting to happen? Nadia Bolz-Weber demonstrates what happens when ordinary people meet to explore the Christian faith. Their faltering steps towards wholeness will ring true for believer and sceptic alike.
Trace the path of Joseph's life in the Book of Genesis to observe how God's sovereignty reigns, even in our darkest moments. Learn to recognize when God is working during periods of waiting, trust God's plan when life doesn't make sense, and rest in the sufficiency of His presence in every circumstance. His provision is enough, His presence is constant, and His purpose is unstoppable. (8 sessions) Features: Leader helps to guide questions and discussions within small groups Personal study segments to complete between 8 weeks of group sessions Teaching videos, approximately 35 minutes per session, available for purchase or rent Benefits: Place your hope in the God who is with you. Learn to trust God's purposes when life doesn't make sense. Recognize how God is working in your waiting. Rest in the sufficiency of God's presence in every circumstance.
Take a wide-eyed look at your life--the commonplace, joyful, and even heartbreaking events--and discover the presence of God, hidden in plain sight. This is the invitation of Christine Eberle's Finding God in Ordinary Time. Each daily reflection contains a true story and a nugget of spiritual insight, accompanied by thought-provoking questions and a memorable Scripture quote. Together they guide readers across four terrains where the divine presence may be hidden in plain sight. Warm, accessible, and surprisingly funny, Christine offers spiritual nourishment to people skeptical or weary of religion, while still giving the faithful something to chew on.
Gerard Hughes's popularity lies in the fact that he always writes directly for the individual struggling with issues of faith and life and gets right to the heart of spiritual needs and concerns. His best-seller GOD OF SURPRISES published nearly 20 years ago has sold nearly a quarter of a million copies. GOD IN ALL THINGS is a follow up to that book written for a different world and a different spiritual climate. This is a guidebook for the inner journey. It is about recognising God in the ordinary, in the joy and sadness of things, about knowing that God cannot be separated from whatever we experience. It is written for people on the fringes of Christianity, or those who are disillusioned with church structures and dogmatic theology. Hughes has written this book because he is concerned at the split between religion and life, as if religion was something apart and detached from the rest of God's creation. Apart from being a brilliant spiritual guide this book is a call to a faith in terminal decline to enlarge its concept of God and break out of the straitjacket of pious religion.
