by 7 people |
A Feast for the Soul
This lens is dedicated to those who want to GAIN WEIGHT - the weight of glory.
This is a simple list of resources on prayer which I've been sending to friends around the world. I've been trekking through the maze of information on prayer, faith, spirituality etc, and going from link to link to link for quite some time. Eventually, I found a way of saving time and energy: I searched for the friends of my favorite authors. Some of them are several hundred years old. See if you can keep pace with these old friends of ours.
Thank you for visiting my lens!
What's on the menu?
Ask and Listen Well
My usual approach to putting things together is like the way I assemble any gadget. I don't read the instructions. No matter how many times I try to read the instructions first, I just can't. Most times I get by with this 'hands on first' approach. But as life will have it, not all things work that way. Instructions are a big help.
If gaining weight (of glory) is your intention, you will just have to watch and listen closely to the Master Chef to know what to do.
I state the obvious when I say that this is more than just a working relationship with the Master Chef. HE wants everything with us. And you've heard yourself say "I've really got to take time off to relax and take stock."
Stop and listen.
- Be present to yourself.
There's really no one else there with you in that space and time other than God. - Be free. Who are you? It starts with what you know about yourself. Accept yourself for who you are at this moment. There's no point in being someone else: like "I should be this or that."
- Distractions? Who doesn't have them?
- Hearing is not listening. Neither is listening the same as reading in between the lines. How many times have you made assumptions of words you heard? You understood the words based on your experience, expectations, and perceptions. Ask HIM what the words mean.
- Listening is an attempt to 'see' the other person's experience as he describes it; to understand his words according his experience, expectations, and perceptions; what he means and not what you think he means. Why can't we do this? Go back to #1 and #2.
- More distractions? Who doesn't have more of them?
- ASK. Why not try:
What am I grateful for?
Where did I notice God today?
What feeling seems to be the strongest in me right now?
Where is this leading me in prayer?
HE will do the rest.
- Refresh and Retreat
- One sentence distills the wisdom of a lifetime: love one another.
Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is, than falling in love in a quite absolute, final way.What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything. It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning, what you will do with your evenings, how you will spend your weekends, what you read, who you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.
Fall in love, stay in love and it will decide everything.
The Budget Menu
To whet your appetite for a greater spiritual hunger
- 12 Ways to Know God
- A neat little list. If we have neglected any of these ways, it would be an excellent idea to explore them.
- Prayer as Relationship
- We know instinctively, even if we hadn't ever put it into words, that a key relationship in our life is a matter of the heart.
- Interview with God
- Inspired by art and music? Look out for link below How to pray with art.
- One thing necessary
- "...when I was about six or seven, I think. It was the first important conscious discovery I ever made, and I don't think I have ever had a more mature or wiser thought than that one."
- Awakening to Prayer
- Excerpts of the book, as well as other books, are in Book Peeks: A Grain of Salt
- Prayer for Beginners
- What do I have to do to listen well? (20min audio)
Speaker Dr Peter Kreeft says that he's a good theologian but a lousy pray-er. He doesn't believe in doing audios by just reading out excerpts from his books. If you like what you hear, read his book listed below - Prayer for beginners. Source: www.peterkreeft.com - His Word - What does God say?
- "To get to God, it's not what you know but who you know."
"The habit of simplifying your life is necessary for sanity." (20min audio) Source: www.peterkreeft.com - Covenant Love: More on God's Word
- "Covenant" is the master concept that unlocks the meaning of the Bible. The Bible tells the story of God the Father's love for His children and His plan to fashion all people into one holy family.
- God made you great. Stay great.
- Young people! A daily prayer reflection site for you - Inspirational stories and affirmations created for and with young people. Short, sharp, and crisp.
- The language of God - retreat in everyday life
- Learning the language of God in our hearts and in every day life is part of the graces offered us in this daily retreat.
- Do your own scripture study with e-Sword. Really GOOD tool
- e-Sword is feature rich and FREE: All the available Bibles, commentaries and dictionaries are readily viewed; create your own "parallel Bible" with up to any four translations; easily compare the various translations to see how they rendered the Greek or Hebrew manuscripts, etc.
Real Deal Meal
Faith food that will keep you going for a long time.
Some of these books have been with me for light years and have not been revised for the longest time! Goes to show the timelessness and beauty of these words. In Genesis, God SAID: His Word is the greatest beauty the world has ever seen. "Eating keeps your body alive, and prayer keeps your soul alive..."~Peter Kreeft
Work up the appetite
Speak, Lord, Your Servant Is Listening: A Daily Guide to Scriptural Prayer
This was the first book I used when I started on scriptural prayer with a resolve to listen. The book is based broadly on the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises. A very nice start to prayer life. Really.
Amazon Price: $6.99 (as of 11/20/2009) 
List Price: $6.99
Prayer for Beginners
A book for busy people. Practical. Peter says he is a lousy pray-er even if he can write books on philosophy and theology.
Amazon Price: $9.95 (as of 11/20/2009)
List Price: $9.95
Prayer Primer : Igniting a Fire Within
"It is extraordinary that the Creator of billions of huge galaxies, each of which on average contains more billions of enormous suns, should descend to the tiny detail of telling us to 'close the door' of our prayer place," he writes. "This is an awesome tribute to our individual importance and that of communing with the Father: We and our prayer are more splendid than all the galaxies taken together!"
Amazon Price: $8.79 (as of 11/20/2009)
List Price: $10.99
You Can Understand The Bible: A Practical And Illuminating Guide To Each Book In The Bible
"Most people think that contemplative prayer is the most difficult. The best way to do contemplative prayer is to do verbal prayer better. Verbal prayer is the way to begin and the bible is the best way to do that. Pray the scriptures."
Amazon Price: $11.53 (as of 11/20/2009)
List Price: $16.95
The Practice of the Presence of God
This is a classic. Br Lawrence was not an intellectual. In fact, he spent almost all of his life working in the kitchen and as a sandals repairer in his later years. But this book of his became popular among Catholics and Protestants alike, with John Wesley and A. W. Tozer being among those who recommended it.
I have excerpts in Book Peeks: A Grain of Salt
Amazon Price: (as of 11/20/2009)
List Price: $9.95
The Feast to come
The Fulfillment of All Desire
This book may be a little challenging in the sense that it's some 400 pages long. But it's a blueprint I wished I had earlier on to guide me through the writings of these 7 doctors of the church and in prayer. Ralph makes them truly accessible to us. I've had the benefit of listening to Ralph's lectures on his saint friends over the years and and he speaks of them like you would of old friends. I truly believe that they can be your friends, too. They are my friends now.
If you want the CDs, go to Renewal Ministries
Amazon Price: $12.20 (as of 11/20/2009)
List Price: $17.95
Used Price: $8.95
The Friend of the Bridegroom
I got stuck somewhere in the writings of John of the Cross and this little book was one of the guides that helped me get unstuck. It's easy reading.
Amazon Price: $12.95 (as of 11/20/2009)
List Price: $12.95
Used Price: $3.71
Awakening to Prayer
"True prayer consists neither in the number of words nor in the length of time we spend in meditation. If we wish to know whether our prayer is authentic, let us first examine our love for our neighbor. Is it not rather fickle?"
Amazon Price: $8.95 (as of 11/20/2009)
List Price: $8.95
Used Price: $4.84
God of Surprises
Amazon Price: $12.24 (as of 11/20/2009)
List Price: $18.00
Used Price: $6.73
Jesus of Nazareth
Read the whole book, listened to the audio files. I'm still not really done with it.
Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 11/20/2009)
List Price: $14.95
Used Price: $9.00
Rich...still, only a taster for what is to come
The Love of God and Spiritual Friendship
This edition appears to be the same one I've been reading for the past 15 years. In the preface, Dr James M Houston writes: Many Christians today have no sense of the past. If the Reformation is important to them, they jump from the apostolic Church to the 16th century, forgetting some 14 centuries of the work of the Holy Spirit.
Bernard of Clairvaux, a 12th century monk, is a doctor of the church. He was a man of great holiness and wisdom, and although often in very poor health, he was very active: A prolific inspiring writer; he strongly opposed the luxurious lives of some of the clergy, and fought against the persecution of the Jews.
The Church is always being renewed. If Bernard, so often ill, could take a leading part in this renewal, what excuse do we have? Read an excerpt from this book: Friends on a Journey
Amazon Price: (as of 11/20/2009)
List Price: $15.99
On Loving God (Cistercian Fathers Series)
I've read this. What struck me was the 4 degrees of love:
1) Man loves himself for his own sake
2) Man loves God for his own blessing
3) Man loves God for God's own sake
4) Man loves himself for God's sake
Bernard of Clairvaux was born near Dijon, in France, in 1090, of a noble family. In 1112 he joined the new monastery at Cîteaux. He was only 22. Not only did he bring along with him his uncle and 4 of his 5 brothers, he also brought 25 other friends to accompany him in this new way of life. He must have been quite the friend to have. Within three years he was sent out to found a new monastery at Clairvaux, in Champagne, where he remained abbot for the rest of his life. By the time of his death, the Cistercian Order had grown from one house to 343, of which 68 were daughter houses of Clairvaux itself.
Amazon Price: $11.53 (as of 11/20/2009)
List Price: $16.95
The Collected Works of Saint John of the Cross
My longtime prayer companion who has taught me so much about listening.
Amazon Price: $13.64 (as of 11/20/2009)
List Price: $18.95
Christian Perfection and Contemplation: According to St. Thomas Aquinas and St. John of the Cross
Thomas Aquinas meets John of the Cross. This book is so NOT for beginners. I was ready for the 1st 3 chapters which were rich in teaching and inspiration but I was not ready for the rest of the chapters.However, I will put out excerpts of those chapters in A Grain of Salt soon. So if you're up to it, go for the whole book!
Amazon Price: $15.75 (as of 11/20/2009)
List Price: $21.00
More places to feast at
Let me know what you think of these links by voting them up or down. Better yet give your suggestions by adding a link.
More food for thought at A Grain of Salt and Friends on a Journey
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Online Retreat in Everyday Life
0 points
prayerwindows.com
How to pray with art.0 points
The Official Peter Kreeft Site
Peter Kreeft, Ph.D., is a professor of philosophy more...0 points
Interview With God
View free inspirational Flash movie presentations. more...0 points
staygreat - Mark Link
Created FOR and WITH young people-Daily devotions more...0 points
Daily Reflection Calendar
From the people at Online Retreat in Everyday Life0 points
More food for thought
Fetching RSS feed... please stand by Fetching RSS feed... please stand byIt's my turn to Listen
So please sign in my Guest Book
Do leave me a note if you have found this lens helpful or if you know of other sites that have helped you discover the beauty of gaining weight (of glory).
I'll be adding more excerpts and audios so check in on me soon.
I look forward to hearing from you.
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- Margaret_Schaut Margaret_Schaut May 7, 2008 @ 4:39 pm
- Very interesting approach! Wecome to the Catholic Group!
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- Senora_M Senora_M Jan 21, 2008 @ 8:54 am
- This is great--I love it! Thanks for sharing!! 5*s and a lensroll!!
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- yohanna yohanna Sep 10, 2007 @ 3:53 am
- Thanks for the inspiration
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- gods_grace_notes gods_grace_notes Aug 21, 2007 @ 7:26 am
- I LOVE this lens! I will definitely be perusing more of your works...thanks for the inspiration! I really LOVE the concept of gaining the weight of GLORY, what an awesome package to be blessed to carry. In Him, Connie...aka Squid Angel 5 stars
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- rebecca rebecca Aug 16, 2007 @ 8:15 am
- it's interesting and very Professional and really Impressive - as mummy says - er....... teach me...teach me........
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- Forgiven Forgiven Aug 7, 2007 @ 10:33 am
- GREAT lens! 5 Stars, an add to favs and a welcome to CDI!
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- prisca prisca Jul 31, 2007 @ 10:35 am
- very interesting indeed. Would want to spend more time on it to savour as much as possible of what is on the menu..... thanks!
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- karenk karenk Jul 29, 2007 @ 8:51 pm
- I like it!
- Reply
by bluesalt
Hello, I've been trawling the internet for a long time looking for free resources to feed my faith. It's become a hobby of mine to search and review l...
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