Julia Mourant

Reflections for Daily Prayer continues to be one of the most popular and highly valued daily Bible reading companions. Continuing its tradition of excellence, regular favourites and new contributors offer insightful, informed and inspiring reflections on the scripture readings of the day, based on the Common Worship lectionary for Morning Prayer. Isabelle Hamley, Principal of Ridley Hall, Cambridge, is the guest contributor for Holy Week. For every day (excluding Sundays) of the 2026-27 Church year, there are full references and a quotation from the day’s set of Scripture readings, concise and challenging commentary, and a collect. Also included is a simple order for Morning and Night Prayer, and additional helps for nurturing a habit of regular daily prayer.

This concise yet comprehensive guide reimagines spiritual direction as a transformative gift for personal growth and the church’s vitality. Organized into seven parts, it serves as both a handbook for practitioners and a resource for those in training, covering: the charism and models of spiritual direction; inner reflection and faith development; essential skills like listening and questioning; best practices for boundaries and accountability; and lifelong learning. With rich insights, creative tools, and a wealth of resources, this is an essential companion for anyone exploring or deepening their journey in spiritual direction.

In the work of spiritual direction, certain themes or ‘presenting issues’ commonly arise. Listening to Your Soul considers thirty frequently presenting subjects and offers tools for exploring and understanding the reality that lies behind them, from an experienced spiritual director. Subjects include discernment, change, goals, choices, hopes, family issues, parenting, regret, anger, doubt, perseverance, work, prayer - or lack of, disappointment, possessions, guilt, fear, endings and more. For each area, Listening to Your Soul explores the way the theme tends to arise in spiritual direction - what are the questions, feelings, dilemmas which we may experience and encounter? - offering reflective questions, exercises and prayers to deepen understanding and discern God in the questions and uncertainty.

For those exploring a sense of call – to ordained ministry, another vocation or to a change of direction in life, the standard advice is often to read some relevant books and consult a recognized expert. Rational thought is important, yet Listening to Your Life recognizes that there is another way of knowing and understanding which is intuitive and rooted in a God-given inner wisdom. Here, God can speak through our imagination, hopes, dreams, doubts and desires as well as in the logic of lists of pros and cons. Spiritual director and vocations advisor Julia Mourant offers thirty simple spiritual exercises for exploration and discernment – for example, viewing our lives through four windows: Looking through the north window – what is our pole star? What holds us firm in life? Looking through the east window – what new gifts or challenges may be rising in our lives? Looking through the south window – what warms us and causes us to grow? Looking through the west window – what may be setting in our lives? What do we need to let go?