Experiencing God is the essence of what is sometimes called the contemplative stream of our Christian faith. Others use contemplation to describe imaginative prayer, often focusing on the gospels and placing oneself in the stories about Jesus and his ministry around the Sea of Galilee or near Jerusalem. Prayer in its many forms is essentially an on-going conversation with the Lord, one that I have found increasingly fruitful as I do more listening than speaking.
Regarding spiritual practices, I am entering a third decade of recognizing the true power of what might best be called “stillness”—that combination of solitude and silence that provides a wonderful atmosphere for meeting and knowing God (Ps 46:10). Along the way, I have experienced the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit and I recognize that as I have drawn near to God, he has drawn near to me (Jas 4:8).