YOU'RE TROUBLED AND WORRIED,
YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO,
SO YOU SEEK GOD IN PRAYER
AND HE LISTENS TO YOU,
BUT YOU SELDOM PAUSE
TO LET GOD SPEAK-
YOU JUST WANT THE ANSWER
THAT YOU DESPERATELY SEEK...
AND AFTER YOU'VE PLEADED,
YOU DON'T GIVE GOD A CHANCE
TO DISCUSS THE BEST WAY
TO MEET YOUR CIRCUMSTANCE
AND YOU REALLY MISS
THE BEST PART OF PRAYER-
WHICH IS FEELING AND KNOWING
GOD'S PRESENCE IS THERE...
FOR SO FEW OF US LINGER
TO QUIETLY SHARE
THE "SILENT COMMUNION"
THAT FILLS THE AIR
IN WHICH GOD IS SPEAKING
AND TELLING US WHY
SOMETIMES THERE'S NO ANSWER
TO OUR IMMEDIATE CRY...
SO PAUSE FOR A WHILE
AND JUST SILENTLY WAIT
AND GIVE GOD A CHANCE
TO COMMUNICATE,
FOR TWO-WAY PRAYER
FORMS A JOYOUS RELATION
WHEN WE LISTEN TO GOD
IN "SHARED MEDITATION."

~~Helen Steiner Rice~~


DO NOT BE AFRAID TO THROW YOURSELF ON THE LORD! HE WILL NOT DRAW BACK AND LET YOU FALL! PUT YOUR WORRIES ASIDE AND THROW YOURSELF ON HIM; HE WILL WELCOME YOU AND HEAR YOU.

-ST. AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO-