The Practice of the Presence of God - Brother Lawrence
Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection (c. 1611-1691) was a lay brother in the Parisian Carmelite Order, which practiced extreme asceticism. He taught that one's entire call and duty was to adore God and to love Him, without worrying about the rest. While looking at a barren tree one wintry day, the eighteen-year-old Lawrence realized that this tree would blossom once again. He was profoundly moved by God's providence and overcome with love for God. He was not only converted that day but also forever committed to serving God wholeheartedly. He believed that by accepting God's help and guarding our souls by keeping them in tune with God's will, we can have constant fellowship with the Lord. He died peacefully at about the age of eighty, embraced in the arms of the Lord he had loved and served.