as he was dying abba benjamin taught his sons this do this and youll be saved rejoice always pray constantly and in all circumstances give thankseach christian who seeks god through prayer is continuing a tradition that began with the desert fathers and mothers of the fourth and fifth century simple peasants whose spiritual progress was marked by inner peace selfcontrol poverty patience humility and hospitality desert wisdom contains some hundred sayings of the desert fathers each accompanied by playful illustrations by japanese artist yushi nomura bridging east and west the simple truths of desert wisdom remain as fresh and vital to christians today as they were to the disciples who first heard and recorded them