Jan Johnson > Quotes

“The point of simplicity is not efficiency, increased productivity or even living a healthier, more relaxed life. The point is making space for treasuring God's own self.”
― Jan Johnson, Abundant Simplicity: Discovering the Unhurried Rhythms of Grace

“The road to becoming such a person-a child of' light-involves abandoning everything to God: what others think of us, what others' harmful motives might be, fears about what others might do to us, hopes for getting ahead. We come to truly believe that God "knows what he's doing, and he'll keep on doing it" (I Peter 4:19, m,,(,).”
― Jan Johnson, Renovation of the Heart in Daily Practice: Experiments in Spiritual Transformation

“Contemplation comes down to paying attention to God. Mary, sitting at the feet of Jesus (Luke 10:39, 42), gives us a picture of contemplation: She was “wholly dedicated to the one thing necessary.”[2] Such careful attention is vital to our discipleship to Christ. The author of The Cloud of Unknowing gave these guidelines for contemplation: “Center all your attention and desire on [the Lord] and let this be the sole concern of your mind and heart. . . . Strive to fix your love on him forgetting all else.”[3]”
― Jan Johnson, When the Soul Listens: Finding Rest and Direction in Contemplative Prayer

“This sort of rhythm schools us to “live from the heart” more minutes of the day. To talk to others is to also pray for them.”
― Jan Johnson, When the Soul Listens: Finding Rest and Direction in Contemplative Prayer

“As we free ourselves from trying to employ correct mechanics of prayer and allow ourselves to be still and know that God is God, prayer becomes a meeting of the hearts where we rest in God’s presence. It is no longer hard work but a source of rest and new possibilities. Even when we have nothing important to say to God, we are satisfied in the divine rhythm of coming and going, working and resting.”
― Jan Johnson, When the Soul Listens: Finding Rest and Direction in Contemplative Prayer

“Contemplative prayer is not about having unusual or mystical experiences; rather, it centers in loving God and enjoying God’s presence. And it gets simpler, not more complex, as we go along, Thomas Kelly (a Quaker college professor and spiritual leader of post–World War I relief workers in Germany) wrote.[4] It is not an arduous task—as Madame Guyon puts it, “nothing more than turning our heart toward God and receiving in turn His love.”[5”
― Jan Johnson, When the Soul Listens: Finding Rest and Direction in Contemplative Prayer