featured image
Book-Notes-720-x-340-dark-gold-outline-and-medium-blue-pen-_-Notes-light-blue-702x336 CatholicMom.com contributors Michele Faehnle and Emily Jaminet are known for their encouraging spiritual books for women, Divine Mercy for Moms and The Friendship Project (both from Ave Maria Press) and Our Friend Faustina (from Marian Press). They have teamed up once again to write Pray Fully, a practical guide to deepening your prayer life. Pray Fully: Simple Steps for Becoming a Woman of Prayer (Ave Maria Press) is written from that friend-to-friend point of view that Michele and Emily do so well. Taking turns chapter by chapter, they share their own stories of struggles and victories in prayer, offering advice based on what they've learned the hard way. Pray Fully The authors back up their own advice with saintly examples; each chapter has a section titled "Meet your Heavenly Friend," in which readers learn about the prayer lives and practices of Sts. Gemma Galgani, Teresa of Kolkata (Mother Teresa), Gianna Beretta Molla, Louis and Zélie Martin, Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein) and Margaret Mery Alacoque. Each chapter also includes a reflection by one of the authors, a "Let's Pray" section that explains a particular prayer practice, inspiring quotes from the saints, and a prayer prompt. Because prayer is not a one-size-fits-all experience, and our own prayer needs, opportunities, and preferences change, Michele and Emily outline several different approaches to prayer, along with providing the opportunity to explore each of them. These approaches include resting in Jesus' presence, lectio divina, making an examen, and creating a legacy of faith. They address the tough questions associated with unanswered prayers, and also discuss personal devotions such as dedication to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The final chapter offers meditations, reflections, and journaling space for readers to explore the various prayer approaches discussed in Pray Fully. You're not expected to do it all -- there's not enough time in the day to do it all -- but encouraged to find a way to add or deepen a prayer practice. Pray Fully would make an excellent Lenten spiritual read. Pray Fully Image created by the author in Stencil.com using free elements.[/caption]

Visit our Book Notes archive.


Copyright 2020 Barb Szyszkiewicz, OFS This article contains Amazon affiliate links; your purchases through these links benefit the author.