I have done you a disservice.
I have not brought the little sign-up box to the right of the blog posts to your attention fully enough. I have neither explained what it’s really about, nor why you should care enough to fill out the little form and submit it.
I am writing you lovenotes, and many of you don’t even know why, how, or whether to receive them.
I have created a beautiful gift for you, and many of you haven’t even see it!
I’m sorry.
Let me rectify this error.
A heart-and-soul gift to you
The Practice of Prayer, as this 40-page gem is called, is a book into which I (and my co-creator, Lea Ann Mawler) poured heart and soul. It is our gift to you when you sign up.
It is honest. It is authentic. It is Spirit on the page.
It is not only about prayer, per se. In fact, much of it is about why many resist the word “prayer,” why you may not think of spiritual practice as “prayer,” what my definitions of prayer are and aren’t, and related topics. The Practice of Prayer is about aligning yourself with Spirit through spiritual practices—practices that I tend to call “prayer,” though many others do not.
To be frank, perhaps I should have called the book something else! The resistance that I discuss in its pages has, I believe, kept some of you from wanting to look at the pages, to read my words, or to take in the glorious photographs Lea Ann has included.
Answers to questions
The chapters of the book – What is Prayer, Resistance to Prayer, How to Pray, and How to Develop a Practice – are a foretaste of the Discovery and Deepening telecourse that begins this month – October 22nd.
Each chapter addresses some important questions. What are the fruits of spiritual practice? Why should you care about spirituality? What “counts” as prayer—at least in my book? (It’s more than you think.) Do you need to believe anything in particular about God to pray? (No.) And what should you do, what will work for you in your spirituality and practice?
Moreover, and this is really important for me: The Practice of Prayer is beautiful. It’s truly beautiful. Each page carries ideas using words, yes. But that text is also skillfully, carefully, lovingly accompanied by photos that say at least as much about the nature of spirituality and practice, as much about prayer, as anything my words can convey.
You’ve given me so much
And I take very seriously the trust you place in me when you say yes to receiving my letters—the Reflections newsletter—in your inbox each week. I take that trust very seriously. Furthermore, I promise you, I put significant thought and heart-time into those letters that come out each Monday morning. I want to hear from you about them—and I am so grateful to those of you who have sent me notes! Reflections has already become a place for me to learn from you, as well as an opportunity for me to reach out and let you know what’s on my mind.
Reflections has already taught me that you care, that we’re in this together, and that we need one another. We have gifts to give and purposes to accomplish, and we can sink roots together as we go along. So thank you so much to all of you who have already signed up for Reflections, and for The Practice of Prayer.
Please sign up above!
Meanwhile, for the rest of you, well, you can see this coming! Please do sign up—up there in the upper-right of the page. I promise I’ll treat your email address with utmost care—I would never sell it, for example!—and I’ll do my best always to send you authentic, thoughtful content, in keeping with the leadings of Spirit as I can discern them.
I look forward to connecting further and more deeply with you. Many thanks to those of you who are already reading and who have already steeped in the loveliness of The Practice of Prayer. I hope that many more will come and join the conversations.
Blessings on you and on your house!