Pray. Think. Act.

Courtney Vallejo reviews Father Augustine J. Wetta, O.S.B.'s new book about prayerful decision making.

Decision making, I think, is one of the hardest conundrums in life. How can I know what to do? Whom do I listen to? How do I know who will have the best information? How can I know I’m doing God’s will? These questions have troubled humanity for centuries. Father J. Augustine Wetta, O.S.B.’s book Pray. Think. Act: Make Better Decisions with the Desert Fathers is an enlightening book full of humor, easy to understand advise and simple examples that eloquently drive home the point.

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My husband is in the process of applying for new jobs, so I jumped at the chance to read this book when I saw the title about decision making! I thought maybe I could find some good advice to share with my husband. Instead, of course, I found better ways to help myself make decisions. I was initially struck by the humorous way that Fr. Wetta discusses the topic. Surprisingly, there is also humorous art included to add entertainment throughout the process. 

Fr. Augustine bring in the Desert Fathers by beginning each chapter with a story that has been passed down from these early churchmen. The monks are known for answering life’s questions with a story, similar I felt like to a parable, with rich examples that were not blatantly obvious but actually left me with a better understanding of the question’s answer than just the simple words of the answer.

Such wealth and knowledge about the challenging process of decision making, is given in this short book. It’s an easy and quick read, perfect for any busy mom who has just a moment at a time, to pick up a book and read a quick bit of information. Easily digestible, it will bring both humor and clarity to the best ways to go about making important decisions.

I even feel like this is a good read for those who are not currently making life-changing decisions, but rather focused on the day-to-day that can sometimes also seem overwhelming. The truths Father Wetta shares, and the steps of discernment, can work in all situations and perhaps even help to make those smaller decisions easier and faster.

Ask for Pray. Think. Act. at your local Catholic bookseller, or order online from Amazon.com or the publisher, Ignatius Press.

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