Chapter 1 of Open Mind, Open Heart begins with one of my favorite quotes from Thomas Keating:
Contemplative prayer is powerful because, in a sense, we say:
“Here I am, God.”
“Do whatever you please with me.”
“Pray in me what only you know I need most.”
When I reflect on how God has transformed me since I began practicing centering prayer in June 2014, I feel both amazed and deeply grateful.
My life has changed.
Want help starting a Centering Prayer practice?
If you feel drawn to go deeper, I created a free Centering Prayer ebook to help you begin.
It’s simple, practical, and will help you start sitting in silence with God.
You’ll also receive my weekly meditation email with reflections and encouragement for the journey.
Below are just a few of the things that come to mind. There are many more.
I am better at listening and giving people the space they need.
I listen to understand, not to plan my response.
I am more patient as I respond to the ups and downs of life.
I am better able to discern when to be patient, when to act, and when not to act because I am not the right person to act.
I find myself wanting to help and serve others through small daily acts of kindness.
My website, Silence Teaches, began in 2015 because I wanted to share the power of centering prayer. I simply wanted to do my part to help spread the word.
It began with a weekly meditation.
Later, I added a coaching page because I wanted to help others open themselves to the presence and action of God within, and to live more fully from their true self.
I added a Resources page to share tools and practices that have helped me along the way.
When Sitting with God was published in August 2020, I added an About the Books page.
I had never written anything longer than ten pages before, and now I had written a book of nearly 300 pages.
I believed the book could help others.
I’m also excited to share that my second book is now completed. I look forward to sharing it with you in mid-to-late 2026 as I work with my publisher to bring it into the world.
I continue appearing on podcasts, more than 150 and counting, because I want to share the power of centering prayer, how God has healed and transformed me, and how God can do the same for you if you have the courage and discipline to sit with God each day.
Over time I have also added other practices that have helped me greatly: journaling, affirmations, gratitude, and visualization.
I share these practices as well, in case they may help you.
Often, I journal about dreams and goals that I sense God has prayed within me during my centering prayer sits.
I trust God during this journaling practice.
Then I partner with God as I begin to act on these dreams and goals.
And I continue looking forward to the great adventures and infinite possibilities that Thomas Keating speaks about.
If you feel even a small nudge to sit with God in silence, I encourage you to trust it, you may be standing at the beginning of your own great adventure.
I recently moved my email newsletter to Kit and have really been enjoying it. If you’re an author, coach, or creator looking for a simple way to grow your audience, you can learn more about Kit here.
this email contains affiliate links
