The first way in which a soul is united with God is through salvation, solely by grace,

This is followed by a period in which a saved soul comes to know God through a series of experiences, some of which bring it into closer union with him and some take it further away.

The soul learns which activities bring God’s presence nearer. It remains in his presence by practicing those activities.

from The Practice of the Presence of God

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Gender-neutral version:

The first way in which a soul is united with God is through salvation, solely by grace,

This is followed by a period in which a saved soul comes to know God through a series of experiences, some of which bring it into closer union with God and some take it further away.

The soul learns which activities bring God’s presence nearer. It remains in God’s presence by practicing those activities.

from The Practice of the Presence of God