One of the most influential books I have ever read was “The Practice of the Presence of God” by Brother Lawrence. You can find it on Amazon or any local bookstore or the library. The book is a collection of the teachings of Brother Lawrence, a Carmelite friar who lived in the 1600's in France.

Brother Lawrence believed that he could experience the presence of God not only while praying or reading the Bible, but also while peeling potatoes in the monastery kitchen or washing the dishes.

He wrote, “The time of busyness does not differ from the time of prayer, and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen, while several persons are at the same time calling for different things, I possess God in as great a tranquility as if I were upon my knees.”

Brother Lawrence acknowledged that this was a challenge, but he would start out each day by asking God to be with him throughout the day. He asked God each day to direct his mind to his daily chores, and to receive what he did as a gift to God.

The experiences of Brother Lawrence can really be a word of hope for us today. In the middle of distractions that constantly surround us, maybe we can also sense the presence of God in every thing that we do.

Brother Lawrence did it, so can we!