Prayer - what more can I say? Prayer is an essential practice for all of us longing to follow Christ in our earthly journeys. Back to basics has been a series these last few weeks here on Healthy Spirituality as we ponder what best nourishes our soul and our relationship with God. What are primary ways that we often neglect, forget, or just plain get too busy or distracted to do? Time to get back to basics. Prayer A friend said to me the other day she was embarrassed to admit that after a near fatal car accident, it was days before she prayed. And this is a lady of great faith. I am never surprised in spiritual direction when I ask (or am asked by my spiritual director) how have you prayed about this? Then the other lowers their head and whispers, “Sad to say, I haven’t really done about that yet.” I have been there too. Yes, I pray. I pray a lot. But I am also amazed how much I forget to, too. I did write a few years ago - 11 Tips to Percolate in Prayer. It was a good … [Read more...]
Back To Basics – Journaling
Back to basics is the ongoing theme in the next few weeks here on Healthy Spirituality. A good point in time to ask ourselves what are our essential practices and if we are really practicing them? Often we get rushed, lazy, distracted and forget what best slows us down and aligns our hearts with God. This week let’s explore keeping a spiritual journal. This is a popular topic in the Healthy Spirituality community, and I have written much about it in the past. Maybe some of these will inspired your practice. Here are a few of those posts: What is a Spiritual Journal? A spiritual journal is a notebook or some type of recording of your faith journey. The focus is on your relationship with God, how you see life through your spirituality and where you prayerfully think God may be inviting you next in life. A spiritual journal is not a diary – where all the nuances of daily life are documented. Significant life events or what is impacting you in ordinary living can … [Read more...]
Back to Basics – Word of the Year Practice
Back to basics is the theme for the next few weeks here on Healthy Spirituality. A fitting topic for September and for our spiritual journeys. September is often called the second new year – a time for fresh starts and reenergized actions. An invitation to review what practices are most life-giving for us and are we honestly making the most of them. I know my essential practices as I mentioned last week are gratitude, journaling, prayer, and sacred reading. Duh! I totally forgot one of my fundamentals disciplines that has nourished my soul quite a bit these last few years. Exploring a word of the year. Back to Basics with Word of the Year Practice At the end of the previous year I begin a list of possible words/themes to guide me in the new year. I am grateful Lisa Burgess to offer a community and prompts to give us ideas how to dig deeper into our words. Usually, a word or phrase is simple, easy to remember and flexible by taking us many directions to explore. I’ve … [Read more...]
Back to Basics
Back to basics is often the first step in September when the kids return to school. Teachers take the time to assess each student’s status and what next steps are needed to best help them. Back to basics can work periodically for our spiritual journeys too. September is often called the second new year – a time for fresh starts and reenergized actions. What are the essential practices that nourish my soul? Am I honestly making the most of them? What are my next steps? Our spiritual practices don’t evoke God, force God to come or really have much power at all. But regular disciplines slow us down and align our heartbeat to sync with the Divine. God is always present; it is our attention that wanders off to the edges. Practices center us and bring us home. Stop and identify what are the basic practices that resonate with your spirituality? These are the basics that September invites us to enter deeper. For me, my essential practices are gratitude, … [Read more...]
Iceland Impressions
Iceland! I just returned from a wonderful, magical, fascinating trip to Iceland. What an adventure to experience such a different culture and environment. God certainly expressed creativity when fashioning this part of the earth. In fact, one of the tour guides commented that when God was young ( interesting thought, isn't that?) that God decided to play with all the elements and threw them joyfully here and there in Iceland. If you have read this blog for a while, you know how I tend to reflect and hunt for lessons in my everyday moments and in journeys away from home. Here are a few insights from Iceland: Lessons can be found throughout life whether we are home or traveling. I feel blessed to be able to visit and learn about Iceland – a great reminder of how God’s wisdom and beauty exist if we are open to looking deeper. Have you ever visited Iceland? What have you been learning lately just where you are? … [Read more...]
Revisiting my Bookshelf – My Final Reread Surprised Me!
This month I have been revisiting my bookshelf, spending time with “old friends” and seeping in their wisdom. On the August 8 blog post, I shared this wonderful quote about the value of this practice: “A truly great book should be read in youth, again in maturity and once more in old age, as a fine building should be seen by morning light, at noon and by moonlight.” – Robertson Davies Today I will finish with a book that I didn’t originally consider, but leaped into my heart for rereading after revisiting my bookshelf. My own journals! Harvesting my Journals Harvesting my journals is my practice of rereading past entries, highlighting thoughts, and noticing patterns and lessons. Asking questions is another powerful tool to harvesting a journal. What lessons did God teach me this year? Does a single word or phrase jump out? Is there a recurring theme, such as discouragement or anger and is there any insight to this repeating affliction? Has something been left … [Read more...]
Meeting God in Scripture – Revisiting My Bookshelf – Part Four
“Meeting God in Scripture” by Jan Johnson is the next book to reread, to immerse myself into its wise words over this summer. What fun I have had perusing my shelves, listening to their invitations. To be honest, sometimes many of the books shout, “Pick me!” so I pause and listen quietly to which voice resonates within my heart. I have been revisiting my bookshelf this summer and decided to make this a series in the month of August. Each week I will rediscover an old friend, reread its wisdom and share a title, its theme, a few quotes, and a small reflection/application. Meeting God in Scripture This book offers 40 guided meditations in the style of Lectio Divina. Lectio Divina is sacred reading grouped by reading a passage four times, once to read, next to reflect, then to respond, and last to rest, contemplate and listen to God. The unique gift of this book is its set up for easy to find, read, study, and even use in a small group. Most readings are 2-3 pages with … [Read more...]
The Cup of Life – Revisiting My Bookshelf, Part Three
The Cup of Our Life is a wonderful image to hold, ponder and be a conduit to lessons from God. I hunted for this book by Joyce Rupp the other day, wanting to drink again from its wisdom. I smiled at all the sticky notes, underlining and tattered edges of this loved book. Words once again inviting me to reread. What would stand out to me this time? I have been revisiting my bookshelf this summer and decided to make this a series in the month of August. Each week I will rediscover an old friend, reread its wisdom and share a title, its theme, a few quotes, and a small reflection/application. The Cup of Our Life Joyce Rupp is one of my favorite authors. Most of her books sit on my shelf so it didn’t surprise me that at least one of them jumped into my pile to reread. Joyce reminds us that a cup is a powerful teacher and metaphor for spiritual growth. She writes, “I have learned that my life holds stale things that need to be discarded and that sometimes my life feel as … [Read more...]