Practicing the Presence | Prompt 3: A Warm Mug

“Take a photo of a warm drink in your hands.”

Sometimes, presence begins with something simple: the weight of a mug, the steam curling upward, the way your fingers wrap around warmth.

Before we even speak a prayer, before we even name what we need, God is already here.
In the pause.
In the inhale.
In the tea, the coffee, the cocoa held between your palms.

This small ritual of making and receiving warmth can become a sacred act. A quiet invitation to come back to yourself… and to the One who is always near.

What Is “Practicing the Presence”?

Practicing the presence means remembering that God is with us, not just in church or during formal prayer, but in the ordinary and embodied parts of our day.

This is not about doing more. It’s about noticing what’s already here.

Brother Lawrence, a humble monk and kitchen worker in the 1600s, called this way of life “a continual conversation with God,” where every task and every moment became a doorway into communion.

Even (especially) the small ones.

Try This

Today, make yourself a warm drink.

It doesn’t have to be fancy. Just something you like. Hold the cup in your hands. Pause before you sip. Notice the heat, the scent, the taste.

Let this be a moment to practice the presence of God.

If you’d like, take a photo of your hands holding the cup as a visual reminder that God meets us here, in the quiet and the warm.

Ask yourself:

• Where is God in this moment?

• What am I receiving right now besides a drink?

• What does it feel like to let this be enough?

Tag your photo with #PracticingPresence or simply carry the peace of this moment with you through the rest of your day.

You are not alone. You are held.