Book excerpt: 2021 Association of Catholic Publishers third place award in inspirational How do you encounter the mystery of the other? This is the central question at the heart of spiritual direction and central to the human quest. Hineni—presence—is not an answer to the mystery but a response to the challenge. At a time when people on the edges of religion increasingly seek out spiritual direction as a way of confronting life's unanswerable questions, hineni indicates a fundamental reality beyond labels. And in an age that seems to suffer from disconnection, hineni indicates a way in. A helpful resource for anyone interested in spirituality beyond easy answers or (in)convenient labels, Hineni: In Imitation of Abraham is a stark exploration of what it truly means to be present—to yourself, to the one before you, and to the one we call God.