Strength to Strength

Those whose strength is in you,go from strength to strength,till each appears before God in Zion. Psalm 84:5, 7Too many Christians are more resigned than need be to a stumblingapproach to spiritual growth. We presume that progress towardsmaturity happens by a ';two steps forward, one step back' process. But theBiblical model doesn't quite support this view. Instead Scripture speaks of';unveiled faces' that are being transformed ';from glory to glory.' It imaginesus as trees planted close to a stream, whose ';branches never wither.' And itspeaks of those whose hearts are ';set on pilgrimage' who then go ';fromstrength to strength until each appears before God in Zion.'The meditations in this book encourage such proximity to Jesus and thecultivation of a steadfast prayer life that alone can ';establish' us in Christ.They assure us that simply remaining in His love will not only produce vitalityin the spiritual life, but also sustain it for the whole journey.In the tradition of Christian contemplatives and mystics from the earlycenturies to the present, Rob Des Cotes brings fresh insights to many familiarbiblical passages, applying them to prayer and to the transforming work ofspiritual direction. The numerous images and creative metaphors of thespiritual journey found in these concise and thought-provoking meditationsare both contemporary while deeply rooted in the classics of Catholic,Orthodox and Reformation contemplative traditions.ROB DES COTES is a spiritual director, retreat leader and pastor of ImagoDei, a network of faith communities that encourages the practice of prayerand a transforming relationship with God. He is the author of four otherbooks of meditations for spiritual direction, Fan the Flame, Higher Than I,Ultreia! (Go Higher) and Strength to Strength