My Favorite Prayer Guide of 2022: Hidden Manna on a Country Road

Cinnamon-colored sycamore leaves fall slowly, surrendering to the earth.  I hold one in my hand, and it covers my flesh like a glove.  For an instant, my mind drifts away from the problems of work and home.  Peace cloaks me, and I think about the book that’s been serving as my prayer guide this autumn.

In her new book Hidden Manna on a Country Road: Seeing God’s Daily Provision All Around Us, Sarah Geringer writes:

“When I feel the overwhelm of a bigger-than-me situation, I know it’s time to hit the gravel road and pray it out, surrendering it so I can experience God’s peace. I also know that whether I see evidence or not, God will accomplish infinitely more than I can ask or think in the situation through his mighty power that he promises to work within me. He deserves all the glory for being bigger than me and doing far more through me than I can dream on my own.”

Stepping into God’s created world creates space for us to rest in the promises of the One who is far greater than us.  When we take our eyes off of our difficult situations and fix them on the glory of our Maker—through the cathedral of his open skies—this form of worship fills our hearts with peace.

Why I Love This Book

Those who know me well know that I aim to walk down our quiet country road every evening.  I walk in blizzards, subzero temps, torrential downpours, and 95-degree summer humidity.  I walk because I need the space to let my thoughts settle.  Mostly, I need the reminder that the God who created the surrounding trees and wildflower fields is working in my life and holds my days in the palm of his hand.

The moment I first discovered Sarah’s book, I thought, “Boy, she’s speaking my language!”

I’ve always connected with God most easily in nature.  As I savor Sarah’s words, she leads me to new insights about his provision.  Sarah’s words roll through my mind on my daily prayer walks.  She challenges me to reframe the way I enjoy the cacophony of birdsong, and she offers fresh insights about the slow change of seasons.

Quotes from This Prayer Guide

Here are a few of my favorite quotes from the book—the quotes that come to mind as I daily stroll down my own country road:

“Since we are made in the image of God, we will experience grief and sorrow, unlike the rest of nature. However, in his infinite grace and kindness, God has provided the beauty and constancy of nature as an elixir when our hearts are sick with too much knowledge about evil.”

“This is the first step of my prayer walk liturgy—quiet reverence, worship by observation. I start the times of prayer in mindful silence, listening only to the sounds around me, a surprising cacophony, even in winter: crunching gravel beneath my feet; twigs snapping under Memphis’s paws, his claws clicking on the asphalt; wind rustling through the trees, rattling through the few reddish-brown leaves still clinging high on the branches of the white oak.”

“The power of the spring rains to shape the clay of the road reminds me of the power God’s hands hold to shape my life. It is not my right to argue with him about the purposes for which he created me, no more than a clay pot has the right to criticize its maker (Isa. 29:16). Instead, I want to yield to the warmth and softness of his hands as he shapes me. He often uses the rains of sadness and sorrow to soften the soil of my heart, to make it more useful for his plans.”

Let This Prayer Guide Minister to You

Would you like to breathe fresh passion into your prayer life?  Let this delightful book be your guide.  As Sarah so poignantly notes:

“Many Christians feel confused, overwhelmed, and guilty about their prayer lives. They want to connect with God, but they fear they are doing it wrong. They also want to slow down and disconnect from the frantic pace of our technology-driven world. If you feel this way, I understand. It took my 125-pound Labrador retriever’s insistence on daily exercise to help me slow my pace, develop a daily prayer rhythm, and connect with God in nature. I found dozens of connection points, aka hidden jars of manna, on my walks. They were simple and uncomplicated, and each enriched my relationship with God.”

This prayer guide will be on my regular reading stack for years to come.  Consider it your invitation to step out of the noise and chaos of your everyday spaces and connect with God like never before.  You can find this wonderful book right here!