Practicing God’s Presence
A gentle place to begin when the faith that once carried you can no longer hold the weight of your life
— Michael Pratt
What feels like unraveling is often a new beginning.
Hello, I’m Michael
There was a time when life felt steady. I lived with a quiet confidence in God’s presence, and my faith gave me a sense of clarity and peace.
But over the years, I began chasing certainty instead of trust. I built walls around my beliefs, defended them fiercely, and lost sight of love. Over time, that confidence slowly turned into a need for certainty. I began defending beliefs instead of living love. Then life’s storms came. COVID. The war in Ukraine. Betrayal. Fear. And my faith started to unravel.
Yet through suffering, I discovered something deeper. What I lost in rigid systems, I found again in God’s living presence, not as rules to guard, but as a relationship that meets us in life’s messiness. That rediscovery reshaped everything.
Today, I walk alongside others through transitions in faith, life, or leadership, helping them rediscover peace, purpose, and freedom in God’s presence. If you’re seeking clarity in a season of change, I’d be honored to walk with you.
Hello, I’m Michael
There was a time when life felt steady. I lived with a quiet confidence in God’s presence, and my faith gave me a sense of clarity and peace.
But over the years, I began chasing certainty instead of trust. I built walls around my beliefs, defended them fiercely, and lost sight of love. Over time, that confidence slowly turned into a need for certainty. I began defending beliefs instead of living love. Then life’s storms came. COVID. The war in Ukraine. Betrayal. Fear. And my faith started to unravel.
Yet through suffering, I discovered something deeper. What I lost in rigid systems, I found again in God’s living presence, not as rules to guard, but as a relationship that meets us in life’s messiness. That rediscovery reshaped everything.
Today, I walk alongside others through transitions in faith, life, or leadership, helping them rediscover peace, purpose, and freedom in God’s presence. If you’re seeking clarity in a season of change, I’d be honored to walk with you.
Practicing God’s Presence
Jesus called this abiding in the vine. The fruit of abiding is reflected in three ways:
Inner Alignment
A movement of trust and wholeness, lived from the inside out through attentive presence, honest awareness, and deep rest.
Outward Compassion
Seeing others through the eyes of Love. Inner alignment shapes how we see, honor, and respond to each person we meet.
Courageous Participation
Stepping into the world with presence and purpose, where inner alignment and compassion take shape through action.
“Practicing God’s Presence”
This book is for you if you’re longing to live in a growing awareness of God’s presence in everyday life.
Through story, Scripture, and lived experience, I offer reflections on how to remain present when life feels steady — and when it doesn’t.
Practicing God’s Presence is offered as a gentle companion for learning to live with greater awareness, trust, and attentiveness to God in every season of life and faith.”
Spiritual Mentoring
For seasons of spiritual transition and discernment
Sacred Space of
Listening
Spiritual direction offers a calm, grounded space to slow down and speak honestly about your life. Our time together is rooted in deep listening to your experiences and questions, held with care and respect for your story.
Walking Forward with Discernment
This practice is not about fixing things or offering quick answers. It is a form of accompaniment that gently attends to what is emerging and notices where God may already be at work, allowing clarity and a deeper sense of purpose to unfold over time.
Life is not about arriving at certainty. Life is learning to see differently and remain awake to God’s presence in all things.
Compassion in Action
Our mission in practice, rooted in presence and lived alongside others.
Since moving to Ukraine in 1995 to serve as Missionaries, our family has lived among the people we serve — raising five children here, now parents themselves, and welcoming eleven grandchildren into this story. Our mission grows from presence, and takes shape through action.
Inner Alignment has shaped how we remain rooted in trust and prayer amid uncertainty.
Outward Compassion has taken form through decades of shared life and, in recent years, through helping refugees fleeing the war, rebuilding homes, trauma care, and humanitarian aid.
Courageous Participation means responding and rebuilding alongside our neighbors. This is compassion in action, practiced with open hands and faithful presence.
Since moving to Ukraine in 1995 to serve as Missionaries, our family has lived among the people we serve — raising five children here, now parents themselves, and welcoming eleven grandchildren into this story. Our mission grows from presence, and takes shape through action.
Inner Alignment has shaped how we remain rooted in trust and prayer amid uncertainty.
Outward Compassion has taken form through decades of shared life and, in recent years, through helping refugees fleeing the war, rebuilding homes, trauma care, and humanitarian aid.
Courageous Participation means responding and rebuilding alongside our neighbors. This is compassion in action, practiced with open hands and faithful presence.
Stories of Transformation
Words shaped by listening, discernment, and lived experience.
“Michael’s calm confidence in God’s promise of ‘treasures of darkness’ (Isa. 45:3) gave me corage, faith, and hope by helping me see this season as a sacred adventure”
Brian
“Michael’s calm confidence in God’s promise of ‘treasures of darkness’ (Isa. 45:3) gave me corage, faith, and hope by helping me see this season as a sacred adventure”
Brian
“Michael’s calm confidence in God’s promise of ‘treasures of darkness’ (Isa. 45:3) gave me corage, faith, and hope by helping me see this season as a sacred adventure”
Brian
Frequently Asked
Questions
Yes. I know what it’s like to carry wounds from faith communities and leaders. This is a judgment-free space where you won’t be pressured into any belief or practice. Together, we’ll honor your story, your pace, and create room for healing and trust to unfold naturally.
Spiritual direction creates space to listen for God’s presence in your life. Counseling often looks back to heal wounds, and coaching focuses on achieving goals. Spiritual direction is about discernment and trust — noticing where God is moving in your story and learning to align with it. I don’t give quick fixes; I walk alongside you as a companion on the journey.
Not at all. While my roots are in the Christian tradition, I walk with people from many different faith backgrounds — and also with those who feel disconnected from religion but long for meaning, purpose, or spiritual depth. What matters most is your openness, not your label.
It depends on your season of life. Some people meet with me for a few sessions during a time of transition; others continue for months or years as part of their ongoing journey. There’s no one-size-fits-all — we’ll discover the rhythm that serves you best.
That’s perfectly okay. You might begin with a retreat, a workshop, or even by reflecting on my writing at your own pace. When you’re ready for deeper connection, I’ll be here.
Most sessions take place online, making it simple no matter where you are. When possible, I also offer in-person sessions or group gatherings. The goal is always the same: a safe space where you feel seen, heard, and supported.
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