One of the benefits of being editor of Unity Magazine is having the opportunity to interview spiritual thinkers such as Elizabeth Gilbert, who appears on the cover of this issue. Gilbert is my role model for several reasons: like me, she began her career as a freelance writer, she has demonstrated resilience by overcoming depression in the wake of a bitter divorce, and she has traveled to places I've longed to go (India! Italy! Indonesia!). But mostly, I was charmed by the way she described her quest for God in her blockbuster memoir Eat, Pray, Love.

I love her understanding of prayer, which she described in her book. Rather than “petitioning” God for specific requests, she asks for courage to face whatever challenges that might be occurring in her life. Divine order, indeed.

But there is so much more in this issue of the magazine. We will now be offering affirmations. We also are bringing back a books section. Another new feature in place is called "Ask Anything," in which we pose questions to various Unity luminaries. Our first subject is Rev. Ellen Debenport, author of the new book The Five Principles.