Marcy Heidish is an award-winning author of six novels and two nonfiction works including A Candle at Midnight: Keeping Vigil as a Path Through Depression. She teaches literature and creative writing at Fordham University. In this thought-provoking resource, she looks at the spiritual dimension of life in a city.

Most of us when we talk about seeking God turn to the natural world with its beauty, mystery, and variety. But there are noble and creative souls like Heidish who discover God in the city amidst the noise, the chaos, the trash, and the throngs of people pushing past each other in the busy streets.

"In a city, perhaps more than in any other locale, we have God's face all around us, if we look for it--not in the sky, but in the faces of others. Whether we're talking about Los Angeles or Louisville or Bakersfield or Bend, cities can show us how varied we are as human beings: varied in ethnicity, race, age, style, health. We might think the cityscape hides God, but in a unique way, a metropolis reveals God's presence through the diversity of His children, for we are all created in God's image."

Here are a few spiritual practices that Heidish recommends:

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• Let hearing a siren cue you to prayer for those in danger or needing help.

• Let a stop sign serve as a pause for a quiet mediTation.

• Seek out periods of silence during your day in the city.

• Don't let the fast-paced rhythms of the city turn into "hurry sickness" where everything we do is rushed in the shortest period of time.

• Develop some new habits as consumers to live more simply.

• Create a spiritual oasis at home or outside in a special place where you can commune with God.

• Open your heart to the homeless persons on the street.

Heidish proves to be masterful teacher who is able to reframe distractions, irritating people, and other annoyances into experiences that deepen and enrich our spirituality. Whether she is talking about surrender to God or giving thanks for the blessings in the city, the author inspires us to become more mindful of the Divine Presence in the metropolis.