Following Jesus can simultaneously feel extremely simple and extremely difficult. How do we pray? Who is He? How do we get to know Him? How do we keep following Him throughout life? These questions aren’t always so easy to answer.
In her new book Follow: Your Lifelong Adventure with Jesus, Katie Prejean McGrady lays out some effective strategies for doing just that. Katie seamlessly weaves personal anecdotes with methodology, making her book easy to grasp and internalize. Here are some of the best tips from her book:
1. Pray spontaneously
Spontaneous prayer is more than just talking to Jesus whenever you feel like it – although that is part of it! Katie lays out exactly how to go about spontaneous prayer:
The first day, she encourages readers to “take note of all the moments of grace empowering you throughout the day”. The second day she recommends that we “focus on talking to Jesus about what is…causing you worry and fear.” The third day she suggests that we “pay attention to all the moments when you feel proud…and then purposefully acknowledge Jesus’ good work in your life.” On the fourth day we can “acknowledging every good gift you are given throughout the day”. Finally, she offers the advise to “think of all the specific areas in which you need help and assistance” on the fifth day of prayer.
2. Read Scripture
There’s no better place to get to know God and Jesus than by reading about Him and meditating on and contemplating His works. Katie lays out some special Scripture readings to whet your appetite, talks about the importance of Psalms, and finally lays out Lectio Divina (reading, meditating, praying, and contemplating Scripture).
Quoting Saint Jerome, Katie reminds us that “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” Dive in!
3. Take notes during the homily
This is a tip most probably wouldn’t think of. But how often do we accidentally (or maybe intentionally, depending on the homilist) tune out during the homily at mass? I know for me it’s more often than I would care to admit. Kate suggests bringing a small notebook to jot down a few things that catch your attention each homily, so you can reflect on them more later.
Full of wonderful tips and stories, Follow: Your Lifelong Adventure with Jesus by Katie Prejean McGrady is perfect for anyone looking to deepen their faith or get out of a rut. Whether you’re just starting your adventure or you’ve been on the path for a while, this book will give you strength and encouragement to continue on.
