(Instructional sections appear at the beginning of each book.

Please read the instructional sections fully before you begin the devotions)

I. PREFACE

From the outset, I need to be clear that these devotions are Christian devotions. My personal beliefs arise from orthodox doctrine (such as the Apostles’ Creed) and are Trinitarian in confession – that the one true God is Triune existing in the Persons of the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit. These devotions reflect these beliefs which define references to God or to the Lord.

II. REASONS TO ENGAGE IN A DEVOTIONAL LIFE

The reasons for a daily personal devotional time are so numerous, they cannot all be listed. But here are a few compelling reasons for devotions:

A. INTIMACY. In life, we enter into intimacy through cultivated relationship. I get to know you; we spend time together; we share our experiences, our thoughts, and our history; we do things together; and we have disagreements and resolve them. As we do these things, our relationship moves to deeper and deeper levels until it reaches a point of intimacy. There is intentionality to it.

A daily devotional time cultivates my relationship with the Lord. Through faithfulness in devotion, I develop depth of relationship unto intimacy.

B. HEART MONITOR. My heart is not static. As I go through each day, my heart moves closer to the Lord and my heart moves further away from Him. A daily devotional time monitors the state of my heart each day and helps to adjust my heart to the right place to start the day. It is a form of “attitude adjustment.”

A mature Christian has an awareness of God in everyday living. This awareness grows as the thoughts and intents of my heart are reviewed often.

C. TRANSFORMATION. God’s plan is that I change, grow, and mature unto fullness in Him. Through my devotional time, God changes me.

During my time with God, He shows me sin, shame, dysfunctions, and other challenges in my life. I don’t know they exist until I take time to seek Him and to expose myself to Him. He then lovingly helps me to address them and to grow in holiness and in knowledge of Him.

God also shows me gifts and strengths that He has given me. He helps me to apply them in my life and in the lives of others. Through devotion, God reveals myself to me.

D. ILLUMINATION AND REVELATION. In my devotional time, God illuminates scripture to my heart. He makes a path from my head to my heart through which I don’t just know scripture but it becomes a part of me. God instills wisdom inside of me.

God also gives me guidance which is direction from God that is specific to me or to others. In devotions, I seek God for His will and He answers in ways that I otherwise miss if I were not spending the time with Him.

E. OTHER REASONS. There are many other reasons for devotions – worship, peace, joy, encouragement, conviction, repentance, discipline, resource, seeking, waiting, knowledge, and creativity. But my existence is wrapped up in God. Devotions are fundamentally about Him and not about myself.

See Time With God which follows this section for more reasons for a devotional life.

III. THREE MAJOR KEYS

As you enter into this journey, there are three major keys that facilitate the journey and enhance the impact of the journey. Please attend to these keys now because they will prove to be immensely helpful to you as you enter in.

A. TIME. The first key is to reserve time each day for your devotion. I call it “dedicated time.” To reserve time, you need to rework your schedule and routine. Dedicated time needs to be a priority! You will get out of these devotions what you put into them. The primary devotion in devotions is the dedication of time to the Lord.

Many of the devotions in this book incorporate the personal devotions of Pastor Daniel Martin, who is a pastor in Selma, Alabama. In 2011, God put it on Pastor Martin’s heart to set aside an hour each day for prayer, seeking, and worship. As you read Pastor Martin’s devotions, you realize the incredible impact on his life of his commitment to dedicate time to the Lord.

The recommended time for daily devotions is an hour a day. But that can be a goal if you are starting a devotional life. You can build toward it. A strong recommendation though is a minimum of 30 minutes a day. If you treat this devotional book as a “5 minute boost” then you will get 5 minutes of value from it. This devotional book is written for meaningful dedicated time.

B. COMPANION. The Biblical mandate for a spiritual journey is to take a companion – a coworker. A companion provides direction, accountability, protection, and encouragement. God did not intend for us to journey alone. In the kingdom of God, persons who function alone (“lone wolves”) are actually vulnerable sheep and are prime targets for slaughter.

Going on this devotional journey with a similarly committed companion is the second key to this journey and it is a strong recommendation. Each person has individual devotional time each day, then meets with the companion regularly (recommendation: weekly if possible) to discuss the devotions, thoughts and experiences, issues, and insights, and to pray together.

If possible, please find a mentor or spiritual director who will journey through the devotions with you. As part of The Call ministry residency for which this devotional was written, each resident is assigned a mentor who serves as a guide, a teacher, a resource, and a coworker. If you do not have a mentor (or a spiritual director) who can journey alongside you, then find a friend or a peer whom you trust as a devotional partner. But a mentor or spiritual director that can give you guidance and insight is recommended.

It is also possible to go through this journey together with a small group. Because intimacy and vulnerability are encouraged though, the group needs to be close, trustworthy, and accountable to one another. An atmosphere of freedom, grace, and acceptance is essential.

C. JOURNAL. The third key to this devotional journey is to keep a daily journal of your devotional time. A journal assists in defining thoughts, recording experiences, and remembering important principles and applications. A regular review of the journal is a good reminder of things I have learned, seen, and applied.

This book has some places for notes and for thoughts. But these places are not intended to serve as a journal. My primary recommendation is to maintain a computer journal in a word processing file. A computer journal is in one place and it can be easily revised, expanded, or printed.

The personal devotions of Pastor Martin were written on a computer. Pastor Martin revisited his devotions regularly as a personal reminder to himself and to add to them. He reviewed his devotions monthly, and then often revisited them a year later. Many times he added to them. Sometimes he wrote summaries of a week or a month to remind himself to practice their applications. If the Lord was dealing with him in a certain area of his life, he came back to the same journal entry day after day. Pastor Martin’s wonderful devotions are available to us today because he faithfully kept a journal of them on his computer.

Some people prefer to write rather than to type. That also is fine. But please keep a daily journal whether it is in digital form or in written form.

IV. DEVELOPING A DEVOTIONAL TRACK

Time dedicated to the Lord is a spiritual discipline. We want devotion to become a daily habit that is woven into our journey so finely that it becomes part of our fabric.

A devotional track is a regular pattern or course that is used for daily devotions. A devotional track is a guide to assist you in growing in this discipline. Developing a regular devotional track can encourage consistency and can increase the benefit from the time dedicated to the Lord.

The suggested track below has five phases:

A. OPENING.

B. READING EXERCISE.

C. MEDITATION.

D. JOURNAL.

E. CLOSING.

Because you are using Surrender and Trust as a devotional, you already are doing the middle three phases – Reading Exercise, Meditation, and Journal. To complete the devotional track, add an Opening and a Closing. In fact, you may already be doing them instinctively.

So the suggested track is relatively easy with Surrender and Trust. Here is a more detailed description of the suggested devotional track:

A. OPENING.

The opening transitions me from the busyness of my life to a focus on God and His kingdom. The opening prepares me for an experience of God and of His love. The purpose of the opening is to turn from the busyness of my life and to close down the thoughts, feelings, and attitudes that it engenders; and to turn toward God and focus my heart, mind, and soul on Him.

Eliminate distractions. Find a place of privacy and quiet for your time with God. You are alone with Him. Turn off cell phones, televisions, or other devices that distract you. Dedicated time is uninterrupted time with God.

My suggested opening: (1) Surrender > (2) Worship > (3) Presence.

1. Surrender. Surrender is yielding every part of my being to Jesus. I try to submit my mind, heart, body, and whole being to God. I verbalize to God that I surrender myself fully to Him. Then I search myself to see whether there is an area in which I am not surrendered.

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect (Rom 12:1-2). 

Did you hear what Paul just said? Surrender is a key to discerning the will of God in your life – by testing and discerning. Surrender is a key to being who I am in God. That is one reason the devotional is named Surrender and Trust.

2. Worship. Worship is an acknowledgement of God and of Who He is – in song, in spoken word, in meditation, or in physical action. Worship changes my focus from myself and puts it on the Lord. Worship changes my perspective and helps me let go of my cares and burdens, and to give them to the Lord.

Worship is a good method to center myself (some call it “recollection”). Center helps eliminate outside distractions, cares, and issues, and looks inward to God’s dwelling. Worship invites God into my outlook and adjusts my self-perception to put me in right standing with God and with other humans.

As I come before God, worship also encourages me to acknowledge and confess my sins to God. I may need to repent and to receive forgiveness.

3. Presence. In presence, I ask the Holy Spirit to be present – in me and around me. Presence invites God into my heart, mind and body. Presence asks the Lord to envelope me in His Spirit so that I can abide in Him in a tangible and transformative way. I want His Presence to last through the day.

Other possible elements for the Opening can be found in Possible Devotional Elements (Section V) below, including Examination, Confession, Desired Grace, and Thanksgiving.

B. READING EXERCISE.

In Surrender and Trust, the reading exercise is the heading, scripture, theme, illustration, and application in the daily devotion. 

1. Headings. Each devotion has a heading which shows the section, the week and day, and the topic of the week. Surrender and Trust at the time of publication has four major sections of 13 weeks each (52 weeks total). The sections are:

BOOK ONE

Section I – Faith, Hope, and Love

Section II – Surrender

BOOK TWO

Section III – Trust

Section IV – Power and Glory

Each week has a different topic that is covered. The topic for the week is shown in the heading.

Please note that the date in the heading of each devotion is blank. The date is blank so that the reader can begin the devotional journey at any point in the year. Some devotional books start with January 1, but our residency programs begin at different times of the year. So your journey can begin when you are ready. Please write the date of each daily devotion in this blank when you do the devotion.

2. Scripture. Below the heading of each devotion is the scripture for the day. Every person reads scripture differently, but the primary goal is to incorporate the scripture in such a way that it becomes reality in your heart and in your life.

Please read the scripture carefully and slowly. Some people like to read the scripture quickly, and then go back and read it slowly. That is fine. Other people like to read repetitively – reading the scripture multiple times to allow it to sink in. The manner in which you read scripture is fine as long as you allow time for the Holy Spirit to speak through the scripture or to highlight certain portions of it to you.

Note your feelings as you read the scripture. Sometimes I am drawn toward the scripture in a positive way. Other times I don’t feel good about what the scripture says. Attraction or repulsion toward scripture is important for discernment. It may say something about my heart or about my thought process. Try to discern the reason for these movements if they occur.

Other times you may be struck by, or drawn toward, a certain theme, phrase, or even a word in the scripture. If that occurs, take time to dwell on it. Allow the Holy Spirit to quicken that portion to you and to illuminate it divinely to your heart.

3. Theme and Illustration. In most devotions, a one line theme will appear below the scripture passage followed by an illustration (in bold) such as a story, a quote, or most often, a personal devotion of Pastor Martin. Pay attention to the theme and illustration as they provide guidance for the devotion. But you are not bound by them. If the Holy Spirit prompts you to focus on a different theme or aspect from the scripture, that is fine.

4. Application. The body of the devotion is the application. The application is one or more points about the theme for the day. Carefully consider these points as you read them.

C. MEDITATION. The end of the devotion is a suggested meditation. The focus and method of the meditation will vary. Setting aside a block of time (at least 10-15 minutes) each day for the meditation is recommended. Use the meditation for a time of quiet and of listening to the Holy Spirit.

Other possible elements for a Meditation can be found in Possible Devotional Elements (Section V) below, including Waiting, Contemplation, Imagination, and Love. Most of these elements are incorporated into one or more of the Meditations in Book Two.

D. JOURNAL.

Write in your journal thoughts, insights, questions, movements, or applications that you received during the devotion. Although your feelings are not your guidepost, your feelings can be instructive so record your feelings during the devotion.

Review of my journal helps me recall areas of movement or of desire. A regular review – weekly and then monthly – allows me to see ways in which God has worked in me or spoken to me through my time with Him.

Every seventh day is a review day. This day is a chance to go back over the past week and review what the Lord has been doing over the course of the week. Keeping your journal faithfully is very important for this review. Take time to review your journal entries over the past week and note any prominent themes, patterns, or applications. The seventh day affords the opportunity to explore an area over the past week in more detail.

I keep a journal on the computer. In my review, when I note something important, I put an asterisk by the entry. That way, I can easily go back and explore it further.

E. CLOSING.

Closing usually involves a prayer that arises from the daily devotion and then looks forward to prepare me for the day. Some people, though, prefer a formalized prayer like the Lord’s Prayer or portions of The Shema (See III.Week Three for The Shema). You then end your time of devotion and look forward to the day, keeping the devotional theme in mind to apply.

V. POSSIBLE DEVOTIONAL ELEMENTS.

Below is a list of spiritual exercises or practices that you may want to try or to incorporate into your devotional track. I recommend that you review them and determine which, if any, may be helpful to you as your journey continues. Books on some elements are listed that give much more detail.

1. Surrender. Surrender is actively yielding every part of my being to God – every thought, every desire, every organ, and every cell (Rom 12:1-2).

2. Center (or Recollection). Center helps eliminate outside distractions, cares, and issues, and looks inward as God’s dwelling place. Center tries to put me in right standing with God and man by concentration on the Holy Spirit in my core. Center changes my focus from this world and puts it on the Lord.

3. Worship. Worship is an acknowledgement of God and Who He is – in song, in spoken word, in meditation, or in physical action. In worship, I exalt, praise, and lift Him up (Psa 22:3).

4. Examination. A regular examination reviews and discerns my words, my actions, my heart, and my desires. Examination can lead to other elements such as joy, confession, repentance, or seeking (2 Cor 13:5). Many devotional practitioners use a daily examination to monitor movements of the heart and spirit. (In his Spiritual Exercises, St. Ignatius described steps in a General Examination of Conscience (“Examen”) – an examination of my life generally, and a Particular Examination of Conscience – steps to examination of a particular area of focus or emphasis. See Daily Examination after this section for suggested steps in a daily examination of awareness.)

5. Confession. Confession acknowledges and discloses my sins to God. During confession, I seek and receive forgiveness, and I repent with a commitment to change so that I do not repeat my sin (James 5:16).

6. Desired Grace. A desired grace is something that I am seeking from God for my life, for the day, or for my journey such as a special touch, a virtue, or a blessing.

7. Presence. Presence invites God into my heart, mind, body, and soul. Presence asks the Lord to wrap me in His Spirit so that I abide in Him in a tangible and transformative way. God is around me all the time. Presence is simply a recognition of His company. See Present Perfect by Gregory A. Boyd.

8. Reading. Reading includes scripture or other inspirational material that I want to understand and to instill in my life. Repetitive reading is a good way to make it part of me and to plant it in my heart. (For a method of reading and applying scripture that has existed for centuries, research and explore Lectio Divina - “divine reading.”)

9. Meditation. Meditation focuses the mind and heart on a specific thought. The thought can be a word, an image, a scripture, or a person.

10. Listening. Listening is quieting my own prayer and asking for God’s direction, guidance, or insight. Through listening, I seek illumination, revelation, or prompting.

11. Love. Love focuses on the relationship of love between me and God. During the time of love, I receive God’s love for me and I love God with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength. See Practicing the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence.

12. Imagination. Asking the Holy Spirit to direct my mind, imagination explores a story in the Bible, an event, or a desired outcome. You can imagine the thoughts and feelings of the characters involved. See Journey With Jesus by Larry Warner (based on The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius).

12. Contemplation. In contemplation, I “blank” my mind, emotions, and physical feelings so that I can experience God in my soul and in my spirit. I eliminate any sensory or mental stimulation so the Holy Spirit can move without interference from my flesh, my mind, or my imagination. See The Ascent of Mount Carmel by St. John of the Cross.

13. Journal. In my journal, I write down what God shows me each day. Journal helps me define what I am feeling, thinking and experiencing, and also helps me remember it.

14. Waiting. Waiting is setting aside time to wait on the Lord. That time can be dedicated to worship or to service. But fundamentally, I wait on the Lord to speak, to move, or to act (Isa 40:30-31).

15. Seek My Face. The Lord often encourages His followers to seek His face (or countenance) (Psa 27:8). Seeking the Lord is not only seeking His Presence and His Being through a deep desire for Him, but it also seeks His favor on my life.

16. Thanksgiving. A time dedicated to give thanks and to express gratitude to God (Psalm 136).

17. Hymnology. The study and use of hymns and their words to inspire worship and glory. See Amazing Grace – 366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions by Kenneth W. Osbeck. Pastor Martin uses hymns in his devotions often. A good example is I Surrender All by Pastor Martin which follows the instructional section in Book Two.

18. Physical Expression. Devotional elements such as worship, meditation, or seeking can be enhanced through physical or artistic expression. Dance, physical positions, drawing, or other tangible expression can add meaning or depth to other devotional elements.

19. Memorization. Memorization of scripture or of prayers can provide a basis for meditation, reflection, or application. Memorization, and then repetition, helps to make scripture a part of you and helps you apply it to your life. Some Christians even chant scripture or prayer, or use portions of them as a meditative mantra.

20. Aids. Use of aids such as worship music, devotional videos, or inspirational talks can be useful for devotional time. Feel free to sing along or to speak portions of the content.

21. Mentor. Meeting regularly with a mentor or a spiritual director is a valuable practice. Wisdom, insight, direction, and correction are some of the benefits from this relationship. A healthy mentoring relationship can make a huge difference in the life of a believer.

VI. FREEDOM

There is freedom in developing a track and there is freedom to change the content some, little, or none. Each person is fearfully and wonderfully made. Part of that wonder (and fear) is that each person is different. You should cultivate time dedicated to the Lord that suits your life and your journey.

If you are thriving from what you are presently doing, then don’t make any changes. You have freedom! My suggestion is to consider the devotional track that is described above. You can try it and then change it if you wish, or try other devotional elements listed above and weave them into your devotional time. Be careful to dedicate time to the Lord daily, but also walk in freedom in doing it.

One important freedom is that you can stay on the same devotion for more than one day – especially if you sense changes are being made in your heart, your life, your lifestyle, or your disciplines. If you want to take time to explore the devotion topic and its application more thoroughly, then spend two or three days on it. Because the devotional dates are blank, you can pick up the next devotion when you have explored the prior devotion fully. Book One and Book Two contain a total of 365 devotions. But take the time you need to absorb the devotion. You are in no way limited to a year to complete this devotional.

But there is a danger to freedom. Let me encourage you not to use freedom as an excuse to neglect your daily devotional time or to stop your personal devotions. Devotional time is vital to your journey with the Lord. Be faithful and consistent in it.

 VII. EXPECTATIONS

In Book Two of Surrender and Trust, some Meditations focus more on meditative, contemplative, or listening elements of devotion. During these times, spend time silently alone with God.

Every person has a different devotional experience. One trend though that many devotional writers have noted as the devotional life develops is a trend from active effort to passive waiting. Initially, the devotional life requires effort in quieting your thoughts and emotions as you grow in the discipline of focus on the Lord or on the meditation. This effort is an active engagement.

As you grow in the discipline though, you learn to relax, let go of control, and allow God to move within you as He desires. This absence of mental stimulation or emotional effort is more passive and contemplative. Many devotional writers assert that the deeper experiences occur as we learn to be more passive – to the point of almost a blank or “empty” of everything except the Lord.

During your Meditations, God may move dramatically or inspiringly. Or he may move softly and gently. Or there may just be silence. But He is present. Allow Him to be present with you and to move as He wants. Allow Him to be God and see yourself as His faithful servant fully surrendered to His ways and His plan for your life and your soul.

Try to diminish expectation that God move in a certain way. The point is to wait and to be mindful of His Presence, and to live in His Presence. It is almost paradoxical. Sometimes we worship Him and bow before Him because He is God. But He also is our constant companion. So other times we need to be still, acknowledge His companionship, and simply BE with Him.

VIII. A FINAL WORD

The final word is to give yourself grace in growing in your devotional life. During this journey over time, you will experience ups and downs. You will have moments of inspiration and of joy. At other times, you may feel nothing or may get discouraged. Persevere!

Also, my mind wanders. I have been doing devotions for many years, and my mind still wanders. If your mind wanders during your devotional time, it is okay. Do not beat yourself up over it. When you catch it, simply bring yourself back to the devotion. If you can pick up where you left off, then do so. If you need to start the devotion over, then do that. Give yourself grace in the devotional discipline. The Lord knows your heart in it.

Don’t allow the devotion to minister condemnation to you. If the Holy Spirit convicts your heart, then be convicted and address the conviction appropriately with repentance and a commitment to change. But the purpose of this journey is to avail yourself of grace. God gives grace – abundant grace. Give yourself grace as well. [1]

Let’s begin with our devotions!

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TIME WITH GOD

Time with God daily is necessary for me to:

1. Discern the movements of my heart.

2. Increase in my knowledge of Him.

3. Live daily in the presence of the Lord.

4. Hear His word for the season of my life.

5. Correct my fluctuating attitudes and emotions.

6. Yield myself fully to Him.

7. Bring me back into right standing before Him.

8. Find direction and purpose for my life.

9. Reveal my own heart to yourself.

10. Be instructed in God’s ways.

11. Renew my mind.

12. Reorient me to God and to His thoughts.

13. Walk with God as the king of my heart.

14. Allow God’s love to infuse me so I can likewise love other people.

15. Sense the times that the Holy Spirit gives me a gentle nudge instead of using the baseball bat that I normally require.

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TEN TIPS FOR DEVOTIONAL TIME

1. Be honest with yourself and with God. God knows the thoughts and intentions of your heart anyway so be as honest with God and with yourself as you can. Don’t try to “hide” from God.

2. Eliminate all distractions during devotional time. No TV; cell phone and computer off; be alone in a place of quiet.

3. If your mind wanders during your devotional time, don’t beat yourself up. Receive grace and just come back to where you were in your devotion.

4. You may need to slow down your mind or emotions to enter into the devotional time. You can use imagery or relaxation exercises to take your mind off of worldly matters.

5. Don’t focus on time. Allow the devotion to flow naturally. Sometimes most of the devotional time is preparation of your heart. Other times it is spent on the scripture. Other times it is worship and meditation. Allow yourself to be led by the Holy Spirit in your time.

6. Reference the devotional instructions above often for guidance.  

7. Give your devotional life time to develop. If you feel lost or overwhelmed, then take comfort in the normalcy of that. Give yourself time to grow in your devotional life.

8. Ask for revelation of the root cause of sin or problems in your life. Part of surrender is vulnerability. Be prepared to be exposed or even torn apart as the Holy Spirit works in your heart to address issues, to heal your heart, and to pour Himself into it.

9. Just listening. Abide in His presence and listen. God moves all around us. He is always working in our lives. We need to develop sensitivity to those movements. There are interior movements (such as whispers to our mind or a tug on our heart) and exterior movements (such as circumstances of our life).  We need quiet reflection and patient alertness to detect God’s movements. Pay attention to the movements of your heart and your mind. Important things are often soft and gentle. Jesus is gentle with us and He is patient.

10. Grace, grace, and more grace.

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DAILY EXAMINATION

(An examination used daily, or even multiple times daily, can assist in discerning the movements of your heart and spirit, and can develop spiritual sensitivity to areas of challenge and struggle. The examination can help you to walk closer to the Lord each day, and enhance experiences of awareness, repentance, grace, forgiveness, and reconciliation.)

Step #1. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you the joys and blessings of the last 24 hour period. Give thanks to God for the grace He has given to you and for favor that He has shown you. Offer a heart of thanksgiving!

Step #2. Ask the Holy Spirit for the grace of wisdom, of discernment, and of insight about your life in the last 24 hour period. Ask Him to “shine a light” on your heart and your life.

Step #3. As you explore the last 24 hours, ask the Holy Spirit for the grace to see times and places in which you have been aligned with God and have acted out of love for Him. Then ask to see times and places in which you moved away from God or failed to act out of a love for Him. First, examine your thoughts; second, examine your words; finally, examine your actions. You are taking account of what you thought, what you said, and what you did.

Step #4. Based on what you notice in Step #3, ask the Holy Spirit to help you see honestly and without condemnation, what causes you to stray from God’s love and friendship. With deep sincerity, ask for forgiveness from God and for help to overcome the causes of your straying.

Step #5. As you look to the next 24 hour period, ask the Holy Spirit for help to keep you aligned with God and with God’s desire for you. Ask for grace for needed change of your thoughts, words, and actions, and that you might notice, with honesty and humility, where you fall short of His will for you.

End the examination with the Lord’s Prayer.[2]

[1] Many thanks to Eileen Crusan, Spiritual Director/Supervisor, with the Emmaus Center for Spirituality, Charlotte, NC (www.emmauscenterforspirituality.com) for her generous review and input on this instructional section.

[2] Source Material: The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, §24-43 pp. 15-23 (Translated by Louis J. Puhl, S.J.)(Loyola Press 1951). For further material on spiritual discernment and decision making, see Appendix A - Discernment: A Process for Making Godly Decisions.

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