As a humble cook, Brother Lawrence learned an important lesson through each daily chore: The time he spent in communion with the Lord should be the same, whether he was bustling around in the kitchen—with several people asking questions at the same time—or on his knees in prayer. He learned to cultivate the deep presence of God so thoroughly in his own heart that he was able to joyfully exclaim, “I am doing now what I will do for all eternity. I am blessing God, praising Him, adoring Him, and loving Him with all my heart.”
This unparalleled classic has given both blessing and instruction to those who can be content with nothing less than knowing God in all His majesty and feeling His loving presence throughout each simple day.

First published in 1692, a year after Brother Lawrence's death, this beautifully written and intensely personal little book has been cherished for generations as a rich source of inspiration and guidance for all who seek true and lasting spiritual fulfilment. Nicholas Herman of Lorraine, better known as Brother Lawrence, was born in France in 1611 and came from humble origins. First serving as a soldier, then as a footman, he entered the Carmelite Order in Paris as a lay brother at the age of 55, where he became a cook and immersed himself in the devotional life. For him there was no distinction between 'the time of business' and 'the time of prayer'. He died in 1691 at 80 years of age, honoured by all who knew him.

Brother Lawrence (1614 to 1691) was a monk who today is most commonly remembered for the closeness of his relationship with God, as recorded in this little book. He spent almost all of his adult life in solitude, poverty, and obscurity within the walls of a priory. He was known for profound peace and high commitment to Jesus Christ. He cared not for the worldly status of his tasks, but the motivation behind it. "We can do little things for God," he wrote. "I turn the cake that is frying on the pan for love of him, and that done, if there is nothing else to call me, I prostrate myself in worship before him, who has given me grace to work; afterwards I rise happier than a king. It is enough for me to pick up but a straw from the ground for the love of God." Generations after his death, this book has become one of the most popular Christian books in history. It was oft quoted by John Wesley and A.W. Tozer, and today tens of millions of copies are in circulation. This edition is available on-demand and is printed in its original translated format. Xulon Press is the country's leading on-demand publisher of Christian books, with more than one million copies in print. Visit www.XulonPress.com.

At any moment and in any circumstance, the soul that seeks God may find Him, and practice the presence of God. Brother Lawrence, a seventeenth-century French monk, learned to practice the presence of God at all times. And you can, too. Here in one volume are two classic works by Brother Lawrence. Each book reveals how to practice God's presence and see His glory in every facet of your life. The Practice of the Presence of God is a collection of documented conversations and letters that reveal the heart of this humble man. He wrote, "The time of business does not with me differ from the time of prayer, and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen . . . I possess God in as great tranquility as if I were upon my knees at the blessed sacrament." Brother Lawrence's wisdom and spiritual insights have helped bring people closer to God for more than three centuries. The Spiritual Maxims of Brother Lawrence, a lesser known but equally outstanding work, is a summary of his teachings. Throughout, he develops one great theme, best expressed by the psalmist, "In Thy Presence is fulness of joy."

A simply written little book about prayer and Christian life, this work beautifully conveys messages from a seventeenth-century Carmelite monk to those who lived and worked around him. Written so that each section of the book could stand on its own, the text has much to say to the modern person trying to live a spiritual life in the midst of a busy career or home. The book's brevity and accessibility make this classic of Christian devotion a particularly good selection with which to begin spiritual studies.

How would life be different if one lived like he or she believed God would "never leave them]]" and that His Spirit is always with them?

Never Alone shows readers how to have that daily kind of journey with the heavenly Father. In this book, Tim Green updates the wisdom of the devotional classic by Brother Lawrence for today's youth and young adults.

Readers discover how Brother Lawrence was able to recognize God in every detail of his life, and how his attitude and the whole way he approached life changed. Young Christians see how Lawrence began to live his life as a daily, never ending conversation with Godand how it transformed him and those around him. This updated version of the classic book, brings to today's teenager and college student the humility and desire for communion with God. Youth and young adults alike will find that as they practice God's presence they too can pray mightily, and know the joy of a lifelong conversation with the Father.

Three hundred years ago, an uneducated lay cook in a French monastery discovered how to enjoy a profound awareness of God moment by moment, even in the midst of busyness and distraction. The Practice of the Presence of God reveals Brother Lawrence's secrets. Brimming with wisdom and spiritual insight, this classic memoir of the devotional life witnesses to the joy available to all who will seek Him. Hendrickson Christian Classics is planned to include all the timeless books that generations of believers have treasured. Each volume in the series is freshly retypeset, while thoughtful new prefaces explore their spiritual and historical contexts. For contemporary readers, this is the essential library of Christian wisdom through the ages.