Just Between Us has gathered a number of articles and devotionals together to help you “practice His presence” and develop a deeper relationship as you spend time with Him. We hope you will take advantage of these resources as you continue your lifelong journey to learn more about Him.

Shortly after we got married, my husband and I attended a marriage enrichment weekend. One thing I learned at that conference has stuck with me for many years: Getting to know your spouse is a lifelong journey. 

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We should look at our relationship with God in the same way. Although He knows all about us, we have a lifetime to learn more about Him.

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The key to getting to know someone, whether a spouse or your Savior, is to spend time with them. This means setting aside time to spend alone with that special person, but it also comes from living your day-to-day lives together—working side by side, sharing meals, doing chores together, and laying your heads on your pillows next to each other at night. The same can be said, I would suggest, of our relationship with God.

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In a little book called The Practice of the Presence of God, a compilation of teachings of a 17^th century friar called Brother Lawrence, he encourages us to “establish ourselves in a sense of God’s presence by continually conversing with Him.” This practice, which Brother Lawrence honed as a cook in the monastery, taught him that he could just as easily commune with the Father while washing dishes or preparing food as he could during times set aside for prayer. 

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This ability doesn’t come naturally, though, which is where the “practice” comes in. Brother Lawrence noted that “in order to form a habit of conversing with God continually, … we must first apply to Him with some diligence.” In the end, however, he was able to say, “in the noise and clatter of my kitchen, while several persons are at the same time calling for different things, I possess God in as great tranquility as if I were upon my knees at the blessed sacrament.”

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We, too, must practice the presence of God in order to get to know Him well. And this is His desire, too. As the Psalmist writes: “You have said, ‘Seek my face.’ My heart says to you, ‘Your face, Lord, do I seek’” (Ps. 27:, ESV). And in James’ epistle, he writes, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you” (Jas. 4:8a, ESV).

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God wants you to get to know Him, and there are many ways of doing that. Through corporate worship, private devotions, studying His Word or practicing His presence while doing dishes, make it a priority to spend time with the Lover of your soul.