Basic Program : This program is divided into three levels, each consisting of 21 days. Each day has its own respective theme and visualization.
The daily themes are intentionally placed in a specific order, like building blocks or layers. I recommend not jumping ahead of the daily sequence. While you may require inner healing, jumping first to that section of the book will not be as beneficial as it could be, until you have first developed enough trust in the Lord's personal love for you. Only after a foundation of trust has been established will you let the Lord in to heal you.
In the first two levels, you will use your imagination to see Jesus in familiar surroundings in order to get comfortable visualizing. This will make it easier for you to develop a personal relationship with Him. Then, in the third level, we will move into praying using the Holy Scriptures.
The visualizations presented herein are the heart of the program. The strength and power in the Prayer of Presence are found in the time spent with the Lord. Every day when you come to this part, close your eyes, use your imagination, and place yourself mentally in a scene suggested in the instructions or a scene of your choosing. You will then ask yourself the following questions one by one and spend time reflecting on each question: What do I see? What do I hear? What do I physically feel? What do I smell? These questions will be repeated for the first few meditations until you become familiar with the process. Later, this practice will become second nature. When you have finished with the meditation, spend a few moments giving thanks to God. Mental prayer consists not in thinking much but loving much. This method of prayer takes these words to heart. Practice it as it is explained, and you will soon see the positive effects in a short period.
The Prayer of Presence has as its goal to develop a heartfelt relationship with the One who loves us most.
Day 1
Meeting Jesus :
Beginning prayer: "Lord, come fully into my life." (It is important to give God permission to come to you. He is just waiting for you to ask so that He can shower you with His blessings.)
Consideration: Think about the reactions of two good friends who meet after not seeing each other for a long time. What would they do? What would they say to each other? Remember when you were in a similar situation. What did you do? What did you say?
Meditation: The first thing you need to do is to picture in your mind a beautiful scene that you remember (a park, a mountain, a forest), preferably a nature scene. Then, place yourself in that scene.
Ask yourself the following questions one at a time:
What do I see?
What do I hear?
What do I physically feel?
What do I smell?
After visualizing the scene, see Jesus enter. He is exceedingly happy to see you! Allow yourself to greet Jesus like a good friend you have not seen in a long time. After the initial greeting, imagine that Jesus asks you if you could accompany Him on a walk. Jesus says to you, "I have a very precious gift of prayer for you; would you like to receive it?" After you accept the gift, I want you to speak with Him freely or just enjoy the scenery. You create the conversation on both sides. What would you like to talk to Jesus about? What do you think Jesus would say to you? Spend time with Him. After you finish, say goodbye, and tell Him that you would like to see Him again soon.
When I first started praying this way, I would picture myself at a lake in the Boundary Waters in northern Minnesota. The Boundary Waters consists of many miles of wilderness containing many lakes interconnected with rivers and streams. It is an excellent location for fishing and camping.
Using my memory, I would place myself in that scene and see everything as if I were there again: the fragrant pine trees, the lakes and streams, and the wild animals. I would feel the cool breeze with the sun's warmth and smell the pine trees and the water from the lake. Then I would hear the birds, the waves on the shore, and the slight breeze rustling the trees.
We went for a canoe ride and just enjoyed the scenery together.
OK, now it is your turn. Put the book down, close your eyes, picture a beautiful scene that you remember, and go through the steps mentioned above.
Thanksgiving: When you finish, take a moment to thank the Lord for the time spent with Him.
Does your soul thirst?
Do you know what it is to have a soul that thirsts? I’m not talking about loneliness, sadness, temptation, desire, or an appetite; I’m talking about something that goes beyond feelings and is not perceived with your senses, but it strongly affects the way you think, feel, and act.
After the fall of our first parents, Adam and Eve, we lost something that can only be found in the one from whom we lost it, namely God. Grace goes beyond feelings. When we are lacking in grace, we have a certain emptiness inside. It’s part of our human nature to abide in God.
So, we end up with something missing inside, yet we can’t feel it, but we feel its effects. Since “it” is part of our nature, we can’t help but seek “it.” We seek “it” without realizing what “it” is.
You were, believe it or not, created by God and for God. God defines everything about you. We were created to be happy, joyful, and peaceful in Him, even amidst extreme suffering.
“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, or be afraid” John 14:27 (underline is mine)
God wants us to have inner peace. When we can’t find it, we start to look for a substitute, an earthly substitute. A house built on sand. A reality based on lies.
After the Lord gently knocked me off my high horse and revealed Himself to me, I dedicated time to praying daily. Several years later, the Lord began to teach me a relatively new way to pray that quickly brings anyone into a close personal relationship with the person of Jesus.
Through this prayer, the Lord heals and leads the person in removing those blocks that keep us from Him. He forgives our sins, takes away our guilt, teaches us to trust Him, and fills us with His Love.
One day after an intimate moment with the Lord after about two weeks of “praying” in this manner (I say “praying” because, at first, I didn’t consider it as prayer), I noticed that the temptation to sin was still there, but the force behind it was gone. I remember saying, “Well, Lord, thanks for the break today. It was great!” Then I experienced the same thing the next day, then the next. As long as I was faithful to this particular method of prayer, which has its bases in the teachings of St. Theresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross, He was faithful in filling my heart (when I wasn’t well, you know, the story).
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me; you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.” Matthew 11:28-30
The ultimate purpose of Healing Vine Ministries is to help bring about a personal relationship with God and, as a consequence of this relationship, healing and peace. This is brought about by a straightforward, systematic prayer method. The blocks to peace are within us. We are the problem, not God. God wishes all of us to enter into His peace.
“Peace be with you.” John 20:19, 21, and 26
Todd Scott
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“This book is simple and profound. When I first started reading it, I thought it seemed too simple. Then as I began to practice what was written and really apply these simple techniques, I realized just how profound it is. This book is based on spiritual giants like St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, and St. Ignatius of Loyola, along with other giants of classic Christian meditation. But it is written in an amazingly simple and clear manner, making the deep truths of contemplation accessible to the average person. After practicing these techniques for less than a year, I can say that they have changed my life more than I ever imagined possible. In a world of overstimulation, this is the answer so many are looking for: to go away for a while to a quiet place to pray and refresh the soul. The beautiful thing is that this can be done in the quiet of your own home for a few minutes every day. I highly recommend this book.”
“Who is this mysterious Man, Jesus? God incarnate, Priest, Prophet, and King. But do I dare call him my buddy, my pal, mi amigo? Holy Scripture teaches us that Jesus is like us in every way except for sin. But what does this mean “like us in every way.” This 63-day journey of sharing the experiences of this humble author not only has greatly contributed intellectually to the answer to this perplex ing lifelong question, but it has also given me practical meditations, reflections, and practices so that I can experience this intimate friendship, as well. No matter where you climb on the Lord’s mountain, Quenching the Soul’s Thirst will push you right up a steep incline to a union with Christ. Come I did and used this valuable tool to open up the mystery of this fully divine and human Man, my Buddy, Jesus.”
“A friend introduced me to the prayer method described in the book: Quenching the Soul’s Thirst. Ever since then, my world has never been the same. The prayer method advocated by Todd Scott transformed my life. At that time, I was an emotional and spiritual mess. I felt depressed and apathetic about life. I lived in a suicidal cloud, wishing that something terrible would happen and end my misery. I did not believe there was a way out of the cult environment that surrounded me, nor the hopeless disposition that gripped me internally. As far as God was concerned, I felt there was a great abyss between us impossible to surmount. With nothing to lose, out of desperation, I started to practice this new kind of prayer. I had prayed all my life, from age 16 to 28. But nothing had ever had the impact or the far-reaching trans forming power of this kind of prayer. Within two short months, I felt renewed and saw the light at the end of the tunnel. So I kept going. Within three years, I experienced the amazing effect of emotional growth and maturity. This prayer led me through countless traumatic memories and completely healed them. It even urged me onward and strengthened me to confront evil. And the best part: it granted me the long-sustained intimacy and happiness of a wonderful relationship with Jesus. Virtue became easy, years of sinful habits were tamed. I highly recommend Quenching the Soul’s Thirst to anyone and everyone.”
“Todd showed me the method of prayer laid out in his book Quenching the Soul’s Thirst over ten years ago, and it has literally changed my life. Before trying this method, I had spent almost ten years setting aside daily prayer time and was at the point of giving up on God because the fruit was not there. Then Todd showed me this simple method, so simple, I thought it would never work, and it changed my life. I went from trying to serve God by following rules, which always left me frustrated and depending on my own power, to a loving relationship with our Lord that brings peace and the ability to let God be God. This method has given me the courage to face my past and the future by living in the present. I still have my fears, but I no longer need to face them alone. I know and can feel His presence with me, which changes everything. This book will not make all your troubles disappear in an instant, but if you are faithful to this method of prayer, you will allow our Lord to touch your heart, and you will never be the same. Thank you, Todd, for being a kind and patient teacher, for practicing this in your own life, and for sharing this gift with others. May God bless you. Peace.”
“This is a book about a day-to-day process of finding God in a new light. The tears you will shed, and the peace you will find are truly amazing. This path where Todd leads you is definitely worth taking. Quenching the Soul’s Thirst is must-read.”
“I’m grateful for you showing me how to pray with the heart, which gave me so much healing at a critical time of my life. Thanks again. I will always be indebted to you!”
“What Mr. Todd Scott presents in Quenching the Soul’s Thirst is so simple, yet so profound. His presentation is refreshing yet rooted in a time-tested spirituality that originated in the 16th century with St. Ignatius of Loyola. Quenching the Soul’s Thirst helps you establish a heart-to-heart conversation with God. Once you start down the road, Mr. Scott points out; your life will never be the same again. I have been so convinced about Quenching the Soul’s Thirst that I have purchased many copies and given them away to everyone I can who will accept it. And those I have given this book and have put it into practice have experienced profound changes in their spiritual lives. Eager to learn God’s will for me, I was open to prayer. So, I decided to give God five minutes a day in prayer. I started on a Sunday, and by Friday, I was so enthused and invigorated by this prayer that I was ready to allow God to have as much time as He wanted when I prayed. That first Saturday was a watershed event for me. God so profoundly touched my life that I related to Him in a completely new way. I finally understood the saying, “You can know a lot about God, but not know God.” But He had an even bigger surprise in store for me. Two weeks after spending carefree time with Jesus in prayer, I finally decided that I was ready to meet God the Father. I wanted to know that He as loved a Father as the New Testament says He is, and I desperately wanted to experience his love, the love only a Father can give his child, and only a child can experience. Using Mr. Scott’s guidelines, I met God the Father in prayer. I have never felt such love and affection in my entire life! For the first time ever, I HAD A FATHER, and I knew in the deepest part of my soul that I was loved through and through. Quenching the Soul’s Thirst will change how you relate to Jesus Christ. You will learn how to speak from your heart to Jesus, who loves you. He will renew you, and your life will never be the same.”
“This prayer method is an amazingly effective way to feel the real and unique presence of the Lord in your life. It not only helps you to communicate with Him when you feel sad, happy, worried, etc., but He also responds to you in your heart. He tells you how much He cares for you, how much He loves you, and that you are not alone anymore and never will be alone because He is there for you for the rest of your life and eternity. And the most exciting and breathtaking thing is that you witness the Lord masterfully moving the pieces of your life’s Chess game. I really enjoy praying and having this close relationship with God, and I will never let it go.”