Lisa Notes: God’s presence through Brother Lawrence and Alexander

God’s presence through Brother Lawrence and Alexander

Every few years I reread The Practice of the Presence of God. It’s one of my top 10 life-changing Books.

Why?

Because I need reminding to be like a little child and relish God’s protection over me everywhere I go.

And I need reminding that God is in the ordinary as much as the miraculous.

Even my ordinary. In the kitchen scrubbing pots. In my CRV between Walmart and home. On the beach in Gulf Shores.

Definitely on the beach. And it’s my privilege and duty to seek him there.

Last weekend I finished The Practice of the Presence of God (again) and I celebrated my nephew’s vows with his wife (again) on the beach.

God was present.

So using the words from Brother Lawrence, who wrote from his monastery in Paris in the 1600s, and using the pictures from Jenna of my great-nephew Alexander, see if you, too, can revel in a child’s wonder of life and God, and can clearly see the Extraordinary in the ordinary.

1. Faith, Hope, Love

All things are possible to him who believes. They are less difficult to him who hopes. They are more easy to him who loves, and still more easy to him who perseveres in the practice of these three virtues.

2. A torrent of blessings

But when He finds a soul penetrated with a lively faith, He pours into it His graces and favors plentifully.

There they flow like a torrent, which, after being forcibly stopped against its ordinary course, when it has found a passage, spreads itself with impetuosity and abundance.

3. Delight in God

The end we ought to propose to ourselves is to become, in this life, the most perfect worshippers of God we can possibly be, and as we hope to be through all eternity.

4. He hears your cries

You need not cry very loud. He is nearer to us than we are aware.

...I do not pray that you may be delivered from your pains; but I pray earnestly that God gives you strength and patience to bear them as long as He pleases.

5. Live to know

Do not forget Him but think on Him often. Adore Him continually. Live and die with Him. This is the glorious work of a Christian; in a word, this is our profession. If we do not know it, we must learn it.

...Let all our efforts be to know God. The more one knows Him, the greater one desires to know Him.

* * *

When have you been most aware of God’s presence this week?

Comments (34)

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jerigodsdreamsforme 59p · 704 weeks ago

This is wonderful Lisa! I love the words and the photos. My moment with God was about a week ago and in the middle of the craziest hour of that morning. He just brought me to a pause and it was calming. I'm craving that calm every time it gets a little chaotic and it truly helps.
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1 reply · active 703 weeks ago

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Lisa notes 103p · 703 weeks ago

Ah, moments like that are special, aren't they? I'm so thankful that the Lord knows how to meet us just how we need, both in our most desperate moments as well as in the more ordinary hum-drum moments.

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Dianna · 704 weeks ago

Heading out to occupational therapy this week I was a bit "down"...nothing really that I could put my finger on as to the reason why. My therapist is also a follower of Jesus...such a blessing she is at 26 years of age! We always have a good time of fellowship while I do my therapy...her right there cheering me on. I don't even remember what it was that I said toward the end of the session, but she stood up and ended the session with, "God is good!" We both walked back through the center with huge smiles on our faces. I walked to the car with a lighter step. On the way home I realized His presence so sweetly. The reason I couldn't my finger on for being "down" was now plain to me...I hadn't been practicing His presence. It has really alerted me to wondering just how often I allow that happen without even realizing it.

Thank you, Lisa, for this precious post. I've now another book to add to my "wish list"... Care to share your other 9 books on your top 10 list?

1 reply · active 703 weeks ago

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Lisa notes 103p · 703 weeks ago

Dianna,
I love this story. What a blessing your therapist must be to you, and you must be to her.

It’s so interesting to me that even though I know God is always with us, we still need to make ourselves aware of it. Brother Lawrence who wrote this book had a very good knack of doing that. The book is actually a series of letters that he wrote to other people. It’s very short. I have a paperback, but for this reading I downloaded it free on-line and put it on my Kindle.

My other top books are: The Bible, Desiring God, Celebration of Discipline, The Search for Significance, Men and Women, Forgive and Forget, Free in Christ, Lies Women Believe, and Face to Face. It was really hard making that list, and I’d probably add or delete others, depending on any given day, but these books have definitely influenced me.

Hope you have a great weekend, friend!

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hazelintheglen 19p · 703 weeks ago

Look! "Three men and a baby." Only more beautiful than the film. This is another good read to welcome the weekend. Thanks, Lisa.
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1 reply · active 703 weeks ago

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Lisa notes 103p · 703 weeks ago

I didn’t think about Three Men and a Baby, but yes, definitely so. Ha. The man in the middle is my nephew and Alexander is his son.

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Carrie, ReadingtK · 703 weeks ago

A torrent of blessings. I like that.

What a wonderful ceremony it sounds like was re-lived and witnessed (again.) Love that!

Have a great weekend!

1 reply · active 703 weeks ago

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Lisa notes 103p · 703 weeks ago

It was a fun ceremony. I’ve never been to a beach wedding (or vow renewal) at all. It was SO windy that day so I’ve forbidden any pictures of me to be shown because my hair was massively crazy. Ha.

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barbarah 65p · 703 weeks ago

The three men in the op photo look like they could be triplets! And what an absolute cutie your grand-nephew is!

That's a book I have heard about for many years but have never read yet.
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Lisa notes 103p · 703 weeks ago

I don’t know how well the picture captures it, but the two guys on each end in particular favored to me. But no relation.

Yes, little Alexander steals the show everywhere he goes. We think he hung the moon. Jenna got a great picture of everybody on the other side of the camera trying to make Alexander laugh during the official photo ops. It’s pretty funny.

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lnbseattle 24p · 703 weeks ago

What beautiful photographs! Oh...it might be time for me to re-read that great book. So much to be thankful for and enjoy in our relationship with God. Blessings on your weekend.

1 reply · active 703 weeks ago

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Lisa notes 103p · 703 weeks ago

Another thing I love about re-reading the book is that is that it’s no great time commitment since it’s so short. But it packs a punch that stays with me for awhile. Hope you have a great weekend, too.

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Jerri · 703 weeks ago

I love The Practice of the Presence of God! Thank you for sharing, it reminded me of how I need to reread it. My goal is to be "the most perfect worshippers of God we can possibly be" as you said so eloquently.

I adore all the photos of your great nephew - especially the one with the oatmeal on his chin!
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Lisa notes 103p · 703 weeks ago

Isn’t it a great book? Glad you love it too. All these quotes are from the book.

And now I’m feeling guilty…it wasn’t oatmeal we were feeding little Alexander—it was cake with lots of icing. Ha. He would have been better off with oatmeal, but oh well. Aunt, not mother. :-)

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sethcaddell 63p · 703 weeks ago

Such a beautiful connection between Practice of the Presence and the pictures. Love it. Never read the book in that light before, maybe next time I work through it I'll have to put on those glasses.

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Lisa notes 103p · 703 weeks ago

I think one of the great things about reading books like The Practice of the Presence is that it meets us in whatever season we're in. Perhaps that's why I keep feeling compelled to read it every few years, as my own seasons change.

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Bonnie Coates · 703 weeks ago

We had a blessed day with sunshine and family and friends. I am so happy that Drew and Erica could share with us a day to remember to renew their vows. Of course I love the photos of my Grandson, Alexander. Thanks to Jenna for some really good pictures. I didh't bring my camera to the beach. The extreme winds made for such a beautiful hair day!! What a laugh!! I will have to wear a bandana next time!! I will have to checkout the book you recommended. Have a good weekend and enjoy the great outdoors!! A week goes by so fast!!! Love, Bonnie

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Lisa notes 103p · 703 weeks ago

It was definitely a special day. We felt very blessed to be a part of it. You looked great in all the pictures, Bonnie. But me? I made Jenna delete the one I saw with my wind-blown hair. Ha.

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Willow · 703 weeks ago

I too think it's time to reread Brother Andrew again. I'm currently still reading Freedom of Simplicity by Richard Foster. And our Sunday night Bible study group is reading a book about living in all the moments in communication with God. I'm thinking this may be my theme for the year as it keeps coming up!

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Lisa notes 103p · 703 weeks ago

Willow,
Freedom of Simplicity is another book on my shelf that I love. I started reading Richard Foster several years ago and really connected with his style of writing and his content. He’s a no-fluff kind of guy; I like that.

It does sound like God may be giving you a theme! It makes it easier when He reveals things to us that way. I’m paying close attention this time of year too for what I need to choose as spiritual resolutions for 2012. (Where has this year gone???)

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faith · 703 weeks ago

This was great! i read thru that book once...or most of it....and had to return it to the person i borrowed it from and never did finish! i need to look for that again....i also wrote about faith, hope and love earlier this week in a post.....love all these pics, too! have a blessed weekend!!!

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Lisa notes 103p · 703 weeks ago

Faith,
There are lots of free versions of it on-line if you want to get it that way. I downloaded one then loaded it on my Kindle. I’m all about free when possible. :-)

I’ve had faith, hope, and love on my mind a lot this week too, studying 1 Corinthians 13. Pretty good material for us to be thinking about. Hope you have a great weekend too!

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tinuviel · 703 weeks ago

Allen is just rereading this, so the timing of your post is interesting. My favorite quote among so many great ones is this: "The end we ought to propose to ourselves is to become, in this life, the most perfect worshippers of God we can possibly be, and as we hope to be through all eternity." Yes. So simple, yet a lifelong challenge.

Thanks for these reminders. May God grant you a wonderful weekend. It appears from your Twitter feed it's starting off on the right foot.
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Lisa notes 103p · 703 weeks ago

That is interesting timing, Christina. And it’s also interesting to me that so many people who read this book go back later and reread it. I don’t do that with very many books myself, but this one keeps calling me back.

That quote is one of my favorites too: I want to be the best worshiper I can be. It’s something we can carry on forever and ever.

Yes, my weekend is off to a nice, quiet start. :-) It may change tomorrow, but today has been very restful. Hope you have a blessed weekend yourself!

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nikkipolani 18p · 703 weeks ago

I love the way you've illustrated each point with Alexander's darling expressions. I so agree with you the need to build that appetite for God.

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Julie · 703 weeks ago

Ah!...I love it...another sharing of a common love that you and I have...That book has also changed my life more than I can say...sometimes I had to read through one paragraph 3 or 4 times and chew it to break it apart and really "get it" when I first started reading it back around 2000...but since then - it has become more and more familiar and the words just fit and wrap around my heart and I feel warmed by the sincerest of thoughts and words that came from the soul of this man...truly I have become a whisperer and conversationalist with God all day every day because of this book...I DO love it. Thanks for a wonderful post and it is good to be typing a comment from Iowa...God IS Good... {{HUGS}}
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Lisa notes 103p · 703 weeks ago

Julie,
I’m glad we share another common bond here with the book. I don’t remember when I first read it, but it continues to grow with me each time I read it. I understand what you mean by a “conversationalist with God” all day. I don’t think about prayer in terms of stopping and starting; it just kind of flows throughout my consciousness. And I think practicing the presence of God through the years has really contributed to that. So thankful for God’s grace.

It’s nice to see you blogging straight from Iowa now, reunited with your man! Yes, God is good.
Blessings, friend!

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Gattina · 703 weeks ago

Your little grandnephew is such a cute little boy !
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Susanne · 703 weeks ago

What a beautiful fave five and what a beautiful baby! I love the the 3rd quote.

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susan2009 26p · 703 weeks ago

This book is also a life-impacting book for me as well. It is amazing how life takes on a worshipful attitude when I look for God in the ordinary.

I love how you inter-spaced your list with ordinary-moments photos. It would make a cool scrapbook page.

My fave ordinary moment is #4: "He hears your cries ... do not pray that you may be delivered from your pains; but I pray earnestly that God gives you strength and patience to bear them as long as He pleases."

This is also my prayer because I know many are watching to see how I handle life. And I wish that others would see how personal and powerful God is to those He loves. And that they too can experience Him in their daily lives. Thanks for reminding me of this book and its many applications.

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Lisa notes 103p · 703 weeks ago

Looking for God in the ordinary really, really makes a difference for me, too, Susan. You have a great attitude of awareness and care how others are watching you. If more of us thought like that, we'd probably live a little wiser and more godly.

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Brenda · 703 weeks ago

Beautiful post, I have not read Practicing The Presence for a long time but you are inspiring me to read it again.

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Catherine · 703 weeks ago

I love this post. Your thoughts, and the photos go so beautifully together. It's probably not fair to answer this only a few hours after attending mass. I am Catholic, and when the priest says the prayers of consecration, I am always moved, often to tears.
Outside of the church,and in ordinary life, God whispered hello on a day that I was missing my father. I had been thinking about him for only a moment when the song he always sang to me came on the radio.
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Lisa notes 103p · 703 weeks ago

I’m not sure what the prayers of consecration are—I should look them up!—but it sounds like a good thing if it moves you in that way.

I was thinking about how many people have been blessed through the words of Brother Lawrence. He came from the Catholic tradition so thanks for sharing him with us. ;-)

What a sweet blessing from the Lord to send you the song you needed to remind you of your dad. My sister always thinks of my dad when she sees cardinals and has often relayed stories of seeing them at special moments.

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