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My own faith journey has taken me from being a non-believer raised by secular parents to conversion to Christianity as an adult, where I was active for many years in a mainline Protestant denomination, including serving as an ordained pastor. I left that vocation five years ago, then joined the Catholic Church.
I have been influenced by many types of Christian writers, from orthodox to pietist, evangelical and Catholic.
There are of course many others as well that could be included. I place these books in my top ten reading list because they have made the greatest impression on me.
Confessions, St. Augustine
Practice of the Presence of God, Brother Lawrence
The Imitation of Christ, Thomas a Kempis
Orthodoxy, G. K. Chesterton
The Journals of John Wesley, John Wesley
The Seven Storey Mountain, Thomas Merton
A Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster
Interior Castle, Theresa of Avila
The Complete Works of E. M. Bounds on Prayer, E. M.Bounds
The Long Loneliness, Dorothy Day
“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.” — Psalm 68:19
During the past year I have experienced numerous instances of God’s grace at work in my life; in this journal I will attempt to record and reflect on how the this grace has come to me.
I have faced financial disaster, significant health problems, been on the brink of foreclosure and near bankruptcy; yet through all of these circumstances I have been able to find a way through them and the strength to keep going. Through it all I kept praying and praising God, and thanking him for answering my prayers even before I could see the answers.
I had a vision that I should move to another state where I could be close to my family. I did not know how I could do this, but I trusted that God would provide. I wrote out a vision statement and kept praying, seeking God’s help. I began to get ready to move by clearing things out so that I would not have so much stuff to move. I gave away carloads of items that I hauled to the Salvation Army thrift store. I was touched by the gratitude of the people for what I brought; being able to help others in need gave me joy.
I kept praying for God to bring the right buyer for my condo and thanking him for the offer I would receive. Many people came to look but none of them made an offer. I decided that I must move, and that I would do whatever was necessary to realize my vision. I just kept on packing and getting things moved out as much as possible, and we did lower the price a couple of times.
Finally I received a notice that I was in a grace period from the mortgage company before they started to foreclose. I still kept praying, asking for God to provide.
I just kept going in faith each day on what I thought I should do next. I decided I would have to get ready to move, and began working out the details of moving. Then a miracle happened, and a qualified buyer finally came forward with an offer, which called for having a closing within two weeks. My realtor said she didn’t believe they could do it, but they did.
About this time my children asked if I would be a nanny for my younger grandson after I moved, and I was able to get an apartment, just a few blocks from their home. Everything seemed to happen at once, and it has all worked out.
This amazing grace truly has been sufficient for me. Surely, God is able.
