The Practice of the Presence of God

The combination of good friends, food and conversation is good for the soul. Often churches (including mine) organize small groups that meet throughout the week in people's homes to talk more about a sermon or study the bible and pray together. Groups like these are great and they can add great value, but this year, for a number of reasons, joining one just wasn't in the cards for me. 


But, that doesn't excuse me from community. And just letting community happen isn't enough either. We need to plan intentional times of community. Times to honestly share our lives with people who can know us, encourage us and hold us accountable. 


Enter the Christian Ladies' Book Club. It's a corny name. We know, but it's what we are. Five girl friends who get together once a month over lunch to discuss God and our lives and how the two of them intersect. We've just gotten started and yesterday was our first lunch together. Our book for October was The Practice of the Presense of God by Brother Lawrence. 

It was an interesting book. I didn't like it when I was reading it, but, with time and a little digesting, it's grown on me. Brother Lawrence talks a lot about how to engage with God all day no matter what you're doing - being constantly in conversation with God. What an awesome idea. The truth is that I often get so busy with work or play and I forget all about God outside of the few minutes I dedicate to him when I wake up or before I go to bed. It was a great reminder that He is always there, in everything I do. There isn't anything too trivial to bring God into. God is there in the quotidian everyday details of life and He'd love to share even the seemingly boring moments that make up most of our lives if we'd just invite him in.