Personal religious testimony and popular inspirational works Books

Book SynopsisI will give you the treasures of darkness and riches hidden in secret places, that you may know that it is I, the Lord, who calls you by your name. This verse from Isaiah led priest Barbara Mosse to question our assumptions about the dark times in life. We tend to associate darkness with the absence of God, yet the season of Advent is all about the unseen workings of God in preparation for new life and new hope. This book explores the many gifts of God that can be found not only during this season, but also at those times in life when we feel engulfed in darkness.

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Book SynopsisIs your spiritual journey more like a trudge? Does the Church hinder more than it helps? Here is a warm, welcoming and realistic guide from an immensely popular author for all who may be feeling spiritually jaded. Whatever our circumstances, Companions of Christ shows us how to embark on a journey of the heart, starting wherever we happen to be and however fit or unfit for the journey we may feel. With the help of practical spiritual exercises throughout, Margaret Silf shows us how to keep faith despite the odds. This can be a major breakthrough for beginners and seasoned Christians alike, it includes practical teaching on great Ignatian themes: imaginative scriptural meditation, spiritual discernment, detachment and practical praying.Trade Review'Like Margaret Silf's other books, this is a warm, welcoming guide full of imaginative stories to be worked on slowly. The design and layout of the text encourages the reader to ponder and reflect upon questions and suggestions which are in boxed paragraphs to hold the attention. Helpful sections on prayer, listening and letting go are all part of the practical guidance on the journey of discovery to become ever more fully human while drawing closer to God. This is an excellent introduction to the main themes of Ignatian spirituality presented in an accessible manner.' -- Yvonne Walker * The Julian Meetings *'A Trinitarian with a strong belief in the power of the Holy Spirit, Margaret Silf resists anything that puts God in a box.(...) The book is about how to keep faith, despite the odds - and even despite the Church.' -- Pat Ashworth * Church Times *

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Book SynopsisA revised book of prayers parallel in format to Prayer at Night's Approaching, which focuses on time of day and season of year, on body and earth, creation, pilgrimage and everyday life, with questions for meditation. Prayer at Day's Dawning is a companion to Prayer at Night's Approaching and a successor to Prayer in the Morning. Both books express a concern that the language of our prayer should be both true to, and a fresh unfolding of, our inheritance. They aim to be inclusive, and to honour a variety of imagery for God. This book provides material for prayer for each day of the week, together with some variations for special days and seasons. In this convenient pocket-size edition the print is easy on the eye and there is a helpful ribbon in the hardback. The author has written an accessible 'How to use' section which demystifies the office, a form of prayer traditionally used in religious communities, by explaining clearly both the sequence and the use of psalms, prayers for special days and seasons, and the use of the scriptures. This way into praying is not overwhelming and should appeal both to the professional looking for new language and to the uncertain newcomer - inside and outside traditional church bounds.Table of ContentsPreface How to use this book Sources and Acknowledgements Preparing: Settling, Awakening Prayer at Day's Dawning: Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Openings, canticles and pilgrim psalms for special days and seasons Particular Prayers Additional Prayers

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Book SynopsisA complete resource for daily prayer, this volume has helped countless people develop a simple pattern of daily prayer based on a classic monastic structure and using striking contemporary language. Each outline provides for about 15 minutes of prayer, which can be extended by silence and reflection. For each day, there is an invocation, psalm, Gospel reading, the Lord’s Prayer, followed by prayers that lead into the rest of the day. It can be said in a group or read privately and includes thematic variations for each day of the week and each season of the Christian year. It features Jim Cotter’s arresting and beautiful paraphrases of the Psalms which draw out their meaning for today’s world and its needs. Beautifully produced in two colour printing and with a ribbon marker, music for each of the 150 Psalm responses is provided by the composer Paul Payton.

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