Enjoying the Presence of God: Discovering Intimacy with God in the Daily Rhythms of Life

by Jan Johnson

This book gives you the opportunity to surrender to God’s presence and enjoy just being with Him. Find contentment, peace, and encouragement from practicing spiritual disciplines, and learn simple, tangible insights into practicing God’s presence in everyday life.

Genres: Christian, Faith, Nonfiction, Christian Living, Spirituality, God

144 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1996

About the author

Jan Johnson is an author (20 books), speaker, college prof and spiritual director. She lives in Simi Valley, CA.

Reviews

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoughtful, practical, and well-grounded book that draws the reader into the joys of knowing God. It's basically a more modern and methodical version of how I remember the book Practicing the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence.

[antony · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is Informative, practical, insightful, and life changing.

Applying the methods discussed in this book could make the difference between talking the walk and walking the talk.

For most people their spiritual life is more about what they believe rather than a lived spiritual experience. This book could make the difference between belief and experience.

The author has written the book from the perspective of Christianity, but the essential message applies to anyone seeking an authentic spiritual life.

You don’t need to be a theologian to grasp what this book is about, it’s not about philosophical nit-picking or knot tying, it is about being present with the Person of God

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably my favorite, most impactful book book on Christian lit I’ve ever read. Jan talks about developing a relationship with the Lord that is on one hand revolutionary and completely different then anything I’ve ever been told, and on the other hand, ordinary and natural!
I’ve always felt like a bit of a failure in my prayer and devotional life but Jan flips this on it’s head. What if we can spend time with the Lord at any time? If your mind wanders, pray about that instead! This feels like the essence of “God meets us where we are.” Not necessarily praying ACTS or during your morning devotions. Really loved and cherished this book.
Thanks Jan!

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Content-wise: fantastic. Johnson offers some very insightful, scripture-backed and experience-tested ideas for practicing the spiritual discipline of just being with God. It’s something I hadn’t put much thought into before. As I slowly worked my way through this book, I was able to try out and practice some of these things. I’ll be referring to this book often, I think.

4 stars because of the writing, but I’m admittedly a bit of a writing snob. It’s written in the 90s and is pretty cheesy at times. There are also a few times where there are more quotes than original content. But overall, I did learn a lot so it was worth it to me to get through some of the writing issues!

[Sydney Avey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A practical devotional

This book is a breath of fresh air, at once practical and practice-able. It brought me back to the concept of breath prayers that are so effective in supporting prayer throughout the day. The author tackles heart attitudes and communication problems that keep us from easy conversation from the God who is with us (do we believe that?).

The book's structure is as inviting as a conversation with a good friend who listens to your heart, shares personal experiences, gives you hope, and leaves you with helpful ideas to act on.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

I believe Jan Johnson’s book opens up Brother Lawrence to those of us who struggle with his original work. It’s written in a practical see/do way that is clear, concise and practical with excellent examples and back stories. Turning the esoteric into daily guidance, it has brought me much closer to God. I have read Brother Lawrence’s book at least a dozen times and others who have tried to decipher it, but none have come close to Jan Johnson’s effort.

Thank you Jan, for helping me to see and live the presence of God. 😂🙏😊

[Sylvester (Taking a break in 2023) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent, excellent book. The material, the sources she quotes, all clear and meaningful. My only quibble is the writing style. I don't know how to describe it - almost as if the chapters were blog posts. Too many personal details. I know that this can add depth in certain places, but I don't like too much of it. The content was so good as to help me ignore the other.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

First read this book several years ago and it was a life changer! So full of reminders of ways to stay in God’s presence, enjoying His presence, and praying without ceasing, it is a book I will continue to revisit. Love Jan Johnson’s books, but this one is at the top of my list!

[Vickie Munton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book! A great little book about the rhythm of prayer. Not just a once, twice or three times a day ritual, enjoying the presence of God means we are in a constant state of awareness of His presence and conversing with Him whether we are on our knees or doing daily chores!

[Leonard S Bennett JR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Practical Advice

Great book. This book is full of practical advice for developing your time with God. I felt like a mature friend in Christ was walking along side me and giving me advice for growing in Christ.

[Abby Hatch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great advice and exercises, though I confessed I rushed through it. I think this book would be particularly good for a Bible study group or book club.

[Sawn Medrano · Rating 5 out of 5]

easy read, and so worth it!

[Cassie Palmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jan Johnson never fails to remind me the simplicity and practicality of the presence of God.

[Bridget · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was helpful in providing different ideas on how to focus on God’s presence. The Lord is always there. Yet how much do we overlook Him? When we are intentional about seeking His Presence, it helps us to see Him and experience Him in new ways.

[Heather Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my top five. Read repeatedly.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

THis book is absolutely incredible. I have read it twice

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

A great way to add some freshness to your prayer life. Good notes direct you to quoted resources if you want to follow one of her leads. I'm glad to have read this. I was happy to pass it on.

[Gill · Rating 5 out of 5]

A practical useful book,which invites the relaxed exploration of God's presence and using questions to reflect upon that will assist your journey of discovery.

[Corley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I have read by a Christian author since reading David Platt's "Radical".