Encountering God's presence is a transformative experience that can deepen your relationship with the divine and bring about spiritual growth. When we encounter the presence of God, we have the opportunity to experience His love, peace, and guidance in a tangible way. This encounter can happen through prayer, worship, reading Scripture, or simply spending time in quiet reflection.

During this lesson, we will explore different ways to encounter God's presence and how to cultivate a deeper awareness of His love and guidance in our lives. We will discuss the importance of creating a sacred space for encountering God, the role of community in facilitating these encounters, and the practice of listening to God's voice through prayer and meditation. By the end of this lesson, you will have a better understanding of how to cultivate a deeper relationship with God and experience His presence in your everyday life.

Key Lesson Concepts:

• Encountering God's presence is a transformative experience that can deepen your relationship with the divine.
• Ways to encounter God's presence include prayer, worship, reading Scripture, and quiet reflection.
• Creating a sacred space, fostering community, and listening to God's voice are key practices for experiencing God's presence.

The Prophet and The Presence of God

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18 New King James Version

As air is the atmosphere of the Earth, glory is the atmosphere of Heaven." - Rev. Ruth Ward Heflin

    Did you know that there are Glory Realms? This is an important question for those who are unfamiliar with the charismatic language. So let me first explain to you the term “realm”. A realm can be defined as a place, region, sphere, or domain within which anything occurs, prevails, or dominates. So when I say the word realm, I am speaking of a spiritual place with God. To give a further illustration of what I mean, we could look at a ladder with three stairs. Each stair leading to a destination. The destination in this context is the Glory. In order to arrive at the destination, we must first climb the other two steps. Which are faith, and the anointing. With the final step being the step of God’s Glory! It’s a must to distinguish the difference between faith, the anointing and the glory of God. This is important because all three are equally important as we journey deeper into God’s presence. We however, in this chapter will spend most of our time on the stairs of the anointing and the Glory. The reason for this is that faith, the first stair toward us entering into God’s Glory. Is entry level in the kingdom, and understood by most. 

Most people if there are reading this book on going deeper with God have a basic understanding of faith toward Jesus Christ. Everyone starts at this first realm or place of faith.  

      Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

  So currently if you are a believer in Jesus Christ, and have received him by faith, you are already halfway up the ladder of God’s Glory. So what is the difference between the anointing and the glory? The anointing and the Glory actually go together. When I began to receive the revelation of the Glory, it was such a magnificent season. I began to see miracles, strange manifestations, and prophetic ministry that I did not have language for. During this season of ministry. In my lack of knowledge and understanding. it was as if I discarded the anointing for the Glory. As I began to walk in the glory unintentionally. I began to feel as if there was no longer any need for just the anointing. This however has proven to be inaccurate as I have grown in my understanding of Glory! It’s important that I establish the importance of the anointing. There are actually levels to operating in the Glory. Everyone goes through a process as God prepares you for his Glory. This process has been what the book has attempted to unlock to you. My process into God’s Glory. 

    The beginning of God’s training in his Glory. Is that of faith, this is the first level. Then as we grow through intimacy and communion with God. We then move from faith then into the anointing. The anointing then finally leads you into the Glory. As I previously said I will not go into deep detail into the first level which is faith.  As we come to God by faith. We then move into the second dimension, which is that of the anointing. The anointing of God is crucial in the life of every believer. The anointing is very important in our understanding Christ of the Glory. The anointing was previously an ancient cultural practice. In which shepherds would pour oil on the heads of their sheep. This was done to protect them from insects that would get into their ears and kill them. The anointing has become symbolic of blessing, protection, and empowerment. Everyone that has ever been sent byGod in scripture was anointed. In the Old Testament Prophets, Priest, and Kings were all anointed before service. Samuel anointed David, and the scripture tells us after he was anointed; that the spirit of The Lord came upon him from that day forward.1 Samuel 16:13 ESVThen Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.  Before you can begin to operate in the Glory, you will begin to first operate in the anointing. I still operate in the anointing at times because the anointing is still needed; Even after, we receive the Glory upon our lives. We must understand that Jesus operated in both the anointing as well as the Glory. Jesus was anointed during his earthly ministry because of his intimacy with the father. 

Luke 4:18 ESV “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, toset at liberty those who are oppressed, 

 We see the power of the anointing in the above verse. The anointing comes to empower us as we preach the gospel. The anointing brings deliverance, healing, and strong prophetic utterance. We can do much under a strong anointing. The anointing is powerful, every believer has been given an anointing based on scripture (1 John 2:20). The Holy Spirit is furthermore symbolized in the New Testament as the anointing oil. We often call the anointing, in charismatic streams, the anointing of the Holy Spirit. The anointing is not just for ministry, but there is an anointing for every area of society. There is an anointing for business, politics, and even media. You have been anointed for a time such as this. You have been anointed for this hour to carry the power of God everywhere you go. So if the anointing is so powerful, why then should I pursue the Glory? Also what’s the difference between the Glory and the anointing. The greatest difference between the anointing and the Glory is that the anointing is God’s empowerment upon your gifts and abilities for the work of ministry; while, the anointing is the power of God upon your life for a specific assignment. This means that you can have an impure heart and bad character, yet still operate in a strong anointing. Reason being the gifts and callings of God are irrevocable.  

Romans 11:29 New Living Translation  For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.   

     This is why David did not touch Saul. Even though the spirit, which represents the Glory, had left him. David recognized that though Saul was backslidden, he had lost the Glory but not the anointing. He was still anointed for kingly service. The Glory however, is entirely different than the anointing. The Glory can lift and be easily grieved, because the Glory is a person. If you don’t remember anything else, remember that the Glory is a person; the person of the Holy Spirit.This is what separates the anointing from the Glory. Glory is God doing the work through you. In the anointing, I can prophesy by faith, pray for the sick, and cast out devils in my own anointing. All the while, being far from the heart of God and in sin (Matthew 7:22). This is not so in the Glory. When the Glory was mishandled in the scripture there were instant consequences(2 Samuel 6:1-7). In the anointing it’s work to pray for the sick, prophesy, and cast out devils. While operating in the Glory, God himself heals the sick. We see this in the life of Jesus in the story of the woman with the issue of blood. 

Mark 5:27-30 TPT 27 When she heard about Jesus’ healing power, she pushed through the crowd and came up from behind him and touched his prayer shawl. 28For she kept saying to herself, “If only I could touch his clothes, I know I will be healed.” 29 As soon as her hand touched him, her bleeding immediately stopped! She knew it, for she could feel her body instantly being healed of her disease! 30Jesus knew at once that someone had touched him, for he felt the power that always surged around him had passed through him for someone to be healed.  

  In the scripture above, Jesus was walking in the Glory realm, to such a degree, that the woman was instantly healed through just touching his garments. This measure of Glory is also seen in the book of acts. The apostles walked in such a realm of God’s Glory that even Peter's shadow caused people to be healed!  

Acts 5:15-16 New Living Translation

As a result of the apostles’ work, sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that Peter’s shadow might fall across some of them as he went by. Crowds came from the villages around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those possessed by evil spirits, and they were all healed.

This was not a result of the anointing, but the manifestation of the Glory upon his life. You can carry this same presence in your everyday life. As we can see from this passage of times in the Glory, there is little to no effort on your part. In the Glory demons began to leave without us even commanding them to leave. In the Glory prophetic words are accelerated, and instantly fulfilled. In the Glory most are healed, and finances supernatural manifest. Often as I am operating in the anointing, there is an exhaustion after I am done ministering. While in the Glory, there is energy and strength that come directly from heaven to earth. The Glory takes the anointing to another level. Your gifts are no longer an issue in the Glory. The Glory will take you before great men, and will accelerate your destiny. The Glory took Joseph from the prison to second in command over Egypt (Genesis 41:37-44). What it took twenty years in the anointing only take three years in the Glory. We are in a season within the church of accelerated Glory. The way to access this Glory is through intimacy with the Holy Spirit. The deeper you go in fellowship with God. The more you will begin to operate in the Glory. God desires his church to receive understanding of the knowledge of his Glory. 

Habakkuk 2:14 New King James VersionFor the earth will be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, As the waters cover the sea.

  This knowledge of God's Glory is being released, for the sake of the end time harvest. We have been in the anointing alone for too long, and are now being called to move into greater glory. It’s time that we step out of the way, and allow God’s manifest presence to be released in this generation. When this happens we will see a great revival in the nations. The church coming into an understanding of God’s Glory is the key to revival.     

                                                 What is the Glory of God?

 Is it just another word that we said while in religion? Has it become somewhat like the word “amen”? Just something we say, at the end of a wonderful sermon. No, rather, the Glory of God is the most important aspect of the Christian faith. Some read that statement and would instantly say to themselves, “This guy must be crazy!” You would most likely say to me that, “No, the Christian faith is all about Jesus”. I would then tell you that I totally agree.     If I asked a room full of people, why did Jesus come to earth. There would be many answers. Most, if not, all being true. There is one answer, however, that would be mostly overlooked if asked this question. I believe many if asked that question would say that Jesus came to earth to save us from our sins. Others would say he came to deliver us from eternal separation from God, and to restore us to right standing before the Father. Which is also true, others would say that Jesus came to earth because of his love for humanity, and to make heaven available to us. Which is emphatically true as well! 

   However, wonder if I told you though these all hold much truth. There is one answer often missed by the everyday believer. This revelation if received could revolutionize our relationship with God forever. It’s a mystery to many, but this ancient truth will be revealed in this book. This revelation will bring you into a life filled with Glory encounters with God’s presence.   I believe one of the primary reasons Jesus Christ came to earth was to reveal the Glory of the Father to the world. 

John 11:40 New King James Version (NKJV) 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?”

John 1:14 English Standard Version (ESV)14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 

        Jesus Christ was the very manifestation of the Glory of God on the earth in bodily form (Hebrews 1:3). How did Jesus manifest the Glory of God? He manifested the Glory through carrying the presence of God everywhere he went, and through miracles, signs, and wonders and deliverance! Everywhere Jesus went the presence flowed from him, and so did a constant awareness of the voice of the father and the presence (John 6:5-14; John 2:1-11). So what is the 

Glory of God is the question? The Glory has been defined by theologians as the manifest presence of God. It’s crucial that the church again receive revelation of the importance of God's presence. We were never meant to exist outside of God’s Glory. This is why Jests came to earth, to restore us to the original intent of God in the garden of eden. Which was that we live saturated in the manifest presence of God daily. This is what Jesus has brought us into threw his blood and the new covenant. You now have been given full access to his tangible presence daily. This is even further emphasized in Jesus being referred to in scripture as Immanuel. This revelation of Jesus as Immanuel came in a message given to Joseph in a dream by an angel of God. The word Immanuel is properly translated as, “God with us (Matthew 1:23).   

 There is a powerful truth found in the revealing of the title Immanuel. Which is that Jesus carried the manifest presence of God, and the same spirit that was present with him is made available to every believer. Jesus perfectly modeled for us a life overshadowed by the presence of God. He fully revealed the reality of the Glory of the father. Just as Jesus came to reveal and carry the Glory of the father. We have now been called to carry and reveal the Glory of Jesus everywhere we go.   Many don’t understand the power of the resurrection, and what it released. Jesus's resurrection and ascension did not leave us without his presence. But through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost(Acts 2). We are now all able to experience the same Glory that Jesus Christ carried. 

John 14:12New King James Version“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.  

   This Glory that Jesus walked in while on earth has now been given to every believer. Through the baptism of the Holy Spirit and his indwelling presence. At the day of Pentecost the Glory of God was poured out and is still being poured out today. Through the spirits continual outpouring God is now desiring to rest upon you daily. Exactly as he did the early church through the person of the Holy Spirit. Who is the very spirit of Jesus Christ himself. 

   Acts 2:1-4 (NKJV) 2 When the Day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them [b]divided tongues as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.  

   The Holy Spirit is the presence of God on earth. One of my favorite revivalist says that the Holy Spirit is Jesus without limits.” As we fellowship with the Holy Spirit daily, what is produced is unusual Glory encounters. His presence in and with the believer is now how the Glory is released in our everyday lives. As powerful as this truth is that I just laid out. I want to take you deeper in understanding the nature of God’s Glory. I believe the Glory of God is a central theme throughout scripture. Our lack of knowledge however, is what is hindering us from experiencing it daily. We see the Glory of God manifesting in almost every chapter of the bible. Why, because God himself in scripture is called the King Of Glory. “Lift up your heads, you gates;be lifted up, you ancient doors,that the King of glory may come in.Who is this King of glory?The Lord strong and mighty,the Lord mighty in battle.Lift up your heads, you gates;lift them up, you ancient doors,that the King of glory may come in.Who is he, this King of glory?The Lord Almighty—he is the King of glory” (Psalm 24:7–10)   

  The most important revelation to seeing God’s Glory manifest in your intimate relationship with God which has been the focus of my life and this book. Is a revelation of God as the King of Glory. This name King Of Glory is powerful because it implies. That the very nature of who God is revolves around the Glory. This is powerful, and reveals to us that the Glory is the very nature of God revealed to man. Which is the purpose of this book, that you would encounter the presence of God in a personal way. This concept of the Glory being the very nature of God. Is called in scripture the Doxa Glory. Which Doxa is one of the three Hebraic words for Glory. This word Doxa means the magnificents Of The Father and Jesus. There are several scriptural verses that highlight the Glory in this light:John.1:14 and the Message became flesh and tented among us. And we observed his doxa, of an only-born [one] from [the] Father.."

   John.17:22: and I have given them the doxa which you gave to me, so that they may be one, justas we [are] one."Matthew 24:30and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and much doxa."   

   This word Doxa has even deeper meaning and definition. Doxa further means honor, praise, and respect. In order for us to begin to walk in more of God’s Glory. We must first understand that there are three Hebraic words used to describe the one word Glory. Which we will discuss them all throughout this chapter and book. We must understand them all, because all Glory is not the same! By understanding this simple truth, much jealousy and comparison within the body of Christ will be destroyed. We all are called to walk in a revelation of the Doxa Glory of God. Moses encountered God’s Doxa Glory when he asked God to “Show Him His Glory!”

 Exodus 33:18New King James VersionAnd he said, “Please, show me Your glory.” 

   This is one of my go-to verses concerning the Glory of God. As powerful as Moses plea to know God in his Glory was. God's response to Moses was even greater. Listen to how God responds to Moses' hunger for more of God’s presence to be revealed to him:  

Exodus 33:19 New King James VersionThen He said, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of theLORD before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 

  Mosess asked for God’s Glory, and God responded by revealing the fullness of his nature. The Glory of God as seen in the above passage is the fullness of who God is revealed to mankind. God revealed to Moses the depths of his Goodness in this encounter. This revelation of God’s Goodness is foundational as we go deeper into the Glory. You must understand that he is a good father. That desires to know you and reveal to you more of himself. Moses was desperate for an encounter with God’s Glory. We must have this same desperation in our everyday lives if we desire to see God’s Glory to be revealed to us. Your heart cry should be the cry of Moses, “which was that God would show him his Glory!” If this is the cry of your heart, to daily encounter God’s presence you are about to go on a journey.     

    The second word for Glory in Hebrew. Is that of the “kabod” which means weight" or "heaviness." I have constantly encountered this realm of Glory in my personal prayer time. There Has been times during my fellowship with God. That his presence becomes so intense that I am not able to stand because of the weight of God’s Glory. This is what happens in services, when people are falling out under the power of God. The Kabod Glory is manifesting. The Kabod Glory is defined as the heavy weighty presence of God. As I began to move in God’s Glory I would see this Kabod Glory released as I prophesied. This same Kabod Glory can rest upon a person, and desires to rest upon every believer. Solomon experience this type of Glory at the dedication of the temple:

2 Chronicles 7:1-3 King James Bible 

Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house.Andthe priests could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD'S house.And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.     

   There was such a manifestation of God’s presence, that the priest could not enter the temple. As this level of Glory is established in our midst the fear of the Lord is released! We are then made completely aware of the presence of his Glory in an unusual way. As a result, often we are 

unable to stand. As God’s heavy presence comes into the atmosphere. I believe God wants to release this dimension of the Kabod Glory to his church. This Kabod Glory was seen in the ministry of men and women like Kathryn Kuhlman and others as people encountered the presence of God in an unprecedented manner. God’s plan for your life is that everyday you would encounter his Kabod Glory. Are you ready to walk in the weighty presence of God daily?Were you walk into a room, and the entire room atmosphere is shifted by your presence!    The final meaning of this word Glory is revealed in the Hebraic word Shekinah Glory.

    The Shekinah Glory is the visible manifestation of God's presence appearing in the natural realm. This type of Glory is what gives evidence to manifestation such as gold dust, angel feathers, and oil that has begun manifesting in the lives of many of God’s Glory carriers. This visible Glory is beginning to manifest all across the earth. I have begun to see the manifestation of gold dust myself as well as other visible manifestations. Gold dust and a revelation of the Shekinah Glory was pioneered by Ruth Heflin. I believe these visible manifestations to be a sign of God’s Glory resting on our lives visibly. Men like Joshua Mills, and David Herzog among others are carrying a revelation of the Shekinah glory throughout the earth. The Shekinah Glory is seen scripturally throughout the Old Testament in scriptures such as:

Exodus 13:20-22“By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.”

 Exodus 24:16-1816 and the glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from within the cloud. 17 To theIsraelites the glory of the Lord looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain. 18 ThenMoses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain. And he stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights.  

 The children of Israel are a prophetic picture of us daily encountering the visible presence of God. We also see the Shekinah Glory manifesting in the encounter of Moses at the burning bush 

(Exodus 3:1-22). The Glory in this encounter visibly manifested as a fire that could be seen withMoses natural eyes. I believe the key to seeing a generation won is to the Lord. Is these Glory encounters that mark you forever? Moses was marked by his encounter with God’s Glory at the burning bush. Are you ready for your burning bush encounter with God’s visible presence? As you encounter his presence in this way, you will be forever marked. We were wired to experience daily God’s manifested presence. This lack of encountering God, is the reason for the drug epidemic in this generation. We as a generation are hungry for an experience that religion and church attendance can not fill. We should daily live in the Of encounter or Bethel. Jacob experienced this as he wrestled with a visible angelic messenger. He also experienced this as he saw the heavenly ladder that manifested before him(Genesis 32:22-31). Jacob was a man that encountered the Shekinah Glory and was never the same. His very name was changed from Jacob to Israel by this one encounter with God’s Shekinah Glory. Encountering the presence should not be a one time event, but a lifestyle. 

  Every believer was meant at the moment of salvation to have a burning bush encounter. As we draw closer to God in prayer and intimacy we are able to encounter this Glory daily. This is what we will discuss through the remainder of this book! As I said before, we can learn a lot about the Shekinah Gloryfrom the children of Israel in the wilderness. The children of Israel lived daily saturated in the visible presence of God. As Manna and Quail rained from the sky. There was also a visible cloud and fire that also manifested in the midst. Exodus 13:21New Living TranslationThe LORD went ahead of them. He guided them during the day with a pillar of cloud, and he provided light at night with a pillar of fire. This allowed them to travel by day or by night. For the children of Israel the Shekinah Glory was a normal part of their daily lives. I believe just like Israel in the wilderness. That every believer should live in even greater expectations, of daily visible manifestation of God’s Shekinah Glory everywhere they go. We will talk more about the Shekinah Glory throughout this book. All of these aspects of the Glory the Doxa, Kabod and the Shekinah are all available to the everyday believer. You can live in this atmosphere of God’s tangible presence. I heard David Herzog actually define the Glory in a unique way. He defined Glory as,” the Glory is the atmosphere of heaven. “ As you walk in his Glory you are fulfilling the prayer of Jesus that heaven would come to earth. The father's heart has always been to release heaven on earth. Through the life of everyday believers, that walks in close fellowship with God. Heaven is released everywhere we go! This is the will of God for our generation. This is why we are told to pray on earth as it is in heaven: 

Matthew 6:10English Standard VersionYour kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.    

   When we pray this prayer, we are literally asking the Father to release heaven's atmosphere on earth as it is in heaven. Heaven has an atmosphere. Which is the Glory of God. His unfiltered presence is the air that fills heaven. Just as the earth has air that we breathe. The Glory is equally the oxygen of heaven. In this heavenly atmosphere there is no sickness, demons, or poverty. This is why the Glory is so important. Just imagine if you were instantly transported into the atmosphere of heaven right now. Upon your arrival, you would become instantly aware of God’s manifested presence in an unusual way. As you entered this heavenly atmosphere, all your sickness, and sorrow would vanish instantly. This is why we must press into encounters with God’s Glory! We are told in scripture that in God’s presence there is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:1). In God’s presence is everything that you need. Someone might be saying that sounds amazing.You might also be thinking that I can’t wait until I die and go to heaven. So I can experience this atmosphere of Glory everyday. Wonder if I told you that you did not have to wait until you die to experience his Glory? You have been given full access into God’s presence NOW! God wants his people to arise as Glory Carriers in this hour. So that the earth itself will begin to be filled with God’s Glory like no generation before or after us. This is the heart of God that in the midst of great darkness; that there would be a people that walk in his Glorious presence everywhere they go (Isaiah 60:1)

Prophets like Moses had unique and profound experiences of encountering the presence and face of God. These encounters were often intense and transformative, shaping the course of their lives and the messages they delivered to their people. In the case of Moses, one of the most well-known prophets in the Abrahamic traditions, his encounter with God at the burning bush exemplifies a powerful experience of divine presence. As Moses approached the bush that was engulfed in flames but not consumed, he heard the voice of God calling out to him. This moment marked the beginning of a significant journey for Moses, as he was called to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and into the promised land.

During his encounters with God, Moses not only experienced the presence of the divine but also witnessed the glory and majesty of God's face. In the biblical account, when Moses asked to see God's glory, he was granted a partial revelation of God's face. However, the fullness of God's presence was so overwhelming that Moses could not see God's face directly and live. Instead, God allowed Moses to see His back as He passed by. This imagery symbolizes the mystery and incomprehensibility of God's essence, highlighting the awe-inspiring nature of divine encounters for prophets like Moses.

Through the experiences of prophets like Moses, we gain insights into the significance of encountering the presence and face of God. These encounters serve as powerful moments of revelation, guidance, and empowerment for the prophets to fulfill their missions. The intimate connection with the divine not only shapes the prophet's understanding of God's will but also strengthens their faith and resolve to carry out their calling. As we reflect on the experiences of prophets like Moses, we are reminded of the profound ways in which encountering God's presence can transform and illuminate our own spiritual journeys.