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Simplicity of God's grace at work in ongoing prayer...,

This is a lovely and well designed book that leads the reader into a special appreciation of what becomes of simple presence and prayer to God. Brother Lawrence is an uncomplicated man who performs work in the kitchen and finds a relationship with God through his constant prayer life. Like an unveiling of some mystery that once displayed is no mystery, "The Practice of the Presence of God" is both story and book of instruction for the seeker. The version of the book published by Paraclete Press of Brewster, Massachussets "...includes his Spiritual Maxims, biographical material, and the familiar letters and conversations."

This book is a classic and the version here is part of a series called "Christian Classics." If in your lifetime, and that's a big statement, you have time for a lovely book that you can say "I read," and one which you will enjoy for its faith and simplicity of heart, read this book. It is a lovely set of writings-not so hard to read.

Under the section, towards the end of this well translated book (translated by Robert J. Edmonson) I found a good quote from the section, "The Means of Acquiring the Presence of God:" "As time and much labor are necessary to acquire this practice, we must not be discouraged when we fail in it, because the habit is formed only with difficulty; but when it is formed, everything we do we will do with pleasure." So this charming man from the past, who lived in the presence of God, tells us that living in God's presence is a pleasure.

Is this practice a matter of the mind and even the will. Apparently, it takes some discipline and mostly a kind of keen desire, a yearning for the Lord. It is within ones reach in this modern world. A word of advice from the "Fourth Conversation, November 25, 1667:" "He told me that its essence is renouncing once and for all everyting we recognize as not tending toward God, in order to accustom ourselves to the continual conversation with Him without a lot of head knowledge." The reader is instructed to recognize God's intimate presence "within us and speak to Him every moment..." One asks for God's help in this.

There is a Eulogy for Brother Lawrence in the book, and it quotes Brother Lawrence as having said in his lifetime, "O faith! O faith! O admirable virtue that illuminates the spirit of man..." One learns about faith in this book, and in its simplicity and directness of manner the reader can be mislead that Brother Lawrence act

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