When the Soul Listens: Finding Rest and Direction in Contemplative Prayer

"Does anyone teach us how to be quiet in the presence of God?" ask Jan Johnson in her book "When the Soul Listens." Jan takes us on the path of Contemplative Prayer also known as Christian Meditation. "Contemplative prayer, in its simplest form," says Jan, "is prayer in which you still your thoughts and emotions and focus on God himself." Jan disects this spiritual practice giving us its sound scriptural foundation, and then letting us know what to expect when contemplative prayer becomes a part of our daily life. Through her own experiences, she shares how Biblical meditation can transform and usher us into a more intimate, satisfying, and fruitful life in Christ. Highly recommended. As I Close My Eyes to Sleep (Christian Meditation and Relaxation)

Jan Johnson's book on contemplative prayer is one that I'll be rereading. It's not difficult reading, but this type of prayer is not something that you can just assimilate into your Christian walk without considerable thought and prayer. I really appreciated the author's honesty and her vulnerability. She definitely doesn't paint herself as being a person who has mastered this stuff - she is just another pilgrim on the journey, and indeed her points are more credible to me because she isn't perfect.The book talks about what contemplative prayer is, what it looks like in someone's life, problems we might encounter - really practical stuff. She used personal anecdotes to illustrate her principles, and also quotes from many sources. I must say that I found the "notes" section at the end of each chapter fascinating. As a lover of Christian books, I'm fascinated by the books that an author refers to. And this book has the notes at the end of each chapter, instead of the all of them being at the end of the book. They're more accessible this way, I think.I especially appreciated Jan's description of how we can practice a contemplative lifestyle in the busy-ness of life. She is quick to dispel the notion that contemplatives are locked away in a room somewhere, not living a normal life. I own Jan Johnson's other books - "Enjoying the Presence of God", "Listening to God - Using Scripture as a Path to God's Presence", and "Living a Purposeful Life", and I look forward to reading those as well. Please check out my other reviews of Christian books and music.

i had long been wanting to know what is comtemplative prayer. I had read many books about it but they just confused me. Jan Johnson showed me what it really means to pray contemplatively. She also challenged me t oadot this kind of prayer in my daily life. I have done so and GOd has blessed me mightily since then.

Because I often feel too busy to even think, contemplation seems like a spiritual luxury I can't afford. Jan Johnson shows me otherwise. When the Soul Listens is about contemplation for the rest of us; it's about developing simplicity of soul and receptivity of spirit in the busy world we live in. It's a "how to" without condescension because Ms. Johnson takes us along on her spiritual journey and her exploration of the other side of prayer - listening. This journey goes beyond platitudes and cliches into authentic Christianity. I appreciated the careful research, thorough documentation, yet comfortable conversational style. Jan Johnson says her purpose "is to help you learn how to meet with God in life transforming encounters in which your heart comes to rest in His presence." Everything in the book focuses on this purpose in an understandable and inspiring way.