What's Your Decision? Is a spiritual approach to decision-making based on the insights of St. Ignatius of Loyola. With the guidance of J. Michael Sparough, SJ, and Tim Hipskind, SJ - both of them experienced counselors and spiritual directors - readers will learn how to apply tried-and-true Ignatian ideas to the decision-making process. Along the way, the authors carefully but concisely address common questions such as How do I begin the process of making a decision? What's important and what's not when it comes to making choices? Do I trust my gut? What do I really want? Ultimately, we come to understand that a God decision always precedes a good decision -that is, inviting God into the decision-making process and knowing how todiscern His will gives us the confidence and clarity necessary to make good choices and to move boldly forward in our decisions.

What is discernment? Who was Peter Faber? Why do the Jesuits exude such optimism? Awareness. Emotions. Love. Work. We use such words every day in normal conversation, but those same words take on special meaning when used in the context of Ignatian spirituality. Other words and phrases, such as finding God in all things, are distinctly associated with the Ignatian approach to spiritual development. Acquiring a general grasp of these terms will prove invaluable to those who desire a better understanding of the Jesuit / Ignatian way of life. With Ignatian Spirituality A to Z, Jim Manney has provided a brief, informative, and entertaining guide to key concepts of Ignatian spirituality and essential characters and events in Jesuit history. The lexicon format allows readers to find terms quickly, and the concise descriptions are ideal for those new to the Ignatian story. From Pedro Arrupe to Francis Xavier, from Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam to Zeal, this book uncovers the rich language of the Jesuits. It will be an indispensable tool to anyone interested in Ignatian spirituality, to staff, faculty, and students at Jesuit institutions and schools, and to clergy and spiritual directors who advise others about prayer and spiritual matters.

For most people most of the time, prayer is hard. It is especially difficult--not to mention unsatisfying--when people experience it as formal, dry, and repetitious. But what might happen if you discovered a simple prayer that changed all that? What if you discovered a prayer that changed you? In "A Simple, Life-Changing Prayer," Jim Manney introduces Christians to a 500-year-old form of prayer that dramatically altered his perception of prayer and the way he prayed. The prayer is the examen, which St. Ignatius Loyola developed for the purpose of nurturing a reflective habit of mind that is constantly attuned to God's presence. What makes the prayer so powerful is its capacity to dispel any notion that God is somewhere "up there," detached from our day-to-day tasks and concerns. Instead, the examen leads us into a relationship with a God who desires to be personally caught up in the lives of those whom he created. By following five simple yet powerful steps for praying the examen, we can encounter the God who, as Scripture tells us, "is not far from each one of us"--the God whose presence in our lives can make all the difference in the world.