This inspiring book contains admonitions, challenges, and encouragements for the reader to move up another step on the spiritual ladder. In short, these are spiritual self-help exercises for personal improvement.The gentle hints and suggestions come in the form of meditations and brief contemplative insights, which will help the hesitant inquirer who is making the first gestures towards inner contentment.
This book is a powerful expression of Jesus Christ given in the midst of the brokenness and hostilities of this world, as experienced by those who are marginalized and persecuted in contemporary society. Drawing on broader sources in the Christian tradition, Farley maintains the power of Jesus of Nazareth as the expression of the Divine Eros in Wisdom, to break powers of sin, and provide a vision of life, which is an alternative Empire to present ways and where love reigns as norm.
In this book, the author shares the story of her personal spiritual learning quest and the specific strategies that were effective for her spiritual growth. During a particularly demanding time of her life, Linda felt a longing for peace and spiritual connectedness. In those very busy days, she questioned whether she was following the Great Commandment to "love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength" (Luke 10:27). She was dissatisfied with the lack of spiritual growth she experienced in the habits of praying silently and passively reading devotionals. Learning to love God with heart, soul, mind, and strength became a focus of private study and journaling, which led to this book. Linda began integrating short, practical routines throughout her days, creating several brief periods of daily spiritual connectedness. Utilizing multisensory learning strategies that she used with her students, she discovered more meaning in her spiritual life. She concluded that part of loving God fully means loving him more actively as opposed to having a passive and lukewarm relationship with God. Linda feels passionate about sharing these multisensory teaching methods for personal spiritual growth--evidence-based effective strategies that are widely used in academic settings but are rarely used in spiritual learning. The author suggests practical ideas for connecting with God throughout busy days, ways requiring more involvement and more mental focus. Also, Linda offers spiritual learning ideas, which address individual differences in learning styles and types of intelligence as opposed to the same methods for everyone. Following the ideas in this book will keep your mind more focused on your relationship with God throughout the routines of your day while bringing more passion to your spiritual learning.
Contemplative prayer is a way of saying yes to God's transformative presence. Centering Prayer for Everyone is the most welcoming and accessible guide to Christian contemplative practice available. Focusing on five practices--lectio divina, visio divina, walking meditation, chanting the Psalms, and the silent practice of centering prayer--this practical guide collects in one volume everything needed to learn these practices, including concise instructions, readings, and programs. Clearly formatted so that instructions and programs are easy to find at a glance, Centering Prayer for Everyone can inspire beginners to enter the practices immediately and includes detailed instructions for starting and facilitating both in-person and digital prayer groups. This inclusive handbook explicitly welcomes everyone to these practices, whatever their beliefs or doubts, including Christians, meditators from other traditions, twelve-step members, and anyone filled with longing for spiritual transformation and connection with God.
Every commentary on the Book of Psalms has had to face the issue that many of these prayers commemorate and celebrate wrath and vengeance. What is needed is not ingenious exegetical rationalization of ancient texts, but the kind of transformation into a work of piety and art that is provided here.Addressed are the needs of a world seeking to counter individual and societal injustices by a global peace born of personal peace through prayer and practice. In short, here is the Book of Psalms recast in the light of the continuing revelation and evolution of the authentic religious spirit of the scriptures.
Every commentary on the Book of Psalms has had to face the issue that many of these prayers celebrate wrath and vengeance. Merrill has re-examined the Psalms and transformed them into a work of piety and art. Taking each psalm in turn, she brings a vivid brilliance to some of the world's greatest prayers.
