In an era that elevated intellectualism and reason above all, Madame Guyon helped people not just know about God, but know him personally, showing them that a deep inner life with God through prayer is possible. Both witty and wise, this once wealthy widow wrote about the importance of engaging not only the intellect, but the heart and the will, in pursuit of a deep relationship with Christ.4
The influential pastor and evangelist John Wesley said that Madame Guyon was the “greatest Christian to rise since the first century.”4 Her influence was significant during her lifetime, and has persisted ever since, helping generations of Christians develop a deep interior life with Christ through prayer. Out of this deep interior life, they, too, like Guyon, have discovered that a deep life in Christ brings “unspeakable happiness” that is a “true balm” for all the pain and sorrows of life.6
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1 Guyon, J. (1997). Madame Guyon: An autobiography. Whitaker House: 1st edition.
2 Hendry, M. & Uglow, J. (2005). The Palgrave MacMillan dictionary of women's biography. Macmillan Publishers Ltd: 4th edition. ISBN: 978-1-4039-3448-2
3 Bakewell, J. & Rodger, L. (2011). Chambers biographical dictionary (9th ed.). Chambers Harrap. ISBN: 9781782682714
4 Johnson, J. (1998). Madame Jeanne Guyon: Her autobiography (Condensed and modernized). SeedSowers.
5 Cohn-Sherbok, L. (2001). Who's who in Christianity, Routledge (2nd ed.). Routledge.
6 Guyon, J. (1685). Experiencing the Depths of Jesus Christ. SeedSowers.