My Soul Longs For You

"Contributors to this volume share how they welcome God's presence into their lives, as well as the theological language they use to think and speak about this presence. Chapters explore how we experience God through prayer, text study, poetry, food, music, service, movement, meditation, interpersonal connection, and much more"--

“My Soul Longs for You” contains 30 daily readings on the theme of the Christian’s longing and thirsting for more of God. Suitable for any time of year. Psalm 42: My God, I Thirst for You Day 1: Thirsting for God is Natural—and Necessary As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. (Psalm 42:1) What a beautiful picture from nature—a deer going down to the stream to drink. Nothing could be more natural than an animal’s desire to quench its thirst! It is equally as true for plants and humans as it is for the animals—water is essential for life. In Western countries, where most people have a reliable water supply connected to their homes, we have almost lost the understanding that without water, we die. But there are still many people in the majority world who travel great distances daily to find a source of water to survive. This helps us understand that the picture in this Psalm goes much deeper than mere thirst. The psalmist clearly saw that without God, he could not survive. God created everything in the beginning, and gives life to all living things. He breathed into Adam, who consequently became a living soul (Gen 2:7). Hence by nature, humankind cannot experience life without God. The tragedy of Adam’s disobedience in Eden was that humanity became separated from the source of its life, as sin broke our relationship with God. Jesus Christ came to forgive our sin, restore our relationship with God and reconnect us with the source of life. Thirsting for God is as natural—and necessary—as breathing! Prayer Lord, you created us in the beginning, and all life comes from you. We thank you for our Lord Jesus Christ, who has reconnected us with you, the source of true life. And we thank you for the desire that you have formed in our hearts, to continue to share that life with you. Our God, we thirst and long for you, and hunger to know you more. Amen.

A collection of poetry about how to become more open to God so as to grow in the spiritual life, "My Soul Longs for You, My God" is written in humility for every person in the world, for indeed each person has the capacity to experience the loving presence of God in his life. No matter how lost one may seem, God is still there, extending an invitation of love and compassion, mercy and peace to every person. There is nothing we can do to stop His love from coming, no sin to commit that is too heinous that He will not be there. This collection of poetry is written in the hope that more and more people will experience the love of God in their lives and therefore come to share that infinite love with all they meet. May God's will be done.

Because My Soul Longs for You seeks to answer one of the most enduring human questions: Where can we find God in our lives? While Jewish theologians have long pondered the "God question" from ethical and philosophical perspectives, the last century has made space for a more experiential theology: God is present in our lived experiences. Radical amazement, to use Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel's phrase, can be found in everyday life. Contributors to this volume share how they welcome God's presence into their lives, as well as the theological language they use to think and speak about this presence. Chapters explore how we experience God through prayer, text study, poetry, food, music, service, movement, meditation, interpersonal connection, and much more. Published by CCAR Press, a division of the Central Conference of American Rabbis

Satisfy your longing for a closer relationship with God. Jesus wants to give you a heart that burns for Him. This 40-day devotional invites you to discover the beauty of the Lord, the language of worship, the journey of intimacy, and fullness of life. Each day includes a Scripture reading, devotion, prayer, reflective question, and song recommendations. Let Jesus satisfy your soul. Devotions composed by 24 worship leaders and friends of the International House of Prayer. Featuring Justin Rizzo, Laura Hackett Park, Jon Thurlow, Matt Gilman, Joshua Aldy, Caleb Andrews, Robby Atwood, Michael and Becci Ball, Anna Blanc, Brenton Dowdy, Kendrian Dueck, Lauren Alexandria Dueck, Caleb Edwards, Lisa Gottschall, Johan Heinrichs, Veronika and Sebastian Lohmer, Brandon Oaks, Naomi Rizzo, Emi Sousa, Jim Stern, Jaye Thomas, and Luke Wood.

Many of us desire to have a closer relationship with God. In TOWARDS A CLOSER WALK WITH GOD, Trevor Hudson takes you on a forty-day journey, based on Jesus’ own words, which starts in the sixth chapter of Matthew and continues with the Sermon on the Mount.

Poet and author Luci Shaw guides you into a deeper understanding of how to cultivate the life of the soul in relationship to God. Water My Soul speaks of the interior life in images of garden and wilderness, seed and soil, watering and waiting-metaphors for the process that leads to the spouting of the seed, the greening of the leaf, and the eventual harvest of flower and fruit. This book speaks straight to the heart, helping you enjoy a lifelong partnership with God as you cultivate a rich inner life-a life characterized by growth in wisdom and godliness. "Luci Shaw is one of our best writers. Read this wonderful book, and for heaven's sake pick up some copies for your friends!" -Annie Dillard "Water My Soul is a profoundly rooted book that reminds us all to slow down, breathe deeply, and experience God at work. Luci Shaw displays the wisdom of a woman who has lived well and the child-like wonder of a believer who continues to discover new reasons to believe. This book will be a classic-a volume to be reread whenever life seems to spin out of control." -Dale Hanson Burke Publisher, Religion News Service

Lord, take my books and use them for Your glory, Each one might tell a different story. I write the things You put into my heart, And hope it will help someone get a new start. Bless each of these poems in a special way, That others might hear what You have to say. I tell of things that I feel inside, And I want to share my feelings far and wide. Keep sending the thoughts to me here below, And I will keep telling about the gifts You bestow. How Christ came down from above to show us the way, To be with Him in heaven some glorious day.