I'm not really sure what to say about this little book. I guess I was expecting some great revelation about how to be a better Christian but the basic message here is "practice the presence of God every day." Hmmm. That's a bit like opening a book and finding written inside, "This is a book. Read it." A magnificent and challenging book from an uneducated man who humbly set out to serve God, and spent his life in joy. His great disappointment was that he never got to suffer as he thought he deserved!

Entering the Presence of God | Book | Derek Prince Ministries Entering the Presence of God | Book | Derek Prince Ministries

Legendary Bible teacher Derek Prince shows the way to victorious intimacy with God. He explains how you can enter into the very presence of God to receive the spiritual, physical, and emotional blessings of true worship. Learn the secrets of: Brother Lawrence was born Nicolas Herman in Hériménil, near Lunéville in the region of Lorraine, located in modern day eastern France and as a young man went into the army due to his poverty. At the age of 18 he received what he felt was a revelation of the providence and power of God. He went on to fight in the Thirty Years' War and later served as a valet, but within six years joined the Discalced Carmelite Priory in Paris. If we are honest, many of us can think of God as our “magic genie” from time to time. We keep him on the shelf until troubles arise or there is something our neighbor has that we really want. The problem is, real relationships don’t work this way—especially with the triune God. The Lord over all will not be left on the shelf of anyone’s life. Perfect in that while it can be read in one hour; mastery of its central concept requires a lifetime. Well, at least for this soul ... and a very long lifetime at that. And I write that without the least trace of humility, remorse or even chagrin—as a simple statement of fact. Indeed, growth in virtue does require total commitment and extended preparation time. I'm on at least my seventh reading of this book and each has been a sincere attempt to take in the saint's simple way of constantly living in God's Holy Presence. I just pray I've made some progress! And once we KNOW - listening to Brother Lawrence - how to get there, we’ll finally be sure of Who we are and what our Purpose is.What Brother Lawrence teaches through Practice is that no matter where we are, or what we are doing, we can and should be in God's presence at all times. But how to achieve this state, you may well ask? Although he answers this question in many different ways throughout the book, probably the most clear-cut answer lies here:

The Practice of the Presence of God - Goodreads

This would be a five star book for the right person at the right time, I was just not that person or perhaps it was not the right time. Or was it? A classic of practical Christianity. Brother Lawrence's core insight is that if God is everywhere, we are always in his presence; so our difficulty is not so much in being "nearer" or "farther" at various points in life, but in being more and less aware of the divine presence due to busyness and other immediate distractions. Despite working as a cook, which kept him continuously busy, Brother Lawrence cultivated habits of mindfulness that he found practical to that end. Through a series of letters (possibly dictated) and conversations recorded by others, The Practice of the Presence of God and Spiritual Maxims preserves his insights and advice.Now, Aquinas said the pinnacle of all our spiritual experiences is to See God. Did Brother Lawrence achieve that height? The first section of the book consists of four dated conversations where Brother Lawrence describes what it is that led him to the realization that pursuing the Practice of the Presence of God was the best way, indeed the only way, to follow Christ. These are not conversations as most Americans today would categorize conversations, but more like Shakespearean soliloquies, with the little monk giving his thoughts on how he came to know that putting God first, last, and always, was the only way to live. That is Practice in a nutshell. I could stop writing here and you would have the book. Except that as simple as it is write or say such words, anyone who has really tried to live them knows, it is not that easy. I first read this book 26 years ago, and now I must atone for a grave injustice I did it at that time. I was asked to read it by an acquaintance, and I agreed with distaste: can any good come out of a book written by a Catholic monk? I asked my Presbyterian self. Accordingly my opinion when finished was that it was a book of no value. The presence of God is the concentration of the soul’s attention on God, remembering that He is always present.” This is a short but profoundly meditative read. Good stuff for mothers in a hurry who want to ponder a connection with God in the midst of busy days; also palatable for people going through a hard time to read little bits at a time and absorb them without charging through. Brother Lawrence didn't intend to write a book, and some concepts are a bit disjointed. But, he is consistent enough in his perspective and approach that the same themes work throughout his pastoral correspondence.