8. Of the great profit that she derived from not entirely abandoning prayer

[John]

8. Of the great profit that she derived from not entirely abandoning prayer, for fear that she might lose her soul. She describes the excellence of prayer as a help towards winning back what is lost, and exhorts everyone to practise it. She tells what great gains it brings and how very beneficial it is even for those who may later give it up, to devote some time to anything as good

[Sheila]

Prayer is the door. I like that image. I like her advice slipped in between the narrative and the frequent praise of God. Having no one to talk to is hard since she has charms and wit.

[John]

I also liked the imagery of the door. So much of what she writes, mostly about her failures, strikes close to home for me:

"When I was among the pleasures of the world, I was saddened by the memory of what I owed to God, and my worldly affections disturbed me when I was with God. "

"For though we are always in the presence of God, it seems to me that those who practise prayer are present in a special way, for they see that He is watching them, while the rest may be in God’s presence for several days without remembering that He can see them. "

"I can say what I know from experience, namely that however sinful a man may be, he should not abandon prayer once he has begun it. It is the means by which all may be repaired again, and without it amendment would be much more difficult."

"Mental prayer is, as I see it, simply a friendly intercourse and frequent solitary conversation with Him who, as we know, loves us."

"I do not understand the fears of those who are afraid to begin mental prayer. I do not know what frightens them. It is to the devil’s profit to instil fear into us, so that he may do us real harm."

"In the end the Lord came to my help, and after I had forced myself to pray I found greater peace and joy than at some other times when I have prayed because I wanted to."

"prayer is the door to those very great favours that He has conferred upon me. Once it is closed, I do not know how He can do so. Though He may wish to take His delight in a soul and to give it delight, He has no means of entrance."