Prayer

I have been s-l-o-w-l-y reading through "The Way of the Heart" by Henri Nouwen. It's a small book, but some of the content is beyond my grasp. It's about the Desert Fathers and Mothers (monks and nuns) who went out into the desert of Africa for solitude, silence, and prayer. And through those three things they were able to connect with God on a deeper level. They were much sought after for their advice.

Here are some cool ideas about Prayer.

1)The prayer of the heart is nurtured by short, simple prayers.
- Fancy words are not needed and can be distracting.

2) The prayer of the heart is unceasing.
-Since prayers are simple, one can pray one prayer repeatedly during work, play, etc. If one gives to a neighbor/charity in need, that neighbor/charity will continue the prayer on your behalf while you are sleeping.

3) The prayer of the heart is all-inclusive.
- "Through prayer we can carry in our heart all human pain and sorrow, all conflicts and agonies, all torture and war, all hunger, loneliness, and misery, not because of some great psychological or emotional capacity, but because God's heart has become one with ours."

~Lori