The Divine Hours (Volume Three): Prayers for Springtime: A Manual for Prayer

This is one of three volumes intended to guide the reader through the annual calendar in prayer. In each volume the author collects scriptures prayers and hymns into a daily rythmn of morning midday and evening prayers. The best thing about it is that what has traditionally been spread throughout a prayer book in several sections is here gathered onto one or two pages each day. Genius!

Roman Catholics love it too!!!! This book is wonderful and subtle and changes your life! If the discipline of daily prayer (let alone several times a day!) has ever been a struggle for you then YOU MUST BUY THIS BOOK and the rest of the series! I cannot even begin to stress the importance of stoppping for a time-out with God four times a day. Ms Tickle has done a terrific job of putting together prayers, hymns and short Bible readings (OT & NT) that will guide and change you. She has managed to compile what we all need in order to put the hurry and worry and stress of life into perspective. It will encourage prayer for self and others and re-focus you on the truly important aspects of life.

As someone who has worked with a good number of prayer books over many years including the old Roman Breviary (in Latin), Phyllis Tickle has produced a true trilogy masterpiece. It is extremely "user-friendly" with all prayer materials appearing in tight sequence on each page, eliminating the need to flip all over a book, searching for "what's next?" Thank you for making my life more simple, Ms. Tickle!! I now have more time for real prayer. More importantly, the assigned prayers and reading selections for each day are very well chosen. They are all on the side of thoughtful brevity. This helps create that wonderful atmosphere prescribed by St. Benedict(father of western monasticism)who instructs "therefore prayer ought to be short and pure, except when it is occasionally prolonged by the inspiration of Divine Grace."

This book of prayers (one of three volumes covering daily prayer for a year) taken in large measure from the Bible is a wonderful prompt in one's life-long conversation with God. It helps one come to words one didn't realize one meant or hadn't the aptitude to say before one began using it in one's daily devotions. In addition to Scripture, it employs prayers from "The Book of Common Prayer" and other standard resources. But one particularly delights in the additional readings taken from a wide range of meditative and inspirational literature. Examples are "Pied Beauty," by Gerard Manley Hopkins and "The Sacrament of the Present Moment," by Jean Pierre de Caussade. What a remarkable contribution to one's spiritual life!

I received this book the other day (just in time for February). I have used it daily from the moment I received it. For those searching for a method of guided daily prayer, I highly recommend. I have found that spending time in prayer with this book has helped me to center, ground, and reflect throughout the day.