by Dale Hanson Bourke
Wow! I can't say enough good things about this book. If you are an empty nester or close to it - this is a must-read!
I devoured the book the first time and am getting ready to read it again, this time slower so that the principles sink in and permeate my soul even moreso than the first time.
There are so many nuggets of truth and poignant passages in this book. I could barely put it down.
On particularly poignant quote was this:
"I believe God wants us to hand our torn pieces over to him. Sometimes he will use a piece to teach us something more. But eventually he wants us to move on, confident that what he is calling us to will be so much more than anything he is calling us from."
The most important chapter for me, however, was the chapter entitled, Without a Prayer. I was so convicted about my waning prayer life and really felt as if this chapter in particular were written just for me. Dale was so honest and transparent, admitting that she too has struggled with her prayer life - and then she shared a concept that changed her prayer life - and is in the process of changing mine!
"I am convinced, on almost a daily basis, that everything about my life would be better, different, and more God-directed if I spent more time praying and less time doing all the other things that occupy my time. I am convinced that more than anything else, I am called to prayer."I will never look at prayer the same. Like Dale, I anticipate my 'walk in the meadow' and my 'meeting with the Lord' as an active time rather than a passive event. Thank you Dale for your insightful words - those words have changed my prayer life!