Lift up a great shout of joy to the Lord! Go ahead and do it—everyone, everywhere! As you serve him, be glad and worship him. Sing your way into his presence with joy! And realize what this really means— we have the privilege of worshiping the Lord our God. For he is our Creator and…

Brother Lawrence discusses the discipline of practicing God’s presence: “But when we faithfully keep ourselves in his holy presence, seeing him always before us, not only avoiding offending or displeasing him – at least deliberately – but considering him in this fashion, we take the liberty to ask him for the graces we need. So,…

Brother Lawrence reviews and summarizes how he learned to practice God’s presence: “This led me to resolve to give all for all. Thus, after offering myself entirely to God in atonement for my sins, I renounced for the sake of his love everything other than God, and I began to live as if only he…

Brother Lawrence wrote, “Consider illnesses . . . as coming from the hand of God, as signs of his mercy. . . . I wish you were convinced that God is often closer to us in times of sickness and suffering than when we enjoy perfect health. Seek no other doctor but him. If we…

In a letter, Brother Lawrence wrote, “I will not ask God to deliver you from your trials, but I will ask him earnestly to give you the patience and strength needed to suffer as long as he desires. . . . Get used to suffering, and ask him for the strength to suffer as he…

Brother Lawrence wrote about God as a Friend: “We cannot have too much trust in so good and faithful a friend, who will never fail us in this world or the next. He is always near you and with you; do not leave him alone. You would consider it rude to leave a friend who…

Brother Lawrence wrote in a letter: “If you could . . . concern yourself only with God, you would win a great victory! God does not ask a great deal of us: a brief remembrance from time to time, a brief act of adoration, occasionally to ask him for his grace or offer him your…

Brother Lawrence wrote about a Christian: “It seems like her heart is in the right place, but she wants to advance faster than grace would allow. You don’t become a saint in a day! . . . Since in his mercy he still gives us a little time, let’s take advantage of it! We can…

Regarding prayer Brother Lawrence wrote to another, “You are telling me nothing new, and you are not the only one who experiences distractions. The mind is extremely flighty. . . .” We’ve all been there, right? When we begin to pray, suddenly our minds are wandering to our to-do list, or planning our next meal,…

Brother Lawrence wrote, “A brief lifting up of the heart is enough. A brief remembrance of God, an act of inner adoration – even though on the run with sword in hand – these prayers, short as they may be, are pleasing to God and, far from causing those engaged in battle to lose courage…