Book picks similar to
The City is my Monastery: A contemporary rule of life by Richard Carter
spirituality
poetry
practical-theology
monastic-daily-life
A Prayer Journal
Flannery O'Connor - 2013
"There is a whole sensible world around me that I should be able to turn to Your praise." Written between 1946 and 1947 while O'Connor was a student far from home at the University of Iowa, A Prayer Journal is a rare portal into the interior life of the great writer. Not only does it map O'Connor's singular relationship with the divine, but it shows how entwined her literary desire was with her yearning for God. "I must write down that I am to be an artist. Not in the sense of aesthetic frippery but in the sense of aesthetic craftsmanship; otherwise I will feel my loneliness continually . . . I do not want to be lonely all my life but people only make us lonelier by reminding us of God. Dear God please help me to be an artist, please let it lead to You."O'Connor could not be more plain about her literary ambition: "Please help me dear God to be a good writer and to get something else accepted," she writes. Yet she struggles with any trace of self-regard: "Don't let me ever think, dear God, that I was anything but the instrument for Your story."As W. A. Sessions, who knew O'Connor, writes in his introduction, it was no coincidence that she began writing the stories that would become her first novel, Wise Blood, during the years when she wrote these singularly imaginative Christian meditations. Including a facsimile of the entire journal in O'Connor's own hand, A Prayer Journal is the record of a brilliant young woman's coming-of-age, a cry from the heart for love, grace, and art.
Hearts on Fire: Praying with Jesuits
Michael Harter - 1993
The prayers compiled in this unique book are gleaned from the rich tradition of Jesuit reflection on the human hunger for God.
The Scent Of Holiness: Lessons From a Women's Monastery
Constantina R. Palmer - 2012
Join Constantina Palmer as she makes frequent pilgrimages to a women's monastery in Greece and absorbs the nuns' particular approach to their spiritual life. If you're a woman who's read of Mount Athos and longed to partake of its grace-filled atmosphere, this book is for you. Men who wish to understand how women's spirituality differs from their own will find it a fascinating read as well.
Signs, Wonders and a Baptist Preacher: How Jesus Flipped My World Upside Down
Chad Norris - 2013
He shares transparently, recounting his own history of depression and panic attacks until Jesus rescued him and showed him how to do the works of the Father. As Norris explains, "I had no paradigm for that." Then he challenges readers to engage with the supernatural. Even though Jesus said we will do even greater things than he did, we don't. Norris's engaging narrative style lowers readers' defenses and opens their minds to the idea that these "greater things" are more attainable than they think. Because we are loved more than we imagine, says Norris, we are more capable of doing the Father's works than we have ever considered.
A Small Cup of Light: a drink in the desert
Ben Palpant - 2014
Packer called, "Haunting, deeply pondered, and beautifully written," is changing lives. A Small Cup of Light is the story of an unexpected encounter with God in the desert of despair. Several years ago, Ben Palpant suffered a sudden and massive health collapse that crippled many of his faculties nearly overnight. That experience prompted him to ask the hard questions, like, "What shall we do when confronted with the ache of our suffering in the presence of a living God?" Palpant's story is proof that a relationship with God can be more intimate not in spite of suffering, but because of suffering. A Small Cup of Light is a bold invitation to face God in the darkness. It is a rousing call to the human spirit, offering hope to the hopeless and a song to the suffering.
At the Still Point: A Literary Guide to Prayer in Ordinary Time
Sarah Arthur - 2011
S. Eliot, this “literary” prayer book is for every Christian who has ever felt led to pray while reading a novel or a poem. These great writers know the things of God but speak in metaphor. They tell the truth, as Emily Dickinson put it, but they “tell it slant.” In not stating out loud what they know, they have left much to our imaginations—which is a way of saying they have trusted the Holy Spirit.
Let those who have ears, hear.
Together on Retreat: Meeting Jesus in Prayer
James Martin - 2013
But God: Changes Everything
Herbert Cooper - 2014
He heard the gospel at a Fellowship of Christian Athletes meeting, at which he wasn’t even supposed to be, and he gave his life to Christ. Two words changed Cooper’s life: But God.These two words can change every single person’s life— But God. Each word is only three letters long. The phrase is short, but the implications are huge. The path may look bleak, dim, and hopeless…but GOD changes everything…We’ve all sinned - whether it is sex outside of marriage, a bitter heart, alcohol or drug abuse, cheating, or lying. Maybe you’re at a place in your life where it just feels like things are falling apart. Perhaps you’re portraying one thing on the outside and living something else on the inside. Maybe you are simply going through the motions of a life that’s not quite what you hoped it would be. These moments drag us down - leaving us feeling hopeless and lost. You need something to happen in your life to change. You need a But God… moment.The But God moments are when God comes in and offers a new path and hope for our lives. These moments occur when we are at are lowest, and turn our down-trodden worlds around for the better. It is up to us to recognize and seize these moments when they occur and follow the renewed path God offers.
The Sermon on the Mount
Richard Rohr - 2006
He explains Matthew's challenge to let go of the conventional wisdom that comes with contemporary American culture. Each of seven talks brings us closer to the heart of the Sermon. Rohr contrasts conventional wisdom with the wisdom of Christ and draws the listener into the Kingdom of God, the end of the world and the experience of enlightenment. He explains that each generation lives in end times, that the Kingdom is for those willing to let go of all cultural idolatry (past and present) and that those who live in reality travel a path of life which unfolds into freedom. This series is a powerful call to follow Jesus Christ in the commandments of the New Testament. Talk 1: Awakening the Heart: Recognizing Cultural Idolatry Talk 2: Voices of the World: Social Institutions Talk 3: Table Fellowship: Alfalfa Sprouts and Gravy Talk 4: Matthew's Gospel: Charter for a New World Order Talk 5: Transformation: Jumping Off the Tower Talk 6: The Sermon and Conventional Wisdom Talk 7: Love and Power, Power and Love
Illuminated Life: Monastic Wisdom for Seekers of Light
Joan D. Chittister - 2000
An ancient alphabet of spiritual values that will help readers experience peace and love in the midst of distractions and deadlines, during life's daily routine and in its defining moments.
Hinds' Feet on High Places: The Original and Complete Allegory with a Devotional for Women
Darien B. Cooper - 2013
They will help you to understand your own struggles and regain confidence in your walk with the Lord.I know that you sense Him drawing you ever nearer to Him. That's why you are considering this devotional. Some of you even feel your heart aching for more of His Presence in your life.This allegory with the devotionals will help satisfy the yearning of your heart. He is challenging you to keep saying "yes" to your Lord as He beckons you on in your own journey to the High Places.
Rumi Poetry: 101 Quotes Of Wisdom On Life, Love And Happiness (Sufi Poetry, Rumi Poetry, Inspirational Quotes, Sufism)
John Balkh - 2015
Rumi’s popularity has gone beyond national and ethnic borders. He is considered to be one of the greatest classical poets, by the speakers of Persian language in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan. His poetry is still read worldwide today and has been translated into a wide variety of languages including Turkish, Persian, Russian, Asian, English and Spanish languages. Likely due to the pure universal natural themes in his poetry, Rumi’s works are simplistic and beautiful at the same time. A collection of 101 quotes of wisdom from Rumi on life, love and happiness. "Anyone who genuinely and consistently with both hands looks for something, will find it. " "Now is the time to unite the soul and the world. Now is the time to see the sunlight dancing as one with the shadows." "Gamble everything for love, if you’re a true human being. If not, leave this gathering." “Let the lover be disgraceful, crazy, absentminded. Someone sober will worry about things going badly. Let the lover be.” "Why should I be unhappy? Every parcel of my being is in full bloom." ............... Download this book now to experience essential wisdom from the timeless Rumi.
A Cry for Mercy: Prayers from the Genesee
Henri J.M. Nouwen - 1981
In his continuing search for a deeper understanding of the spiritual life, Henri Nouwen traveled twice to the Trappist monastery in the Genesee Valley of upstate New York. His first visit inspired The Genesee Diary, a moving account of his daily experiences and of contemporary monastic life. When he returned five years later, the familiar, comfortable daily rhythms of the contemplative life led him to concentrate his attention on meditation. He disciplined himself to write a prayer each day, an endeavor that became this extraordinary book.In these daily prayers, Father Nouwen confronts his own inner chaos as he tries to create a space in his heart where God can dwell. Powerful, searching, and painfully honest, Nouwen's prayers, confessions, and petitions point to the final goal of all spiritual life: to live unceasingly in the presence of God. Like The Wounded Healer and The Return of the Prodigal Son, A Cry for Mercy is filled with freshness and insight. It speaks directly to the contemporary Christian's need for a meaningful spirituality, a disciplined inner life, and a real sense of the divine presence in everyday life.
Jesus Speaks: Learning to Recognize and Respond to the Lord's Voice
Leonard Sweet - 2016
The trouble is, many don’t know how to. In a warm and practical way, Jesus Speaks teaches readers how to listen and recognize the voice of Jesus. Jesus Speaks explores the various ways in which Jesus Christ speaks today and how His sheep can grow in their ability to recognize and respond to His voice.By exploring how the disciples interacted with the risen Christ—from the moment Mary discovers his body is gone to meeting him by the sea for breakfast to waiting in the upper room for the Spirit to descend—Sweet and Viola unpack the myriad ways God now speaks to his children.In 2010, Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola set out on a journey of discovery. They had one goal, to do their part in restoring the supremacy and sovereignty of Jesus Christ above all else in modern Christian society. Soon thereafter they released the bestseller, Jesus Manifesto. Two years later, they released Jesus: A Theography, beautifully establishing that all of scripture, from Genesis through Revelation is about one person—Jesus Christ. Now comes the long awaited third installment in the “Jesus” series, Jesus Speaks.He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
