On my little back porch – The quiet moments come before the world fully wakes. The sunlight spilling gently across the floorboards. The leaves rustling, whispering their morning prayer. This porch has become a sacred space – a threshold between the outer world and the inner one.
As I settle into that quiet space, I find myself drawn to the life and wisdom of St. Teresa of Ávila, a 16th-century nun, mystic, and reformer whose words still stir hearts centuries later. Teresa’s writings invite us to explore prayer. They also encourage us to delve into the deep interior life. It is that tender meeting place where our soul communes with God.
In her masterpiece, The Interior Castle, St. Teresa describes the soul as a grand castle made of crystal. It is full of rooms that lead ever inward toward the center. This is the place where God dwells.
She wrote that many people live only in the outer courtyards, busy and distracted, unaware of the beauty within. The spiritual journey, she said, involves moving deeper into those inner rooms. This is achieved through prayer, humility, and love. These practices help us rest in God’s presence at the very heart of our being.
That image feels so close to what I experience on the porch. When I quiet my mind and let the noise settle, I can feel myself moving inward. I transition from thought, to breath, to stillness. This brings me closer to the One who loves me completely.
St. Teresa also compared prayer to watering a garden. At first, she said, it takes effort – drawing water by hand, tending each plant carefully. But over time, as we grow in trust, the garden begins to water itself through rain – grace freely given.
In her words:
“The soul is like a garden, and the Lord delights to walk among its flowers.”
Maybe our porch time is like that early watering. These are quiet moments when we show up weary or hopeful. We trust that something beautiful is being tended in us, even when we can’t yet see it blooming.
🪷 How to Pray Like Teresa
Here are a few simple ways to bring her spirit to your own porch:
1. Begin with Stillness
Sit quietly. Notice your breath. Let the outer rooms of your mind settle. You don’t need to do anything – just be present.
2. Offer Humble Prayer
Teresa reminds us that humility is the doorway to God’s love. Speak simply, as if to a dear friend. Tell Him your joys, your weariness, your longing.
3. Rest in Silence
After speaking, stay a moment longer. Don’t rush away. This is the heart of prayer – the space where words end and presence begins.
Perhaps the porch – that small, humble space between inside and out – is a reflection of Teresa’s inner castle. It’s where heaven meets earth, where our busyness softens into prayer.
Today, you don’t have to find perfection in your spiritual life. Just step into the next “room.” Move a little deeper into your own heart. Trust that God is already waiting there.
Lord,
Teach me to enter the quiet places of my heart.
Help me to water the garden of my soul with gentle trust.
May I meet You there in stillness and simplicity. Let me learn to rest in Your love. Teresa did this, faithful and free.
Amen.
Which “room” of your inner life are you being invited into today — stillness, trust, surrender, or joy?
The Prayer Porch 