Introduction
As part of our Read & Renew Summer Program, we’re excited to highlight The Emmanuel Promise by Rev. Summer Joy Gross. This tender and powerful book invites us into deeper connection with God through attachment-based spiritual practices. When I sat down with Summer, she shared personal insights about her journey, the heart behind the book, and how we can experience God’s nearness—especially in moments of vulnerability.
Meet Summer Joy Gross
Rev. Summer Joy Gross is an Anglican priest, spiritual director, and founder of The Presence Project. Her ministry centers on the belief that transformation begins by becoming aware of God’s presence—particularly in places of pain and longing.
In our conversation, Summer told me about her work with healing groups over the past decade. She noticed that people’s attachment styles often shaped their connection with God. “Sometimes, as people enter painful places, they panic,” she said. “So I realized we needed spiritual practices that help build attachment with God.”
The Emmanuel Promise: A Book of Hope and Presence
The Emmanuel Promise isn’t theoretical—it’s a personal invitation. The book offers a set of practices designed to help us rest in God’s love and develop a real sense of His presence. Summer shared that these are not just random selections, but practices “the Lord used so profoundly in my own life that I realized it would be such a privilege to set the table for others to experience them.”
Many of us come from faith traditions that emphasize productivity and knowledge but neglect the importance of rest and relationship. “They’re just really hungry,” Summer said of those exploring new ways to connect with God, “and it’s such a privilege to offer them something different.”
Why This Message Matters Now
In our fast-paced, achievement-driven culture, many of us feel spiritually depleted—not because we don’t believe, but because we’re exhausted. The Emmanuel Promise meets us here, inviting us to slow down and encounter God in ways that restore our souls.
The book encourages us to move from a performance-based faith to one rooted in peace and presence. By integrating practices like stillness, sensory awareness, and meditative reading, Summer helps us grow in intimacy with a God who is always near and always loving.
Practices for Living the Emmanuel Promise
Summer reminds us that attachment to God grows over time, through small, intentional moments. She encourages a daily rhythm of presence: “I was sitting on my back porch… opening my eyes to the sparrows… feeling the breeze… just being present to God’s welcome in that moment.”
She also recommends a simple practice of ten minutes of stillness each day—creating space to become aware of our inner world without judgment. “It’s just being,” she told me, “and then telling the Lord what a gift it is to witness His creation… and beginning that conversation from right where we are.”
Closing Thoughts and How to Begin
Summer hopes that The Emmanuel Promise helps us discover God’s tenderness in unexpected ways. “God desires my every need to come into His presence… Attachment is built one cry and response at a time.”
She shared that a lot of people go through her book somewhat quickly, and she encourages us to go through the book with a friend or two, making space for our, "stories to surface in a safe space, and begin to experience the kindness of God together."
And as she so beautifully reminded me: “The God of the universe… doesn’t have anywhere else more important to be than right here with you.”
by Lieza Bates