Grace on the Go: 101 Quick Ways to Pray (Paperback)

by Barbara Bartocci (Author)
Key Phrases: State Line Road, Lord's Prayer

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
These days, everyone seems to race through the day multi-tasking at breakneck speed, with no time for quiet prayer. Author Barbara Bartocci was frustrated by this fact—until she realized an important truth: Every single task is potentially holy if we do it with a holy intent. And that’s the premise of Grace on the Go. This book offers quick, imaginative ways to help busy people make prayer an integral part of their days.

Part One contains short reflections from real life, designed to lead the reader into a few minutes of quiet meditative prayer, offering a brief "step of holy action" to incorporate into an ordinary day. Part Two offers ways to turn a single minute—from drive time to lunch time—into a prayerful encounter with God.

About the Author
Barbara Bartocci is the author of six religious books, including Meditation in Motion: Exercise Your Body and Soul and Nobody’s Child Anymore, and a frequent contributor to consumer magazines, including Family Circle, Good Housekeeping, Woman’s Day, and Reader’s Digest. She lives in Overland Park, Kansas.

Product Details

• Paperback: 98 pages
• Publisher: Morehouse Publishing; 1 edition (May 30, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0819222305
• ISBN-13: 978-0819222305
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 3.7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #798,226 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Praying on the Go, August 10, 2006

By	Lisa M. Hendey "Lisa, CatholicMom.com Webmaster" (Fresno, CA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

A new book out from award winning author Barbara Bartocci has breathed fresh air and energy in to my prayer life. In Grace on the Go: 101 Quick Ways to Pray (Morehouse Publishing, paperback, 98 pages, May 2006), Bartocci acknowledges life's frantic pace and offers her readers support and encouragement for making active, frequent prayer a part of their lives.

In the beginning of the book, Bartocci describes her own frustration over trying to lead a truly spiritual life. With the following words, Bartocci hits at the heart of what, in my book, makes her Grace on the Go so special:

"And I realized that "living spiritually" is not something that exists out there. It's a commitment to make our lives - as they unfold - a gift to God."

Grace on the Go: 101 Quick Ways to Pray is not like other tomes on prayer I've seen - it's designed to be read in small bits. From its diminutive 2.6 ounce design to its format of being written in small segments, the book lends itself to any active life. Tuck it into your purse or diaper bag. Slip it into the front zipper pocket of your organizer. Set it in the glove compartment or cup holder of your car. Then pick it up and dive in. It doesn't matter which page you land on when you open the book - you'll find immediate inspiration and motivation. I've been enjoying and frequently reading it during my daily activities and have found it to be a wonderful spiritual resource.

In the closing pages of the book, Barbara Bartocci references Mother Theresa's statement that the busier her life became, the greater her need for prayer. The same holds true for you and I - grace comes in finding moments each day, no matter where life puts us, to turn our hearts to God.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Tiny Treasure Jampacked with Inspiration, June 30, 2006

By	Susan Kelly Powers (Greater Kansas City) - See all my reviews

In Barbara Bartocci's book, Grace on the Go: 101 Quick Ways to Pray, she presents "practical and imaginative ways to put a spiritual spin on your ordinary day."

"A relationship with God is always like a two-step dance," writes Bartocci, "one step going inward in prayer and another step going outward in loving action." Thus, in most mini-meditations, she offers a specific action step.

Each reflection is thoughtfully written with nuggets of truth and vivid anecdotes that can anchor the ideas in your heart. Plus, her creative imagery is entertaining. "Most of the time we carry our bodies around like briefcases, hardly noticing them."

Her refreshing thought, Practice Shower Power, is only 57 words long. Another reflection ends with "Today, look for just one person--or one situation--that could benefit from ... kindness." Drawing from her lifetime of Christian faith, Bartocci even includes a compact description of the age-old practice of centering prayer.

"People who want a strong spiritual core need to pray regularly," writes Bartocci. "Prayer doesn't always require formal words or a visit to church but it does require daily practice. It's why I'm writing this book."

Grace on the Go is brimming with insight and quick to read. At only 3 ounces, it's perfect for fitting into a purse, a pocket or a letter to your friend. I've already found several opportunities for giving it away ... if I had just been willing to part with my only copy.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A perfect "picker upper" in every sense, July 9, 2006

By	Patricia Schudy (Leawood, Kansas) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

You can judge this book by its cover. It's not a heavy. It's quick reading that gets you going spiritually -- and it's small enough to tuck into a backpack, glove compartment of purse.
I like the way it's laid out by both time of day and times of need. Barbara's suggestions are uplifing and at the same time realistic. I had to smile at No. 9: "...resolve to do something kind for someone who (rubs) you the wrong way...then notice how difficult it is to make yourself do it."
GRACE ON THE GO is a keeper. It's also a terrific small gift.