Grace on the Go: 101 Quick Ways to Pray

I'm loving this book and recommend it highly. Written in gentle terms, it shows simple ways to pray anywhere alone and with others. Helps you find brief moments during the day -- on the train, in the car, at work, while getting dressed or at bedtime, waiting on line. Ideas that make sense. Pray to relax, give thanks, ask for God's guidance or forgiveness. I plan to give as gifts to my family and friends. Author also wrote the Chicken Soup for the Soul books. You will refer to again and again, and want to share with loved ones too.

Bartocci clearly lets the reader know what to expect by both the title and the subtitle. For those readers who believe that prayer takes a long time or is only something accomplished in very formal ways and settings, this book will stimulate new ways to think. The ideas are easily adopted and practiced, and they will assist the reader to understand what it means to "pray without ceasing."

A new book out from award winning author Barbara Bartocci has breathed fresh air and energy in to my prayer life. In Grace on the Go: 101 Quick Ways to Pray (Morehouse Publishing, paperback, 98 pages, May 2006), Bartocci acknowledges life's frantic pace and offers her readers support and encouragement for making active, frequent prayer a part of their lives. In the beginning of the book, Bartocci describes her own frustration over trying to lead a truly spiritual life. With the following words, Bartocci hits at the heart of what, in my book, makes her Grace on the Go so special: "And I realized that "living spiritually" is not something that exists out there. It's a commitment to make our lives - as they unfold - a gift to God." Grace on the Go: 101 Quick Ways to Pray is not like other tomes on prayer I've seen - it's designed to be read in small bits. From its diminutive 2.6 ounce design to its format of being written in small segments, the book lends itself to any active life. Tuck it into your purse or diaper bag. Slip it into the front zipper pocket of your organizer. Set it in the glove compartment or cup holder of your car. Then pick it up and dive in. It doesn't matter which page you land on when you open the book - you'll find immediate inspiration and motivation. I've been enjoying and frequently reading it during my daily activities and have found it to be a wonderful spiritual resource. In the closing pages of the book, Barbara Bartocci references Mother Theresa's statement that the busier her life became, the greater her need for prayer. The same holds true for you and I - grace comes in finding moments each day, no matter where life puts us, to turn our hearts to God.

You can judge this book by its cover. It's not a heavy. It's quick reading that gets you going spiritually -- and it's small enough to tuck into a backpack, glove compartment of purse. I like the way it's laid out by both time of day and times of need. Barbara's suggestions are uplifing and at the same time realistic. I had to smile at No. 9: "...resolve to do something kind for someone who (rubs) you the wrong way...then notice how difficult it is to make yourself do it." GRACE ON THE GO is a keeper. It's also a terrific small gift.

In Barbara Bartocci's book, Grace on the Go: 101 Quick Ways to Pray, she presents "practical and imaginative ways to put a spiritual spin on your ordinary day." "A relationship with God is always like a two-step dance," writes Bartocci, "one step going inward in prayer and another step going outward in loving action." Thus, in most mini-meditations, she offers a specific action step. Each reflection is thoughtfully written with nuggets of truth and vivid anecdotes that can anchor the ideas in your heart. Plus, her creative imagery is entertaining. "Most of the time we carry our bodies around like briefcases, hardly noticing them." Her refreshing thought, Practice Shower Power, is only 57 words long. Another reflection ends with "Today, look for just one person--or one situation--that could benefit from ... kindness." Drawing from her lifetime of Christian faith, Bartocci even includes a compact description of the age-old practice of centering prayer. "People who want a strong spiritual core need to pray regularly," writes Bartocci. "Prayer doesn't always require formal words or a visit to church but it does require daily practice. It's why I'm writing this book." Grace on the Go is brimming with insight and quick to read. At only 3 ounces, it's perfect for fitting into a purse, a pocket or a letter to your friend. I've already found several opportunities for giving it away ... if I had just been willing to part with my only copy.