Reading and retreating - going on a retreat - are two practices that nourish our spiritual growth. In our everyday hectic distraction-filled life we need to be intentional about what feeds our spirit. Too often we focus on other people’s needs or give into the addiction of busyness. We neglect the holy habits that help us hear, know and love God. Reading My bedside stand has been full of great books that have called to me lately and I thought I would share a few with you. Yes I am one of those types that have many books going at one time. Keeping the Sabbath Wholly by Marva Dawn - I am revisiting this book as I attempt to honor the Sabbath more each week. This book explores the different dimensions of ceasing, resting, embracing and feasting - a very holistically approach to the Sabbath. Daring Greatly - Brene Brown. I mentioned this book on my recent post about Being Stretchedthis year. Brene researches the value of having the courage to be vulnerable and how that can … [Read more...]
The Voice
The Voice - no, not the TV show, the Bible translation.I heard that this version was released about a year ago but hadn’t explored it yet. Then a few weeks one of my favorite Bible reference web pages - Biblegateway - added The Voice to its choices. mmm, maybe it was time to take a look. The Biblegateway blog had an interesting post about thedifferent versions they use when they added The Voice Bible. They also have a full explanation and information about The Voice Bible on this page.The publisher, Thomas Nelson, describes The Voice as: “a faithful dynamic equivalent translation that reads like a story with all the truth and wisdom of God's Word. Through compelling narratives, poetry, and teaching, The Voice invites readers to enter into the whole story of God, enabling them to hear God speaking and to experience His presence in their lives. Through a collaboration of nearly 120 biblical scholars, pastors, writers, musicians, poets, and artists, The Voice recaptures the passion, … [Read more...]
Daring Greatly, Being STRETCHED and Jumping into the Arena
What is daring greatly? I “met” Brene Brown through her TED talks. She speaks on ThePower of Vulnerability here and her talk on Listening to Shame here. Both are worth your time to listen. TED talks are wonderful conversations about life, the world and curiosity. People present in less than 20 minutes a peek into their research, their experiences and/or their learning. Their mission is to spread ideas. I always learn something new when I watch a TED talk. Brene studies and writes about such fascinating topics as shame, vulnerability and courage. She listens deeply to people and the journalist in me loves the questions she asks others to explore. Brene Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston, graduate school of social work. She has written several books: The Gifts of Imperfection and I Thought I was Just Me. My daughter, Valerie gave me her latest book, Daring Greatly, at Christmas. (Thanks Val!) I just finished Daring Greatly. Don’t you love it when a … [Read more...]
Lewis and Tolkien: The Synergy of Friendship
Lewis and Tolkien has a special friendship. I read a few months ago the J.R.R. Tolkien wrote in a letter following the death of C. S. Lewis: “But for his interest and unceasing eagerness for more I should never have brought The Lord of the Rings to a conclusion.” We saw the Hobbit over the holidays and rewatched all three parts of the Lord of the Rings. What fantastic story telling. And to think, we may never have heard of Tolkien if it wasn’t for a friend. But I have recently learned we may have never heard of C. S. Lewis either if it hadn’t been for Tolkien. Lewis and Tolkien had a relationship that nourished one another. As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17 The encouragement and determination friends like Lewis and Tolkien gave to one another now enriches the whole world. One plus one equals More. When I become curious about the friendship of Lewis and Tolkien, I found a book by Colin Duriez titled … [Read more...]
How to Count the Days of Our Lives or Making Each Day Count
One of my best friends, Esther, lived 99 1/2 years. I figured she saw more than 36,300 days in her life.She still makes me smile. She would tell me that all her friends had died and were in heaven. She decided they got tired of waiting for her to join them and since she hadn’t appeared up there yet, they assumed she went elsewhere. We would always laugh about that.She is counting days in heaven now.Why is it we need to lose a loved one, face a health threat, experience a tragedy to wake up and embrace life? In my quiet time lately with palms open upward, I cradle the fragile bubble of time. This image started when I realized over the holidays, that I have lived longer than both of my parents. I lost them both too young and with too many days left unspent.As of today, I have lived 22, 938 days.I don’t want to waste this precious gift of life.The other factor stirring my soul with the sweet appreciation of life is a new book by Robert D. Smith called, 20,000 Days and Counting: The … [Read more...]
What’s on My Night Stand?
Ohhh, I do love books. Right now I am reading or just finished several really good ones and wanted them with you.1. Keri Wyatt Kent is one of my favorite authors. I love how her words in her books, articles and on her blog invite me closer to God.Keri's latest book, Deeply Loved: 40 Ways in 40 Days toExperience the Heart of Jesus, is not an exception. This book in 40 reflections sharing 40 ways drenches you in God's love.I love her first story of the foster parents facing the challenge of raising a four year old boy whose roots run deep in poverty, illness and abandonment."When they tucked him in at night they ask him, `Jonathan, when God looks at you, what does he say?" And they have taught him to answer, "He says, `I sure do love that little boy!" "The truth is, God sure does love you. When he looks at you, his first thought is love...Augustine asserted, "God loves each of us like an only child."This book is rich with Scripture, practical wisdom and encouragement. I highly recommend … [Read more...]
Embracing Obscurity – Book Review
On retreat this summer the leader told us about one of St John of the Cross’s prayers:Make me invisible, Lord.That prayer has lingered with me and invited me to think about insignificance as a spiritual discipline. I am a three on the Enneagram and if you know anything about that personality, I thrive on achievement. Accomplishment is my motivator whether it is crossing things off my to-do list, obtaining goals and diving into items on my bucket list. I am driven to make a difference, to be remembered, and to leave a lasting legacy.I “do” “do” well. Just “being” is a lifelong struggle for me.Imagine then my astonishment at a book titled: Embracing Obscurity - Becoming Nothing in Light of God’s Everything. When I had a chance to read this advance copy of this new book published by B & H Publishing, I took the opportunity. God was certainly getting my attention with this topic.And get this: the author is “anonymous.” Isn’t that different? The book tells us this is a well-known author … [Read more...]
Moving from Past Tense to Present Tense
Mary DeMuth’s new book is called Everything: What you give and what you gain to become like Jesus and is scheduled for release October 16. You can preorder it here. I am blessed to be part of Mary’s launch team for this wonderful book and have an early copy to study and enjoy. Over the next few Thursdays, I will be sharing a quote from the book and some thoughts that her words have stirred within my heart. This book is wonderful, full of wisdom and stories, and will help you discover the freedom in surrendering everything to Jesus. The past two Thursdays I pondered her chapter on Cultivating Astonishment and Practicing Resiliency; this week let’s explore another chapter: Be an AM.A standard piece of advice for any writer is: AVOID PASSIVE WRITING.Passive writing sucks the life out of your words. The meaning is heavy and it emphasizes the object not the subject in a sentence. Active tense is present and full of energy.Read these two examples. See how the second one is better?In the … [Read more...]