Here, Now: Unearthing Peace and Presence in an Overconnected World

Merrick (And Still She Laughs), cofounder of the Reality church group in California, speaks with passion and depth about “practicing presence” by disconnecting from unfulfilling activities to find God in everyday life. Merrick begins by explaining a night when she spent an hour searching for makeup online while her five-year-old daughter, Daisy, slept. The next day, she learned that her daughter had kidney cancer; the guilt of spending her time the night before on the internet became the seed of her search for “practicing presence.” Over the course of three years, the family’s trips to Israel to seek medical treatment for Daisy prompted Merrick and her husband to create a “new habit of being.” She describes the value of going off the internet (and posting only monthly social media updates), ways to initiate community through attentive listening and acts of service, and strategies for weeding out unnecessary desires and thoughts. Merrick is forthcoming about her failures and her tough recovery from Daisy’s death at eight. She writes of her deep sorrow but also firm resolve: “This moment is beautiful, will be beautiful, because I’m right where I’m supposed to be.” By always returning to her axiom to “practice presence,” Merrick provides inspiration for any Christian reader in need of support during difficult times. (Apr.)