The Practice of the Presence of God

by of the Resurrection Lawrence

"The Practice of the Presence of God" by Brother Lawrence is a collection of spiritual teachings compiled posthumously in the 17th century. A Carmelite friar who worked in monastery kitchens, Brother Lawrence developed a method for maintaining constant awareness of God's presence in everyday life. Through letters and recorded conversations, he shares how ordinary tasks—even picking up a straw—can become acts of devotion. His deceptively simple approach challenges readers to transform routine moments into continuous communion with the divine, suggesting that humble labor pleases God as much as priestly duties.