Thoughts Matter: Discovering the Spiritual Journey

Cassian taught that real intimacy with God in prayer demandsrenouncing one's former way of life, the thoughts belonging to thatformer way of life, and one's very idea of God. In ThoughtsMatter, Mary Margaret Funk focuses on the second of these:renouncing the thoughts belonging to one's former way of life. Hereight chapters focus on different "thoughts"--food, sex, anger,dejection, acedia (profound weariness of the soul), vainglory(taking credit for good actions), and pride. Funk explains well howfailure to control these thoughts can undermine our spiritual life,and she instructs readers on how effectively to overcome thesethoughts and to focus instead on thoughts in harmony with God'swill. The result is an experience of joy, hope, and freedom fromenslavement to our appetites. Readers will come away enlightened,strengthened, and inspired to delve more deeply into a life ofintimacy with God.