“All” is my word of the year. One way I companion my word each year is to find a sign to put near my home altar using the selected word. I found a great sign last year for its word “Go” at our nearby Hobby Lobby. “Let’s Go” empowered me every morning. So I have been on the hunt for a new sign this year and finally once again in Hobby Lobby found one sign using this year’s word: “All of me loves all of you.” Now I know this expression was to be between two lovers, but I adopted it as my prayer. “Lord, help all of me love all of you.” Or at least that was my original intention for using the sign. God had other plans. A few weeks ago, I ventured to the center about 90 minutes from my home for a silent retreat. Often I bring a few items from my home altar with me to help create a sacred atmosphere in the room for prayer and time with God. I brought my “All of me loves all of you” sign. I entered the silence wondering how I could love God more. What more could … [Read more...]
Name Your Season
What season are you in right now? Depending on how you define the word “season” will influence your answer. Is it winter leaning into spring? Is there a change in life/job/role? Is it quiet/growth/turmoil/change? Is it a new decade of life or significant birthday/anniversary? What a good question though to ponder and explore to help know what is impacting and shaping you currently on your spiritual journey! In looking at the calendar year I am in the season of spring. Yes I know, I know, the official date of spring is a few weeks from now but if you listen closely to the meteorologists, they will tell you March 1 is the first day of metrological spring. Yah! Take a moment and consider the next three months – the months of spring. March. April. May. What gifts will these three months bring? What will I learn by paying attention to them? Where is God inviting me closer now and into the near future? The season - I decided to name it and proclaim … [Read more...]
Does Category Matter for Our Word of the Year?
What category or part of speech is your word of the year? Does it even matter? Every word can be categorized as a part of speech based on its function. Does this affect our relationship with our words? My word for 2022 is ALL. This word draws me into deeper surrender with God as he is my all in all and I want to give him my all. All in all ways always. All is a quiet word. A gentle word. A sense of yielding. Last year’s word – GO – meant action, movement, energy. Go is a verb. All is a noun, pronoun, or adverb. I really liked GO and all that I learned from its lively vitality. What a great word category. I never realized before how the part of speech of my annual word impacts how it feels to my heart. How words play with our mind and our perspectives. I confess that I miss the excitement, zest, and zip that Go brought into my life. But perhaps my heart is yearning for a different adventure in this season of my life. Less do and more be. Less me and more … [Read more...]
Share Four Somethings – January 2022
Share Four Somethings is a regular blog post several of my blogger friends publish sharing bits of wisdom in four categories. Heather’s 2022 categories are Something Loved, Something Gleaned, Something Braved, and Something Achieved. Lisa near the end of each month shares something she loves, something she read, something she treasures, and something ahead. I love this practice as it collects moments for reflection and growth. These “somethings” become markers in our spiritual journey. With so much pivoting and uncertainty in our lives right now, being grounded in a simple practice like this guides my way. So I will occasionally share my four somethings on this blog. I listened to my heart and to God and narrowed down my four categories to start with and to see what they will teach me this year. Something WiseSomething WonderfulSomething WhisperedSomething Whimsical Something Wise This quote challenged me this month and I am still sitting with its wisdom. … [Read more...]
The Spiritual Practice of Joy
Joy doesn’t come easy for me. I tend to be a focused, serious, get it done gal and am envious of others whose smiles light up a room and whose presence brings delight. When I do my year-end review and assess my various life arenas – physical, mental, spiritual, relationships, work, etc., the section titled fun, joy, or brightness of life often rates the lowest. I remember walking ahead of my mother and her friend down the neighborhood sidewalk when I was about 4 or 5 and overhearing the friend talk about me. “I worry about your daughter -she is so sober, never joyful.” What? Me? I didn’t feel that way, but that description scorched deep into my self image. I knew many moments of delight as a child but allowed that story to tell me otherwise. I realized the other day I have believing that narrative about myself even though I know it is not true. I asked God to help me practice joy more in His way. I cast away the old way of perceiving myself. Frederick Buechner wrote … [Read more...]
Reading Roundup
A reading roundup is a collection of articles and posts one person reads, finds interesting, and then shares with another. On a ranch, they “roundup” or gather scattered animals into one place. A writer discovers and compile items of interest then publishes them together. Imagine you and I meet in the local coffee shop. Of course, I sip on the flavored brew of the day. Go ahead and have tea or whatever you fancy. I might say to you: “I read the most fascinating article the other day about…” “Did you know…?” “I learned a new idea…” Here are some of the reading roundups I have collected recently and wanted to share with you. Maybe one of them will resonate in your heart and feed your soul. Faith and Leadership shared this thought-provoking interview with Phyllis Tickle about the future and the changes of the church. Be sure to read till the end of the article about how churches need to be anthills. “Phyllis Tickle argues that Christianity is currently … [Read more...]
Let Go or Let’s Go
“Go” is my word for 2021 and for such a short, simple word I have been amazed how it has weaved its meaning into my life this year. For some earlier examples, you can reread these blog posts here and here. This past week “Go” tickled my imagination during my practice of breath prayer. A breath prayer is a very short prayer that can be said in one breath and repeated throughout the day. It is an ancient form of prayer, found in writings as early as the second century. The prayer communicates a sense of nearness with trust and dependency on God. Perhaps the best-known breath prayer is called the Jesus Prayer. “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.” That morning I inhaled “Let” and exhaled “Go” as I relaxed into God’s arm and surrender the many attachments coming between us. I loosened my grip on concerns and future non-existent anxieties. “Let go.” “Let go.” Then I noticed a whispered change, “Let’s go.” “Let’s go.” A simple … [Read more...]
11 Tips to Percolate in Prayer
Percolate means to spread or pass through. What a lovely way to think of prayer. To percolate our day, our time, our life in prayer. Percolate originates from Latin with “colo” meaning to worship, honor, inhabit, nurture, cultivate, filter, and purify. To allow ourselves to seep in and through prayer. I love that image and have been intentionally soaking in God’s presence during the moments of my day. Even last week in the hot humid craziness of a packed Disney World with long lines and achy feet, I smiled at God and thanked him for all his gifts. Beholding the word “percolate” centered me even in the midst of the noise of the Magic Kingdom. Once home I began to identify what has helped me this year focus on God throughout the day and distilled 11 ideas to share with you and hopefully reinforce and cultivate prayer in my life too. 11 Tips to Percolate in Prayer "Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary … [Read more...]