Wonder, Fear, and Longing, Paperback - by Mark Yaconelli

About the Book

In our hectic lives, it's easy to forget that prayer is more about a conversation and experience with God than it is a request line. This book is an invitation to meaningful prayer. Through stories, images, contemplative exercises, poetry, classical prayers, and creative meditations on prayer, you'll explore ten human experiences where prayer originates: love, desire, fear, suffering, compassion, brokenness, rest, reflection, wonder, and gratitude.

Book Synopsis

Every heart feels wonder. Every heart knows fear. Every heart aches with longing. Awed, we whisper, "Thank you." Frightened, we cry, "Mercy." Yearning we plead, "Show me the way." Because the truth is, no matter who you are, every heart needs prayer. This is a prayer book. A book to seduce, cajole, entice, and encourage your heart into prayer. More than a book to be read, this is a book to be explored. It is a book of stories, divine poetry, holy verses, mystical inspirations, prayerful imaginings, meditative practices, and spiritual exercises that seek to uncover the hidden communication between you and God. As you read and explore more about love, longing, fear, suffering, compassion, rest, reflection, passion, wonder, and gratitude you'll be invited to discover prayer within the various moods, attitudes, and experiences that we human beings often find ourselves in. It's a book to be used, flipped through, tested, experimented with, and then set aside. It is a book that asks you time after time to stop and listen, turn and welcome the silent love of God. The hope of this book isn't to teach you anything. The point of this book is to encourage you to give yourself to God--your anger, your fear, your gratitude, your curiosity--your real self to the real God, because then (and only then) will your heart find peace (even in the midst of wonder, fear, and longing). Because every heart needs prayer.

From the Back Cover

Every heart feels wonder. Every heart knows fear. Every heart aches with longing. Awed, we whisper, 'Thank you.' Frightened, we cry, 'Mercy.' Yearning we plead, 'Show me the way.' Because the truth is, no matter who you are, every heart needs prayer. This is a prayer book. A book to seduce, cajole, entice, and encourage your heart into prayer. More than a book to be read, this is a book to be explored. It is a book of stories, divine poetry, holy verses, mystical inspirations, prayerful imaginings, meditative practices, and spiritual exercises that seek to uncover the hidden communication between you and God. As you read and explore more about love, longing, fear, suffering, compassion, rest, reflection, passion, wonder, and gratitude you'll be invited to discover prayer within the various moods, attitudes, and experiences that we human beings often find ourselves in. It's a book to be used, flipped through, tested, experimented with, and then set aside. It is a book that asks you time after time to stop and listen, turn and welcome the silent love of God. The hope of this book isn't to teach you anything. The point of this book is to encourage you to give yourself to God---your anger, your fear, your gratitude, your curiosity---your real self to the real God, because then (and only then) will your heart find peace (even in the midst of wonder, fear, and longing). Because every heart needs prayer.