Ordinary Graces

An essential collection of the deepest spiritual, religious, and psychological teachings of Christianity -- the fruit of two thousand years of inner experience and insight from Christians of all denominations and all walks of life. Ordinary Graces is divided into ten cycles of passages embodying the great themes of Christ's teachings, among them: coming into the presence of God or, as we call it now, the present; truly understanding who our neighbors are and learning to love each of...
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An essential collection of the deepest spiritual, religious, and psychological teachings of Christianity -- the fruit of two thousand years of inner experience and insight from Christians of all denominations and all walks of life. Ordinary Graces is divided into ten cycles of passages embodying the great themes of Christ's teachings, among them: coming into the presence of God or, as we call it now, the present; truly understanding who our neighbors are and learning to love each of them; acknowledging and praising the Creator; struggle, disappointment, and other obstacles; the power of faith; the intention and variety of prayer; and reaching an understanding of why we are living in these bodies. While each passage stands alone, the different voices call to one another across the centuries and over vast geographical and cultural divides. Some of the names will be familiar -- the Desert Fathers, Julian of  Norwich, C. S. Lewis, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Søren Kierkegaard, St. Teresa of Avila, Vincent van Gogh, John Donne, Thomas Merton, and Meister Eckhart -- but many of them will be new to readers. Lorraine Kisly has sought out not only unfamiliar passages by famous Christians, but also writers we may have overlooked. As each voice joins the chorus, our understanding of Christianity's inner tradition deepens, and we can see more clearly ways of incorporating its truths into our daily lives.