Yes, I pray and go to church and read my Bible. But sometimes I shake my fist at God. It's not the picture of peace I realize, and I certainly make no claims of wearing the armor of God. I'm lucky if I can get the underwear of decency on, all right?

But in the darkness of her room he was reminded that helplessness was often a portal to God, because rarely did the fragile, self-serving human pray for things in his complete control.

He also came to realize that he had been so busy attempting to do things for God he had not spent time enjoying fellowship with God.

What's been happening in your life lately? What's the greatest challenge in your life right now? What's the most significant thing happening in your life right now? You sound like you're carrying a heavy load. Is there any way I can help? How can I pray for you?

Only hour by hour gratitude is strong enough to overcome all temptations to resentment.

In my experience, if you are not radically grateful every day, resentment always takes over.

Faith for Jesus is the opposite of anxiety. If you are anxious, if you are trying to control everything, if you are worried about many things, you don't have faith, according to Jesus. You do not trust that God is good and on your side. You're trying to do it all yourself, lift yourself up by your own bootstraps.

You rest in God, not in outcomes.

But in this book, I use "prayer" as the umbrella word for any interior journeys or practices that allow you to experience faith, hope, and love within yourself.

Without an inner life, our outer prayer will soon become superficial, ego-centered, and even counterproductive on the spiritual path.

The unprayerful heart will always twist reality to its own liking.

Once your life has become a constant communion, you know that all the techniques, formulas, sacraments, and practices were just a dress rehearsal for the real thing—life itself—which can actually become a constant intentional prayer.