You are invited to experience

the infinite Love of God

for yourself.

Your messy heart is welcome

at this table,

this banquet,

this feast.

Here, there is more than enough

to go around …

rest and grace and peace galore,

invisible riches beyond your imagination.

Here at this table,

your soul can finally open up

and receive

the infinite Light you’ve been longing for.

Here, Your Creator is waiting to untangle

the dark ties

that have been binding you…

Will you show up

and allow yourself to be healed?

Are you willing to be set free?

There’s a difference between knowing about God and fully experiencing his love for us.

Through contemplative prayer, we can predispose ourselves to receive the grace of personal encounter with the Living God, who has the power to radically transform our lives from the inside out.

When we practice contemplative prayer, we can speed up the most important journey of our lives, which takes us from the limitations of our heads into the vast openness of our hearts, where we can unite with the pure love of Christ and the “infinite possibilities born of faith” that St. Teresa of Avila described.

Ultimately, it’s Christ’s presence that melts away the divisive mindsets that cause so much suffering in our lives and the world. Through contemplative prayer, we can connect deeply with the pure peace of God that allows us to show His mercy, kindness, understanding and love toward ourselves others.

Through contemplative prayer, we can move beyond just seeking to get what we want from God and learn to seek Him for His own sake and glory, which is ultimately the most liberating way we can live on earth.

By the grace of God, I have been blessed with some powerful encounters with the Lord in prayer that have drawn me deep into a life of spirituality. Naturally, I want to share the gift of faith with others.

No matter how hard I pray or how much I know about God, I realize that I am ultimately powerless to perform miracles or give anyone a life changing personal encounter with the Lord. But, I can share what I know about faith with others and pray that He pours out His Spirit into the hearts of others, drawing them closer to His miraculous presence through the blessings and trials of their lives. That’s what Unite in Prayer is all about!

Though Everything I write on Unite in Prayer based on wisdom gained through study and experience in contemplative prayer, I am creating Contemplative Prayer Circle as a way to more directly share resources and information to help us cultivate a deep, authentic and lasting connection to God through prayer, along with a strong sense of community on our spiritual journeys that can be so challenging.

If you live in the Quad Cities, you can join this Contemplative Prayer Circle in person, though dates and location are yet to be determined. Otherwise, you can follow along online, and feel free to comment with questions or feedback. I’d love to hear what resources are helpful (or not-so-helpful) to you!

If you want to learn more, I encourage you to watch this 10 minute video “What is Contemplative Prayer, and Why is it so needed by Father Richard Rohr?”

What do you think? Would you like to spend time learning about contemplative prayer with a faithful group of fellow spiritual travelers? Would you like to open yourself up to a closer relationship with Your Heavenly Father through the practice of Contemplative Prayer? Comment below, and I’ll be delighted to answer any questions and keep you informed about Contemplative Prayer Circle as it develops.

God bless all those, who decide to join this Contemplative Prayer Circle. Please guide the process of pulling together powerful resources that can help us open up to receiving the grace of ever-deeper union with Christ through prayer. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.

Written by Nicky Gant for http://www.uniteinprayer.org