Dear Friend,

A New Commitment

The apostle Paul became a spiritual giant, but initially he was arrogant and filled with pride. Before his road to Damascus experience, he pursued the followers of the Way and held the garments of those who stoned Stephen to death. An experience of the Presence transformed him, and powerful insights into the spiritual life began to flow from his soul. None was more profound than his suggestion that we "pray without ceasing." Undoubtedly, Paul found that life is at its best when there is prayer.

Through the years, we have asked you, our fellow "friends of God," to join us in a commitment to a life of prayer. We have stressed that daily prayer is crucial to a spiritual life and that our lives are destined to flow from the divine center in the midst of us. Daily prayer transforms us. Imagine what will happen if we make a commitment to "pray without ceasing."

Thought Is Not Prayer

Some people say every thought is a prayer, and therefore we pray without ceasing. We do not believe this is true. Paul was not implying that by thinking we could fulfill his suggestion of eternal prayer.

Praying is not thinking; it is not something we do. Perhaps we are closer to the truth if we say prayer is something God does.

Prayer is an experience of the Presence. The Presence, our God, is not a thought, feeling, or image that we can hold in mind. Spirit may express itself through the human faculties of thinking, feeling, or imagination, but these are not the Creator. We are made in the image of pure Silence—beyond thought, feeling, and image. Figuratively, we could say that when spiritual insights fill our minds or when the peace that passes understanding floods our souls, God is praying, not us. We have encountered the Presence, and It is making Itself known in a way we can comprehend.

Those who believe that every thought is a prayer usually believe answered prayer comes when the body is healed, a better job is offered to us, or we find a new love. "Friends of God" believe answered prayer is a deepened relationship with the Presence that ultimately melds into conscious oneness with the One.

The First Step

Together let us make a commitment to the prayer that never ends. Our first step is to always be open to an experience of the Presence. Let there be a stillness about us—a listening and expectant attitude, a consciousness that is always willing to behold the. One in the formed and the formless…

Let the stillness of the morning remind us to begin the day in stillness.

May we have the vision to witness the sacred in simple things. Perhaps we might give attention to a small animal or plant and acknowledge it as the life of God being lived. Hold a stone in your hand and be willing to sense the Creator that brought it into being.

There is a story of a dying monastery. The monks treated one another with disdain. Where there was supposed to be mutual respect and divine love, there was resentment and separation. One day a bishop visited this "house of the Lord" and evaluated its condition. Prior to his departure, he informed each of the brothers that the Christ dwelt among them. The monks were shocked and began to look at one another differently. "Is he the One?" they would silently ask. Shortly, the brothers began to treat one another as if each was the Christ. The monastery was revived!

May we treat each person we meet as if he or she is the Christ.

Let stillness and silence be the beginning of every action we take in our professional lives. For instance, if we have an important telephone call to make or an interview to conduct, let a few minutes of silence be the beginning of such actions.

Basically, we are asking you to pray without ceasing. There is no greater challenge in spiritual living, but to begin this way of life is to finally attune ourselves to the divine plan. Soon, we will write you again with suggestions on how to let prayer be an eternal part of your life, but for now please understand that the beginning of this way of life is to let the various aspects of our human life begin in stillness. Sensitize your soul by pausing during the day to see if you can sense the Presence that is the foundation of all that is formed and formless. Ask the question of yourself, "What else would I see if I had eyes to see? What else would I hear if I had ears to hear?" Finally, pretend that each person you meet is the Christ. Be especially aware of those who wear the best human disguises. They can be the greatest blessing!

In Love We Journey With You,

Jim and Nancy