We invite you to use the resources below in your faith journey.
A. Free Prayer Apps for Your Apple or Android Device
1. Take Our Moments and Our Days: An Anabaptist Prayer Book
Initially a two-volume set only available in print, it’s now free via the app on your device.
2. The Upper Room
Daily devotionals. Also at www.upperroom.org.
3. Pray As You Go
A 10-13 minute daily podcast that combines music, scripture and questions for reflection. Also at www.pray-as-you-go.org. 6 other languages are available via links at pray-as-you-go.org/about/.
4. Sacred Space
Guides you step-by-step through daily prayer, scripture, and personal reflection. Available in 22 languages. Also at www.sacredspace.ie/.
5. Centering Prayer
If you do centering prayer, this app supports your practice with scripture, sounds, and readings from Thomas Keating. Find the app by Contemplative Outreach.
B. Websites
1. Prayer of Examen, How Can I Pray?
A great way to pray is to look for God’s presence in your life. More than 400 years ago St. Ignatius Loyola encouraged prayer-filled mindfulness by proposing what has been called the Daily Examen. The Examen is a technique of prayerful reflection on the events of the day in order to detect God’s presence and to discern his direction for us. Try this version of St. Ignatius’s prayer.
2. Spiritual Examen, Prayer for the End of the Day
The Daily Examen is a technique of prayerful reflection on the events of the day in order to detect God’s presence and discern his direction for us. The Examen is an ancient practice in the Church that can help us see God’s hand at work in our whole experience.
3. Welcoming Prayer
The Welcoming Prayer is a method of consenting to God’s presence and action in our physical and emotional reactions to events and situations in daily life. The purpose of the Welcoming Prayer is to deepen our relationship with God through consenting in the ordinary activities of our day — “consent-on-the-go.”
4. The Bible Project
Short animated videos that make the biblical story accessible to everyone. If you want an introduction to a specific book of the Bible or to some of the Bible’s overarching themes, this is it. Extremely well done and theologically sound.
5. Bible Journaling
This spiritual practice has become popular in recent years.
6. Using an Illuminated Bible
A modern take on a prayer practice that began in the Middle Ages.
7. Writing Scripture by Hand
Stories of people who’ve done this are available here and here.
8. Praying in Color
A way of praying with simple art supplies.
9. Praying in a Labyrinth (including how to make one)
Christians have long used labyrinths as a means of prayer and meditation.
10. Practicing our Faith
12 practices for a robust spiritual life. Includes honoring our body, saying yes and no, testimony, household economics, and more.
11. Contemplative Outreach
The main website for centering prayer, a way of praying without words that has transformed the lives of many people.
12. Renovaré
An organization founded by Richard Foster that unites contemplative, holiness, charismatic, social justice, evangelical, and incarnational streams of Christian spirituality.
13. Christian Classics Ethereal Library
The largest Internet collection of historical writings from the history of Christian spirituality.
C. Spiritual Directors
The practice of spiritual direction stretches back to Jesus. Often occurring in one-on-one settings, spiritual direction helps you discern, respond to, and participate in the mission of God. Spiritual directors usually have a Spirit-bestowed gift for this ministry, some kind of formal training, and experience. Fees vary.
Seek and Find Guide
From Spiritual Directors International, an interfaith list of spiritual directors, mostly Christian.
D. Online Periodicals
Anabaptist Witness
A global Anabaptist and Mennonite dialogue on key issues facing the church in mission.
E. Mennonite Related Retreat Centers
The Hermitage, Three Rivers, Michigan
Pathways Retreat, Goshen, Indiana
